[WillyB]

Interesting new Sun article/interview w Rob


"Here’s what’s up with the rest of The Hip, who Baker said were halfway through a new album at the time of Downie’s death and also have a double album's worth of unreleased material".


http://www.torontosun.com/2017/10/21/the-hip-must-go-on

[Chris Tanz]

The headline to the Sun article is very misleading. "Anything but the Hip must go on" would be a more accurate reflection of Rob's actual responses.

A lot of interesting notes struck by Rob in that interview: "I have no interest in a chronological history of the band or talking about who influenced us and what our influence on others might be. It’s irrelevant. I don’t really care about any of that"; "We have lots of ongoing business together"; and "When Gord started doing solo albums none of us liked it because he had a voice with us. But I think we all came to terms with it" are the lines that leapt out at me most.

Speaking with a kind of detachment from the band and from Gord. A defensive reaction to people trying to get him to open up emotionally about Gord? A natural reaction to dealing with a larger-than-life lead singer?

Interesting.

ct

[senrab]

The headline to the Sun article is very misleading. "Anything but the Hip must go on" would be a more accurate reflection of Rob's actual responses.

A lot of interesting notes struck by Rob in that interview: "I have no interest in a chronological history of the band or talking about who influenced us and what our influence on others might be. It’s irrelevant. I don’t really care about any of that"; "We have lots of ongoing business together"; and "When Gord started doing solo albums none of us liked it because he had a voice with us. But I think we all came to terms with it" are the lines that leapt out at me most.

Speaking with a kind of detachment from the band and from Gord. A defensive reaction to people trying to get him to open up emotionally about Gord? A natural reaction to dealing with a larger-than-life lead singer?

Interesting.

ct

Sounds more like a natural reaction to their frontman wanting to do an album on his own after working with them for (then) 15 years. But then Rob ended up following suit anyway. That line surprised me as well.

[Joe]

Yeah, it's hard to hold that reaction against the boys. Gord was a singular talent and you couldn't predict how well his solo work would be received and how far it would reach.

[Killer Whale Tank]

A double album of unreleased stuff, plus a half-finished new album - that sounds about right in terms of 'post-Hip' releases. I don't think they should go the Dylan route of releasing every single scrap of recorded material, right down to false starts, etc.. But I *would* like to hear that last album, even if it includes a lot of unfinished and half-finished work. There's a value to be had in hearing such 'lost' projects...after a due interval.

The Hip have always been good at projecting a 'party line' when it came to band relationships. I remember when CMG came out, being alarmed that this could be the first sign of the end of the band, but the quotes from the other guys were always like, 'oh, we don't mind at all, it's not as though we had some rule against doing it, etc., etc..' In fact, it was obviously a source of strain.

I'm a bit disappointed that it sounds as though RB is conceiving of his memoir as something along the same lines as Buck 65's - i.e., a bunch of tall tales with some true ingredients. No one is asking for journalistic integrity, but I personally would prefer an attempt at honest recollection.

[rocketsan22]

The headline to the Sun article is very misleading. "Anything but the Hip must go on" would be a more accurate reflection of Rob's actual responses.

A lot of interesting notes struck by Rob in that interview: "I have no interest in a chronological history of the band or talking about who influenced us and what our influence on others might be. It’s irrelevant. I don’t really care about any of that"; "We have lots of ongoing business together"; and "When Gord started doing solo albums none of us liked it because he had a voice with us. But I think we all came to terms with it" are the lines that leapt out at me most.

Speaking with a kind of detachment from the band and from Gord. A defensive reaction to people trying to get him to open up emotionally about Gord? A natural reaction to dealing with a larger-than-life lead singer?

Interesting.

ct

Odd taste in my mouth after that read...even in interviews he seems to have distanced himself even before Gord passed...same vibe from LTR...

[direwolf74]

A double album of unreleased stuff, plus a half-finished new album - that sounds about right in terms of 'post-Hip' releases. I don't think they should go the Dylan route of releasing every single scrap of recorded material, right down to false starts, etc.. But I *would* like to hear that last album, even if it includes a lot of unfinished and half-finished work. There's a value to be had in hearing such 'lost' projects...after a due interval.

The Hip have always been good at projecting a 'party line' when it came to band relationships. I remember when CMG came out, being alarmed that this could be the first sign of the end of the band, but the quotes from the other guys were always like, 'oh, we don't mind at all, it's not as though we had some rule against doing it, etc., etc..' In fact, it was obviously a source of strain.

I'm a bit disappointed that it sounds as though RB is conceiving of his memoir as something along the same lines as Buck 65's - i.e., a bunch of tall tales with some true ingredients. No one is asking for journalistic integrity, but I personally would prefer an attempt at honest recollection.

Me too. When he mentioned he was writing a book, I was personally hoping for an honest warts and all account of the band's career. Unfortunately it sounds like he has no interest in that. I guess we'll have to make due with the upcoming Michael Barclay book for a detailed story of the band. Even though they're not officially involved, Barclary is a solid writer and I'm sure he'll do it justice. Maybe Paul, Gord S, or Johnny will someday write a book about all of this.

That being said, I'll still buy Rob's book regardless.

[cochise]

The headline to the Sun article is very misleading. "Anything but the Hip must go on" would be a more accurate reflection of Rob's actual responses.

A lot of interesting notes struck by Rob in that interview: "I have no interest in a chronological history of the band or talking about who influenced us and what our influence on others might be. It’s irrelevant. I don’t really care about any of that"; "We have lots of ongoing business together"; and "When Gord started doing solo albums none of us liked it because he had a voice with us. But I think we all came to terms with it" are the lines that leapt out at me most.

Speaking with a kind of detachment from the band and from Gord. A defensive reaction to people trying to get him to open up emotionally about Gord? A natural reaction to dealing with a larger-than-life lead singer?

Interesting.

ct

Odd taste in my mouth after that read...even in interviews he seems to have distanced himself even before Gord passed...same vibe from LTR...

Not knowing the true context of how Rob was talking, I kind of take it with a grain of salt. The way I kind of read it though is that at first the guys were upset when he said he wanted to go solo, (ie I don't want to play with you), and I could understand how it could be taken as a slight. But I think the way Rob describes it when CMG came out (and future solo stuff), he understood why Gord wanted to do it. This wasn't "Hip" material, this was Gord going off to do something different. It wasn't like Mick Jagger going out and doing a solo album that sounded just like a Stones album, this wasn't a Hip album of any sort, this was Gord veering off in a different direction, a direction that wouldn't have sounded right if it had been released as a Hip album.

In regards to him being distanced from Gord, everybody grieves differently, this could have been his way of dealing with it, trying to control his own emotions. On the other hand, it could have been Gord distancing himself too. It reminds me of when Neil Peart lost his daughter and wife. Geddy said he wanted to be there for him, but Neil didn't want it, he needed space to come to terms with it all. Geddy said all they could do was to give him that space but let him know they were there whenever needed. Who knows, could have been a similar situation.

[fingernailsonhull]

In context, they were talking about Secret Path and Rob was speaking very positively about it. It didn't sound like it was an ongoing source of tension in the band -- simply that they didn't like it at first but came to terms with it...and if they hadn't, Secret Path would've never happened and he's really glad it did.

[kieffer]

I agree with a number of the comments here regarding Rob’s comments.

I do wonder if his answer to how often he see’s/talks to Gord is a bit of a fib to prevent the interviewer from prying. In the sense of I can’t give you more information if I don’t know. Personally, it’s something I do on occasion.

Also agree that we don’t really know the tone of these comments in regards to the upcoming biography. Again I think it is more of Rob saying it’s not really they way he would chose to go about it and he’s not directly involved as opposed to being against it.

I too hope the unreleased b-sides get a proper release and the new material sees the light of day at some point. It sure will be a pleasant surprise down the road. I’d be all for a vinyl release of some live shows as well.

[senrab]

...same vibe from LTR...

I felt that same vibe in LTR when he was talking about them accepting that Gord was going to be the center of attention during this tour (more than ever). It was going to be the other 4, and Gord "with" the audience instead of "with" the band. (I don't know if that made sense.)

That being said, I completely understand his pessimistic attitude of going on tour and Gord having a seizure on stage and the footage going viral. He sounded very protective of him.

[potsie]

...same vibe from LTR...

I felt that same vibe in LTR when he was talking about them accepting that Gord was going to be the center of attention during this tour (more than ever). It was going to be the other 4, and Gord "with" the audience instead of "with" the band. (I don't know if that made sense.)

That being said, I completely understand his pessimistic attitude of going on tour and Gord having a seizure on stage and the footage going viral. He sounded very protective of him.

The comments from Rob regarding Gord going solo, and the fact that he is giving an interview about a guitar stand hours before Gord passes away, make me a little uncomfortable because it disrupts the idealized image of the band that I have in my head. As a "band of brothers" I pictured the four of them being in the room (or at least the hospital) as Gord passed away. Yet it seems as if the news of Gord's passing would have possibly caught Rob off guard. Of course, these situations are complicated and how one deals with the emotions surrounding death is unfair to scrutinize. And maybe Gord's wishes were for only family to be present. Still, it seems strange.

Specifically regarding his comments on Gord's solo career, it is that kind of candidness that I appreciate and would like to see in an official biography. I can completely understand the band's trepidation in Gord putting out a solo record. He was their meal ticket and it would have been natural to worry that he might enjoy the freedom that comes with being in complete creative control over a project/band, so much so that he might not want to return to the democracy of the Hip. I would much rather read Rob's thoughts on what he was feeling in 2000/2001 when Gord was readying CMG, than read his "tall tales" (although of course I will). Sacrificing truth in service of a good story is part of artistic liberty, but the fact that Rob has seemingly prefaced his "still to come" book by basically saying that there will be some bullshit involved, sours it for a me a little.

[direwolf74]

I think people are reading way too much into Rob's comments in that article.

[potsie]

I think people are reading way too much into Rob's comments in that article.

Which part? I took him at face value. I thought it was a very candid interview. He always gives such thoughtful responses.

[spasticreelin]

If I’m gonna read bullshit stories about The Hip, Ill write my own and save the money