[mrlayance]

Never seen this before, lots of early concert dates and stories.

<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.qjlongform.com/The-Hip-Files/TheHipFilesHome.html">http://www.qjlongform.com/The-Hip-Files ... sHome.html</a><!-- m -->

[hurls15]

Thanks for posting that link. There were some interesting old articles and pictures that I had not seen before. Some of the highlights for me included:

- the November 1986 article talking about the metamorphosis of the band. "Who's this Paul guy on rhythm guitar, and where the hell is the sax player?" I found it hilarious that in NOVEMBER 1986 "connoisseurs of the old Hip" were viewing the evolution of the band as not as much fun and self indulgent. "Bringing Davis back on sax would be a definite treat". It's funny how 'new' connoisseurs of the 'old' hip were making those same rumblings in 1996, and in the early 2000's, and on and on and on. Some things never change, apparently. The statement that "The Hip need to shake out of their contentment a bit and get back to some of the straight ahead rock and roll they're known for and altogether capable of" could have been ripped over the years from the pages of the old alt.tragicallyhip newsgroup or even this board. Too funny.

- the January 16, 1990 article review of the Superbash show headlined by The Hip at Jock Harty Arena on the Queens Campus. A small venue. $2 beers. A setlist that led off with Crack My Spine Like a Whip and extended version of Highway Girl up third. Sounds like kind of show that a lot of us would give our metaphorical left arm to be at, right? Well not most folks in Kingston that evening. The article noted that a much larger audience had been expected, with a much smaller number of people in attendance. The writer questioned whether Queen's was sick of The Hip, and noted that there was a huge crowd waiting to get into Alfies that evening and that the QP was packed. It is tough to wrap my mind around how a hometown small venue show, in the between Up to Here and Road Apples setlist era, was not sold out. Things would certainly change in the next couple of years!

- the January 27, 1987 article in which the author asks Paul what kind of audience they usually have. Paul's response, "just people". Love it, even though the author didn't seem to think very much of it.

- the January 26, 1988 stinging review of the EP. Ouch. That must have been tough for the guys to read in their campus newspaper. The review, by one Ted Betts, is less than kind. I think some of his critical points are pretty fair, but as a whole it comes across like a Jebediah Atkinson movie review on Weekend Update (for you SNL fans out there). Incidentally, I couldn't resist googling Mr. Betts to see what became of him. Turns out he moved on from music review to a career in law as a partner at a large Bay St. law firm. Pretty bold move for a young 1st or 2nd year student to take on local heroes like that.

Anyway, some random thoughts for a random November day.

[hotmetal401]

Thanks to Lance for posting this. I remember reading some of these articles one afternoon while at the old Journal House, killing time before an interview.

- the January 26, 1988 stinging review of the EP. Ouch. That must have been tough for the guys to read in their campus newspaper. The review, by one Ted Betts, is less than kind. I think some of his critical points are pretty fair, but as a whole it comes across like a Jebediah Atkinson movie review on Weekend Update (for you SNL fans out there). Incidentally, I couldn't resist googling Mr. Betts to see what became of him. Turns out he moved on from music review to a career in law as a partner at a large Bay St. law firm. Pretty bold move for a young 1st or 2nd year student to take on local heroes like that.

Fast forward 16 years and I'm writing for the Journal and another Queen's band is releasing their debut album. We're all fourth years; I've known them since they got together. The assignment was probably the worst I had all year. As a collective, they thought they had a good record. As a reviewer - and someone who had seen them live dozens of times - I wasn't as impressed. It was okay, but not really great. I heard about that review on a couple of occasions through the rest of the school - and even at some functions years after we graduated.

I feel for the guy who got that assignment and wasn't fond of the album. I get it though, especially if he had been there for any length of time when they were performing in that city regularly. I mean, compare the EP to the recently uncovered bootleg from the summer of 87 - they're two different bands.

It wasn't my story, but a colleague of mine at the Journal had a similar scenario occur with a band who broke out Queen's in the early 2000s to some moderate cross-over success (think circa-2005 Zellers commercials). Dude cornered her at a party and got really self-indigent, amazed that someone could feel that his band wasn't the greatest thing in the entire world.

[fingernailsonhull]

Thanks for posting that link. There were some interesting old articles and pictures that I had not seen before. Some of the highlights for me included:

- the November 1986 article talking about the metamorphosis of the band. "Who's this Paul guy on rhythm guitar, and where the hell is the sax player?" I found it hilarious that in NOVEMBER 1986 "connoisseurs of the old Hip" were viewing the evolution of the band as not as much fun and self indulgent. "Bringing Davis back on sax would be a definite treat". It's funny how 'new' connoisseurs of the 'old' hip were making those same rumblings in 1996, and in the early 2000's, and on and on and on. Some things never change, apparently. The statement that "The Hip need to shake out of their contentment a bit and get back to some of the straight ahead rock and roll they're known for and altogether capable of" could have been ripped over the years from the pages of the old alt.tragicallyhip newsgroup or even this board. Too funny.

- the January 16, 1990 article review of the Superbash show headlined by The Hip at Jock Harty Arena on the Queens Campus. A small venue. $2 beers. A setlist that led off with Crack My Spine Like a Whip and extended version of Highway Girl up third. Sounds like kind of show that a lot of us would give our metaphorical left arm to be at, right? Well not most folks in Kingston that evening. The article noted that a much larger audience had been expected, with a much smaller number of people in attendance. The writer questioned whether Queen's was sick of The Hip, and noted that there was a huge crowd waiting to get into Alfies that evening and that the QP was packed. It is tough to wrap my mind around how a hometown small venue show, in the between Up to Here and Road Apples setlist era, was not sold out. Things would certainly change in the next couple of years!

- the January 27, 1987 article in which the author asks Paul what kind of audience they usually have. Paul's response, "just people". Love it, even though the author didn't seem to think very much of it.

- the January 26, 1988 stinging review of the EP. Ouch. That must have been tough for the guys to read in their campus newspaper. The review, by one Ted Betts, is less than kind. I think some of his critical points are pretty fair, but as a whole it comes across like a Jebediah Atkinson movie review on Weekend Update (for you SNL fans out there). Incidentally, I couldn't resist googling Mr. Betts to see what became of him. Turns out he moved on from music review to a career in law as a partner at a large Bay St. law firm. Pretty bold move for a young 1st or 2nd year student to take on local heroes like that.

Anyway, some random thoughts for a random November day.

This is very interesting. I guess every band, no matter how old, has some fans who just want them to keep making the same song over and over again.

[Scotty12]

Fantastic share, thank you.