The wait is over—Sara J finally sits down with Craig Rogers: co-host of Discovering Downie & guitarist for Gift Shop (West Coast’s ultimate tribute to The Tragically Hip)

In typical DATC Pod fashion, this chat is so good it had to be split into two parts!

In part one, Craig takes us through his musical journey (with his guitars as our guide)—from the influence of his father’s own musical career, to grade six band and playing saxophone, to picking up a guitar and being sought out to play with his favourite band. He shares the perils of touring Canada, playing side stage at Lollapalooza ’95, and his first G&L guitar.

We also dive into the music that shaped him: the album that changed everything for him, why he thinks The War on Drugs is the best live band right now, and the time he had tickets to two shows at once. Plus, Craig recalls his first encounters with The Tragically Hip, gives us a peek into his fandom and explains how Gord Downie left him unsure what to think at first.

And that’s just part one. Buckle up—we’re going deep.

More from this week's guest:

Gift Shop: https://www.giftshophipband.ca

Discovering Downie Podcast: https://www.instagram.com/gorddowniepod/

Windows '78:

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/0dgLSNGgttqwpkOO6DnFGs?si=p8Ypp9MXQ5aBLY0_InaEHA

Apple Music: https://music.apple.com/us/artist/windows-78/155673759

Loaded Boards Longboard video mentioned in conversation: https://youtu.be/l7OpZ_XQzJI?si=EdWXEisd_Q-u63-P

Canadian Alternative Playlist:

Apple Music: https://music.apple.com/us/playlist/canadian-alternative/pl.u-DdANNBet9G60E

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/6biwSrIHlYFrUuxghJja20?si=lGpBxUfSSP--d2w11vsDNA&pi=M384ATmqRFCcu

The Friendly Giant Classic Vintage Children's TV Show: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL55KQG9TdrwYW3VxnIz9cNxTvsfGCHtks&si=ICBzpFN14UpsWams

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Want to hang out virtually? Join Sara and jD on Sunday nights on YouTube for Hip fan convos! https://www.youtube.com/@dewvre1974

Curious about the October 4th Toronto event? https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/a-celebration-of-the-hip-for-als-tickets-1137838598879?aff=oddtdtcreator

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