12-11-2017, 09:28 AM
While we run through The Hip albums, I'll add in Gord's solo work.
Coke Machine Glow -- released July, 2001.
Starpainters
Vancouver Divorce
SF Song
Trick Rider
Canada Geese
Chancellor
The Never-Ending Present
Nothing but Heartache in Your Social Life
Blackflies
Lofty Pines
Boy Bruised by Butterfly Chase
Mystery
Elaborate
Yer Possessed
Every Irrelevance
Insomniacs of the World, Goodnight
For what became a pretty impressive body of solo work, I think CMG may remain my favorite. Just as an overall impression, I find it pretty interesting that Gord was able to carve out this section of a career that was really musically separate and distinct from The Hip. There are not too many instances where I hear a solo song and think "that could have been a Hip song".
My main recollection of this album was hearing complete versions of the bits and pieces that had been interjected into songs over the past few years of shows. I'm also guessing I was likely confused by some of the more casual arrangements and the spoken word, but this remains an album that I come back to fairly regularly. I'm looking forward to the vinyl issue -- I don't expect it to be sonically superior, but it will be good to sit and listen to the album without interruption (i'll admit I often skip the spoken word if they come up in shuffle).
I was always curious about the band reaction to Gord's solo work. I don't think they ever said anything publically, until Rob's interview on the guitar stand that happened right around when Gord died (my impression was the interview was done at a time Rob knew the end was near). I''ll "paraphrase", but I recall he said they were not happy about Gord making a solo album and wondered if it was maybe the end of the band, but came to appreciate what Gord was able to do with his solo work. It must have been odd to see lyrics that had become part of the Hip show go into a solo album, but possibly it gave Gord an outlet for some less traditional songs and arrangement ideas that then allowed The Hip to continue on.
I do regret never seeing a Gord solo show -- for whatever reason, it never seemed to work out in my schedule.
Coke Machine Glow -- released July, 2001.
Starpainters
Vancouver Divorce
SF Song
Trick Rider
Canada Geese
Chancellor
The Never-Ending Present
Nothing but Heartache in Your Social Life
Blackflies
Lofty Pines
Boy Bruised by Butterfly Chase
Mystery
Elaborate
Yer Possessed
Every Irrelevance
Insomniacs of the World, Goodnight
For what became a pretty impressive body of solo work, I think CMG may remain my favorite. Just as an overall impression, I find it pretty interesting that Gord was able to carve out this section of a career that was really musically separate and distinct from The Hip. There are not too many instances where I hear a solo song and think "that could have been a Hip song".
My main recollection of this album was hearing complete versions of the bits and pieces that had been interjected into songs over the past few years of shows. I'm also guessing I was likely confused by some of the more casual arrangements and the spoken word, but this remains an album that I come back to fairly regularly. I'm looking forward to the vinyl issue -- I don't expect it to be sonically superior, but it will be good to sit and listen to the album without interruption (i'll admit I often skip the spoken word if they come up in shuffle).
I was always curious about the band reaction to Gord's solo work. I don't think they ever said anything publically, until Rob's interview on the guitar stand that happened right around when Gord died (my impression was the interview was done at a time Rob knew the end was near). I''ll "paraphrase", but I recall he said they were not happy about Gord making a solo album and wondered if it was maybe the end of the band, but came to appreciate what Gord was able to do with his solo work. It must have been odd to see lyrics that had become part of the Hip show go into a solo album, but possibly it gave Gord an outlet for some less traditional songs and arrangement ideas that then allowed The Hip to continue on.
I do regret never seeing a Gord solo show -- for whatever reason, it never seemed to work out in my schedule.