Timeline

Born: Lynn Lake

Born May 14 1953, Lake Lynn Manitoba to Violet and Tuck Cochrane, a bush pilot. At the age of four the family re-located to Acton, Ontario and later to Etobicoke, Ontario.
He purchased his first guitar at age 11 by selling a toy train set. Cochrane attended Martingrove Collegiate Institute in the late 1960s

Hang On To Your Resistance

Tom Cochrane’s debut album Hang On To Your Resistance was released in 1974 on Daffodil Records in Canada under the name Cochrane. Capitol Records re-issued the album in 1987. Cochrane produced the album which featured the singles “You’re Driving Me Crazy” and “Charlie Was A Dancer”.

El Mocambo

After meeting at the famous El Mocambo Tavern in Toronto, Tom joined the Canadian rock band Red Rider in 1978 and served as their lead singer and main songwriter for more than ten years.

Red Rider included Ken Greer, Jeff Jones, Peter Boynton and Rob Baker. Bruce Allen managed the band from their debit until 1985.

Don't Fight It

Don’t Fight It was the first album by Red Rider and was released by Capital Records in 1979. It included the band’s debut hit “White Hot”, written about poet Arthur Rimbaud. The album also included the single Don’t Fight It and Avenue “A”.

Don’t Fight It sold more than 100,000 copies in Canada and earned Red Rider their first Gold album certification award (later certified Platinum).

The album was produced by Michael James Jackson.”

As Far As Siam

Red Rider’s2nd album As Far as Siam was released in June 1981 and included Lunatic Fringe. The song was inspired by a book about humanitarian Raoul Wallenberg.
Lunatic Fringe became Red Rider’s biggest hit. The song was featured in the movie Vision Quest.
The album also included the single What Have You Got To Do (To Get Off Tonight). The album achieved Platinum sales certification in Canada (100,000+ sales) It was recorded at Sunset Sound studios in L.A. and was produced by Richard Landis & Michael James Jackson.

Neruda

Red Rider’s critically acclaimed third album Neruda was released in 1983 and included the singles Human Race, Power and Crack The Sky (Breakaway) plus the song Napoleon Sheds His Skin.

Neruda  became Cochrane’s 3rd straight Platinum album in Canada with Red Rider.

The album was recorded at Metalworks Studios in Toronto with David Tickle producing 8 of the album’s 10 songs.

Breaking Curfew

Red Rider’s fourth studio album Breaking Curfew was released in 1984.

It included the hit song Young Thing, Wild Dreams (Rock Me). The title track was also released as a single.

Breaking Curfew became the fourth straight Gold album for Red Rider.

The album was produced by Cochrane and David Tickle at Metalworks studios in Toronto and Startling Studios in England.

Tears Are Not Enough

In 1985 Tom participated in the recording of the Northern Lights song Tears Are Not Enough with the proceeds going to Ethiopian famine relief.

Tom Cochrane & Red Rider

The self-titled 1986 album was the first using his name as part of the band’s name. The album achieved Platinum sales status in Canada.It included the hit singles Boy Inside The Man, The Untouchable One, Ocean Blues and One More Time. The album earned Tom two Juno Awards for Composer of the Year and Group of the Year. The album was produced by Cochrane and Patrick Moran at Rockfield Studios in Wales and Cedartree Studios in Kitchener.

Victory Day

Victory Day released in 1988 included 3 major hits: Big League, Good Times and Victory Day. The album was produced by Don Gehman in Woodland Hills, Burbank, Vancouver, Toronto and Hollywood, L.A.

Victory Day sold more than 200,000 copies in Canada and became the first Double Platinum album. The album garnered Tom and Red Rider 3 Juno Award nominations.

The Symphony Sessions

The Symphony Sessions was recorded live in concert with the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra on March 17-18, 1989 in Edmonton, AB. It featured many of Tom’s hits with Red Rider plus Leonard Cohen’s Bird on the Wire. The concert featured a 56-piece orchestra, including six players who had performed with Procol Harum at the band’s 1971 performance with the E.S.). The album achieved Platinum sales status in Canada.