Getting Hip to The Hip

jD, Pete, and Tim discuss the documentary Long Time Running.

jD, Pete, and Tim are back listening to a sampling of Gord Downie's solo work. Enjoy.

jD, Pete, and Tim are back and this time they're immersing themselves with four different versions of New Orleans Is Sinking.

Transcript

Rediscovering the 80s and 90s on Spotify

Me and the boys discuss the songs Montreal, Radio Show, and Get Back Again. Enjoy

Join jD, Pete, and Tim as they go off the cuff and then get down to business to discuss some Hip music videos and live footage.

Grace, Too - Live from London - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FJBu9Ls5CaU

Fiddler's Green - Live from Abbotsford - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=35mJvcY104M

Courage - Live from Woodstock '99 - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yxi5rXtqbVw

jD, Pete, and Tim are live from the stage at the Rec Room for Getting Hip to the Hip - An Evening for the Downie Wenjack Fund.

Transcript:

Introducing The Tragically Hit Experiment

Track 1:

[0:00] 16 episodes ago, I invited my pals on a little experiment. 

You see, they had never heard the music of The Tragically Hit before, and I wanted to take them on a journey for the world to hear. 

Pete and Tim didn't know what hit them. 

Now we're here at the end, and it's time to pack it in. I'm not sure what to expect, but I know it's gonna be fun. 

So, as we taxi down the runway, I'll be Captain JD and get you all landed safely. 

We want to thank you all for joining us here this evening and throughout this journey. 

Now buckle up, put your trays in the upright position and let's land this thing called getting hip to the hip. 

J.D. Introduces Himself and Sets the Stage

Track 4:

[1:14] Hey, it's J.D. 

Here, and, uh, this is it, folks. 

This is where we say adios to getting hip to the hip. 

Of course we couldn't do that without my two Brothers in hipdom, Pete and Tim from Portland, let's give it up, they're here! 

Settling in and appreciating the DIY pod rooms

[1:54] You guys are here! We're here, we're definitely here. 

This is exactly what it looks like when we're, you know, at our own homes. 

In our small, tiny DIY pod rooms. Yeah, right? 

This chair is much better, actually, than my chair. 

It's nicer than my house. These are great chairs. There's no doubt about it. 

If we were to even consider a second season of the show, the chair budget would have to go up considerably. 

Considerably. So, how are you guys doing? How are your flights in? 

Talk to me about what's going on Tim Tim Tateka. 

I mean I got in Before the rest of the guys I got to go to a blue jays game. 

I got I got to witness hot dog night Wow, I Did the math that was a lot of hot dogs per person, but you know for a dollar And I did bring some amazing. 

I brought my own sauce to put on the hot dogs, which is over at the silent auction by the way and yeah it was it was awesome waiting for this Yahoo yeah my So I flew further than Tim. 

Flying and Meeting Dan from London

[3:14] That's a fact. 

[3:17] Dan flew further than Tim as well, but I flew further than Dan. 

You just gave it away, man. Dan from London? Where's Dan from London? 

Where is Dan from London? Hey, we're here. There is Dan from London. 

Present. Dan from London. Proper and present. 

So anyway, I got in and no, you didn't get that warm maple syrup Canadian welcome Canadian, welcome, because I'm at the airport, activate the e-sim, hey, we're at the Arizona Bar andGrill, get the shuttle. 

We're at this hotel by the airport. 

Yeah, and I'm waiting to get picked up with a fucking, you know, the bat blue in one hand, and you know, Tim Horton's in the other, and I get a text that says, we're at the Arizona Bar,come meet us, take the shuttle. 

I was like, so I got there late. 

No, I'm not bitter about it. No, no, no, no, the music there was a Good experience not at all. 

But then, you know, we proceeded to Does anybody and does everybody know in this room because I sure as hell didn't that marijuana is legal in the country of Canada So I smelled somemarijuana smoke outside the Arizona bar and then proceeded to trip balls and have to go back to the hotel. 

Is that correct JD? Sounds about right. 

That's how my trip was. I'm pretty sure you were escorted. 

[4:46] It was good. It's been a hell of a week. 

Memorable Trip to Kingston and the Bathhouse

[4:50] Yeah then we we went out to Kingston yesterday. Yeah. Almost feels like a month ago because it was just so amazing and memorable. And guess where we went? Went to thebathhouse. 

Bathhouse, yes. We, it was, I mean, so I told the story to a couple of people. 

Does everybody know what the bathhouse is, first of all? Yeah. It's the, the HIP owns a home in Bath and it's where they recorded, where many bands have recorded, and you basicallycheck into this home, live upstairs and record downstairs, record upstairs too, they record all over the place and it was just there was a patina to the whole interior you know it was likemight need to change out some of these rugs I like but it was beautiful I thought it was nice but we all showed up and so we get When we get there, we get to the vat house. 

[5:47] And we're just creeping, there's nobody there. We roll up the driveway. We had no reservation. 

Yeah, and we're looking around, we're taking pictures. I'm playing fucking horseshoe. 

There's a horseshoe pit. Yeah, it's a horseshoe field pitch. 

Pete starts playing horseshoes. Yeah, at the bathhouse. 

And then we're like, all right, guess time to go home. Fuck it, nobody's here. 

Langlois didn't respond. Damn you, Langlois. 

And then a car comes up the driveway. 

And this guy walks out and his name's Niles and he's cool as shit. 

And he gets out with his coffee and we're all like, hey, how's it going? 

JD's like, I'm too shy right now, I'm too shy. And Dean says, well, get fucking un-shy. 

Full Tour of the Bathhouse by Niles

[6:37] And then Tim walks over, we're literally getting in the car Tim's like, hey, how's it going, man? Cool, yeah, we're just taking some pictures, and then, hey, we'll see you later, but youmind if we just take a peek inside? 

He's like, sure, come on in. 

And takes us for a full tour, because Tim Lydon has the Cajones. 

That's right. I mean, it was like going to Disneyland and being like, dude, it was so cool. 

They're sold out, son. You know, we had to go in. 

We had to go in. Absolutely. So, why don't we take a minute and look at a little package that was put together by Rainy Media, one of our sponsors. 

Yes. And it's our trip to Kingston. 

Take a look at the screens all around and enjoy. 

I guess I'll watch from back there. 

[7:35] Hey, it's J.D. here and let's do a roll call. We've got Spain, we've got Portland, we've got damn fuckin' London in the house, bro. 

Let's go to Peakson! Do it. 

Idea proposed to city council for approval

[8:45] My co-host thought up of the idea and then posed to the city council, thought it was a great idea as well. 

To say You're strong, you're the darkest one, You're the darkest one Come in, come in, come in Come in and we'll get ready It's warm and it's safe here and there. 

[9:58] I almost heard you Here in a time and place caught lost on our imagination You don't explain what you're still doing Peace out yo! 

The Journey Begins: Whirlwind and Tremendous Moments

[11:57] It has been an absolute whirlwind going through what we've been through. 

But this last couple of days has been just tremendous. 

And I really want to thank Dean and David for putting everything together. 

Absolutely. Please, Randy. 

Give them a big round of applause. 

A lot of fun was had. But you know, a lot of fun has been had since we started recording, and I don't know if we've ever told this, but we started recording November 28th of 2022, and werecorded through April, and then we recorded bonus content on top of that. 

[12:52] But basically, we were were done when we launched on the May long weekend. 

And we didn't know whether this was a stone that we were gonna throw that was gonna just go kerplunk or it was gonna skip, skip, skip, skip, skip. 

[13:13] And you know what? It fucking skip, skip, skip, skip, skip. And here we are. 

And that's pretty fucking cool, right? It's amazing. Well said. 

So I want to throw it over to my buddy Tim right now to talk about his experiences with the hip and where he thinks he's landed at this point with this band and this crazy fan base that wehave. 

Experiencing Awe: The Hip's Impact in Portland, Oregon

[13:48] I'll just say it's a massive sense of awe. 

You know, when you experience maybe someone else's baby or puppy, you're like, oh. 

Or you maybe have something bad happen, you're like, ah, shucks. 

No, I'm talking about the sense of awe where you experience nature or something beautiful or something amazing that happens where you're just kind of dumbstruck. 

You know, you're just speechless. 

And that's kind of what this process led me to. 

We were, my wife and I in Portland, Oregon, were recently at our neighborhood bar, and it was on my birthday, and there was nobody there, it was kind of perfect, and Monday night, andthere's this, of course, digital jukebox playing, which we never really paid much attention to, probably because on Thursdays, we play bingo there. 

I'm not, I'm not, I'm not, I'm not 75, but bingo's hella fun at a bar, I gotta say. 

Anyways, we're at the bar, and I'm like, let's take over this digital jukebox, what happens. So what do I search? 

[14:50] Thank you so much and every albums in there so I picked all these damn songs and for like two hours We're drinking listen to the hip Yeah. 

[14:57] It was amazing in Portland, Oregon, and I'm kept like looking around I was waiting for the bartender asked me who this band is and but I had to turn it tell her to turn it up Like fivetimes and said and but at one point my wife Amy said you know this this music just feels just right for this place, feels right for right now, it's just like perfect rock here in ourneighborhood bar. 

And I'm like, holy hell, this is probably how the hip was for millions of people, am I right? 

I mean, we all basically ended up in a moment where we're, you know, you pull over to listen to the song and just sit in it and then play it again. 

And that happened to me so many times, you You know, at the beginning of the pod, my son, who's a drummer, 21, he kind of started listening to the music with me, the first EP, and he'slike, Dad, what are you getting into? 

You know, are you sure about this? Who's this guy? What's up with the singer? 

The drums sound pretty good. But are you sure you want to do this? 

How long are you going to do this? And we pretty much had a nine-month baby podcast happen. 

[16:10] So yeah, so through the process, really, I got to this point where I was in 

Sense of Awe: The Hip's Dedication and Impact

[16:15] this experience, this sense of awe. 

I mean, these guys started playing when they were 17, 18, 19 years old. 

And they knew that this is what they wanted to do. And they knew that. 

They were just focused and targeted and told their parents there's no backup plan. 

You know, and they just went for it. How how many of us did that when we were in high school or going into our first year of uni? 

How many of you knew what you were set out to do? 

So here we are having just a blast with the music and having a blast with this process. And I never would have thought I'd be sitting here today. 

We're sitting in stirrups right now, Tim. Yeah, I don't know if I can get out of this chair. Because you said we had a 9-month baby. So right now we're like this. 

And this is the baby, man. Yeah, yeah. Silent auction. It took Pete a little while to push him out, but that's what happened. 

[17:16] All right, who wants to get into the MVP tracks that these guys put together all year. 

And see how they broke down. All right, let's do that then. And we will go to... 

Where are we going to start here? Are we going to start with Pete or Tim? Tim, please. 

We can start with either, it doesn't matter. I have a hard time seeing this thing so close behind me. We're starting with Tim's MVP tracks. 

So here is his playlist, which as you can see is already on Spotify for your edification. 

[17:59] And you can grab that and enjoy. And I will throw to my compadre Tim Lydon now and have him explain just what the fuck he put together here. 

Why, what? Yeah, so this is my playlist. 

I blacked out the amount of downloads. The digits were too long. 

That's a joke. Yeah, so I put this together based on favorite songs along the way and just being a bit of an audiophile I kind of tried to experience it as if I was one of you guys maybe on aroad trip or something, and so each song, I hope, kind of ties or blends into each other really well. 

There's a little bit of a, you know, cadence to the hips history, but then I mix it up and I think it's pretty good. 

I think it's pretty fun. The guys, you know, said a few times God, you really picked a fucking weird song on that album, Tim, you know? 

But sometimes the weird ones are the ones that grow on you. Sometimes they're awesome. I mean, All Canadian Surf Club, who does not like that song? 

[19:08] Okay, whatever You need to you need to take a trip somewhere warm and tropical Yeah, but yeah I was so fun to put this together and was I was kind of wishing there were moresongs because now I've gone back to many albums of course and I'm finding so many other nuggets and songs that have grown on me and All right. 

Bob Rock Records: Revisiting World Container and We Are The Same

[19:27] I have a question about that then I have a question about that then It's been a long time since we dealt with the Bob rock records. Oh Uh-oh. 

Have either of those records grown on you since we last... 

Now you liked... Now you liked... You liked World Container. 

Yeah, yeah. But I'm curious about... I'm curious about We Are The Same. 

Have you went back to that at all? I... I only... 

I mean, I get caught up in Bob Rock's lovely flowing hair and I just want to be like him. That's where I go. That's where I go. 

This is Bob Rock Lock. Bob Rock Lock. No, I have gone back to those albums and I'm still visiting them. All right, that's fair enough. 

Maybe that will be something we look at in the future. Who knows? 

All right, our friend Pete. Who wants to see Pete's playlist? 

[20:24] I'll show you my playlist. I'm gonna just burn through it. 

Killing Time, cool song I have heard during the first record. 

Blowed High Dough, fuck, come on. 

Fiddler's Green, I remember sitting on Avenida de Andalucía and crying as I dropped somebody off on the train station the first time I heard that song. Broke my fucking heart. 

100th Meridian, really? Grace 2, Springtime Vienna, fucking no-brainers. 

Memorable Tracks and Experiences

[20:58] Courage, Tiger the Lion, Jesus Christ. I mean, that was a great guy. 

That was an experience for us. Tiger the Lion, we talked about that on the pod. 

We talked about that quite a bit. 

It's just, you hear it and it's like... 

John Cage or Philip Glass - Trivia question

[21:18] It just rips. John Cage? Was it John Cage or Philip Glass that did the... 

Does anybody know the answer? Trivia question. 

It was John Cage or Philip Glass that did the song that was seven minutes or so whatever the lore is. 

[21:36] John Cage. That's the fucking... That's what Gord is speaking about in that song. 

And it's... fuck number 10 the dark Canuck guess guess who didn't know what a Canuck was okay JD we got a lot of feedback on this Canuck thing and I don't I don't know that'ssomething that we really fuck with right like I mean we don't talk about ourselves as Canucks do we like our like are you like I'm a hardy Canuck or are you? 

Like if you are, that's cool. Yeah. Okay. Okay. All right. 85. 

I'll take that. I will take that. And that was the year, Marty. 

That was a funny moment. Yeah. Yeah. 85. 

Back to 55. Gus the polar bear. 

Let's keep going. Gus the polar bear. Yeah. Sorry. Anyway, Gus, the polar bear, um... 

Animal psychology. Who knew animals had feelings? Depression suite, like... So we're talking about the second Bob Rock record. That's the second one, right? 

[22:52] What do you want somebody to say who's been on a fucking drip IV of the tragically hip for nine months? I'd say I'm beautiful. Yeah. Yeah, yeah, it's a beautiful song. 

Experience with the tragically hip - Unforgettable journey

[23:10] We feel great. Geez. Yeah, it's just been out. 

I'll say more about my experience, but that's the playlist. 

Download it. Enjoy it. Whatever. Baptist blues. 

Oh, that's all. So they're there for you to enjoy. Yes, absolutely. 

Sorry, Pete. The treasure gift gets like point zero zero zero zero zero zero zero three cents per listen. So, go for it. 

Every little bit helps. No, I was going to mention something. 

I just I want to know. I want to know before we go too much further what your experience has been like. We asked him what your experience is like going through this process. 

[23:51] Well, so most people know that JD asked me to just like he asked him and to do the podcast. 

And I heard from I heard about the hip since 2007 from Canadian friends. 

He's come into a bar I worked at and then 2011 sometime around there. 

2018, I was working for Nat Geo and this guy used to come in all the time and they were Canadian, him and his wife, and they kept hammering me about the tragically hip and I was like. 

Didn't take. I felt I was getting pushed. Then I meet this son of a bitch, and he's like, let's do this. I'm going to force this. So I'm going to shove this mashed potato down your mouth. Andhe did. 

And Tim and I just like fucking Matrix style plugged into it. 

And it was just awesome. 

Just one of the coolest things and getting to meet and speak with Paul and Gord, Sinclair and going to Kingston has just been an unbelievable experience. 

Cultural Differences: Canadian vs American

[25:07] And there's so much I want to say, but you don't want to fucking hear it. 

So, but being Canadian, you'll be here all night. Yeah, I'm happy to elaborate. 

But you guys are Canadian, you're different than Tim and I. 

As much as we speak the same language, the culture is so different. 

Take it from somebody who doesn't live in the United States anymore and it's like it's hard you'll never be a part of that culture or club I'll never fucking be Canadian no matter how muchhip I listen to and La Bat Blue I drink. 

At least I have a couple. 

But that being said it's like such a it's been such an amazing experience to get to know the band and to get to know the catalog and become a superfan. 

I told JD this was a surprise but I got a tattoo on my arm that's gonna be there for the rest of my life and it's it's a combination of the any Any UFOlogists or followers in the house? 

No? Yes? Not in here, sorry. 

Not in here? Okay, maybe next door. Anyway. 

[26:29] He'll be here all night. Yeah, be here all night The Fermi's paradox, Federico Fermi, his paradox was that he Didn't know if aliens existed or not and it's you can read up on it whenyou fucking Google it and That's a UFO thing. 

And so the lyrics is we live to survive our paradoxes Because it's fucking springtime in Vienna, which is on the list, the playlist. 

Fundraising for the Danny Wainjack Fund

[27:00] This is Pete Marchika here. 

Love you, too, Dean. If you have not bid on the Pete Marchika package... 

Yeah, that's Pete's band. ...in the silent auction, you are a greedy son of a bitch. Thank you. 

I'm going to tell you that right now. And you need this album. 

All proceeds go to the Danny Wainjack Fund. Directly. 

Already over 3,200 bucks. 

Oh! So I don't know where we're going to end up at the end of the night, but make me say 3,500 bucks, and I'll fucking love you forever. 

Forever. Now, this has been an experiment. 

This has been a project. This has been a labor of love. 

And we've had a lot of fun doing this. 

[27:53] So, I want to thank you for listening. 

I had a friend once that said, you know, if you did a podcast and you had, like, five people show up in your living room and listen to you talk every week, that'd be pretty cool. 

We had over 20,000 downloads. 

Setting the Stage for an Exciting Event

[28:19] That doesn't even include all the streams, either. In three months, that's not so bad. 

But what I want to tell you right now is how proud I am of my two friends, Pete and Tim, and all the work that they've put in. 

I want to encourage you to bid in the silent auction. 

I want to encourage you to drink long slice beer tonight. Yes, long slice. 

And without further ado, I want to introduce our good friend to convocate these two gentlemen. 

I want to invite our good friend to the stage, Dan from London. 

Yes, Dan from London. Here we go. 

Celebrating the Completion of the Exercise

[29:15] Tim, get on your feet, you son of a bitch. Come on up. 

You can convocate them. You can convocate them. You can read if... 

Do you want to read it? Do you want

jD, Pete, and Tim are in learning mode as they speak with Sarah Midanik from the DWF

Don't forget to get your tickets to the event this coming Friday at gettinghiptothehip.com

Transcript

Track 2:

[5:23] Hey, it's JD here and we are back with another episode in our Talking With series. 

So far we've talked with 50 Mission, Trevor Stickman, Paul Langlois, Gord Sinclair, and today we are really thrilled to be joined by the President and CEO of the Downey Wenchak Fund,which we are supporting with our event tonight, if you are listening to this on Friday, September 1st. 

We have with us Sarah Medanek and I'm really thrilled to have you here with us. How are you doing? 

Track 3:

[6:03] I'm good. Thanks so much for the invitation to join. 

Track 2:

[6:09] Yeah, we're thrilled to learn more about the organization and your role in it and all that good stuff. So without further ado, let's go. 

Tim, do you have anything? Hey, Sarah. 

Track 5:

[6:22] Good to meet you. Yeah, I'm just curious about the kind of inception of the fund and how it all kind of began. 

I watched some of the videos on your site and read quite a bit. 

But I'm curious about how it all really, kind of the conversation started with Gord and then when you came along, if you don't mind touching on that. 

Track 3:

[6:43] Yeah, for sure. So, I've had the great pleasure and slightly intimidating responsibility of being with the Gord Downie and Chani Wenjack Fund from the very beginning, so beforeGord passed. 

It was, you know, it was a really unique sort of moment in time. 

There was, of course, all of the momentum of the HIP's final tour and, you know, very public shout out to Trudeau around reconciliation by Gord to do more as Canadians and how wecould do better. 

Of course, that was coupled with the work being done by... 

[7:32] The Truth and Reconciliation Commission and the release of the 94 Calls to Action, and also the Secret Path Project, which tells the story of Chani Wenjack. 

And so Gord had done a series of concerts playing the Secret Path album with the Secret Path Band. 

And for anyone who hasn't seen The Secret Path, you can visit that material on an art website. 

It was, of course, became a series of poems which became the album, which became the graphic novel, which became the animated film. 

So there's a lot of really incredible material to visit there. 

And so there is sort of just a unique moment in time where there was a lot of momentum and a lot of, you know, people in Canada wondering what their role was in reconciliation andwhat they could do, to contribute in a meaningful way. 

And so that's really the root of Downy Wendjack is, you know, there is all this momentum and there is all these folks wondering what to do next and our programs and the work we do isreally based around that, the pillars of awareness, education, and action. 

[8:54] And so we have two national programs. One is Legacy Schools and so we are in 6,000 schools in every province and territory with over 7,000 educators and we provide them withfree educational tools and resources to be better equipped to teach about the true history and legacy of residential schools and the true history of Indigenous people in Canada, but to alsobe able to incorporate strength-based learning and Indigenous ways of knowing and being into core curriculars. 

Because you know there is sort of that, that sentiment, you know, well, we didn't learn about this in schools. 

There was still like back when we were getting started, I would say there was still a pretty big gap in people's general awareness and understanding around residential schools. And that'schanged a lot in the past five years. 

But curriculum doesn't necessarily get reformed that quickly. 

Track 5:

[9:53] Right, right, yeah. 

Track 3:

[9:57] So we still see the need, and of course we do lots of really cool stuff in the Legacy Schools program. We have the Artist Ambassador program, which brings Indigenous and non-Indigenous musicians, artists, role models into classrooms. 

And the Youth Ambassador program, which is a four-week leadership program that we run and every summer, we had 105 youth go through it this summer where they learn how to bechampions for reconciliation within their schools and communities. 

And we do a lot of programming in which we bring Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples together. 

We had a big music festival here in Toronto this spring called Siguan, which featured incredible Indigenous artists, and we always do a ton of programming for June, for NationalIndigenous History Month, and for Secret Path Week, which is coming up here right around the corner from October 17th till the 22nd, and of course, the National Day for Truth andReconciliation on September 30th. 

Track 2:

[11:08] Wow, that is a lot. 

Track 3:

[11:10] Well, that's just one program. We also have the Legacy Space Program. 

So when I talk about what we do at Downey Bunjack, I call it the sandwich, which maybe I should find something a bit more. 

Track 4:

[11:24] Everybody likes sandwiches. What is wrong with a sandwich? 

Track 5:

[11:28] We've had many food analogies on our show. Right? 

Track 3:

[11:33] So it's through Legacy Schools, we educate the littles, the young people, so that the next generation of people in Canada understand the true history. 

But for those folks that are not in school, where do you learn? 

And that's often through your workplace and professional development opportunities. 

So the Legacy Space Program really leverages the concept of indigenous placemaking to create physical space within an organization, a corporation, a community that is representative ofthe internal commitment to do the work further reconciliation. 

And, you know, from a corporate standpoint, is that, you know, equity, diversity and inclusion, hiring and retention practices for Indigenous employees, you know, reconciliation plans,procurement, right, working with Indigenous businesses, so. 

I always say, you know, we educate the littles and we try and educate the bigs. 

And in the middle is all the, you know, fun stuff that we get to do in terms of, you know, amplifying Indigenous voices. 

Like we're taking over almost every radio station in Canada again this year on a day to listen, which will be September 30th. 

[12:52] Yeah, if you haven't checked it out, this will be our third year, which is very exciting. 

And we do a series of interviews that amplify indigenous voices each year. 

And they're, they're really powerful, powerful stuff. So I'd, I'd encourage everyone to check it out. 

Track 5:

[13:12] Do you have any kind of standout examples? I don't know, in the past, you know, summer or this year of working with specific businesses, small businesses or specific schools, justto kind to give our listeners like an example of like anything that really pulled on your heartstrings of seeing action in work and just, you know, when you when you do volunteer time,you spend so much time on your own. 

And then when you kind of finally get out in the field and away from the computer, you get to experience some things. I'm just curious if you can give us like some standout example ofsomething that happened. 

Track 4:

[13:48] Oh, gosh. 

Track 5:

[13:48] Could you put you as many as him is my my questions are going to be super softball, so don't worry I was I was watching the the, the film last night the graphic novel film and youknow some of the interviewing at the end I think it was with Pearl, you know Pearl said Channy's sister right she said you know we need schools in all of our communities, not just publicschools like outside our own communities. 

We need schools within our own communities. She said a few things that just really made me, you know, kind of more realize what's been going on up there. 

And even from the U.S., you know, we never had heard of any of this stuff. 

Track 3:

[14:36] Well, and it still happens, right? Like a lot of youth have to leave their communities to go to high school still in their village. 

The model, the experience that indigenous children experience in residential schools, that model still exists, but it's perpetuated in different systems, whether it's child welfare or justice, ormissing and murdered Indigenous women and girls. 

Residential schools don't operate anymore technically, but how are there still those systems of oppression, right? 

And I think that's something that, you know, we try and help to unpack and, you know, the content that we share because, you know, when you look at, you know, the social indicators ofhealth for indigenous peoples compared to non-indigenous and the disparity is so great, you need to dig a little deeper and ask why, right? 

Track 5:

[15:45] Sure, sure. 

Track 3:

[15:46] Yeah. 

Track 4:

[15:51] I... Oh, go ahead. 

Track 3:

[15:51] Go ahead, I was going to say, but to answer your question about heartwarming examples, Yeah, yeah. 

I mean, it's tough, I think, for me to answer that question because literally every single day there's something that is just really beautiful. 

But maybe I'll just say it Because I flew back from summer vacation, my family lives in northern Alberta, and taking the UP Express from Pearson Airport. 

We have a partnership with Union Station, and we have a Legacy space there. 

[16:31] They're featuring an installation by one of our artist ambassadors, Blake Angeknyb. 

These incredible panels featured in Union until the end of October. 

The art is so beautiful and so powerful. There's actually a piece that he did of Gord in the series. 

Just seeing tourists, people not from Canada, but there's such high volume of traffic through Union Station, you know, interacting and learning and literally like tens of. 

[17:26] Thousands of impressions the opportunity to work with a partner like Union Station in a space like that. 

Because reconciliation isn't going to happen overnight. I always make the sort of joke that it's slow pressure applied over time, right? Like we're talking about systemic change. 

So, you know, creating these learning opportunities in our everyday existence. 

So it's not a question of are we contributing to reconciliation in a meaningful way? It's just a part of our practice. 

Track 5:

[18:04] Yeah, that's great. 

Track 3:

[18:05] That's great. 

Track 4:

[18:09] I want to, I feel like I should break up some of the things I was gonna say to you and some of the things I wrote down, because I feel like it's just gonna be too much of a mouthful.And you'd be like, what was your question again? 

But I, so I haven't had time to watch the film yet. 

Because these jokers know I've been traveling all weekend. And I, I just, I'm going to probably watch it if I get a chance to download it on the plane when I'm on my way over to Toronto. 

But I've done a fair amount of research and I watched the ceremony where Gord was, I don't know how to properly say it, but invited into the community. 

Track 3:

[18:51] Given a traditional name. 

Track 4:

[18:57] Which like was a, you know, whatever. It was like a super, super duper emotional to even watch it. 

And a friend of mine had sent it to me. She's from, she's from Canada as well. 

And she, we talk about her on the show a lot. She's a huge hit fan. 

Sent it to me after the fact. And I was like, Barb, I've watched it. 

It's, it's just, and one of the things, sorry, this is a side note. 

Not related about what I was going to ask you but one of the things I loved about Gord's response in that video or when he spoke afterward he didn't say much and I think he was verycognizant of the situation in that a lot of people would go up there and kind of pontificate and make comparisons and say yeah this is like this and like but he kind of got the The fact that,like... 

He's like, there's nothing I can say. Like, in a sense of like, like, I can't even relate to some of the suffering, the things that have gone on. 

I'm just, you know, grateful to be invited into this community and to be a part of it and to do whatever he can. 

That was one of the cool things, side note. 

But what I, I guess what I was going to ask you was was because we've talked about it a lot on the pod. 

I don't know if you've ever, you're aware of at least the concept of this podcast and like, how it came about. 

Track 3:

[20:23] I was creeping you guys this morning. All right, I got to listen to a couple. 

I got to listen to a couple. 

Track 4:

[20:33] Well, because of JD, like, yeah, this is about the tragically hit, but like, you know, take the snowball effect over time. 

Like, I had no idea. I mean, honestly, I had heard mutterings on political podcasts and things that I listened to about reconciliation in Canada. 

But other than that, it's like a of the surface of what your average American would even know. 

It's like you hear something in passing at a coffee shop, and that's it. 

Other than that, I would have never known about the Downey Wendzik fund and all this story of Chani Wendzik, Nothing. 

I don't know, because I feel like Gord, especially when he called out Trudeau, at the concert, he looked right dead at him. 

[21:26] I took some guts, man. and you know, the call to action, which I love the education aspect of it, but I feel like that call to action is such an important factor when it comes to thework that you guys do. 

And like, you know, I guess my question is like, is, do you think, is there anything that you would think if like there's Americans listening to this right now we can do other than just talkto people and be like, Hey, do you know this story about this kid? 

Do you know, and like share it? Because we learned about it by listening to the tragically hip. That's the only other, there's no other reason we would have, we would have figured this out. 

Track 3:

[22:10] And I mean, the experience of Native Americans, uh, is mirrored closely to to that of Indigenous people in Canada too, right? 

I would say, yeah, I find that in our work. 

So we have some of our legacy space partners, you know, have offices in the U.S. and, you know, our, you know, North American companies, I guess. 

And, you know, what's been expressed to us is just like how far behind work around reconciliation and even just any awareness at all of like the true history of indigenous or NativeAmerican people in Canada and the US. 

And I think, you know, there's really important work being done in the US too that I think will come to the forefront. 

It just it takes time, right? Like it's, you know, it's by design in terms of how that's been set up. 

That's right. But, you know, as Indigenous people, you know, as we become lawyers and doctors and politicians and you know, learn how to fight for, you know, rights and restitution,these things has come up. 

Track 2:

[27:30] I really like, you know, you're talking about the call to action a minute ago, Pete, and I like the messaging around your current call to action, Sarah, the do something. 

The do something hashtag is like, I've used that in an email just that I sent out today, you know, reminding people of this event, that that's one way you can do something, You can come toour event or you can donate directly to Downey Wenchak Fund through a link that we have. 

What was the genesis of that sort of campaign and idea? 

Because it's very bold. Do something can be very bold, I think. 

I'm just interested in learning. 

Track 4:

[28:21] It's sort of aggressive, which is maybe it's not by design, but it's good. I like it. 

Track 2:

[28:26] Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. 

Track 4:

[28:28] It's almost aggressive. 

Track 3:

[28:31] I think there was sort of this feeling of like, well, you know, that happened a long time ago and you know, I was, I, I was not responsible for the creation of residential schools. 

So like, what is, what is my role or responsibility? 

And to that, I would argue, if you live in Canada, if you are part of this society, then you have something that you can do, and that social contract of what we all agree to live here together,that's part of it. 

And whether it's just learning so that you're a little less racist, a little less ignorant, it's not a bad thing. 

It's not harmful to you and it only creates a more just and equitable and safe society for indigenous peoples in this country. 

So, you know, the do something was A. 

Don't be immobilized by this sort of deferral of responsibility. 

Don't feel like you don't have a role to play or something to contribute. 

And seriously, do something because those small actions, we call them reconcili-actions or meaningful acts that drive... 

Track 4:

[29:58] That's a cool, cool word, man. Reconcili-action. 

Track 3:

[30:03] And it's, you know, it makes a difference, right? Even if it's just, you know, talking to your kids and finding out what they're learning in schools, or, you know, going, looking atwhat's happening in the company that you work for, or, you know, maybe just one of your buddies is, makes a slightly offside joke, and you're just like, dude, that's not okay, right? 

It's, you know, taking that step to, you know, lean into the discomfort and just do something that creates meaningful and positive change. 

Track 2:

[30:38] Yeah, that's beautiful. 

Track 3:

[30:42] And it's an excellent hashtag. 

Track 2:

[30:43] It is an excellent hashtag. Yeah. 

Track 5:

[30:47] That's good. I'm finding kind of a lot of what you're talking about being being executed the smartest way by younger people. 

You know, my son is basically studying sociology and social issues in university right now and he schools us all all the time. 

You know, it's just he born and raised in Portland, Oregon, probably the most progressive city in the US really. 

And it's just so reassuring to hear things from him. He had no idea about the indigenous struggles in Canada, but it wasn't necessarily news to him. 

He was kind of half expecting what I was talking about as I was talking about it. 

And it's just so good to share these ideas and share these issues, especially with the younger folks, because they're the ones who have to continue living it. 

Like you said, all of these things become pandemic across all these other issues. 

Even though the system may have ended, it's still alive. So it's so good to tap into the younger folks with all this stuff. It's just really. 

Track 2:

[32:02] I've done all my learning through my oldest daughter. She's 13. 

So I'm one of those people, Sarah, who was like, my eyes were widened. 

And it was like, we didn't learn this in school, Riley. Like, we didn't, like, you're talking to me so matter of fact right now, and I'm so happy to hear you talking matter of fact, but it's like, Ididn't know any of this, you know? 

Track 4:

[32:31] Sarah, I wanted to ask you something too, And this is more, and I don't know if this is like a. 

Opinion of like Donnie Wendjick or your opinion, or feel free to like, be like, this is Sarah speaking and not Donnie Wendjick's being or whatever, however, but I feel like, because youmentioned earlier about the, the kind of this, the same sort of dynamic in terms of the United States and indigenous Native Americans in the United States and, and kind of that struggle. 

But in terms of the call to action, and I'm sorry if this sounds like a very complex question, but I'll try to be articulate. 

[33:17] I think when it, because a lot of conversation that I see and occurs in the United States in terms of indigenous people, minority and underrepresented groups in the United States. 

A lot of times there's the education of it and I feel like the United States is more or less good at educating people and that awareness is there. 

But in terms of connecting the dots, there's not a really good way that we do it in in the United States. 

And one of the things that always comes to mind when I think about this issue is a speech that Martin Luther King gave at the Riverside Church one year to the day before he died, right? 

And you know who Martin Luther King is. You're not living under a rock, but I don't know how much you guys study him in your schools and who he was and what he was really actuallyabout, because they've got statues of him in Was

jD, Pete, and Tim are back and they want to you to come to the finale with special guest host, Sean Cullen.

jD, Pete, and Tim welcome Trevor Sticket to the pod to dicusss the artwork that he donated to the Finale, his start in art, his Hip influences, and much much more.

Tour Dates:

Toronto September 23rd Liss Gallery

Tampa November 17th Michael Murphy Galleries

Edmonton November 25th Sterling Gallery

LA, Denver, Austin, NYC to come...

jD, Pete, and Tim welcome Paul Langlois to the show to talk about his new record Guess What.

Tracks

Will to Fight

Desperation Calling

638 Main

Guess What

Transcript

Track 1:

[0:03] Well, I would see him working away in Timothee's from time to time, like I would walk past Timothee's and there would be Gord Downie sitting there on a laptop and, you know,my reaction as a super fan is like, I got to go in and say hi. 

And then, and then as the same super fan, I'm like, what if he's writing? 

Well, what if he's writing the next fucking great song? And I'm the asshole who interrupts that, right? 

Track 6:

[0:28] Well, he would have been writing something, but he kind of put the songs together after. 

Track 1:

[0:35] Oh, gotcha. Okay. Okay, gotcha. 

Track 6:

[0:38] So, how is my signal? Because I can hotspot. It could be better. 

Track 1:

[0:41] No, this is good. You're coming through great. 

Track 4:

[0:43] It's great. 

Track 5:

[0:44] Okay. 

Track 1:

[0:44] It looks like a nice day. Are you outside? 

Track 6:

[0:47] I'm outside. 

Track 1:

[0:49] That's great. 

Track 6:

[0:49] These are my little sister's paintings. Yeah, I sort of had a thing built where I can live outside and just be Oh, man Shelter shelter up there, you know, yeah So I spend a lot of time outhere. 

So I'm in downtown Kingston ish like about five blocks from the center of downtown and Cool. 

Yeah, so I like it here. We've been here like five years ever since the kids left Nice, nice. 

Track 5:

[1:23] Just the two you have? Sorry. 

Track 6:

[1:26] Two girls, yeah. And they're both kind of making their way in Toronto, 27 and 23, and in their separate career paths. 

Track 5:

[1:34] Okay. 

Track 6:

[1:36] So they're kind of, you know. 

Fairly entry-level and where they're working, but Sure. 

All right, and we just thought we Give them a break and they pay us far less rent than they would have to pay. 

Track 5:

[1:49] Yeah. 

Track 6:

[1:49] No, that's good I said and we've actually used the place because I have to be in Toronto More than I ever thought I thought I was retired and now I have to be in Toronto all the timeand So we stay there every time Cool. 

Ah. Toronto hotels these days, you're saving 600 bucks every time. 

Track 1:

[2:07] Toronto hotels are insane right now. They're totally insane. 

So the premise of this podcast was, I found these two friends of mine that are from different parts of the world, but they both grew up in Southern California, and they had not heard ofThe Hip. 

So this is getting hip to The Hip, where we're taking them from not having heard them, and We go through the discography and sort of get their reactions as to what they're hearing. 

Because you know, you guys are a cultural phenomenon and it's strange sometimes when you meet people who aren't aware of this thing that is like 11 million people watched the lastconcert. You know, that's staggering when people don't know. 

Track 6:

[2:51] I've got to say, great concept for a podcast. I did notice the title and I didn't really catch, like I didn't really know what it meant. 

Yeah, I love it. I love it. 

Track 5:

[3:03] We're of the we're of the same generation pretty much here And you know Pete and I grew up with Southern, California radio you know, that's what got us into music and You know80s 90s. 

Track 4:

[3:15] Yeah the radio. 

Track 5:

[3:16] Yeah, I was making mixtapes off the radio and Middle school and yeah, you know, we didn't we didn't have the the hit playing on 91x in San Diego No, not a lot of radio play inCalifornia. 

Track 6:

[3:28] There's a San Francisco station, uh, K-Fog? 

I forget the name of it. That's not K-Fog. There was a San Francisco station that played us, which is why we were able to, you know, eventually play the film or, you know, a couple,couple of days in a row kind of thing and sell that out. 

But that, I think it's K-Fog, something like that. 

Track 1:

[3:50] It sounds very San Francisco. Yeah. There you go, actually. 

Track 6:

[3:55] Our radio play was random. Dallas, we got played in the early days, and Chicago, we got played. 

So all the non-border towns, like, you know, Buffalo, they have Canadian radio. 

So we're always, we ended up in arenas there. 

Seattle, not as much, but then it was just random. 

You know, we'd get play in some American cities and no play whatsoever in others. 

So it takes so much longer by word of mouth than it does if you've got a song on the radio. 

Track 4:

[4:29] Sure, you know, so so so Paul, this is something that I are you guys recording, by the way? 

Track 1:

[4:35] Sorry, recording? Yeah, it's right. 

Track 6:

[4:37] Yeah, I just wanted to make sure you're not losing all the all the goal. 

Track 5:

[4:42] Okay, so we pretty much hit go and do no, no. 

Track 4:

[4:45] Um, because we're talking about this too. And this has come up a number of times on the podcast, right? 

And obviously, you just were talking about some radio stations, you got random and play in certain cities, this and that. And Tim and I grew up at a time prior to streaming. 

We saw that switch. So essentially, whatever we were listening to, unless you were in some like super niche underground group with the cool kids and shit, you were listening to what wasbeing played on the three main stations, right? 

And we saw all the takeover with Clear Channel. We saw all that shit happen. Yeah, us too. 

The thing that I noticed, and I'm not trying to blow smoke up your ass here, Paul, but I'm going to maybe do a little bit, so clench if you got to. 

[5:39] I thought about a lot over the nine months we've been recording this podcast, is that good music is good music, and there's probably so much shit that falls through the cracks. 

Here you got Tim and I, who never heard of the hit before. 

We both have a lot of similar bands in common that we like, but J.D. 

Put us on this mainline IV drip of the Tragically Hip since we started this, and at first it was a slow burn, but But now it's like, I cannot imagine my life without your guys' band. 

And again, I'm sorry to blow smoke at you. No, that's not. I'm not trying to do that. No, I love it. I love it. But it's just like, good music is good music. 

And I had a deep dive into Guess What too, and we'll talk about that, I'm sure. 

Yeah, just it's if you're not exposed to it, man, then you're not exposed to it. 

Track 6:

[6:43] You know, I really appreciate that like it's it's like and And the slow burn part as well. 

Like I think It was a slow burn for many people just because I Don't think it was that obvious like, you know, the early days were kind of like Oh, it's kind of like more a barroom bumpkind of you know know, um, really kind of not boring, but, you know, simple. 

[7:15] And so, but I know that when we were writing and recording, When we were writing and recording, we meant to do that. 

For these songs, the songs that we chose for each record, we believe that they would stand the test of time, that you'd probably have to listen to it four, five, six times before you start to,before it starts to grow on you, as you said, slow burn. 

And I think that's better. I mean, there are certainly songs I love that immediately it's kind of like, wow, okay, that's a hit. 

But a lot of times there's, even back then, you know, in the 80s and 90s, sometimes it's kind of spoon-fed stuff. I mean, it smells like Team Spirit right away. I loved it. That's not spoon-fed. 

We're just doing this thing. They're doing their thing. 

But there's many more examples of where it's more spoon-fed, where it lasts about nine or 10 listens, and then it's like, okay, I've had enough of this. 

Track 4:

[8:18] Moving on, when I do when I when I press play on in violet light, I remember and I told JD and Tim this I was like, dude, I'm not I this is not gonna work. This is gonna be a shittytwo weeks. We're listening. 

And then like it ends up like, I just it just starts. It's like a cicada man. 

It just burrowed its way into my head. 

And then, like, at some point a week and a half into it, I'm rolling down the highway here in Spain, just like fucking windows down just like what? 

Where have you been all my life? 

Track 6:

[8:50] That starts with Use It Up, right? Oh yeah, Use It Up. 

Track 1:

[8:54] Oh yeah, yeah. 

Track 4:

[8:56] Oh dude, Use It Up. Oh fuck. 

Track 1:

[8:57] That was the song he picked. Yeah. Because every album I make them pick a song and Use It Up was for that record. 

Track 6:

[9:05] It's so funny because I didn't like that song at first. I was like... 

You didn't? Yeah. Now what? 

We're reaching here, it's no good. And then it grew on me as we were sort of all learning our parts and playing it together. It was like, oh, I get it now. Use it up. Yeah, this is the best thingfor later. 

But at first, I was just like, this is going to be a horrible record. 

Track 4:

[9:31] Oh, dear. 

Track 5:

[9:32] Well, I even said to my kid, I have a 21-year-old, I have 21 and 18-year-old sons, and my 21-year-old plays drums and an amazing drummer and he's getting into other stuff too. 

But I played him some of the, you know, I don't remember which album, but he looked at me and he's like, are you sure you can do this? 

What is this band? And the guy, does he sing weird? What are you doing? 

And I'm like, I hope so, bro. 

Let's see what happens. But no, since then, I've played in bits here and there. 

And my whole family, of course, has been subject to the hip. 

Yeah, same here. And they're now recognizing the hip when they come on. 

I haven't forced them to sit down and hear an album, but that'll happen eventually, I'm sure. 

But yeah, the slow burn has been awesome. And for you guys to accomplish that, I mean, you were in high school, right? When you... 

Shortly after high school? 

Track 6:

[10:34] Just after, yep. So there's a university here, Queen's, so three of the guys were at Queen's. Johnny was still in high school, drummer. 

Okay, that's right. He was in grade 13, which they don't have grade 13 anymore, but... 

Yeah, so it was kind of Yeah, a long long time Yeah, I mean for that to happen. 

Track 5:

[10:55] It's like you know I have a My brother-in-law told me at one point like what are you gonna? 

Do bro? You know you're 19 You're not doing anything is like I'm gonna be a pro skateboarder And I'm like dude you got a one and what 40 million shot to be a pro skater Yeah, come on.

I mean, but you guys you guys were young and you kept at it, and you didn't go after careers I don't think I mean, I'm sure some of you held like part-time jobs or something But you guysjust kept going at it. 

Track 6:

[11:24] We all had parents that were kind of like very supportive but at the same time everyone was in University and You know, what's the backup plan my dad said all the time and I'mlike no backup plan dad These guys because I joined a bit later like a year and a half in they were covered in And I love them and Gord Downer is my best friend and he asked me to joinbasically because I was Leaving. 

I mean I didn't think of it as a threat, but he thought it was a threat that I was just gonna go down Try my luck as a songwriter and He was like he didn't like that at all. 

And so that's the other And when I joined, my dad was like, yeah, but, um, you're going to go back to school and you'll have a backup plan. 

I'm like, I don't need one. 

Track 1:

[12:20] And so I'm just going to ask you what's the moment, what the moment was where you knew you didn't need a backup plan. You knew that early on, like that it was like you guyshad lightning in a bottle. 

Track 6:

[12:31] I knew when I joined, I went to all their gigs and, um, but whenever I could, like I I was driving cab, but Gord would always have me on the list. 

And they were just like small in-town gigs, either at the university or at a biker bar or whatever, a few bars that they were playing. And... 

I knew, like, and it wasn't just Gork. I knew that Robbie and Johnny and Sinclair, like, that they were just doing something different. 

Now, mostly they were playing covers, but they had songs that never made it even to our first baby record. 

Great songs, Heart Attack Love and Baby Blue Blood and, you know, all these songs were Reformed Baptist Blues, which was on Thaskadelphia, but surprising. 

[13:21] But it was just like, God, they know how to write songs. Gord is unbelievable. 

Nothing like the friend I had. Like as soon as he got up on stage, it was just kind of like, wow. 

And so I just felt like, you know, they have it. And word of mouth already just in Kingston. 

You know, they say you can't, if you're in a band and you can't draw a crowd in your hometown, then chances aren't great. 

[13:53] But if you can, you can take that. And so we just would just gradually take it to the next town over, Belleville or, you know, Brockville, then Cornwall and, you know, Oshawa, justsort of like just took it up and down the 401, which is a highway around here. 

And just, we relied on word of mouth. And then we started booking things that way. 

Let's do three nights. So we'll play Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and by Saturday we'll have it full because everyone's gonna be going home saying, okay, the singer's crazy and the band isheavy and tight. 

And so we built it up that way. I'm not sure if you could do it these days. 

I mean, there's still venues. So I think you actually could still do it our way. It was the only way we knew how to do it, but we always felt like, we were always like. 

We all had a couple of hundred bucks in general, you know, so it wasn't like, um, we were, we weren't, uh, not making money, you know, we were able to, and our parents weresupportive, you know, Gord's parents got us a van and et cetera. 

It just kind of, um, we knew very early on that we could just keep doing it. 

Let's just keep doing it until it goes south. And it never did. 

Track 1:

[15:10] I guess not. 

Track 4:

[15:11] Holy shit. 

Track 1:

[15:11] Amazing. 

Track 4:

[15:13] It's an understatement. 

Track 1:

[15:14] Yeah. 

Track 4:

[15:17] So I want to, I don't know if it's cool fellas, but I want to dig into the to guess what a little bit. 

Track 1:

[15:23] Yeah, let's do it. Yeah, yeah, yeah. 

Track 4:

[15:27] So first off, you guys recorded the bathhouse. Yeah, we talked to we talked to Gord. What was it like three months ago? We talked to Gord. 

Track 1:

[15:35] Oh, yeah. Yeah. 

Track 5:

[15:37] Let's go. Yeah. 

Track 1:

[15:39] When his record dropped, he came on. 

Track 6:

[15:41] Pardon me? 

Track 1:

[15:41] When his record dropped, he came on. 

Track 6:

[15:44] I really love that record. I've told him many times. He's so funny. 

You know, he's just like... 

He's such a sweet dude. Yeah, he is. 

And he's, you know, we complain mutually about having to be the singer and, you know, and just all the complications. 

But I love his record. I've told him all the time. It's just like, it's classic him. just such variety. 

But we're not talking about his record, I guess. Sorry. 

Track 4:

[16:15] No, no. No, he kind of said some of the same stuff, but your vocals on, I love the vocals on it. 

And then I was kind of reading about what you did with the, in terms of choosing the band and what's his name? His name is, oh, Billy Anglin. 

That dude is a, he's a freak on the drums, man. 

Track 6:

[16:45] Desperation calling oh yeah yeah when he does that yeah like what the hell is that he's a giant in real life I don't know if you knew that's crazy he's like I don't know I think he's sixfive Oh he's easily 250 must be I don't know how much away but well hey he's a giant and he was a kid that we heard about Johnny mentioned him to me. 

I remember back when we first started, Johnny was like, there's a kid over at Elsie, which was another high school. 

We were at Casey and they were at Elsie and there's a kid, Billy Anglin, and he's like five years younger than us. 

He's like, they had the same drum teacher and he's like, that kid's really good. 

And he played into his 20s and then he started a construction company and hadn't played for 20 some years. 

And another The other guy in the band, Joe Carscallon, is kind of like a family friend of his. 

And he was like, you know, Bill Anglin would do it if he asked and I'm like, seriously? And anyway, he is great. We just played a show just out of town. 

There's a little quaint little town, Guananacue. 

I'm not sure if you've been there, JD, but it's a beautiful little summer town, Thousand Islands. 

Track 1:

[18:00] Okay. 

Track 6:

[18:01] And we played a gig on Saturday night. And I was just like, for some reason, I was just kind of really focused on Bill and the stuff he was doing. 

I'm very lucky. And the same with everyone else in the band, of course. Oh yeah. 

He just hits them so hard and he's so big. And he has a huge drum kit too, like huge. 

Where it's like, oh my God. 

We pull into a little club a couple of weeks ago just to have a warmup show. 

Track 4:

[18:32] And the club owner's like, You know, the drums basically took up the whole, it's like, is this a Russian, is this a Russian cover band? Is Neil Curtin? Yeah. 

Track 6:

[18:43] Anyway, I'm going to tell Bill you mentioned him because he's amazing. 

Track 1:

[18:49] The big toms at the beginning of Will to Fight as well. 

Track 6:

[18:52] Right. That's what I thought. That's what I thought Pete was going to say. 

Track 1:

[18:55] Those big toms right off the start, it's like, oh fuck, this song has a bone to pick with me. 

It's like, it's challenging me right now, this song, it's. 

Track 6:

[19:09] We've been opening with that one. Oh yeah. And Bill loves it, you know, he's had a setlist. 

Track 5:

[19:14] Cool. 

Track 6:

[19:16] Oriented and I always put Will to fight first and he's quite happy with it, he loves starting. 

Like he is not short on confident. For a guy who hasn't played, he's played on his own but who hasn't played with anybody for 20 years, It's pretty amazing. 

Track 4:

[19:31] That's crazy, man. You know, you, well, it's because we're talking about drums. 

This is something that's that came that came up a couple times in the podcast. 

I don't know what record it was that we're talking about. 

But I had mentioned and I said it and I said it exactly like this. 

I was like, Paul Langlois is a fucking drummer. 

Track 1:

[19:52] Yes. Yeah. I remember you remember that? 

Track 4:

[19:55] Yeah. And and I said that because I don't remember what song and what record it really hit me like a Like a freight train, man. 

Track 1:

[20:02] It was in between evolution is what you said it. Was it? 

Track 4:

[20:06] Was it in between evolution? 

Track 1:

[20:07] Yeah. 

Track 4:

[20:07] Yeah. Just your, the tone of that, bless Paul, and just the chunk, chunk, chunk that was, I can't remember the song that it was on where it hit me and I was like, dude, I don't knowwho's drumming here. 

Is it Paul or is it Johnny? Because I'm getting, because I've done that. 

I've done that thing where you listen to each member of a band individually. 

Like, I don't know if you've ever done that, like next time you, next time you want to have a good time listening to your, if you like Rush, I mean, I like Rush. Who doesn't? 

Track 6:

[20:40] I love Rush. I love Rush. 

Track 4:

[20:42] Take it, take a Rush tune or watch maybe a live, live recording and focus on one. 

Watch it three times and focus on one musician each time. And you'll just see something new every time. 

Track 6:

[20:54] I love that idea. Yeah. I love that idea. And thanks for that. 

On my first solo record, because I always thought... 

I got a drum kit when I was 30 as a birthday present, and it was Johnny's kit. 

Well, he set it up. And so my wife got it for me, Joanne. 

And then, so I was just drumming secretly in the basement, just because I always wanted to try it. 

And so my very first record, Fix His Head, which was like, I don't know, 15 years ago or something. 

Track 1:

[21:27] 2010, yeah. 

Track 6:

[21:30] Yeah, so 13 years ago and... 

I was just on my own. It was just me. And really, I was in there, in our studio, just with the engineer. Like, it's quite awkward, really. 

Because it's just the two of us, you know? I'm like, Aaron, you go outside or go do what you're going to do. 

Just give me the song on a loop. And 

Ready to decode the legacy of The Tragically Hip and the enduring impact they've had on Canadian music and culture? Promise us your ears and we'll share an exciting exploration of the band's influence, creativity, and unique place in the hearts of their fans. Today, we're joined by the Emcee of Longslice Presents: Getting Hip to the Hip - An Evening for the Downie Wenjack Fund, Delhi stand-up, Pete Van Dyk. Today he plays the host on his podcast, "Live from the Dutch Hall." And he's invited jD, Pete, & Tim along for the ride. Together we reflect on our personal connections to The Hip, discuss the band's Canadian roots, and consider why their sound may not have resonated as widely beyond Canada's borders.

Make sure to get your tickets for Longslice Presents: Getting Hip to the Hip - An Evening for the Downie Wenjack Fund today: https://bit.ly/GHTTHTickets

Transcript

0:00:10 - Speaker 2

Long Slice Brewery presents Getting Hip to the Hip. 

0:00:27 - Speaker 3

Hey, it's JD here and I am sans Pete and Tim at the moment, but they'll be joining us in just a few minutes. I am here to set up what is a new series within Getting Hip to the Hip. It's called Getting to Know Your MC And there will be a second installment of this called Getting to Know Your Band, And basically these episodes are designed to allow you to get inside of Long Slice Presents Getting Hip to the Hip an evening for the Downy Wend Jack Fund before that event even occurs. That way, when you buy your tickets and you can buy them at GettingHipToTheHipcom and clicking on the ticket button From there it's easy peasy you just have to show up at the event. So there's that. 

I would say that Pete van Dijk is a great stand-up comedian and he will be emceeing us. He's also a podcaster, hosting a show called Live from the Dutch Hall, And just recently he had Pete and Tim and myself on as guests And he graciously gave us a copy of the tape. He had it flown in live from Delhi and I'm going to put it up on our feed. It's going to be well. It's going to come up to you in just a second, So why don't I stop Blither Blathering and we'll get to Live from the Dutch Hall with Pete van Dijk and our friends Pete and Tim, as we discuss the podcast on Live from the Dutch Hall. 

0:02:41 - Speaker 4

Hey, hey, hey, hey. Welcome everybody to the Dutch Hall. We're coming to you live from the Pool Shed in Pine Grove, ontario, for episode 445, believe it or not. 445 times we have done this stupid thing, and this time we have roped two people from different parts of the planet and one person who was from here but had to come back here on a long journey today. That's right, and I'm very happy to have them in. All first timers, all Dutch Hall virgins, and they're here to promote a podcast, which is a really interesting concept, especially for a guy like me from Southern Ontario. 

The hip is really was really a band that was pivotal, pivotal, pivotal Is that right? That's right. Pivotal to a kid like me. It came up at the right time. They were like hitting it the same time that I was getting in to be in the most awesomeest part of my life, you know, and these guys, two of these fellas have no such experience at all. One of these fellas would have a very similar one, and the idea of the podcast is to let these two guys understand what us two guys feel about this band. And so I entered with these myself. Yet, jamie, yeah, you haven't really now. 

Oh well, i'll start off by introducing myself. I am the host of the show. In two time You're supposed to say two time, two time. There you go. President's Club Award winner, pete Van Dyke No applause, no applause. And our guest today, the one that's come from Waterford, ontario. He's a. He's a Waterford native, that's right, norfolk County boy. But he's moved to the big city and he's made a life for himself. First time here in the Dutch Hall, ladies and gentlemen, say hello to Jamie, do everybody, jamie do. 

0:04:40 - Speaker 3

It is great to be back. Great to be back to Norfolk. I mean great to be back in Ontario's garden. Oh yes, Thank you. 

0:04:49 - Speaker 4

Shout out to us and our guests And you're going to have to help me, jamie, on the last names here, let's try, i will. From San Diego, california, is Tim Lion, lion, everybody, i'll take it Yeah. 

0:05:07 - Speaker 5

Happy to be here. Thanks for having me. 

0:05:10 - Speaker 4

Thank you, Tim, And coming from Malaga, Spain. 

0:05:14 - Speaker 3

Malaga, spain. This is Pete from Spain. He doesn't have a last name. Yes, of course he does Marchica, pete, marchica, everybody. 

0:05:22 - Speaker 4

Pete Marchica. 

0:05:26 - Speaker 1

My middle name is is is from Spain. What's your middle? 

0:05:29 - Speaker 4

name From Spain. Oh, i'm joking, i'm your. You know, actually I have a. I have a nephew and his middle name, his name is this is seriously, his name is Adrian adventure Pitaski And, like it's just so, he could go around his parents name on that So he could tell people my, my adventure is my middle name, right? Wow, i love it. That's my nephew, that's real, that's my nephew, like that's that is cool. 

Like you want to get named. It's like your parents just made you James Bond, yeah Right. Like it is major, coolest. No, this kid's got to live up to that middle name. He's got to live life, yeah Right, yeah, hopefully he's not trepidatious of everything, yeah. 

0:06:10 - Speaker 3

What if he's just like an accountant, You know? 

0:06:14 - Speaker 4

it'll probably be cooking the books. Yeah Yeah, the name like adventure. 

You know that's a, that's just a gift, that's a gift from your parents, so uh, I think it's a little bit of a, a little bit of a, a little bit of a. It's a gift, that's a gift from your parents. So, uh, i want, I hope so, yeah, yeah, i hope so, or curse, or curse. Um, i wanted to say the band we're talking about is tragically hip. That's right. The band, uh, that, uh, if you the credit tragic lips, from Kingston, ontario, and for some reason the tragically hip have been a band that have uh made it in Canada. They were enormous in Canada, but as much as we tried to explain them to the rest of the band, we tried to explain them to the rest of the world, the rest of the world just didn't get them. 

0:06:57 - Speaker 3

No, Would you agree with that, Jamie? I would agree with that. And uh, these two are the avatars for the rest of the world. 

0:07:03 - Speaker 4

Yeah, And now is there a. Is there a band, uh, either in the United States or in Spain, that you would say would be like a band that is beloved in your country, but the rest of the world doesn't get it, You know. 

0:07:21 - Speaker 1

Tim, you want to take that one for the US Oh tough one, Yeah that is a tough one for US actually. 

0:07:26 - Speaker 5

Yeah, yeah, i have no idea, because I feel like if you break, i'm going to have to do some homework. 

0:07:31 - Speaker 3

I feel like if you break in the US, part of that breaking in the US is breaking internationally. 

0:07:37 - Speaker 4

Yeah, like the rest of the world will like what you guys like. Yeah, there's not much that you guys like, unless there's some guy like you know, like what's the name of that fella? He's, like you know, proud to be an American, or like the, or like one of those country guys who were really like patriotic and over the top. That might be a little bit. That's the country singer. 

0:08:00 - Speaker 3

What's his? 

0:08:00 - Speaker 4

name. That might be too much for like people outside the States. 

0:08:04 - Speaker 1

Yeah, that's true. No, I know what you're saying. 

0:08:07 - Speaker 4

You know what's the guy's name The big? Yeah, i know who you mean. See, that's me. We're from Canada. We don't know the guy's name? Danim Vast. Yeah, we got tons of them. You know how? about Spain? 

0:08:22 - Speaker 1

You know there's a band here called Los Planetes, which translates to the planets, if you will, and you know they're extremely popular. I mean they've got like there's a couple of the members have spinoff bands. I mean you can't you can't go to any corner of this country and not know somebody who knows Los Planetes. So they're like sort of as an indie rock band, sort of like I guess you'd say the hip did. But but yeah, dude, outside of if you mentioned Los Planetes outside of Spain, nobody knows what they're talking about. 

0:08:54 - Speaker 3

Yeah, i've never heard of them, yeah. 

0:08:56 - Speaker 4

I know that the tragically hip themselves were friends with the band the real statics out of England because they had the same issue as them. They were huge in England but the rest of the world Real statics are from the town. No, not real statics, stereophonics They say those bands were on. Oh, it was about to correct. Yes, i apologize. The real stacks actually open for the hip, yeah, but the stereophonics, and so they'd always, if they came out with an album, the hip would give an album to the stereophonics, stereophonics would give an album to the hips when they came out with a new one, because they had this mutual like kind of like, you know, like sister cities and stuff like that. 

0:09:36 - Speaker 3

It was like the same thing, but like sister bands, you know, i feel like the last time stereophonics played in Toronto it was post score dying and they played a hip song. Yeah, that would make a huge sense And I didn't. But I didn't know that there was that connection. 

0:09:47 - Speaker 4

I just thought they were just doing a tribute to oh no, they were big fans of it, like big fans of each other, and they both had the same thing. They could never break in the States and they were like huge in their own countries And even in Canada the stereophonics didn't really make too much of a splash. I just remember that having a stay song. Yeah, i like that band actually. Yeah. 

0:10:07 - Speaker 5

I can only think of bands from the U S that have done well outside the U S. You know like bigger tours outside the U S, but there are a ton. 

0:10:16 - Speaker 1

There are a ton of like Canadian bands that like have had broken through to me, for Christ's sake. You got Neil Young, you've got the Lannis, you've got Brian Adams, right, nickelback, you know. 

0:10:29 - Speaker 5

Nickelback. Yeah, that one band Rush. is that what they're called? 

0:10:33 - Speaker 1

Yeah, yeah, i mean one of the greatest bands of all time. It's a real crowd splitter rush. 

0:10:41 - Speaker 3

I agree Because. I've never I was never a Rush guy. 

0:10:43 - Speaker 4

If you don't, if you like Rush, you really like Rush Big time. I think it's like Bruce Springsteen. You know, bruce Springsteen, the guys that like Bruce, they love Bruce, Like they really like Oh my gosh. 

0:10:54 - Speaker 5

Yeah, we have a good friend who follows Bruce and I just Yeah, they're like, they're you and Target on that. God bless Michelle. 

0:11:02 - Speaker 4

Yeah, and my cousin's husband is like that, he's traveled all around to see Bruce, eh, and he knows him Like it. Just it means so much to him. Man, i envy that about him, but I just don't get it. Yeah, it just doesn't. 

0:11:18 - Speaker 3

I like Springsteen, but I'm not. I wouldn't do a follow along, or Yeah. 

0:11:23 - Speaker 4

You're in camp too, like either you love him or you're like oh, he's the boss, you know he's good. 

0:11:29 - Speaker 5

Yeah, i like a couple, you know I like it enough It's fine, there's lots of bands I would go see perform live if I got a free ticket. 

0:11:38 - Speaker 1

Right, yeah, i got free tickets to see Springsteen. That's the only reason I saw him. But back in the day I think we told this on the pod or I may have mentioned it on the pod when we did some, when we recorded, but back in the day, when I started playing in bands, like 25 years ago, you were, if you were a Rush fan, you were closeted. Like and I'm not even like joking Like in the US like if you liked Rush and you had Rush records, you were closeted. You didn't talk about it. I remember I was playing in a band with a guy named Jason Hirsch and he was our bass player and we played in a band for like seven or eight months and then one day it went over his house and it was like I found a bunch of porno mags in his corner. Like he's like, yeah, dude, i like Rush, and like the same was for Zappa, and I was like, dude, it's cool man, this is a safe space. 

0:12:30 - Speaker 4

I have a huge kit set up in the closet. I drummed a new apparel. That's funny man, but it was kind of that. There was like you just didn't know if you're, because they split the room, you either love it, like people hated Rush, or they loved Rush. You know, even in Canada, even in Canada, they're hardcore. I don't get it, you know. I think some It might be musicians though too, because like Rush, right, because they're technically Yeah, i mean because you just. 

0:13:01 - Speaker 1

The work of like the musicianship is like the fact that Geddy Lee can play His multi-instrumentalist on stage and singing is fucking stupid, yeah, like you know It's like Radiohead too. 

0:13:16 - Speaker 4

Right Like Radiohead, like Yeah, if the musicians get them more than the non-musicians, would you say that's true. 

0:13:26 - Speaker 5

I don't think so. I think Rush had a special kind of nerd dump. You know, like, if you ever knew, like a group of kids that played D&D, yeah, yeah, yeah. Like you know, like I don't know, rush has their own collective. Like, i have lots of friends who are radiohead fans and many of whom are not. 

0:13:44 - Speaker 1

We now ostracized the Rush crowd from Pete's podcast and now ostracized the D&D. 

0:13:55 - Speaker 4

I don't know. 

0:13:57 - Speaker 5

I saw D&D. friends, we're all good with each other. 

0:14:01 - Speaker 4

I've never played before. Have you done that Never? 

0:14:05 - Speaker 5

I won't touch a 12-side. I tried, like, when it became a thing, i tried with some kids in my neighborhood and I sat down with them and I was like are we going to drink some wine? Or you know, and that was the seventh grade Like it just felt like we were supposed to be naked or I don't know. It was just weird. Yeah, like It was really weird. I was like how far can we take role play right now? 

0:14:26 - Speaker 4

Yeah, you were an advanced. 

0:14:27 - Speaker 5

There's too much of a tease for me. 

0:14:29 - Speaker 4

No, i was like you were saying Dungeons Dragons makes a seemed a little like they was going to get a role. Did people wear costumes for that stuff? 

0:14:37 - Speaker 5

Well, no, i just felt like it was this level of intellectualism, you know, like that wasn't it being experiencing games and rush was kind of the same way, and maybe, you know, maybe the hip was too smart for the US, maybe it might be. 

0:14:51 - Speaker 4

It might be like there's, but I don't know how smart it was. It was like there's a. It's an interesting thing because I've only because of this podcast started. You know he's kind of reflect on you know I was a hip like, i am a hip fan and it, but I don't know if I'm associating it is just because they were around through a good part of my life. You know what I mean. Yeah, like I was young and having a good time and every show I went to or I could see them a lot, you know. So they were at a lot of like festivals and concerts that I would get a chance to go to. 

0:15:25 - Speaker 3

They were always on the bar, like whatever bar you go to, they were playing hip, you know yeah. 

0:15:30 - Speaker 1

They were like the LA. They were like Canada's version of X. If you live in LA, right, sure They were. They were still playing Cause like yeah, right, i know, but actually you could like go to any club on a given night in the 80s and 90s and that band was playing, and they're still playing. 

0:15:51 - Speaker 4

Yeah, they're still playing, and then I never seen a. 

The other thing that I think was was interesting about the hip, when you'd see them live, is like I've seen a lot of bands that would jam, you know, like they would like jam out a song, so it didn't sound like a radio version of it, like, but the hips the only one I can really say that vocalist was doing it too Like where the vocalist was jamming vocals, you know, and so you'd go to see them at a show and he'd be like gibberishing up there, you know, while they were like jamming something else out in the middle of a song, and then you'd go see the next tour and it would actually be a song that was on that album, you know, and like, do you remember seeing that too? 

Absolutely, yeah, i was called it breadcrumbs, right, like it was like little breadcrumbs and you're like that's going to be something like. I remember nautical disaster before it was nautical disaster, right, and then like, so, like I thought that was kind of cool, cause you kind of I don't remember another band that kind of let you in on the what's to come, you know, like, and and and let you watch the creative process, like the writing process, on stage, you know as obvious. 

0:17:05 - Speaker 5

Maybe the, maybe the doors, yeah, yeah, that's what's good. Jim Morrison did a fair amount of that, but there's not many. I mean, that was like lead singers riffing Yeah, there's not. Not many people are able to do that at all, is this? 

0:17:19 - Speaker 4

douchey. It really like it has the potential to go a little bit yourself in grandizing. You know, like, where it's like. Look at me, i'm an intellectual and you know even Jim Morrison and then Gord Downey. They both kind of you know they're like I'm not gonna do that. Their critics could accuse them of that, of being a little bit like you know in their own head or like too impressed by themselves. But I didn't get that impression from either of them but because I liked them. 

0:17:47 - Speaker 3

Yeah, me too. 

0:17:48 - Speaker 4

But and I like watching the creativity of it, you know, But doors is a perfect example, because that would be, I would say, the closest which I never got. to see them, So yeah. 

0:18:00 - Speaker 1

Pete, did you have you? because I don't know how much you dug into the pod, but we you know, one of the things that Tim and I struggle with is that you know, when we did the, when we did the pod, we recorded everything, because everything's recorded up into this point. Pretty much We're just kind of trickling the pods out leading up to the finale. 

But like a lot of folks, like you know, we had a week to digest the record and then it was week over week over week over week And, like so many people, like dude had fucking a year or two years to like and it had their whole lives to get to know this band. I think it's, you know, i'm not gonna we'll smoke up my own ass, but maybe I'll hold a little Tim's ass. But we, you know, i think it's, you know, i think it's, you know it's a little bit of a Tim's ass, but we, you know, i'm. I think it's pretty impressive because at this point, now that we're kind of all done, i fucking love this band. I mean, i've gone back and listened to the records we weren't super keen on and they're just dude, they're. I don't know what American rock fans were fucking thinking back in the day when this band was like pinky. 

0:19:14 - Speaker 5

Is that why? Yeah, i really think that a big part of why they didn't quote make it in the US, which they did to a degree, they just weren't selling out stadiums. But I think a big part of it had to do must have had to have been because of ill attempted marketing. Like, like, when bands go on tour, there are people behind the scenes that are doing promotions in every city. They're hanging posters, they're giving away tickets, they're talking about on the radio all of these things. You know everybody in LA who does this for a living And I talked to him briefly about it and he said marketing probably was marketing, i and can't. 

And I'm like, oh, you know, and the labels, when the hip was on with labels who weren't promoting them in the US, like, oh, they're gonna play in these six epicenter cities, we're gonna sell out them, sell out them more, maybe if all the Canadians show up, sure, that was, that was what happened. But man, if they were promoted more in a real wa

Hey, it's JD here. 

Hey, it's Tim. 

And Pete.

Fellows, I'm really excited that you're flying to Toronto on Friday, September 1st for our big party Getting Hip to the Hip - An Evening for the Downie Wenjack Fund. We just need to sell some tickets. How are we going to do that? 

Go to our website GettingHipToTheHip.com and you'll find a link to get tickets to our event at the Rec Room in Toronto. 

Early bird tickets are $35. If you go to GettingHipToTheHip.com and click on the bonus feed, you get 10% off, which means tickets are $31.50 right now. If you were to join the bonus feed and buy tickets. You'd literally have to be stupid not to do that. Definitely join us on September 1st, I'll be at the bar putting out the vibe jD. Where are you going to be? 

I'm going to be watching 50 Mission perform some Tragically Hip songs and I'm really excited for you guys to see them. 

Yeah, and we have a silent auction in which we've garnered some great prizes so far. It's amazing what people are donating. Some hip fans are really coming forward with some great donations And again, all proceeds are going to the Downie Wenjack fund. 

And the Longslice beer will be flowing because Long Slice is stepped up and they are our title sponsor for the event. How cool is that? 

I cannot wait to drink some delicious beer and also watch the comedy of Pete Van Dyke too, because that guy is a side-splitter, that's for sure. September 1st, live Toronto, Be there, B-square, gettinghiptothehip.com, Click on the bonus fee, get 10% off the tickets and we'll see you there. 

Get ready for a deep dive into the Tragically Hip's iconic 1992 album Fully Completely with hosts JD, Pete, and Tim as we explore the evolution of the band's sound, the polished production, and how it aimed for mainstream success. Share in our personal listening experiences and how this album resonated with us in different ways, from car rides to gym sessions.

Join our lively conversation as we analyze standout tracks and Gord Downie's lyrical brilliance, including the catchy chorus of "Courage for Hugh MacLennan" and the various definitions of courage presented throughout the song. Discover the numerous Canadian references sprinkled across the album that give it a distinct cultural flavour, as well as discussing the impact of these songs on a personal level.

Whether you're a longtime fan of the Tragically Hip or just discovering their music, this engaging and insightful episode is a must-listen. Don't miss our in-depth discussion of Fully Completely, as we explore the band's attempt to make their sound more mainstream, the slick production of the album, and the car and computer time that really made this album come alive. Tune in now and become a part of our musical journey!

Transcript

0:00:01 - Speaker 1

When I think back to the fall of 92, everything was coming up JD. I was dating a real-life girl who also liked the hip. I was elected class president with my friend Tim under the efficiently executed two is better than one campaign, and I got a new hip record. While I love student government, the main thing the election provided me was an office in the high school for the student council, which acted as my locker and my rehearsal space for jamming the new hip album with my buddies Kirby and Dean. There was rarely a day that passed that someone wouldn't stop by for a version of pigeon camera locked in the trunk of a car, or courage. It was great fun and an experience I'll definitely never forget. 

Fully completely is what I call the last record of the early era, where the hip sound is more or less matured and they're writing an embarrassing number of stone-cold classics. The idea that the production keeps getting tighter and more precise sounding is worth noting as well. Working with the late Chris Tegeritas, the boys locked in on the task at hand, even if it wasn't their favorite recording experience, and they delivered MCA, an album brimming with singles and sing-along courses. This was a band that knew its groove and walked with a comfortable stride inside of it. Simply put, fully, completely is a rock and roll record at its finest Bar none. 

I'm actually feeling really excited for Pete Tim on this one. Their first experience outside of this project would have likely involved listening to this record as some kind of jumping off point, but that's not how we chose to do this. This is one album and episode, one chance to make an impression. Will this record stand up to the scrutiny that our protagonist will most certainly have for anything this anticipated? Let's find out. On this episode of Getting Hip to the Hip. Long-sliced brewery presents Getting Hip to the Hip. 

Hey, it's Jay Dee here, and welcome to Getting Hip to the Hip, a weekly podcast about the tragically hip and getting to hear their music for the first time through the ears of my friends, pete and Tim, who are here with me as always Pete from Malaga, making his way to us via LA this week, and, of course, Tim from Portland. Being from Portland, as it were, i'm excited, frankly, from a logistics standpoint, that we only had to deal with two time zones this week. That makes my job a lot easier, but I'm curious how are you fuckers doing? 

0:02:51 - Speaker 3

Doing great, doing good. It's well. It's, you know, december in Portland and we have a freeze happening, so we're hunkered down. It's a good day to be podcasting. 

0:03:03 - Speaker 1

Sounds good. 

0:03:05 - Speaker 4

It's snowing there, i take it. 

0:03:06 - Speaker 3

Almost. 

0:03:07 - Speaker 4

Okay. 

0:03:08 - Speaker 3

Almost. 

0:03:09 - Speaker 4

I'm dragging ass, man. I woke up around quarter to four this morning. I've gotten about four hours of sleep in the last. I want to say 36 hours. Yeah, so the jet lags hit me hard. Nine hour time difference sucks, but it is what it is for the hip anything. 

0:03:33 - Speaker 1

Holiday travel, man Everything. 

0:03:36 - Speaker 4

Fully and completely for the hip. 

0:03:38 - Speaker 1

Well, that's what we're talking about today. We're talking about the October 6th 1992 release produced by Chris Sanjiris. It's a 46 minute long CD at this point because that's where still around but it was a CD. It included singles, six singles, and it was rated 4.5 out of 5 by all music. So that's a great score and there's some good background information there. But I'm curious if you want to just get right into it and tell me how you experience the album. 

0:04:14 - Speaker 3

I like the evolution. This really helped me with where the albums have gone thus far, just having fully, completely be be where it's at in our, in our process, definitely. 

0:04:31 - Speaker 4

I mean, i agree with Tim the evolution I love. I clearly see this going somewhere. It's strange. I think I don't want to put the car before the horse but you do it, don't? 

0:04:44 - Speaker 1

you put that car as a horse. 

0:04:45 - Speaker 4

No, but I feel like this record may be the dark horse If we're going to stick with the equestrian analogies in that of the four records was the fourth one. We've fourth one. Yeah, i feel like this is my least favorite, although I do have some great notes on it. But there's so many album songs, artists over the years I've disliked at first and they end up being my favorites Interesting. Oh. Yeah, i've talked with you about a few things like that before, jd, but yeah, i feel like this might be the one. 

This might be the one. So, we'll see. 

0:05:28 - Speaker 3

You know, conversely, for me this one, like right out the gate, was the winner of what we've listened to so far And I went into the mindset of okay 1992, what was happening in my life when I got a new album and it usually was going straight in the car, you know, straight from the record store in the car. So I just had this one mostly in the car all week. I listened to it at the gym a little bit, but it was mostly car time didn't take notes until recently on any of it and just kind of jammed out to it. There's, you know, as expected, there's definitely some I like more than others, but of course I was, i was digging it. 

0:06:11 - Speaker 1

This to me was the band really trying to go over the top in terms of landing mainstream appeal. To me, that's what this record is always This record is. This record is that sound that they've been working on the last two records, that that bar sound. You know that that really tight and nifty blues, bass guitar sound, and this is just a really well produced version of that really slick. It's a slick sounding album and they haven't sounded slick up until this point. So to me, i've always thought of it as a record that was was trying to shoot for them, shoot for the moon. So I'm real surprised to hear you know Pete's analysis off the bat. Did you listen to in your car? because I do know that you have a premium audio sound system. 

0:07:10 - Speaker 4

I mentioned that and you've experienced it. I did listen to in my car and there were, there were tracks that really stood out that I really did like I don't want to say I didn't like this record, but there were tracks that really stood out and, like I said, i'm really glad I didn't listen to it on the plane, because associating this record with you know, a 12-hour flight after you've been at the airport for seven hours because they delayed your flight, would have, just you know, i probably just wouldn't have shown up today. I would have just texted you guys and said you're on your own, you know. So yeah, but it's. I mean computer time and car time was what was, what did it for me, this one. 

0:07:52 - Speaker 1

Alright. Well, do we want to get into the songs? Let's do it Alright. The first song is called Courage for Hugh MacLennan. 

0:07:58 - Speaker 4

I am Okay, bring up notes. So obviously I'm. I'm doing research on Hugh MacLennan and who he was because I want to know what the history of that is. The chorus is just catchy as fuck. It is just it, just it, just I don't know. It feels like there's a change of tempo, but it's not. But the lyrics just make it so sweet. The squeaky backup vocals that you said were going to eventually make their way in there. It would be the staple of, i believe, the bass player. 

0:08:38 - Speaker 1

The rhythm guitarist, rhythm guitar player. Yeah, all along. 

0:08:42 - Speaker 4

Those are all over this record. And then, kind of looking at the lyrics, which I did a lot more lyrical analysis for this record than others His Gord's definition of courage as opposed to MacLennan's definition was something that I really haven't pieced together yet, but I dug it. I yeah, i'll talk about more because I think this record is thematic in that sense because there's just a lot of Canadian references. Obviously There are, oh a ton. What about you, tim? 

0:09:16 - Speaker 3

Yeah, I was excited right out of the gate. Playing this song in the car I thought, okay, song number one for this album. If you know I'm a fan, starting at the beginning of this band or just really even coming into this album. This first song is a great first track of an album. The tempo is good, you know it's, it's singable parts. you know it's just a good, simple rocking tune and just as far as. Yeah, i had no idea who Hugh McLennan is or was. You know that looked him up and definitely feel like I need to read at least one of his books. So probably get a suggestion from you, mr JD. But you know it's this song about consequences and facing the light or the dark. You know it's just, it's a great, a great kickoff for the album. I loved it. 

0:10:13 - Speaker 1

This to me has one of Gord Downey's absolute best turns of turns of phrase or lyrical works of art. You know, it's a feat of strength, almost what he does with the text of McLennan's work. It shouldn't be as effective as it is, but it is. It works so well and all he does is read the lyric into the melody. The lyrics are there's no simple explanation for anything important any of us do. And, yeah, the human tragedy consists in the necessity of living with the consequence under pressure, under pressure. But the way he phrases it and the way he the music in the background is building up, it's so powerful and so such a great bridge. And then, you're right, it goes up up against that banger of a chorus to outro the song. Really fucking strong, strong work. This is a karaoke staple of mine as well, so perfect, yeah you mentioned the phrasing. 

0:11:22 - Speaker 4

It's funny because I thought the same thing and I think I put in. It's ironic. I'm showing this. People can at home can't see it, but this is just sitting on a thing and I'm thinking about it because of amazing it's a copy of Life magazine with Sinatra on the front yeah, sorry, sinatra. 

So I think people like Sinatra, i definitely think other musicians from the 90s, but this puts him, this record put him lyrically in that category for great phrasing. Not many people. People can put lyrics to songs and it sounds cool and they can sing harmonies and melodies. But when you can phrase a song like you just said so well, it just makes the song so fucking cool, brings out the lyrics in the melody so much better yeah, i agree. 

0:12:12 - Speaker 1

so next up we go to a real interesting song. this is something that Gord would carry with him, especially in his later years, and that is like the crisis in Canada's north crisis with our Indigenous people, and this song takes a look at that. It's called Looking for a Place to Happen. 

0:12:38 - Speaker 3

I thought this one started off running, you know, felt really catchy, without knowing what the lyrics were or background or anything. It just starts off really well. But eventually I realized, okay, this is something about taking away or taking what's not yours. You know I hear guilt and sorrow in here. It's just full of emotion. So as I looked into it I realized what it was basically about It. 

Even I don't know it got me when I got to the end of the song I heard Gord kind of singing through the outro Like it doesn't it carries on into me. That resembled like something around the fact that the invasion just is continuing on. You know, the taking away is continuing on, the pain isn't going to end. You know this, this and I think he he harkens that so well in this song for what the content is It? just it kind of it kind of floored me. It felt like a lot. And you know their songs I'm experiencing over the course of this catalog is you know some of them? I feel like, oh, this must be fun in a bar. You know people buy. I love the song and some songs are like fuck me. You know this is heavy stuff that we all still need to deal with and think about and realize, and just such a, such an impactful band. 

0:14:20 - Speaker 1

Yeah, and as they got bigger, they, you know, they, they took that to heart. you know that they had that, they carried some clout and they used that, and you know to, to a really good degree. 

0:14:33 - Speaker 3

Well, even even some of their. You know, some of the lyrics and some of the storytelling is just very North American based. It's, you know, often very much Canada for sure, specifically. But it did, and also, you know, at times made me again think about what the fuck? why didn't they resonate more in the USA? because I identify with a ton of it. There's so much there, i think that crosses over. 

0:14:58 - Speaker 1

Yeah, borders. How did you feel about looking for a place to have a beat? 

0:15:02 - Speaker 4

It's funny because the the what I said before about this record being thematic and and very, very Canada, kind of picking up where Tim left off. In my research of the first song and my research of who Hugh MacLennan was, I remember his wife saying to him, because I think his first couple of books were like flops, like you need to write about what you know, write about Canada. And that book, the third book or whatever book, the his book that he finally wrote about Canada and what he knew, ended up being really, really successful. And I feel like the hip kind of played around with that. This first, their first few times out, their first two or three records, but this one is just all Canada And it's just it's Canada threw up on this record, And in a good way, Jacques Cartier is mentioned. 

Jacques Cartier is mentioned in there. So, yeah, i think it's. It's cool because for and Tim, maybe you can speak to this because as Americans, we get a, we get. We have this polite maple syrup, like I said, but LeBat blue version of who Canadians are and what Canada is free healthcare, marijuana, everything's great north of the border on the roof of the US. But I think only probably in the last six or seven years has it really entered the American consciousness of the plight of indigenous folks. And in Canada, in the north, i don't think it's something that, tim. Maybe I'm wrong, maybe I'm just ignorant, but I feel like it's not something that's been talked about, at least in the mainstream for Americans until recently. 

0:17:00 - Speaker 3

I think you're right. I think you're right. We've we've definitely have talked about it more USA, regionally specific. 

0:17:06 - Speaker 4

But, but to know it was that this was being. 

0:17:09 - Speaker 3

This was in mainstream rock music in 1992 is cool, right, exactly, yeah, yeah, we weren't necessarily singing about that in 1992. 

0:17:20 - Speaker 1

Yeah, No, certainly we weren't here either other than other than through this. Yeah, and a lot of people. you know, for everybody that does like dive deep into the lyrics and and and wants to analyze you know what it all means that there is an equally large or maybe bigger cohort that is just wants to fucking dance to some music. you know, like they just want to rock out And they get to do that with our next song at the hundredth meridian, where the great planes begin. 

0:17:51 - Speaker 3

Ready Mark. 

0:18:08 - Speaker 5

Roll it And take my life with my hands Where the great planes begin, at the hundredth meridian, at the hundredth meridian, where the great planes begin, driving down a part of our road, we stand in a shoulder high. The road is crusted Of wind and dust. At the hundredth meridian, at the hundredth meridian, at the hundredth meridian, where the great planes begin, let alone the dead chapter, car and train hauntings. A generation's almost done with any of these great planes. King crashes with the wind and The greatest planes along the line of old road, car and train out of Mali outskirts. The world is so very cruel, but I've done the best thing. 

At the hundredth meridian, at the hundredth meridian, at the hundredth meridian, where the great planes begin, at the hundredth meridian, at the hundredth meridian, at the hundredth meridian, where the great planes begin, and remember. I remember above and low, and I remember a thing about, it seems to me I don't ever, ever say no to everything I know. I don't ever, ever say no to everything I know. I don't ever say no to everything I know. If I don't walk on the road, i've seen a promise. Maybe I'll need some place. I don't want to be a dead man. I'm a dead man, i have to transport. I can't say I'm on this sleep. I've borrowed the keys. I've been listening to some songs and the tracks. I don't want to be a low on the shoulder. I've been listening to some songs and the tracks. I don't want to be a low on the shoulder. At the hundredth meridian. At the hundredth meridian, where the great planes begin. At the hundredth meridian, at the hundredth meridian. At the hundredth meridian, where the great planes begin. When the planes begin, oh, Love this one. 

0:21:05 - Speaker 3

All things backups. Can we do karaoke with this one? 

0:21:09 - Speaker 1

This became a lot. Yeah, i would do karaoke this. This became a life staple, for sure as well. 

0:21:13 - Speaker 3

I'm sure, yeah, garbage red sheep, garbage red trees, whispers of disease driving down a corduroy road. I had to look up corduroy road. I was like what the hell is that? So that was a really interesting Find right there. What is it? What is it? references. You know Laying down logs along waterways so you can keep on your journey. You're basically walking down logged paths. So, yeah, that's that's what a corduroy road is. 

0:21:44 - Speaker 4

Pretty cool, no idea, no idea, i Dude this, this tune, i would probably say I probably say this tune is my favorite on the record. I think The the like the, the borderline wrap, that um, that that gordon He's doing, and it um just Fucking amazing. 

The the the guitar, wah, um is is nasty, um, i It fits though, right, it's, oh Yeah, totally more than more than past songs I've heard No absolutely the realizing the again Going back every song, i think there's a, there's a reference, a historical reference, that the hundredth murdering was the, the separation of the united states through between spain and france and later between the us and spain, after the louis excuse me, louisiana purchased from um france and then from uh, and then with the united states of mexico, like that historical reference of it. But this song is just, it's a fucking Banger. It is a banger, right, it is a banger, absolutely, absolutely. And there's, there's, by the way, um, um, this song Has that line you mentioned it, tim garbage bag trees. I think that is in the song before looking for a place to happen that same, there's another reference to garbage bag trees, and so jd, or anybody, give me a line on that garbage bag trees. 

0:23:24 - Speaker 1

I wish I had one to me. It just, it just reminds me of one of those old derelict areas where you see, like debris caught in the, the fences, you k

The boys are back and this time their discussing the 1991 LP Road Apples.

https://ratethispodcast.com/ghtth

LIve music from the episode:

Cordelia - Roxy 1991

Born in the Water - Outtake

Three Pistols - Misty Moon 1990

Fidder’s Green - Calgary 2006

In this special episode of the podcast jD, Pete, and Tim sit down with Gord Sinclair for a broad conversation about touring with the Hip, the future of Rock music, and his new record In Continental Divide.

Stay tuned for the big announcement following this episode. If you know you know.

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Transcript

0:00:00 - Speaker 1

Well, we're really, really thrilled that you could take some time with us today. This is a pretty exciting And this is my pleasure. 

0:00:07 - Speaker 2

I appreciate it I. 

0:00:09 - Speaker 1

Don't know if you know what the premise of our podcast is, but I want to give you a. Snip it so you get a. You get an understanding of who these two gentlemen that you're, that you're with, are sure. 

0:00:21 - Speaker 3

Maybe you should tell them at the end JD, let's get the Way. 

0:00:28 - Speaker 1

No way, no way, i'm sorry out. So I did a podcast called meeting Malcolm s and it was about pavement and I met these two guys in Europe last year Going to see pavement a bunch of times and we got talking about music And I really love the way they talk about music, the thoughtfulness and the way they understand it and so, naturally me being a very big, tragically hip fan your, your name came up and Them being from Southern California, one by way of Malaga, spain, and one by way of Portland, portland, oregon. Now They hadn't, they hadn't had much experience with you. So I thought, dreamt up this idea of the podcast taking them through your discography, one record at a time, so that The listeners can experience, can experience what it's like to hear your music for the first time. Again, cool. 

0:01:27 - Speaker 3

It's been. It's been a journey man, it's been really. 

0:01:31 - Speaker 2

What do you guys up to now like record-wise? is it still work in progress or we have just released up to here. 

0:01:39 - Speaker 1

So Okay. Here's a fun fact for you. Did you know that if you take your entire catalog and Release them, starting on May 2 4 weekend, and release one a week for the summer, it ends on Labor Day? 

0:01:58 - Speaker 2

Oh, no, I didn't know that you're your catalog. 

0:02:01 - Speaker 1

Your catalog is perfect for the summer man. 

0:02:03 - Speaker 2

Okay, great, well, that's, that is kind of appropriate. For sure We're, you know, sir It. We're unlike Southern California. We kind of lived for the for the three or four months where You can actually sit outside and play guitar with it, your fingers falling off, you know. 

0:02:21 - Speaker 4

That's, that's definitely me. in Portland, oregon, we had the the soggy a spring I could remember in my 22 years here. 

0:02:28 - Speaker 2

Yeah, yeah, that's a great town. We we played Portland a bunch, the Aladdin theater, remember that place. 

0:02:36 - Speaker 4

Yeah, it's an awesome theater. 

0:02:37 - Speaker 2

Yeah, it's great Yeah. 

0:02:39 - Speaker 4

Yeah, it was. It was a cool room. It was fun to play that. We'd love to have you back there with your your current gig. So it would be yeah well, it would be great. 

0:02:48 - Speaker 2

It would be great. Things have changed for the live music business. Unfortunately, Do it for the most true. 

0:02:56 - Speaker 1

Yeah, so for now, the tour, the tour that you're doing In Toronto and like Southern Ontario, yeah, is that? is that what we're expecting to see for now, or will there be more dates in the future? 

0:03:10 - Speaker 2

I mean it's still. It's still up in the air. I I'm certainly not averse to doing more dates, but we, you know, yeah, but, but we'll, but we'll wait and see. You know it's it's it's not an easy proposition. Taking the show on the road, i mean the expenses are kind of through the roof from, just in terms of putting the boys up. That's why we're staying pretty close to home. To start, not only on my band leader now, but I'm also a father. My, my youngest son, is Playing bass in the group and he's got a day job, so I got to get him back. It would be irresponsible for for me to have him run away to the circus like I did, you know. But what it needs to be seen, you know it remains to be seen. 

0:04:03 - Speaker 1

So how is that turn? turning around to your left or right and seeing your son, you know, in your familiar spot? 

0:04:08 - Speaker 2

It's, it's, it's, it's pretty great, i gotta say it's pretty great. He's a On his own. He is an amazing musician. All my, all my kids can play, but but he, this one's got a particular Ear and talent Guitar and piano or his principal instruments. He's not really a bass player But he can play just about anything. He's just one of these kids that can hear a melody on the radio or on record and sit down the piano and play it back to you. So, on that regard, it's really, really great to see him actually playing the. The flip side of it is as a He's a singer, songwriter in his own right and it's in the process of finishing a record that he did while he was at university, mcgill. 

And it's tough, you know, it's tough for young kids starting out today to get that, to get that leg up. 

You know that opportunity to that a group like ours had, you know where we, you know We were able to start playing gigs while we were in school, you know, and and kind of built it up from there very, very, very organically. 

We got better as we played more and and and as we played more, more people came and Then we got more gigs and it sort of snowballed from there and, like we like most, we started as a cover band And, crazily enough, like back in the 80s when we were playing, they didn't really want original artists in the clubs in Canada. So we would, you know, we would we were playing mostly kind of B sides of old stone songs and pre things and Kinks and stuff like that and then thrown in on, and so when we played at our song we said, oh that's, you know, that's from an old Damn record from from 1967, just absolutely bullshitting our way because there's some clubs that you had to write down your set list, make sure you weren't playing original material, bizarre. So. So now it's yeah, it's just a different scene. I'd love to see him working and playing, making it, taking a go at it. 

0:06:18 - Speaker 4

Yeah, i kind of feel like this day and age to Make it in a band and get on an actual tour That's further away than your closest region, it's like, it's almost like becoming a professional athlete. Yeah, you know, it's just like your chance. Yeah, getting that notoriety and getting embraced and carried through it, it's, it's just tougher. I have a close, close cousin of mine is in a band here in Portland and They're going at it so hard and you know they're lucky to get, i don't know, the six, six or eight West Coast swing. Yeah, and happy about it, but I tell you the cost for them and all that. Just like you said, it's, it's, it's, it's a tough, that's a tough go. 

0:06:58 - Speaker 2

Yeah, it's, it's. It's very much the same here. It's like anything, you know it, that You put a group together, you just, you get that, jones, you know, you do it for the love of it, and if you see a little glimpse of light at the end of the tunnel, it's enough to keep you going. Right, the one gig leads to the next, the next, but, but, boy, if you get continued roadblocks thrown up against you, it's a little demoralizing. 

And certainly up in Canada the live music scene Was in a tough spot even before COVID, and COVID really, just, you know, cut the head off the vampire It was. It was just made it so, so difficult, particularly at the at the early stage gigs, like in most downtown cores They've been. You know, the small rooms where it would be your first gig when you came to Winnipeg, or your first gig when you came to London, ontario, those rooms don't exist anymore. Yeah, you know, in fact I was talking to my agent a little while ago and Again, it's been a while since I've been out to Western Canada But he was saying that there's not really a gig in Vancouver and Calgary, you know, you know, in a 500 seat capacity and that's, and that's tough when you're just coming through town for the first time. I mean it's tough is on a regional level. If you're a young band story or a colonial, let alone From Kingston, ontario, you know, which is a real shame. I mean, the great thing about being from Canada, you know I The biggest obstacle to touring in this country Is actually our greatest assets, the sheer size of the country. 

You know, once you, once you kind of break out of your region and play in the crap little clubs around your hometown, then you've got eight, ten, twelve hours in some cases driving in between The, the gigs and you learn really early and really really quickly How to play. You know an empty room on a Tuesday night and a shithole on a Wednesday night With the object of getting to a win, a peg, you know, for Friday and Saturday night and maybe selling some tickets. You either You either fall in love with the lifestyle and the guys in your group or the gals in your group is the case. Maybe you're you bust up before you get you out of our problem, yeah, ontario. And so you get a lot of hearty souls that are doing it and then in the meantime, during all the traveling, you just develop this rapport with your bandmates and if you're a composer at all, it's great. 

You have so much time sitting in the band or sitting hotel room. You, just you're right, shoot the shit and Become what you become. It's true for musicians, it's true for crew people in this country as well. You know, you look at any international group and their crews are populated by Canadians. Because they have that experience, you learn how to travel. You know, get along with people in a confined space of a Band or tour bus, and it's a real asset that we have. The, fortunately, is getting more and more difficult. 

0:10:17 - Speaker 3

It's a bummer, because I love you guys you guys own your, i mean, and I we know this. I know this because We've pretty much gone through the, the majority of the discography, at least for the hip, and You guys really honed your skills of those Tuesday, wednesday night shittles, yeah, that you're playing To get you know, you can either take those is like Oh man, there's, there's five people here. What do we do? Like let's, let's, let's, let's treat it like a really tight rehearsal. Yeah, you know, whatever, and it it shows, at least from my perspective, on those records, those early records, and like to you guys just peak and just, you know, coast at 35,000 feet, so to speak. 

But it's funny you mentioned about the touring scene because I live in Malaga, i grew up in Southern California but I live in Malaga, spain and I We had a record come out last year and we're getting ready to do a second record And it's in the city center. They don't want anything original, they want stones, beatles, you know, maybe a couple Zeppelin tunes thrown in. They don't, they don't want they, they want cover bands, that's all they want. 

0:11:39 - Speaker 2

Yeah yeah, it's, it's tough, it's, it's a funny time And in a lot of ways I think it's a kind of a dangerous time from a cultural perspective. I mean, i, i'm a Stones fan and I'm a Beatles fan and I'm Zeppelin fan, you know, got it second hand from older brothers and sisters, you know. But but I, honestly, you know, i honestly believe that every generation needs their own stones. They need their. They need, like I grew up on the clash, right, you know, and the jam and and that was I was able to define Myself away from older brothers and sisters because of the tunes that I was like. And then, you know, and I've been Quite honestly, i've been waiting around for the next Nirvana and honest believing in my heart that's somewhere in the world, in some mom and dad's basement, there is the next Nirvana, working it and learning how to do it. I just, i really honestly believe it. I mean, again, i we're very fortunate Over the course of our career, touring, you know, we have Mums and dads that are bringing their kids to the, to our shows, and now those kids are, you know, so great, right, stealing to the hip and stuff, which is awesome. 

But but I worry, we're For Canada anyway, where that next hip is actually gonna come from. You know, and it's again, i think it's a cultural thing and, and you know, into your point about the Learning how to play the empty rooms, i mean That's what allowed us to. We were back and forth across Canada a number of times before we got the opportunity to Make that left turn and British Columbia and start playing in the United States, and it was literally like starting over. So by that point we were playing like larger clubs and doing really, really well. And then You know, you go down to Seattle and you're back to, you know, 20 to 50 people and and It's actually it's really informed our career. You know, we learned really early on to play to each other, it totally, and and how to play on stage and we always had this mantra we learned to play The hockey rinks like they were clubs and we learned to play the clubs like they were hockey rinks. You know, and Cool, cool. 

0:14:08 - Speaker 4

I love it. 

0:14:08 - Speaker 2

And we were really. We were also really really fortunate that we would go to a region like the Pacific Northwest In the States and, you know, at the club live and you could look out and you could see familiar faces, the folks that were really into it, like maybe it actually bought the records and you can see them in the first couple rows and and It was the same when we started in Canada. So we would change up the set every night. You know, try to throw in as many different tunes and we wouldn't open with the same tune, we wouldn't close with the same tune and to make it look like we were Not even look like we were trying, we were really trying to entertain these folks. You know, and you guys are all music fans and there's nothing worse than you know, you catch an act and you catch the, the acclater and the tour and it's like Hello Cleveland on the teleprompter. 

You know yes, agreed, agreed 100% and it's kind of like If you avoid phoning it in, consciously avoid phoning it in, then you're not phoning it in and You're not thinking about your laundry or the fight you just had with your partner. While you're out on the road You're actually engaged with your fellow musicians and particularly with the crowd. And, yeah, it's important to me as a music fan, you know, i just think it's really when there's still groups out there, you know, at the rink level, that do that, you know. 

0:15:29 - Speaker 4

Yeah, yeah, to comment quickly about your, your wish for the new Nirvana, like I think it's happening in in these sub capsules, like these regional areas. You know, i, i, i hear about bands doing a West Coast tour and doing in small clubs, smallish clubs, but also doing house parties along the way. And When I first heard this one band, i followed when I first heard they were doing, you know, in between, let's say, san Francisco and Eugene, they're doing house parties in Arcada, california, or Eugene, you know, south of Eugene or in Ashland is like. So they're doing house parties, like people are showing up and getting shit-faced and rocking out and in. To me It was kind of brilliant. 

It was very old-school feeling like you know, i remember stuff like this happening in the 80s, but at the same time I'm like, Well, if that's a way to hustle and get more fans to support you know, your, your venue climb, then that's that's just amazing. So I think it's happening with, you know, some of these kind of post-punk, kind of yeah, yeah, art rock bands. You know it's, it's happening, but it's it's so, it's so capsule-based, yeah. 

0:16:45 - Speaker 2

Yeah. 

0:16:46 - Speaker 4

So to break out of that, it's pretty tough. 

0:16:48 - Speaker 2

Yeah, i mean that that's my understanding of it as well that the first show I've got is part of a festival in our hometown called Spring Reverb and we again, it's a very, very local promoter who who's, you know? God bless them there. They're all in on live performance and they're they're they're like the Don Quixote's of music in this particular region And they'll do whatever it takes and there's tons of groups on the bill That I haven't heard before. It's and it's an exciting, you know, and it's a. It's a really, really good thing. But I think for your average music consumer, my age, it's like No one's trying to Pitch new music to me in any way. You know which is a real kind of drag. I, i have the dough to buy the records, but I don't know which ones to buy. You know, and it's I Still it's a. It's a bit of a problem. 

0:17:47 - Speaker 4

I'd love to send you a list. I'm bugging these two guys all the time. Hey, you gotta. You know. I told these guys all the time Hey, please, listen to this. There's one band in particular. I told them three times listen to it. Just make me a playlist. Maybe I'll listen to it later. 

0:18:02 - Speaker 2

And it's cool. It's never been easier to produce a record, like again when I started. Recording was expensive and you had to have a deal to do it and Someone had to invest the money in it, which, again, was maybe part of the advantage that we had that we did have some resources behind us with our first, even with our first DP, private resources and but you know that that patronage system is, i mean, kind of goes back to the Mozart days where you know folks that had the resources were able to Have house concerts, just happened to be in Palaces, right, right, but right, it's a good thing. I mean. I think you know the kids will find a way. It's just, it's just how, how to take it to the next level. I mean we, when we first started touring the States You know it was still regional radio was a real big deal. 

It was just before Ronald Reagan and the clear channel days kind of ruined it so many ways where you And it's a real shame as a music fan and as an artist you know you could be stiffen in one market, but then you go to like Austin, texas, for us it's like holy crap, where did all these people come from? And then you find out that a local DJ's got an affection for the band and they're kind of, they're kind of paving the road for you in advance And it was such a great. It was a great time. It was a great time for music. 

0:19:48 - Speaker 3

It's about what's played to you, gord, because I mean I just want to you talk. You mentioned the Clear Channel thing, but it's about what you're exposed to. Like you said, the DJ, that it's got a, that's got a. You know, it's got an affinity for your band. I know, joke. I'm in California right now because I'm visiting family out here And I saw two of my best friends. One flew out from Texas, the other one lives out and he's got to play some Mexico but he works the train. And so we all met up and on separate occasions I told him about this podcast and we listened to, to some hip tunes and they're like who the fuck are these guys? And and like immediate fans. Strangely enough, and because we have the same like taste in music, the three of us we grew up we played in bands the others were five, but never, never were exposed to it. Yeah, Yeah. 

Never had it. 

0:20:44 - Speaker 2

Yeah, we would get that a lot over the course of our career. You know, we've always benefited from really passionate fans that that they would, they would get it, and just the old fashioned word of mouth thing, you know, we would come back through town like 18 months later and they, they would have brought all their friends and maybe got turned into some more corded music, but then they would see the band play live and it would all make sense Like live music is supposed to. It's just like, oh, i didn't even think of that song on the record, but when they play it it's like, ah, you know, that's my new favorite song. And then it grew just really, really organically. You know, we, we never really had the benefit in the United States of a single that was big enough to open up like a national type of market, but we, we, we maintained this ability to tour a