Split down the middle.
On one side the sky was blue, a darker shade as night lay in waiting.
On the other, yellow, orange yellow, rich in tone, thick, a brush stroke, as the sun hung on for more.
There was no time to waste.
A moment in time, it never seems to last.
Two days, different, side by side.
But one in transition, hurtling into the next.
Fleeting sky
Afternoon walk
The kids
When you catch up with a music person once, maybe twice a year, it’s not “what have you been up to? “
It’s “what have you been listening to?”
And in that moment you scramble, on the spot, taken by surprise, you’re forced to select the latest, best, coolest music you’ve been enjoying.
Old classics revisited, new discoveries shared via phone scrolling. This artist, that album, compares to so and so.
And just like that you move along, richer in music, in friendship.
Until next time.
Scared and stunned but strangely uplifted by an encounter you consider real, legitimate and targeted.
Read MoreSongwriting, for many, is a deeply personal, therapeutic process on one hand and an exercise in problem solving on the other.
Read MorePoets was the song that introduced me to the Tragically Hip, a seminal Canadian rock band with a heritage stretching 30 years.
That was the late 90’s, the album Phantom Power is one of my favorite records still today.
Recently, as a fan I watched their doco Long Time Running.
I didn’t expect it to make me emotional, it did. I also didn’t expect it to remind me why I write songs, play music and place so much value on being in a band, it did and I’m thankful. I didn’t expect it to frame how vitally important music is to not only individuals but to local neighborhoods, towns, cities and entire countries. Again, it did.
Their music was a force for unification. People saw themselves in the songs and were meaningfully attached. It was personal and everyone owned it in some way.
Gord Downie, the bands singer, lyricist, front man lost his life to a brain tumor in 2017. The documentary follows the bands last tour to promote their final record Man Machine Poem in 2016.
A celebration. A goodbye to something so familiar. The audiences farewelled a piece of themselves, most didn’t want to let go.
Canada was sad and upset but equally euphoric in the music, the moment. It was clearly a defining moment for everyone. Thanks and goodbye.
What upset me was the shear impact the band had (has) on its community. The power of their music to neutralize the masses.
What touched me was knowing that the band were high school mates, still connected, committed after so long. The songwriting credits were split five ways, equally. Equally too was the respect and love the band displayed for each other.
Whether through the gravity of Gord’s illness or not, the band recognized the depth and importance of their life together.
Gord told those he loved that he loved them. He kissed those he loved, on the lips, without hesitation, whispering his appreciation in their ears.
He made a point to look everybody in the eye, to meaningfully connect.
Why do we wait until the end to be vulnerable and brave?
He told his audience that their night together would disappear and that it’s ok. By doing so he reassured those who cared for him that he too was ok.
The Tragically Hip wrote great songs. Gord was an intelligent, measured lyricist with an ability to stop you in your tracks with cutting insight.
The band were accomplished, tight and genuine in their playing. What appears as a standard rock band were in fact seasoned musicians with a unique bond that’s only reserved for a few in history.
It looks easy. A 30 year grind makes it look simple but don’t be fooled.
The Tragically Hip, a great band, respectful and respected and a country that took the end personally.
Bands could learn a thing or two from A Long Time Running, from the Tragically Hip.
The Cancer Council had their display in the foyer that day. I didn’t realise it but it was Daffodil Day. I bought a pin in support and I buy one every year. Daffodil Day is a day I’ll never forget.
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