The Tragically Hip have announced what guitarist Rob Baker describes as the "definitive chronicle" of their career: an anthology entitled This Is Our Life.
A deluxe, hand-crafted book-and-record box set edition (featuring the first-ever 7-inch vinyl pressing of bootleg track "Get Back Again"), limited to 1,000 copies, is available to pre-order through Genesis Publications for $565. Each numbered copy is signed by Baker, Johnny Fay, Paul Langlois and Gord Sinclair, and comes with six postcard prints, a replica of a 1992 backstage tour pass, and a photo print. You can also pre-order just the book via the band's website for $79, with orders expected to ship out on October 1.
"Over the years we discussed the concept of doing a large format book a number of times — on tour buses, in hotel rooms and in studios," Baker explained in a press release. "There was just such a treasure trove of beautiful photography, live and behind the scenes, plus posters, tickets and personal memorabilia. In the years after our final concert we've felt a growing need to tell our own story, in our own words — someone has to get to get it right! — and if we were going to do this, it had to be with Genesis Publications. Genesis are simply the best in their field at this kind of book."
The guitarist continued, "This Is Our Life is the true story of five young friends who bonded over their mutual love of all kinds of music, and who, over the course of four decades, found ways to continually renew those bonds of friendship and love through music. We shared a dream and that dream became our lives. We explored music, travel and life together. From the very beginnings through to the present day — the albums, the tours, the successes and failures as we saw them — in our own words."
According to press notes, This Is Our Life encompasses a wealth of photography spanning decades, featuring more than 300 pages of photographs — many of which were drawn from the Hip's own personal collections. Those are accompanied by all kinds of ephemera sourced from the musicians' archives, including Gord Downie's handwritten lyrics, rare posters, tickets and tour passes, instruments, album artwork, clothing and more, affording "the most highly intimate experience the band has ever allowed."