Groove – Episode #86: Mike Levine

One of the foundational rock bands that made me love the genre was Triumph. The rock n’ roll machine that is this Canadian hard rock trio formed in 1975, but it wasn’t until they played at 1983’s amazing three-day US Festival (on the “Metal Day”) that I fell madly deeply in love with them.

In 1985, the band released an album, Thunder Seven, and the subsequent tour became my first-ever live arena concert. Lights! Pyros! Wailing guitars! Sing-along choruses! Triumph did everything in a big way.

Mike Levine has been holding down the bass chair (along with keyboards and backing vocals) since day one. Along with drummer/singer Gil Moore and guitarist/singer Rik Emmett, the band has charted an incredible career spanning 16 albums, 18 gold, and 9 platinum awards. They were 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.

There is a documentary that is on the way, as Mike reflects on a musical career that spans almost half of a century. Talk about some real ‘Magic Power’!

Enjoy the conversation…