The Never-Ending Present

“Barclay combines his admiration of the band with his knowledge of the music industry to make a clever, touching, and very informative book that may well be the definitive work on an important piece of Canadian pop culture.” — Publishersweekly.com starred review“The Never-Ending Present climaxes with that exclamation mark, that night in August 2016, and even though the material borrows heavily from Barclay’s in-depth reporting and the time for Maclean’s, I minded little; it was appointment reading for me then, and it is a full and evocative accounting of the occasion now. It helps to explain why an event that had every reason to seem sad and funereal instead ended up indeed feeling like ‘a national celebration.’” — Literary Review of Canada“Woven from a vast range of secondary sources as well as new interviews with crucial figures in the band’s community and orbit, shot through with both a critic’s rigour and a fan’s fervour, it’s a book fully worthy of its beloved subjects’ unique place in the Canadian firmament.” — Montreal Gazette“Barclay’s remarkable chronicle of the Tragically Hip is as wide as it is deep. He sets down their story with a historian’s care and an artist’s rambling curiosity, revisiting each note with wit, expertise and so much heart. It’s eminently readable, clever and funny — what an achievement.” — Sean Michaels, Giller Prize-winning author of Us Conductors“Laying out the history of the band from the early years of its members and its founding in Kingston in the 1980s through to Downie’s final weeks, The Never-Ending Present is indeed as definitive a work on the band as anything that exists, and stands on its own against last year’s excellent documentary of the band, Long Time Running.” — Winnipeg Free Press“As a fan, this is an immensely pleasurable read, full of anecdotes, info and lyrical insight I had never seen before. Curious, casual fans ?and serious Hip heads will find so much to love about this book. This is a monumental, definitive chronicle of the band.” — Stephen Dame, HipMuseum.com“The ultimate 450-paged ode to the band that Canadians have long had a love affair with.” — Vancouver Magazine“If you’re a fan of The Hip, you likely already have the book. If you’re not a hard-core devotee, The Never-Ending Present could bring you around. If you don’t give a hoot about the band and its music, you still should read the book. It’s an insightful look at one of Canada’s most enduring musical institutions.” — Cape Breton Post

Michael Barclay has worked for Maclean’s, CBC Radio’s Brave New Waves, and Exclaim! He co-authored Have Not Been the Same: The CanRock Renaissance 1985–1995, which told the stories of the Tragically Hip, Blue Rodeo, k.d. lang, and dozens more. He lives in Toronto, Ontario.