![]() ![]() Gregg and Gold informed me they were managing the band, that a tip off from one of Allan’s Conservative cronies, Hugh Segal, had attracted their attention, and the rest, they say his history. But when lead vocalist Gord Downie started singing his own interpretation of The Animals’ “House Of The Rising Sun” I was extremely impressed.” Their original batch of songs didn’t sound too commercial the most striking character was guitarist Rob Baker with his long mane of black hair. Originally, I can’t say The Tragically Hip made much of an impression. ![]() We were ushered upstairs to the hotel’s grungy performance space just as this rather scruffy bunch of guys set up to play. ![]() A bemused group of partygoers filed into said bus and we soon found ourselves parked outside the infamous Isabella Hotel where we were greeted by Allan’s management company partner Jake Gold. Midway through the evening, Allan asked us to put our drinks down and step outside as he was taking us on a Magical Mystery Tour bus ride. ![]() My first exposure to the Hip came one Wednesday night in October 1987 when my associate Conny Kunz and I attended a party at Allan’s swank Forest Hill residence with a bunch of his other Conservative Party honchos, Larry Grossman being one attendee. Having one of the band’s original managers, Allan Gregg, as a partner in Music Express in the mid 1980’s presented our magazine with a unique insight into the band’s rise to prominence. And It’s a testament to Downie’s courage and fortitude that he also found time to record one more solo record “Introduce Yerself” which will be released October 27 th by Universal Music Canada. This project earned Downie three Juno awards earlier this year and was also turned into an animated film, broadcasted by the CBC.ĭownie never said that Man Machine Poem would be the band’s final album and tour, he made a surprise appearance this February at Massey Hall during Blue Rodeo’s encore of “Lost Together”. No one worked harder on every part of their life than Gord, no one.”Ī strong fighter for the rights of Canada’s indigenous people, Gord battled against his medical issues to release a solo album, `The Secret Path’ as an accompanying piece to Jeff Lemire’s book detailing the tragic death of 12 year-old Chanie Wenjack, who froze to death trying to find his way home (400 miles away) after being placed in a Kenora residential school in 1966. At home he worked just as tirelessly to be a good father, son, brother, husband and friend. “Gord said he had lived many lives as a musician, he lived this life, lucky to do most of it with his high school buddies (guitarist Rob Baker, guitarist Paul Langlois, bassist Gord Sinclair, drummer Johnny Fay). “His response was to spend this precious time as he always had, making music, making memories, and expressing deep gratitude to his family and friends for a life well lived, often sealing it with a kiss on the lips. “Gord knew this day was coming”, read a statement issued on his family’s behalf. The last show, August 20 th at the band’s hometown Rogers K-Rock Centre being telecast nationally by the CBC to a viewing audience of 11.7 million viewers. Yet even though Downie was aware of his own mortality, he still miraculously held up during the band’s swan-song Man Machine Poem Canadian tour, in support of the band’s final album. Surrounded by family, friends and his Tragically Hip band mates, Downie, aged 53, finally succumbed to the terminal effects of the Gliobastoma (brain tumour) which was first revealed in May 2017. We knew it was inevitable but the passing of The Tragically Hip’s poet laureate Gord Downie Tuesday night is no less painful for all the fans who had felt an affinity to the Kingston Ontario band’s unique brand of Canadiana. ![]()
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