Raw: Up Close With Rik Emmett

An Exclusive Extremeguitars.com Interview

By Dave Roberts

Copyright 1999 Dave Roberts, All Rights Reserved.



"...It's not just a game of notes, It's the sound inside your soul."

-Rik Emmett, "HOLD ON" 1979.

With the release of his RAW QUARTET CD in February 1999, guitar virtuoso and Canadian Rock & Roll Hall of Famer Rik Emmett puts in place the final piece of his Trilogy project. Rik Emmett, former guitarist and vocalist of the 70s & 80s multi-gold and platinum selling rock trio TRIUMPH, began his Trilogy undertaking in 1997 which would ultimately consist of 3 CD releases containing numerous compositions focusing on each facet of his many varying guitar playing styles, roots and techniques. Trilogy's initial phase began in 1997 with the release of TEN INVENTIONS FROM THE MISTRESS OF MR. E.. TEN INVENTIONS is a combination of Emmett's nylon-stringed classical guitar compositions covering Rik's soft-jazz, flamenco and folk guitar roots. In early 1998, Rik followed up TEN INVENTIONS with the second installment of his Trilogy by releasing SWING SHIFT. Once again Rik demonstrates his guitar mastery, songwriting/producing skills and artistic range through a diversity of complex instrumental compositions, as well as 3 vocal pieces. On SWING SHIFT, Emmett accentuates traditional arch-top jazz electric guitars and steel string flattop acoustics rendering a mélange of blues/swing, jazz, Latin and fusion based melodies. Trilogy's finale, RAW QUARTET was released earlier this year accentuating Emmett's blues/rock roots with raw, high-energy jams strongly influenced by fellow axe-gods including Jim Hendrix, Jeff Beck, Eric Clayton, Jimmy Page & Steve Ray Vaughan. Trilogy and additional Emmett releases are currently available on Rink’s label OPEN HOUSE RECORDS located at www.rikemmett.com. Due to public demand and Rik's phenomenal skills and talent the EMI label was persuaded to provide national distribution through their prominent ARTISAN label. While currently in the midst of his "RAW TOUR 1999" supporting his Trilogy releases, I had the privilege of talking with Rik about his Trilogy, Guitars and Life in general.



GRM: Hello Mr. Emmett, thank you for your time; how are you & your family?

R.E.: Fine, thank you. My mom has been fighting a tough battle with cancer lately, though, and it's not much fun, but these kinds of struggles are also a part of life, and so we're all coping the best we can. My mom is showing us a lot of courage and resilience.

GRM: I’m sorry to hear about your mother and I wish her the best. Your family always seemed to be your main focus, and rightfully so. I've always had respect for your strong family devotion as you work in an industry that often puts many relationships to the test. You not only find time to pursue and conquer your many musical endeavors but you also make time to be the devoted family man, father of four, coach of neighborhood youth sport leagues along with your many other activities such as writing your 4 volume set of guitar instructional books, heading OPEN HOUSE RECORDS and your position on the Board of Directors for the Songwriters Association of Canada. This brings me to my next question; it must be a task in itself trying to find time to use the bathroom let alone putting your Trilogy projects, supporting tour and numerous other tasks. How do you do it?

R.E: It’s not easy, and there are always little compromises and tensions that have to be dealt with. But it's a question of trying to remain focused on priorities, and I rely heavily on my wife, my family, my friend Rick Wharton, my "inner circle" of web site gurus, Nicole Doughty and Greg Taylor, and Jeanine Leech for artwork & graphics. It is a tiny little cottage industry, really, and relies heavily on a volunteer spirit at this point. I have not been there as a baseball coach as much as I would have liked this season: but there are other dads who are more than capable of picking up the slack. When my career starts to eat into the family commitment of time & energy, the kids & Jeannette are very understanding about their weirdo dad. I could really use a 36-hour day, though.

GRM: I really enjoyed your columns in Guitar Player Magazine and your Rocktoons in Hit Parader. Other than your instructional books, do you continue to do any cartooning or write?

R.E.: The columns have been revised and edited into a four volume series of books called "For the Love of Guitar" (available off the web site, or by mail order)...There are some sketches and cartoons in there, as well.

GRM: You seem to have conquered many different tasks and jobs. If you weren't a musician, what would you want to be?

R.E: A writer. Maybe a sports writer, maybe a novelist. Maybe a coach. Maybe a cartoonist. Maybe a teacher.

GRM: How about your worst job?

R.E: Did a full Saturday at a car wash once, in winter, vacuuming out the front & back left seats, in order to get some extra dough to take a girl out on a date (grade 11 crush). My left hand & arm was cramped for 2 days after.

GRM: I think you made the right career choice! Now back to music; As with all your other releases, TRIUMPH and solo alike, TRILOGY displays your virtuosity as both a guitarist and vocalist on an amazingly diverse range of musical styling; any reason for such diversity and do you have any favorite tracks from your Trilogy?

R.E.: Well.... the reason that I record such wide-ranging material, both stylistically and dynamically, is that different moods and emotions require different kinds of musical expression, for me. So, for example, if I'm feeling somewhat introspective and emotional, the SOUVENIRS track from "Invitations" might have a profound effect on me. If I'm feeling peppy, I might lean towards "Three Clouds" from Swing Shift, or "Walkin'" from RAW QUARTET. The other night in Detroit, I really nailed a live acoustic version of Mr. Bebop.... and that was a hoot and a half. So --- my favourites change, like my moods, like the weather, like Dennis Rodman's hair colour.

GRM: (laugh) Change is good. I personally feel that too many artists fear change, holding on to the 'ol "If it ain't broke, don't fix it" attitude resulting in later regrets of missing out on doing what feels good. Speaking of change; How would you describe Rik Emmett today as opposed to Rik Emmett 15 years ago?

R.E: Older. Not as mercurial, but still an emotion-fuelled guy. Different priorities. More painfully aware of his limitations. More satisfied with the content and shape of his professional career, if not necessarily with the remuneration generated from it... More in love with his wife, and children, and more aware of what that means. A better musician, a better writer, but even more aware of how infinite those pursuits are. A bigger gut. More hair growing in my ears and on my back. Somehow, though, more accepting and content with the asshole staring back out of the mirror every morning.

GRM: (laugh) As I listen to your work I often wondered if your songwriting process is nearly as labored and complex as it sounds; could you briefly describe your songwriting process.

R.E.: I use cassette tapes in the old ghetto blaster to record little snippets of ideas: and spiral notebooks to jot down all the little bric a brac that wanders through my head. Then, I go through intense periods of trying to develop these little inspirations into bigger concepts, and maybe tie a few together. Then I start demoing, and the demoing turns into master recording after a while. You asked earlier about finding time to do everything, which is impossible...and I should mention that, when I go into an intense creative period, pretty much everything else has to become low priority. I write and create little bits all the time, but I don't get into the heavy donkeywork until the desktop is clear and the phones are turned off.

GRM: What’s the story behind one of my favorite TRIUMPH tracks, "Suitcase Blues"?

R.E: A Joe Pass chord exercise started morphing into a song with a melody, and a lyric theme straight from the empty, lonely hotel room on the road. Pretty literal, really. One of the great moments in my life was playing that song with Ed Bickert on a couple of occasions.

GRM: Let’s now focus on your beginnings as a guitarist. What first inspired you to pick up the guitar?

R.E: Probably the Beatles, and the resultant wave of pop mania. My grandpa gave me an old ic guitar & amp, but I couldn't live without an acoustic of some description.

GRM: What do you think was the greatest invention for guitars?

R.E.: Slinky strings for bending (shall we thank James Burton for that?) Pickups, which led to amps, which led to distortion, which led to solid bodies like the Telly and the Les Paul, which led to SUSTAINNNNNN?

GRM: AHH....distortion. Do you ever have one of those days where you feel the need for turning up the amp and add some screaming distortion, just for old times sake?

R.E.: Have you heard RAW QUARTET? Perpetual motion? Gasoline? Head Case? I have not forgotten how to rock: the next trilogy, or whatever I end up making, will have some progressive, melodic, hard rockin' stuff - you can count on it.

GRM: So it sounds like you are already planning your next move; anything specific?

R.E.: Another collection of wide-ranging stylistically diverse material. More touring. And I'm currently working up a traditional Christmas album with a Celtic twist, along with Sam Reid, the keyboard guy from Glass Tiger (another S.A.C. Board member).

GRM: What advise would you give beginning guitarists?

R.E.: Play like your life depends on it.... like the music that you're making is closer to a universal truth than anything else you would recognize, or know how to express. Love to play. Pick and grin. If it's not fun, don't do it. If it's not better than sex, (sometimes), find another hobby. If it's an avocation, it is the most rewarding thing you can do, because it's the only thing that you must do, isn't it?

GRM: I agree. Before we end this interview we need to let your fans know where they can find and purchase Rik Emmett Trilogy (and other solo) releases?

R.E.: Web surf to www.rikemmett.com. Or call 1-800-563-7234 and get out your credit card. Or write to P.O. Box 111, Port Credit, Ontario, Canada, L5G 4L5.

GRM: As you are out touring quite constantly, I'm sure not everything goes as planned; can you tell use about some embarrassing moments on tour?

R.E.: Well, I went ass over tea kettle, spilling backwards over a monitor only a few weeks ago at an outdoor show in Windsor, Ontario. But it wasn't too embarrassing. I'm getting used to making a fool out of myself. I once split my zipper in a pair of extremely tight white pants, onstage at the Philadelphia Spectrum, with an electric blue t-shirt tucked in and sticking out like a flag through the zipper. THAT had the chicks in the front row screaming, I can tell you...but they were also laughing, uproariously. And they sent photos later to the p.o. box, just to add to the humiliation.

GRM: (Laugh) If you weren't doing this interview, what would you be doing right now?

R.E.: Doing the NEXT interview, which is already overdue...

GRM: Well, I saved the best question for last: What is the meaning of life?

RE.: Enjoy the process. Enjoy the moment. It ain't the destinations, it's the journeys. You get a short little dance on this rock, spinning 'round the sun: and you've been put into a soft machine that was made

to love. So love as much and as best as you can.

GRM: Perfectly said. Ending on that note, I'd like to thank you very much for your time; it's been a real pleasure, as well as inspirational. I wish you the best of luck on "RAW QUARTET" and your Trilogy as a whole. We'll all be looking forward to your Christmas album, as well as all your future projects. Thanks again. I hope it wasn't too painful.

R.E.: Your welcome

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