By Jim Barber
Todd Kerns has lived a fairly wonderful life as a working musician , one who was born and raised on the Canadian prairies in somewhat city, referred to as Lanigan in Saskatchewan. First, he rose to nationwide acclaim as a part of the Nineties different rock growth together with his band Age of Electrical, which produced such radio staples as ‘Distant Management,’ ‘Ugly,’ and ‘I Don’t Thoughts.’ Then, after shifting to the USA, Las Vegas to be exact, he quickly turned a valued member of the rock scene there, in addition to in close by Los Angeles, taking part in in quite a lot of tasks, together with Sin Metropolis Sinners, and making a reputation for himself as an eminently proficient, endlessly versatile and congenial collaborator.
Which led him into what is basically his principal gig, being part of Slash That includes Myles Kennedy and the Conspirators, alongside the Weapons ‘N Roses legend and Alter Bridge frontman Kennedy. Touring the world with a bona fide rock and roll icon, and taking part in songs at large venues around the globe, songs which can be integral to each popular culture and rock and roll historical past shouldn’t be solely a fairly freakin’ good technique to earn a dwelling as a musician, but additionally only a sublimely cool bucket record expertise.
Already a lover of the rock music from his residence and homeland, just a few years in the past Kerns obtained along with fellow Canadian and Conspirator Brent Fitz, in addition to one other Canucklehead, famous producer Cory Churko, to kind an epic tribute band celebrating his heroes from the Nice White North – Toque. Masking basic rock bands from all through Canada’s historical past can be a fairly superior technique to make a couple of bucks, play along with your friends and remind these of us dwelling north of the border that we’ve at all times had good bands, creating iconic songs.
The proverbial cherry on high of this musical cake for Kerns got here final spring, when, form of out of the blue, he and Fitz had been tapped to hitch the unique lineup of Triumph for a particular efficiency in Edmonton to happen earlier than Recreation 2 of the Stanley Cup playoffs between the Edmonton Oilers and Florida Panthers. For the primary time since 2008, Canada’s ‘Rock and Roll Machine’ was going to get collectively for a efficiency, however making an allowance for that each one band members, guitarist Rik Emmett, drummer Gil Moore and bassist Mike Levine are properly into their 70s, and considered one of them, Levine, shouldn’t be in the perfect of well being, it was determined to enhance the lineup to assist share the load onstage. Enter stage proper Kerns, Churko, Fitz and one other ex-pat Canadian musician who’s finished alright for himself – presently Bon Jovi axe slinger, and truly a short-lived former member of Triumph, Phil Xenidis, aka Phil X.
It appears as if many of the ex-patriate Canadian musicians all know each other, so it was not an enormous shock that Toronto native X reached out to Kerns and Fitz when he was tasked with serving to to assemble a crew to assist bolster the unique members of Triumph, firstly with their look in Edmonton.
“My coming into this course of was due to Phil X who, as you recognize, was affiliated with the blokes approach again when [he replaced Emmett briefly performing and co-writing the band’s final studio album, Edge of Excess, released in 1993]. Phil initially reached out and it was form of very weird as a result of he was speaking in very broad colors and there was numerous gray space. However he basically stated that Gil had been speaking about doing a little form of Triumph sort factor. And it was very unfastened and he stated he wasn’t even positive what involvement the blokes would have if that they had any in any respect, or perhaps it was going to be some form of tribute band with some form of present. And it was as a result of the documentary [Triumph: Rock and Roll Machine, released in 2021] form of lit numerous new fires that that they had probably not form of considered. It was a type of issues the place we need to have a good time the music of the band. How can we do this? So Phil had reached out to me, and his direct quote was one thing like, please don’t make me sing this all on my own. And I keep in mind considering, dude, there’s only a few duties extra daunting than taking up the vocal performances of a younger Rik Emmett, which is clearly the one the place you go, ‘rattling!’ However even really listening to Gil’s stuff – these guys had been no joke. I imply, they had been going for it. It’s one thing to be stated in regards to the form of piss and vinegar of younger males like that who had been firing on all cylinders. So in fact I stated I used to be ,” stated Kerns.
“We’ve a band referred to as Toque, me and Brent Fitz [along with Churko and well-respected Innisfail, Alberta drummer Shane Gaalaas] that celebrates nothing however Canadian rock. Apart from Triumph, as a result of Triumph feels too daunting. I imply, we’ll do some Rush, however it’s very apparent Rush like ‘Tom Sawyer,’ which feels form of bar band – like virtually everyone performs that tune. Hear, I really feel like I’ve obtained a black belt in taking part in music, however I don’t have a sixth-degree black belt in taking part in and that’s what it seems like I would like taking up any Triumph tune. And that’s actually no slight on the pedigree of the blokes in Toque as a result of we’re all seasoned gamers. Nevertheless it was at all times like, ‘wouldn’t or not it’s simpler to perhaps do ‘New Woman Now’ by Honeymoon Suite as an alternative? I really like Phil and naturally clearly I really like Triumph and I really like Canadian rock and it gave the impression of an thrilling regardless of the hell it was going to be. However the Edmonton factor occurred so rapidly, and even there, it was initially going to be only one tune, however it was three, and right here we’re just a few months later with a full-blown reunion tour.”
Kerns talked in regards to the preparation and expertise of taking part in alongside Emmett and Moore in entrance of 1000’s of rabid Canadian rock and hockey followers in Edmonton final June. In any case, Triumph songs resembling ‘Magic Energy,’ ‘Lay It On The Line,’ ‘By no means Give up,’ “Struggle the Good Struggle,’ and ‘Comply with Your Coronary heart,’ have been seared into the Canadian psyche for many years, nonetheless garnering common airplay.
“It was actually magical. Forward of time, in basic kind, the three of us obtained collectively, Phil, Fitz and I had been at rehearsal collectively first. The concept was let’s get collectively for an hour or two, simply to undergo the songs and know them properly sufficient that the opposite guys can simply form of step proper in and simply play. I’ve sufficient belief in Phil and Fitz as professionals to know that once they present up, they’ll know their elements and know the preparations and all of the form of stuff. In order that a part of it was fairly fast for us. However then when these guys stroll in it’s like, ‘okay, right here we go.’ I imply, it was sounding nice to me however you’ll be able to’t assist however assume they’re just like the lecturers coming in with the pink pen to grade our papers. They got here in and we performed collectively and it was nice. And it was attention-grabbing to observe them as a result of there’s an actual staff effort taking place. There’s numerous passing of the puck, there’s no puck hogging. I inform you although, when somebody like Rik appears at you and goes, ‘you need to sing ‘Struggle the Good Struggle,’ I’m like, ‘what are you speaking about? You’re Rik Emmett!’ It’d be like Michael Jordan simply form of handing you the ball and saying, ‘you bought it.’ However he stated, “I don’t like singing on this key anymore.’ And it’s as a result of he’s so extremely musical. And inside the inner dynamics of the band, when involves the preparations and that form of stuff, it’s very a lot in his wheelhouse. And he’s so beneficiant about it. He desires to do what’s greatest for the tune, and he’s actually form of with out ego about it. And that’s what I admire about him. So when he decides ‘ah, you go forward and sing that tune,’ it seems like there’s an immense stress to that, however on the similar time, it simply felt like a vote of confidence, the place you simply needed to do your greatest,” he stated.
“Rick and Gil and Mike are such an enormous a part of the form of basis of taking part in music for guys like me and Phil and Fitz. You possibly can’t assist however embrace them in that dialog. I like Rik as a guitar participant, I at all times say it was form of half annoying as a child this handsome blonde man taking part in guitar like that, singing like that, and writing like that. And it’s like, ‘can’t you permit a few of that for the remainder of us?’ He was the overall bundle. And Gil, clearly, is the opposite facet of that too, having a lot to supply to the image as properly. Now that I’m form of on the within, what I’ve realized about Gil is that he’s all in regards to the large image. The visible side, the entire affect of the manufacturing, that’s all him. And he nonetheless has all of that artistic vitality and fervour.
“So getting again to the Edmonton factor and the way it progressed from there, with Phil there had been a dialog about this amorphous concept. And naturally I used to be . I do not know what we’re speaking about right here, however it sounds attention-grabbing to me. After which this Edmonton factor simply form of got here out of nowhere, months later. We had form of talked in regards to the concept after which this factor got here up actually all of a sudden as a result of ‘Lay It On the Line’ was getting used on the Canadian hockey broadcasts for the playoffs. And naturally it was sudden as a result of nobody is aware of how far anyone, particularly a Canadian staff, goes to go within the playoffs. So, abruptly it’s like, ‘hey, what are you doing Tuesday?’ The subsequent factor I do know I discover myself in Edmonton rehearsing with these guys and the vibe was wonderful. Gil was able to blast forward in no matter trend as a result of his foot’s on the pedal regardless. Nevertheless it wasn’t till Rik was there, and Rik had a blast and he loved taking part in with us and that’s after I assume Gil realized, hey this could possibly be a factor. We are able to make this work. Clearly not having Mike there’s a huge gap. So you must fill that gap with three dudes, and we’ll do our greatest to cowl for his absence, and I admire getting Mike’s blessing in doing this and shifting ahead as a result of he’s in fact one third of the dialog. We’re undecided how concerned he’s in a position to be. I believe it’s extra a case of seeing how issues go between now and the tour occurring, or it could possibly be that the tour is up and working and we nonetheless may be having a day-to-day dialog about how that is going to go. Individuals have been saying, ‘properly, what are you going to do if Mike all of a sudden comes again.’ I’m going at hand him the bass and exit within the viewers. I simply love seeing the OG guys, so if Mike can do it, I’d be completely satisfied to step apart.”
For many of the reunion tour, one other staple of Canadian rock and roll music, April Wine, would be the opening act, a brilliant particular added bonus for followers, but additionally from the already acknowledged dyed-in-the-wool Canadian music aficionado Kerns.
“We’re fairly enthusiastic about it. We all know a few guys within the band and so they’re nice. I keep in mind after I first heard April Wine was opening I used to be like, ‘no approach! Actually? We get to go and watch one other unbelievable Canadian band each evening.’ I imply, we did a model of [April Wine classic song] ‘Curler’ for a Toque file that we did. And through the years I had a dialogue with [late April Wine founder/frontman/songwriter] Myles Goodwyn, who’s considered one of my favorite folks, but additionally at all times form of notoriously prickly. Myles could possibly be a troublesome man, however I liked him for it. As a result of I like a man who stands up for himself, stands up for the band, somebody who is aware of what it ought to be, and I at all times appreciated him for that. Once more, like Triumph, April Wine has a type of catalogues, and in addition Trooper in the event you consider it, that’s simply so basic and so iconically Canadian,” he stated, speaking about the way it’s nonetheless cool to know these bands, and others of the identical period, are nonetheless on the market performing, regardless that there are now not any unique members onstage.
“Understanding Ra [McGuire] and Smitty [Brian Smith] of Trooper for all these years, at a sure level it’s like, we both we shut all of it down or we exit and form of have a good time the songs, have a good time {the catalogue} and the legacy and see what occurs. I imply, I reside in Las Vegas, and I’d be driving round and see a billboard promoting The 4 Tops. Nicely, who the hell’s in that? You’re considering, who the hell is in The 4 Tops? And that’s now form of filtered into a few of the Eighties bands and even Nineties bands. It’s been like that for Nineteen Seventies bands for some time, however even now we’re in a day and age the place these form of bundle excursions are taking place with Nineties bands and it’s one member of a band, or a band that has no unique members. So I believe that is going to be form of a seamless factor the place ultimately you’ll see a billboard adverting the Music of Rick Springfirld, with just a few man. Which is why this factor with Triumph is so cool as a result of it’s THE guys again collectively.”
Kerns did have an earlier brush with Triumph, though not that a lot sooner than his participation within the Edmonton gig. When producer Mike Clink was placing collectively what turned a particular tribute album Magic Energy: All Star Tribute to Triumph, which got here out in the summertime of 2025, however had been just a few years within the making, Phil X turned his proper hand man all through the manufacturing, not solely acting on many tracks, but additionally serving to to recruit the artists to play on it. A few his early calls had been to Kerns.
“Phil was undoubtedly a giant a part of the musical route of that tribute file. After I got here in, it was proper in the course of COVID. It was actually bizarre as a result of we recorded proper in Hollywood, at EastWest Studios, which is a extremely cool outdated studio. That they had the Mamas and the Papas and the Seaside Boys file there. It was a extremely cool expertise within the studio, however it was additionally this actually bizarre time once you’d be heading there and you’ll look down Hollywood Boulevard or the Sundown Strip and there’d be nobody there. It was like The Strolling Lifeless,” he stated,
“The primary session I did was with [former Ozzy Osbourne and Whitesnake drummer] Tommy Aldridge, which was a visit, Phil on guitar and me on bass. The second I did with Kenny Aronoff and the final one I did with Josh Freese [A Perfect Circle and briefly The Foo Fighters]. For me, I used to be simply thrilled to be part of it, actually and to have my image contained in the album jacket with Joey Belladonna [Anthrax], Dee Snider, Mickey Thomas [Starship] and Nancy Wilson [Heart], that was a visit. Having the ability to play these songs and be on an album with all these wonderful folks was one thing, man. However then in the event you had been to faucet me on the shoulder of 14-year-old me in small city Saskatchewan and stated, ‘sometime, you’re going to be taking part in in Triumph,’ I’d be like, ‘yeah, that’s not a factor. That’s by no means going to occur.’”
Oh sure, it’s taking place, with reveals beginning in Orlando, Florida on April 10, then a present in Hollywood, Florida three nights later, earlier than a cross-Canada run that begins at GFL Memorial Gardens in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario April 22, going backwards and forwards throughout Canada till Could 8 on the Scotiabank Saddledome in Calgary. There’s then a run of American reveals, wrapping up in Boston on the Chief Financial institution Pavilion on June. 6.
Moreover prepping for the Triumph tour, after which the precise tour itself, Kerns remains to be busy with many different tasks, together with the subsequent Slash album alongside Kennedy and the Conspirators.
“We’ve a file all finished and recorded with Slash and the blokes. We recorded it by means of the top of final yr, into the start of this new yr. That’s within the can. On the time, we realized, okay, everyone’s accessible, go make a file. In direction of the top of the yr we hope to have a single out of some variety, and the maybe the tour would happen in 2027, so ’27 basically turns into form of a Slash yr for me. This summer season I’ve a bunch of Toque stuff. Toque is such a labour of affection. We form of simply began by doing a little charity reveals in Winnipeg and locations like that and it was Fitz who got here up with the thought of simply doing Canadian basic rock. And I used to be like, ‘dude, all day lengthy!’ Everyone knows these songs, though we do should woodshed them for a bit, however all of us have them in our musical toolbox. They’re in our DNA as Canadians,” he stated.
“If you journey overseas, each place has bands which can be large there, which can be a part of form of the material of their tradition, however no-one is aware of about them. If you go to Sweden or elsewhere, any person there’ll point out a band that you just’ve by no means heard of, however they’re gigantic in Sweden, or in Australia. So now abruptly, all these years later, we’re on the market celebrating all of these bands which can be necessary to Canada, however aren’t recognized actually exterior of Canada. However they’re large to us. Toque has develop into this factor now, and abruptly all these years later, our summer season is full of these competition dates. Final yr we had been doing the Def Leppard and Joan Jett tour, and we had been considering, ‘what are we doing right here?’ We’ve additionally been writing songs as properly. We’re form of perpetually form of peppering our units with unique music as a result of, properly, that’s what musicians do.
“And it’s cool as a result of now we’re getting folks suggesting bands and songs that we have to cowl too. There are such a lot of bands, and that’s the fantastic thing about Canadian rock, so a lot of these bands had some form of traction, bands like [Regina, Saskatchewan’s] Kick Axe. I performed with Kick Axe. There was form of a reunion present in a membership referred to as Frankie & Johnny’s in Calgary, so we did a present there which was form of a tribute to [band co-founder and guitarist] Larry Gillstrom. I used to be there and so was [wrestler and Fozzy frontman] Chris Jericho, and we simply sat in with the band and even with that, once more, in the event you would’ve instructed me at 14, ‘you’re going to play a present with Kick Axe,’ no, that’s not going to be a factor. It’s weird. Life simply retains cranking alongside and getting the chance to do these items is fairly wonderful. The importance of it’s not misplaced on me, actually. Phil and the remainder of us, we’re all so enthusiastic about attending to play with Triumph’s toys.”
Then there’s the band that first put Kerns on the proverbial musical map, particularly right here in Canada – the band he shaped together with his brother John, and the Dahle brothers, Ryan and Kurt [the latter two would go on to form Limblifter] in Regina, Saskatchewan in 1989 – Age of Electrical. After releasing their first two albums, 1991’s The Newest Plague, the Ugly EP in 1993, and their breakout self-titled launch in 1995, Age of Electrical was signed to Common Music Canada, and entrenched themselves on the coronary heart of the mid-Nineties different rock scene, alongside the likes of I Mom Earth, Moist, Econoline Crush and Our Girl Peace, with the 1997 album, Make A Pest A Pet. Songs from these information, particularly ‘Distant Management,’ ‘Ugly,’ ‘I Don’t Thoughts,’ and ‘Don’t Wreck It’ are nonetheless staples on terrestrial radio in Canada. After breaking apart in 1998, the Kerns brothers shaped Static in Stereo, which launched a self-titled album in 2002, and never lengthy thereafter, Todd made the sojourn to musical pastures new south of the border. Age of Electrical did just a few scattered reveals through the years, and even toured again in 2016, however since then, it’s been all silent on the western Canadian entrance.
“Age of Electrical is at all times a humorous factor. I actually do imagine bands by no means actually break up. I believe that there’s some form of lifeline that’s related between us all. And it’s like a chat thread in your cellphone, there’s continually issues being despatched round, humorous issues and whatnot, so that you’re nonetheless in contact with these folks; they’re all nonetheless there, however it doesn’t transcend that. However I do know that if the proper alternative comes up, everyone will go, ‘yeah, positive.’ There are such a lot of elements concerned with adults having lives and households and all these items that come into play, together with musical careers on their very own. Simply the opposite day, I remembered that Kurt now performs in The Odds. He did a complete large run with The New Pornographers, together with being on Letterman on a regular basis. And now he’s with The Odds, who’re outdated buddies of ours. And Ryan nonetheless has his factor, and my brother John’s been taking part in with The Black Halos, who’re additionally outdated buddies, a punk rock band from Vancouver. And I’m doing my factor,” he stated.
“However you recognize, Age of Electrical simply had a tune on a soundtrack final yr for this movie, ‘This Is Not a Check,’ which is popping out quickly. I went to the premiere. I simply occurred to be in Toronto and the director invited me to the premiere on the Toronto After Darkish Movie Competition, which is a movie competition for horror motion pictures. So my brother and I went down and positive sufficient, there’s an Age of Electrical tune in the course of the film. It’s a zombie film and it was shot in Hamilton, Ontario, and the director [Adam MacDonald] is unbelievable. It’s a type of issues, when you consider it, music is what makes you immortal in a approach. Clearly shedding Ozzy Osbourne and Ace Frehley, was so tragic, however we’ll be taking part in their songs without end. And to a lesser diploma my songs will likely be taking part in someplace lengthy after I’m lifeless. I simply realized just a few weeks again that by the point the brand new file comes out, I’ll have been taking part in with Slash for 17 years, on and off, which is weird. When he went to do the Weapons ‘N Roses reunion in 2016, I used to be firing as much as do an Age of Electrical tour, two very completely different sized operations, however nonetheless each form of time travelling.
“And it was a lot enjoyable to do. Then in fact, because it occurs, the factor ends and everyone simply goes off of their different instructions and yeah, perhaps we’ll attempt to do it once more, however then everyone will get caught up in life and off it goes. So I say that, though subsequent yr is a giant Slash yr, it’s additionally the 30th anniversary of Make a Pest a Pet. There’s this bizarre sense of how these items, these anniversaries come up and I’ll see the place folks will put up on line, that it’s been this a few years since so and so did this or Age of Electrical did that. And I’ll be like, ‘geez, okay, wow.’ The factor about music is it simply form of lives on, and I admire it. We did re-release of the album on its 20th anniversary, which looks like yesterday. We had all these unreleased tracks from that recording that had been actually cool. So we did a vinyl model of Make a Pest a Pet with 4 further songs, plus we additionally launched an EP of unreleased new music that we had form of been chipping away at for a few 10 yr interval. It’s one thing humorous about rock bands, as I stated, you by no means actually ever break up. Chances are you’ll undergo a interval of not even chatting with all of a sudden, ‘hey. I obtained a riff,’ and the subsequent factor you recognize, Ryan and I, who had been adversaries for the briefest of moments, are all of a sudden in one another’s dwelling rooms noodling round. However we weren’t a band and we didn’t have anyplace to form of facilitate that, in order the years glided by I simply form of turned it into an EPs value of music that was referred to as the Fairly EP, in form of conjunction with the Ugly EP that got here out in 1993.”
For extra data on the Triumph reunion, go to https://www.triumphmusic.com.
For extra data on Kerns’ varied actions, go to https://www.toqueband.com, https://toddkerns.com, or https://www.slashonline.com.
- Jim Barber is a veteran award-winning journalist and writer primarily based in Napanee, Ontario, Canada, who has been writing about music and musicians for greater than 30 years. Moreover his journalistic endeavors, he works as a communications and advertising specialist and is an avid volunteer in his group. Contact him at jimbarberwritingservices@gmail.com.
