đ¸âI Said, âYou Have No Idea How Many Things Iâve Stolen from You.â And He Said, âYes, I Have.ââ â Randy Bachmanâs Jaw-Dropping First Encounter with Stephen Stills at Neil Youngâs 70th
Rock and roll is a world built on riffs, rebellion, and unexpected moments and few tales capture all three quite like the unforgettable exchange between Canadian rock legend Randy Bachman and American icon Stephen Stills at Neil Youngâs 70th birthday bash.
It was a party packed with guitar gods and generational voices, but for Bachman famed for his work with The Guess Who and Bachman-Turner Overdrive one moment stood above the rest. Speaking recently in an interview, Bachman recalled his bold introduction to Stephen Stills with a mix of reverence and rockstar mischief.
âI walked up to Stephen and said, âYou have no idea how many things Iâve stolen from you,ââ Bachman recounted with a grin. âAnd without missing a beat, he said, âYes, I have.ââ
The exchange sent a shockwave of laughter through the room but beneath it was a shared understanding that defines rockâs greatest innovators: influence isnât theft, itâs tradition.
Bachman has long credited Stills as one of his guitar inspirations, admiring his work from Buffalo Springfield to Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young. That night at Neil Youngâs milestone celebration, the air was thick with nostalgia, but also respect among peers whose chords and lyrics helped define the sound of a generation.
âIt wasnât said with malice,â Bachman clarified. âIt was more like, âWe all borrow, we all build on each other.â And in that moment, I felt like I had been acknowledged by one of my heroes.â
The story is more than just a funny anecdote itâs a reminder of the deep, cross-border creative ties that run through rock history. Neil Young, a Canadian icon himself, brought together titans of the craft that night, many of whom had shaped and shadowed each otherâs careers over decades. For fans of classic rock, moments like these offer a glimpse into the brotherhood that exists behind the amplifiers and arena lights.
And for Bachman, who helped soundtrack the â70s with hits like Takinâ Care of Business and American Woman, it was a full-circle moment. The kid who once studied Stephen Stillsâ playing with wide-eyed admiration was now swapping barbed compliments with him at a legendâs birthday.
âThatâs rock and roll,â Bachman said. âYou grow up learning from your heroes and if youâre lucky, you get to tell them.â