[jdoyle]

Many of you have probably never heard of this band or their front man Gord Downie... However they are of icon status in Canada and bordering US states as well as here in my hometown Bflo., NY

Gord Downie died after a battle with brain cancer... Unprecedented, he actually went on tour with their devoted fans knowing this. Obviously, the final shows were very emotional.

He will be missed. 

I encourage you to check the band out, Fully Completely in an excellent album, and while not from that album, this could be their signature song:

https://youtu.be/ZaeEopDW0V4

[SlushPuppy]

Very sad news. I don't own all of their albums, but I used to play "Up to Here", "Road Apples", and "Fully Completely" quite often. First heard them on Much Music while on deployment to northern Greenland (of all places) in the late 80's and early 90's. Great band!

[2bigears]

   a really nice guy and very cool....

[opnly bafld]

 



Must have been in '91 the editor? of Car Stereo Review? was always going on about them, so I was in Best Buy and bought one of The Hip's Cds. Took it out to my car and skipped through the tracks, went back in and bought the other Hip CD they had on the rack. "Up to Here" and "Road Apples"
One of my favorite bands and always in heavy rotation.

[fredgarvin]

I saw them in Portland at a little club a couple of times back when they had released Up to Here. I was playing then myself and I liked their enthusiastic shows. My wife liked Bobby Baker. 

[mcgsxr]

An interesting Canadian band that spanned generations, and had some decent cross border (into the US) success.

I listened to all their early stuff (Up to Here, Road Apples, Fully Completely) but did not stay current with their music past 2000 or so. 

What I loved about the early stuff was the raw bar band sound, and the Canadiana and history evoked in Gord's lyrics.

I was also very drawn to his live performances - the wierd twitchy dancing, and super odd tangents he would go off on - I recommend the live version of Highway Girl as the premiere example of a Gordie rant on stage.  I was entranced.

Both my brothers went to university for one of their degrees in the birthplace of the Hip (Kingston Ontario) which is about 180 miles from my house.  A university and military town right on Lake Ontario. 

The band just exemplified a Canadian rock band for a great length of time.

But Gordie went a lot further than just great music.  He was a student of history, and brought to life the mistreatment of indigenous peoples, old stories about local hockey legends, and lyrics that paint a picture of this great country.

A sad moment for music fans.

[SFDude]

Canadian here growing up on the Hip from my university days in Ottawa in the mid 90s. Fully Completely was on constant repeat (on CD) back then in the dorms I stayed at. RIP Gord, fellow Canadian and generally a great human being.

[Wind Chaser]

Fully and Completely is a masterpiece. RIP Gord. You'll be missed.

As a vocalist Gordon Downie is much easier on the ear than Geddy Lee. The Hip and Rush are two of Canada's best bands, but it sure seems to me that the Hip got and still gets a fair bit more airplay than Rush.

[Johnny2Bad]

Fully and Completely is a masterpiece. RIP Gord. You'll be missed.

As a vocalist Gordon Downie is much easier on the ear than Geddy Lee. The Hip and Rush are two of Canada's best bands, but it sure seems to me that the Hip got and still gets a fair bit more airplay than Rush.

Also from southern Ontario, don't forget about the Headstones, the "other" band from Kingston. If you haven't yet, check them out. Any album. I'll even help.

Joni Mitchell, Gordon Lightfoot, Paul Anka, Steppenwolf, The Band, Neil Young, those guys from Hanna, Alberta, The Guess Who, and a long list of less well known acts with merit. You don't have to just listen to Geddy Lee (although maybe you should).

https://youtu.be/VclaeaajDiU

Unfortunately, there are few youtube videos of the band, certainly none of their better songs.

[Wind Chaser]

Also from southern Ontario, don't forget about the Headstones.

Smile and Wave
Teeth and Tissue

...those guys from Hanna, Alberta...

You don't have to just listen to Geddy Lee (although maybe you should).

I have about 6 or seven of their albums, but if I had to choose between listening to them or the Hip all day, it would be the Tragically Hip.

[Johnny2Bad]

Oh, not trying to minimize the Hip. Here are some obits:

New York Times:
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/10/18/arts/music/gord-downie-tragically-hip-dead-final-album.html

Rolling Stone:
http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/tragically-hips-gord-downie-dead-at-53-w504219

CBC:
http://www.cbc.ca/beta/news/entertainment/gord-downie-obit-1.4359906

[mcgsxr]

+1 on The Headstones.  Loved them live.  Had a T shirt of theirs for years.   Lost it in a youth hostel in Hong Kong in 1996.  Said "Where the F%*&in money you owe me" on it!