The Never ending Present

Short DescriptionThe first print biography of one of Canada’s most famous and impactful bands, The Tragically Hip, explores how the group has helped define today’s cultural conversations, including Gord Downie’s inspirational story and his role in reconciliation with Indigenous people.Sales and Market BulletsMore than 11 million Canadians watched the final Tragically Hip show on August 20, 2016. Nine of their fourteen studio albums have hit number one on the music charts, and the band has won fourteen Juno Awards. All five members of the band received the Order of Canada in 2017.Gord Downie was declared “newsmaker of the year” by Maclean’s in 2016 and by Canadian Press in both 2016 and 2017. Contains extensive, exclusive interviews with peers, producers, and friends of the band.The hardcover edition spent four months on both the Globe and Mail and Toronto Star bestseller lists.“The definitive Tragically Hip bible.” — Toronto LifeAudienceThe Tragically Hip fansCanadian rock music fansCanadiana fans‘90s music and culture aficionados Kingston, Ontario, regional appealRock biography readers Spotify Ad Studio advertisingTargeted social media advertisingMother’s and Father’s Day promotion The long-awaited, first-ever print biography of “Canada’s band” — now in paperback!“A clever, touching, and very informative book that may well be the definitive work on an important piece of Canadian pop culture.” — Publishers Weekly, starred reviewIn the summer of 2016, more than a third of Canadians tuned in to watch the Tragically Hip’s final performance. Why? Partially because Gord Downie’s terminal brain cancer made the event much bigger than merely a musical occasion. But also because these five men were always more than just a chart-topping band. They defined a generation of Canadian rock music. They were a tabula rasa onto which fans could project their own ideas: of performance, of poetry, of history, of Canada itself.Acclaimed music journalist Michael Barclay talks to dozens of the band’s peers and friends about not just the Hip’s music but about the opening bands, dealing with disease through art, Gord Downie’s role in reconciliation with Indigenous people, and the Hip’s role in Canadian culture. It’s a book for those who have always loved the Hip, and for everyone else. As Downie said at that final show watched by millions, “Everyone is invited. Everyone is involved.”