[farmerdan]

I’m still trying to digest the news fully. Since the news came last year, I knew this day would be coming. I think it may have made it a little easier to take... But still, it feels like a part of me is gone. The Hip have been such a huge part of my life since the mid 90s. I can’t be as eloquent as some on this forum, so thanks for that. Reading many of your posts have made me feel a little less alone.

Something that I really enjoyed yesterday, was going back in my phone to last years Toronto shows, and watching the videos of Gord saying goodbye to the crowd... it seemed kinda fitting.

Goodbye Gord, I will miss you

[Zephyr5]

I couldn't visit the board yesterday - my mind was in too much of a spin with the news. Today it's hitting me harder. Reading all your posts - some so eloquent. Thanks for this. It all helps.

You may have already seen this but here's a beautiful poetic tribute by MP Charlie Angus (formerly of The Grievous Angels) in HOC

http://charlieangus.ndp.ca/videos?playli...exLTCglmRI

[sean.bonner]

Yesterday, I couldn't listen to any of the fast bangers. I was due in at work at 11am, but I have flexibility in my schedule and figured 'screw it', I'll go in earlier and set my alarm for 7:30, thinking I'd make it in for 8:30. Happy I had that time yesterday. I heard because by the time I had shaved, I heard my phone vibrate, and it was my mom. The text read 'Sad day '. I knew right away.

So happy I had time to process for a bit before trying to get it together before work at 11am.

Couldn't handle any 'bangers' yesterday...

I got a coffee and gas, parked the car, put on Coke Machine Glow and let the emotion flow. I have a feeling it will come and go for the next little while (just like it has been since last May).

Today was better than the last. I put on Man Machine Poem, and actually found myself grinning at several points. Tears as well, but Gord's voice is making me smile already.

Hope today was easier for some others today, and if it wasn't, let's just see what tomorrow brings.

[clarke]

Thank you for posting this. I hadn't listened to it in years. One of the recent Malcolm Gladwell podcasts was on the etymology of the Hallelujah cover. Cohen wrote 80 verses before recording it, John Cale and then Jeff Buckley covered it and it went on from there. Of course Gord didn't follow this path and chose the verses that no one else does. The final one really hit me listening to it now.

I did my best, it wasn't much
I couldn't feel, so I tried to touch
I've told the truth, I didn't come to fool you
And even though it all went wrong
I'll stand before the Lord of Song
With nothing on my tongue but Hallelujah

Thank You

Gord singing Hallelujah
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[spasticreelin]

Just heard the hip played at Chicago black hawks game :thumb:

[emperor penguin]

People always say you shouldn't live in the past. But I find that sometimes, in times like these, that's the best place to be. Over the last day I've been watching a lot of old interviews and concert footage and there's some comfort in trying to transport back to those times. Even if they were before I would have been aware of them as they were happening.

This helps.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ldo5aX_ZwcY

I'm not ready to look forward yet. I'm just gonna bask in the past for a little while longer.

I miss ya Gordie.

[paulster2626]

Just realized I’m still wearing my “courage for Gord” wristband that’s been on since last years concert tour. I don’t know what to do with it now. Doesn’t feel right to take it off, and it doesn’t feel right to keep it on.

[hurls15]

I am not in the right headspace to cogently express all of it right now, but echo the comments of so many on here. Wednesday morning marked the beginning of a family vacation at Disney World for me and my family. I had the news broke to me on Wednesday morning as I stood at the foot of Main Street, with celebration and happiness bombarding me from all sides. The juxtaposition was uneasy, feeling gutted while being assaulted visually with scenes of unbridled happiness.

As I walked around the park that day with my happy and excited 7 and 3 yr old kids, hiding some tears and red eyes behind sunglasses, it reminded me of how important kids and family were to Gord. My heart breaks, especially for his children. It also reminded me that music and memories of Gord and the Hip have and will continue to be passed from parent to child and onward. It will also exist in us that we're fortunate by birthdate to have the band, through music and concert memories, interwoven with our teenage and adult lives. The fact that so many can close their eyes and recall 5 senses worth of memories from a moment in time from 20-25 years ago is incredible.

In any event, it feels odd to be away from Home at a time like this. Thanks for providing 13 pages and counting of commiseration and updates/links to obits etc.

[carebread]

I don't know what to say that hasn't been said. Don't think it's sunk in for me yet.. haven't given myself any downtime to process, no tears. Maybe I prepared myself for this when the news of his cancer broke, I don't know.

Went to the vigil last night.. it attracted quite a crowd.

[Tubaros]

RIP Gord, my hero, a legend and the best damn front man there was. Here's to the man who walks among the stars.

"Good night everybody. We'll see you down the road somewheres, alright?"

[Tubaros]

Thank you Gord for writing the soundtrack to most of my life. a
Thank you SiriusXM for the perfect 24 hour random shuffle.

i've 2 cried at farewell shows: Gene in London and then last Kingston gig watching in a hotel room on my iPad. But this is the first time i've ever cried from the death of an artist. I've mourned a dozen times. but never shed actual tears. this is going to be a rough road. Being a fan from the US makes it even harder. where i have hardly anyone to talk to about it. so here i am reading your thoughts and feeling like i'm not so alone.

so my final, and 3rd thank you is to you folks.

My friend, here in the UK, we have nothing. No music, no newspaper coverage. Thank the lord for the internet.

As a fellow Brit, fan since Glastonbury '93, its a real shame - there are two stories on BBC News, but no mention of it anywhere else, and no-one knows anything about it whatsoever. Its like there's this huge thing happening, and a great loss of a human being and the music he made with his friends, and people are oblivious. Very surreal going through it completely alone without anyone IRL to share it with.

[northern wave]

I was working on something to pay tribute to the guys. Finished it on Tuesday night.
Thought it might bring some comfort.

https://www.facebook.com/boundlessproduc...6149391471

[bouche03]

This is way too personal but I'm just gonna share it anyway & be embarrassed because I can't say it right but happy because I tried anyway:

Maybe once or twice a year i have a dream about Gord. Last night was one of those nights. Laying in bed this morning with Ahead By A Century & Trickrider whispering in my head, thinking about how even in life Gord was mostly spirit, mostly human soul. He seemed at home in the world that is invisible, that can't be seen with the human eye but is real & present nonetheless. The world of all the powerful but invisible energies of the spirit, like love & creativity & joy & despair. Now he's all spirit, which doesn't mean he's gone but just means he's in a place that's harder to get to than Toronto. He's part of all those invisible but real things, & for me, to spend time with Gord all I have to do is love or dream or write or draw. That's where Gord lives for me now, that's where I can go to find him.

& the music, of course. Ahead by A Century is just making the sun a bit warmer this morning, the coffee a bit richer, the day a bit more enticing & worth exploring. I am so grateful I found the Hip when I did & so grateful for every word Gord's written & every performance he's spun out in front of me. Cheers to everyone on here, I hope Gord shows up in your day in the magical way only Gord can.

Wow, thanks for sharing that...so well said and straight form the heart. Really enjoyed that; THANK YOU.

[ashtrayrock]

still struggling....like so many have said we all knew it was coming..BUT

not to be that political guy but i'm super glad justin was our guy when this went down
i can't even imagine what it would be like to have that other guy in charge at this moment in time
gord made a difference to life in canada. secret path was/is clearly one of his greatest gifts to us all
it has helped me personally to realize the decades of injustice. it was so right of him for calling out to justin in kingston last year
that moment especially made me proud of gord. what an ambassador to canada he is/was
justin's a guy who cares deeply about gord, reconciliation, and our country. i was moved very deeply by his tears/words
and please don't let this thread become political because that is not my intention

jeff beck massey hall. the place was packed and before the show i went down to the bar to grab a drink
in the chaos of no proper line up as i inched my way towards the bartenders i noticed i had two band members right beside me
i nodded and told them the usual i love you guys stuff and we chatted about how cool it was gonna be to see jeff beck play in this place
when we got to the bar there was gord and i and rob behind us. as were kinda together the bar tender took gord's order and then looked right at me and i ordered a beer
i preceded to poke fun at gord cause he ordered a coors light and rob ordered a double white russian(LOL)
we laughed and when the bar tender brought our drinks gord graciously paid for mine.

like ive mentioned gord was always at many local shows. he was at pj harvey earlier this year at massey hall

and does anyone remember when gord showed up at joel plaskett's 5 night run at the horseshoe tavern's anniversary party
in true gord fashion he ad libbed some lyrics to love this town
i was there 8feet away and that is also a night i will never forget

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[senrab]

I was working on something to pay tribute to the guys. Finished it on Tuesday night.
Thought it might bring some comfort.

https://www.facebook.com/boundlessproduc...6149391471

Thank you for that.