Scott's Spotlight #15-- Triumph
Originally posted to Facebook on December 19, 2024
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Welcome to Scott’s Spotlight (#scottsspotlight) issue #15 For more information about this series, please click here:
Today I’ll be doing a deep dive into one of my favorite bands, Triumph. This Canadian trio initially came together in 1975 when guitarist/vocalist Rik Emmett, who was playing with a band called Act III at the time, was approached by bassist/keyboardist Mike Levine and drummer/vocalist Gil Moore,of a band called Abernathy Shagnaster. Two members of Abernathy Shagnaster had just left the band, even though they had a record contract with Canadian label Attic Records, shortly after their first single had been released.Levine and Moore thought that Emmett had what it took to replace the departed members. Emmett agreed to jam with Levine and Moore. Apparently the jam went well, and after reviewing the recording contract, agreed to join together with Levine & Moore. The band had chosen to continue under a new name – Triumph.
While Abernathy Shagnaster performed blued based rock, Emmett brought a more prog rock approach to the band. Emmett’s high tenor range and guitar style were suited to the progressive influenced songs he would write for the band, while Moore would sing on the bluesier and more straight ahead rock songs the band would do. While Triumph was never a 100% prog-rock band, the songs from Emmett would have many prog touches. By September of 1975, the band played their first paid gig as a band. By 1976, they would release their first self-titled album, on Attic, released only in Canada, until 1995, when it was re-released as “IN the Beginning.” The song I am most familiar with from this album is “Blinding Light Show/Moonchild.”
A second Canadian only release from Attic, was released in 1977. The album was titled “Rock and Roll Machine,” not to be confused with an international release of the same name put out by RCA records after signing the band to an international deal. The deal came about after Triumph’s first two albums had somehow become so popular in Texas, that Triumph did a Texas tour. RCA heard about the buzz around Triumph and signed them. In 1978, RCA released an album, also entitled “Rock and Roll Machine,” which was a compilation of songs from the first two Canadian albums.
Triumph’s first proper album for RCA came the following year in 1979 with the release of “Just a Game.” The album has become a staple of classic rock radio over the years, featuring the songs “Lay It On the Line,” “Hold On,” and the title track. Moore had 3 songs on the album–opener “Movin’ On,” “Young Enough to Cry,” and “American Girls.” Emmett wrote the rest, including one solo classical guitar piece, “Fantasy Serenade,” “Suitcase Blues, and the aforementioned popular tracks. I consider this to be my favorite Triumph album.
In 1980, Triumph released “Progressions of Power,” on which all three members are credited as songwriters on every track. Interestingly, this album gave Triumph their biggest UK hit in “I Live for the Weekend.” While the album reached #32 in the US, none of the songs attained the classic rock radio longevity of “Lay It on the Line,” or “Hold On,” from “Just a Game.”
The next album, however, would make them superstars in the US. 1981’s “Allied Forces,” took Triumph to an even higher level. Songs like “Magic Power,” “Fight the Good Fight,” and “Say Goodbye,” all became radio mainstays. One of my favorite deep cuts is on this album as well: “Ordinary Man.” It is just behind “Just A Game,” for me.
They followed up the success of “Allied Forces,” with “Never Surrender,” released in 1982 on Attic in Canada, but RCA didn’t release it in the US until January of 83. This is another of their finest albums featuring the fabulous title track and “World of Fantasy.” Strangely, the most successful song as far as chart performance from the album (#2 on the Mainstream Rock chart) is the largely forgotten “All the Way,” which hasn’t appeared on any of the greatest hits compilations.
In the summer of 1983, Triumph was one of the bands who played the “US Festival–Heavy Metal Day,” although I would never call them “metal” They performed along with Motley Crue, Quiet Riot, Ozzy Osbourne, Judas Priest, Scorpions and Van Halen to an estimated crowd of 500,000 people, which is comparable to the attendance at Woodstock in 1969. The band’s set from that day was released later as a live video and live album.
Despite their growing success RCA was not pleased with Triumph, and the band was released to sign a 5 album deal with MCA records instead. The first MCA album from Triumph is “Thunder Seven,” released in November of 1984. MCA required the band to work with outside producers, and this album was co-produced by the band and legendary producer/engineer Eddie Kramer, who worked with Jimi Hendrix, Led Zeppelin and Kiss among others. The song “Follow Your Heart,” was a moderately successful single from the album and got radio airplay as did “Spellbound.” Side two of the album follows a loose concept about time, and includes the wonderful Gentle Giant-like “Time Canon.”
Following “Thunder Seven,” Triumph released the live album “Stages” in 1985. This album contained various performances recorded between 1981 and 1984, along with two new studio tracks: “Mind Games,” and “Empty Inside.” Moore was not able to play drums during the sessions for “Mind Games,” due to an unspecified arm injury, so fellow Canadian Gary McCracken of the band Max Webster played drums on the recording.
Next up for Triumph is 1986’s “The Sport of Kings.” The album was produced by Mike Clink, who would go on to produce “Appetite for Destruction" (Guns'n'Roses debut), and Thom Trumbo. MCA was breathing down Triumph’s neck for a hit single, and they delivered one, but at a cost. The hit single “Somebody’s Out There,” is Triumph’s highest charting single on the Hot 100 at #27, but many hardcore Triumph fans don’t rate this album very highly. I like “Somebody’s Out There,” particularly for Emmett’s vocal performance, but it is much more top-40 friendly than usual. Gil Moore rocker “Tears in the Rain,” is probably the next best known song on the album. Following this album, Rick Santers was hired as a touring member of Triumph to play keyboards and additional guitar parts.
1987’s “Surveillance,” is seen as a return to form by many. Guitar legend Steve Morse makes guest appearances on two tracks: acoustic guitar (with a writing credit) on “All the King's Horses,” and he trades solos with Rik Emmett on “Headed For Nowhere.” My favorite tracks are “Never Say Never,” and “All the King’s Horses/Carry on the Flame.” However, this album is the end of an era, as it is the final Triumph album with Rik Emmett.
Emmett left for a solo career in 1988 as he wanted to pursue more progressive music, while Moore and Levine wanted to do more straight-up blues based hard rock. It would be 1992 before a new studio album from Triumph would appear. The band released a greatest hits compilation in 1989 to complete the MCA contract, titled “Classics.”
In 1992, Moore and Levine recruited guitarist Phil Xenidis (Phil X) formerly of Aldo Nova’s band and Frozen Ghost to play guitar with Triumph, while Moore took over all of the vocals.
The trio recorded the album “Edge of Excess,” which featured the song “Troublemaker,” which was also featured in the movie “Hellraiser III: Hell on Earth.” Initially, the album got some airplay. However, the album was released on a subsidiary of Polygram that collapsed in 1993, and so the album ceased getting label promotion. After the ensuing tour, in which touring member Rick Santers sang Emmett’s vocal parts from “Magic Power,” and “Lay It On the Line,” Triumph essentially folded as a band. In 1998, Levine and Moore attempted to bring back Emmett, but he refused.
Also in 1998, Moore and Levine bought out Triumph’s back catalog from MCA records and launched their own label–TML records. TML would eventually remaster and release all of the band’s albums with Emmett, and release the 1983 US Festival performance on DVD and CD.
In 2008, the classic lineup reunited for two shows, The Swedish Rock festival in JUne, and Rocklahoma in July. No other shows or new music would follow. In 2016, Moore and Levine appeared on Emmett’s solo album “RES9”, on a song called “Grand Parade,” which is reminiscent of “Suitcase Blues,” from “Just a Game.” The final reunion, to date, was a three song set in 2019 recorded at Gil Moore’s Metalworks Studios near Toronto, for a documentary DVD, called “Triumph: Rock ‘n’ Roll Machine,” released in 2021.
At this stage of the game, it is doubtful that the classic Triumph lineup will reunite for a new album and full tour, but stranger things have happened. At least the band has left a legacy of wonderful music that we get to listen to. When Triumph was at their best, they were one of the greatest rock bands ever!
Links for listening:
From: “Triumph”/AKA” In the Beginning”:
“Blinding Light Show/Moonchild”
From: “Rock & Roll Machine”: (original Canadian Version)
"The City: War March / El Duende Agonizante / Minstrel's Lament"
“Rock & Roll Machine”:
From: “Just a Game”
“Lay It on the Line”
“Just a Game”
“Hold On”
From “Progressions of Power”
“I Live for the Weekend”
“In the Night”
From “Allied Forces”
“Magic Power”
“Fight the Good Fight”
“Ordinary Man”
“Say Goodbye”
From “Never Surrender”
“A World of Fantasy”
“Never Surrender”
From “Thunder Seven”
“Spellbound”
“Follow Your Heart”
“Time Canon”
From “Stages”
“Mind Games”
From “The Sport of Kings”
“Tears in the Rain”
“Somebody’s Out There”
From “Surveillance”
“Never Say Never”
“Headed for Nowhere” (w/Steve Morse)
“All the King’s Horses” (w/Steve Morse)/”Carry on the Flame”
From “Edge of Excess”
“Troublemaker”
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