The band reunites after 43 years... plus Triumph's Rik Emmett and his new book

Writing life: 74

Hard on the heels of my last post comparing the creative methodologies at play when songwriting and novel writing, I just wanted to touch on another part of my creative life that recently came full circle after a 43 year hiatus. (I like to think that all of these creative experiences have contributed to my writing life in different ways and degrees.)

I’ve mentioned in this space before that I played in a band while studying engineering at McMaster University. We called ourselves Schoolboy, I assume because we were all still students. It was probably the most fun I’ve ever had. Four engineers and a Commerce student—we couldn’t find a fellow engineer who played bass—got together in 1980 to play some old time rock and roll. Our repertoire encompassed The Kinks, The Rolling Stones, The Beatles, Steppenwolf, Bob Seger, Triumph, Jethro Tull, Eric Clapton, The Animals and few others I’ve forgotten.

A few shots of the band 43 years ago.

When we started, I was actually the lead singer and the rhythm guitarist. I was more of a folkie and felt more comfortable with an acoustic guitar than an electric—though I quickly fell for my Gibson electric when I bought it. As well, I’m not a stellar singer but I was the best we had at the time. (As I’ve said before, I was just good enough to know that I wasn’t good enough!) The guys really wanted to try Jethro Tull’s Aqualung, which took me quite a ways outside of my vocal comfort zone. But I dutifully learned the guitar and vocal parts and we performed it at an engineering pub on campus one Friday night. It seemed to go over reasonably well, then again it was late in our set, when the crowd of engineering students had already been enjoying their beverage of choice for a few hours. Sound planning on our part.

Afterwards, my pals in the band nervously raised the idea of perhaps auditioning another singer who was as a bit more at home in the heavier rock vein. As I recall, they broached the idea by gently pointing out that I “hailed from the Ann Murray school of singing.” They weren’t wrong, but didn’t want to offend me. No fear of that, I was delighted with the idea. I loved playing in the band and singing harmonies, but didn’t really enjoy the pressure of singing lead. To make a long story short—well not exactly short, but I’m trying—we put an ad in the university newspaper and then auditioned a great singer in the on-campus apartment I shared with our keyboard player.

Well, we found our lead singer in a McMaster Arts student name Andy Maize. He’s at the mic in the grainy photo below.

(L-R) Art Rebek, Doug Windsor, Steve Irvine, Terry Fallis, Andy Maize, Dan D’Amico playing on campus about 43 years ago. (Thanks to subscriber Norman Baum for his photo edits.)

Other than our very talented lead guitarist, Art Rebek, who had toured the continent and beyond in a band before arriving at McMaster to study engineering, Andy was the most talented among us. We saw it almost immediately. He was built for the stage.

Schoolboy lasted just a few years as we all graduated and entered the real world. For Andy that meant, cofounding a band call the Skydiggers just a few years later in 1987. They had a big hit early on with I Will Give You Everything that you probably know. Hyundai is currently using it for one of their SUV commercials. Andy co-wrote the song and sings lead, as he does on just about every Skydiggers track.

And now, in 2025, after more than 20 albums and many awards, including a Juno (the Canadian Grammy for subscribers south of the border), the Skydiggers are still going strong.

A snapshot of the Skydiggers’ impressive catalogue spanning nearly 38 years.

My fellow engineering grads in the band and I still get together each summer to play some songs and reminisce about our brief time as a rock and roll band. But it had been a while since we’d all seen Andy. So in November, the original four engineering students in the band (Art, Doug, Dan and I) bought tickets for the Skydiggers Christmas concert at Hamilton’s Westdale theatre. I got in touch with Andy and he kindly joined us for dinner before the show, a mere 43 years since we’d last played together as a band.

(L-R) Doug Windsor, Art Rebek, Terry Fallis, Andy Maize, Dan D’Amico. Yes, the bank was back together. One night only.

It was a blast getting together, telling stories, and trying to remember all the songs we had on our limited setlist. As we’ve been saying for years, we like to think we gave Andy his start in the music business (ha!).

The sold out concert was fantastic and Andy even gave his very first band a shoutout from the stage.

The Skydiggers in concert at the Westdale Theatre in Hamilton, Nov. 2024.

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Rik Emmett has a new book coming out soon…

Rik Emmett in full flight at the peak of Triumph.

Sticking to music, you may recall from an earlier post that I met Rik Emmett last year, lead guitarist, lead vocalist and songwriter in the great Canadian band Triumph. He attended a book event of mine at the Burlington Art Gallery. After my talk, a woman approached the signing table and asked me to inscribe a copy of A New Season.

“Can you make it out to Rik, but with just a ‘k’,” she said.

“Of course. Just like Rik Emmett from Triumph spells his name,” I replied.

“Yes, he’s my husband. And he’s sitting right over there.”

I nearly keeled over on the spot. Luckily I was seated at the time. Back in my short-lived but beloved days playing in a band at university (see story above!), we covered a few Triumph songs and I’ve been a fan for over 40 years. It was a thrill to meet him and to learn that he’s enjoyed my novels. We had a great chat that afternoon and I left the building floating a few feet off the ground.

Rik Emmett and yours truly. There’s a reason I look a little giddy.

Well, skip ahead six months or so and Rik kindly emailed me about a new book he has coming out in March. He sent me a copy and wanted to kick around some ideas for what he might do to promote it. I read the manuscript and listened to his ten original songs composed for the book (CD included when you buy the book). He writes really well and has an artist’s take on creativity that has relevance well beyond the realm of music. I really enjoyed it and was mightily impressed. We had a few lengthy email exchanges and we’ll see what unfolds later in the spring when the book is released (March 25). But I’m looking forward to seeing the book out in the world and perhaps seeing Rik too, as he promotes his latest literary venture (he already has a great memoir and a fine book of poetry under his guitar strap).

I was thrilled to provide a blurb for Rik’s new book Ten Telecaster Tales due out on March 25, 2025, and available now for preorder here. I love the cover and what’s inside.

The cover of Rik Emmett’s upcoming book, due out on March 25, 2025.

My blurb:

“When you witness the mastery of Rik Emmett on stage, playing guitar, singing his songs, it’s hard to fathom that you have not yet seen the limits of his talent. You can’t imagine that he could also be a brilliant writer and cultural explorer, too. Yet, you’ll understand when you start reading Ten Telecaster Tales. Whether with a pick or a pen, Rik Emmett feels and thinks deeply about the creative process and how the heart and the mind come together in the work of a true artist. Eloquent, erudite, entertaining, and enlightening, this is a thoughtful meditation on art, creativity, and the human species.”

Terry Fallis, two-time winner of the Stephen Leacock Medal for Humour

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Wrapping up…

Thanks for checking out this post. Next time, I’m taking a look at the growing success and popularity of One Book, One Community programs and how they help writers, readers, and libraries all at the same time. Stay tuned. Here’s hoping you’ll subscribe if you haven’t already. It’s free and easy and ensures that you won’t miss future posts.