RUSH vs Triumph

[treeduck]

I'm a big fan of Triumph but I haven't even heard of anyone who likes Triumph more than RUSH. Have you ever known or heard of anyone who prefers Triumph to Rush? Or is it universally accepted that as far as these bands are concerned it's Rush #1 and Triumph #2?

[Maverick]

That's how I feel about them.

 

Triumph is a great rock band

 

Rush is a transcendent progressive hard rock band.

 

The best Rush songs are always better than the best Triumph songs, and it isn't even close.

[laughedatbytime]

I'm a big fan of Triumph but I haven't even heard of anyone who likes Triumph more than RUSH. Have you ever known or heard of anyone who prefers Triumph to Rush? Or is it universally accepted that as far as these bands are concerned it's Rush #1 and Triumph #2?

Do the members of Triumph even prefer Triumph to Rush?

[ST3V]

There are always outliers, but id assume the vast majority would say Rush over Triumph. I'm sure Triumph is some peoples favorite band out there. Could be for personal/nostalgic reasons, or could be that they prefer straight up hard rockin heavy metal over proggy-ness.

While I do love the rhythm section of Gil Moore and Mike Levine, Ged and Neil are one of the most legendary rhythm sections out there. As for Emmett and Lifeson, they are both legends in their own way. Alex, while not the most skilled, is one of the most unique and creative guitarists I've heard, while Rik's skills are out of this world - he can do it all. Metal, blues, classical. Both bands deserve plenty recognition and respect, but most times, Rush will come out as the favorite.

[1-0-0-1-0-0-1]

I imagine there are people out there who like Triumph's brand of straight-ahead hard rock rather than Rush's cerebral and complex progressive rock.

 

EDIT: ST3V beat me to it and said it better. :cheers:

Edited January 30, 2022 by 1-0-0-1-0-0-1

[Segue Myles]

I think Mick loves Triumph more.

 

I enjoyed what I heard, but didn't find myself wanting more. Might be worth a revisit!

[JohnRogers]

I'm a big fan of Triumph but I haven't even heard of anyone who likes Triumph more than RUSH. Have you ever known or heard of anyone who prefers Triumph to Rush? Or is it universally accepted that as far as these bands are concerned it's Rush #1 and Triumph #2?

 

Triumph

 

Rush

Edited January 30, 2022 by JohnRogers

[The Analog Cub]

I think Rush has made at least 4-5 albums that you can find a pretty universal positive opinion on them start to end, with no bad songs.

 

I think with Triumph, you can do that by combining all their albums and come out with 2, maybe 3 albums with bangers from start to end. Lots of highs, lots of pedestrian songs, too, though.

[goose]

I'm a big fan of Triumph but I haven't even heard of anyone who likes Triumph more than RUSH. Have you ever known or heard of anyone who prefers Triumph to Rush? Or is it universally accepted that as far as these bands are concerned it's Rush #1 and Triumph #2?

Do the members of Triumph even prefer Triumph to Rush?

:lol:

[bluefox4000]

i've made no secret i recent years my love for rush has kida disappeared. i absolutly LOVE Triumph and could happily choose them over Rush at this stage

 

i dunno if they're BETTER but i prefer them yes.

 

Mick

[grep]

There's no 'better'. They were different bands, despite being power trios from Toronto. I love em' both and always will.

 

TBH, I've been playing more Triumph lately than Rush. Just because.

Edited January 31, 2022 by grep

[taurus]

Since these were two area bands back in the day, I can't recall anyone preferring Triumph to Rush until Signals came out. Then there were some that bailed on Rush

 

Southern Ontario late seventies/early eighties pecking order for Canadian rock bands

 

1. Rush

2. Max Webster

 

3. Triumph and all the others

[ReRushed]

Triumph is okay. A pretty good bar band to my ears. Ordinary through and through.

[Syrinx]

Since these were two area bands back in the day, I can't recall anyone preferring Triumph to Rush until Signals came out. Then there were some that bailed on Rush

 

Southern Ontario late seventies/early eighties pecking order for Canadian rock bands

 

1. Rush

2. Max Webster

 

3. Triumph and all the others

 

I would put Triumph alone at 3 and maybe Teenage Head at 4 and then all others. I was around for that era big time. Triumph played the other high school near me, and their flash pots singed the ceiling of the gym. Then there was the Teenage Head riot at Ontario Place. Good times!

[taurus]

Ah yes. Teenage Head and The Diodes were my punk jams.

I don't know if the facts bear this out, but I recall Triumph always taking too long to release their next album. I hopped on board after R'nR Machine came out. That guitar solo was the shit until Eruption came along. But Just a Game seemed to take forever to come out. And then all the ones after that. Always seemed to kill momentum. I stuck with them until Thunder 7. Saw that tour and thought it was one of the most boring concerts I had ever attended.

 

In my HS, Goddo was actually more popular than Triumph, but they couldn't get much past playing bars. Hamilton Place was the biggest venue they managed at their height, and Scarpelli managed to piss that away by showing up way late to the gig and pissing us off

Edited February 2, 2022 by taurus

[Syrinx]

Ah yes. Teenage Head and The Diodes were my punk jams.

I don't know if the facts bear this out, but I recall Triumph always taking too long to release their next album. I hopped on board after R'nR Machine came out. That guitar solo was the shit until Eruption came along. But Just a Game seemed to take forever to come out. And then all the ones after that. Always seemed to kill momentum. I stuck with them until Thunder 7. Saw that tour and thought it was one of the most boring concerts I had ever attended.

 

In my HS, Goddo was actually more popular than Triumph, but they couldn't get much past playing bars. Hamilton Place was the biggest venue they managed at their height, and Scarpelli managed to piss that away by showing up way late to the gig and pissing us off

Absolutely Goddo would be above "all others". Good call! I will throw out another one - Moxy

Edited February 2, 2022 by Syrinx

[tangy]

Triumph has a bunch of great songs.

 

Their performance at the US festival was stellar. Likely the best performers at the fest.

[RUSHHEAD666]

Triumph will always be RUSH JR to me. But! I LOVE THIS BAND!!!

[ozzy85]

Triumph will always be RUSH JR to me. But! I LOVE THIS BAND!!!

Agree. They showed up a bit later and didn't last quite as long. Just A Game, Allied Forces, and Thunder Seven are excellent albums.

[RUSHHEAD666]

Triumph will always be RUSH JR to me. But! I LOVE THIS BAND!!!

Agree. They showed up a bit later and didn't last quite as long. Just A Game, Allied Forces, and Thunder Seven are excellent albums.

 

Yes amigo! I love every record through "Thunder Seven."

[ozzy85]

Triumph will always be RUSH JR to me. But! I LOVE THIS BAND!!!

Agree. They showed up a bit later and didn't last quite as long. Just A Game, Allied Forces, and Thunder Seven are excellent albums.

 

Yes amigo! I love every record through "Thunder Seven."

I still had my Thunder Seven concert shirt until recently. It was so thin it was like gauze. Got torn, like my old Motorhead shirt.

[RUSHHEAD666]

Triumph will always be RUSH JR to me. But! I LOVE THIS BAND!!!

Agree. They showed up a bit later and didn't last quite as long. Just A Game, Allied Forces, and Thunder Seven are excellent albums.

 

Yes amigo! I love every record through "Thunder Seven."

I still had my Thunder Seven concert shirt until recently. It was so thin it was like gauze. Got torn, like my old Motorhead shirt.

 

That's a bummer buddy! I wish you could have saved them both!!

[Malignant Narcissist]

Haven't really heard much Triumph but I get the feeling it's guitarist Rik Emmett's baby primarily.

If so, comparing with Rush being a collective creative force for the most part, does that suggest where the main difference is?

Seen the odd youtube thing where Rik Em duets with other guitarists like Steve Morse on classical or other things. He's obviously a talented player.

But just wondering if Triumph is one-step away from a solo-ish thing. Maybe the other band members would disagree!

[GeddysMullet]

Haven't really heard much Triumph but I get the feeling it's guitarist Rik Emmett's baby primarily.

If so, comparing with Rush being a collective creative force for the most part, does that suggest where the main difference is?

Seen the odd youtube thing where Rik Em duets with other guitarists like Steve Morse on classical or other things. He's obviously a talented player.

But just wondering if Triumph is one-step away from a solo-ish thing. Maybe the other band members would disagree!

 

If I recall correctly, there was a lot of contentiousness in the band because Emmett was, or was perceived to be, on a different level talent-wise than the others.

[grep]

Haven't really heard much Triumph but I get the feeling it's guitarist Rik Emmett's baby primarily.

If so, comparing with Rush being a collective creative force for the most part, does that suggest where the main difference is?

Seen the odd youtube thing where Rik Em duets with other guitarists like Steve Morse on classical or other things. He's obviously a talented player.

But just wondering if Triumph is one-step away from a solo-ish thing. Maybe the other band members would disagree!

 

Triumph was pretty much a collective in terms of songwriting and creative process, as I understand it. Not a Rik solo effort at all. In fact, that kind of explains the breakup. At least in part. At the time Rik was saying "we've got Rush right next door, let's do some of that stuff", and the other 2 guys wanted to stay the course with the heavy rock.

 

Side note: Gil and Mike are competent enough drummer/singer and bassist respectively. Rik is a guitar god. (underrated, but he's got the chops regardless).

 

 

Sometimes we think about what Rush could have been like if they didn't go down the prog road. I think the answer is something like Triumph. But with more complexity. Perhaps a true predecessor to what became prog-metal, rather than 'Just' the huge influence Rush are.

Edited February 3, 2022 by grep