By John Johnson
[ Triumph: The Rock & Roll Machine Reloaded Tour
April Wine, Triumph
Sun. May 24th – 8PM MIDFLORIDA Credit Union Amphitheatre
Tickets www.ticketmaster.com]
I caught up with Gil Moore on what should have been an ordinary interview call, but within minutes it felt more like sitting down with a friend, one who just happened to help shape Canadian rock history. Calling from Ontario ahead of Triumph’s long-awaited return to the stage, Moore sounded relaxed, grateful, and genuinely excited to get back in front of fans again after decades away.
Talking with Moore felt less like interviewing a rock legend and more like hanging out with the cool uncle who somehow has stories about David Bowie, NHL hockey, and arena rock all rolled into one conversation. He had just celebrated his 73rd birthday, though he made it clear he’s not exactly the “huge party” type anymore.
“I told my wife, don’t you dare do anything fancy,” he laughed. “I want to be with my kids. That’s it.” Instead, the celebration involved family, dinner, and sitting beside his granddaughter Everly — which honestly sounded perfect to me.
Moore was equally humble talking about being named Mississauga’s Citizen of the Year. Mississauga is the seventh largest municipality in Canada, so it’s kind of a big deal. While most people would probably frame the award in neon lights, he immediately shifted credit elsewhere.
“A lot of this has to do with other people and not me,” he said, pointing toward the staff and students at his legendary Metalworks Studios facility, which Moore founded in the late ’70s. But it’s impossible not to credit HIM for building one of Canada’s most respected music institutions, which Metalworks is, and not just in Canada or North America. That humility is funny to me, especially considering Metalworks has hosted an absolutely ridiculous lineup of artists over the years, including Bowie, Tina Turner, Rush, Prince, and Guns N’ Roses. When I asked him which artists stood out most over the years, his answers weren’t about celebrity. They were about character. “Tina was such a lady,” he said warmly. And when Bowie came up, he called having him record there “really kind of an honor.” Yeh, that tracks. It’s David F’ing Bowie. When he mentioned Prince, there was almost a sense of disbelief that, although short in stature, that the larger-than-life figure had walked through the halls of Metalworks creating music. One of the more interesting things Moore mentioned was how different artists become inside the studio environment, which also kind of makes sense from an artist perspective and not from a person in the public eye. “They’re in their element,” he explained. “They kind of let their guard down and they relax.”
Of course, Triumph’s reunion tour was the main topic, and Moore still sounds pleasantly shocked it’s even happening. The spark apparently came during a recent NHL playoff appearance in Canada, when Triumph songs like “Fight the Good Fight” and “Lay It on the Line” became heavily featured during broadcasts. The response snowballed into an invitation to perform during the Stanley Cup Finals festivities. Moore, a lifelong hockey fan who joked he probably would’ve “become a Zamboni driver” if music hadn’t intervened, agreed mostly because it sounded fun. What happened next surprised even them.
The chemistry clicked immediately, fans went nuts, and suddenly Live Nation came calling. “We always said no, no, no,” Moore admitted. “Then suddenly we were getting pushed from all sides — fans, family, Live Nation — and finally we went, ‘What the heck?’”
As someone who vividly remembers first seeing Triumph on late-night television in the late ’70s, I told Moore how blown away I was watching a drummer sing lead vocals while pounding away behind the kit. “Back then, it felt revolutionary” he laughed, but he reminded me he certainly wasn’t the last drummer to do it, but there was still pride in knowing Triumph made that kind of impression on people.
The new live setup sounds enormous. Alongside Moore are original guitarist/singer Rik Emmett and Mike Levine on bass/keyboards, the original trio. However, the touring lineup includes powerhouse additions Phil X on guitar/vocals and multi-instrumentalist Todd Kerns handling most of the vocal duties. Moore described the expanded band as a way to maintain the energy Triumph fans expect. “With five guys, we can maintain energy onstage and not slip a gear,” Moore quipped.
And honestly, hearing him describe the rehearsals made it sound less like veteran rock stars dusting off old songs and more like musicians rediscovering why they loved playing together in the first place.
Toward the end of our conversation, things turned philosophical. Moore talked passionately about music as a force that brings people together at a time when politics and division dominate everyday life. We chatted a bit about the current administration of his neighbors to the south (us), but out of respect for Mr. Moore I won’t go into details. I will hold those cards close to my vest as music was the main driver of our conversation, rightfully so. He spoke about listening to everything from ZZ Top and Led Zeppelin to blues, R&B, and classical pianist Vladimir Horowitz. To him, music isn’t about arguing over genres — it’s about connection.
“We shouldn’t argue about music,” he said. “We should celebrate each other’s music.”
That idea carried over into Triumph’s upcoming Florida shows supporting Make-A-Wish Foundation. Moore spoke sincerely about wanting the concerts to help kids facing difficult circumstances experience moments of joy and hope. We both agreed that globally, music is the great unifier. By the end of the interview, I realized Gil Moore still sounds exactly like what you’d hope a veteran rock musician would sound like: grateful, funny, passionate, and still genuinely excited to play music. For a guy who’s spent nearly 50 years making it, teaching it, recording it, and now returning to the stage to perform it again, it didn’t sound like a cliché. It sounded like something he truly lives by.
Now. Go Out and See, Hear and Feel Live Music.
Make-A-Wish Foundation.
https://wish.org/
