The Tragically Hip
| The Tragically Hip | |
|---|---|
 Left to right: Gordon Downie, Gord Sinclair, and Rob Baker performing in Aspen, Colorado, 2007
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| Background information | |
| Origin | Kingston, Ontario, Canada |
| Genre(s) | Rock, hard rock, alternative rock |
| Years active | 1983–present |
| Label(s) | Universal |
| Members | |
| Gordon Downie Rob Baker Gord Sinclair Johnny Fay Paul Langlois |
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| Former members | |
| Davis Manning | |
The Tragically Hip is a Canadian rock band from Kingston, Ontario, consisting of Gordon Downie (lead vocals and occasional acoustic guitar), Paul Langlois (guitar), Rob Baker (guitar), Gord Sinclair (bass) and Johnny Fay (drums). The band is one of the most popular and influential bands in Canada. Their acclaimed 2000 album Music@Work won Best Rock Album at the 2001 Juno Awards, as did their 1998 album Phantom Power at the 1999 Junos.
In 2005 they were inducted into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame.
Contents |
History
The Tragically Hip—often referred to simply as The Hip—formed in 1983. They took their name from a skit in the long-form video Elephant Parts by Michael Nesmith of The Monkees. Nesmith took the phrase from the song "He's So Cool" by Carolyne Mas.
In 1987, the band signed a long-term record deal with MCA after former company president Bruce Dickinson saw them perform live at the Horseshoe Tavern in Toronto, Ontario.[1] Later that year they released the self-titled EP The Tragically Hip, but the band did not achieve success until the release of 1989's Up to Here. In 1993, they created the Another Roadside Attraction festival, which tours Canada to promote Canadian bands.
Known for their energetic live performances, the band is noted for their improvisational renditions of songs. Lead singer Downie often strays from the song lyrics to rant to the audience or wander off into fictitious monologues and conversations. Some of these become lyrics for future songs. The most famous live monologue is the "killerwhaletank" version of "New Orleans Is Sinking",[2] recorded at The Roxy Theatre in Los Angeles, California, May 3, 1991. During the song, Downie tells the story of how he worked as a diver in a killer whale tank only to have his arm ripped off. This version was released on CD in 1996 as the B-side to "Grace, Too". Other notable monologues include the "Police Frogman" version of "New Orleans Is Sinking" (Downie rescues a family trapped in their car at the bottom of a frozen lake), the "Greek Porter" version of "Highway Girl" (in which Downie has an affair with a female porter on a luxury cruise ship while on an ocean crossing), the "Double Suicide" version of "Highway Girl"[3] (in which Downie "accidentally" shoots his girlfriend) and the "Japanese Exchange Student" version of "At the Hundredth Meridian" (the day before Halloween, Downie accidentally shoots a Japanese student trick or treating). During a cover of the Them hit "Gloria", Gord talks about tying his friend to the railroad tracks and being unable to free him in time to avoid the approaching train.
The band is immensely popular in Canada. The band has had three of their songs - "New Orleans is Sinking", "Courage" and "Poets" - chart on Billboard Mainstream Rock Tracks chart and one ("Courage") on the Modern Rock Tracks chart [4]. Their most-seen appearance in the United States was on March 25, 1995, when they appeared on Saturday Night Live (performing Grace, Too and Nautical Disaster) with fellow Canadian and friend Dan Aykroyd guest starring, and with John Goodman hosting. In 1999, The Hip were also one of the featured bands at Woodstock '99 held in Rome, New York. When touring in Canada they play to sold-out arenas; when touring in the United States they play smaller venues and clubs, or festivals where they aren't the headliner. Performances abroad are usually attended by Canadian expatriates. The band permit recordings of their performances, so an active trading community thrives. The tone and content of much of their music is a paean to the Canadian experience and touches on such themes as small-town life, geography, Canadian history and ice hockey. The historical, geographical and individual references in many of the lyrics are a source of much internet discussion.
The Tragically Hip's live album, Live Between Us, was recorded at Cobo Arena in Detroit, Michigan in 1996 in support of the album Trouble at the Henhouse. The Hip have a small but fervent American following, especially in border states such as Michigan, Vermont and upstate and western New York. Standout tracks from the album include a powerful version of "New Orleans Is Sinking" and a heavily improvised "Grace, Too", in which Downie alternates between muttering asides ("I was born in a little town / I was on my way down") and spitting four-letter lyrics with something close to disgust. In 1998, the band released their seventh full-length album, Phantom Power, which contains such fan-favourite songs as "Poets", "Bobcaygeon", "Fireworks", and "Escape is at Hand for the Travelin' Man".
In 1996, they contributed the song "Butts Wigglin" to the soundtrack to the movie Brain Candy. The song originally appeared on Trouble at the Henhouse.
In 2000, the band released their Juno award-winning rock album Music@Work. The groundbreaking work was seen as a novel departure from previous works, and featured back-up vocals from Julie Doiron on a number of tracks, including the majestic tenth track: Toronto #4. The album was leaked via the popular site Napster, though the album performed successfully in Canada, reaching #1. On tour in 2000, the band was accompanied by Kate Fenner and Chris Brown on keyboards to add ambiance to the setlists.
The 2000 tour is popularly felt by fans to be a highlight of the band's career thus far, one memorable performance being at Much Music in July, which was a ratings hit in Canada, and featured a setlist dominated by tracks from the Music@Work album. The concert and interview was hosted by now-actress Sook-Yin Lee, who starred in the controversial film Shortbus.
October 10, 2002, The Tragically Hip performed two songs, "It's a Good Life If You Don't Weaken", and "Poets", as part of a command performance for Queen Elizabeth II.
The 2002 concert tour in support of their album In Violet Light was another sold-out affair in stadiums across Canada and many parts of the United States.
In 2003, The Tragically Hip performed a cover of "Black Day in July", a song about the 1967 12th Street Riot in Detroit, on Beautiful: A Tribute to Gordon Lightfoot.
The Hip have a star on the Canadian Walk of Fame. On April 3, 2005 they were inducted into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame at the 2005 Juno Awards, and performed "Fully Completely" and "Grace, Too". They also performed a three-song set at the Live 8 concert in Barrie, Ontario with Dan Aykroyd joining them as a guest harmonica player.
Three full length live shows recorded in 2004 in support of their album In Between Evolution were released as downloads for purchase at LiveDownloads.com, as part of The Hip Live Series. They were recorded at the Molson Amphitheatre in Toronto, the John Labatt Centre in London, and the Civic Centre in Ottawa. The live rendition of the song "Vaccination Scar", the fourth track of In Between Evolution, is praised by fans as a rocking opener of concerts, and has a similar hard-edged flavor to that of their 1991 hit "Little Bones". 2004's In Between Evolution as a whole is seen as a return to the southern-tinged rock roots of the band.
In October 2005, several radio stations temporarily stopped playing The Hip's song "New Orleans Is Sinking", out of sensitivity to the victims of Hurricane Katrina, which had devastated the city in early September of that year.[5][6][7][8]
On November 1, 2005, the Hip released a double CD, double DVD box set, Hipeponymous, including all of their music videos to date, a backstage documentary called "Macroscopic", an animated Hip-scored short film entitled "The Right Whale", two brand new songs ("No Threat" and "The New Maybe"), a full length concert from November 2004- while touring for their album In Between Evolution entitled- That Night in Toronto (which takes its title from a line in the song "Bobcaygeon"), and a 2-CD greatest hits collection Yer Favourites (selected on-line by 150,000 fans). On November 8, 2005, Yer Favourites and That Night In Toronto were released individually.
In mid-2006 The Hip completed a tour, in addition to recording a studio album produced by Bob Rock. The album, entitled World Container, was released in Canada on October 17, 2006 and in the US on March 6, 2007. The album's third track, "In View", was released as both a radio single and as a music video, and reached the #1 spot on the Canadian rock music charts. The mutual love between The Hip, hockey and Canada was further demonstrated when the track "The Lonely End of the Rink" (the second Canadian single) was featured prominently on Hockey Night in Canada the week of the album's release. In support of the album, the band played concert dates in major Canadian cities, then as an opening act for The Who on several US dates. A tour of Eastern Canada, Europe, and select cities in the United States occurred late in the year.
After being praised for the strength of their album World Container, which sold over 200,000 copies in a relatively short amount of time, on February 23, 2008, The Tragically Hip returned to their hometown of Kingston, Ontario, where they were the first live act to perform at the new K-Rock Centre.
The Hip have recorded 15+ songs at The Bath House Recording Studio in Bath, Ontario for an upcoming album due out later this year. Short videos showing the recording process of the new album have been posted at thehip.com, the official website of the band. A new live recording is also posted in the media player section of the frequently updated site. The new album is again produced by Bob Rock.
Legacy
In 2008, Canadian modern rock fans voted six albums by the Tragically Hip onto a list of the 102 Best Modern Rock albums, tabulated by the Toronto radio station, 102.1, the Edge (CFNY-FM), eclipsing the popularity of other top modern rock acts like U2, Rage Against the Machine and The Red Hot Chilli Peppers.
Members
Current
- Rob Baker – lead guitar
- Gordon Downie – vocals, acoustic guitar
- Johnny Fay – drum kit
- Gord Sinclair – bass, background vocals
- Paul Langlois – rhythm guitar, background vocals
Former
- Davis Manning (1983–1986) – saxophone
Honours and awards
Canada's Walk of Fame
- 2002: Inducted in Toronto, Ontario[9]
Canadian Music Hall of Fame
- 2005: Inducted at the Juno Awards in Winnipeg, Manitoba
Royal Conservatory of Music
- 2006: Presented with an Honourary Fellowship May 24 at the Windsor Arms Hotel in Toronto, Ontario
Governor General's Performing Arts Awards
- 2008: Presented the National Arts Centre Award
Juno Awards
- 1990: Most Promising Group of the Year
- 1991: Canadian Entertainer of the Year
- 1993: Canadian Entertainer of the Year
- 1995: Entertainer of the Year, Group of the Year
- 1997: Group of the Year, Album of the Year (Trouble at the Henhouse), North Star Rock Album of the Year (Trouble at the Henhouse)
- 1999: Best Rock Album (Phantom Power), Best Album Design (Phantom Power)
- 2000: Best Single ("Bobcaygeon")
- 2001: Best Rock Album (Music@Work)
- 2006: CD/DVD Artwork Design of the Year (Hipeponymous), Music DVD of the Year (Hipeponymous)
Discography
EP
- The Tragically Hip (MCA, 1987)
Studio albums
- Up to Here (MCA, 1989)
- Road Apples (MCA, 1991)
- Fully Completely (MCA, 1992)
- Day for Night (MCA, 1994)
- Trouble at the Henhouse (MCA, 1996)
- Phantom Power (Universal, 1998)
- Music at Work (Universal, 2000)
- In Violet Light (Universal, 2002)
- In Between Evolution (Universal, 2004)
- World Container (Universal, 2006)
Live Albums
- Live Between Us (MCA, 1997)
Compilations
- Yer Favourites (Universal, 2005)
Video Releases
- Heksenketel (1993)
- That Night in Toronto (Universal, 2005)
Box Sets
- Hipeponymous (Universal, 2005), Includes Yer Favourites and That Night in Toronto
Early Singles (1989-2000)
| Year | Title | Chart positions | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Canada RPM TOP 100 |
Album | ||
| 1989 | "Blow At High Dough" | #48 | Up to Here |
| 1990 | "New Orleans Is Sinking" | #70 | |
| 1990 | "Boots Or Hearts" | #41 | |
| 1990 | "38 Years Old" | #41 | |
| 1991 | "Little Bones" | #11 | Road Apples |
| 1991 | "Three Pistols" | #59 | |
| 1991 | "Twist My Arm" | #22 | |
| 1991 | "Long Time Running" | #55 | |
| 1991 | "On The Verge" | #77 | |
| 1992 | "Locked In The Trunk Of A Car" | #11 | Fully Completely |
| 1992 | "Fifty Mission Cap" | #40 | |
| 1993 | "Courage" | #10 | |
| 1993 | "At The Hundredth Meridian" | #18 | |
| 1993 | "Looking For A Place To Happen" | #51 | |
| 1993 | "Fully Completely" | #65 | |
| 1994 | "Grace, Too" | #11 | Day for Night |
| 1994 | "Greasy Jungle" | #8 | |
| 1995 | "Nautical Disaster" | #25 | |
| 1995 | "So Hard Done By" | #64 | |
| 1995 | "Scared" | #57 | |
| 1996 | "Thugs" | #81 | |
| 1996 | "Ahead By A Century" | #1 | Trouble at the Henhouse |
| 1996 | "Gift Shop" | #6 | |
| 1996 | "700 Ft. Ceiling" | #22 | |
| 1997 | "Flamenco" | #12 | |
| 1997 | "Springtime In Vienna" | #11 | Live Between Us |
| 1998 | "Poets" | #4 | Phantom Power |
| 1998 | "Something On" | #80 | |
| 1998 | "Fireworks" | #17 | |
| 1999 | "Bobcaygeon" | #14 | |
| 2000 | "My Music At Work" | #47 | Music at Work |
All chart info can be sourced at [1]
Later Singles: 2000-2006
- Lake Fever (2000)
- The Completists (2000) - (features Julie Doiron on vocals)
- It's a Good Life if You Don't Weaken (2002)
- Silver Jet (2002)
- The Darkest One (2002) - (video features Trailer Park Boys)
- Vaccination Scar (2004) - (band's first fully-animated video, #1 on Pure Tracks '04)
- Summer's Killing Us (2004)
- It Can't Be Nashville Every Night (2004)
- No Threat (2005) - (from Yer Favorities compilation)
- In View (2006) - (Hit #1 in Canada)
- The Lonely End of the Rink (2006) - (debuted on Hockey Night in Canada)
- Yer Not the Ocean (2006) - (video features live polar bear)
- Family Band (2006)
Other singles
- "Land" (with Crash Vegas, Hothouse Flowers, Midnight Oil and Daniel Lanois)
See also
- Canadian rock
- Music of Canada
- List of Saturday Night Live hosts and musical guests
References
- ↑ CANOE - JAM! Music - Pop Encyclopedia - Tragically Hip
- ↑ New Orleans Is Sinking (killerwhaletank) :: canspice.org
- ↑ Highway Girl (doublesuicide) :: canspice.org
- ↑ http://www.billboard.com/bbcom/retrieve_chart_history.do?model.vnuArtistId=5891&model.vnuAlbumId=811458
- ↑ Ottawa Radio Stations Pull Hip Song After Hurricane Tragedy
- ↑ The Coast - (The Tragically Hip) lost a ton of royalty money when radio stations pulled...
- ↑ Archive News, Glasgow Caledonian University - Tragically Hip song pulled from playlists
- ↑ Songs That Are Banned - New Orleans Is Sinking
- ↑ Canada's Walk of Fame: The Tragically Hip, musicians
External links
- The Tragically Hip official website
- Davis Manning & The Hip
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| Preceded by Bryan Adams |
Grey Cup Halftime Show 2004 |
Succeeded by The Black Eyed Peas |