The Tragically Hip: An Appreciation

With the release of Hipeponymous, a career-spanning retrospective box set, I thought I would reflect on the Hip and what makes them the Canadian icons that they are today. I became a Hip fan a bit later than some other people my age, probably about 7 years ago. I had heard them on the radio, appreciated and enjoyed their hits, but had never really bothered to explore deeper. A live recording of "Nautical Disaster" that a college buddy of mine was listening to changed everything. It was off of their Live Between Us album (1997) and from that moment on I was hooked. The stortelling, the manic passion of Gord Downie, and the interplay between the musicians came off very palpably in a live setting. I hit the secondhand stores and started snapping up every Hip album that I could find. I was hooked. Every album revealed new treasures to research and enjoy. In a way, the Hip educated me. As a result I delved more deeply into the stories of Bill Barilko and Tom Thompson. I wanted to learn who Hugh MacLennan was ("Courage")and find out about his writings. I quickly bought their entire catalogue and eagerly awaited new releases. I also quickly saw that they had a HUGE following in Canada and not much anywhere else, including south of the border.

I took a road-trip in the summer of 2002 to see them at a festival in Alberta and they were worth the trip (not much else at the festival was!). They had put out In Violet Light a month or two previously and were touring behind it. I then caught both shows at the Royal Theatre that same September and they were even better. Seeing them in such an intimate setting was awesome!

The reason why these guys are icons is because they revel in their Canadian-ness, don't sell out to corporate ideals, and write fantastic songs with which people identify. They don't care about being 'big in the States' because that has never been the yardstick by which they measured success. A rabid following in their native land has always been enough and we love them for it. Sure their are pockets of fans in the States, but most places they play are small clubs and theatres where here they can sell out a hockey arena easily. Their songs are steeped in Canadiana, both characters and imagery, and Americans, for the most part, DON'T GET IT (i.e. "Who the hell is Bob Cajun?"). I for one am glad that the Americans don't understand the Hip because they are one entity that is ours rather than another piece of garbage foisted upon us by our Southern neighbours.

I will continue to love the Hip. Their latest album In Between Evolution is some of the finest material they have put out and it sold like hotcakes here in the Great White North. I won it on the radio and just about crapped my pants with excitement! As long as they stay true to themselves and make the music that they want to make, they will have a fan in me. Stay tuned for my review of Hipeponymous within the next week or two...