This week, the Countdown goes visual. Joining me is Richard Beland, concert and music photographer, Hip historian, and all-around good dude from Bright’s Grove. Richard’s camera has been a witness to some of the most iconic moments in The Hip’s career — from sweaty club gigs at Fanshawe Pub, to international festival stages alongside Metallica and Neil Young, to that final August 20th show in Kingston. He’s shot Gord, Rob, Paul, Johnny, and Sinclair from every angle, and he’s here to share his Hipstory.

Richard takes us through his early days sneaking into pubs on a scratched-up license, the serendipitous connections that led him to London and Europe with a camera in hand, and the near-miss that almost kept his work out of the book and the doc. He shares the story behind his most iconic photograph of Gord Downie — the toque shot that’s since been tattooed on bodies, blasted on TSN, and memorialized in magazines. And yes, he tells us about the time Rob Baker rode shotgun on a milk crate while the band’s own song played on the radio. (Waffle butt confirmed.)

From the Grateful Dead to The Hip, from fish-eye lenses to stage risers, from Sudbury snowstorms to late-night alleyway portraits — Richard’s journey is a reminder of how music, photography, and fandom intersect to tell stories bigger than any one of us.

And then comes the big reveal: Song #4 on the Countdown. It’s a track that swells with atmosphere, memory, and melody — one Richard says feels like “warm water filling a cold glass.” It’s the song that can soundtrack both a snowy walk into Sudbury Arena and a lazy summer night at the cottage, arm around a friend, eyes to the stars. You know it. You love it. And now, you know where it landed.

This episode is loaded with Hip history, fan parallels to the Dead, and stories you’ve never heard before. And if you want even more, Richard will be joining us live on October 4th at A Celebration of The Hip for ALS at The Rec Room in Toronto, opening the night with a special photo presentation before The Strictly Hip take the stage.

Next Week

We head into the Top 3. One more regular episode before the live finale. Get ready.

Get Involved:

• 🎟 Tickets for Oct 4th – A Celebration of The Hip for ALS
• 🎧 Email your Hipstory or Top 20 list: [email protected]
• 🏒 Enter the Hockey Night in Canada Raffle: Leafs vs Oilers, Dec 13

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