I told you these guys were going places!

Learn more about it at the website. You can also put together nice little B-Sides CD from the free mp3's they are offering here.

Speaking of great touring bands, there is a nice little behind-the-scene's footage of the Tragically Hip for download at thehip.com.  I have never been able to turn any friends on to the hip. I thought once the the Mix-Tapable Sacred  with its WWI historical alusion might do the trick for Alex, but no, I think the battle of the Hip has become [insert WWI reference important battle-line here].  Alex, by the way, is doing great work in the comments pages.  You might just appreciate listening Gord's recitation of his poem, here.  I can't help it, I love these guys.  

I don't know who comes up with this shit
but, I wish they'd stop saying;
'it's not the band I hate, it's their fans'

You can't hate "fans".
You must narrow your hate
You can't hate huge, hate sprawling, hate the wild,
unfocussed hate hates itself,
pick your victims. specialize
find the good n' unaffiliated, the heir-not apparent, the everyday outcast,
the weirdo with the heart of gold, infiltrate the hoser elite.
Find the ribs-showingest rock n roll stray dog
That ever pushed melodious air
howling against vivisection in the uncompartmentalizeable
night.
and, then hate

or go to a show - look down your row.
the lights are on - find people you know.
There's AnthemSinger standing with his arm
around DarklyNurturedDream.
and Ol'Quintessential listening to HigherThanACBCGuest say;
"I haven't read them, but I understand them."
And there's BrainOfAToaster (he knows when things are done)
next to that girl, CradlingHerKeyCard, whispering,
"this might be my last show, come."
Check it out! There's HoldStill and Gently - together again for the very first time.
and MyDoctrineHasFailedMeButMyMusicHasn't
next to ColderValues, next to FeaturelessButFree.
Hey, even TheEmperorHasNoHook is here and IDon'tWannaTalkAboutItHowYouBrokeMyHeart, she's here too.

make the jump for more.

He's done that before, replaced proper names with sentences.  Its original, and yet almost of the defninition of poety. You're trying to get as much out there is as little space and possible, and names are so inefficient.   See this verse for an example in one of his songs.

We hung around til the final band
called 'Escape is at Hand for the Travellin' Man'
you yelled in my ear this music speaks to me
they launched into 'Lonely From Rock n Roll'
followed by 'They Checked Out An Hour Ago'
closing with 'All Desires Turn Concrete'

.....

I walked through your revolving door
got no answer on the seventh floor
elevator gave a low moan
the pigeons sagged the wire with their weight
listening to the singing chambermaid
she sang 'They Checked Out an Hour Ago'

 

That's good shit