Music theory Genius. Killer pipes. Excellent songwriter. and remember, Rik was all of TWENTY freakin FIVE when "Lay it on the Line" was recorded for their "Just a Game" album. CONSUMMATE Musician and Guitarist. And Rik if you're ever reading these, I want to thank you. In Easter 1979 when I was 15 & just before I became an intolerably defiant obnoxious 16yo, my parent's forced me to go to Hawaii with them, and I was MISERABLE. Then, the 1st day there I was at the pool by myself brooding & listening to my early fm radio "boombox" BLASTING "Lay It On The Line" and an Angelically BEAUTIFUL 15 year old girl named Shelley walked up and said "I love Triumph, I'm from Canada" and after I picked my chin off the pool deck, stopped drooling on myself and relearned how to talk, I said "Hey what's up. I'm from California, and I dig ROCK" ( rofl ). I got to hang out with her for a week, as CRAZY luck would have it, in both Hilo AND Kona. We kept in touch, but I joined the US Navy exactly 2 years later and ended up on the East Coast ( she was from Kelowna ) and young 1st love faded into memories. But I will never forget her. Or her annoying little brother LOL. So thanks Rik, your song brought me amazing luck, and decades of smiles & memories of an innocent young Canadian Angel. I even picked up guitar after that. But I NEVER mastered your lead, no luck with "that" haha. So Cheers Rik, stick around til you're 100 sharing your musicianship. Then "YOU" try playing that solo haha !!! Rock On, Mark
Such an awesome musician,so underrated..I can still remember when they absolutely stole the show and blew everyone out of the water at the 1983 US Fest..
Rik and Eddie are the master players! I was at US fest and almost lost it when Triumph came on- Rik if you see this I would pay anything to hang an autographed picture of you on my wall.. Loved you for years like a brother!!!
Hi there! Rik is my favorite guitarist and the biggest guitar influence, because I learn to play my own electric guitar in his key and wrote my own poems! Please leave a comment - I'm ready to help you to get a signed picture of him!
Man, listening to this as an 11yr old, blew my mind!! I fell in love with that "chuck-a-chucka"! Listening to triumph always made me feel good!! Thank you Rik Gil and Mike!!
Needless to say, that is one of the greatest guitar solos I've ever heard. And I've heard tons of people play it but they always seem to play it with some kind of aggression or hurriedness. I think what makes Rik's original solo one of the greatest is because of its light and airy feel. It doesn't need to be played, it just needs to flow. And Rik does it so well - well, of course, he composed it. But you know what I mean.
I have to say it too….don’t kid yourselves…..this is one of the finest musicians of our time and one of the finest guitarists of our time. He has a wide spectrum of guitar styles. His performance at US Festival mesmerized me more than my first hearing of Eruption. EVH is more influential and I love him too, but RIK is, in my mind, equally as talented as a player but without the same extremely influential innovations. Rik has a more mature subdued persona but he is a hero of mine….and I love that he seems to pay homage to Lifeson in some small ways 😊😂
Rik, I don’t know if you’d read this 10 years after posting it but I bought the Allied Forces on vinyl around 1980-81, fell absolutely in love with this band!! I went to the US Festival in 1983 (I was 19), primarily to see Triumph and you didn’t disappoint!! I later saw you on the Never Surrender tour and that was just truly awesome! I remember working at a bank as a Teller in 1983-84 and having to relieve a guy for lunch. He worked in the basement with the Safe Deposit Boxes. I was horribly bored but there were 2 Playboy magazines from 1965-66 which I read cover to cover and after that, there was absolutely nothing to do so I called my mom at home and asked her to press play on the living room stereo cassette player. I had “Lay it on the line” cued up!! I had her rewind until I heard it 3 times over the phone. I love your other songs but this is my favorite by far. I’m guessing it’s the feelings, sensations and emotions I get at the beginning and the power chords with the exclamations to the former lover, now a friend. Anyway Rik, I love your work, you’re a Band that belongs in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame!!
I too was at the US Festival and I was also 19. It was a going away present from my mother. I was headed to the Army. A few days after the festival the recruiter came to pick me up and away I went. Ended up seeing Triumph 3 more times throughout the 80s. Man I loved them. My 2 favorite bands of all time are Van Halen and Triumph. Can you imagine if Rik and Eddie made an album together? Hot damn !! Good story you gave. I turn 60 in 30 days from today. (Feb 15th 2024) Crazy. "Where have all the good times gone"? Rock on bro. :)
I have always thought Rik was amazing! I like to Google live performances, like many of you do, to see who can deliver live versus who is kind of put together in the studio?? My god those pipes with those guitar skills together...just over the top.!
The “chucka chucka” is the best part. I don’t know if it’s my old ears or terrible audio quality of streaming and speakers these days but I started to wonder if I made it up in my head. I found this video only today and was so freaking happy to hear it and he even gave it a name.
you sir are an amazing talent, i am lost for words, you are truly the most amazing guitar player i have ever watched, i love alex lifeson and joe satraini, but you are talented in so many very unique ways, just amazing,. i have been following you guys since early eighties and i was born in 1966, thank you for the great music,..
As far as Triumph goes all three of the group were great together. The drummer was excellent at drums +taking care of the bands business like basically he was the manager. Let's face it Rick. ROCKS!!!!
I always loved that song, but never tried to play it. I give you more credit now as a guitar player ( and I gave you crazy credit before, but you just blew me away). Thank you for teaching this yourself. All the tabs I saw today were sooooooo wrong.
Wow! Thanks for posting! You guys just rock! So many memories of jamming to your song blasting out of a jacked-up Chevelle with 6x9 Pioneers on the rear deck. We miss you! Music is just not made like this today. Take care.
Oh yea baby!! A Camaro with Jensen 6x9s….little kings in the Coleman in the back seat or the trunk….and pre-concert tailgating…blossom music center or Richfield coliseum……😂🎉😂🎉😂😅
why do we have to suffer ?? missing Rick,???? i wish He would come around more often, he is by far the very best guitarist: that said period,...no comparison to anyone, no need to at all................ a Neil Peart of guitar, an excellent player and the knowledge he has of music and the guitar is professoristic+ satrianicallyistic, +all around mind blowingly amazing, i love rush,+ alex lifeson but this guy, Rick is truly in a world of his own and i am lost as to why others do not pay this human being any respect at all, really people, Rick is where it is at, and can play anything,...........been a fan since 1979 i am 55 now. Rush, layed the pavement for so many bands like Triumph: and Triumph was such a great band, music for our hearts , music that made us feel great and working + living in our wonderful world,..........
They don't make them like Rik anymore......the man has no weakness, amazing singer + incredible guitar player + excellent songwriter - pure greatness! Oh yeah the other 2 guys in the band were pretty damn awesome also
Rik seems like a super smart, nice guy! Thanks for sharing Rik! You brought back some great memories. One of my cover band's most popular songs was "Magic Power".
This is awesome CBC !! Thank u....lotz Ever since I saw him cuttin heads with George benson my respect has grown for him ...being a Toronto kid I always loved the band tho
What a great tune! My God, my guitar hero has arrived! Versatile guitar player, fantastic vocalist, great songwriter and most importantly, appears to be a kind human. My way to follow from tenderness to passion... My greatest rock music influence who even forced me to pick up my own electric guitar to resonate with him! How I want to learn your hooks, riffs and chords! Your unforgettable double neck guitar brings only good memories:... Thanks a lot, my dear Rik! You are amazing!
Emmet, You are an inspiration to all. Van halen is a cocky prick who can tap. You are the best guitarist to walk this and there is no competition. Even in age you still have it
Rik Emmett is arguably the best guitarist there is. His versatility is unmatched His tone is unique. And his creativity is unsurpassed. Thank you for writing and performing some of the best music ever
En plus d'être immensément talentueux, cet homme est très attachant, agréable, chaleureux, terre à terre, généreux et très humble en plus. D'autres auraient intérêt à prendre des notes.
For most of us, Jimmy Page is considered one of the top rock's baddest six-stringer extraordinares. But, between Page and Rick Emmett, I truly consider Emmett WAY BETTER for many factors: Styles, instructor, technical supporter for Guitar Magazine, and more!!!
Page is a whole generation before Emmett. Every generation improves from the last. Emmett is proof of this. A far more educated and refined player. Plus Emmet is also a great singer. Page is one of the great creators of hard rock/metal playing. Without Jimmy Page and many others, there may have been no Rick Emmett. IMO
Won’t get into the versus part of it, but Rik is an amazing teacher. Used to have his full lesions on vhs. Same mellow attitude toward teaching. Same with Brian May, but Rik just is really great at it.
Hey Rik, why don't you play that masterpiece of yours Prologue Into the Forever? That sends chills down my spine! Surveillance was one of Triumphs most underrated albums!
I like the way the multiple videos are placed to make it easier to follow what he's doing, although, and I'll be trying this at home, even if I'm not the biggest Triumph fan of all time.... Or any time. But that's beside the point.
