"Suitcase Blues" is one of my favorite songs off ANY Triumph album. To me, the lyrics and the music paint a picture in my mind that is totally in sync with the song itself. Such creative songwriters in that band! Thank you for the interview.
You and me both! "Suitcase Blues" is a one-of-a-kind! So many of those songs hold such special places in my life. Very special music, for sure. Thank YOU so very much for watching and sharing your thoughts! :)
I saw Rik in Checkers in Edmonton when he was doing a small club tour in the early 90's. It was amazing to see and hear this guy in such an intimate setting. He did a 12-string acoustic piece called (if I remember correctly) Classical Pizza. Outstanding!
I saw Rik in the early 2000's, and that piece sounds vaguely familiar! He is an absolute master on guitar. Love everything about Rik. And hey, I appreciate you watching and hope you enjoyed it! Thanks!
I admire the manner in which Rik is open and transparent about his life, especially his younger days as a shy young man. Rik speaks his mind very effectively. I heard another interview ,during 1978 he was married, using a band related credit card to buy groceries, driving a rag of a car and living in a tiny apartment. By the end of 1979, he owned a new home, bought his wife a new car, and his financial life just got better and better. What a remarkable talent. Excellent content, thanks.
After reading Rik's book and talking to him a couple times now, I really feel like he's one of the most intelligent, genuine, and grounded people that I know. Just a regular guy with musical talent. It would be similar to talking with Superman and realizing that he's just a regular guy that can fly. LOL So glad to know that you enjoyed the conversation. Thanks for watching and sharing your thoughts and kind words!
He seems like he'd be a really neat guy to have as a friend or neighbor. Quite an interesting but down-to-earth guy with a really unique life and perspective.
Dr Music thank you for thanking Rik for "Somebody's Out there" at the end of your interview. We must be around the same age and I remember feeling just the same as you. And 32 years of marriage and two full grown kids later I too still get a little misty when I hear that song because it gave me hope when I didn't have much! Rik has and does mean a lot to my life!
It meant the world to me to thank him, not only for myself, but for so many fans that have been touched by that song. Your story sounds identical to mine! I am 55 years old, just celebrated 32 years married, and I also have two grown kids! And somehow, I feel like Rik had a lot to do with me walking that path. It’s a powerful thing, and I’m so happy that you felt the magic of that song in your life like I did. Thank you very much for sharing your story and watching the interview! All the best to you!🤗
@DrMusicInterviews you are welcome. Like you said that song might not be the first one that comes to mind when you mention Triumph but it holds a special place in the hearts of several of us fans. I also know that Rik is proud of it being their highest charting single too! Wishing you a happy new year!
Great interview (thank you algorithm for recommending this)! I could listen to Rik Emmett forever; every one of these he gives is like an extra chapter of story/experiences that has these interesting nuances where I end up learning why he resonated with me early on, and why Triumph and their music hooked me (I remember it was those suite of music videos from "Just a Game"; specifically the Lay It On The Line and American Girls MV's). Then I got a chance to catch them on the Progression of Powers tour and was blown away by their live show (and it just got better on the subsequent Allied Forces, Never Surrender, and Thunder Seven tours that I also saw). He lived his humility/modesty even better post-Triumph with all those small club shows, meeting fans, and to this day, all of these interviews with smaller content creators like yourself. I already had a somewhat diverse listening background by the time I hit high school since I'd been exposed to 70's era Japanese pop and traditional enka. And I became a fan of symphonic music courtesy of John Williams when I was in junior high school; this was when disco was the rage. And then I heard Boston's More Than a Feeling where I took an instant liking to rock guitars where it just went from there learning about the likes of Van Halen, Journey, Rush, Triumph along with these NWOBHM groups like Def Leppard, Judas Priest, Iron Maiden, Saxon, etc. And I fell in love with the hair metal era; especially bands that the industry tried to shove into it like Dokken and Winger. Then I remember hearing Master of Puppets for the first time, and how that sent me into a multi-year fandom of speed/thrash metal with Metallica (been to over 50 of their concerts over the years) and Testament being my constant favorites. When Alex Skolnick left Testament, I enjoyed his jazz oriented work when he formed his Alex Skolnick Trio group. Similarly, when Marty Friedman relocated to Japan after leaving Megadeth, I followed his work there with Aikawa Nanase and a host of other Japanese performers (I especially love his renditions of classical enka pieces from the late Misora Hibari). Then when I moved back to Japan, just enjoyed the diversity of music there with all of the visual-kei influenced groups like BOØWY, X Japan, LUNA SEA, L'Arc~en~Ciel, SIAM SHADE, etc from the late 80's and 90's as well Japanese metal groups like Anthem, LOUDNESS, Seikima-II, etc. I absolutely loved the era of girlpop bands in the 90's like Princess Princess, PINK SAPPHIRE, KIX-S, ZONE, chee's, etc and thus became a fan of the girl-metal bands era a decade and a half later when I first heard/saw Destrose and Aldious (and now the more recent ones like Band-Maid, Bridear, Fate Gear, LOVEBITES, Hanabie, etc). Throughout all of this, one part of Rik Emmett's lyrics to Magic Power comes to mind when it came to the wide breadth of music that I've enjoyed over the years; "then you hear the music and it all comes crystal clear, the music does the talking says the things you want to hear". And then when you hear Rik in general in these interviews, it's no surprise that even decades later, Triumph and his music still resonates strongly with me.
Many thanks for sharing your thoughts and your kind words. I feel the same way about Rik, and talking with him is always so refreshing. He is so honest, humble, and genuine. So very glad that you enjoyed the conversation. Thanks so much for watching!! (If interested, you can find another interview with Rik, as well as an older interview with Gil Moore on the channel!)
Rik Emmett, you a beautiful soul and a beautiful mind ❤ , my sister and I listened to your music growing up in the early 80's. I am blessed to have found you so early in life ❤️ 💛 💓
Happy for you, Kristin! My two older brothers played Triumph music for me as a very young kid in the mid-70's, and it will always remain an important part of my life. If you haven't already, make sure to read Rik's autobiography. It's a journey through the beautiful genius of Rik Emmett. Thanks so much for watching!
Thanks so much for watching and for the kind words! You have to love Rik's passion for the guitar and his art. He sure is one very special human being. Again, so glad you like this one. Thanks!
Thanks so much for the kind words! Really glad to hear that you enjoyed it. Any fan of Rik is going to love this memoir. It's eloquent and intelligently written, while having a great rock and roll edge. Thanks for watching! I appreciate you!
Thanks so much, Dean. Rik is a real musical hero of mine, and Triumph was always one of my favorite bands growing up. It’s always great when your musical heroes turn out to be wonderful people, too.
Thank you! SO glad you enjoyed it! Having two older brothers helped me find Rik and Triumph at around 9 years old. We really were very blessed to find this great music so early in life! Thanks for watching!
Sounds crazy, but carnivore diet can help tremendously with the RA. Loved you when I was 13, 40 years ago, still love you today. So great to hear all these interviews. I just bought the book.
Salt of the earth that Rik guy is. It was mentioned in a comment that he'd make a great neighbor. He was, it was his neighbors that threw the wild house parties when we were in high-school. My first real job was a t a fitness club where Rik played squash and now I wonder if he's taken up pickleball...lol.
I’m sorry but just seeing that Yamaha double neck brings me back to the Worcester, Ma venue (centrum) back in the early eighties and Rik on that stage playing “fight the good fight” in those awful unforgettable tighties he wore.
Its so nice to see a totally regular guy be in music. He looks like my older brother would look like if i had one. Hes so nice and looks great from not having been a partier. ❤😊
I would love to see Rik work with Georgia Satelittes/Rick Richards or Dan Baird or 38 Special or Lynyrd Skynyrd maybe just a single or full CD just to hear how he would sound with different type of Band. Rockabilly that Rik has never done. Or work with Sammy Hagar ?
Some great ideas here (especially that Sammy one!)! Honestly, I'd be happy with anything from Rik. He touches a guitar and it's always magical. :) Thanks for watching!
