The long-awaited, first-ever print biography of “Canada’s band” — now in paperback!“A clever, touching, and very informative book that may well be the definitive work on an important piece of Canadian pop culture.” — Publishers Weekly, starred reviewIn the summer of 2016, more than a third of Canadians tuned in to watch the Tragically Hip’s final performance. Why? Partially because Gord Downie’s terminal brain cancer made the event much bigger than merely a musical occasion. But also because these five men were always more than just a chart-topping band. They defined a generation of Canadian rock music. They were a tabula rasa onto which fans could project their own ideas: of performance, of poetry, of history, of Canada itself.Acclaimed music journalist Michael Barclay talks to dozens of the band’s peers and friends about not just the Hip’s music but about the opening bands, dealing with disease through art, Gord Downie’s role in reconciliation with Indigenous people, and the Hip’s role in Canadian culture. It’s a book for those who have always loved the Hip, and for everyone else. As Downie said at that final show watched by millions, “Everyone is invited. Everyone is involved.”
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The Never-ending Present: The Story Of Gord Downie And The Tragically Hip
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The Never-ending Present: The Story Of Gord Downie And The Tragically Hip
“The Never-Ending Present climaxes with that exclamation mark, that night in August 2016, and even though the material borrows heavily from Barclay’s in-depth reporting and the time for Maclean’s, I minded little; it was appointment reading for me then, and it is a full and evocative accounting of the occasion now. It helps to explain why an event that had every reason to seem sad and funereal instead ended up indeed feeling like ‘a national celebration.’” — Literary Review of Canada
Overall rating: 5.0 / 5 from 6 reviews.
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Reviews
Great Read for Hip fans
"Bought this as a birthday gift for my son who is a huge Hip fan. He loved the book and now I want to borrow it from him so I can read it."
— Dan R. (5/5)
Tragically Hip Fans
"Bought it as a gift for a Tragically Hip super fan"
— Nanner (5/5)
Great piece of Canadian history
"Well written and detailed history of the band, love how it was laid out."
— Marie B. (5/5)
I'm not crying you're crying
"Having a hard time getting through it as it makes me so emotional, but makes me love all the more too."
— Katherine (5/5)
Couldn't put it down!
"This was an amazing read! I couldn't put it down! love the hip and gord to begin with. this book was so interesting! Would definitely recommend!"
— Shlanda (5/5)
She cried when she opened it!
"Gifted to a friend for Christmas. There was a string of emotions!"
— Cora B. (5/5)
Q&A
Published date: May 07, 2019
Language: English
No. of Pages: 512
Publisher: ECW Press
ISBN: 9781770414693
Dimensions:
6.0" W x
1.15" L x
9.0" H
Michael Barclay has worked for Maclean’s, CBC Radio’s Brave New Waves, and Exclaim! He co-authored Have Not Been the Same: The CanRock Renaissance 1985–1995, which told the stories of the Tragically Hip, Blue Rodeo, k.d. lang, and dozens more. He lives in Toronto, Ontario.
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