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The Hip

Saint Keggers

04:23 / 04.04.05

Ok, The Tragiacally Hip were (was?) just inducted into the Canadian Music Hall Of Fame. I've not a clue as to how big they are 'across the pond' or 'beneath the border' or anywhere else for that matter. They just happen to be my favorite band for the past....20 years.
Of you dont know them you owe it to yourself to check them out.

The resistable rise of Reidcourchie

12:57 / 04.04.05

I'm one of their few British fans, they're pretty much unheard of across here, so much so I don't think their last album was released here, I had to get it on import and it doesn't look like they're going to play overhear again.

I saw them a few years ago at the Shepherd's Bush Empire, a brilliant gig marred by the dreadful sound. I think my friend and I were the only British people there, though we did come across a Dutch couple who'd come over especially to see the band. A French-Canadian girl gave me kiss when I gave her a cigarette though, which was sweet of her.

They too are one of my favorite bands.

eye landed

09:20 / 26.12.05

canadian hip fan here. lets give keggers question another chance.

they only made a few good albums (fully completely, day for night, and trouble at the henhouse), but theyve get lots of well-deserved canadian singles airplay, and their live shows still blow the mind.

did you know they used to have a saxophone?

Shrug

13:50 / 26.12.05

I've heard a few of their songs and what I've heard I've liked. The only one that's standing out in memory at the moment is Bobcageon which I dearly love although I've heard a few more. Is Bobcageon a typical Tragically Hip song?

matthew.

22:26 / 26.12.05

One could say that, yes, Bobcaygeon is a typical Hip song. It is a classic.

The Hip are well known for improvisation during well-known songs. And I don't mean musically. Gord Downie, the lead singer, will tell a story in the middle of a song, or sing another song, or recite some poetry.

The famous example is Highway Girl. The song originally appeared on their first release, and it's a run-of-the-mill rock song, verse, chorus verse, etc.
But one time, Downie broke down the song and told a very funny and fictional story about how he and his girlfriend attempted to commit suicide. This synopsis does this story no justice. This version sometimes goes by the name Highway Girl (Double Suicide). I strongly recommend finding this gem.

Shrug

11:36 / 27.12.05

Would I be completely mistaken to say that they're are a bit like the Beta Band? I've always put them in the same category in any case, erroneously or not.

eye landed

18:30 / 27.12.05

another song famous for stories is 'new orleans is sinking' (which was recently banned in canada after it came true). theres a story about a submarine attacking a lighthouse, which turned into another song, 'nautical disaster', and another story about a love triangle with two killer whales. most of his bits are shorter banter, or cover songs. they have a live album called live between us thats probably a better introduction than any studio album.

Alex's Grandma

19:28 / 27.12.05

Do they sound like the Barenacked Ladies?

Or those 'Mmm, mmmmm, mmmm' people, whoever they were.

Canadians, you may as well face up to it.

Alex's Grandma

19:43 / 27.12.05

To be specific;

Canada has nothing of any value to offer the world. Apart from perhaps Wolverine, or Leonard Cohen.

I'm Scottish, so I know all about rather tiring, bullish, second-string countries that seem to be in the busines, culturally, of boring the arse off the rest of the planet.

It's avoidable though, really, it is.

matthew.

02:30 / 29.12.05

You mean the Barenaked Ladies? And the other band being The Crash Test Dummies?

I'm Scottish, so I know all about rather tiring, bullish, second-string countries that seem to be in the busines, culturally, of boring the arse off the rest of the planet

Yeah, Irvine Welsh.... booooooooooooring

Alex's Grandma

14:00 / 29.12.05

Well he is a bit these days, isn't he? His new book, about a chef on coke, I gather, perhaps significantly, failed to materialise this year. I mean I'll still read it when it comes out, for definite, but I'm not sure if he's as much fun as he used to be.

I should, and I dare say will, perhaps start a trhread about how much Scotland sucks balls culturally. But that's a separate argument.

(With apologies, Mr K, for being a bad person with regard to your thread.)

Alex's Grandma

00:47 / 30.12.05

You mean the Barenaked Ladies

I suppose so, yes, matt.

You seem like an intelligent young man, though, so here's my question - What kind of an idiot would be prepared to avoid burning everyone involved with the 'BNL's' ouevre in hell? After all, they're not The Swans, they're not Half Man Half Biscuit. They'd only dream about as being as hip as those guys.

wembley can change in 28 days

05:14 / 30.12.05

another song famous for stories is 'new orleans is sinking' (which was recently banned in canada after it came true)

For real, yeah? That's retarded. I mean, any disc jockey with the lack of sensitivity required to actually play that song a couple of months ago deserves to be publicly lynched with hockey sticks, instead of having all that prevented by the government. Mind, it's a rippingly good song; hope they put it back in rotation soon enough.

And on the Barenaked Ladies - if I do go to hell and I manage to smuggle a copy of the yellow tape (you know who you are if you know), it would save the whole thing.

So, when are the Rheostatics getting inducted? They deserve the publicity before Martin Tielli starves to death.

matthew.

02:57 / 31.12.05

I just meant that you spelled Barenaked wrong. Although, Barenacked sounds extremely funny when you say it out loud.

Yes for the Rheostatics. There's an amazing band that gets absolutely zero recognition anywhere but in the Canadian music critic circle.

By the by on the Hip, they are also known for never playing the same live set twice. Five minutes before they go on, they create the set list, which includes some well-known hits, some of the current album's cuts, and some obscure songs that they fuck up and deconstruct.

matthew.

03:03 / 31.12.05

By the way, what's up with the shitting on Scotland and Canada? Where did this come from? Are you alright? It's okay to cry, you know. Real people can cry. Just let it out.

A0S

15:37 / 05.01.06

Hi
I'm another UK Hip fan and I saw them at Shepherds Bush a fair number of years ago. They were touring on the back of Fully Completely which is my favourite album of theirs. I also like Road Apples. The last album I bought was Music@work which I'm not particulaly keen on.

luke hugh

15:50 / 05.01.06

Alright heres the deal with the hip. I've seen them live 4 or five times they don't sound like the barenaked ladies. some of their best songs are 3 pistols and twist my arm of their road apples cd, nautical disaster, ahead by a century, new orleans is sinking, and little bones.
I would say they sound like a more poetic REM with a singer with an average voice with amazing guitar and fast drumming kinda like rush.

Ill just say that it be a better world if people sang their songs to themselves and others

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