Identity area
Reference code
Title
Date(s)
- 1976 - 2004 (Creation)
Level of description
Fonds
Extent and medium
22.8 m of textual records
ca. 2,201 photographs
· 928 photographic prints (754 col. and 174 b&w prints)
· 41 contact sheets
· 68 negatives
· 1,125 film transparencies
62 graphic materials
· 23 posters
· 39 color separations
1,039 audio recordings
· 286 2in. tapes (86 hr., 25 min.)
· 2 1in. tapes (1 hr., 3 min.)
· 195 ½ in. tapes (55 hr., 9 min.)
· 353 ¼ in. tapes (109 hr., 03 min.)
· 48 ¾ in. cassettes (34 hr., 30 min.)
· 6 35mm magnetic tracks (5 hr., 9 min.)
· 31 CD/CDR (21 hr., 23 min.)
· 23 DAT cassettes (7 hr., 1 min.)
· 9 optical discs (7 hr., 13 min.)
· 59 vinyl LP discs (20 hr., 25 min.)
· 16 vinyl 45 discs (1 hr., 42 min.)
· 11 audio cassettes (9 hr., 34 min.)
389 video recordings
· 111 1in. tapes (65 hr., 40 min.)
· 4 DVDs (7 hr., 38 min.)
· 133 ¾ in. cassettes (63 hr., 21 min.)
· 6 2in. magnetic tapes (14 min.)
· 46 ½ in. Betacam cassettes (16 hr., 13 min.)
· 3 VHS cassettes (1 hr., 22 min.)
86 reels of cinefilm
· 36 16mm col. negatives (49,995 ft)
· 50 35mm col. negatives (46, 710 ft)
108 artifacts (t-shirts, banners, hats, awards)
Context area
Name of creator
Biographical history
The Canadian rock band Triumph formed in Toronto in 1975 following a chance meeting between musicians Rik Emmett (guitar/vocals), Mike Levine (bass guitar/keyboards), and Gil Moore (drums/vocals).
Levine and Moore had played together since the early 1970s, and after the addition of Emmett the trio began performing in Ontario high schools and bars. The band’s debut album, Triumph, was released in 1976 on Attic Records, and the second album, Rock and Roll Machine, followed in 1977. Although the band’s first albums were first released only in Canada, they garnered significant airplay in Texas; following a tour in that state in 1977, RCA Records signed the band and released a compilation of the first two albums (also titled Rock ‘N Roll Machine) in 1978. The band used the advance money from the RCA deal to buy back the rights to the two albums recorded for Attic; they would later make a similar deal with RCA, and they consequently own the rights to all of their work. Similarly, Moore negotiated arrangements with tour promoters and media representatives ensuring that the band would receive copies of most of their concerts and media appearances.
The next albums, Just a Game and Progressions of Power, were released in 1979 and 1980 respectively. In 1981, Triumph released Allied Forces, their biggest critical and commercial success to date. They released albums the following two years (Allied Forces and Never Surrender), and toured to support the latter album in 1983. That year, the band appeared at the US Festival, the largest outdoor concert ever held in the state, alongside Judas Priest, Van Halen and Motley Crue.
Triumph and RCA parted ways in 1984, and the band signed with MCA Records. Their seventh album, Thunder Seven, was released in 1984. After a decade of performing together, the band released a double live album, Stages, in 1985 (the songs for this compilation were recorded on tour between 1981 and 1985). Two more albums followed (1986’s The Sport of Kings and 1987’s Surveillance). After performing at the Kingswood Music Theatre in September 1988, Emmett left Triumph to pursue a solo career. The band released a best-of compilation, Classics, in 1989. In 1992, Moore and Levine regrouped with new members Phil X and Rick Santers and the band was signed to a new deal with Virgin records, which released Edge of Excess. A live album was released in 1996 on the King Biscuit Boy Flour Hour label, and a DVD album commemorating their famous 1983 performance, Live at the US Festival, came out in 2003.
Since the mid1990s, Levine and Moore have concentrated on running the Metalworks Studios in Mississauga, which the band opened in 1981. The studio was voted “Recording Studio of the Year” for several years in a row at the Canadian Music Industry Awards. The band was inducted into the Canadian Music Industry Hall of Fame in March, 2007, and the Canadian Music Hall of Fame in 2008.
Repository
Archival history
Immediate source of acquisition or transfer
Content and structure area
Scope and content
This fonds is divided into two series, Textual Material and Audiovisual Material.
The first series, Textual Material, includes handwritten lyric sheets, fan mail, stage plots, legal documents, financial records, performance contracts, press clippings, and business correspondence.
The second series, Audiovisual Material, consists of photographs (candid shots, production shots, stills, and rehearsal shots), audio recordings (masters, demos, out-takes, performance recordings, rehearsals, soundchecks, alternate takes, remixes, and media appearances), cinefilms (concert footage) and video recordings (raw footage and release videos, demo reels, live performances and television appearances).
This fonds includes textual material relating to the following productions:
Triumph (Album, 1976)
Rock ‘N Roll Machine (Album, 1977)
Progressions of Power (Album, 1980)
Allied Forces (Album, 1981)
Never Surrender (Album, 1983)
Thunder Seven (Album, 1984)
Stages (Album, 1985)
The Sport of Kings (Album, 1986)
Surveillance (Album, 1987)
Classics (Album, 1989)
Edge of Excess (Album, 1992)
Live at the U.S. Festival (Album/Film, 2003)
This fonds includes audiovisual material relating to the following productions:
Triumph (Album, 1976)
Rock ‘N Roll Machine (Album, 1977)
Progressions of Power (Album, 1980)
Allied Forces (Album, 1981)
Never Surrender (Album, 1983)
Thunder Seven (Album, 1984)
Stages (Album, 1985)
The Sport of Kings (Album, 1986)
Surveillance (Album, 1987)
Classics (Album, 1989)
Edge of Excess (Album, 1992)
Live at the U.S. Festival (Album/Film, 2003)
Appraisal, destruction and scheduling
Accruals
System of arrangement
Conditions of access and use area
Conditions governing access
The donor has restricted access to 50 files; these restrictions will be lifted in November, 2013.
Conditions governing reproduction
Media Commons does not own copyright of collection materials. Consult rights holder for reproduction(s).
Language of material
- Dutch
- English
Script of material
Language and script notes
Physical characteristics and technical requirements
Finding aids
Allied materials area
Existence and location of originals
Existence and location of copies
Related units of description
Notes area
Alternative identifier(s)
Access points
Subject access points
Place access points
Name access points
Genre access points
Description control area
Description identifier
Institution identifier
Rules and/or conventions used
Dates of creation revision deletion
Data copied from Drupal by Adam Cavanaugh 2022/05/02
Language(s)
- Dutch
- English
Script(s)
Sources
The Encyclopedia of Music in Canada https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/triumph-emc