Gord Downie rejected offer to become a hologram in his final years, bandmates say
By David Friend, The Canadian Press on August 23, 2024.
TORONTO – Gord Downie wasn’t interested in ever becoming a hologram musician. It’s an offer his former Tragically Hip bandmates say he confronted around the time he went public with his terminal brain cancer diagnosis in 2016. Hip guitarist Paul Langlois told The Canadian Press that one prominent hologram company, known for creating digital versions of deceased performers, approached the band wondering if Downie might want to sign up. He says Downie’s response was a resounding “No,” and that his surviving bandmates would honour his word if they were ever approached again. Hologram concerts have become an increasingly popular trend in the music industry as the estates of Whitney Houston, Amy Winehouse and many others have approved digital recreations of the deceased artists. Living Swedish pop superstars ABBA helped develop the cutting-edge concept when they set up a residency where younger versions of themselves performed before a live audience. The Hip’s lasting impact on the Canadian music scene is recounted in the new four-part documentary “The Tragically Hip: No Dress Rehearsal,” which premieres at this year’s Toronto International Film Festival before its debuts on Prime Video. TIFF runs Sept. 5 to 15. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 23, 2024. 10-9
