Tom Cochrane

VHS Archives #148: RUSH Inducted Into the Juno Hall of Fame – 1994 Juno Awards / w Tom Cochrane, Mike Myers, Sebastian Bach, the Tragically Hip & more!

In 1994, Rush were inducted to the Canadian Music Hall of Fame, after a mere 20 years as a recording band.  Not bad for three nerds from Southern Ontario.  I had my VCR running that night, and this is the whole segment, complete and uncut, with all introductions and fades, unlike other copies on YouTube.  Tom Cochrane was selected to induct them.

“Tonight we’re here to blow the lid off our three friends,” says Cochrane.

This 17 minute segment includes interviews with Geddy Lee, Alex Lifeson, and Neil Peart.  Tom Cochrane narrates the story of the unstoppable band with the rock solid fanbase.  It’s funny in hindsight to hear Neil talking about having fans as old as 40.  There is testimony from fans both young and old.

Celebrity fans also appear with awesome stories and tributes:

  • Mike Myers (Wayne’s World)
  • Sebastian Bach (Skid Row)
  • Tyler Stewart, Andy Creegan, Jim Creegan, and Ed Robertson (Barenaked Ladies)
  • Peter Collins (producer)
  • The Tragically Hip (performing “Limelight”)
  • Kim Mitchell (Max Webster)
  • Joe Carter & Paul Molitor (Toronto Blue Jays)
  • Les Claypool, Larry Lalond & Tim Alexander (Primus)
  • Vernon Reid (Living Colour)
  • Chris Cornell & Kim Thayil (Soundgarden)
  • Ben Mink
  • Sam Sniderman (Sam the Record Man)
  • Ray Danniels (Rush Manager)

As a precursor to things Alex Lifeson would say and do in the future, he is the comedy relief here.  His son Justin also has a comedic bit, proving it’s in the genes.  Poignantly though, Alex wishes for another 20 years…which, sadly, is all they got.

This is a beautiful tribute to Canada’s greatest export. Watch the whole thing; you will not regret the 17 minutes.

REVIEW: Triumph – Greatest Hits Remixed (2010)

My Triumph reviews to date:

GR HITS REMIXED_0001TRIUMPH – Greatest Hits Remixed (CD+DVD 2 disc set 2010 Universal)

I was very impressed with the “new” Greatest Hits Remixed by Triumph. Normally I don’t go much for remixes, as 9 times out of 10 the original versions are superior. Greatest Hits Remixed however was done by none other than Rich Chycki (ex-Winter Rose) whose credits include remixing work with Rush, particularly on Retrospective III. He did the first remixes of the Vapor Trails material, leading to the band remixing the whole album today.  Chycki’s work elevated those songs to a new level, likewise with Triumph.

The drums are louder and harder (read: modern sounding). The guitars more aggressive. The rolling, grooving basslines are now in your face. (I may have underrated Mike Levine in the past.)  Keyboards have been toned down. Vocals have been stripped dry and place high in the mix. In the case of “Just One Night”, the entire song sounds re-recorded, particularly the lead vocal.  Gil sounds older on this version. Even the hokey cheese of “Somebody’s Out There” has been replaced with a new edge, drowning out the formerly keyboard-heavy leanings. My only complaint is that some vocals are a little heavy on echo.

This CD-DVD 2 disc set comes with a wealth of interesting extras.  The DVD here is a great package on its own, and would have been worth buying in the $10 range alone. Every major Triumph video is here, now backed by the remixed tracks. In addition, there’s some bonus features, such as the “Child of the City” music video by the “v2.0” version of Triumph with Phil X.  There’s some early fan-cam footage (“Blinding Light Show”) and perhaps best of all, Triumph inducted into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame.  They are inducted by Tom  Cochrane, introducing Gil Moore as one of his closest friends.  Who knew?  Additionally, the set is housed in a nice double digipack, with lots of photos (a couple recent ones too) and lots of text to read. On the whole, a well made and timely package.

If you’re a new fan who hasn’t got their first Triumph CD yet, this package is a pretty good buy.  You might really get into the more modern sound. If you’re an old fan, I think it’s fun to enjoy the memories and the harder rocking sounds.

5/5 stars