The Tragically Hip is “certainly one of the greatest bands we’ve ever produced in this country,” according to Geddy Lee. High praise from the frontman of, arguably, one of the greatest bands we’ve ever produced in this country.
Sitting down in front of a wall of gold records at Rush's management's office in Toronto, Lee candidly spoke to CBC Music’s Kerry Martin about his affection for the Tragically Hip as part of an upcoming radio pre-show for the Aug. 20 broadcast, the final date of the Man Machine Poem tour in Kingston, Ont. (click here for details on the show).
“The first time you listen to one of their records it kind of sneaks up on you,” Lee says. “It sounds simpler than it is. There is a particular way the power of those guitars work together.… [They] always sound sinewy and muscular. Then you put Gord's voice and his lyrics on top of that, and after repeated listening, you really start to love it. It just gets inside you. I think that's a trademark of the Hip.”
Lee goes on to talk about the first time he heard the band, what it was like playing with them in the early ‘90s and names his favourite songs and albums. You can watch all the answers below.
Tune into CBC on Saturday, Aug. 20 at 8:30 p.m. ET to watch a live broadcast of the Tragically Hip's last Man Machine Poem tour date. The show will also be live streamed on CBCMusic.ca and on CBC Radio One and Radio 2. Learn more about the special broadcast here.
On the Hip as a uniquely Canadian band
On the Hip opening for Rush in the early '90s
On his favourite Hip album
On the Hip’s cover of ‘Limelight’
And on his favourite Hip songs: ‘50 Mission Cap’
‘Ahead by a Century’
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How to watch the Tragically Hip's Aug. 20 concert on CBC
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