91勛圖

How will Canada remember Gord Downie and the Tragically Hip?

'I think they will be immortalized as one of Canada's greatest bands,' says 91勛圖 music historian Kenneth McLeod
Photo of Gord Downie

Tributes to the Tragically Hip frontman Gord Downie poured out from all corners of the country on Wednesday after the iconic singer died at age 53.

In May 2016, the band revealed Downie had been diagnosed with brain cancer and announced a cross-Canada farewell tour to go with the release of their 14th studio album, Man Machine Poem.

Kenneth McLeod

That summer, writer Don Campbell spoke to music historian Kenneth McLeod (left) of the 91勛圖 Scarborough about the Hips appeal and its legacy.

This week, McLeod said Downie will go down in history as one of our greatest voices of the Canadian experience as a selfless, hardworking, passionate Canadian. 
 
He will also be remembered for raising awareness of issues surrounding First Nations reconciliation and brain cancer research funding, he added. 
 
In the end I think (his legacy) will be about touching people with his music and art, about his music resonating with people into the future, and recognizing that his passion on stage and in performance was authentic and reflected the passion with which he led his life.

 


Many bands have had final tours but the circumstances here are different. Do you think this will this affect the mood of the tour at all?
 
It will be a little different, but I think overall it will just heighten the mood in the sense that it will perhaps be more of a celebration. I think this tour is meant to be a gift, both as a band because its what they love to do and what Gord Downie loves to do but also as a gift to their fans. I dont think it will be a morose experience. Its an unfortunate set of circumstances that led to this tour, but its not going to be a wake. Other bands have gone out on supposed final tours. The Rolling Stones and The Who have done this over and over again, claiming to be on their final tour only to go back out again. Theres always an increase in hype and interest because it may be the last time you get to see a band play live. The circumstances here are certainly very different, but Tragically Hip fans would want to see the band play live regardless because they are still wonderful performers.  
 
How would you describe a Tragically Hip show? 
 
They are hugely energetic performers. Lead singer Gord Downie especially can tell a story with his dance moves and body language as well as he can with his lyrics. Theyre the kind of band that draws you in. Its a bit of a clich矇 but they have a sense of intimacy even at a large show because their roots are in the Kingston bar band scene. The first time I saw them play in Vancouver was with 54-40 in a smallish venue of maybe 500 people. Ive also seen them play a big venue and they are the same band. So they are authentic and I think thats why they appeal to both the hard rock and alternative music crowd. Whether theyre playing in a 200, 500 or 10,000 seat venue its the kind of performance that draws you in because they can create an intimate vibe even at a big venue. 
 
Why do you think this band has resonated with so many Canadians on not only on a personal level but a cultural one as well?  
 
Its a band so tied to Canadian identity across a few generations now that theyve become iconic. They sing about Canadian places and themes like in 50 Mission Cap, At the Hundredth Meridian or Bobcaygeon, which has elevated them into our national psyche. In some sense I think we claim them much more than any other band because they are so unabashedly Canadian in many respects. Ironically that may have also almost stymied their success south of the border. It seems we have this unique taste for the band because they represent some of the quirky things about Canada that Americans and people around the world cant relate to as easily.  
 
The reason they appeal to both the hard rock and alternative music crowd is that they combine hard rock elements with Downies very poetic, introspective lyrics. He has a gift for writing lyrics that draw you into a song. They are poetic and meaningful but sound good as well. I also think the Tragically Hip are a bit of a metaphor for Canada itself and thats why so many of us identify with them so strongly. Theyre this hardworking, unpretentious band but with an existential and artistic soul. I think Canadians can relate to that on many levels. 
 
In 1995 the band played on Saturday Night Live and many Canadians felt they were on the cusp of an international breakthrough. Why do you think it didnt happen for the band?  
 
I think one of the main reasons they are so appealing to us is that theyre known as a Canadian band. Recent commercial successes like Justin Bieber or Drake are also identified as being Canadian, but the Tragically Hip style is so particular to Canadian tastes. They are not an overtly commercial band even by Canadian standards. Musically they are very interesting and very good, but the lyrics are not mainstream at all. They dont have a lot of sing-a-long choruses that easily lend themselves to radio play. Their sound is also somewhat quirky and hard to pin point. So they dont have a homogeneous commercial sound that was going to conquer an American market. They are big and successful here nationally, but that success has been bred in Canada, and theres absolutely nothing wrong with that at all. 
 
One criticism of the band is that maybe theyre undeserving of their popularity in Canada because they havent broken through internationally or that theyve benefited from Canadian content rules. 
 
We can never really know if their success had anything to do with Canadian content laws. I think its ridiculous to believe that just because they havent been as popular in the US or elsewhere that they arent good, or even great. That just plays into an old stereotype of Canada being second rate. I think certainly as a country weve matured culturally and left those ideas in the past. Just because the Tragically Hip didnt achieve massive commercial success internationally doesnt mean they arent a great band. Even the Sex Pistols or the Ramones didnt achieve that level of commercial success. International commercial success is just one marker of success and certainly not a definitive marker of greatness. After all, how many paintings did Van Gogh sell in his lifetime? 
 
How would you sum up their influence on Canadian culture and music?
 
I think they will be immortalized as one of Canadas greatest bands. I also think theyve had a huge musical influence in Canada. You can hear traces of their sound in Matthew Good, 54-40, Sloan, Sam Roberts and more recently Sarah Harmer and Tegan and Sara. Its not necessarily overt, but I think there are traces of the Tragically Hip sound and style that will remain. 
 
Ultimately, I think it will be about their music. Some of their songs will be timeless because they dont pander to a commercial formula, so they wont sound as dated as some other pop bands. If you listen to Bobcaygeon you will probably still find it a moving song 30 years from now. If anything I think their legacy will only grow. 
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