Gord Downie Dead at age 53

Today marks a sad day for all Canadians.
Whether a hard core fan of the Tragically Hip or have only heard a few songs - either way every Canadian has heard the music flow from Gord Downies vocal cords.
For those who dont know, in 2015 after suffering a seizure Gord Downie learnt he had a count down over his head.
Later in May of 2016 he announced it to the world.

He was diagnosed with a very aggressive form of brain cancer called glioblastoma.
When the news broke, people held their breath and said their prayers.
Gords answer was to hold a summer tour titled: Man Machine Poem tour was "for Gord, and for all of us."
The final night of the tour closed in Kingston on Aug. 20 with the show being live streamed all across the world.
Cities across Canada made it a public event and held the show at various venues to support the enormous outcome of attendees.

My family and I headed down to our cities Marina where the concert was being streamed onto the big screen.
Thousands of our city residents attended the event.
The static in the air was just amazing. Even though we weren't at the actual live show in Kingston, the way the crowd was that night, it sure as hell felt like we all were.

In a statement released by his family:
"Gord knew this day was coming – his response was to spend this precious time as he always had – making music, making memories and expressing deep gratitude to his family and friends for a life well lived, often sealing it with a kiss… on the lips,"

Gord was also a large advocate for Native rights, and a spokes person for raising awareness about the residential schools the Native people of Canada faced in the 60's.

RIP Mr Downie,
You may be gone, but your music will be in our hearts forever.

a reply to: Macenroe82

F***!!!

I hate this year so much!!



only time i've ever cried about a celebrity death

Canada aches... He'll never be forgotten



Much love Gordie... RIP

a reply to: Akragon

Ya, its pretty crazy how many artist deaths there has been over the past couple of years.

Knew it was coming, but that doesn't make it any less shocking or tragic. RIP Mr. Downie.

a reply to: Macenroe82
Such # news to wake up to today. Damnit we lost a great human being. An incredible Canadian who was not afraid to tell it real.
Heard it was harder for them to break out in the US back in the day, because Canadians kept filling the seats at their US tour dates.
He has an epic legacy that we can continue, in the listening of his music, of the power of his words, of his determination to speak up his concerns for humanity. He was not only a musical icon, he is a Canadian Legend.

ps if you haven't heard of him or The Tragically Hip, I recommend it. He defended the rights of the Indigenous, the wrongly accused (David Milgaard-- now there's an old conspiracy story that has tie-ins that fit perfectly to this site), and called our prime minister on it.

RIP Gord.
Been so long I forgot-- what portion of the youtube link do you paste for upload?

That's sad. The Tragically Hip always makes me think of camping. When I was a kid my dad's car got broken into and all his tapes got stolen. We went on a couple week long camping trip that year and all we had to listen to the whole trip was Chuck Barry's greatest hits and Up to Here by the Tragically Hip. We listened to those over and over again the whole trip....

the numbers after the = sign

RIP
A model for a perfect frontman. Often copied, but never to be duplicated.

a reply to: Macenroe82

Gord was also a large advocate for Native rights, and a spokes person for raising awareness about the residential schools the Native people of Canada faced in the 60's.

Yes, we not only lost a great artist but also an honoured activist, RIP.

Here is what an indigenous artist had to say:

Isadore Day, the Assembly of First Nations Regional Chief of Ontario, echoed this sentiment. "I felt very grateful that someone of his stature would take to the cause and really lift up our people through his music and his stellar reputation," he told VICE. "I don't think being non-Native or being white is the strength here," he adds. "In his own time of reflection about his own mortality has drawn a line of truth about what's important."

www.vice.com...

a reply to: ItsEvolutionBaby

so there is the whole youtube/.../v=9-WBZMRFFkU/ < iframe > [or whatever]

it would just be this part in bold you need: youtube/.../v=9-WBZMRFFkU/... < iframe > [or whatever]

With that string, you can hit the "You Tube" button above the text box or just add the BBcode [ yvid ] and [ /yvid ] (no spaces!)

He was also bestowed an eagle feather by the Assembly of First Nations and an aboriginal name, Wicapi Omani.

In Lakota it means "man who walks among the stars".

BBCNews.com - link.

That choked me up this morning.

Not technically in Canada, Alaska is pretty dang close! I cannot speak for all of the AK, but I liked the Tragically Hip. I like music that sounds good. They did. Still do!

RIP, man who walks among the stars!

I've been weepy all day...huge loss for our country. RIP Gord!

a reply to: TEOTWAWKIAIFF
Thank you, and to Macenroe82 too.

If this works this time, its At The 100th Meridian, one of the Hip's best works, imo. Tons to choose from.
Rough day around these parts today. Huge loss. Huge.
(Alaska seems so "Canada")

Amazing singer and performer....RIP Mr Downie.

originally posted by: ItsEvolutionBaby
a reply to: TEOTWAWKIAIFF
Thank you, and to Macenroe82 too.

If this works this time, its At The 100th Meridian, one of the Hip's best works, imo. Tons to choose from.
Rough day around these parts today. Huge loss. Huge.
(Alaska seems so "Canada")

See if this works...

ETA: There are no spaces around the codes; and no returns. It is all mashed together! Got the vid!



And yeah, Canada is part Alaskan too!

One fan created the 'hip museum' for all to enjoy.

www.hipmuseum.com...

Where there's love, there's hope.
In memory of Gord Downie, help fight cancer by donating here:

donate.sunnybrook.ca...

What another fan had to say:

Ezra's Tale: I had been a heavy metal long hair tattoo wearing rock junkie for many years. When my best friend would come to my apartment he would shut off the Crüe and turn on some random hip cd. Of course, at first I got pissed and tried to hit him in the face with a hot bag of nickels. Then one day at work I heard Silver Jet and something happened in my brain... I became an instant fan... I wanted to know everything, to listen to every album and just lose myself in the music. Then it came... the first day that The Hip would play in Kingston in over a decade... all I knew is that I was going to that show!! We took the trek from Cape Vincent N.Y. all the way "across the pond." Eventually it was show time so we walked from our motel room on Princess st. all the way to the RCMP camp. Then that's when we found out there would be no beer for the best part of the show.... It's ok, I made up for it the following week when the hip played at the Landmark Theater in Syracuse N.Y. I rode with my boss and we met up with some record reps at a bar, they gave me an envelope full of "In Between Evolution" cd's. We got into the show just as Sam Roberts was getting done and took our 5th row seats and rocked out to The Hip! This thursday (11/1/2007) will be the third time I will see The Hip on the world container tour... Once again we are going to The Landmark, but this time it'll be sans record reps... I'm once again getting a room, gonna be hammered and will have lots of pictures and possibly some video. My site is here.