Triumph Returns! Interview with Gil Moore and Mike Levine

Summary

Behind The Song: Classic Rock Chronicles
Episode: Triumph Returns! Interview with Gil Moore and Mike Levine
Host: Janda Lane (Gamut Podcast Network)
Date: January 14, 2026

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Episode Overview

This bonus episode marks a momentous occasion: Canadian classic rock legends Triumph are returning to the road after 30 years. Host Janda Lane connects with drummer/vocalist Gil Moore and bassist Mike Levine to discuss the band's upcoming reunion tour, their creative legacy, live show evolution, and recent induction into the Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame. The conversation is both nostalgic and forward-looking, offering insights into why the band is reuniting, what fans can expect, and the broader meaning of Triumph’s music.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Why Triumph is Returning After 30 Years

(01:00 – 03:43)

• Series of Unplanned Events: The reunion wasn't a single decision—it was triggered by a "series of things", as Gil explains. Mixed reality concepts with their lighting director, a Triumph documentary (which led to a live performance), and an all-star tribute album produced by Mike Clink all rekindled band activities.
• Unexpected NHL Boost: The National Hockey League began playing Triumph’s music during the playoffs, treating it almost as a "national anthem" in Canada, culminating in an invitation to perform live at the finals in Edmonton.
• Band Chemistry & Spontaneity: After such unexpected opportunities, the band reassembled, even tracking down former members and wrangling new ones. They pulled off a "flash rehearsal" and straight to the stage, rediscovering their chemistry and joy for live performance.
• Tour Offer: Shortly after, Live Nation "dropped the next shoe," inviting Triumph to embark on a major tour.

Quote (Gil Moore, 02:55):
"It was so much fun. We just decided, oh boy, this is pretty cool. We're on our way back in the plane. And then the next shoe that drops is Live Nation goes, we're taking you guys on a tour."

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2. Tour Structure, Stage Show, and Band Lineup

(04:12 – 05:34)

• Massive Stage Setup: Gil teases a visually ambitious tour, featuring "two double drum sets" (himself and Brent), dual guitar firepower courtesy of Phil X and Rick Ammott, and a combination of original and new musicians, calling it "the first six-piece power trio of all time."
• Special Effects and Production: Paul Dexter and his team are responsible for innovative effects and "special candy," ensuring a show that is "second to none."
• Evolution of Spectacle: Janda probes about the changes in staging and spectacle, especially given new technology advances.

Quote (Gil Moore, 04:27):
"We're the first six piece power trio of all time. I guess you'd say we have a lot of firepower on stage as far as musicians and vocals and in the show itself... the effects and all the special candy we've developed around the idea of bringing the band back after 50 years."

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3. The Philosophy Behind Triumph’s Live Shows

(05:34 – 07:38)

• Purpose Over Flash: Gil emphasizes that the band's stage spectacle always serves a narrative, not gratuitous special effects. It's about reflecting the meaning of the band’s music and the connection with the fans.
• Fan-Driven Identity: Over time, fans—via stories, tattoos, and tributes—helped the band realize their music's central message: positivity, perseverance ("Never Surrender" ethos), unity, and joy.
• Creating Impactful Experiences: The goal is for fans to leave uplifted, united, and momentarily free from the “divisive politics and terrible wars” dominating the news—music as communal, cathartic escape.

Quote (Gil Moore, 06:32):
"If it's not really emphasizing the emotional impact of the lyric or that musical riff or whatever it is, it just becomes kind of like video noise to me. ... We want unity. We want community through music, happiness through music. Let people forget about divisive politics and terrible wars... and let music do what music does best."

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4. Induction into the Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame

(07:38 – 09:08)

• Recognition and Legacy: Janda celebrates Triumph’s recent induction alongside Canadian icons like Joni Mitchell and Neil Young.
• Importance of the Song: Mike Levine reflects that great records start with great songs—Triumph has "a lot of great songs"—and acknowledges the honor even as their profile had faded in recent decades.
• Trophy Admiration: Mike notes genuine appreciation for the physical award itself, jokingly calling it the "best piece of hardware" they’ve won.

Quote (Mike Levine, 08:11):
"It's a great honor because really all great records start with great songs... Of all the awards we've won, it's the best piece of hardware."

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Reuniting the Band:
  "We called Phil up and said, hey, Phil, time to get back in the band. You're off loan to Bon Jovi now. Come back... And that led to Todd, and then Todd led to Brent. And then that led to a like, flash rehearsal with no nothing before. Just get off the airplane, jump into a rehearsal hall. One rehearsal, and then boom, right on the stage."
  — Gil Moore (02:24)

• On the Emotional Purpose of Live Shows:
  "Let people forget about divisive politics and terrible wars and some of the other horrible stuff they see on the 6:30 news and let music do what music does best."
  — Gil Moore (07:08)

• On Receiving the Hall of Fame Award:
  "It's really a first class piece of hardware. I really like it."
  — Mike Levine (09:03)

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Timeline of Important Segments

• 00:46 — Janda introduces the episode and welcomes Gil Moore & Mike Levine
• 01:00 — Discussion begins: the origins of Triumph’s return
• 01:46 — Gil details the accidental series of events leading to the reunion
• 03:43 — Janda asks about touring apprehensions and U.S. debut
• 04:12 — Gil describes the massive upcoming stage show and new lineup
• 05:06 — Janda inquires about show production and modern technological advances
• 05:34 — Gil discusses Triumph's philosophy of spectacle and the key narrative of their music
• 07:38 — Janda brings up Triumph's induction into the Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame
• 08:11 — Mike reflects on the honor and the importance of songwriting
• 09:08 — Episode wraps up; thanks and anticipation for upcoming shows

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Conclusion

This episode celebrates a classic rock comeback, blending band history, creative process, and the deeper mission of Triumph’s music. Through candid reminiscences and sharp humor, Gil Moore and Mike Levine make clear that this tour is more than nostalgia—it’s a reassertion of Triumph's core values: unity, positivity, and the transformative power of rock music. Fans can expect an epic show that does justice to their legacy—both musically and visually.

Transcript

[A]

A master murderer, Israel Keyes lives between two worlds.

[B]

There's the person that everybody knows and loves, and then there's the guy who spends every waking hour planning on how he's going to kill someone.

[A]

On Mind of a Monster, the Cross Country Killer, we find out how this deadly predator went unnoticed for so long.

[C]

I've had some confessions in my history, but nothing to that detail.

[B]

I'll give it a little bit blow if you want.

[A]

Listen to Mind of a Monster, the Cross Country Killer. Wherever you get your podcasts, welcome to.

[C]

The behind the Song podcast, taking you deeper into classic rock's most timeless tunes. Here's your host, Janda.

[A]

I'm Janda, and I'm so happy to be joined in this bonus episode of the behind the Song podcast by Mike and Gil from Triumph. Welcome, guys.

[C]

Hey, Janet. Nice to be here.

[B]

Nice to be here. That's right.

[A]

Wonderful to have you here. And the reason you're here is because of the very exciting news that we all got recently when it was announced that after 30 years, Triumph would be hitting the road again. When I tell you that when we announced this news on the radio here in Chicago, the phones lit up. We immediately started getting people sending us pictures of Triumph tattoos that they've gotten over the years. It was just totally awesome. It was a great moment. And people in Chicago are very excited to see you guys when you come here on May 13th. How did this happen after all this time? What made you decide to go back out and tour again?

[C]

Kind of a series of things, really, Janet. You know, it just didn't happen all at once. We, you know, we had an idea, you know, maybe the band would never perform again. And the lighting director and I started working on, you know, a mixed reality concept. We worked on that for a few years, but the next thing you know, there was a documentary that was made about the band that caused us to get together. We ended up playing a show within the documentary. So. And then what kind of sprung at the same time out of that was an interest that led to the great Mike Klink, record producer, who I'm sure, sure you're familiar with, decided he was going to tee up a tribute album and he got some of the, you know, the absolute top players in rock in the world to play on our tribute record. And then so lo and behold, as another left field thing, all of a sudden, the NHL comes along up here in Canada and decides that Triumphs can start getting played like the national anthem during the hockey playoffs and then invited us to go to the finals and play a concert at the venue in Edmonton where the finals are being held. And so we just decided, you know, it's been such a fun ride, why don't we do it? So we, you know, we called Phil up and said, hey, Phil, time to get back in the band. You're off loan to Bon Jovi now. Come back. By the way, we'd like you to bring. Mike couldn't come, so would you like you to bring a bass player? And then that led to Todd, and then Todd led, you know, to, to Brent. And then that led to a like, flash rehearsal with no nothing before. Just get off the airplane, jump into a rehearsal hall. One rehearsal, and then boom, right on the stage. And it was so much fun. We just decided, oh boy, this is pretty cool. We're on our way back in the plane. And then the next shoe that drops is Live Nation goes, we're taking you guys on a tour.

[A]

And you're like, okay, right? So, I mean, were, were you trepidatious at all about undertaking this thing? I mean, it starts in, in Canada in April, and then actually the date here in Chicago is the first date of the, the U.S. leg of the tour. So did you ever have that thought, you know, while you were getting this together, like, okay, it's been a while, or was it just sort of like, you know what, this is going to be awesome.

[C]

Well, first of all, you know, the stage setup is going to be massive. And the first thing I guess people will notice is two double drum sets, because I'm gonna have a drum set and Brent's gonna have a drum set. And you know, on guitars, you've got a double barreled shotgun there with Phil X and Rick Ammott. You know, if Mike's at a show, we've got Mike. We've also got Todd Kearns. So, yeah, we're the first six piece power trio of all time. I guess you'd say we have a lot of firepower on stage as far as musicians and vocals and in the show itself, like the effects and all the, I'll call it the special candy that we've developed around the idea of bringing the band back after 50 years. Paul Dexter and his team, they've done a massive job there. So I think the show is gonna be second to none.

[A]

Well, I was actually gonna ask you about that because I know that you in particular were always sort of involved in that end, you know, the spectacle of triumph. So how has that changed with all of these advancements that have come along, you know, in the Especially, I would say, in the past five years. It must be interesting to get into that and think about what you can do, you know, now with all this new stuff.

[C]

Yeah, it really is. But I think it's less about just being able to have these things that you can do and say, well, why would you do them? You know? So Paul and I, we started with the idea that there had to be a narrative, and we had to look at what the bands. What was our trajectory through the world, what did our music mean to people? And the. We didn't have to figure this out. The fans figured it out for us because they're the ones that came and said, you mentioned those tattoos, you know, earlier on. And it's like they're telling you that the Never Surrender ethos was what Triumph was about. It was about positivity, following your heart and so on and so forth. And so that just. That was a decision that was made for us. You know, we were kids when we did the songs. We're just getting from one album to the next and trying to finish the album and do a tour. It takes those decades of people telling you what the songs meant to them before you really figure, you know, that part out. So in terms of the. You know, what I'll call the theatrics around the tour, if they're just gratuitous. And this is what I see a lot of. I see bands and I see, okay, you got a lot of flashing lights. Good for you. You know, if it's not really emphasizing the emotional impact of the lyric or that, you know, musical riff or whatever it is, it just becomes kind of like video noise to me. That's just my personal opinion. So with Paul and I, we try to say, okay, this looks great, but what does it mean with the music at this point? What is it telling us about the music or how is it supporting the music? How's it supporting the theme, the narrative of our concert? To have people leave as we hope they will, with their fists in the air, going, hell, yeah. That was the best thing I've ever seen since sliced bread. That's what we want. We want unity. We want community through music, happiness through music. Let people forget about divisive politics and terrible wars and some of the other horrible stuff they see on the 6:30 news and let music do what music does best.

[A]

Yes. Yes. You were recently inducted into the Canadian Songwriters hall of Fame. And I don't know what the criteria is for that. I mean, you guys have been an entity for decades now. Obviously, this is the 50th anniversary tour. You've now joined the likes of Joni Mitchell and Neil Young and Gordon Lightfoot. I'm sure you could name many others, but that must have been a particularly sweet honor in October, right? Is when you were inducted.

[B]

It's a great honor because really all great records start with great songs, so you need to have the song to start with. Like, I don't think I've ever heard a great record with bad songs. It's really hard to find one of those. So, you know, we were noted for a lot of great songs and because we kind of faded off into the distance a while back, we weren't really front of mind to the quote unquote hoi polloi. Who makes the decisions for that kind of stuff. Not that we really care, but it really is a sensational honor. Plus, of all the awards we've won, it's the best piece of hardware.

[A]

Is it?

[B]

It's really a first class piece of hardware. I really like it.

[A]

That's awesome. I really appreciate you taking the time to chat with me here. We are so excited to have you come here in May. It's just going to be a really good, good evening for your fans here and I know a lot of people are looking forward to it. So thank you.

[C]

Thank you for having us on. It's been really fun.

[A]

And thanks for joining me here on this bonus episode of the behind the Song podcast. On the way, much more classic rock and roll.