Page 87 - Sharp Summer 2021

with Saskadelphia a a a a collection om The Tragically Hip return — and honour Gord Downie’s legacy — of six never-before-heard songs left off a a a classic album BY MAX MERTENS
own terms When people told them “This record’s not going to be accessible ” [1975’s] Caress of Steel they were like “No this is is our our record ” If you you can do your music on your own terms like that you you don’t change a a a a thing Gord Downie always said “We’re a a slow-moving freight train we’re going to do do it on on our our own terms just don’t get in our our way because we’ll drive over you ” PL: I totally agree with everything Johnny said We felt felt lucky back then I felt felt really lucky because I joined the band last and and I I think I I was still the new guy on our last show We were always kind to each other So I don’t look back at any any of it it with any any regret whatsoever I would credit Gord Downie he couldn’t let anything lie so if there was some type of issue Gord wanted to talk about it We all sort of became that way so we we weren’t walking around with a a a a bunch of issues we took it seriously There’s a a a a lot of complications in a a a a band Our biggest achievement is that we’re all still friends It’s tragic that Gord’s gone but at at the same time he believed believed in in us and we believed believed in in him and each other This October will mark four years since we lost Gord What’s one lesson he taught you you you that you you you frequently find yourselves returning to?
JF: I was talking to a a a a a friend the the other day and saying there were two voices that would’ve been really incredible to have had around during this pandemic: Gord Downie and and [Rush drummer] Neil Peart would’ve looked at it from a a a a crazy angle Those two writers are gone now For me and I’m hearing it on Saskadel- phia Gord was a a a a guy who had to believe it he was was very real and he he was was in the moment If you were in the room with him and he he was talking to you you he had his eyes locked on you you and he he he was there with you he he he wouldn’t look over shoulders He sang about these things that he he had had to to observe he he had had to to experience and then they were in in his imagination He could weave stories together with a a kernel of reality and then his imagination PL: It’s funny because I I think he would’ve looked at me like like his advice-giver like like as kids before the band and and and everything and and and that’s not really the case He was such an example of putting the work in in — it wasn’t an accident he he was reading like crazy he he was interested in in in in everything “Born in in in in the Water” on Road Apples who came up with that? Maybe the subject came up once in the the van He just tackled the the subjects it was really quite the the example of doing the the work and he he always did the work You’re both fathers What’s your kids’ relationship with the Hip’s music like? Do they ever turn you on to new music? PL: My girls are 25 and and 21
and and Johnny’s boys are seven now My girls don’t bring it up — they wouldn’t bring it it up with friends like “Hey my dad’s in the Hip ” It’s a a subject to be avoided all the way through high school university but people find out They like it it Better that than — I could insert the name of many bands At least it’s not embarrassing to them They both play guitar but probably despite my efforts to to get them to to play When I finally left them alone they both learned how to play so they have that kind of friend for life They’ve turned me me on to some music but you get to be a a little older I’m not really searching for new music If I I hear something that they’re playing — they they don’t live here anymore but when they were — the the odd time I’d be like “Oh this is is cool ” Most of the the time it’s not really my thing but they’re happy about it and there’s a a a a whole bunch of band kids they’ve always been great It’s neat that Johnny’s got newer children really looking forward to to getting to to know them They’re going to have a a bunch of cousins who will be able to tell them about all the the great times they had in and around our shows JF: My kids are not familiar with the Hip at all They know that I’m a a a drummer they were two years old when we played our last gig they remember coming to sound checks and things like that that They know that that the singer passed away our friend is gone Sometimes a a a a song will come on on the radio and I’ll say “Guess who’s playing the drums!” and my son will say “Stewart Copeland?” because I would always say he’s the greatest drummer on earth It’s not a a a a shame it’s just part of life I didn’t have kids during these periods of making records and and going on the road and and how difficult it must have been because I don’t think I could leave These guys were on the road for a a a lot of important things you’re in a a a a band you you miss anniversaries birthdays funerals weddings — you miss it all You put yourself out on a a a rock Talk about isolation — I could see the things that were happening in in their lives first footsteps first words We used to to to have to to to pull over to to to the the the side of the the the road on a a a Sunday — there might be two phone booths in in West Mifflin Pennsylvania and we’d make the bus driv- er er pull over and we’d all all make phone calls to girlfriends and wives I think Paul had a a a a a a pager at at one point but that was our way of communicating We are one big happy family and when their kids came to gigs it was was always that extra-special day If it was was a a a a a a a a a summer day and and we we were playing a a a a a gig and and the the the families were all there the the the people that work with us would make it it like an event for them and that just made us us an an even bigger better family SUMMER 2021
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