An Exclusive Chat with Paul Langlois from The Tragically Hip
Meltdown from WRIF dives deep with the Tragically Hip’s Paul Langlois
What a fun conversation. The topics with Paul included the new box set release on November 8th, some big gigs they played here in the States, the last-ever concert in their hometown, the documentary ‘THE TRAGICALLY HIP: NO DRESS REHEARSAL’, and more. It was truly an honor to speak with Paul; he was very candid and interesting. Scroll down to watch the interview, or read the abridged version below.
Enjoy!
Meltdown: There he is, Paul. Good to see you, man.
Paul Langlois: Nice to see you. How’s your day going?
Meltdown: Uh, my day’s going, uh, very good. Very good as a matter of fact. You know what’s funny? I’ve been in this business for 35 years. I’ve never interviewed, spoken to, or had any interaction with any of you guys in The Hip. This is truly an honor.
Paul Langlois: Oh, thanks very much. I appreciate that.
Meltdown: Over the pandemic, I watched your last tour documentary, “Long Time Running”. The Hip is unlike any band I’ve ever experienced. You guys grew up together as high school friends. Everything about the band is unique. I just can’t say enough good things about The Tragically Hip.
Paul Langlois: Oh, well, thanks very much. You know, Buffalo and Detroit have always been great for us because of the cross-border radio. We’ve always had a strong fan base there. It’s not like Seattle, but certainly, in Buffalo and Detroit, it felt like playing in Toronto or Calgary for us. We loved it.
Meltdown: It’s kind of crazy how this world works sometimes. I’ve interviewed bands early in my career and never saw them again. But I mean, the $64,000 question is, how come The Tragically Hip never fully soaked into the American psyche?
Paul Langlois: Well, we tried. We sold out gigs in Detroit and Buffalo, but we kind of consider those extensions of Canada. We sold out places like Boston, Dallas, and even the Fillmore in San Francisco. We worked really hard without much help. After the first 10 years of touring, we started choosing markets where we already had a strong 1500-seat club following. It was rewarding and satisfying to work our way up without much help.
Watch The Interview With Paul From The Tragically Hip
Meltdown: Yeah, I think, if I’m not mistaken, “Courage” was really the biggest song in the States?
Paul Langlois: It might have been because the NBA used it at one point. “New Orleans is Sinking” did well in Texas, which brought us down there. We had a bit of radio support in places like Chicago and San Francisco, but no song went really far nationally. We never got any national coverage, except for that one time on Saturday Night Live, thanks to Dan Aykroyd.
Meltdown: And not only SNL but also Woodstock ’99. There were Canadian flags everywhere. It was like a hometown show.
Paul Langlois: Yeah, we were the first band on that day. Kid Rock was backstage in a fur coat, and we were like, “Who the heck is that guy?” It was a great gig for us, but we could tell it was going south by mid-afternoon. Bands were saying the wrong things, and the crowd was already thirsty and hot.
Meltdown: So you guys have a box set coming out, the diamond-certified album “Up To Here,” available on November 8th. The documentary “No Dress Rehearsal” is out now on Prime. Your thoughts on the documentary?
Paul Langlois: I watched most of it. It’s a total ride. Digging up that stuff with Gord passing was difficult, but Mike Downie did an excellent job. We all did individual interviews, so everything the other guys said was a surprise to me. I’m very happy with it.
‘THE TRAGICALLY HIP: NO DRESS REHEARSAL’
Meltdown: Anyone in a band should watch it. At one point, Gord said he wanted to write the lyrics. Is that true?
Paul Langlois: It is true. He looked at the lyrics I handed him and was like, “Okay, what does this mean?” He wanted to be connected to what he was singing. It made sense, and we quickly accepted it. Gord was constantly writing and getting better at lyrics.
Meltdown: Was that maybe one of the biggest sticking points for the band?
Paul Langlois: No, the bigger deal was when we all started having kids. Scheduling became complicated. But we worked it out. Gord playing guitar was a massive deal too, but we managed. Those were bigger issues than the lyrics.
The Tragically Hip Working With Bob Rock
Meltdown: Now, about Bob Rock, many bands have worked with him. Your experience wasn’t great?
Paul Langlois: The first record with Bob, “World Container,” went well. But the second one, “We Are the Same,” was difficult. He was cozying up to Gord in a bad way. He even sang the backups, which no producer should do. That was a shocker.
Meltdown: You were stuck in Maui waiting for Gord to sing?
Paul Langlois: Yeah, it was funny. Maui is beautiful, but my experience was sitting in Bob’s driveway for hours. I left my family and waited there for nothing.
Meltdown: What does it mean for The Tragically Hip to be so big in Kingston, Ontario?
Paul Langlois: It doesn’t affect much. Kingston is like a town/city. People here are nice if they approach us. It’s very normal and comfortable. We stayed up here, didn’t move to LA, so it’s all very normal, happy life.
The Tragically Hip – The Last Concert
Meltdown: The last concert was on August 20th, 2016, in Kingston, what was that day and show like for you?
Paul Langlois: It was a difficult day but turned around when Gord showed up at the soundcheck. The show felt like a regular show, but as soon as we got off the stage, Gord said it felt like the last one. It was a crowning achievement for us.
Meltdown: Many bands don’t get to play their last show knowing it’s their last. You guys got to experience that.
Paul Langlois: Yes, it was a rare thing. We were the same five guys for so many years. Gord knew he was going to die, and he wanted to do things after the tour. We managed to pull the balloon down to safety, stand, and bow. It couldn’t have ended any better.
Meltdown: I highly suggest everyone watch “No Dress Rehearsal.” Mike Downie did a great job. The double album box set drops on November 8th. It’s a box set, correct?
Paul Langlois: Yes, “Up To Here” is our first real record. It has lots of cool stuff, a live show, vinyl albums, a great booklet, spare tracks, and outtakes. We’re getting better at this box set thing.
Meltdown: Great to talk to you. Congratulations on all the success. Next time I’m in Kingston, I’ll look you up.
Paul Langlois: Please do. Just go to the Red House, especially in winter. They’ll know where to find me.
Meltdown: Thank you so much for your time.
Paul Langlois: Thank you.
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