I had mentioned earlier that I left Rik’s house after taping this year’s NSTS Christmas special with almost four hours of material. After considering options, I decided to create THREE episodes, one more than the usual two we produce every year. So technically, we can consider this a bonus episode!   

This is just all fun, fantastic content. Laughs, insights, analysis, and intimate acoustic performances from Rik, including Burt Bacharach’s “Alfie” and a breakdown of Marcus King’s “Goodbye Carolina”, concluding with a composition of his own, “Cobalt Blue”. A perfect close to the year; regularly scheduled NSTS shows resume in January 2021. 

Merry Christmas everyone!   

Emmett/Jensen Xmas 2020 playlist:

Burt Bacharach – Alfie

Marcus King – Goodbye Carolina

Rik Emmett – Cobalt Blue 

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: RSS

Welcome back to No Sleep ’til Sudbury’s 2020 Christmas special, live from legendary Triumph frontman Rik Emmett’s home studio.

In this episode, Rik continues to deconstruct the songs that make our skin vibrate, this week’s picks being Lulu’s “To Sir With Love”, The Beatles’ “And I Love Her”, and “Planet Caravan” from Black Sabbath. Rik sings and plays them section by section, breaking them down with fascinating technical analysis and humour, insight, and some great stories. He and I have been doing the Christmas shows for a while now, but his enthusiasm still amazes me. Another incredible episode you don’t want to miss.     

Emmett/Jensen playlist:

Lulu – To Sir With Love

The Beatles – And I Love Her

Black Sabbath – Planet Caravan

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: RSS

I am SO excited to share this with you. Legendary Triumph guitarist Rik Emmett is back for his annual NSTS Christmas episodes, but in planning this year’s content, we decided we would do something different…

Rik told me earlier this year that he had exhausted his list of Christmas songs that make his skin vibrate. But, in keeping with the theme of that special warmth Christmas brings, he proposed an idea – that I offer five songs that make MY skin vibrate, and in turn he would bring five songs to match mine that make him feel a similar way. He also proposed to do two things – illustrate why these songs make us feel this way by demonstrating on his guitar how they’re composed, and, outline the science behind how our brains process music. Crazy! Nobody works harder on their NSTS appearances than Uncle Rikky, and I can’t begin to tell you how much I enjoyed working with him on this. You really do not want to miss these shows, trust me.               

The Emmett/Jensen Christmas 2020 playlist (Episode I):

Stereophonics – Handbags and Gladrags

Pat Metheny and Charlie Haden – The Moon is a Harsh Mistress

Paul McCartney – Maybe I’m Amazed

The Beach Boys – God Only Knows

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: RSS