Alex Lifeson remembers "The Worst Gig"

In a recent article which compiles many artists' remembrances of their "worst gig", Alex Lifeson remembers:

"It was a long time ago, the first tour in fact in 1974. We were playing at a university in Baltimore. It was just before the show and we came out to sort of peak around to look at the audience before the doors opened and they came in. And we saw that the girls were dressed in little white socks and long skirts and all the guys had greaser hairdos. It turned out to be one of these '50s sock hop things. We went on and were wearing satin pants and big high boots. And we started with 'Finding My Way' from the first record. They just sort of stood there and stared at us. Then by the second song they started to rumble. By the fourth song it was 'BOOOOO.' Get out of here! Get off!' So of course we turned everything up a little bit and continued to play. Then finally the promoter said, 'Thanks guys. You're done.' But they were nasty. They were really pissed off. I'm sure if we would have kept going they would have thrown their greasy combs at us." - Alex Lifeson, Lawrence.com, February 13, 2004

"Rush rock on for a fine drop of Macallan"

"Whisky on the rocks all round this Christmas for the employees of the Edrington group, quite literally as in go 'heavy on the rocks'. Heavy rocker Neil Peart, writer/lyricist and drummer for Rush, the Canadian rock band, sent them stocking-filling goodies as a sign of appreciation for his visit to Glasgow earlier this year. The band played a sell-out concert in Glasgow a few months ago and Edrington presented a bottle of The Macallan Fine Oak 15-year-old single malt to Neil to celebrate his birthday. Neil, or 'the Professor' as he is referred to, is a fan of The Macallan and makes regular references to it in his book Ghost Rider and the more recently-released Travelling Music and thousands of RUSH fans have become devotees of the brand. The Professor was much taken with the warm gesture in Glasgow and, on his return to North America, sent a package of 'goodies' to the company, including signed CDs, pictures and other memorabilia. These have now been distributed amongst RUSH fans who work for the distiller. Whether they will now play Rush over the Tannoy in the bottling plant remains to be seen." - "Rush rock on for a fine drop of Macallan", Scotsman.com, December 27, 2004