The Tragically Hip are putting the finishing touches to the studio album they’ve been working on with producer Bob Rock (Metallica, Our Lady Peace).

That’s about it as far as details about new material is concerned, but the band have introduced their “Live From The Vault” series of concert recordings on their newly revamped website.

The Hip have recorded their shows since 1995, and the tapes, DATs and CDs have apparently been stored in the vault of a converted bank in downtown Kingston, Ont. The archiving and preservation process has been ongoing over the past several years, leading to the launch of the new series of sound board recordings.

“There are no overdubs or tinkering,” says a message on the site. “No Frampton Comes Alive sheen. Just good old two track recordings capturing the band in a moment.”

Three concerts can be purchased and downloaded from the Hip’s online Gift Shop: Feb. 2, 1995 at Halifax’s Metro Centre; Oct. 26, 2002 at Stubb’s BBQ in Austin, Texas; and Feb. 6, 2007 at Hamilton’s Copps Coliseum. All come with downloadable Wil Ruocco-designed artwork. Recordings will continue to be added, and The Gift Shop has also introduced a wider range of Hip merchandise.

The site has added new music and video players. A new Flickr application enables fans to upload photos of the band to the site, which also features extensive archives of concert information and song lyrics. The “Hip Story Project” allows fans to tell their own stories about the group and what they mean to them.

Imagine the fun in that feature. “It was Nu Yeer’s Eve and we were already hamered…”

The site is loaded with great features and products for both regular visitors and Registered Users of thehip.com.

Our new online storefront is called the Gift Shop. It contains all merchandise both new and old.

Several new products include:

The Live From The Vault series.
Album Cover T-Shirts
Lyric T-Shirts

Shiny Bundle, which includes a toque, scarf and puck

A new and improved Music Player that not only looks great, but sounds great too. All site visitors can listen to the Song Of The Day as well as streaming songs from the band’s discography. 

Registered Users of thehip.com can create custom playlists from the entire band discography. These playlists can be updated and voted on by other users. If you have playlist envy, you can select the lists of other users to play for yourself. We will also have a rotation of full shows from the band’s archives available to stream. 

We have created a new Video Player that allows for the playback of all of the band’s music videos. This playback feature streams using mpeg4 files and allows for high resolution full screen viewing. We also have the archive of MAv’s home movies from live shows, backstage and the studio. 

A new Flickr application has been created to allow for a rotation of hundreds of photos. Almost every page of the new site contains this photo feature. There are tons of live concert photos, old promo photos and candid band photos. There is also a feature for fans to upload their photos of the band. 

The Archive section features a variety of band information and facts, including a comprehensive list of past shows, set lists, a database of cities and venues the band has played and all song lyrics. Registered Users can keep track of all the shows they have attended and the songs they have seen performed. This is also where the Hip Story Project resides. The HSP allows fans to tell their personal stories about all things Hip. Great experiences from past shows, how certain songs or albums have helped shape them and a place to recite anecdotes and memories. 

We feel like this site offers a little something for everyone, from the person just curious and checking out the band for the first time, to the casual fan to the hardcore who can’t get enough about The Hip. So pull up a chair and begin your exploring at thehip.com.

From Canoe.
By THE CANADIAN PRESS

TORONTO – Amid rapturous applause from students and cheering by members of the Tragically Hip, Alex Voros was honoured Thursday as Canada’s music teacher of the year.

Voros, of Toronto’s Chaminade College School, received the award for his 30 years of work in promoting musical education and for encouraging students of all backgrounds to learn an instrument.

“Whether they’ve played an instrument before, regardless of their musical experience they are welcomed … they have everything that they need to make music,” he said of the school’s music program, and paraphrased a famous Friedrich Nietzsche quote:

“Life without music is a mistake.”

Voros, 60, said he was thrilled to have the Tragically Hip on hand to present the award and listen to the school’s 70-member concert band, which performed the theme song to the film “The Godfather” and a medley of other tunes.

“It means a great deal to have international recording artists, through the presentation of this award, support and advocate for music education,” he told the audience in the school gym.

Voros added that he accepted the award on behalf of music teachers across Canada.

“It’s (dedicated to) the vast fraternity of music educators who toil ceaselessly in the cause of music education for all their students and teach them a love of music and making music.”

Tragically Hip singer Gord Downie said the band was honoured to acknowledge Voros’s talents and the work of all music educators.

“It’s been said that those who can, teach – and those who can’t, join rock bands,” Downie joked.

“Alex Voros isn’t just teaching, he’s making introductions, he’s introducing you to a lifelong friend,” he told the school’s students.

“He understands (music’s) magic and beauty and believes in its power to transform and to lift up spirits … He understands it, he feels it and he’s generous about it.”

Downie said learning an instrument isn’t about becoming the best guitar player or bass player in the school, it’s about forming a connection with music.

“You really don’t have to master the instrument, you don’t have to get hung up on (if you’re) good, or blow, or suck,” he said. “Just befriend that instrument and you’ll have a friend for life.”

Voros is the fourth recipient of the MusiCounts Teacher of the Year Award. It’s sponsored by MusiCounts, the music education charity of the Canadian Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences.

Previous awards were handed out by the Rolling Stones, Celine Dion and Michael Buble.