As lead guitarist and vocalist with Canadian legends Triumph, Rik Emmett sold millions of albums and played to sold out crowds drawn in by an impressive catalogue of songs, top notch musicianship and a dazzling stage show. After leaving Triumph over 30 years ago, Emmett has been busy releasing a string of rich and varied albums. Metal Express Radio's Mick Burgess spoke with Emmett about his solo career since leaving Triumph and the recent reissue of 11 of his solo records. Following is an excerpt from the in-depth interview

MER: You’ve recently issued 11 albums from your back catalogue solo albums. Why have you decided to do this at this point?

Emmett: "It just happened. Roundhill Records had just done the Triumph catalogue and Banger Films are doing the Triumph the documentary, and Roundhill are involved in that. We were at the Walk of Fame thing here in Canada with the guy from Roundhill who said that I had all of this back catalogue of my own and he said he’d like to make me an offer and put it out. I’m probably riding on the coat tails of the Triumph thing but I’m happy to do that."

MER: Many people know you from your time in Triumph and those classic hard rock albums and incredible live shows, but did you see your solo career as allowing you a completely free hand to tackle so many different styles of music that we can hear on these solo albums?

Emmett: "Yes and no. When I initially left Triumph there was pressure from managers, agents and record companies. They didn’t want me to betray the market that I’d already built up. Eventually over time, that didn’t matter to me as much anymore. By 1996 I was going to have my own independent label and my own recording studio in my own basement. I was paying for the manufacturing too, so I wanted to make the records that I always wanted to make. I’d always wanted to do a classical record on nylon string guitars so that was the first record I did. The next one was all swing, smooth jazzy kind of stuff. The third one was all blues, like Clapton’s Beano album that I cut my teeth on when I was 14 or 15 years old. By the time I’d done three or four records I realised that I was making my money back on these things and that I could move on and do another one so I did a singer-songwriter record and then started looping back. I was getting air play from some of the smooth jazz radio stations in Canada so I thought I’d make another one of those because that was fun. So, I became more self-indulgent as time went on. I was able to do that as I’d built up enough of a fanbase to be to carry me. The only thing that made me think of slowing down was that I was getting older and tired of having to chase America and climb on airplanes and travelling to hotels all the time. I guess I just wanted to spend more time sitting around the pool with my grandkids."

Read the complete interview here.

For decades, Rik Emmett (largely considered one of the greatest rock guitarists of all-time) has been a prolific recording artist - whether it be as a member of Triumph, offering solo material, or collaborating with others. And now, fans will be able to enjoy quite a few of his solo releases once again - which covers a wide variety of styles.

Round Hill Records has reissued 11 solo Rik recordings in the digital format, including Ten Invitations (1998), Swing Shift (1998), Raw Quartet (1999), Live At Berklee (2000), Handiwork (2003), Good Faith (2003), Strung-Out Troubadours (2006), Live At Hugh’s Room (2007), Liberty Manifesto (2007), Push & Pull (2009), and Marco’s Secret Songbook (2012).

"As my loyal fans will tell you, I’m not the kind of artist who spends a lot of time and energy looking back,” explains Rik. “But it has been nice to feel there’s a partner who places value on the history of my work beyond the Triumph years. I don’t think of myself as a difficult artist: I’d like to think I’m easy-going and cooperative. But I have a lot of decades of experience in the music business, and I know that an eclectic catalogue of music like this presents Round Hill with some, ummm, unique challenges. It’s gratifying to find patronage that can breathe new life and energy into the public’s awareness of the catalogue. I’m glad that Round Hill respects the work I did, and the music I made. My heart and soul is in this collection. So I only hope the best for Round Hill, as they try to make the digital universe of the 21st century, with its infinite challenges, aware of a humble troubadour from Canada.”

For Triumph fans who may just be discovering these solo Rik titles, its creator discussed the differences between the two. “There’s no comparison to be made, really: separate universes. The first album of this new Round Hill catalogue dates from 1996. I had already been out of Triumph for over 8 years, and by then, had fully transitioned away from any attempts to make mainstream, charting, music-business kinds of projects. I was simply pursuing personal artistic goals, and I had a loyal group of fans - patrons, really - who would indulge that, making it self-sufficient. Many of these albums were about testing my chops, writing and playing instrumental compositions, or exploring styles of music-making that had nothing to do with rock. These albums represent an artistic learning curve of my own digital studio, my own production, my own composing. The hints of prolific eclecticism that a keen Triumph fan might have found back in the 70’s and 80’s is fully in evidence in this catalogue that spans 1998 to 2012.”

“Every album has its moments. Would you ask a parent to choose a favorite child? I love things about all of them, for different reasons. Swing Shift has some personal highlights: I’d waited all my life to try and put original songs like ‘Taste of Steel’ and ‘Mr. Bebop’ on an album: and the Live at Berklee CD was a unique, crazy night ... I’m also very proud of the collaborations with Dave Dunlop on the Troubadours albums, especially ‘State of Grace’ and ‘Deeper Kind of Blue.’ And if any fans are looking for hard rock, the Airtime Liberty Manifesto album I did with Mike Shotton is a heavy-progressive project. There are some songwriting gems on Marco’s Secret Songbook, too: ‘Hope’ is a song I really love, and ‘Between The Dreams’ has an ‘epic’ dimension in my imagination. I guess the ‘favorite’ thing I feel about the entire collection, is the depth and breadth of my songwriting. I’m really glad Round Hill is giving the world another chance to give it all a listen.”

And lastly, what about future projects? “I never stop writing. My notebook has 3 songs on the go, right now. My own website has new downloads out for a collection of 24 tracks entitled Folk Songs for the Farewell Bonfire. And I’ve just completed a book of poetry, which I’m currently shopping around. Also, in early stages of development: a memoir / autobiography, and a select compilation of the over-2,000 pages of fan forum blogging I’ve done on my site since it launched a few decades back. Plus, I collaborate on videos for endorsement partners (doin’ some country chicken-pickin’, next week), do a bit of co-writing, and participate in some charity initiatives. So I’m keeping busy, creatively.”

Find the risk Emmett solo titles at the following links:

- Ten Invitations
- Swing Shift
- Raw Quartet
- Live At Berklee
- Handiwork
- Good Faith
- Strung-Out Troubadours
- Live At Hugh’s Room
- Liberty Manifesto
- Push & Pull
- Marco’s Secret Songbook