Toronto Mike'd: The Official Toronto Mike Podcast - Toronto Mike on The Tragically Hip Top Forty Countdown: Toronto Mike'd Podcast Episode 1747

Episode Date: August 18, 2025

In this 1747th episode of Toronto Mike'd, Mike shares his appearance on Jamie Dew's The Tragically Hip Top Forty Countdown podcast. Toronto Mike'd is proudly brought to you by Great Lakes Brewery, Palma Pasta, Ridley Funeral Home, Toronto Maple Leafs Baseball, the Waterfront BIA, Blue Sky Agency and RecycleMyElectronics.ca. If you would like to support the show, we do have partner opportunities available. Please email Toronto Mike at [e-mail].

Welcome to Toronto Welcome to episode of 1747 of Toronto of Toronto, Proudly brought to you by Great Lakes Brewery, A fiercely independent craft brewery who believes in supporting communities, good times, and brewing amazing beer. Order online for free local home delivery in the GTA. Palma Pasta. Enjoy the taste of fresh, homemade Italian pasta and entrees from Palma Pasta in Mississauga and Oakville.

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and Ridley Funeral Home Pillars of the community since 1921. FOTM Jamie Dew has a podcast called The Tragically Hip Top 40 Countdown and last fall he invited me to talk about one of my favorite hip songs. This song, which I won't spoil here, ended up number nine in his countdown.

And it dropped in his podcast feed this very morning. If you like what you hear here, check out Jamie's podcast wherever you got this one. Hey, it's J.D. here, and I am ready to go. The tragically hip top 40 countdown is now underway. Week over week, we're going to count down the 40 essential tracks by the hip that you selected with your very own top 20 ballots. I then tabulated the results using an abacus and a calculator watch operated by the power of friendship. How will your favorite songs fare in the rankings? You'll need to tune in every week to find out.

So there's that. This week I'm joined by TTIH Superfan Mike from Toronto, or as he's better known, Toronto, Mike. How the hell are you doing on this heptastic day, Mike? J.D., good to see you, good to be talking to you. I love that you keep coming up with these new podcast ideas and they all have one common thread. Yeah, the tragically hip. T-T-H, as you say. This is it, though.

This is the last one. Well, you say that now. Yeah. We'll see. You'll find a new idea. Trust me, there's always ideas with the tragically hip. We shall see. We shall see.

So, um, everything is good in your world? Everything's good, man. I was thinking when I saw my calendar said I had a 4 p.m. chat with J.D. about the tragically hip. I said, that's going to be the easiest thing I do all week. Like, I'm just going to talk from the heart off the top of my head about my favorite band of all time. Oh, that should be, yeah, that should be a lot of fun. Is there anything easier? Is there anything more fun than that? You know, it's funny because I just recorded an episode a couple minutes ago where I outline a call for submissions for this podcast. a call for guests, as it were. And one of my pitches in that is, like,

it's fun to be a tragically hip fan talking about the tragically hip with other, the tragically hip fans, you know? Oh, I'm 100%. Like, I would do this even if you weren't recording. Well, we can do that at. Maybe you're not recording. No, I'm recording. I'm definitely recording.

Well, let's get right into this. Let's talk about your tragically hip origins. story. Okay, JD. We're going back to the year 1989. Wow. So to give some context

to the kids out there, this is pre-grunge, okay? So I'm a Toronto radio listener, pre-grunge. So I'm into like, I don't know,

Guns and Roses and Aerosmith and Metallica. I really loved listening to Q107 at this time. So the Mighty Q was playing like new rock stuff. More harder edge, though, right? Like, yeah, but still, like, if Robert Plant did something, what was that long?

That's good point. Cool one or whatever. Like, so, but one of my favorite songs that Q107 played the heck out of was Copperhead Road by Steve Earl. So it wasn't all like hard stuff. That's right. Okay. But it was rock, right? So, you know, uh, that's where my ears were.

I used to love. I don't know if you remember the top 10 at 10. It sure do. Yeah. Shirley McQueen. Do you remember Shirley McQueen? McQueen. So I was in love with Shirley McQueen and I would listen to the top 10 at 10

and I know you know where I'm going with this but I hear on Q107 in 1989 I hear this song Blow at High Doe I mean even the opening chords I get the chills like this is my first I know they had an EP before that

and JD I'm glad we're talking because in that tragically hip documentary series which we both watched on Prime they talk about how that EP was played on much music. And I'm here to tell you, as a guy who was watching a lot of much music in the late 80s, I have zero memory of any tragically hip song before Blow at High Doe. Do you remember seeing any songs from the EP on much music? I didn't have cable. I grew up without

cable. We got cable. I left Waterford, my hometown in 1994. And in the fall of 94, I came to Toronto to go to York University. And in the fall of 1994, my town also got cable. So it was like a giant kick in the pants. Okay. Well, I'm here to tell you as a guy, I don't know when, I don't know exactly when much music showed up on my cable, but it showed up with TSN in like the late 80s. But I had it, I can tell you the first

anything from the tragically hip I was exposed to as a guess I'm a teenager at this point is blow at high dough and Q's playing the hell out of it. And then they start playing New Orleans is sinking. And this one-two punch on Qaeda seven, I mean, I vividly remember that moment where it's like, what album is this on and how quickly can I get my ass downtown to buy it? Yeah. It's like a punch in the face, man. Even today, 24, when I hear Blow at High Doe, it's like, I don't think there's a hip song that makes me happier to hear because it's like, that was the first hip song I fell in love with. There's something about that first song that

hooks you into a band. That's really interesting. And that should be something that should be explored at some point by a podcaster in Toronto. Dude, I'm telling you right now, I could do 90 minutes on this because you can name the big band. Okay, let's say Sloan, right? Sloan with like a dozen big radio hits. But the first Sloan song I ever heard was on the radio. It was underwhelmed. And to this day, I think that's the song that brings me the most joy. And there are so many bands, like even the tea party. What song do I get the most joy from? The River, because that was the first tea party song I ever heard on the radio. So there's something about that first song that hooks you in, that it might not be the best song in the catalog, but it could very well end up

being your favorite song to hear because it was your first love. So talk to me about the experience then of getting your ass downtown to the record store. First of all, you're an HMB guy or were you a Sam's guy or an independent guy or an A&A guy? A&A. I forgot about A&A. Never forget. So I think about every weekend I'd make a trip downtown with one of my buddies. And I distinctly remember who I was with and where I went. So I knew I was going to buy up to here the new tragically hip album, which featured those

songs, Blow at High Doe in New Orleans as sinking. And I went with my buddy Joe, who I'm still friends with today. And I remember we went to Sam the record man. I remember what he bought because he bought an old Alice Cooper album I think billion dollar babies I think he bought it

and I bought up to here and JD I'll just tell you I came home stuck it in my CD player and madly fell in love with the whole thing like even in my mind now thinking about

38 years old and boots or hearts or I'll be leaving you but I'll be leaving here tonight I always screw up the title of that one but what an album right? Yeah It's like top to bottom.

And I cannot wait to get the box set when it drops. Like I'm going to, I'm not, I didn't pre-order it, but I'm going to hopefully get it for Christmas. That's what I'm hoping. See, I don't like it when they mess with my albums. Like, I like my up to here the way I heard it in 1989. There is something to that, isn't there? Like with these remasters. Now, the one thing I will say about up to here being remastered, uh, I know Road Apples was remastered by Don Smith himself.

He did some of it. Mark Brickon did the, uh, the Atmos stuff, but, uh, Don Smith did the, did the actual remix. Okay, the late grade Don Smith, who, uh, lowest of the low will tell you was the worst producer they ever had. Really? Yeah. Ron Hawkins in my backyard telling me how much they hated working with Don Smith. This was a follow up to Shakespeare my butt. Right.

And by the way, another band was like, any, I could go on and on about the first song you fall in love with from a band and how that one sticks forever. I feel like there's, at least for me, that's for sure. But I won't go on about Don Smith, except to tell you, the next album I heard from The Tragically Hip after Up to Here was Road Apples. And if you said to me, Mike, here is every album released by the Tragically Hip. Go listen to a couple of them. I would go listen to Up to Here and Road Apples. Oh, wow.

You're a classic guy. Maybe, like just the bluesy rock energy of those two albums. And I think, I feel road apples is still underrated, like highly underrated. My wedding song was a long time running. Really? Hauntingly beautiful song. And so I just, I mean, as far as I'm concerned, there's no better, you know, rock song on the planet than little bones.

And I like references to Tom Thompson and Jacques Cousteau in my lyrics. Like, so my go-to albums are those, yeah, up to here and road apples. Wow, that is fascinating. Those, I mean, I guess there's, there's something to be said about where those records take you, right? It's back to, like, we're the same age. So it's back to your, to your late teens, you know, not late teens, but like 16, 15, like when you're starting to be mobile and starting to form your own tastes. And what a wonderful experience. When did you, when did you, um, consummate the.

deal and see them live? Oh, first time I saw them live? I think I was a little late to this party because I'm sure I hear from people my age who are like, yeah, I was at this show in the early 90s and et cetera. And my first live tragically hip experience was New Year's Eve 1999. So I feel like, I don't know, like I do the math and I'm like, I'm like 24 or something like that. 24?

25. What am I? Yeah, about that. Yeah. And that feels late to see my favorite. band but I just wasn't like I wasn't a concert guy like I didn't have an older sibling or whatever I just didn't get out to concerts until kind of in my 20s and then I started catching up for last time but I have vivid memories on that night which was like Y2K right what will happen at

2000 but they went long they did a really long set and we all counted down we're at the ACC so the yeah so the tragically hip New Year's Eve 1999 Air Canada Center and we're all counting down to 2000, so 10, 9, 8, and we do it. And then they break in, they go into ahead by a century. And it was something magical about that night. Oh my gosh. So they played starting New Year's Eve and played right through. Yep.

Yep. They played till like, I don't know what they went to like 1230 or something. But it was a really long set. And they had, yeah, so we all counted down to midnight. And then I obviously wasn't worried about Y2K because I was at a rock concert. Yeah. Oh, boy, taking us back to those days. That was, that was, what is going to happen. Oh, my gosh. What about that show? Let me rephrase this. Do you feel that live shows are similar to that first record or that first song sort of experience that you were talking about? Like, you know, they talk about people that are into drugs chasing highs, you know, like, was that concert?

Like, that's a pretty special concert. That's very memorable. Going into 2000, that's really cool. That beats my story, I think. But is it ever as good? Well, see, another one of my favorite bands of all time is Pearl Jam. And the first time I saw them was Moulson Park and Barry in 1998. And I literally, I think I've seen them now about.

12 or 13 times and I'm literally chasing that high like every pearl jam show I see they're fucking great live like this is sort of like the hip like just a great live band and I love it love Eddie Vedder the way I love cord downy but he's just less Canadian but always good but you know there was nothing my favorite pearl jam show is still that 98 show in Molson Park but I have I will say I have had like other great experiences at hip shows another band I've seen like 12 or 13 times, I think. Like, I've seen the hip. I was trying to figure out it. I saw them at Molson Park and Barry as well a couple of times. And I saw them at the ACCC. I also saw them at the Moulson Amphitheater. I saw them at the Hummingbird Center, whatever they're calling that now. And I saw them

at Copts, Coliseum in Hamilton. But one of my favorite shows was the Fort York show I saw. And I'm trying to remember when that was. I've heard about that show. I've heard big things. Yeah. Well, you heard me mention earlier how much I love and loved road apples. and one of my favorite songs on Rhode Apples was 38 years old. And I'd seen the hip at this point several times and they never played 38 years old. Like, it just wasn't a song Gordwood play.

But this night at Fort York, which is a really cool venue to see your favorite band, but they played 38 years old and it was something very special. I was sitting there in my Bill Barilco jersey, sucking it in, seeing the gardener in the distance there. What a night that was.

Oh, that's pretty special, too. I want to hear more about the Meridian Center, formerly the Hummingbird Center. I think it's the Meridian Center now. Something like that. What tour was that on? What I can remember, and this won't narrow it down, because as you know, this is the most common opening act

in the history of the tragically hit, but Sam Roberts opened. Yeah, that narrows. Sam, by the way, who visited me, and we talked about this. that means he is an FOTM folks he's a friend of Toronto Mike he's a friend of Toronto Mike he's been in the basement but Sam Roberts opened the hip were great I that was a period of time in my life where you remember the wristbands and all that like if they announced a hip show I would get my ass to a local ticket master outlet to get a wristband and then I'd come back whatever it would be like Saturday at 10 am or whatever and then get in line and buy tickets like at the ticket master outlet like this is that era and I made sure I saw the hip every time. time they came to the GTA back then. So that was just, but, but that venue I liked very much for the hip. I bet that would have been pretty, pretty wild.

I saw them in Hamilton Place and it was, it was intimate, not a, I never got to see them in a club, but that's Cops, right? Is that Cops. Um, no, Cops is a separate building. Yeah, Cops is more like an arena and Hamilton Place is more like Massey, kind of. Nice. Yeah. Yeah, it's, I saw David Copperfield there years ago.

Wow. A magician. He made a motorcycle disappear. that's wild stuff man but yeah I never got to see them in a in a really I saw them

at the Danforth music hall that was probably the most intimate I've seen them well that's very intimate I think yeah and it was right down the street from my house so it was

and they played fully completely front to back okay fully completely can I just say this about fully completely because I also of course I owned that bought it on the first day

it was available for sale and it is a playthrough as well and it's hit laden like I think that's the most hit-laden hip album. But I feel like the songs fully completely, they seem to be everywhere.

Like, they just seem to be in the atmosphere. Like, so you kind of soak them in through osmosis, just walking the streets of Toronto. And I think that's part of the reason, because I mentioned I go to up to here in Road Apples.

Why aren't I going to fully completely? Like, the big one. I feel like it's almost too big. Like, I just prefer up to here in Road Apples. Like, they're a little more, like, they're just a little more charming in their appeal.

and they're less broad, if that makes any sense. Yeah, no, it does make sense. Yeah, I get that. I just felt bad for fully, I thought fully completely could be listening. I didn't want to offend fully completely. It's very funny. When people were submitting their top 20 lists,

there were a lot of people that were very precious about it, right? Like they didn't, and it's a very similar experience. They didn't want to offend the other tracks. Well, I feel that way about more recent hip albums, because I feel like I was as big a fan as they, as there are.

And I absolutely fall off at some point. And it's like, by the time we get the manned machine poem, I'm like a few discs behind at least. And it's like the last one I remember really playing a lot was in violet light. Me too. That was the last time I saw them on tour as well. But I can say the same thing about Pearl Jam. Like the last Pearl Jam album I played to death.

No code. No, it was Yield. Yield. And that's 98. So what does that say about us, J.D? Yeah, we're old men. No, I think, uh, shout out to Moxie Fruvis, but we're stuck in the 90s. Well, Mike, should we, um, get to the reveal of, of our song today that we're going to be discussing?

J.D., absolutely, but I want to shout out the final hip show I saw. Oh, gosh, yeah. The Man Machine poem tour, because, uh, I had this when I learned about Gord's, uh, diagnosis, in that they were doing one last tour. I really wanted... I have two older kids, and I really wanted them to see their dad's favorite band

of all time. Like, this was important to me. And I tried so hard to score three or even two tickets to one of the last shows. And I managed to finally get a single seat. So I had a single seat. And I thought it was going to be

the last Toronto show, but they actually added a third show. That's right. So I thought I was at the last show, and then it turned out to be the middle show. but so I biked over to the ACC I bought a t-shirt and I soaked this like the only hip show I've ever gone solo to

like I soaked it in solo like it was some kind of a religious experience and it was sort of kind of was like and that night I was very very very emotional like even my I remember my my night ride home on the waterfront trail by Lake Ontario and just kind of just very very

very, very emotional. And the next day, I think, I was driving the family to Prince Edward Island. Like, we had planned this two-week, like, East Coast road thing. And I remember when the final show aired on CBC across the country, this is now August 20th, 2016. I was in Inganish, Cape Bret and Island in Nova Scotia. And now I'm not at this show. I'm in Inganish, watching it on TV like every like most people but I remember openly weeping with my second born who was crying with me and I'll never forget that experience either just openly weeping because the lyrics were hitting differently and I knew this was the last time I'd see my favorite band perform live and I'm getting chills just talking about it you just made my arm hair set up yeah I'm not even

joking I was at that to shout that out go ahead I was at that same show and it was uh I have because of other issues, I have a very poor memory, but I have some strong memories of that night and they involve tears as well, yeah. And songs hit differently that night, like nautical disaster. And there's different songs where they always were kind of effective songs.

And shout out to Day for Night. I feel that gets lost in the fully completely juggernaut noise tunnel there. But, because Day for Night, I like very, very much. Me too. And shout out to Mark Howard, who did a great job on that. I don't know if he gets enough props for that. But that song, that hauntingly beautiful nautical disaster,

it hits so differently when the man singing his heart out is dying. Yeah, and we had no idea. Like, it was going to be so soon after. In hindsight, it was, I mean, you look at the output of work that he did in those remaining, you know, 12 or 13 months. It was staggering. But it happens so quickly, you know. It's like we're, we're two days.

away from the anniversary right now of his passing. And it's been nine years. Like, that's, has it been nine years? In 2017, he dies. So it's not quite nine. Not quite, yeah. No, more like seven, I think. If that math works, seven years. I need my abacus. That's the problem. All right. Well, let's go to the song of the week right now. We'll be back right after this with

Toronto Mike and we will discuss the song of the week. This coming fall, Jamie's countdown culminates in a live finale at the Rec Room Roundhouse in Toronto on October 4th, featuring a performance by the Strictly Hip. All proceeds go directly to ALS research and support. Speaking of upcoming events, the Toronto Maple Leafs have a playoff game at Christy Pitts on Friday, August 22nd at 7.30 p.m. I'll be there, and you should join me. It's the Leafs versus the Berry Baycats. Are you ready for a day of amazing Ontario breweries and live music?

Great Lakes Breweries' second annual Brood for You beer fest is August 30th. Expect more eats, solid tunes, and delicious beers from your favorite breweries from Toronto and across Ontario. August 22nd to the 24th, celebrate Taiwan Fest's. 20th anniversary at Harbourfront Center. This year's festival, a dialogue with Portugal, explores the unique connections between the two cultures. Let's learn about shared histories and celebrate the vibrant cultures of Taiwan and Portugal,

all on the waterfront. Blue Sky Agency has forged partnerships with established furniture brands, like Silen and green furniture concept and Rulliard and Doug Mills is eager to chat with any and all Toronto mic listeners looking for dynamic and creative work environments. Write Doug at blue skyagency.caidt today. Thank him for stepping up to help fuel the real talk here

and let him know you're an FOTM. Speaking of beloved FOTMs, that's Brad Jones from Ridley Funeral Home. His podcast is called Life's Undertaking, and new episodes drop every two weeks. You'll love it. And as always, this episode is fueled by delicious palma pasta, authentic Italian food prepared with love in Mississauga, and Recyclemyelectronics.ca.

That's where we go if we have old cables, electronics, or devices, and we don't want those dangerous chemicals in our landfills. We go to Recycle My Electronics.com. CA. One, two, three, four, one, two. September 17 For a girl I know It's mother's day

Her son is going to leave And that's where he will stay Wind on the weather vane Tearing blue eyes sailing me As fall staff sings a sorrowful refrain For a boy in Fiddler's Green His tiny knotted heart Well, I guess it never worked too good

The timber tore apart And the water gorge the wood You can hear her whispered pray Yeah For men at mass that always leave The same when it moves her head Moves her boy through Finland's dream Oh, nothing's changed any way.

Oh, nothing's changed anyway. He doesn't know us so There's nowhere that he's really been But he won't travel on No, not in Fiddler's Green Filled with rain As children's eyes turn sleeping me

And Faustaff sings A sorrow for refrain For a boy Hitler's green Fiddler's Green, a song debuted on the February 19th, released Road Apples, but not played live until 2006, and it did not become a staple on the set list, until 2009. Mike, your song is Fiddler's Green. This is a tragic song.

What are your thoughts? Well, that song, geez, tearing up just hearing it, but Gord's lyrics in that song are like next level poignant. And combined with that music, it's so moving, right? Like, did you know J.D that the term fiddler's green is one used by sailors to describe an afterlife? Did you know that? I did know that because I've had three other tragically hip podcast, but I did forget until you reminded me. Well, you're J.D., the tragically hip guy, so of course you knew that. But just all these nautical terms, you know, gone Ali, he talks, you know, has never.

you is gone to lee. That means you're, like, you're on the boat and you're facing away from the wind. So that means you're,

you're kind of moving it downwind. Like, all these terms. And the, I mean, the opening line, like, September 17,

for a girl, I know, it's Mother's Day, her son has gone to Lee, and that's where he will stay. Oh. Like, that's,

that is a heartbreaking lyric. even if you don't know what this song is about. I went several years without knowing what it was about, and it was heartbreaking, you know? Like, it's just like his, his timbrea, his tone, like everything about it is,

is sad. And I really like that nautical stuff. Yeah. The music is beautiful. The lyrics are beautiful. And then when you learn about what Gord is singing about, it's so incredibly heartbreaking. So for those who don't know,

this song is about Charles and that's Gord's nephew. And he passed away on September 17th, 1989. So there's your opening lyric, September 17 for a girl, I know it's Mother's Day. And that's Gord's sister.

He's singing about there. And Charles is only three and a half years old when he passes away. And in this documentary series that most hip fans have seen and if they haven't, they should, this prime four episode series, you know, we get to hear from Gord's sister and she reads the letter that Gord sent her about that song and even thinking about that scene, I could cry right now. Yeah. Yeah. It's no wonder that they didn't play it live. I can't imagine the emotional weight of finally playing it live.

And they did, I'm pretty sure they played it at the show we saw at the ACC, right, the, on the finale tour. I think, yeah, I think it was too soon. And then at some point it morphs from something sad into something. Celebratory? Yeah, celebratory. Like remembering Charles and, you know, with a smile instead of with that, I can't believe. he passed away so innocent and so young. But I'll say before I really understood this right,

so when Gord passed away, because I know J.D., just like you had a big downy head over here. And when I got that email from the tragically hip mailing list, I got that email that morning that Gord had passed away. I actually remembered the feeling of like, I don't know what to do. And I found my way down here.

So people can't see me, but I'm in my basement studio. You've been down here, J.D. So I found my way down here. And I pressed record and I played Fiddler's Green. That's what I did that morning. And then I started to talk. And it was one take, nothing scripted, like a tearful recording about the news I had just heard.

That audio is still in the Toronto Mic feed. It's called For Gord. And there was only one song I wanted to play that morning. And it was Fiddler's Green. Really? Yeah. Well, we're going to have to put a link to that episode in the, show notes for this for sure so people can give that a listen because it's from the heart it's very

raw tears were shed j d yeah yeah it was a crazy day i i remember i used to sit in a starbucks every morning this was when i first started not working and um i remember the same thing i was sitting in my comfy chair listening to music and all of a sudden the email came through and it was just like gotta be fucking kidding me and you knew it was coming and it still hit you like a ton of bricks. Absolutely. Exactly. Yeah. And I don't know if there's a German word for that.

Like when you know something's coming and it still hits you like you didn't see it coming. There's got to be a German word for that. I'm sure there is. And how much do I love road apples? Okay. So I just, I mean, no one can see us right now except you. He's pulling out road apples, the sleeve. Right.

So I've got this in the studio. This is a vinyl copy of the tragically hipbed road apples. And I have nothing in this house that can play this vinyl. there's nothing in this this home that plays a record but here it is because I like seeing it like seeing oh the photographs are great in it yeah um yeah it's it's it's tremendous my first cd i ever owned was rodopals that's a mind blow right there yeah that's the first cd i ever bought i didn't even have a cd player yet i knew i was getting one well you're anticipating that's that's amazing Cordelia is a great song too.

Here I'm sharing out all this. Cordelia is a beautiful, beautiful song. It rocks with the bluesy rockers, like little bones and stuff and twist my arm. And then you got these like Cordelia. And of course, we talked in great length here about Fiddler's Green and I talked about my wedding song,

long time running. What an album, what an underappreciated, underrated, tragically hip album that Rhode Apples is. It's funny to say that it's underappreciated because it's like five times platy. them, you know, it's the story, like it's the song of our youth, but I feel the same, it's

the soundtrack to our youth, but I feel the same as you. I feel like, you know, like I would have loved to have seen them sell out the Skydome a couple times. I would have loved to have seen them play, you know, in front of 50,000 people. I guess I did in Markham, but a little bit different with a festival setting versus a stadium. But I have no doubt that they could probably do three nights at the Skydome, or they could have been at their peak. Yeah, their popularity in this market, particularly unlimited at that time, I would do. Yeah. Yeah. They opened the ACC, didn't they? I think you're right. Yeah. I'm pretty, I think you're right. That'd be 1999, right? Early 1999. Yeah. And then I would see them there later that year.

That's very cool. Well, Mike, it's been great talking to you today. Um, is there anything and I know there is, that you would like to plug. No, I just want to let the listeners know that I was lucky enough to be visited last summer by Paul Languah, who visited the basement. So this is, you know, in my basement, sitting in that chair I'm pointing to, I could reach over and tug on his hair. And he brought his guitar. And this is before, of course, we saw this four episode series. So I asked him a whole bunch of those questions I've been holding on to forever, like, how, did you feel when Gord, you know,

was told you Coke Machine Glow was going to drop and it was his album of no hip. Like, how did that feel? And then I asked him about, you know, because they did the one-off at the Juno's with Feist singing, like, is there any other scenario where the hip would play with a different lead singer? And then I pitched him an idea I have. And, uh, can you repitch?

Yeah, sure. So other than, so Sam Roberts was great. But the other band I saw because he was also managed by Jay Gold. But the other band, that I absolutely adore from this time period who opened for the hip many times. I saw them open many,

many times is the watchman. I love the watchman. Okay. I can, when I close my eyes, I can see, you know,

the surviving members of the tragically hip playing and Danny Graves singing on tragically hip songs. I can see that. And I pitched it to Paul and he didn't say, I know in the documentary

it gets shot down, Rod Baker shuts it down right away. Yeah. But I talked to, Paul, I said to him, okay, what about, and he kind of had this moment of like, he, I think Paul could see it. So I just got to work on Rob now. And I'm not looking for, like, it wouldn't be the tragically hip. It would be members of the tragically hip, playing tragically hip songs

with a different lead singer. And we're only doing this because Gord's no longer with us. And I think Danny Graves, who's an amazing singer, I think he'd be the guy for the job. I like the idea. I would twist it just a little bit. And I would have like maybe five or six singers and each do like two or three songs, you know, just to get some variety, like have Leslie Weiss come out again. Maybe have Sam Roberts come out again and interpret it by divine right. You used to open for them a lot.

Dave Badini, you want him in there? Dave Bedini, yeah, absolutely. All stars, all stars. So I guess I want to let people know that this Paul Languong conversation, which was unedited, and I wasn't told, like, don't ask about this, don't ask about that. So I just did my thing with Paul, and then he whips out his guitar and plays for me. And it's all in an episode of Toronto Mike. You can find it in the Toronto Mike feed. And I think hipheads would love this content. And it was particularly magical before that documentary, which answered a bunch of

questions us hip fans had. But, you know, this was a memorable moment for me, because it was the first time a member of my favorite band had visited the basement of my home studio. And he played for you. And he was great. An audience of, like Jake was down there, right? Yeah, Jake, uh, came with him and sat off there on the side. And, uh, I will say that Paul sounded fantastic. Yeah.

It was, it's a good episode. And that's the kind of stuff you get. Um, if you are, you know, in this sort of cohort like 35 to 60, I would say. and you've grown up in Toronto or Ontario and you like nostalgia and you like Toronto Radio and Toronto Media as well as just great guests.

You've got to check out the content of TMDS and his flagship podcast, Toronto Mike. Do the checks in the mail. That was a hell of a plug. All right. Thanks for doing this. It's been a pleasure

to chat with you this afternoon. Well, thanks for inviting me. I don't know what number I'll be in the sequence, but this is an honor for me to be on one of your great, you know, Gordowny slash tragically hip podcasts. And I can't wait to hear the rest of this series. Well, thank you very much, Mike. And that brings us to the end of our 1,747th show.

Go to Toronto Mike.com. for all your Toronto Mike needs. And of course, subscribe to Jamie Dew's wonderful podcast, the tragically hip top 40 countdown. Much love to all who made this possible. That is Great Lakes Brewery, Palma Pasta, Toronto's Waterfront BIA,

Toronto Maple Leafs Baseball, Recycle My Electronics.ca, Blue Sky Agency, and Ridley Funeral Home. See you all. week when my special guest is Jack Berkovitz. You know, I'm going to be able to be. I'm going to be able to be.

I'm going to be able to be. I'm going to be able to be. I'm going to be. We're going to be able to be. You know,