In this episode of School of Hip Chaz and Heath welcome returning guest, Tragically Hip Super Fan Chris Doucher, as they review Side A of In Violet Light (2002).
Before embarking on their deep dive Heath shares his account of the Oct. 17 https://www.gedfest.ca/ GEDFest show in Calgary featuring Hip tribute band Trickle Down. Trickle Down was joined onstage at one point by none other than Roby Milgaard, son of the late David Milgaard, whose tragic story inspired one of the Hip’s most profound and impactful songs, Wheat Kings off the 1992 album Fully Completely. Roby fronts his own Hip tribute band, named, appropriately, The Wheat Kings, who performed at the Oct. 24 GEDFest show in Cochrane, AB!
In Violet Light gab touches on the album’s star producer Hugh Padgam who was hugely influential in the 1980s shaping Phil Collins’ signature sound on In the Air Tonight while also working with the likes of Genesis, David Bowie, Paul McCartney and The Police. But did Padgham’s slickly mature production bless or curse this album?
Songs include Are Your Ready, Use It Up, Silver Jet, The Darkest One, and the Pink Floyd-like It’s a Good Life If You Don’t Weaken. Commentary on The Darkest One comes with a watch-along of the hilariously weird video, featuring the Trailer Park Boys and cancelled but iconic NHL announcer Don Cherry. Our Hip Schoolers also check out the band’s gorgeous performance of It’s a Good Life…as fronted by Leslie Feist at the 2021 Juno Awards.
Whether you’re a lifelong Hip fan or just curious about what makes this band so iconic in Canada, School of Hip is your guide to the sounds and the story of the Tragically Hip, one album side per episode. Episodes drop every two weeks.
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Also:
The Never-Ending Present: The Story of Gord Downie and the Tragically Hip by Michael Barclay.
Chaz Charles is the founder of the Boneless Podcasting Network, currently hosting five fantastic shows (and appearing in many more!)
Heath McCoy is the author of Pain and Passion: The History of Stampede Wrestling, available on Amazon.ca and at ECW Press. He appears in the award winning documentary Singhs in the Ring on Crave TV and he too pops up in many a Boneless show.
And once again, to all you rock n’ roll podcast lovers .... GO BONELESS!
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