Behind The Vinyl: "Lunatic Fringe" with Tom Cochrane 

3:05 Tom hits the nail on the head. This song is more important today than it was 40 years ago!

I remember when this song first came out I thought it was Pink Floyd. The Pink Floyd influence is SO HEAVY that it's as if Pink Floyd wrote the song and gave it to Red Rider. . . . This is one of the many great Rock songs of all time. . .

One of the most wickedly fantastic rock songs ever written.

Tom is one of our most prized artists in Canada. Red Rider was one of my first groups that I loved as a kid. Amazing music .

Always loved this song. That and Aldo Nova- Life is just a fantasy.

An absolutely amazing song! No way you can't crank this up if it comes on the radio.

This is a fantastic series highlighting the best of 🇨🇦 Canadian music starring the actual people who wrote/performed the classic songs....

Pure gold, the song will be played somewhere every day till the end of time.

Still listen to this song, always on 10+. Stop what I'm doing, & get my air guitar out,to jam. Thank you Tom.

It's one of the best songs ever. It's so fitting for today.

I used the opener of this song to do a Rod Serling impression and nail a Twilight Zone answering machine message, which I kept for almost a year because it was so good. But I had to time my vocals perfectly to the nuances of the eerie opener, which I will now never forget. But the only reason I made that answering machine message was because of this brilliant song written by Tom Cochrane. Possibly my gateway into all Canadian Rock.

Pure badass. That's my description of that song. Reminds me of Children of the Sun. Another GREAT.

Love everything Tom has out . Such an incredible talent and amazing song writer….supreme vocalist

I'd like someday to meet Mr Cochrane and thank him for all the songs he has penned and performed. They are in many ways the soundtrack to me growing up into whatever I am today. 😀

Awesome song. Awesome band... Proud to be Canadian..

This song and Planet P “Why Me?” ....coolest intros ever.

Vision Quest is when I first heard this song and has forever been on my play-list mix tapes (lol), my car, and my gym workout. Thank you Tom for sticking to your guns and doing things your way! You've added to this stranger's live soundtrack.... ;)

The opening chord being played the way it is then the pick scrape comes in? That's just awesome.

The album Neruda from Red Rider is still one of the greatest albums ever. I still listen to it over and over. Lunatic Fringe was a great song too as was the song White Hot. Love Tom Cochrane great songwriter and vocalist.

Red Rider were a fantastic band! I love their music. The song works very good in the night on a dark Highway in Sweden.....

Definitely in my top 5! Lunatic Fringe blew me away, and it MORE than stands the test of time. Whenever I hear this on radio, I have to stop what I'm doing and just listen. It never gets old! Thank you, Tom Cochrane!

Brings back great memories with a buddy that has passed on.

One of my all time favorite songs. My sons were introduced to it via the movie "Vision Quest". It is a very atmospheric song, it sets a tone. It is edgy while also being inviting. You knocked it out of the park Mr. Cochrane.

what a great speaking voice he has

It's one of the songs I practice playing bass to every day. Yes, I play every day, 3-4 hours a day, to keep my chops up.

Lunatic Fringe is one of those few songs where you think, "Don't change the station!" if you hear it's coming up. Never gets old - as Tom says it's stood the test of time. On a good sound system you can hear the barely audible voices in the background at the beginning...I think it was the talkback about the news of Lennon's death that made it on the recording.

This song was and still is magical!!! Great guitar solo as well so killer

A surprising number of people don’t seem to know that Tom Cochrane is both the “Lunatic Fringe” guy and the “Life is a Highway” guy.

Song still hits hard never gets old ❤

Lunatic fringe I know you're out there You're in hiding And you hold your meetings I can hear you coming I know what you're after We're wise to you this time (wise to you this time) We won't let you kill the laughter Oh oh oh Oh oh oh Oh oh oh Lunatic fringe In the twilight's last gleaming But this is open season But you won't get too far 'Cause you've got to blame someone For your own confusion We're on guard this time (on guard this time) Against your final solution Oh no Oh oh oh Oh oh oh Oh oh oh We can hear you coming (we can hear you coming) No, you're not going to win this time (not gonna win) We can hear the footsteps (we can hear the footsteps) Hey, out along the walkway (out along the walkway) Lunatic fringe We all know you're out there Can you feel the resistance Can you feel the thunder Oh no Hey!

Golly! The tape breaking down, re-recording, being told to dumb it all down! Thanks to Tom & the band for being vigilant & not changing the lyrics or anything!!! Thank you boom.97.3 for this interview & YT channel! This song means a ton to me. I sing it at my life challenges. Great stuff, great advice from Tom, too!

Growing up in Canada this tune was played a bunch on the radio , found the record in a goodwill, lost it in a house fire , loads of good stories had with that record and song lunatic fringe !

The first time I heard this song on the radio I heard the first whistle sound and instantly turned it up. It was as amazing as I thought it was going to be. It was different and that caught my attention. I have loved it since it first came out

This song came on the radio as I driving home in my newly bought 1976 Pontiac gran price that’s about a million life times ago it seems but so clearly remember that

great guy, great musician, and a song even more relevant today.

We listened to this so many times on the road going to see the Cars in Oklahoma city from Amarillo, Tx.. good times!!! '1986...

I had a buddy at the time this was released who thought the title was "Lunatic Friends". He loved the song because he thought it aptly described his crazy (we young but weren't that crazy) friends. Man he argued with us when we eventually figured out his view and corrected him!

The song has such a mezmerizing intro.

I remember seeing this video on MTV, and I was stunned to see and hear a pedal steel solo in a rock song. My mom and one of my brothers were country music fans, so I had heard plenty of pedal steel in THAT context, but this was the first time I heard it in rock music. BTW, he metnions David Gilmour playing a lot of lap steel in Pink Floyd, but another guitarist used who played in steel in rock music, which I only learned about later, was Steve Howe. There's LOTS of steel on the Yes records and his solo albums.

One of the greatest guitar songs ever. Always loved this song.

One of my all-time favorite songs! The lyrics are absolutely perfect to describe today’s world.

Unfortunately the CD is hard to find for a reasonable price! But this song was on the first rock cassette I ever owned: Rock ‘82. I still love it after 40 years!

The song that introduced me to Red Rider. Thanks for all the great music!

Great voice and band

I saw these guys in Seattle in 1981 as the opening act for Journey.

I used to go to minor league hockey games as a kid and they would blast this song for warm ups with the lights turned down. I thought is was so cool. I recently found a copy of this album at my local record store and had to buy it.

Red Rider won 7 Junos Awards. I loved this supernatural 'Lunatic Fringe' song so much when it came out in 1980 I saw the Group Live and also bought their LPS and then their greatest hits CD and still have them. I still have the LP Tom is holding.

Saw Red Rider open for Foghat at the University of Nevada Reno 1982... Thank you!! What a time and show!!

This is the song you never ever change the station or say a word. You just sit back, listen and turn it up to 11. Weighing in at 168 pounds for The Thompson High Warriors Louden Swain!

Folks if you spend money on downloading songs.. Red Rider Lunatic Fringe is a must! 🎉 ❤ 😊 God bless the 80s!

Every Friday night before a game I was jamming this and Pantera made me crazy on the field

Good God i love this song. Memories......sighhhhhhhh :(

I was on my way to Walmart today listen to this song, January 3, 2023 still enjoying this song. Happy New Years Everybody.

I loved that song and can still listen in 2020

This song is on another level

Don't Remember even listening to the lyrics. The bad ass guitar and textures were awesome

That steel guitar solo is forever in my mind. Perfect!

Its 2023 and i would say this song is more relevant now than when it was released. Lunatic fringe is on my play list on my phone and as i drive truck ( super B's ) Ill hear it two to three times throughout the day and it does not get old. I feel a quiet anger grow in me, an anger at the political and religious extremists pushing their beliefs on the rest of us.

This is one of those songs I’ve heard parts of practically my whole life (I’m 50) but one day just recently It came on while I was on a long drive and it was love at first tune. I have to say it’s one of my all time favorite songs, it speaks volumes and the sounds is mesmerizing, a masterpiece.

He mentioned Peter Wolf co-authored’We built this City’. Uh, that song is not discussed in civilized society.

I’ve always loved this song! Still crank it up every time I hear it. The steel guitar solo still blows me away!

I grew up near Cincinnati, listening to 102.7 WEBN the Lunatic Fringe Of American FM. They liked it so much, they made it their slogan.

This is one of those songs that sneaks up behind you like a wolf and bites onto you and won’t ever let go.

One golden hit from that great era of Canadian rock.

This great song was featured in an episode of Miami Vice, and it was a perfect fit for the scene it was in. That had to be good for everyone involved....i have always loved this song!

Big Bravo Mr. Tom C. yes this is an absolute outstanding master piece.... And the words are 100% relevant today for those who are aware of what is going on in this world...Thank you for your genious talent !!!

One of my favorites.

This Song meant so much to me as a young drummer . I first heard it on Miami Vice the 80's Television show ! When Crockett and Tubbs were on Crocketts speed boat going after someone in the Bahamas , THANK YOU MICHAEL MANN ! 🙏🏾 ❤ .

First 20 times I heard this I thought he was saying lunatic friends

Wasn't this song also used in "visionquest"

I remember thinking this was a Pink Floyd song many years ago.

Yah love you and I love that song Thanks

Iconic to say the least

I accidentally blew up a pair of speakers with this song... It was well worth it, this song is awesome.

Thanks Tom for writing that classic song

Excellent 👍

i love this song and when i read they lyrics a year ago i was leveled, so relevant.

"Napoleon sheds his skin" is also one of the greats. In my book, anyway....

Love this song . Always put it on my headphones when I'm taking off on plane dont know why buts it's my song to go to when I take off. Thank you for the great music

Incredible song

Great Song!

One of the greatest songs Ever!

i put together six 80s discs about 10 years ago, back when discs were a thing, and this song is number one on the fourth. great tune to start an album/disc/collection.

Love!!!!!

This is pretty awesome.

LOVE this song! Thanks, Tom and Red Rider!!

Cowboys in Hong Kong! I listened to this album for months on end when it came out. When a side would end someone in the house would flip it in seconds. I always thought that there was a Pink Floyd influence.

Good song. Used to great effect in opening sequence of Miami Vice episode "Smuggler's Blues".

One of the best opening tracks on any album...ever!!!

You cant turn back, white hot and this gem. Great rocknroll voice. Good job boom

What an amazing story. Great song.

Great song!

The song is a absolute masterpiece

Memories of the early 80s, aimlessly roaming the streets with no particular plans on stupid hot summer nights, boom boxes, underage parties with illegal kegs and other stuff, Camaros and Trans Ams with Blaupunkt stereos and songs like this blasting out...

great channel....love this song....good times!!!!

Masterpiece

Been saying this song sounds like Gilmore for years. This was satisfying.

One of my all time favorite songs from my younger days.still brings back good memories.

So many memories from 1981...this song came outta nowhere and was an instant smash

killer tune and mindblowing steel solo