Book ~ "Lay It on the Line: A Backstage Pass to Rock Star Adventure, Conflict and TRIUMPH" (2023) Rik Emmett

From Goodreads ~ Merging memoir, anecdotes and masterclasses on guitar, songwriting and the artist’s mindset, "Lay It On The Line" offers insight and perspective into the many roles Rik Emmett took on. 

"It” was always a parboiling, psychological and this book attempts to finally share the recipe. It also includes photos from Emmett’s own archives, plus the definitive, detailed reasons behind why he walked from Triumph - and came back two decades later. 

Rock star, it seems, was a character for Rik Emmett to inhabit … a great gig, a catalytic door-opener … it was a role that led to other adventures - and these are the stories he’s chosen to tell.

Triumph was a rock band that was formed in 1975 in Toronto, Ontario, and were popular in the late 1970s and 1980s. It put out 16 albums and DVDs and received 18 gold and nine platinum awards in Canada and the U.S. Triumph was nominated for many Juno Awards, including group of the year award. It was inducted into the Canadian Music Industry Hall of Fame in 2007, into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame in 2008 and into Canada's Walk of Fame in 2019. 

Rik Emmett is now 70 and was a guitarist and lead/backing vocalist in Triumph until he left in 1988 to pursue a solo career ... this is his story. I know and liked some of Triumph's songs and like reading about Canadians so that's why this book caught my eye. Plus I like getting the behind the scenes scoop.

This book is very detailed and starts off even before Emmett was born with his maternal and paternal family trees. He has done a lot in addition to being in a popular rock bad and shares his experiences and thoughts. I found at times he was preachy and a "grumpy old man" at times but it's his book so he can be any way he wants. There are black and white and colour pictures from over the years at the end of the book.