Bio

Welcome to our history. Theres lots to say, cause lots has happened in 3 decades. The most important is the dedication to Friendship & Music. Released as ‘Lost Anthology‘.


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   My name is Nikko. My musical influences started in 1982 with listening to Robbin Crosby, George Lynch, Murray/Smith, KK Downing & Brian ‘Too Loud’ Macleod, were some of my favs. Buying guitar mags, I began learning music. I started at 12 playing music. First drums, Alto saxophone, then at 15 I bought a MANN Jazz Bass. I was steering quickly towards guitar. So on Oct 31st 1986 I bought my first at Hi-Fi Express. Its a Metallic – Red Series A, that I still own. This is where the story begins.

   1988 – Todd & I met 30 Years ago, on December 28-1987 at Hi-Fi Express in Williams lake, BC. Our first jam was on January 3rd. When we first met, we were just learning how to play. Some of this was captured on TIMELESS. We both had Series A guitars, his was Metallic Grey. Its funny to look back now. When we first met we didn’t really get along. However jamming & drinking 18yr old Whisky seemed to help. Cruising around in my car. Living off 7-Eleven Burgers… remember those? We built a lasting friendship. Just being teenagers and enjoying our youth! Cranking up our favs, Savatage, Yngwie, Vinnie Moore. Todd’s favorite guitarist was Jake E. Lee. In mid Jan we went on a trip to Prince George. Met up with Katya and hung out for the weekend. During this time we wrote our first 3 songs. They were ‘Marching Out, Valiant & Odyssey’. During this time Todd had begun showing signs of Schizophrenia. We talked about what he was feeling. Neither one of us knew what he was dealing with. Remember this, as it would surface off and on over the years. Still I found a true best-friend I could relate musically too. Then in April Todd left for the coast. He had gone to Vancouver to get help. I didn’t see him again till June of ’89. So I just kept playing on my own. I moved from WL to PG that May of ’88. Met and partied with new friends.

   1989 – I began learning more cover songs. I moved from Prince George, BC to Winnipeg, MB. In June, Todd came out. We jammed a lot. Met a lot of cool people. Really started focusing on what we would like to do musically. Still at this point we were learning, watching other bands play. Meeting new people & enjoying the club scene.

   1990 – A year that could be best forgotten about. It was a struggle with work. Todd came out in February and we hung in Winnipeg & Dauphin. In June I went to Baker Lake NWT for work all summer. After I came home, I bought my 1989 Vantage Black Net guitar. I ordered Metal Method from Doug Marks and learned my Theory.

   1991 – In January, I went back to Williams Lake to work with Todd on a job. Which turned out to be a joke. In mid-January, we decided to change our name from VALIANT to EDEN MYRRH. We figured we needed a name, with more social impact. It was good to see old friends. Going down to the pool-hall to shoot a few games. However, there was nothing there for us musically. So we packed up and went back to Winnipeg. We got ourselves a place at 8-457 Young Street. We played a lot of guitar. Drinking our Extra Old Stock, weed & pepperonis. On March 6th, we went to see Iron Maiden/Anthrax concert. On March 14th we got tickets to the WWF Wrestling show. What a awesome time. We bought Boss pedals, Vestax 4-track machine & gear. We recorded some ideas & instrumentals. Jules would come visit often & on Todd’s birthday, we did a Interview. The E.P. was released on cassette May 16th. The purpose of the E.P. was to get our ideas out. So we could find other musicians who wanted to work with us. We began with a drummer named Rob. A good guy and beater of the skins. However, he moved to Toronto shortly after we met. In July we moved to the Unicity area. We had started recording some more instrumentals. Which became E.P. II. Todd had helped with the first few tracks. The Haunting was the main one we did together. We tried to work with some other musicians. However they were not what we were looking for. Everyone wanted to play covers. Todd had a opportunity in BC & left in August. All on good terms. I finished the recording. Releasing E.P. II on cassette October 31st. The next week I was working in Rude n’ Nasty.

   1992 – On February 10th my daughter was born. My life was changing and I was enjoying being a father. I was also writing a lot of music. In December, I had started working as a Gas broker. Money was good but my family life was falling apart. On June 18th, Todd came in from BC to Winnipeg. A few days later we left on a plane for Toronto. We worked in Kingston, Cornwall, Brockville & all points in between. On June 25th, we had started writing a concept story called ‘Welcome to Reality’. It was a idea that never materialized. We were listening to Savatage – Streets a lot…lol.  On June 28th we decided to cruise from Buffalo, N.Y. and continue on to New York City. Just to say we were there. Listening to music and just talking about life. I really enjoyed that trip. At the time though, Todd wasn’t feeling well. His medication was hard on his system. By the time we hit Ottawa in August, Todd was miserable and decided to head back to B.C. In late October, I continued on to Windsor, where I began working with other musicians. What a great time.

   1993 – In late May, I moved with my work to Hamilton. That’s where I had begun work on the cover art work. Todd was eager to get out and begin recording. He was still in BC and was composing song ideas. We met up at my house in July, and recorded till mid August. During this time I got a call from friends in Windsor. Unfortunately in July 1993 Wayne Coombs was killed in a accident. Good friend and guitar player. I put a remembrance in the ‘Interview with Jules III’. At the time Todd was playing a Aria Pro II Cardinal CS 350 (blue). All we had was a Vestax 4-track machine. Our plan was to make a demo to shop around. After 3 weeks the self-titled EDEN MYRRH was done. Released on cassette August 13th. We recorded ‘Unruly Bastards’ and rehearsed for a week. Then off to Hamilton where I bought my BC Rich – LA Series. Unfortunately the work we did wasn’t happening for Todd. So he grabbed a box of cassettes to sell and went back to B.C. The industry I worked in, had shifted to southern Alberta. It was not going well. 1994/95 was a total waist of energy. Personally and Professionally.

  1996/99 – In early ’96 I moved to Edmonton. Todd & I were sending cassette tapes back & forth writing Dark Acoustic songs. Todd settled in Kelowna, BC. with his fiancée Donna. Bought himself a white B.C. Rich – Warlock bass. The songs being written for  INSURRECTION were darker, acoustic based songs. I began recording in MIDI City Studios with Denise R’ockell. Todd & I talked all the time. He was really content and happy. I went to Kelowna a few times to hang with my friend. He finally had found where he belonged. I was really happy for him. Todd during this time was really doing a lot of writing. He was proud of his new fenix acoustic guitars. I made a trip to Portland, Oregon to visit family in late ’97. I met up with a few musicians looking for a guitarist. We talked over the course of a few months and in March I moved and played in Midnite Serenade. I still came back to work on Denise’s solo effort. As well as stop in and visit with Todd in Kelowna.  Writing much more heavier songs at this point, thus …AND FIRE FOR ALL MY FRIENDS. In the middle of August, the Portland gig ended. I headed out to work in a camp, running equipment in northern Alberta. Then I moved to Edmonton and Todd came out a few times. We began working more on our song ideas, enjoying life and hanging out. In the video link  section above Check video ☆ Eden Myrrh – The Early Years.

   2000/01 – I began working on the Drilling Rigs. Todd came out in April and we moved to a Apartment on 82nd st. A nice, huge pad. All redone. The only problem was that Todd missed Donna. Shortly after he left to go back to Kelowna. I couldn’t blame him. I could see he wasn’t happy.  We decided to put together TIMELESS. A collection of the ‘Behind the Music’ cd set. It was our 10yr Anniversary idea. We did a few masters. Todd came out again in late August 2001. This happened to be our last visit. It was a tough time for both of us. Our conversations weren’t as optimistic as before. Still we had a good visit.

   2002 – In January I had talked with Todd about a web-site. He liked the idea, however he was a bit down. I had begun working on it. Then on the early morning of February 9th – 2002. I got the shock call of a lifetime from Donna saying Todd had passed away in his sleep. It was also my 32nd birthday. I went to Kelowna & visited with Donna. Then I went down to the music-room. It was very difficult to process everything. The next day I went to the funeral. I waited till after the service & after everyone was gone. Then I went to see my friend. I picked up Todd’s guitar, said my peace, cried & said ‘goodbye’ to my best friend. Back in Edmonton, I felt dead inside. I continued working on Oil Drilling Rigs. I chose to be alone & disappeared from the world.

   2006-10 – I needed to begin where we left off, cleaning up our recordings. On August 13th – 2006. I opened Eden Myrrh’s first band-site on Myspace until 2012, by then had over 79,537 hits. I decided at that time to have our own web/page & be in control of it. During this time I wrote ‘Hell Driver’. Re-mastering the original cassette version of EDEN MYRRH for its 20th Anniversary in 2013.  Brad helped re-record 5 songs on drums and Trent Oleksuik on (Bass). The E.P. & EDEN MYRRH cds are bonus cds. As their quality is 4-track based.

   2011-16 – On August 13th I released TIMELESS for our 20th Anniversary. Including 4 tracks not on our original edit. It went over well with fans and I had made new ones. Our old friends really appreciated it. For the next 4 years, I tried to work finishing a box set of our music. As well I went to Portland, Oregon to visit my mother as much as possible. We spent the holidays together a few times. She had cancer & I wanted to spend time with her. I was also visiting friends & old bandmates. Sadly, my mother passed July 17th – 2014. I miss her dearly & our long talks. She encouraged me to finish our songs. All during this time, attempts were made in working with other musicians. As Brad & others, had backed out. My sentimental plan, to include past musicians we knew through the years to help record. Was a failure! You cannot convince those, who are not interested. I needed to work with professionals….period!

   2017/21 –   In January 2017, I was told by my father, he had cancer. I spent a lot of my time helping him in Edmonton. I returned in late July 2017 to Winnipeg where I began recording with Guy Anthony. Recording sessions went smooth. A few weeks later, I returned to Edmonton to be with my father. He passed early morning August 21 – 2017. My father was very much my best friend. I’m glad I was with him. I miss him a lot! In November we did another session and by May, all the Drum, Bass tracks were completed.  In April 2019 Gus Monsanto joined Eden Myrrh on Vocals. A experienced vocalist & someone I would call a friend. Nikko & Gus joining forces in writing has pushed the songs to world class levels. Mixing took place in 2021. I also finished the guitar that Todd used exclusively. A rare Jackson JRR – 94 Concept. The Concepts were only in production for one year (93-94). In June of 2020, a lyric video was released. Its the first song Todd & I wrote in 1987. It was appropriate, as we called our project VALIANT during those first few years. In the video link section Check video ☆ Eden Myrrh – Valiant

    2022 – LOST ANTHOLOGY – 4cd set/with booklet was released on March 7th. It covers writing from 1988 – 2021. It commemorates 30yrs of composing music. Check video ☆ Eden Myrrh – The Last Children, GOG & Dead of Winter. A huge ‘Thanks’ to Bebeto Daroz for completing the artwork. These last 2 years, were dedicated to building the name in Radio, Magazine & YouTube interviews.

2024 – Gus and Nikko have begun working on NEW songs for next album. More videos are in the works. Our newest single is Den of Angels. Stay tuned…!

                        What I know for sure is that for me…. I’m back on my musical Journey.

                           ★  ☆ ★       CHEERS!     ★    ★  

                                                                                                                                                           Nikko