Triumph, The Band

In 1975, Gil Moore and Mike Levine approached a "brash, loud, and noisy" 21 year old Rik Emmett with a local record company deal to cut a demo. He accepted and they went on to form Triumph. They  played there first show in September of that same year and released their first album, Triumph, soon after. Triumph went on  to release nine studio, two live, and a greatest hits album - eight of which went gold. They where nominated for the Juno Group of the Year Award in '79,  '85, '86, and '87.

When asked about the rigors of touring taking their toll on the band members.  Mike Levine said, "if we stop having fun on tour, or in our business affairs, of  in personal relationships, then I don't think Triumph would exist anymore." On September 3rd of 1988, Triumph stopped having fun. Kingswood Music Theater saw  the last performance of the original members.

Phil X joined the group for the release of The Edge of  Excess, which went on to be nominated the Hard Rock Album of the Year Award in 1993.

In the summer of 1998, a new Triumph album and tour are in the works. Rik has  been asked to join Mike and Gil for the project to celebrate the band's 20th  anniversary. Unfortunately, it seems the bad feelings from the split and  difficult money matters that followed may have doomed the plan. Rik has stated that it is highly unlikely that he would be interested. The album, for now, is still on with no word on who will be the guitarist.

Before...

Mike Levine made a name for himself  playing with Terry and the Pyrates, and went on to gained studio experience recording "All That's Necessary" with Motherload. He went on to tour with the band that was mostly made up of ex-members of Liegh  Ashford.

Gil Moore was playing with Mushroom Castle, who later changed their  name to Sherman and Peabody after "Buzz" Sheraton joined the group. When Sheraton left to join Liegh Ashford, known as "the band that later became Moxy". After they broke up, Gil formed Triumph with Mike and Rik.

Gil and Mike also spent some time together in a band called Abernathy  Shagnaster's Wash and Wear Band.

During...

While working with Triumph, Mike and Gil took very active roles in the day-to-day operation of the band . Mike worked overtime in the studio producing their albums. He also handled the  publicity and marketing chores. Gil handled the touring details, including the constant search for a bigger and better sound and light show for their legendary stage performances.

After...

Triumph continues to succeed with  their positive approach to the music business. Gil now runs Triumph's  "Metalworks" studio. Mike is busy handling Triumph's new label, TRC, which has  now re-released all their recordings with original liner notes and art work.

Before...

Richard Emmett was born on July 10,  1953. He began playing guitar at the age of twelve when he won free lessons at a  local music store. He learned to play right handed even though he is a lefty. After getting his first electric guitar at 13, Rik joined his first band Something Unusual. He played in 3 or 4 other bands through high school. Rik also played second violin in his school's orchestra. Rik's early influences included the Beatles, Cream, Jimi Hendrix and Led Zeppelin. Rik's first steady work was with John Kirk and the Amberjacks. They performed three nights a  week at the Robin Hood Inn in Pickering, Ontario playing both kinds of music - country and western. Rik spent only two weeks in the jazz program at  Humber College in the fall of 1973 before leaving to join a "glam-rock" band, Justin Paige. They went on to recorded a self titled album which quickly died. Rik next joined Denton Young and Chris Brockway to form a band called Act III. This would last about a year and was highlighted by the writing  of "The Blinding Light Show / Moonchild", which would appear on Triumph's first album.

During...

An error on the band's first album would coin Rick as "Rik". He said he had "enough experience with music business bureaucracy to know that it would be easier to change my name than to get the album cover corrected". Beginning in November of 1983, Rik wrote a column for Guitar Player Magazine. Hit Parader also ran a series of cartoons  called "Rocktoons" drawn by him from 1981 to 1983. In 1981 Rik won the Juno Award for Best Guitarist in a public vote.

After...

After thirteen years, Rik left Triumph in 1988. He has since recorded three solo albums, Absolutely in 1990 (which went gold with four top 10 singles), Ipso Facto in 1992, and  1995's Spiral Notebook. Rik was inducted into the Canadian Rock Hall of  Fame in 1993. He continues to be active in the studio as well as playing charity  benefits.

For a more complete biography of Rik, make sure to visit Rik Emmett's Spiral Notebook

Phil made his mark in the active Toronto music scene. He has toured with heavy weights like Frozen Ghost and Aldo Nova. After the departure of Rik, Gil had heard Phil playing in a local club and discussed the possibility of joining Triumph. Phil had already committed to Aldo Nova for his next tour, so he had to decline. By the time the recording of Edge of Excess began, he had returned from the tour of the U.S. Gil again approached him and he was brought in to work on the album.  Phil's style and ability lead to the success that the album, and the band,  enjoyed.

For Phil's latest project, he has teamed with Neenet Terhart to form Formaldehyde Ride. They enlisted the help of Toronto heavy-weight, and  Triumph friend, Mladen as producer to record a new album.