![]() Like all of the music and poetry and the memories and the genius that Gord gifted us during his 53 years on our planet, it is immortal – and yet it took a fearless reckoning with his own mortality to get us here. Gord Downie, the iconic frontman of The Tragically Hip, and Bob Rock, the legendary producer perhaps best known for Metallicas Black Album, together share. Downie and Finlayson recorded in a burst of live takes over three days with Travis Good of The Sadies on fiddle, mandolin, and guitars, and drum parts shared by Dave “Billy Ray” Koster and Lou Downie (Gord’s son). Presented as a double album with Electric and Acoustic versions, the 20-track collection highlights Gord’s poetic mastery with vibrant yet haunting production by Nyles Spencer that casts each song in different otherworldly light. Away Is Mine is a contemplation on Gord’s life – a document of an artist disappearing into his art, essentially becoming his art through that process. A questing and idiosyncratic work steered to life by “my oldest Toronto friend,” guitarist and co-writer Josh Finlayson, the last ten songs Gord wrote hold fast to his unwavering artistic spirit, deft hand with words and forever inscrutable sense of humour as he locks eyes head-on with the Great Inevitability. This was no doubt influenced by his godfather Harry Sinden, former coach of the Boston Bruins. He was a voice for Canadians whose stories needed to be told, and to many people of my generation, he is the greatest Canadian that has ever lived.Away Is Mine is Gord Downie’s final solo recording, recorded at The Tragically Hip’s studio in Bath, Ontario, in July 2017. Gord refused to quit and his lyrics are an encyclopedia of Canadiana. Late Tragically Hip frontman Gord Downie’s first posthumous album, Away Is Mine, will be released October 16th via Arts & Crafts. ![]() Twenty thousand students watched as Downie’s moves mimicked what it might have been like for Chanie as he walked alone on the railroad tracks only to eventually die in the cold. The song and album tell the story of 12-year-old Chanie (Charlie) Wenjack, who in 1967 escaped from a residential school in Kenora, Ontario, and tried to walk the 600 km to his home in Ogoki Post, Ontario. His multimedia performance of “The Stranger” from his album “Secret Path” left the audience full of emotion. ![]() We choose to honour Gord with a photo taken at WE Day in Toronto on October 19, 2016, one year before he left us. We can only assume that JT chose October 17 to honour his friend, why else would they pick a Wednesday to introduce a new law? The relationship between Thornton and the Downie brothers started in 1997, when Thornton was drafted first overall by the Downies’ beloved Bruins and a reporter asked Thornton, as an ice breaker. When the news was finally announced, our Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, openly cried as he addressed the nation and spoke about “our buddy Gord” who “wanted to make Canada better”. Unfortunately, we were in denial and death was eminent. He took his band The Tragically Hip on the road, released a solo album called “Secret Path” which was accompanied by a graphic novel and animated film of the same name, and we heard rumours that he was working on a sixth solo album – what could be wrong? Sure we had heard the reports that Gord was diagnosed with glioblastoma, a highly complex form of brain cancer that is almost always terminal, but we all felt he was doing well. 2 – The first anniversary of Gord Downie’s death which nobody was expecting. This past Octomarked two milestones in Canadian history: 1 – The legalization of marijuana which everyone was anticipating. So my function in anything I do is to help bring people closer in.” Gord Downie
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