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 their own terms. The conversation moves beyond origin stories and into identity, momentum, and the choices that shaped what The Hip would become.

It’s part music, part culture, part fan perspective—sharp, opinionated, and intentionally unfinished. If you’ve been waiting for the episode where the stakes rise and the story accelerates, this is it.

School of Hip has entered the Up To Here era.

Whether you’re a longtime Hip fan or just curious about what makes this band so iconic in Canada, School of Hip is your guide to the sounds, stories, and surprises of The Tragically Hip—from their early EPs to their legendary albums. Episodes drop every two weeks, with show notes and links available for further exploration.

Boneless makes a better podcast. Find 20 more like-minded podcast nuggets at The Boneless Podcasting Network.

By Heath McCoy at Amazon.com - Buy a copy here!

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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 of their peers: Gord Downie’s unpredictable spark, the band’s tight chemistry, and especially the interplay between Rob Baker’s fluid, textural guitar work and Paul Langlois’s grounded rhythmic punch.

Discussion slides into a major moment in Hip News: superstar producer Boi-1da being granted full access to The Hip’s catalog for a FIFA World Cup–themed project. The guys explore why it matters—legacy building, cross-genre discovery, and the surprising ways new listeners stumble onto classic bands through global events and cultural remixing.

They highlight hipmuseum.com, a massive fan-built archive they’ll be relying on heavily, and extend an open invitation to curator Stephen Dame. The sense of community around the show keeps growing.

Then comes the heart of the episode: a track-by-track breakdown of the EP’s final songs, Cemetery Sideroad on through All Canadian Surf Club.

Chaz and Heath close with their first scoring tally and talk through production notes, listener interaction, and the road ahead. It’s a freakin lively, witty, music-nerd-friendly episode that deepens their journey into the earliest days of The Tragically Hip. And the evolving format, it's best described as smoove...

ON THE WEB

You can reach us on our School of Hip Facebook page. We feed on your feedback!

https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61579698875642

Heath McCoy is author of the book Pain and Passion: The History of Stampede Wrestling

https://www.amazon.ca/Pain-Passion-History-Stampede-Wrestling/dp/1550227874

https://ecwpress.com/products/pain-and-passion

Heath is featured in the documentary Singhs in the Ring:

https://www.crave.ca/en/special/singhs-in-the-ring-58926

Thanks to historian Terry Hoknes for his fantastic research on behalf our Facebook page.

You can follow his Facebook page at Saskatoon History Music Scene

https://www.facebook.com/groups/saskatoonmusichistory

Whether you’re a longtime Hip fan or just curious about what makes this band so iconic in Canada, School of Hip is your guide to the sounds, stories, and surprises of The Tragically Hip—from their early EPs to their legendary albums. Episodes drop every two weeks, with show notes and links available for further exploration.

Boneless makes a better podcast. Find 20 more like-minded podcast nuggets at The Boneless Podcasting Network.

By Heath McCoy at Amazon.com - Buy a copy here!

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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 episode opens with personal stories about discovering the Hip and the cultural differences in how the band is perceived in Canada versus the US. Chaz and Heath outline the show’s format: each episode will focus on an album, breaking it down track by track, sharing insights, anecdotes, and ratings, while keeping the tone conversational and fun.

The Album: The Tragically Hip (EP) 1987 Side A (Smalltown Bringdown thru Evelyn)

They begin with the band’s self-titled debut EP, discussing its roots-rock sound, the influence of band members like Gord Sinclair and Gord Downie, and the evolution of their style. The hosts compare tracks to other bands (R.E.M., Tom Petty, B-52s), analyze lyrics, and share behind-the-scenes stories—like the inspiration for “Evelyn” and the band’s early days in Kingston, Ontario.

Listeners are invited to join the journey, connect with the growing podcast network, and look forward to future episodes that promise more music, stories, and special guests.

Whether you’re a longtime Hip fan or just curious about what makes this band so iconic in Canada, School of Hip is your guide to the sounds, stories, and surprises of The Tragically Hip—from their early EPs to their legendary albums. Episodes drop every two weeks, with show notes and links available for further exploration.

Boneless makes a better podcast. Find 20 more like-minded podcast nuggets at The Boneless Podcasting Network.

By Heath McCoy at Amazon.com - Buy a copy here!

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.