Gord Downie, singer of The Tragically Hip has left us, RIP

Even though we all knew here in Toronto that one day this would come, we're all still really shaken here by this sad news.
Every radio station today that matters here has been playing The Hip's music and lots of fans and musicians, critics, etc... have been calling in to the CBC and AM640 to talk about what Gord and The Tragically Hip meant to them.

Our US friends on this forum likely have no idea just how big this band was here since 1989. They have literally been the soundtrack to our lives in this city (and country for that matter) if you're a certain age. If you were 18 or over in 1989 and liked Rock music (and listened to FM radio here), you likely loved The Tragically Hip.

I saw them many times over the years since 1993 when they played with Midnight Oil (one of my favourite bands at that time) Since '93, I saw them at just about every venue in this city (The Molson Ampitheatre, The Air Canada Centre, Maple Leaf Gardens, Fort York...)
The Hip were a dynamite, no frills 'rock and roll' band. They had great, catchy melodies and intelligent, fun lyrics that were great to sing along to.
They made you happy.

When I saw them in late 1996 at Maple Leaf Gardens, they were the greatest band on the planet that night (no kidding!) They were perfect "that night in Toronto". Just on fire and stunning in every way. That was a fun night in so many ways.

I got to say Hi to Gord after a Merle Haggard show at Massey Hall in 2006; he was there as a fan and at a local pub for a beer with his friends after the show. Just a humble down to earth guy and so sweet to us. We didn't bother him other than to smile and say Hi and raise our glass to him, but that was enough; (speaking of Gord Downie as a music fan, you should hear The Tragically Hip's cover of Gordon Lightfoot's "Black Day In July"; they made that song their own with that cover)

Gord and The Tragically Hip meant so much to so many. There may be a lot of bandwagon jumpers on social media today singing his praises, but I knew a lot of hard core fans (and I was one myself)

We're hurting today, but also grateful and celebrating a great run of music and a life well lived. Gord Downie was a wonderful example of "courage" and "grace, too"

RIP Sir! You'll be missed but never forgotten here; this city loved Gord Downie.

 

RIP Gord

Grace and peace to your family, band and country.

 

As I age, I realize that it's never too late to learn.
Thank you Mr. Downie, for being a great teacher.

Michael de Adder, The Daily Gleaner, Fredricton NB.

 

Canada lost it's Rock & Roll poet. A great loss: one in every 3 Canadians watched his farewell concert last summer past.

 

Canada's House Band tears down and loads out tonight...




D.D.

 

50 Misson Cap, the greatest song about hockey ever. Thank you Gord. You will be sorely missed.

 

It’s testament to Gord’s impact that so much of this thread is about his meaning and importance to ‘us’ rather than the usual ‘me’ (not that there’s anything wrong with that) in RIP threads.

 

Real tears for a real human here. Thanks man! Beautiful music and art floating on the surface in his wake. We are lucky to have had him around on the planet!

 

It's a shame. Maybe they were too Canadian to break out beyond our borders but he will be dearly missed. Seen them play 3 times and each show was great. I was fortunate enough to see them at a small venue before they took off in Canada.

 

To their credit they remained "too Canadian " to the end. This one really hurts even though we knew it was inevitable.
Thank you sir for all of the fantastic music.

 

Gord is total pro. Godspeed to the great killerwhaletank in the sky.

 

Rest In Peace, Gord. Peace to the rest of the Hip. Thanks for the music!

 

Ich bin eine Canadier!

 

It's been a hard day - the final act of the play that started last spring is over.

 

CBC Television's "The National" newscast had this as the lead story which comprised the first twenty minutes of tonight's broadcast.

Oh, I'm wrong, they just returned from commercial and they're still covering the story...

Just a little example of how deeply Gord Downie has touched this country.

 

Don Cherry, The Trailer Park Boys and The Hip - Perfect

 

This line from the NY Times' Obit gets it right:

The place of honor that Mr. Downie occupies in Canada’s national imagination has no parallel in the United States. Imagine Bruce Springsteen, Bob Dylan and Michael Stipe combined into one sensitive, oblique poet-philosopher, and you’re getting close.

 

Canadian's matured when Fully Completely was released - most fans were very disturbed when it was *not* Road Apples II.

 

I was thinking all day about what American artists I would compare to Gord,
and Springsteen came to mind for his patriotism and Dylan for his poetry.
Stipe would work too, but I thought about David Byrne, because Gord was also
such a great performer.

 

I usually check to see if stuff has already been posted but here it is (maybe again) anyway:

 

The Tragically Hip - Egos and Icons - Much Music

 

I’ve never been a mega fan but have followed them since I first saw the video for New Orleans on MuchMusic. It really is difficult to explain the impact of this band on Canadians. They began as a bar band and playing covers and built their fan base in that late 80s blues and classic rock thing... those first two albums fit comfortably alongside Stevie Ray Vaughan and Jeff Healey in the radio. Then they released their masterpiece Fully Completely which was still a rock album, but had dense narrative based lyrics. With Day for Night and Henhouse, the lyrics became more surreal, and the darker grooves gave them a spot on alternative radio. They also hosted a massive festival bringing along the likes of Eric’s Trip.

I think that is what has endeared them to so many... a song like Bobcaygeon has enough familiarity and groove to appeal to the large audience who just wants a good tune to drink beer to at the cottage, yet at the same time challenges the discerning listener and pushes them into unfamiliar territory.