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Gord Dowine..

chris05chris05 Posts: 347
edited November 2007 in Other Music
is probably one of the best frontmen in rock, the guy is insane on stage, and his voice is perfect.
Who cares if the world is going down the toilet? Eddie Vedder got his mojo back!
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  • direwolf74direwolf74 Posts: 1,622
    I couldn't agree more! The majority of current rock n' roll frontmen pale in comparison to Gordie's manic stage presence. It's a shame he'll never get the worldwide respect he truly deserves, but I'm ok with that. It means I can still cross the U.S. border and see them up close and personal in clubs and theatres. As an American rock critic once said: "The Hip are the biggest undiscovered band in the world."

    Long may they run!
    "I try my best to chug, stomp, weep, whisper, moan, wheeze, scat, blurt, rage, whine, and seduce. With my voice I can sound like a girl, the boogieman, a Theremin, a cherry bomb, a clown, a doctor, a murderer. I can be tribal. Ironic. Or disturbed. My voice is really my instrument."

    -Tom Waits
  • lockedlocked Posts: 4,038
    chris05 wrote:
    is probably one of the best frontmen in rock, the guy is insane on stage, and his voice is perfect.

    agree with everything but your last assertion..

    I describe Gord to my numerous non-Hip fans as a cross between Midnight Oil's lead singer (vocal sound) and the stage presence of Joe Cocker..

    noone is as bizarre and self-tranced in concert than Gord but vocally he can be rough on the ears to the causal listener...

    with some exceptions:
    wheat kings
    ABAC
    Long time running
    Fiddler's green
    etc..

    The weird thing is that he is compeltely composed, and thoughtful off stage...
    "This here's a REQUEST!"
    EV intro to Chloe Dancer / Crown of Thorns
    10/25/13 Hartford
  • direwolf74direwolf74 Posts: 1,622
    locked wrote:
    agree with everything but your last assertion..

    I describe Gord to my numerous non-Hip fans as a cross between Midnight Oil's lead singer (vocal sound) and the stage presence of Joe Cocker..

    noone is as bizarre and self-tranced in concert than Gord but vocally he can be rough on the ears to the causal listener...

    with some exceptions:
    wheat kings
    ABAC
    Long time running
    Fiddler's green
    etc..

    The weird thing is that he is compeltely composed, and thoughtful off stage...


    Yea, he's like Jeckyll & Hyde. He seems to have two personalities: on stage, and off. I had the pleasure of meeting him and chatting with him at a poetry reading he did in Ottawa a few years back, and the dude couldn't be more relaxed and laid back in person. I've met a small handfull of so-called rock stars over the years, and Gord is hands down the most thoughtful and sincere musician I've ever met. He's just a total class act and he treats his fans like they're people instead of just "fans". When I met him he seemed more interested in talking about me than him. He asked me where I was going to school, what courses I was taking, what bands I was currently into...stuff like that. Then he signed my copy of Coke Machine Glow (the book) and underneath his name he wrote "in conversation with Casey". It was very cool.
    "I try my best to chug, stomp, weep, whisper, moan, wheeze, scat, blurt, rage, whine, and seduce. With my voice I can sound like a girl, the boogieman, a Theremin, a cherry bomb, a clown, a doctor, a murderer. I can be tribal. Ironic. Or disturbed. My voice is really my instrument."

    -Tom Waits
  • lockedlocked Posts: 4,038
    direwolf74 wrote:
    Yea, he's like Jeckyll & Hyde. He seems to have two personalities: on stage, and off. I had the pleasure of meeting him and chatting with him at a poetry reading he did in Ottawa a few years back, and the dude couldn't be more relaxed and laid back in person. I've met a small handfull of so-called rock stars over the years, and Gord is hands down the most thoughtful and sincere musician I've ever met. He's just a total class act and he treats his fans like they're people instead of just "fans". When I met him he seemed more interested in talking about me than him. He asked me where I was going to school, what courses I was taking, what bands I was currently into...stuff like that. Then he signed my copy of Coke Machine Glow (the book) and underneath his name he wrote "in conversation with Casey". It was very cool.

    I've had similar interaction with THE MAN..

    He's a great "listener"... very un "rock icon" like..

    so when are we gonna get some official boot downloads DW?

    The Hipclub is dead, I say...!

    Should I burn my membership card now or wait???
    "This here's a REQUEST!"
    EV intro to Chloe Dancer / Crown of Thorns
    10/25/13 Hartford
  • Drowned OutDrowned Out Posts: 6,056
    His improv skills are unmatched IMO...he is a great performer.
  • direwolf74direwolf74 Posts: 1,622
    Drowned Out wrote:
    His improv skills are unmatched IMO...he is a great performer.

    I especially love those 15 minute versions of "At the Hundredth Meridian" where he completely loses himself in the music and does all kinds of crazy stuff. Some of my favorite Gord moments over the years:

    - Seattle, 2007: balancing himself on the base of his mic stand and spinning around with his hand on an imaginary steering wheel, like he's driving a car. Funny stuff.

    - New Years Eve, Toronto, 1999: During the "Hundredth Meridian" improv, As balloons rained down from the ceiling at midnight, Gord proceded to run around the stage popping every single balloon he could find, sometimes taking a running dive and landing face-first onto the stage trying to pop 5 or 6 at the same time. It took him about 15 minutes to pop them all while the band jammed up a storm behind him. Then he grabs the mic and says, "this isn't rock n' roll. This is genocide!"

    - I wasn't there, but a buddy of mine who saw them at Wasaga Beach a couple years ago told me that after some chick in the front row flashed Gord her breasts, he proceded to improvise a fully-structured song on the spot called "Here Come the Tits". I wish I had a recording of this.

    - The "Killerwhaletank" monologue from 1991.

    - The "Double Suicide" version of Highway Girl from 1991.

    - Canada Day, Vancouver, 1992: Gord rolling around the stage pretending to be attacked by a wild animal, then pretending to kill the animal and drink it's blood. Muchmusic was broadcasting the show and it was the first time I'd ever watched the Hip live on TV. I remember my buddy saying, "that guy is fuckin' insane."
    "I try my best to chug, stomp, weep, whisper, moan, wheeze, scat, blurt, rage, whine, and seduce. With my voice I can sound like a girl, the boogieman, a Theremin, a cherry bomb, a clown, a doctor, a murderer. I can be tribal. Ironic. Or disturbed. My voice is really my instrument."

    -Tom Waits
  • lockedlocked Posts: 4,038
    - Canada Day, Vancouver, 1992: Gord rolling around the stage pretending to be attacked by a wild animal, then pretending to kill the animal and drink it's blood. Muchmusic was broadcasting the show and it was the first time I'd ever watched the Hip live on TV. I remember my buddy saying, "that guy is fuckin' insane."[/quote]

    DW.. you have captured the essence of Gord's stage persona..

    and I root for the "evil Gord" to come out every show I go to..

    People on this board have no idea how intense and maniacal he can be..
    all the while fitting perfectly into the bands sonic live jams..

    I know for a fact that his "Woodstock" 1999 peroformance compeletly horrified most of my non-hip friends... same "that guy is fuckin' insane." reaction...

    I LOVED it!
    "This here's a REQUEST!"
    EV intro to Chloe Dancer / Crown of Thorns
    10/25/13 Hartford
  • civ_eng_girlciv_eng_girl Posts: 2,001
    direwolf74 wrote:
    I especially love those 15 minute versions of "At the Hundredth Meridian" where he completely loses himself in the music and does all kinds of crazy stuff. Some of my favorite Gord moments over the years:

    - Seattle, 2007: balancing himself on the base of his mic stand and spinning around with his hand on an imaginary steering wheel, like he's driving a car. Funny stuff.

    at the risk of sounding like i don't love the man... i actually think that some of Gord's stage antics have gotten repetative... :o
    *ducks* ;)

    i've seen him do the "driving the car" thing a few times....
    as well as the "put his hankerchief over his face and pretend to sleep" thing.
    and the "shadow boxing with the mic stand" thing.
    and the "pretend the mic stand is holding you at gun-point" thing.
    :)

    and even his vocal changes repeat themselves often... especially the part in 100th Meridian where he sings the -

    "If I die of Vanity, promise me, promise me,
    they bury me some place I don't want to be,
    you'll dig me up and transport me unceremoniously,
    away from the swollen city-breeze, garbage-bag trees,
    whispers of disease and acts of enormity
    and lower me slowly, sadly, and properly
    Get Ry Cooder to sing my eulogy"

    - part super-fast.... the first time i saw it i thought i was hearing something special... and then the 4th time i thought "oh, i guess that's the way he always does it live..."

    /end 'devil's advocate' rant.
    ;):D
    ~~*~~ ...i surfaced and all of my being was enlightend... ~~*~~
  • civ_eng_girlciv_eng_girl Posts: 2,001
    direwolf74 wrote:
    - New Years Eve, Toronto, 1999: During the "Hundredth Meridian" improv, As balloons rained down from the ceiling at midnight, Gord proceded to run around the stage popping every single balloon he could find, sometimes taking a running dive and landing face-first onto the stage trying to pop 5 or 6 at the same time. It took him about 15 minutes to pop them all while the band jammed up a storm behind him. Then he grabs the mic and says, "this isn't rock n' roll. This is genocide!"

    all that being said.... THIS sounds pretty damn funny! :D
    ~~*~~ ...i surfaced and all of my being was enlightend... ~~*~~
  • direwolf74direwolf74 Posts: 1,622
    civ_eng_girl wrote:
    at the risk of sounding like i don't love the man... i actually think that some of Gord's stage antics have gotten repetative... :o
    *ducks* ;)

    i've seen him do the "driving the car" thing a few times....
    as well as the "put his hankerchief over his face and pretend to sleep" thing.
    and the "shadow boxing with the mic stand" thing.
    and the "pretend the mic stand is holding you at gun-point" thing.
    :)

    and even his vocal changes repeat themselves often... especially the part in 100th Meridian where he sings the -

    "If I die of Vanity, promise me, promise me,
    they bury me some place I don't want to be,
    you'll dig me up and transport me unceremoniously,
    away from the swollen city-breeze, garbage-bag trees,
    whispers of disease and acts of enormity
    and lower me slowly, sadly, and properly
    Get Ry Cooder to sing my eulogy"

    - part super-fast.... the first time i saw it i thought i was hearing something special... and then the 4th time i thought "oh, i guess that's the way he always does it live..."

    /end 'devil's advocate' rant.
    ;):D


    Yeah, I've seen him repeat things from time to time as well, but even when he repeats something, he always seems to bust out something new at the same time, which is why I love him. Fighting/boxing/arguing with his mic stand has been an ongoing bit for the last 10 years or so. It's like a running gag that changes and mutates slightly with each tour. As for "Meridian", the band always plays that song at warp speed during the middle section, and I honestly don't think Gord has much of a choice but to sing it that fast in order to keep in time with the music. Years ago the band played it at the same speed as on the album, so he was able to sing that part slower. But I see what you're getting at. Personally I wouldn't mind hearing the band change the tempo somewhat and let Gord breathe a bit more. They did it a couple of times on the latest tour when they slowed the song down and slipped in covers of "Walking on the Moon", etc... That was fantastic stuff, and I think they should do more of it in the future.

    While we're on the subject of repeats, I've got a small gripe of my own: Is the band ever going to bring back the extended versions of New Orleans is Sinking? Seriously, if they're not gonna jam out and make things interesting during that song, then I think they should consider retiring it from the setlist for a while. That song used to be an absolute warhorse. A musical workshop where Gord would improvise poetry and you could witness new songs being born, but for the past few tours they've just stuck to the album version, which really sucks if you're seeing multiple shows on the same tour. I know it's a fan favorite and everything, but lately it's become my "bathroom break" song.
    "I try my best to chug, stomp, weep, whisper, moan, wheeze, scat, blurt, rage, whine, and seduce. With my voice I can sound like a girl, the boogieman, a Theremin, a cherry bomb, a clown, a doctor, a murderer. I can be tribal. Ironic. Or disturbed. My voice is really my instrument."

    -Tom Waits
  • lockedlocked Posts: 4,038
    [quote="direwolf74
    Is the band ever going to bring back the extended versions of New Orleans is Sinking? quote"]

    from my perspective, either have the jam session during "Meridian" or "NOIS"
    and not BOTH...

    and I'm a bit envious of those who saw the Hip pre-1994-95...

    seems the NOIS jams had what I would call "Improv's" rather than Jams..

    Like DW said, those would often morph into full blown songs such as :
    Nautical, ABAC etc...

    and there is a boot out there (don;t have it / can;t remeber it) where the crowd is chanting "SWIM!" repeatedly....Gord and the crowd give some serious back and forth:
    crowd ="SWIM"
    Gord "I CAN"T!"
    crowd = ="SWIM"
    Gord "I CAN'T!!!"

    pure magic!
    "This here's a REQUEST!"
    EV intro to Chloe Dancer / Crown of Thorns
    10/25/13 Hartford
  • augustwestaugustwest Posts: 739
    Gordo is really something else...His lyrics are absolutely brilliant. His stage antics are to be cherished...sure he's done the MR. Mic Stand thing for a few years now but in his defense, over the almost 17 years of seeing them play live, he/they has always kept it fresh and exciting.

    They adjust the setlist continually and I have never heard Gordo forget the words, ever! And look at the gems they've brough back to life, over the past tours...

    i remember that 1999 NYE balloon incident...a man possessed..I tell ya!

    Overall, he is one of the best!
  • civ_eng_girlciv_eng_girl Posts: 2,001
    oh! at the show in Sydney, i was reminded of two more classic mic stand moves:

    the "prentend to be a marching band leader" and the "pretend to throw the mic stand like a javelin"....

    ;):p
    ~~*~~ ...i surfaced and all of my being was enlightend... ~~*~~
  • trappedinmyradiotrappedinmyradio Posts: 1,189
    chris05 wrote:
    is probably one of the best frontmen in rock, the guy is insane on stage, and his voice is perfect.

    yes, yes, yes...i want to see them live so badly!
    I'll dig a tunnel
    from my window to yours
  • direwolf74direwolf74 Posts: 1,622
    civ_eng_girl wrote:
    oh! at the show in Sydney, i was reminded of two more classic mic stand moves:

    the "prentend to be a marching band leader" and the "pretend to throw the mic stand like a javelin"....

    ;):p


    Another good one is the "pretend the mic stand is a canoe oar and the stage is the canoe, and you're paddling around a lake." I love that one.
    "I try my best to chug, stomp, weep, whisper, moan, wheeze, scat, blurt, rage, whine, and seduce. With my voice I can sound like a girl, the boogieman, a Theremin, a cherry bomb, a clown, a doctor, a murderer. I can be tribal. Ironic. Or disturbed. My voice is really my instrument."

    -Tom Waits
  • lockedlocked Posts: 4,038
    augustwest wrote:
    Gordo is really something else...and I have never heard Gordo forget the words, ever! ....

    Somerville Theater 7/28/02...

    Gord forgot the words to "Pigeon Camera" after the first verse...

    asked for the crowd to help ...and some dolt gave him the wrong verse...!

    when he realized this..they had to stop the song mid-set...

    Gord comments "Thank God its only music!"

    Later Gord emerges for the first encore with the intro music for "Thugs" but singing the forgotten verse from PC

    "Where's my pigeon camara, by now it could be anywhere, and after all that training, and after all that training" with a self mocking grin on his face...

    Must have scarred him because PC was dropped from the setlist for quite a while after that...
    "This here's a REQUEST!"
    EV intro to Chloe Dancer / Crown of Thorns
    10/25/13 Hartford
  • Sonja_SSonja_S Posts: 444
    I have to admit I don't get him. I saw The Hip Jan 1 2000 at the ACC in Toronto and was fascinated by the crowd going nuts. Same at the White Ribbon benefit at the Phoenix in 2003. I do like them but I think I'm missing something vital there that justifies the 'hype' (don't know if it's the correct word in this case) surrounding Downie and The Hip.
    You can tell a man from what he has to say - Neil & Tim Finn
    They love you so badly for sharing their sorrow, so pick up that guitar and go break a heart - Kris Kristofferson
  • direwolf74direwolf74 Posts: 1,622
    Sonja_S wrote:
    I have to admit I don't get him. I saw The Hip Jan 1 2000 at the ACC in Toronto and was fascinated by the crowd going nuts. Same at the White Ribbon benefit at the Phoenix in 2003. I do like them but I think I'm missing something vital there that justifies the 'hype' (don't know if it's the correct word in this case) surrounding Downie and The Hip.

    I felt the same way when I saw The Shins and the Flaming Lips at the Sasquatch Festival in '06. The crowd went absolutely bananas for those bands, and personally I didn't like either one. I couldn't understand where all the hype came from. The Hip played earlier in the day at the same show and my friends and I thought they blew every other band off the stage. Music is such a subjective thing and the Hip aren't everybody's cup of tea, But if you're a hardcore fan who has grown up with them, and their music speaks to you on a personal level, then chances are you're gonna go nuts at their shows. It's only natural. Downie's crazy performances are a huge part of that. The guy is a true rock n' roll original. There's nobody else like him.
    "I try my best to chug, stomp, weep, whisper, moan, wheeze, scat, blurt, rage, whine, and seduce. With my voice I can sound like a girl, the boogieman, a Theremin, a cherry bomb, a clown, a doctor, a murderer. I can be tribal. Ironic. Or disturbed. My voice is really my instrument."

    -Tom Waits
  • nocodelover22nocodelover22 Posts: 108
    I didn't get exposed to the Hip until I saw them open up for The Rolling Stones a few years ago. I knew songs like ABAC and Blow at High Dough, but had no real interest in them before that. Then they came out and fuckin BLEW The Stones away. No comparison. Best live band around, even better than PJ. I can even remember the exact moment I was converted. During the middle of Poets, Gord started saying "Oh I can see you...I can... you're just lazing the day away...laying in that long grass...oh just swimming through it...etc,etc" and mock swimming like a man possesed and then the band brought on the final chorus like a fucking hurricane. Pure rocknroll magic.

    Got the chance to see them again a few weeks ago in my hometown. Mind blowing concert, expecially since I've become a much bigger fan. Gord came out and said "Smoke what ya gotta smoke and drink what you gotta drink, just meet me at the lonely end of the rink." and they opened with that wonderful tune. Again, pure rocknroll magic. Fuck...I love the Hip
  • direwolf74direwolf74 Posts: 1,622
    nocodelover22 wrote:
    I didn't get exposed to the Hip until I saw them open up for The Rolling Stones a few years ago. I knew songs like ABAC and Blow at High Dough, but had no real interest in them before that. Then they came out and fuckin BLEW The Stones away. No comparison. Best live band around, even better than PJ. I can even remember the exact moment I was converted. During the middle of Poets, Gord started saying "Oh I can see you...I can... you're just lazing the day away...laying in that long grass...oh just swimming through it...etc,etc" and mock swimming like a man possesed and then the band brought on the final chorus like a fucking hurricane. Pure rocknroll magic.

    Got the chance to see them again a few weeks ago in my hometown. Mind blowing concert, expecially since I've become a much bigger fan. Gord came out and said "Smoke what ya gotta smoke and drink what you gotta drink, just meet me at the lonely end of the rink." and they opened with that wonderful tune. Again, pure rocknroll magic. Fuck...I love the Hip


    I hear ya, my friend. I couldn't agree more. It's no secret around here how I feel about this band, and you just summed it up perfectly. You might wanna check out the big-ass Hip thread if you haven't already. Come join the fun!

    http://forums.pearljam.com/showthread.php?t=159044&page=115
    "I try my best to chug, stomp, weep, whisper, moan, wheeze, scat, blurt, rage, whine, and seduce. With my voice I can sound like a girl, the boogieman, a Theremin, a cherry bomb, a clown, a doctor, a murderer. I can be tribal. Ironic. Or disturbed. My voice is really my instrument."

    -Tom Waits
  • Sonja_SSonja_S Posts: 444
    direwolf74 wrote:
    I felt the same way when I saw The Shins and the Flaming Lips at the Sasquatch Festival in '06. The crowd went absolutely bananas for those bands, and personally I didn't like either one. I couldn't understand where all the hype came from. The Hip played earlier in the day at the same show and my friends and I thought they blew every other band off the stage. Music is such a subjective thing and the Hip aren't everybody's cup of tea, But if you're a hardcore fan who has grown up with them, and their music speaks to you on a personal level, then chances are you're gonna go nuts at their shows. It's only natural. Downie's crazy performances are a huge part of that. The guy is a true rock n' roll original. There's nobody else like him.

    My former English teacher (a Torontonian) said she thought it was a Canadian thing even though she didn't get them either. My sister as an Austrian does though. I have some of their stuff on my ipod and think they're really good, but I'm not exactly blown away. I absolutely agree that Downie's an original though, he's fascinating to watch!
    You can tell a man from what he has to say - Neil & Tim Finn
    They love you so badly for sharing their sorrow, so pick up that guitar and go break a heart - Kris Kristofferson
  • lockedlocked Posts: 4,038
    "There was one opportunity to save the world. And the Boston Bruins were it. Fifty Mission Cap!"

    GD 5/1/93
    "This here's a REQUEST!"
    EV intro to Chloe Dancer / Crown of Thorns
    10/25/13 Hartford
  • lockedlocked Posts: 4,038
    (Coming back on stage for the encore after the fans chant "Go Leafs Go"):

    "You know, being a Bruins fan, I find that chant entirely repulsive."

    GD 7/22/98
    "This here's a REQUEST!"
    EV intro to Chloe Dancer / Crown of Thorns
    10/25/13 Hartford
  • ramborambo Posts: 170
    gord is very funny live, does he drink or do drugs before the show, he must??
    st. john's newfoundland, sept 24/2005
    st. john's newfoundland, sept. 25/2005
  • Born.Mine.DieBorn.Mine.Die Posts: 225
    I love The Hip and I love Gord....he is so brilliant....
    I could see them a hundred times!
    If they are close enough I will go..Its always fun seeing the hip...

    HIP HIP HIP HIP!!

    I can't wait until the next show...

    SoOoo good for you for saying you love him too!

    :)
    9/1/05, 9/2/05, 9/4/05, 9/5/05, 5/24/06, 5/25/06, 5/27/06, 5/30/06, 7/16/06, 7/18/06, 7/20/06, 7/22/06,7/23/06, 6/22/08, 6/24/08, 6/25/08, 9/21/09, 9/22/09, 9/25/09,10/06/09,10/07/09, 05/07/10, 09/25/11, 07/16/13,12/04/13,12/06/13, 10/14/14, 4/7/17, 08/08/18, 08/10/18, 05/04/24

    EV 04/02/08, 04/03/08, 07/16/11
  • melodyman22melodyman22 Posts: 326
    Canada's best hands down. Yes even better then Neil Young. Gord is one of the best frontmen ever.
  • lockedlocked Posts: 4,038
    rambo wrote:
    gord is very funny live, does he drink or do drugs before the show, he must??

    nah, he smokes after the show and drinks beer but not before... has too much intergrity for that..
    "This here's a REQUEST!"
    EV intro to Chloe Dancer / Crown of Thorns
    10/25/13 Hartford
  • soulsingingsoulsinging Posts: 13,202
    locked wrote:
    nah, he smokes after the show and drinks beer but not before... has too much intergrity for that..

    what has integrity got to do with it?
  • Redmosquito26000Redmosquito26000 Posts: 91
    I've seen the hip 11 times...in both large and small venues...they blew my mind ever time. Gord's a maniac!
    "No need to be void,...or save up on life...You got to spend it all....."
  • gibbitsgibbits Posts: 507
    I met Gord at the Trailer Park Boys Movie premiere. The whole Hip band sat behind me minus Gord who holed himself up in a corner so no one could see him. I bumped into him while everyone was ushering out of the theatre and said,

    "Oh shit, sorry.... Gord?"
    "Yeah?"

    [I hadn't thought it out further than this]:

    "Thanks man, thanks a lot, you've meant a lot to me and my friends growing up!"

    "Cool"

    talk about collected. my mom asked him what he thought about being in the movie. Just a nice guy, I ended up behind him the whole way out of the theatre complex and on the streets all the way to my car, though he was with his wife and I didn't want to harass him any more than I had [I was the only one who seemed to know who he was]
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