thunderdawg:I can honestly say, no BS, that Rik Emmett inspired me to want to play guitar. Until I got into Triumph in 1983, I never really thought much about it (I was 15). But his playing opened all kinds of doors for me, I could suddenly relate to classical and jazz because here was this rock guy doing it. Been playing more than 20 years and he's still my fave... I used to play in a band that worked on originals and the guys used to kid me about being Little Rik. But I'm not remotely as good as he is, not many are. I play a Les Paul and have a little Marshall amp, BTW. I play in a band with guys at work, just covers we jam on. Trying to get them to play Lay it On the Line. We've thought about doing Rocky Mountain Way. Sorry for the novel-like reply.
james k:I played guitar for about 5 years, then gave it up around 1998 when my daughter was born (no time to play). I am more self taught than anything. Probably could have played 10 complete songs total if I were in a bar band. Always learned half a song then moved on to another . Never learned much Triumph because I could never find any sheet music for them (pre-internet days).Rik would be my biggest influence, which is why I played a Gibson Les Paul. He is a little better than me though (lol)!!Out of curiosity Dave, how hard is the song "Hold On" to play on drums?? Seems a little difficult to the ear but fun to play??
SixString: james k:I played guitar for about 5 years, then gave it up around 1998 when my daughter was born (no time to play). I am more self taught than anything. Probably could have played 10 complete songs total if I were in a bar band. Always learned half a song then moved on to another . Never learned much Triumph because I could never find any sheet music for them (pre-internet days).Rik would be my biggest influence, which is why I played a Gibson Les Paul. He is a little better than me though (lol)!!Out of curiosity Dave, how hard is the song "Hold On" to play on drums?? Seems a little difficult to the ear but fun to play??Just reading some old posts here. You state that Rik is your biggest influence, which is why you played a Gibson Les Paul. I have a question -- when did Rik play a Les Paul? Probably my error, but I can't remember Rik ever playing a Les Paul. Help me out on this if you can.Thanks....
SixString:Thanks for the info, I remembered the Guild, Framus, Dean, and Yamaha days, but I didn't realize Rik ever played any Gibsons back when he was in Triumph. I guess I need to do better research.....Thanks again.
james k: SixString:Thanks for the info, I remembered the Guild, Framus, Dean, and Yamaha days, but I didn't realize Rik ever played any Gibsons back when he was in Triumph. I guess I need to do better research.....Thanks again.No you were right. I assumed it was a Gibson LP on the "US Festival" tour, but that shows my lack of guitar knowledge. Didnt know he was playing a Yamaha. My Bad!!
Correct. The Yamahas came in on the T7 tour, when Rik got an endorsement. That was the end of the Deans, AFAIK. Too bad, the V was really "the" R. Emmett guitar, as far as I was concerned! I always missed seeing him play it.
LOL, okay slight tangent: I will have to mention how ML influenced me as a bassist!
While he was the least flashy member of Triumph, and stuck to relatively simple parts, Mike is really a great bassist in terms of playing what serves the song. Sometimes, when I think I may be overplaying a part, I will to this day still think "Okay, now how would Mike Levine play this?" His bass lines were often at least a bit clever or tasty, not nearly as dull as some of the truly lame bass players that hid under their EVH clone guitarists during the 80's. It annoys me when people say Mike was not a good bassist. Compared to who? Geddy Lee or Billy Sheehan? If you want to hear some truly lame bassists, put on a CD by Def Leppard, Judas Priest, ZZ Top or Night Ranger. Anybody could have filled those guys' shoes! (excepting that Dusty Hill and Jack Blades were singers too, of course.)
Allied Forces was probably Mike's pinnacle work. It is filled with tasty bass & keyboard parts, any young bassist could profit from a listen to that record to get a better understanding of what a rock bassist's role is.
Growing up my older brother and sister played the guitars, I never or heard much of my sisters playing but me and my brother used to sit in his room and listen to records. I used to drive him crazy because he liked the hard rock out at the time, this would've been around 1975 or so, and I wanted to hear what I liked at the time, which was folk and classical. I used to sneak into his room when he was gone to work and play his guitar and eventually he got tired of me knocking out of tune, so he told me to get my own. In short one of the presents for my tenth birthday was a beautiful acoustic guitar, which I would play along with the folk and classical music. I began to get into jazz around that time because it was always in the house, but around 1977 I began to gravitate more towards the metal that was around, Deep Purple, Aerosmith, Judas Priest, Van Halen, Ted Nugent and things like that. Within months I was really into that, but I never fancied playing it on the guitar, although I did stumble across the chord progression for the song Better By You, Better Than Me by Judas Priest. Then everything changed the day that me and my brother visited a music store, since closed down, and I noticed this vinyl with the coolest and most alluring album cover I had ever seen. Complete with the double imaged flying guitar with the cross and laser lights inside the circle, the image grabbed me and I had to get the album. The album was the international edition of Rock And Roll Machine, I had never heard of Triumph before that, but the cover was just so cool. Bought it, took it home, and even though I do not view it as a 'mistake' I mistakingly played side two first, which begins with 24 Hours A Day. It was a good song when I heard it, but what struck me was the following one, Blinding Light Show. I was floored with amazement when I heard it, and with me already in total appreciation for classical music, when the Moonchild section came on it did me in. By the end of the song I was actually beaming, then came the title track and one doesn't need to explain that one, it left me stunned. I flipped it over and enjoyed the first three songs, especially Bring It On Home, but when the album concluded with Street Fighter Man(Reprise) I was once again stunned. There was a few guitarists who influenced me greatly, Eddie Van Halen, Ted Nugent, Criss Oliva, Glenn Tipton being at the top, but none of them changed my life like Rik did. I say that because although I enjoyed the type of music beforehand it was never something I considered doing, rather it be for fun or for a career, until I heard that album, starting with the Blinding Light Show. It depends on what style of music I am playing with what type of guitar I use... Metal - Fender Stratocaster, Gibson SG Standard, Gibson Les Paul, Explorer, Jackson DK2 DinkyBlues - Epiphone Goth G-400, Jackson JS30KE Kelly, Jackson X Series WRXT WarriorClassical - Yamaha C40 Classical Acoustic with Nylon Strings, Pavan TP-10 Folk - Martin D35, Epiphone EL00, Epiphone AJ-200S Jazz - Epiphone Riviera 12-string acoustic, Les Paul Supreme Autumn BurstBluegrass - Epiphone MB-100