School of Hip

In this episode of School of Hip Chaz and Heath welcome the editor-in-chief of the Edmonton Journal and the Edmonton Sun, journalist and Canadian news podcaster Dave Breakenridge. Dave’s Tragically Hip fandom is such that this summer, via his Twitter/X page , he launched an online elimination tournament ( The Tragically Hip Best Song Bracket ) to determine by fan votes just what is the Hip’s great...

In this episode of  School of Hip  Chaz and Heath welcome – from the Paris of the Prairies – writer, documentarian, film critic, and the director of operations at Saskatoon’s Rawlco Radio,  Craig Silliphant . Craig’s latest book is a collection of humourous essays entitled  Bunnyhug Cynic  which includes a must-read reflection on the...

In this episode of  School of Hip  Chaz and Heath take a detour from the Tragically Hip catalogue and into the world of Tragically Hip tribute bands interviewing Derek Lathrop, the Gord Downie doppleganger in one of the most in-demand Hip tributes on the circuit,  The Hip Experience .    Lathrop, a veteran of the Canadian music industry as a touring mus...

In this episode of  School of Hip  Chaz and Heath welcome their first ever returning guest, none other than the Podfather of the Boneless Podcasting Network, co-host of the world’s greatest Van Halen podcast  And the Podcast Will Rock , and five more equally killer shows which you can learn about by clicking the link on his immortal name. Hello,  Corey...

In this episode of School of Hip Chaz and Heath are joined by friend of the show and bonafide Tragically Hip Super Fan Chris Doucher, a comic book reporter whose work is featured at GeekNerdNet.com and on the GNN Instagram page.  Chris shares the deep connection he feels to the lyrics of Gord Downie, with a special emphasis on two meaningful passages in particular, which he’s tattooed to his...

In this episode of  School of Hip  Chaz and Heath are joined by their good friend (and occasional frenemy / nemesis)  Kevin Brown , host of topnotch podcasts  The Tom Petty Project ,  The Ultimate Catalogue Clash ,  Seaside Pod Review: A Queen Podcast , and  Rock Court , where he was the formidable thorn in their respective sides!    A spirited cha...

In this re-duxed for improved sound quality episode of School of Hip Chaz and Heath are joined by an Irishman living in Germany, none other than Ian Winick host of Black Adder podcast Lord of Adders Black and the brand new Eat the Pudding: A Simpsons Podcast . Despite being stricken with illness and even more unrested than anticipated – curse you, time zone trickery – Winick plants his boots on ha...

In this episode of  School of Hip  Chaz and Heath take a detour from their chronological deep dive through the Tragically Hip’s discography to instead explore the newly released live album by Gord Downie & The Sadies, Live at 6 O’Clock. It’s a dynamic snapshot from the short 2014 tour the late Hip frontman embarked on in support of a solo album he released that same ye...

In this episode of  School of Hip  Chaz and Heath are joined by the acknowledged Godfather of their podcasting universe, now forever crowned the Podfather! That’s  Corey Morrissette , whose flagship show, Van Halen podcast  And the Podcast Will Rock , is the very venue where our School of Hip co-hosts met.     A spirited talk between the three...

In this episode of School of Hip Chaz and Heath are joined by special guest Michael Barclay, author of Canadian best seller The Never-Ending Present: The Story of the Tragically Hip – which has been a constant reference point for this show – as well as the book Hearts on Fire: Six Years That Changed Canadian Music 2000-20005.     Michael takes us on his Tragically Hip jour...

In this episode of School of Hip:  Chaz and Heath are joined by Nick Lewis, a former journalist who covered Calgary’s arts and entertainment scene with Heath in the early 2000s, writing for the Calgary Herald. Reunited for the first time in well over a decade they share stories from the rock critic trenches.  Nick’s tale of a near fisticuffs encounter with a drunken, belli...

In this episode of School of Hip:  Chaz and Heath are joined by special guest Todd McGinity who co-hosts the SeanGeek and FastFret Podcast with his brother Sean. Yes, the same Sean who joined us a few weeks back. Can’t get enough of those rockin’ rollin’ McGinity Bros!  Todd remembers his earliest memories of road apples. No, not the Hip album, but rather the album’s namesake, horse poop...

In this episode of School of Hip: Chaz and Heath are joined by special guest Paul Beaulieu of the Canadian Music Scene website and founder of the annual RushFest event, celebrating the music and legacy of legendary Canadian rock trio, Rush (a band near and dear to Chaz, who is also the co-host of the RushRash podcast!) Paul shares stories of his interactions with the Tragically Hip over the years...

In this episode of School of Hip: Chaz and Heath are joined by special guest Stephen Dame, whose website A Museum After Dark at hipmuseum.com has been an amazing source of information for the illustrious co-hosts as they have set out to explore the Tragically Hip’s entire musical catalogue, one album side at a time.  They discuss Dame’s personal connection to the Hip and the origins of the we...

This is where it really starts. In this episode of School of Hip, the show hits a turning point as Chaz and Heath—joined by  Sean McGinity —step into  Up To Here ,  The Tragically Hip ’s 1989 major-label debut and the record that changed everything. This isn’t just a new album. It’s the moment the band locked in their sound, their voice, and their place in Canadian culture—on t...

Heath and Chaz settle into a natural groove as they continue their deep dive into  The Tragically Hip ’s 1987 debut EP. The show opens with their now-familiar intro before jumping into a fast-moving music chat—Sloan, 54-40, The Northern Pikes, Halifax vs. Seattle, and how regional college-rock scenes shaped the late ’80s across North America. They dig into why The Hip ultimately pulled ahead...

Episode Highlights: In the debut episode of School of Hip , hosts Chaz Charles and Heath McCoy kick off their deep dive into the world of The Tragically Hip. Chaz, an American who first encountered the band in the 90s, and Heath, a Canadian rock journalist with firsthand experience interviewing Gord Downie, set the stage for a unique, cross-border exploration of the band’s music and legacy. The ep...