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Mike Levine (musician)

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Mike Levine
Birth nameMichael Stephen Levine
Born (1949-06-01) 1 June 1949 (age 75)
OriginToronto, Ontario
Genres
OccupationMusician
Instrument(s)Bass, keyboards, clavinet, piano, percussion
Websitetriumphmusic.com

Michael Stephen Levine (born 1 June 1949) is the bassist and keyboardist for the Canadian hard rock band Triumph.[1][2]

Early life

Levine was born in Toronto, Ontario.[3] He attended Sir John A. Macdonald Collegiate Institute in Scarborough.

Career

In 1970 Levine helped to bring back together the band Motherlode, which had broken up after releasing one hit single and a couple of less popular recordings. They toured around northern and western Ontario before disbanding once again.[4]

Levine played bass in the Toronto blues band Abernathy Shagnaster's Wash and Wear Band with guitarist Fred Keeler, keyboardists Peter Young and drummer Gil Moore.[5] After the band's first single was recorded, Keeler and Young left; Levine and Moore recruited guitarist Rik Emmett, and the three founded the heavy metal band Triumph in 1974.

Although he did not sing lead on any of Triumph's music, Levine contributed backing vocals, bass, keyboard work, as well as songwriting.[6][7] He also produced much of the band's early work, and performed on all of the band's ten studio albums.[8]

Live, he also contributed much onstage banter with the audience, often smoking a large cigar during performances as well as wearing local sports team jerseys (especially NHL teams). On 1 October 1985, responding to a challenge by corporate sponsors, Levine travelled across Canada, visiting eight radio stations from Halifax to Vancouver in one day to promote Triumph's double album Stages.[9]

After Triumph disbanded in 1993 Levine continued to merchandise the band's recordings and songs;[10][11] he then went into business and began living part-time in Jamaica.[12]

Levine also serves on the Board of Directors and Advisory Board for the Musicians' Rights Organization Canada.

Levine was also a contestant on the Christmas Eve 1996 episode of Wheel of Fortune.

References

  1. ^ Prato, Greg. "Biography: Triumph". Allmusic. Retrieved 2 June 2010.
  2. ^ "Canada’s Walk of Fame Announces 2019 Inductees". Cashbox Canada, 19 Jul 201
  3. ^ "Eddie Trunk has the magic power to reunite Triumph on Trunk Nation". Sirius FM, Andy Burns, 29 March 2017
  4. ^ "Motherlode group is reformed for recording". RPM Weekly, 5 December 1970. pages 8-9
  5. ^ "Loose Blues News". Toronto Blues Society. Retrieved 16 July 2019.
  6. ^ "Triumph". The Canadian Encyclopedia, 7 February 2006
  7. ^ "Triumph: The Sport of Kings (remaster)". Sea of Tranquility, review by Pete Pardo, 4 April 2005
  8. ^ "Triumph to Be the Focus of New Documentary". Exclaim!, By Calum Slingerland, 19 Aug 2019
  9. ^ "Maple Briefs". Billboard. Vol. 97, no. 42. 19 October 1985. p. 79. ISSN 0006-2510.
  10. ^ "Alessia Cara, Triumph Honoured At Canada's Walk Of Fame". FYI Music News, 25 Nov 2019 by David Farrell
  11. ^ "Triumph". The Canadian Encyclopedia, 7 February 2006
  12. ^ "Regrouped Triumph tests the waters". The Globe and Mail, PERRY LEFKO, 5 June 2008
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