# The Hip - Canada's Greatest?



## LanceT (Mar 7, 2014)

Once again, the term 'greatest' is used. Strong argument for but largely subjective of course.

The Tragically Hip's most fabled failure made it Canada's greatest-ever band


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## mhammer (Nov 30, 2007)

That's a nice piece, with a lot of good sentiments. Thanks.


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## neldom (Apr 29, 2009)

I agree greatest is subjective, but I'd give them my vote, and that's not easy because Gordie Johnson has been my man crush for a number of years.
Listening to Up To Here, Road Apples, Fully Completely and Day for Night, there is not a bad song for 4 straight albums, and a large ratio of freaking great songs.
I don't know who else in Canada can say that.
And that's all apart from the legendary live shows.


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## vadsy (Dec 2, 2010)

Gordie Johnson is a bum.


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## JBFairthorne (Oct 11, 2014)

One of the greatest...sure. The greatest, not in my opinion. I would personally rank Rush higher.


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## vadsy (Dec 2, 2010)

I may have been kidding about Gordie but I won't kid about Rush.


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## Xelebes (Mar 9, 2015)

Yeah, I would say they would be important for cementing the Canadian anglophone circuit. The 80s were pretty weak but the 90s saw that rallying around and by the 00s it was well formed.


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## mister.zed (Jun 8, 2011)

vadsy said:


> Gordie Johnson is a bum.


Heresy I say! I only wish I had that bum's talent!


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## Steadfastly (Nov 14, 2008)

Of course, we all know that The Guess Who was Canada's greatest-ever band.


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## Merlin (Feb 23, 2009)

Greatest would probably have to go to Rush. 

My favorite Canadian band is Max Webster.

But these days, The Tragically Hip get more of my attention. It's not because of Downie's illness, or the last tour or any of that. It's because when I was at sea for months at a time, listening to their songs made me feel connected to home.


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## Milkman (Feb 2, 2006)

Blue is MUCH better than red......

I've never been a fan of the Hip. I do think they're a good band, but not in the same class as Rush for me.

It really comes down to the songs, and in my opinion what you listened to between the ages of 14 and 18.

At that point in my life Fly By Night and the following albums were being released.


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## High/Deaf (Aug 19, 2009)

Greatest? By which standard? Most popular? Most progressive? 

I'm becoming a bigger and bigger fan of Big Wreck / Ian Thornley. But will he become the greatest? Who knows, he's still pretty early into his career while many of the other bands mentioned are at the end of theirs. And I just don't know how a 'competition' like this gets judged.


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## Rick31797 (Apr 20, 2007)

They had some decent songs , but not in the great category, i would put April Wine way ahead of them...


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## vadsy (Dec 2, 2010)

3 words- Honeymoon Suite


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## LanceT (Mar 7, 2014)

vadsy said:


> 3 words- Honeymoon Suite


You have a serious Bad Attitude.


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## High/Deaf (Aug 19, 2009)

2 words - Trooper


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## vadsy (Dec 2, 2010)

High/Deaf said:


> 2 words - Trooper


mehh


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## High/Deaf (Aug 19, 2009)

I was joking. I can't stand Trooper. I was having a go at this ...........



vadsy said:


> 3 words- Honeymoon Suite


.....to which I would sadly add, mehhhh. A few steps above Trooper but not even in the same universe as Rush.


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## vadsy (Dec 2, 2010)

High/Deaf said:


> I was joking. I can't stand Trooper. I was having a go at this ...........
> 
> 
> 
> .....to which I would sadly add, mehhhh. A few steps above Trooper but not even in the same universe as Rush.


Oh, I get you. The kidding around is all good.


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## Guest (Jul 23, 2016)

I'm with Merlin. The Max Machine is the best Canuck band (IMO) of it's day.
As to Prog Rock, at the time of their debut, 'Klaatu' was rumoured to be the Beatles re-united incognito.


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## jb welder (Sep 14, 2010)

Agree that putting "greatest" in the title of the article is just dumb. Guaranteed to get you lots of clicks though. More from people who want to disagree (no matter the issue) usually.
When I hear people talking about how great a Canadian band the Hip are, I like to think they are talking about the Canadiana and subject material. In that sense they may be the greatest. They make people feel good about Canada without relying on any smarmy patriotism. And Gord Downie is an incredible entertainer.
If you are looking for technical greatness and chops, they probably won't do it for you. Same if you are above a certain age or don't care for much outside of classic rock. But as far as good song writing, I think they are right up there.
One more thing, in that article from the OP, it was mentioned that Bruce Allen badmouths them and says they are not great. That pretty much seals the deal, great they must be. 

Another nice article about the Hip and being distinctly Canadian:
How Gord Downie and the Tragically Hip became a part of our landscape, an experience in what it means to be Canadian


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## keithb7 (Dec 28, 2006)

The Hip is surely one of our best Canadian music treasures in at least recent memory. The greatest ever? That can't be qualified. Too many personal preferences by each of us. The Hip are surely up at the top for sure. Neil Young, Brian Adams, The Guess Who, The Hip, Lover Boy, Kim Mitchel, George Canyon, Barenaked Ladies, Joni Mitchell, Anne Murray, Shania Twain, Triumph, April Wine, Rush, and so many more I know I'm forgetting, are all among our national jewels.


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## Guitar101 (Jan 19, 2011)

vadsy said:


> 3 words- Honeymoon Suite


That's 2 words. . . . Someone had to say it.


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## bw66 (Dec 17, 2009)

Like others, I've never been a huge fan. And there are lots of Canadian bands that I would rank higher; The Guess Who, Barenaked Ladies and Max Webster come to mind. But, for me, the greatest of them would be The Band.

And I have to admit, I LOVE Trooper.


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## vadsy (Dec 2, 2010)

honey Moon sweet


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## Guest (Aug 13, 2016)

I'm not a big fan either, I won't change the station when they come on the radio though.
I haven't seen them live. The closest that I've come is watching a friend's cover band, The Practically Hip.
Besides the Max Machine, some of my Canuck fav's are Steppenwolf, Annihilator and The Tea Party.


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## cheezyridr (Jun 8, 2009)

pretty funny to see a discussion over which bands are the greatest, and 80% of the nominations are about as exciting as reading an insurance policy.


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## Guest (Aug 14, 2016)

It's a Canadian thing, I guess. lol.


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## Lola (Nov 16, 2014)

laristotle said:


> I'm with Merlin. The Max Machine is the best Canuck band (IMO) of it's day.
> As to Prog Rock, at the time of their debut, 'Klaatu' was rumoured to be the Beatles re-united incognito.



This is crazy. My hubby loved this band. I for some reason just couldn't get into this band. A blast from the past!


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## Diablo (Dec 20, 2007)

Not a fan.
Saw them live for free, and still didn't move me.
They have a couple songs I like, but I don't get the hype.
I'd rather listen to Alanis Morisette if given the choice.


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## Diablo (Dec 20, 2007)

Steadfastly said:


> Of course, we all know that The Guess Who was Canada's greatest-ever band.


We're not all boomers.


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## gtone (Nov 1, 2009)

Diablo said:


> Not a fan.
> Saw them live for free, and still didn't move me.
> They have a couple songs I like, but I don't get the hype.
> I'd rather listen to Alanis Morisette if given the choice.


Couldn't agree with you more - wouldn't even crack my top ten to be honest (and yeah, I'd much prefer Alanis over the Hip too - no contest).


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## Jamdog (Mar 9, 2016)

I prefer Rush.


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## Lincoln (Jun 2, 2008)

One word..........Prism


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## vadsy (Dec 2, 2010)

Lincoln said:


> One word..........Prism


One word but many sides, multidimensional some may say. Rush is basic nerd rock in comparison, Alanis a distant third. How does Doug and his Slugs compare?


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## Diablo (Dec 20, 2007)

vadsy said:


> One word but many sides, multidimensional some may say. Rush is basic nerd rock in comparison, Alanis a distant third. How does Doug and his Slugs compare?


Not well 
I'd lump them in with 100 other bands like moxy fruvous, pursuit of happiness, wide mouth mason, big sugar, big wreck, big deal.
Blue Rodeo and Tom Cochrane seemed about as popular as the Hip back in the day, but they were all too mellow for me.

In fairness, my taste sucks...im dinosaur metal guy, so other than hit makers like Alanis, the only Canadian music in my playlist is stuff like Sven Gali, Harem Scarem, etc.
I used to like Rush, but they "evolved" themselves right out of my music collection over the years.


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## Lola (Nov 16, 2014)

I was never into the Hip! Never really liked them.

These Canadian rocks bands are far superior IMHO!

Rush, Loverboy, Triumph, The Guess who, April Wine, Max Webster, Teenage Head!


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## cboutilier (Jan 12, 2016)

They are certainly up there as one of the best. The top spot can only decided by personar opinion, but it's hard to argue their eligibility for the title.

I personally am biased towards April Wine, due to the whole home town hero thing. I'm also very partial to Colin James.


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## Lola (Nov 16, 2014)

Holy Shite man! I forgot about Colin James. He is amazing. Yes, yes, yes!

A few more, Chilliwack, 54-40, Glass Tiger, Steppenwolf, Red Ryder, Darby Mills and the Headpins and Crowbar. Who could forget Crowbar?


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## cboutilier (Jan 12, 2016)

Lola said:


> Holy Shite man! I forgot about Colin James. He is amazing. Yes, yes, yes!
> 
> A few more, Chilliwack, 54-40, Glass Tiger, Steppenwolf, Red Ryder, Darby Mills and the Headpins and Crowbar. Who could forget Crowbar?


I can't forget Colin; I'm named after him.


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## Lola (Nov 16, 2014)

This song brings back so many sweet memories! I was only 6 when this song was released!


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## Guest (Aug 15, 2016)




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## vadsy (Dec 2, 2010)

This thread is CRTC approved. 
Plays like a small town classic rock station.


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## leftysg (Mar 29, 2008)

Just my taste but I have playlists of at least 25 songs each that I regularly listen to from Rush, Hip and The Guess Who. I have a Canadian playlist with songs from Sam Roberts, Sloan, Platinum Blonde, Honeymoon Suite, April Wine, BTO, Max Webster, Kim Mitchell, Loverboy, Chilliwack , Tom Cochrane, Big Wreck and others. I guess my point is those first three have enough tunes for their own extended playlists while it takes combinations of the rest to fill one out for me. It boils down to personal preference and an understanding of the great variety we have to enjoy in our Canadian artists.


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## bw66 (Dec 17, 2009)

Not sure how I could have forgotten Sloan! Great band!


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## keithb7 (Dec 28, 2006)

I personally don't find popular Canadian artists as boring as reading an insurance policy. Many, many others would agree as those artists sold lots lots of records and got a ton of radio air time. Thats's the thing, music is personal. Each of us have different tastes. If you are not a Hip fan, no prob. 

I'm curios of the demographics here. If you prefer Alanis Morisette I would tend to think you're under 40. The Hip's largest fan base, I'd wager is 40 and up. In mid 90's the country was full young Hip fans. 21 years ago. Today those 20-30 year old fans are 41 to 51 years old. Those folks are well established in their careers and lives. This is why Hip tickets today are be scalped for outrageous prices. The larger group of older Hip fans mostly can afford it. That's my take.


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## JBFairthorne (Oct 11, 2014)

Why would Alanis Morisette fans be under 40? She was big around the same time that The Hip started to really hit big, the early 90s. I would think the fan base would share a similar demographic, at least age wise.


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## vadsy (Dec 2, 2010)

Plenty of Hip fans in the early thirties. Plenty of Alanis fans still in high school, she's as big as Beyoncé but only north of the 49th.


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## johnnyshaka (Nov 2, 2014)

Jagged Little Pill dropped in '95 when she was 21 years old. Probably a good assumption that her following primarily consisted of high school aged girls, no?

That's not to say that there aren't older (or younger) fans but I would think her biggest demographic would be in the 35-40 range right now.

Myself, I'm in the "The Hip are Great" boat. I'm 41 and grew up with them on the radio and in my Sony Walkman (played the hell out of Up to Here while riding the bus to and from school also while I delivered papers and even had to buy a second copy!). Their Canadian commercial success hit full stride while I was in high school (and had money of my own to spend) and I couldn't wait to grab the new albums the moment they hit the shelves at the HMV at Billings Bridge Mall in Ottawa...it's where I had to transfer buses to get to my high school...it worked out perfectly!


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## vadsy (Dec 2, 2010)

I'm messing around with the Alanis/Beyoncé in school fans stuff but the Hip comment is relevant in my experience.


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## johnnyshaka (Nov 2, 2014)

vadsy said:


> I'm messing around with the Alanis/Beyoncé in school fans stuff but the Hip comment is relevant in my experience.


I took your comment as tongue in cheek (as I do with a lot of your posts, haha!) and geared my comment towards the previous comments.


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## Lola (Nov 16, 2014)

I remember this song very well. It was a road trip song. Get's you in the vibe for going up north and starting the party!



laristotle said:


>


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## Lola (Nov 16, 2014)

I toured with these guys. My hubby was doing their merchandising. It was fun and exciting and really great music at the time. They are now older and wiser but still playing the same old stuff! Nothing new out of them.


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## Guest (Aug 15, 2016)

Road trip?


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## vadsy (Dec 2, 2010)

I like to think of Honeymoon Suite as the Canadian Van Halen when Dave was in the band.


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## keithb7 (Dec 28, 2006)

I agree there are plenty of Hip fans today who are in their early 30's. I'm just wondering if their largest fan base is over 40? I'd bet it is.
I personally think Alanis M had a bigger fan base with a younger generation of music fans in the early 90's, compared to the Hip. Alanis
was more like a teenage girl idol than Gord Downie ever was. I remember the early 90's. I was 22 in 1993. I remember the young
teenage girls being huge Alanis fans. I went to a hip concert or two in the 90's, I don't recall masses of teenagers there. However I
never went to an Alanis concert either. Maybe you folks who prefer Alanis over the Hip, can check in and tell us what the Alanis concert
age demographic was in 1993.

As a side note:
I recall a Hip tour called "Another Roadside Attraction" in the BC Lower Mainland area. 1993 I think was the year. Midnight Oil was on stage
stuffing their "Anti-logging Clayoquot Sound/Green-Peace" beliefs down our throats. Ever since then I skip or turn the radio off any time I
hear a Midnight Oil song. I remember a patron in the audience yelling at the Midnight Oil singer, Peter Garret to F-off and shut up with the
protesting. Guy was down in the mosh pit. Peter called security over the sound system and had the patron removed from the concert and kicked out if I recall.
Peter was large and in charge. Irritated by the BC boy whose economy is based largely on logging. It was certainly interesting.


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## Scotty (Jan 30, 2013)

I hated the hip at first, then warmed up to them after a bit, then loved them after playing along to road apples and up to here. Lost the love after Nautical Disaster.

Other great Canuck bands not mentioned; Moxy, Coney Hatch, Jeff Healey, David Gogo...


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## Scottone (Feb 10, 2006)

The Hip were a bit of an acquired taste for me, but I like quite a bit of their stuff. Appreciated them even more when I started writing lyrics myself.


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## gtone (Nov 1, 2009)

Give me some Teenage Head (even got kicked out of a club for wearing that T-shirt!). Frankie Venom and the boys could party their faces off. They, Dave Rave and the Shakers, heck even Martha and her damn Muffins and the rest of the Ham-Town scene set the stage for party-rock bands circa '77-'82.


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## Guest (Aug 16, 2016)

gtone said:


> .. the Ham-Town scene set the stage for party-rock bands circa '77-'82.


Goddo, Frank Soda and the Imps, Rick Santers ..


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## gtone (Nov 1, 2009)

Carol Pope and Rough Trade, Rheostatics, I Mother Earth...


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## GuitarsCanada (Dec 30, 2005)

I could't name three Hip songs if you paid me 10k to do it. Actually I don't think I could come up with one. They were never on my radar. Not sure why just never happened.


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## Slooky (Feb 3, 2015)

Lola said:


> I toured with these guys. My hubby was doing their merchandising. It was fun and exciting and really great music at the time. They are now older and wiser but still playing the same old stuff! Nothing new out of them.


They have a sound like New Kids on the Block only with guitars


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## gtone (Nov 1, 2009)

I could name 3 Hip songs because the local classic rock/pop FM stations have played the same 3 on heavy rotation for the past 20 yrs!! . They're the only band that has me hitting the scan button when I listen to FM radio. Can't stand their stuff and never got the attraction either. Their music makes me question the Canadian content rules, frankly...

Screw Tragically Hip, give me more Sloan anyday if we're talking Canadian bands.


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## Diablo (Dec 20, 2007)

vadsy said:


> I like to think of Honeymoon Suite as the Canadian Van Halen when Dave was in the band.


really? I think of them more like Bonjovi/Def Leppard...the boys next door as opposed to the wild bunch in VH.
Most of the Canadian bands in the 80s rock/metal scene had a certain suburban clean-ness to them...they even seemed to grow their hair only half way lol compared to the Motley Crues, Guns and roses and Poisons they were competing for video airplay with.
it didn't piss your parents off enough if you listened to Canadian hard rock/metal  I cant recall any real "bad boy" bands from Canada in the '80's? Its that National "nice and pretty-harmless" thing we're known for.


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## johnnyshaka (Nov 2, 2014)

I know my mom HATED that I was going to see a band called the Barenaked Ladies and my dad was disappointed in me going to see a band called the Barenaked Ladies.


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## Xelebes (Mar 9, 2015)

I can't believe no one has mentioned Les Jaguars!

*unnecessary scowly face*


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## Steadfastly (Nov 14, 2008)

Diablo said:


> We're not all boomers.


No, not all members are not. That makes no difference, though.


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## keithb7 (Dec 28, 2006)

"Screw the Hip". Really? 
Yes everyone gets an opinion. Why the hate? They worked hard. It's not like Gord was EVH's son and was just given a spot in the band.


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## vadsy (Dec 2, 2010)

Diablo said:


> really? I think of them more like Bonjovi/Def Leppard...the boys next door as opposed to the wild bunch in VH.
> Most of the Canadian bands in the 80s rock/metal scene had a certain suburban clean-ness to them...they even seemed to grow their hair only half way lol compared to the Motley Crues, Guns and roses and Poisons they were competing for video airplay with.
> it didn't piss your parents off enough if you listened to Canadian hard rock/metal  I cant recall any real "bad boy" bands from Canada in the '80's? Its that National "nice and pretty-harmless" thing we're known for.


It was just something a co-worker once said to me that I thought was funny. He loved Van Halen but preferred the Sammy years and just to annoy him I said they were better with Dave in the group. He replied that Van Halen with Dave was just another Honeymoon Suite. Thinking back on it now I'm sure it was the greatest compliment ever paid to the members of the Suite.


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## Steadfastly (Nov 14, 2008)

keithb7 said:


> "Screw the Hip". Really?
> Yes everyone gets an opinion. Why the hate? They worked hard. It's not like Gord was EVH's son and was just given a spot in the band.


I agree their is not reason to hate them. If you don't like them you simply don't like them. There is a lot of choice out there, even in Canada.


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## keithb7 (Dec 28, 2006)

I saw Honeymoon Suite here about 7 yrs ago. They were excellent. The guitar player's tone and style was definitely Van Halen-esque. He was great and his sound was awesome. I thoroughly enjoyed the show.

Demographically speaking, I was 13 in 1984. If I recall correctly it was "Lonely Man Burning In Love" that me and the boys did in my highschool airband contest. We did'nt win but we sure felt like rock stars.


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## Lola (Nov 16, 2014)

keithb7 said:


> I saw Honeymoon Suite here about 7 yrs ago. They were excellent. The guitar player's tone and style was definitely Van Halen-esque. He was great and his sound was awesome. I thoroughly enjoyed the show.
> 
> Demographically speaking, I was 13 in 1984. If I recall correctly it was "Lonely Man Burning In Love" that me and the boys did in my highschool airband contest. We did'nt win but we sure felt like rock stars.


The lead guitar players name is Derry! He is an amazing guitar player. Gary Lalonde is their bass player and has been with the band since it's inception. They had an amazing keyboard player when they first started out. His name was Rae but he had a bit of a blow out and left! Johnny Dee still has a really good voice. They all have gotten a bit worse for wear. Johnny has put on a ton of weight. I give them props cuz they're still rocking!


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## mhammer (Nov 30, 2007)

Listened to uploaded Vancouver and Calgary concerts from the current farewell tour. I have to say that, in between songs I was familiar with, and like, were a bunch of tunes that were rather so-so and sort of droned (albeit with a good beat and respectable musicianship). Gord D. is clearly the star and A star, but the material was hit and miss.

It made me ponder the way that the Rolling Stones are called "the world's greatest rock and roll band". The Stones haven't done anything particularly earth-shaking for a number of decades. Mick is the star of the show, like Gord, and the other guys are simply there to provide enough beat and drive to give him a solid base. Gord's lyrics are probably more thoughtful than the majority of Stones songs. But I think the biggest point of comparison is the relationship with the audience. People go to their shows for a sort of religious ritual, and in that sense the music is not even allowed to change and that's the way uh-huh uh-huh they like it.

So, in terms of creative output and influence, I don't put the Hip above most of the other Canadian artists mentioned so far. But, much like the Stones, they offer a dependable rock experience that fans appreciate for its dependability. It's like good snow tires: not the most outstanding or exciting purchase of one's life, but they provide security, support one's adventures, and you're glad you have them.

For me, there are preferred bands, butnothing stands out head and shoulders above the rest. But as a side-note....apart from "Les Jaguars" there are no Quebec bands mentioned. What is Offenbach, chopped liver?


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## Diablo (Dec 20, 2007)

> ....But as a side-note....apart from "Les Jaguars" there are no Quebec bands mentioned. What is Offenbach, chopped liver?..


No I'm sure "Offenbach" is worthy of being mentioned with "les Jaguars"  lol

Seriously, I can think of a dozen of Quebec artists that had some sort of success outside la belle province- arcade fire, Aldo Nova, Celine Dione, Mitsou, sass Jordan, Corey Hart, Alfie Zappacosta (the pizza nova commercial guy lol)...and prob 1 or 2 more who's name escapes me-edit- Roch voisine and Gino vanelli black cars baby! There's likely some popular death metal bands too, but I'm not up on that scene.

Poor Hip....somehow their thread got turned into a "name all the Canadian bands you can think of " thread lol. Oh well, that's the risk with claims like GOAT.


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## leftysg (Mar 29, 2008)

I appreciate the way Gord Downie and the TH incorporate Canadian events or the essence of being Canadian into their songs. If you are like I am when Nickelback comes on (station changer) I encourage you to take an hour and listen to a playlist if you have Spotify for example. Try Fifty Mission Cap, Bobcaygeon, Ahead by a Century, At the hundredth Meridian, Little Bones, Poets, Fireworks, Courage, Wheat Kings, Thirty Eight Years old, The Darkest One, New Orleams is Sinking, At Transformation, Nautical Disaster. I'll admit there is a sameness to some of their licks. I find them hard to play because I can hear licks from one song when I listen to another. But there is such a groove and drive to their essence and if you find the lyrics and can get into the poetry or narrative that Gord provides then you'll find yourself in a fantastic musical place. That's how I feel anyways.


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## High/Deaf (Aug 19, 2009)

I think one can safely say that TH has had plenty of exposure. I'm not a hip-fan, per se, but I've heard every song you've mentioned. Cancon is part of this. But there are some Canadian bands that don't care about exposure (SYL/DTB for instance) - to say they aren't as good is crazy. They're just on a different path. And it's music - it's not like there's a 'better and worse', there's just a 'like this and don't like that'.


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## Diablo (Dec 20, 2007)

leftysg said:


> I appreciate the way Gord Downie and the TH incorporate Canadian events or the essence of being Canadian into their songs. If you are like I am when Nickelback comes on (station changer) I encourage you to take an hour and listen to a playlist if you have Spotify for example. Try Fifty Mission Cap, Bobcaygeon, Ahead by a Century, At the hundredth Meridian, Little Bones, Poets, Fireworks, Courage, Wheat Kings, Thirty Eight Years old, The Darkest One, New Orleams is Sinking, At Transformation, Nautical Disaster. I'll admit there is a sameness to some of their licks. I find them hard to play because I can hear licks from one song when I listen to another. But there is such a groove and drive to their essence and if you find the lyrics and can get into the poetry or narrative that Gord provides then you'll find yourself in a fantastic musical place. That's how I feel anyways.


I know a lot of ppl like the incorporation of "Canadiana" in bands music,
But it sometimes feels cliched and pandering to me. Like prime time on CBC. Everyone works on a farm in the prairies or lives in a quaint village in PEI. lol
I can't really relate as growing up in the city, as opposed to the prairies or a coastal fishing town, which a lot of the content seems to cater to, my life experience is probably more "American"...except for the country music americanisms about driving pickup trucks by the chatahoochee. 

I'll admit TH does it better than most. So I don't hold it against them.


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## mhammer (Nov 30, 2007)

There's a lot of Quebec bands that have achieved tremendous commercial success and critical acclaim...but they sang in French, so English Canada pretended they didn't exist. The ones you mention are , with the exception of Mitsou (!!!) largely English acts.

As for Offenbach, I can't think of too many other Canadian rock musicians who had top-grossing feature films made about them: Gerry (2011) - IMDb


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## johnnyshaka (Nov 2, 2014)

mhammer said:


> Listened to uploaded Vancouver and Calgary concerts from the current farewell tour. I have to say that, in between songs I was familiar with, and like, were a bunch of tunes that were rather so-so and sort of droned (albeit with a good beat and respectable musicianship). Gord D. is clearly the star and A star, but the material was hit and miss.


I just had a look at the Hamilton show's set list and of the 25 songs they played I immediately recognized 15 of them...and I'm a fan. With that said, the last Hip album I bought was In Violet Light which was released in the early 2000's, IIRC.

IMHO, they could play just about anything from the first 6 or 7 albums and I would be able to sing (poorly) along. Like most bands, though, they like to pedal the new stuff, too, and I get it.

I've got the PVR set to record the show that's being televised on Saturday. I selfishly hope they stick to the 90's stuff.


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## jimmy c g (Jan 1, 2008)

is Neil Young a band ? the hip to me ,are like old time folk singers who would pass along stories of life, making oblique references to toil and trouble , joy and bordom, like Leonard Cohen, we would be missing something and losing a bit of US if it wernt for the few true story teller- artists we have like the hip,- we may not need it everyday but we sure need it/them, they are the greatest but so are lots of others....J


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## Silent Otto (Sep 2, 2012)

I remember seeing the hip for the first time on some cbc tv special. Shot in b/w, a small venue setting...Downey was mezmerizing as a front man, as he seemed to be in a trance himself. A great two-guitar attack, delicious hooks and intelligent, poetic lyrics. Each album was better than the last, some of the best rock music of the decade. Great party records.
'Day for Night' is a mature and sublime work, I still love that album.
Seen them a bunch of times and they always thrilled.


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## Scotty (Jan 30, 2013)

leftysg said:


> I appreciate the way Gord Downie and the TH incorporate Canadian events or the essence of being Canadian into their songs. If you are like I am when Nickelback comes on (station changer) I encourage you to take an hour and listen to a playlist if you have Spotify for example. Try Fifty Mission Cap, Bobcaygeon, Ahead by a Century, At the hundredth Meridian, Little Bones, Poets, Fireworks, Courage, Wheat Kings, Thirty Eight Years old, The Darkest One, New Orleams is Sinking, At Transformation, Nautical Disaster. I'll admit there is a sameness to some of their licks. I find them hard to play because I can hear licks from one song when I listen to another. But there is such a groove and drive to their essence and if you find the lyrics and can get into the poetry or narrative that Gord provides then you'll find yourself in a fantastic musical place. That's how I feel anyways.


I agree, literally TONS of references to historical references/places etc...They should have written a new National Anthem


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## Guest (Aug 19, 2016)

full article from The National Post

That night in Toronto: When Bruce Dickinson discovered the
Tragically Hip ‘in the tradition of great Canadian poets’

_The Tragically Hip’s final tour has taken them across the country they have crooned about for decades, 
from Victoria through the Prairies to the final stop in Kingston on Saturday. But long before the band 
gained national acclaim, they were unable to secure a major record deal. That changed one weekend in 
November 1988, when Bruce Dickinson, a newly hired vice-president at MCA Records, flew over the U.S. 
border to see his first Hip show. Dickinson told the National Post about that night in Toronto._

“I’m cooking breakfast at home in New York City, and I have one of those multi-artist CDs — a compilation
of a variety of artists. Usually, that stuff plays in the background and nothing perks up your ears. This
song comes through, and it’s the voice of Gord Downie. It could have been ‘Highway Girl,’ but I think it
was ‘Small Town Bring-Down.’ I stopped what I was doing and went to the living room to see who that was.
It was the Tragically Hip.

“After breakfast, I tracked down their managers, Jake Gold and Allan Gregg. I introduced myself to Jake
on the phone, and told him I was about to start at MCA. I said, ‘Jake, tell me about the Tragically Hip.
I’d like to come see them.’ There’s a silence on the other end of the phone. He goes, ‘Well, I’ve only
really got one gig for them. It’s Saturday.’ I said, ‘OK, I’ll be there!’ He’s hemming and hawing. I said,
‘Jake, you do want me to see your band, right?’ He laughs and he goes, ‘Well, it’s an industry gig. It’s
the Toronto Music Awards, and the band comes out and does two songs. It’s kind of reserved and staid and
stuffy.’ I said, ‘Yeah, OK, I’ll be there.’

“He meets me at the airport. He plays me a demo tape that’s got five or six more songs, most of which
ended up on the first album, Up to Here. All the songs were different, but they were clearly the same
artist, and they were all great — songs like Blow at High Dough. Jake and Allan take me to the show.
It was at Massey Hall.

“I guess it was during the first song: Gord drops the mic on the floor inadvertently. It comes unattached
from the cord, and the top of the mic comes off. I remember distinctly, Bobby Baker and Gord Sinclair just
looked at each other like, ‘Oh, crap. What are we going to do?’ Downie, as you know, is a great improviser.
He just picks up the mic, puts it back together and tells a whole story in the middle of the song that
involves the mic. I thought that was really cool.

“Meanwhile, Jake and Allan are like, ‘Oh, no’ — they had the same reaction I think Sinclair and Baker had.
They do the two songs, and Jake and Allan are just sitting there, a little quiet. I go, ‘So, I’d like to
sign your band. I just want to take them to lunch tomorrow to make sure their heads are screwed on right.’

“At that point, Allan almost jumps around in front of Jake and says, ‘Oh, their heads are screwed on right!
They’re great guys, they’re really intelligent, they’re hard workers.’ Jake is like, ‘Uh, well you have to
stay for a show tomorrow.’

“I said, ‘You told me there was only this show, and I have a plane ticket for tomorrow. I just want to take
them for lunch. I want to sign the band.’ He goes, ‘No, I really do have a show tomorrow. You see, I went to
the Horseshoe Tavern, and I bumped another band out of there.’ He was so convinced I wouldn’t like them from
just seeing the two songs in the music industry scenario that he did this. He’d really put some stuff on the
line to do that, so I said, ‘OK, I’ll stay.’

“Needless to say, the show at the Horseshoe was amazing. It didn’t change my mind at all — I wanted to sign
them. What was really funny was that night at the Horseshoe, basically the entire Canadian music industry
showed up backstage, some of which were trying to offer deals. The band basically said, ‘Look, none of you
offered us a deal. The only reason you’re here is this guy came up from New York and offered us a deal last
night.’ That was it.

“They were clearly great musicians. Gord Downie had a charisma, and he was a riveting performer. What got my
attention at first was hearing that one song on the CD. His voice, and the music behind it, really cut through.
Those CDs usually have 25 songs, and theirs was the only one that mattered. As a jaded A&R person, you hear
thousands and thousands and thousands of tapes and CDs and demos. But there was something about Gord’s voice
that got your attention.

“I think Gord Downie is definitely in the tradition of great Canadian poets. There can be a certain darkness
in the lyrics, in some ways that reminded me of reading and listening to Leonard Cohen or Robertson Davies.
I think that’s all part of what appeals to Canadian fans. They’re five Canadian guys who go up on stage and
they look like their audience. I think that everyman quality matters.”


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## colchar (May 22, 2010)

They were a great band but not the greatest. Rush, The Guess Who, and The Band could all vie for that title. The Hip? Not so much.


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## Guest (Aug 21, 2016)

Just finished watching the cbc feed.
Good show.


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## johnnyshaka (Nov 2, 2014)

Nearly 3 hours of commercial free TV during prime time during the Olympics dedicated to The Hip... that's saying something, no? Wow.

*drops the mic and exits stage left*


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## mrfiftyfour (Jun 29, 2008)

GuitarsCanada said:


> I could't name three Hip songs if you paid me 10k to do it. Actually I don't think I could come up with one. They were never on my radar. Not sure why just never happened.


Seriously? Do you live in Canada?


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## GuitarsCanada (Dec 30, 2005)

mrfiftyfour said:


> Seriously? Do you live in Canada?


Sorry man, I am sure that I would recognize a few songs if I heard them but would prolly have to be told who it is. I'm not knocking the band, It's just not my thing I guess. I don't watch hockey either


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## mrfiftyfour (Jun 29, 2008)

As much as greatest is a subjective term, no other band in Canadian history has had a send off like this. 
Rush has pretty much hung it up and there was hardly a mumur.


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## bw66 (Dec 17, 2009)

mrfiftyfour said:


> As much as greatest is a subjective term, no other band in Canadian history has had a send off like this.
> Rush has pretty much hung it up and there was hardly a mumur.


The Band had a pretty big send-off - although it was in California - and it resulted in one of the greatest concert movies of all time.


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## bw66 (Dec 17, 2009)

And electing to NOT do a final tour, doesn't diminish Rush's accomplishments in the least.


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## Lord-Humongous (Jun 5, 2014)

No one is diminishing any band's accomplishments but what happened last night is unprecedented in Canada, and maybe in the entire world.


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## Guest (Aug 21, 2016)

bw66 said:


> And electing to NOT do a final tour, doesn't diminish Rush's accomplishments in the least.


I'd sure love to see Rush take up residence in Vegas for a while. I think that'd be pretty cool and could work with Peart's desire to not tour and to keep it physically possible for him to play.

But yea, that sendoff last night was like nothing else I've ever heard of in Canada's musical past. Pretty amazing.


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## mhammer (Nov 30, 2007)

Lord-Humongous said:


> No one is diminishing any band's accomplishments but what happened last night is unprecedented in Canada, and maybe in the entire world.


'Tis, but then they _know_ Gord has a tumour, and Gord felt well enough to do a short tour. Many other bands that stopped touring or being a band generally didn't know that the drummer would be killed in a motorcycle accident or the singer found dead with a needle in their arm, or that their private airplane was going to go down in a storm. On the other hand, I kinda thought the Stones and the Beach Boys had been doing their "farewell" tour since around 1980.

Tasteless irony aside, that _*was*_ quite the sendoff. Almost spiritual.

Rush in Vegas. Interesting idea. Trying to imagine a comedy act to open for them. Or maybe they could partner with Cirque de Soleil and do a prog-rock-themed show with someone in lamé body suit and sequined eyelids playing the role of Tom Sawyer. AW jeez, now I can't ever unsee that.


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## GuitarsCanada (Dec 30, 2005)

I can dig the whole "Canadian band" thing but personally my taste in music has never been influenced or guided by where the band is from. My ears and internal groove meter does that. We have debated the "greatest" thing a hundred times and really when it comes to music it is a foolish endeavor. You can't really base it on anything other than each individuals reaction. 

I wish Mr Downey all the best and acknowledge that the band has a lot of fans but I just don't see them up there with the likes of Rush who as a three piece are just amazing and have a worldwide fan base. Fact is the hip have never been big outside of Canada.


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## Xelebes (Mar 9, 2015)

The Hip were the greatest of the nationalist wave of bands that came from Southern Ontario. They stood atop Blue Rodeo, Rheostatics, Skydiggers, Our Lady Peace and Junkhouse. But that is as far as I would go.


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## Geetarz (Jan 19, 2016)

Debating "best" is an asinine thing...we're not all the same and our tastes will differ...as will the definition of "best" and what it pertains to. But I DO think it's hard to deny the Hip success within Canada and their voice of a Canadian band. As Rush has been mentioned (certainly a band with more international recognition), let's consider them within this context. Of 20 studio albums, only 2 (Signals, Clockwork Angles) managed to hit a #1 album status in Canada. The Hip on the other hand managed 9 #1 albums within Canada from their 13 offerings. Of the 4 remaining albums, two hit #2, one hit #3 and their debut charted at #13. Hard to deny the love for them within this country...


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## Scotty (Jan 30, 2013)

leftysg said:


> I appreciate the way Gord Downie and the TH incorporate Canadian events or the essence of being Canadian into their songs. If you are like I am when Nickelback comes on (station changer) I encourage you to take an hour and listen to a playlist if you have Spotify for example. Try Fifty Mission Cap, Bobcaygeon, Ahead by a Century, At the hundredth Meridian, Little Bones, Poets, Fireworks, Courage, Wheat Kings, Thirty Eight Years old, The Darkest One, New Orleams is Sinking, At Transformation, Nautical Disaster. I'll admit there is a sameness to some of their licks. I find them hard to play because I can hear licks from one song when I listen to another. But there is such a groove and drive to their essence and if you find the lyrics and can get into the poetry or narrative that Gord provides then you'll find yourself in a fantastic musical place. That's how I feel anyways.


Actually, I found them very easy to play along to in both electric and acoustic. Something just seems natural about their stuff. Comfortable and familiar


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## Guest (Aug 21, 2016)

Lord-Humongous said:


> No one is diminishing any band's accomplishments but what happened last night is *unprecedented* in Canada, and maybe in the entire world.


Queen comes to mind.


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## GuitarsCanada (Dec 30, 2005)

Xelebes said:


> The Hip were the greatest of the nationalist wave of bands that came from Southern Ontario. They stood atop Blue Rodeo, Rheostatics, Skydiggers, Our Lady Peace and Junkhouse. But that is as far as I would go.


I'll buy that


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## Geetarz (Jan 19, 2016)

laristotle said:


> Queen comes to mind.


I personally think Freddie Mercury is the greatest rock vocalist of all time and Queen, one of the best rock bands in history. A Kind of Magic tour was indeed huge and I wish it came to N. America because I would have been there. I was at the C.N.E show in 1980 and both Montreal Rock shows in '81. Legendary in my mind. Period.
But last night the national broadcasting company of this country set aside 3hrs, commercial free, (during the Olympics no-less) in homage to a home country band, broadcasting their entire last concert nation wide for free for the people of this country. Much like Lord-Humongous; I'm thinking that kind of respect is unprecedented throughout the world.


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## zontar (Oct 25, 2007)

Greatest is indeed a subjective thing--as has been hashed out here.
Lots of cool stuff on the Hip's resume...
I'm not going to take anything away from them--maybe one of the greatest, but I find it difficult to just have one "Greatest" Canadian band/singer.
But there is definitely something very Canadian about them, not so much because they tried to be Canadian, but because they did their thing & they are Canadians...


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## Milkman (Feb 2, 2006)

The Hip have a strong bond with their fans, but greatest?

Not even close IMO.

It was as I expected. I can't put the Hip in the "greatest Canadian bands" category, but I could see the audience singing along so as I've observed, the disconnect I feel with the Hip is not shared by many other Canadians.

As a concert, I'd call it mediocre. As an emotional connection between the band and their fans, probably a home run.,


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## Geetarz (Jan 19, 2016)

Milkman said:


> The Hip have a strong bond with their fans, but greatest?
> 
> Not even close IMO.
> 
> ...


Again, asinine to argue "greatest". In terms of within this country, how they were received (9 of 13 album releases hitting #1 status) there are many other fairly well known bands that don't even come close to such recognition as artists. Canadians as a whole seem to really like the band...not everyone but enough so that roughly 70% of the albums they released hit #1 in this country.
As for the concert, 11.7 MILLION people tuned in to watch it...it was a grand-slam home run with a natural hat-trick, hole-in-one, bulls-eye, 3-pointer to win at the buzzer chaser.


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## Xelebes (Mar 9, 2015)

Comparison time:

Celine Dion: 15 #1 albums
Tragically Hip: 9 #1 albums
Bryan Adams: 6 #1 albums
Drake: 6 #1 albums
Justin Bieber: 5 #1 albums
Nickelback: 5 #1 albums
Billy Talent: 4 #1 albums
Gordon Lightfoot: 4 #1 albums
Arcade Fire: 3 #1 albums
Avril Lavigne: 3 #1 albums
Anne Murray: 2 #1 albums
Our Lady Peace: 2 #1 albums
Rush: 2 #1 albums
April Wine: 1 #1 album
Joni Mitchell: 1 #1 album
Neil Young: 1 #1 album
Nelly Furtado: 1 #1 album
The Band: 1 #1 album
The Weeknd: 1 #1 album

(all numbers based on Canadian charts)


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## johnnyshaka (Nov 2, 2014)

OP's linked article does say "band"...semantics, I know.


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## Geetarz (Jan 19, 2016)

johnnyshaka said:


> OP's linked article does say "band"...semantics, I know.


Yes, once individual artists are considered, it's a whole different ball game. Or even anything beyond the Canadian boarder. But even as the lists shows, The Hip are very well received and their number of #1 albums nearly doubles that of the next closest act.
I should note that The Hip aren't even my favorite Canadian band...but it's hard to deny how much this country appreciates them and I do think they are the most...perhaps "_Canadian_" of bands. I truly don't know of another act (or rather writer such as Downie) as "big" that devotes so much Canadiana into their writing.


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## Xelebes (Mar 9, 2015)

Well, you can sort through them all. The list is not big.

In which case, the next biggest band is Nickelback when it comes to #1 albums.


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## Xelebes (Mar 9, 2015)

Also, note that The Hip are almost as big as Celine Dion. Celine Dion is kind of a big deal.


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## johnnyshaka (Nov 2, 2014)

GuitarsCanada said:


> I don't watch hockey either


One of my favorite Hip tunes...seemed fitting based on this comment.


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## vadsy (Dec 2, 2010)

I can't believe Gordon Lightfoot has more hit records than Kim Mitchell.


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## Milkman (Feb 2, 2006)

Geetarz said:


> Again, asinine to argue "greatest". In terms of within this country, how they were received (9 of 13 album releases hitting #1 status) there are many other fairly well known bands that don't even come close to such recognition as artists. Canadians as a whole seem to really like the band...not everyone but enough so that roughly 70% of the albums they released hit #1 in this country.
> As for the concert, 11.7 MILLION people tuned in to watch it...it was a grand-slam home run with a natural hat-trick, hole-in-one, bulls-eye, 3-pointer to win at the buzzer chaser.


Well, yes.....other than the slightly out of tune guitars, miscues on the endings, vocals, forgotten lyrics (yes he gets a bye on that).

Ah never mind.


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## allthumbs56 (Jul 24, 2006)

Geetarz said:


> As for the concert, 11.7 MILLION people tuned in to watch it...it was a grand-slam home run with a natural hat-trick, hole-in-one, bulls-eye, 3-pointer to win at the buzzer chaser.


I tuned in as well. I'm a fan and I appreciate the event for all that it is. But stand-alone, to me anyway, the guys in the band we're pretty lifeless and Downie seemed to be yelling a lot of monotone snippets into the mike and his vocal seemed poorly mixed.

I'm glad I was there ....................... but Maggs says I fell asleep 3 times.


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## GuitarsCanada (Dec 30, 2005)

Xelebes said:


> Comparison time:
> 
> Celine Dion: 15 #1 albums
> Tragically Hip: 9 #1 albums
> ...


An interesting list but what is the criteria for a number 1 album in Canada? For example I think the hip is around 6-8 million records sold in Canada. Rush I think sold close to 5 million copies of Moving Pictures in the states alone. I think they are somewhere around 43 million albums sold now and counting. I think they are sitting somewhere in the 70's on the all time sales list. Thats what I call impressive. In Canada a gold album is 40k sold and platinum is 50k in the USA its 500,000 for gold and a million for platinum. Double platinum is 2 million.

8 Rush albums are Platinum in the US alone with 2112 3x platinum and Moving Pictures 4x Platinum. Most all are platinum or more in Canada. Success to me comes down to money. How many albums are being sold. Granted Rush has been around a lot longer and they did not battle the digital age for a lot of their career.

Having said that 6-8 million records sold is by no means a trivial number. The Hip have done very well and should be congratulated for sure. But when we get right down to it Rush is the most successful heavy _rock_ band this country has ever produced.

Radio in my opinion should not even count in any statistics


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## Scotty (Jan 30, 2013)

vadsy said:


> I can't believe Gordon Lightfoot has more hit records than Kim Mitchell.


Probably surprises Kim too for a guy who once claimed he was rocks greatest guitarists. I'm not bashing him and he had some good stuff for sure...just think that's a pretty lofty claim


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## Xelebes (Mar 9, 2015)

GuitarsCanada said:


> An interesting list but what is the criteria for a number 1 album in Canada?


Did you read the footnote? This is the Canadian charts. American sales are excluded. And I don't feel like including them because I don't feel that sales in the US helps us determine what is the greatest Canadian band at all.


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## Guest (Aug 22, 2016)

Scotty said:


> .. rocks greatest guitarists.


Brought to mind a line in this movie. ~4:14 mark.
'Behold. I am the reincarnation of Jimi Hendrix.
All kneel and praise me'.
Watch the whole clip though. It's funny.


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## GuitarsCanada (Dec 30, 2005)

Xelebes said:


> Did you read the footnote? This is the Canadian charts. American sales are excluded. And I don't feel like including them because I don't feel that sales in the US helps us determine what is the greatest Canadian band at all.


Then check album sales and not number 1 hits or number 1 albums. Sales. You cannot determine anything from radio play. You also have to include world wide sales. or is this a contest to determine what Canadian band is the greatest within our borders? Thats even worse to determine. A band that becomes successful will get world wide attention. That is the key to determining a great band.


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## Geetarz (Jan 19, 2016)

Milkman said:


> Well, yes.....other than the slightly out of tune guitars, miscues on the endings, vocals, forgotten lyrics (yes he gets a bye on that).
> 
> Ah never mind.





allthumbs56 said:


> I tuned in as well. I'm a fan and I appreciate the event for all that it is. But stand-alone, to me anyway, the guys in the band we're pretty lifeless and Downie seemed to be yelling a lot of monotone snippets into the mike and his vocal seemed poorly mixed.
> 
> I'm glad I was there ....................... but Maggs says I fell asleep 3 times.


It wasn't their best show, sure but call me crazy, I think 11.7 million people tuning in to watch as a huge success...I guess you guys have much higher standards than I do.
And for the record Milkman, there were teleprompters used because after Gordie suffered his seisure and went through the brain operations, 30+ rounds of chemo and radiation, they thought it a safety net because he was having trouble remembering things...ah never mind...


GuitarsCanada said:


> I think they are somewhere around 43 million albums sold now and counting.
> 
> But when we get right down to it Rush is the most successful heavy _rock_ band this country has ever produced.


Nickelback has sold more than 50 million worldwide, so when you get right down to it, Rush is _not _the most successful heavy rock band this country has ever produced..


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## GuitarsCanada (Dec 30, 2005)

Geetarz said:


> It wasn't their best show, sure but call me crazy, I think 11.7 million people tuning in to watch as a huge success...I guess you guys have much higher standards than I do.
> And for the record Milkman, there were teleprompters used because after Gordie suffered his seisure and went through the brain operations, 30+ rounds of chemo and radiation, they thought it a safety net because he was having trouble remembering things...ah never mind...
> 
> Nickelback has sold more than 50 million worldwide, so when you get right down to it, Rush is _not _the most successful heavy rock band this country has ever produced..


is Nickleback a heavy rock band, I was unaware.


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## Xelebes (Mar 9, 2015)

Yes it is. What else is it?


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## Geetarz (Jan 19, 2016)

GuitarsCanada said:


> is Nickleback a heavy rock band, I was unaware.


Arguing "heavy" is as asinine as "greatest"....but for the record, yes, they are. I wouldn't call Rush heavy...prog-rock but not heavy. Seems like you're grasping at straws to try to pin a title of "greatest" on your favorite band...lose "heavy" "prog" "metal" or the like and by your own definition of best being all about the money, you must consider Nickelback the best rock band Canada has ever produced. Personally I can't stand the band but by your logic, I guess I can agree...


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## Milkman (Feb 2, 2006)

Geetarz said:


> Arguing "heavy" is as asinine as "greatest"....but for the record, yes, they are. I wouldn't call Rush heavy...prog-rock but not heavy. Seems like you're grasping at straws to try to pin a title of "greatest" on your favorite band...lose "heavy" "prog" "metal" or the like and by your own definition of best being all about the money, you must consider Nickelback the best rock band Canada has ever produced. Personally I can't stand the band but by your logic, I guess I can agree...


I'm not trying to pin anything on anyone.

I'm stating my opinion about the original post.

I can think of a number of bands who could more acurately be described as Canada's greatest for several reasons.


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## Xelebes (Mar 9, 2015)

GuitarsCanada said:


> Then check album sales and not number 1 hits or number 1 albums. Sales. You cannot determine anything from radio play. You also have to include world wide sales. or is this a contest to determine what Canadian band is the greatest within our borders? Thats even worse to determine. A band that becomes successful will get world wide attention. That is the key to determining a great band.


The Hip managed to repeatedly get on the RPM charts, which only calculated its charts based on sales, up until 2000 when the magazine shut its doors. Billboard's charts which relied on digital sales and radio airplay did not start until 2007. The Nielsen Soundscan charts in the interim period was more of a mix of the two methods.


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## GuitarsCanada (Dec 30, 2005)

Geetarz said:


> Arguing "heavy" is as asinine as "greatest"....but for the record, yes, they are. I wouldn't call Rush heavy...prog-rock but not heavy. Seems like you're grasping at straws to try to pin a title of "greatest" on your favorite band...lose "heavy" "prog" "metal" or the like and by your own definition of best being all about the money, you must consider Nickelback the best rock band Canada has ever produced. Personally I can't stand the band but by your logic, I guess I can agree...


If in fact they have bigger album sales then Rush then by all means they are the most successful Canadian band ever. Success (greatness) has to have some kind of tangible means of measurement. Radio play is not one of them IMO. I love Rush but I am not telling anyone that they are the greatest. I go by album sales and if you go by album sales the hip are simply not in the discussion. Again, not knocking the band they have done very well.


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## Geetarz (Jan 19, 2016)

Milkman said:


> I can think of a number of bands who could more acurately be described as Canada's greatest for several reasons.


I would genuinely be interested in hearing your examples within the context of being recognized as a band within Canada, which is the only consideration I was trying to express.


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## Geetarz (Jan 19, 2016)

GuitarsCanada said:


> If in fact they have bigger album sales then Rush then by all means they are the most successful Canadian band ever. Success (greatness) has to have some kind of tangible means of measurement. Radio play is not one of them IMO. I love Rush but I am not telling anyone that they are the greatest. I go by album sales and if you go by album sales the hip are simply not in the discussion. Again, not knocking the band they have done very well.


You are exactly correct and I never stated they had the highest record sales because taking that line of consideration puts Nickelback as #1 and I cannot stand that band. My own favorite homegrown band wouldn't even come close to registering on any sort of list. But I do happen to think charting is a tangible means of measurement, and in fact it is, to be technical about things and within that regard, I think it's hard to compete with The Hip within the boarders of this Country.


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## davetcan (Feb 27, 2006)

I have no dog in this hunt, but for the record

The Tragically Hip Are Canada's Most Successful Band Ever

"The Hip’s legacy of quintessential Canadiana is second-to-none — their songs are peppered with wistful references to sleepy towns like Bobcaygeon and Thompson, and unforgettable stories like those of David Milgaard and Bill Barilko. But besides being known for a catalogue that is thoroughly steeped in the culture of this nation, does The Hip deserve a place among the pantheon of great Canadian musical acts? Has their music truly captured the attention of a broad swath of the Canadian public?After digging into historical Canadian album charts, and considering metrics like weeks at #1, longevity, and breadth of album success, the answer could not be more clear: The Tragically Hip are without a doubt Canada’s most successful and well-loved band of the past 50 years."


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## GuitarsCanada (Dec 30, 2005)

Geetarz said:


> You are exactly correct and I never stated they had the highest record sales because taking that line of consideration puts Nickelback as #1 and I cannot stand that band. My own favorite homegrown band wouldn't even come close to registering on any sort of list. But I do happen to think charting is a tangible means of measurement, and in fact it is, to be technical about things and within that regard, I think it's hard to compete with The Hip within the boarders of this Country.


Charting has a lot to do with air play. Its a good measuring stick if all things are equal but to use Rush as an example again we all know they had very little air play. The masses will tend to buy whats pushed at them all day long. That's just natural. I would assume the Hip got a lot of rotation on standard radio especially in Canada. That's why I always go back to total album sales. We could probably name 50 bands in that same category as a band like Rush that sold albums by touring and word of mouth. Tough to do unless you are real good. Nickelback is another band I could not name a song. But if they have sold 50 million albums worldwide they have to be doing something right and must be given recognition for it.

Perhaps if we change the title to Most Popular Band in Canada, from Canada the Hip comes out on top. I will buy that


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## Geetarz (Jan 19, 2016)

GuitarsCanada said:


> Charting has a lot to do with air play. Its a good measuring stick if all things are equal but to use Rush as an example again we all know they had very little air play. The masses will tend to buy whats pushed at them all day long. That's just natural. I would assume the Hip got a lot of rotation on standard radio especially in Canada. That's why I always go back to total album sales. We could probably name 50 bands in that same category as a band like Rush that sold albums by touring and word of mouth. Tough to do unless you are real good. Nickelback is another band I could not name a song. But if they have sold 50 million albums worldwide they have to be doing something right and must be given recognition for it.


My only consideration from the get-go for this whole "greatest" thing was in the context of within the boarders of Canada...and even in that it's a concideration I limited to charting. To me it's a single but important consideration. But in the end, success is often measured by monetary means and there are a number of bands that would surpass the accomplishments of The Hip in that regard, Rush is certainly one, Nickelback another and likely any of the better known bands that bothered to venture outside of our boarders. And if we consider solo artists, Celine crushes all, Alanis Morissette and Shania Twain also topping the list. 40 million is a staggering number...and Shania has that in a single album...Celine has somewhere over 117million with 3 albums considered. We have some great acts and I have to tip my hat to anyone out there taking on the challenge as living as a musician...I tired it once, many moons ago...and now I manage an office and can actually pay rent and feed myself...and afford the guitars I really want


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## leftysg (Mar 29, 2008)

So let's open this up to international reputation. Rush has to be the best known Canadian Band. Look at their tour locations and fandom. I think the world loves them as much if not more than we do! I love the Hip, I wouldnt listen to Nickelback for $, and Rush is the best band we've ever had. End of argument. Close the thread. Someone ask Gord, Geddy and Chad. Two of three wins but since they're Canadian no one will choose themselves so. Lol


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## vadsy (Dec 2, 2010)

These days I would listen to Nickelback over Rush.


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## Geetarz (Jan 19, 2016)

leftysg said:


> So let's open this up to international reputation. Rush has to be the best known Canadian Band. Look at their tour locations and fandom. I think the world loves them as much if not more than we do! I love the Hip, I wouldnt listen to Nickelback for $, and Rush is the best band we've ever had. End of argument. Close the thread. Someone ask Gord, Geddy and Chad. Two of three wins but since they're Canadian no one will choose themselves so. Lol


This is a bummer but...Nickelback has played every continent except Antarctica...I don't think Rush has played Australia or Africa


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## High/Deaf (Aug 19, 2009)

Oh, I bet they've played Australia. In 40 years of going around the world, I would imagine they stumbled over it when the turned right leaving Japan?
_______________

But all of this /\ reinforces the FACT that there is no agreed-to criteria to choose 'best'. There is no such thing, and anyone using the word just isn't getting it.

If you think popularity is the metric of 'best/greatest', good for you. But it is not universal. Perhaps that is the metric for 'most popular' but not 'best'.

I've never been into popular music. I'm happy to say that my favorite bands aren't in the Top 4000. I'm fine with that. McDonald's is the most popular hamburger in the world, but best? Well, I don't think so but if you go by popularity, it would be hard to argue otherwise, no?

Any one of us can come up with whatever criteria we want to designate 'best' - and argue like hell to support it. Bend the data to support our argument. Just don't think you'll ever be right to anyone but yourself and those that choose to use your criteria. There is no fixed definition to guide us all to the same 'fact'.


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## bw66 (Dec 17, 2009)

vadsy said:


> These days I would listen to Nickelback over Rush.


Someone's trying to get banned!^)@#


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## davetcan (Feb 27, 2006)

Celine Dion, best selling canadian artist of all time I suspect. For what that's worth


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## Alex (Feb 11, 2006)

Xelebes said:


> The Hip were the greatest of the nationalist wave of bands that came from Southern Ontario. They stood atop Blue Rodeo, Rheostatics, Skydiggers, Our Lady Peace and Junkhouse. But that is as far as I would go.


I agree with that. I tried to tune in Saturday but after a couple tunes, I got outvoted....Never a big fan but did listen to Road Apples and Fully Completely when they came out. I have close friends who are big fans and still talk about the concerts they attended. I wish GD the best.


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## jb welder (Sep 14, 2010)

GuitarsCanada said:


> Success to me comes down to money.


Well that certainly explains your perspective . 
Money is probably one of the last things I consider when thinking of success, especially with regard to music.
I don't think someone like Warren Buffett will ever be cherished, loved, or remembered like these guys will. There is material success and then there is touching lives.
I appreciate that you believe there has to be a way to measure success, but for many people 'success' is an intangible concept.


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## zontar (Oct 25, 2007)

Xelebes said:


> Yes it is. What else is it?


In no way, shape or form woudl I consider Nickleback a heavy band in nay sense of the word.


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## High/Deaf (Aug 19, 2009)

Me neither. Power pop at most. And probably the same all the way through, going by the little bit I hear on the radio.

Rush has been many things over it's lifespan - heavy power trio, prog rock, synth pop / new age, power trio again. And as they've followed their muse, they've gained and lost and re-gained fans, present company included. I've like them and loved them and disliked them and hated them and liked them again. I love the beginning of their documentary where so many famous musicians talk about the influence Rush had on them. Not many Canadian bands can make that claim.


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## Geetarz (Jan 19, 2016)

High/Deaf said:


> Oh, I bet they've played Australia. In 40 years of going around the world, I would imagine they stumbled over it when the turned right leaving Japan?


Nope: Looks Like Rush As We Know It Will Never Tour Australia - Music Feeds


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## Milkman (Feb 2, 2006)

Geetarz said:


> I would genuinely be interested in hearing your examples within the context of being recognized as a band within Canada, which is the only consideration I was trying to express.


No, I think there's already enough of a pissing contest going on here. 

I didn't claim any band was the greatest.


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## Geetarz (Jan 19, 2016)

Milkman said:


> No, I think there's already enough of a pissing contest going on here.
> 
> I didn't claim any band was the greatest.


I actually think there has been some rather thought out discussion on a variety of the subject at hand. I was sincerely wondering if there was any substance to what you wrote. And well it wasn't a claim of any "greatest" band per say, it was in fact "I can think of a number of bands who could more acurately be described as Canada's greatest for several reasons."


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## GuitarsCanada (Dec 30, 2005)

jb welder said:


> Well that certainly explains your perspective .
> Money is probably one of the last things I consider when thinking of success, especially with regard to music.
> I don't think someone like Warren Buffett will ever be cherished, loved, or remembered like these guys will. There is material success and then there is touching lives.
> I appreciate that you believe there has to be a way to measure success, but for many people 'success' is an intangible concept.


You can slice it and dice it anyway you want but in the music industry you follow the cash and that's album sales and tour gross. Both of which come directly from fans of the music. How else can you measure it? You may be right in another context but not in this one. Without the fans there is no band, unless you like playing to an empty room. So ultimately the people decide and they vote with money.

Look at the cash spent here. Top tours of all time. What do these bands and people all have in common? Enormous talent and popularity. That is the measure of greatness.


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## Milkman (Feb 2, 2006)

Geetarz said:


> I actually think there has been some rather thought out discussion on a variety of the subject at hand. I was sincerely wondering if there was any substance to what you wrote. And well it wasn't a claim of any "greatest" band per say, it was in fact "I can think of a number of bands who could more acurately be described as Canada's greatest for several reasons."



Pffft

You want my list....why? So we can argue back and forth about it?

It's really not a debate anyone can win. Why bother?


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## Geetarz (Jan 19, 2016)

Milkman said:


> Pffft
> 
> You want my list....why? So we can argue back and forth about it?
> 
> It's really not a debate anyone can win. Why bother?


As I wrote a couple times, I was genuinely interested. GuitarsCanada brought some valid points about Rush and the big picture and he's undoubtedly right in that regard. I didn't want to look internationally because I have been dumbfounded by the whole Nickelback phenomenon and knew they'd take the cake.
You claimed to know of a number of Canadian bands greater than The Hip, within the boarders of Canada for several reason and I was sincerely curious...there must be some gravy for them mash potatoes...seems no one else had any thoughts beyond Rush but somehow you know of a number..simply curiosity.


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## Guest (Aug 23, 2016)

Maybe he's just wrong?


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## Xelebes (Mar 9, 2015)

zontar said:


> In no way, shape or form woudl I consider Nickleback a heavy band in nay sense of the word.


Hm.






Okay. The truth is Nickelback played heavier rock than Rush ever did.


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## GTmaker (Apr 24, 2006)

I completely agree with the GuitarsCanada statement...
The graph would be much more interesting if it showed the top 1,000. 
I can imagine a number of popular Canadian bands that would not make the expanded list...
G.




GuitarsCanada said:


> You can slice it and dice it anyway you want but in the music industry you follow the cash and that's album sales and tour gross. Both of which come directly from fans of the music. How else can you measure it? You may be right in another context but not in this one. Without the fans there is no band, unless you like playing to an empty room.
> *So ultimately the people decide and they vote with money.*
> Look at the cash spent here. Top tours of all time. What do these bands and people all have in common? Enormous talent and popularity. That is the measure of greatness.
> View attachment 22893


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## Guest (Aug 23, 2016)

How would Paul Anka fit into this 'greatest by level of success' list?


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## Diablo (Dec 20, 2007)

High/Deaf said:


> Me neither. Power pop at most. And probably the same all the way through, going by the little bit I hear on the radio.
> 
> Rush has been many things over it's lifespan - heavy power trio, prog rock, synth pop / new age, power trio again. And as they've followed their muse, they've gained and lost and re-gained fans, present company included. I've like them and loved them and disliked them and hated them and liked them again. I love the beginning of their documentary where so many famous musicians talk about the influence Rush had on them. Not many Canadian bands can make that claim.


Rush win my Gordie Howe Award....they've played in so many decades, even if they weren't particularly relevant in most of them.
I mean that as an balanced compliment.


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## Diablo (Dec 20, 2007)

double post


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## Diablo (Dec 20, 2007)

Geetarz said:


> Arguing "heavy" is as asinine as "greatest"....but for the record, yes, they are. I wouldn't call Rush heavy...prog-rock but not heavy. Seems like you're grasping at straws to try to pin a title of "greatest" on your favorite band...lose "heavy" "prog" "metal" or the like and by your own definition of best being all about the money, you must consider Nickelback the best rock band Canada has ever produced. Personally I can't stand the band but by your logic, I guess I can agree...


its an interesting comparison.
Rush are waaaay heavier _lyrically. _Nickelback will never write a song with words like "...Temples of Syrinx..." lol
But Nickelbacks guitarists uses Dual Rectos, so from that perspective .....


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## Xelebes (Mar 9, 2015)

Well, "Temples of Syrinx" was a reference to a band from Toronto.


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## traynor_garnet (Feb 22, 2006)

Are you guys actually arguing about who the "best"/"greatest" band is? Really? This place is like grade 9 sometimes.

Rename the thread, "I like the Hip more than any other Canadian band" and you are good.

Besides, we all know it's Neil Young . . .


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## vadsy (Dec 2, 2010)

Hip, not the greatest.
Rush, not the greatest.
Neil, very overrated.
Anka, love the guy!

Also, I'm going into grade 4 not 9.


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## Lincoln (Jun 2, 2008)

Kinda spurred on by this topic, I watched a YouTube called something like "50 Greatest Canadian Rock Songs of all time" a couple nights back. There was a lot of great music in there. Hit, after hit, after hit, it would be impossible to pick a #1 group out of all that stuff. It can't be done.


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## zontar (Oct 25, 2007)

Xelebes said:


> Hm.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Just my own opinion--but bland & generic--not that heavy...
And most of their stuff is nowhere near this in being heavy.

But hey--it's a matter of opinion--and mine differs...greatly.

And this album--while derivative in some ways is way more heavy overall than what you posted...





This song came later--heavier by far...




And much better songs.

But again--just my opinion.
If we all liked the same stuff it woudl get boring.


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## High/Deaf (Aug 19, 2009)

@zontar Thank you for that. I was going to post Working Man, which rips a new arsehole in that Nickleback tune. And consider the year it was produced and what else was going on at the time, that stuff was very, very heavy. Nickleback, not to denigrate them (hey, obviously a huge bunch of people love them) are just another kinda-heavy powerpop band. I could name a thousand like them. Not so for Rush in 1974 - perhaps not unique (Canadian Led Zep) they had much more of their own thing going on in a much smaller fishbowl.


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## GuitarsCanada (Dec 30, 2005)

Musically, Hemispheres was ridiculously challenging and for a three piece...... a masterpiece IMO


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## Xelebes (Mar 9, 2015)

Eh, must be conflicting definitions of heavy. When I think "heavy", I think "heavy metal". That is, with bombastic sonics but refers nothing to lyricism. It is closely related to "hard" like "hard rock" and "hard house" where amplification and aggression becomes the key.

Edit: Contextualisation seems to water down the term, unfortunately. Nickelback is not the heaviest out there during its time but when selecting tunes from the corpus of "heavy" tunes, Nickelback has an edge over Rush.

Not to put down Rush. Rush is still a leap (or two or three or four) ahead of Nickelback but "heaviness" is not the quality that puts Rush ahead of Nickelback.


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## High/Deaf (Aug 19, 2009)

IMO, context is everything. What was heavy in '74 is nothing by today's standards. Rush was a heavy band in its early days, it may have played with heavier tones 3 decades later but didn't sound heavy at all, in an era post Megadeth, Anthrax, and Pantera.


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## jb welder (Sep 14, 2010)

Lots of Rush talk, I know this isn't a Rush thread, but lets hear what the man himself has to say about it. 

Geddy Lee on the Tragically Hip


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## zontar (Oct 25, 2007)

High/Deaf said:


> @zontar Thank you for that. I was going to post Working Man, which rips a new arsehole in that Nickleback tune.


I was originally going to do that & saw the link for the full album--and decided to go for it.


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## Milkman (Feb 2, 2006)

jb welder said:


> Lots of Rush talk, I know this isn't a Rush thread, but lets hear what the man himself has to say about it.
> 
> Geddy Lee on the Tragically Hip


Shows what a great guy Geddy is. Watch Beyond the Lighted Stage if you haven't already.

In much the same way as the Hip speaks to this generation, Rush was the soundtrack to my adolescence.

I love those guys.

Heavy, light, whatever.


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