By Steve Newton I did the last of my five interviews with Gord Downie back in October of 1996, when the Tragically Hip was at its peak of popularity. At that point the latest Hip CD, Trouble at the Henhouse, had sold about 100,000 copies in the U.S., which, while a respectable number, still paled drastically … Continue reading That time Craig Northey told me what he really thinks about the Hip not being big in the States
Tag: The Tragically Hip
15 of the best quotes I ever got from Gord Downie
By Steve Newton The big Tragically Hip show in their hometown of Kingston, Ontario, is happening tomorrow, broadcast live on the CBC starting at 5:30 pm Vancouver time. I might not be back from opening day at the PNE in time to watch the gig unfold live, but I sure as shit plan to record … Continue reading 15 of the best quotes I ever got from Gord Downie
That time Gord Downie told me about the Tragically Hip’s Saturday Night Live gig
By Steve Newton On March 25, 1995, the Tragically Hip played Saturday Night Live, when one of my fave actors, John Goodman ("Mark it zero!"), was hosting. Fellow Kingstonite Dan Aykroyd introduced the band, which surprised the hell out of peeps by not opening with a certified crowd-pleasing rocker like "New Orleans is Sinking" or … Continue reading That time Gord Downie told me about the Tragically Hip’s Saturday Night Live gig
That time Gord Downie told me about the Tragically Hip touring with Page & Plant and opening for the Rolling Stones
By Steve Newton When I interviewed Gord Downie in July of 1995 the Tragically Hip was flying high. Since I'd talked to him six months earlier, the band had won group of the year at the Junos, performed on Saturday Night Live, toured widely with Page & Plant, and opened for the Rolling Stones. Not … Continue reading That time Gord Downie told me about the Tragically Hip touring with Page & Plant and opening for the Rolling Stones
That time Gord Downie told me about the “unique” life on the road with the Tragically Hip
By Steve Newton On July 2, 1995, I did my fourth Georgia Straight interview with the Tragically Hip's Gord Downie. It had only been six months since our previous chat, and it was unusual--even back then, when newspapers were thriving--to publish two feature stories on the same band within such a short span of time. But … Continue reading That time Gord Downie told me about the “unique” life on the road with the Tragically Hip
That time Gord Downie told me that the Tragically Hip was just striving to exist in the United States
By Steve Newton When people discuss the history of the Tragically Hip, one subject that arises is how the band was unable to make it big in the States, and to garner anything resembling the same degree of commercial success that they enjoyed up in Canada. When I did my third interview with Gord Downie, … Continue reading That time Gord Downie told me that the Tragically Hip was just striving to exist in the United States
That time Gord Downie raved to me about Tragically Hip tourmates Change of Heart and the Odds
By Steve Newton One thing I figured out about Gord Downie during the five interviews I did with him between 1989 and 1995 was that he really, really likes musicians. Especially musicians who play in bands. He was always quick to rave about the new groups he'd heard lately, or maybe the ones the Tragically … Continue reading That time Gord Downie raved to me about Tragically Hip tourmates Change of Heart and the Odds
That time Gord Downie told me about Bill Barilko and the story behind the Tragically Hip’s “50 Mission Cap”
By Steve Newton I did my second interview with the Tragically Hip frontman Gord Downie in November of 1992, one month after the release of the Fully Completely album. As you may already know, that's the best Hip album ever, partly because of the uber-Canadian song "50 Mission Cap", which mentions a hockey card and … Continue reading That time Gord Downie told me about Bill Barilko and the story behind the Tragically Hip’s “50 Mission Cap”
That time Gord Downie told me about the music scene in Kingston and being influenced by the Yardbirds and Stones
By Steve Newton Back in 2016, when the awful news about Gord Downie's incurable brain cancer came out, I started posting excerpts from the first interview I did with him in 1989. The first one had him talking about a couple of the tunes on the Hip's then-new album, Up to Here, and the second one … Continue reading That time Gord Downie told me about the music scene in Kingston and being influenced by the Yardbirds and Stones
That time Gord Downie told me that the Tragically Hip made Up To Here to fit its own standards
By Steve Newton Back in September of 1989 I did my first interview with the Tragically Hip frontman Gord Downie. At the time Downie was just 25, and the band was basking in the recent release of its incredible Up To Here album. At one point in the conversaiton I sorta played the devils' advocate … Continue reading That time Gord Downie told me that the Tragically Hip made Up To Here to fit its own standards
That time Gord Downie told me about the new Hip tunes “38 Years Old” and “New Orleans is Sinking”
By Steve Newton You've already heard the bad news, that Tragically Hip frontman Gord Downie has terminal brain cancer. You may have also heard the good news, that he and his band are dealing with the diagnosis the only way they know how: by rocking it out on a cross-Canada tour that kicks off in … Continue reading That time Gord Downie told me about the new Hip tunes “38 Years Old” and “New Orleans is Sinking”
Newt’s Top 10 albums of 1998
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, DEC. 17, 1998 By Steve Newton Yee-hah! I managed to make it through yet another year without having to listen to anyone named DJ anything. The Tragically Hip Phantom Power Ontario’s guitar-rock kings continue their winning ways with a potent batch of raggedy ruminations on everything Canadian, from Bobby … Continue reading Newt’s Top 10 albums of 1998
The Tragically Hip’s frontman goes Fully Completely bonkers in Vancouver
By Steve Newton Gordon Downie is famous for his wacky stage moves and bizarre gestures, but last night (February 6) at Rogers Arena he ramped up the oddness big-time. I've seen the Tragically Hip numerous times over the years, but never witnessed him being quite so wonderfully nutzoid. The fact that it was his 51st … Continue reading The Tragically Hip’s frontman goes Fully Completely bonkers in Vancouver