UPDATE After production delays, Silver Surfers hits store shelves November 19th/tomorrow!
The final piece of writing by legendary Rush drummer Neil Peart was about one of the great passions of his life—collecting cars; the joy of collecting them, and the even bigger joy of driving them. In this never-before-seen piece, finished just before his passing in 2020, Neil writes about not only his lifelong passion for cars and the open road, but about his Silver Surfers—a rare collection of the best sports cars from the 1960s.
Each image in the book, personally selected by Neil, takes you on his journey of car collecting—including a photo of him at 22 with his first car, a 1969 Lotus Europa, purchased when he was working as a parts manager at his father’s farm equipment dealer; a 1948 MGTC he bought in London while on tour; and the black Ferrari car he drove while writing the songs for the seminal album Moving Pictures. And then there are his beloved Silver Surfers—seven classic 1960s sports cars, from an Aston Martin DB5 Saloon to a 1963 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray, each one a gorgeous silver, except one: a black 1964 Shelby Cobra whose patina Neil loved so much he refused to change it.
Beautiful studio images showing both the interior and exterior of these extraordinary cars, as well as personal images of Neil driving them along the California coast, accompany Neil’s warm, personal memories of why and how he bought the cars, the friends he made along the way, and what it was like to be behind the wheel. Neil’s final work is a love letter to these cars that meant so much to him, and to the passion of the road that fueled his life.
Alex Lifeson and Lerxst announce the launch of Grace, the latest edition of his signature guitar series created in partnership with innovative Canadian manufacturers Godin Guitars. If you missed out on the limited-edition Limelight – or think you look better in red! – now’s your chance to grab a hold of your new favorite axe. For more info, please visit Lerxstamps.com or the official Lerxst Reverb Shop.
“It’s a beautiful instrument that suits many different styles of playing,” he continued, “and the mirrored pickguard comes in handy for late night sessions when you need, um, to check, ah, your hair or something.” - Alex
The Tragically Hip: No Dress Rehearsal is a definitive four-part documentary series about a bunch of scrappy kids from Kingston, Ontario — Gord Downie, Rob Baker, Johnny Fay, Paul Langlois and Gord Sinclair — who went on to make music that defined Canada to the world and, more importantly, Canada to Canadians. Throughout the series, producer-director Mike Downie — brother of the band’s singular frontperson — interweaves never-before-seen archival footage with new interviews with the band, family, friends, and famous fans including Will Arnett, Dan Aykroyd, Jay Baruchel, Sarah Harmer, Geddy Lee, and Justin Trudeau. The series will receive a preview screening on September 5, 2024, in the Primetime program at the 2024 Toronto International Film Festival, in advance of its Prime Video debut on September 20. Check out the trailer here. - Thanks to RushFanForever for the headsup!
Alex Lifeson's 1996 solo project, Victor, will finally see its first vinyl release on August 9th. The reissue will be available on both double vinyl and CD, and from the release notes, "The reissue features the original album, completely remixed by Alex personally, offering significantly enhanced audio quality specially prepared for this release. Additionally, the album's fourth side features four instrumental tracks." Click here to order
Of the bonus tracks, "Kroove", "Banjo Bob" and "Serbs" were previously released on Alex's website on August 2, 2021 as "The Lerxst Demo Archives Pt. 1", while "Cherry Lopez Lullaby" was added Oct 29, 2021. Here's what he had to say about them at that time:
"'Kroove' was written and recorded @1996 late one night in my home studio. It started with the main guitar pattern then I added the drum loop, keys and bass. The geetar pickin’ section was especially fun to record. I’ve always liked that late night feel of this one." [webmaster note: you may recognize "Kroove" as a longer version of "Bittersweet Bundle of Misery" from the R30 live video].
"'Banjo Bob' was a fun session I did mid 1999. Originally recorded to a drum loop, I asked my good friend and Black Sheep drummer, Jim MacLellan, to have a go. He basically played to the finished track after I’d recorded all the elements. I love the false setup of the banjo and all the ugly undertones in the middle section. It was recorded at Lerxst Sound-Richmond Hill as there is a strict no banjo in the house policy dictated by Charlene."
"'Serbs' is another track Jim played on sometime in early 1999. It actually started with the accordion section and then built in reverse. I tried to create a soft pulse character for the guitar verse then an overcompressed drum moment before the Serbs marched in. My parents wanted me to play the accordion like a nice Serbian boy from suburban Willowdale should but the guitar was calling me. I’ll never know if I made the right decision..."
"'Cherry Lopez Lullaby' was written during the mix session of Clockwork Angels while in LA for months starting early 2012. I did an interview with High Times and the interviewer brought along a friend, an esteemed grower who provided a sample of his creation named Cherry Lopez. Because I was on an EST body clock, I was up most mornings @ 5:00 AM. I'd order coffee, sit on my hotel room balcony, read the paper and wake and bake then dive into making some fun sounds while the city was waking up. I had some borrowed acoustic and electric guitars for the duration, thankfully, as sitting around waiting to go to the studio was tedious and certainly, a bowl of Cherry kept my appetite healthy."
In a new interview with Rollingstone.com, Alex Lifeson catches us up on his busy post-Rush life, Envy of None 2, and explains in detail why he really, really doesn't want to tour again.
"Rush, the Canadian band, takes center stage in a captivating comic book biography. With record-breaking sales, chart-topping hits, and an enduring influence on musicians worldwide, Rush's extraordinary journey unfolds within these pages, showcasing the remarkable tale of a band that shaped generations."
Thanks to RushFanForever for the headsup!
BURGAW, NC, April 3, 2024 – Just a few months after the successful launch of the By-Tor overdrive/boost pedal, Alex Lifeson and Lerxst have announced their next pedal collaboration - The Snow Dog. The Snow Dog is an octave fuzz that utilizes the Lerxst two-in-one pedal format to provide a versatile array of modern and vintage fuzz sounds with a footswitchable upper octave effect. The Snow Dog is available now for $295 as a limited-run of 500 pedals available exclusively through the LERXST Reverb Store and also includes a tour pass signed by Alex. For more information and to purchase, please click here.
"Today Was Yesterday is the fresh and exciting new project of Angelo Barbera and Ty Dennis, two friends and veterans of the Los Angeles music industry. Their self-titled debut album showcases their talent and passion for creating timeless songs that blend catchy melodies, meaningful lyrics, and superb musicianship that is inspired by the bands that have left a lasting mark on music history. The album features guitar legends Alex Lifeson (Rush), and Robby Krieger (The Doors), who add their signature sound that helps make this release an instant classic. Today Was Yesterday is more than just a band name, it's a statement of timeless music that transcends genres and generations."
Geddy Lee Asks: Are Bass Players Human Too? is now streaming on Paramount+. All episodes are currently available to stream for subscribers, with the first episode provided for free.
"So this happened…. Out of the solitude of a pandemic lockdown came some ideas.. one of them was this… communing with my fellow Bass Folk to learn a little bit about where and how they live the moment they walk off the stage… Edifying, enlightening and an effin’ blast.. check it out and decide for yourself if Bass Players are Human… too!" - Geddy Lee
Speaking on the phone from his home office, Geddy Lee asks if he can take a second to grab one particular baseball. He knows its story by heart but wants to get it exactly right, in its own words. Of the hundreds of baseballs Lee has collected, this ball is among the least valuable. There are items in his collection worth well over $100,000. They are signed by U.S. presidents and baseball Hall of Famers; they have been thrown in no-hitters and hit for milestone home runs.
But Lee has reached for a ball signed by Bert Shepard, a left-handed pitcher who pitched exactly one game in the major leagues before fading into obscurity. When Shepard signed the ball, he found room between the seams to write his life's story.
"I lost my right leg being shot down over Germany in World War II," Lee says, reading from the ink. "I got a new leg and pitched for the Washington Senators."
At this, Lee starts laughing, but it's an emotional laugh, as if the smile is helping him choke back something more. Lee's parents were Holocaust survivors.
"And then on August 14, 1945," Lee continues, "gave up one run and three hits in five and one-third innings."
It is a box score brought to vivid, handwritten life, and when the bulk of Lee's memorabilia goes to auction next month, that ball will not be among the items for sale. How could anyone put a price on something like that?
"To me, it's kind of just a miraculous thing," Lee said.
If there is such a thing as wholesome indulgence, this is it. Lee, 70, is the singer and renowned bass player of the Canadian rock band Rush. He is in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, his signature literally etched into its walls. He is a rock star in every sense of the word.
But Lee is also a meticulous curator of the American pastime. Over many decades, Lee has filled his office with baseball treasures. He has a a 1917 Chicago White Sox ball signed by Shoeless Joe Jackson, a 1942 Negro Leagues ball signed by Josh Gibson, and a Mickey Mantle bat that's been traced back to the 1960 World Series. He also has a ball signed by The Beatles and four signed by John F. Kennedy. It is a collection of Rock and Roll excess, but also of passion and stewardship.
Some 300 items from Lee's collection will be auctioned by Christie's on December 6. It is being billed as "Selections from The Collection of Geddy Lee," and the auction house has estimated The Beatles ball alone to be worth upwards of $300,000. Same for the Mantle bat and a ball signed by Rube Waddell. One of the Kennedy autographs could fetch $100,000. It's a lot of money.
Geddy Lee will be premiering his brand new Paramount+ series Are Bass Players Humans Too? on December 5. Featuring Geddy speaking candidly with fellow legendary bassists like Nirvana’s Krist Novoselic, Metallica and Suicidal Tendencies’ Rob Trujillo, Primus’ Les Claypool, and Melissa Auf der Maur, formerly of The Smashing Pumpkins and Hole.
“I’m trying to show the world that a bass player can do many things,” Lee is says in the trailer. “Join me as I travel to the homes of four bass legends and dive deep into their lives, and their inspirations, plus some fun making music … as I try to answer one really important question: Are bass players human, too?”
Nancy Peart Burkholder, one of Rush drummer Neil Peart's two sisters,
has shared her memories of her brother's passing. Peart died on January
7, 2020, following a three and a half year battle with brain cancer
(Glioblastoma), and his death was announced three days later, on January
10,m 2020.
In conversation with podcaster Kelly Barrett,
Burkholder recalls how family members had to keep the news of her
brother's death a secret for those three days, until the official
announcement was made via Rush's website and social media channels.
“We
had three and a half years to prepare, so we knew it was coming,” she
says. “And then once it happened, we had that week of radio silence
where we couldn’t tell anybody. And then we got - I think we had 10
minutes’ notice before it was going live to the world. So we had 10
minutes to tell everyone that we hadn’t told in three and a half years
that, ‘Sorry, we lied. Everything’s not okay.’ So, yeah, it was a really
hard - that week was the hardest week that we went through because we
knew and couldn’t share it.”
Alex Lifeson breaks down the haunting, legendary solo on Rush’s “Limelight” on the first episode of the new podcast from Foo Fighters guitarist Chris Shiflett, Shred With Shifty. Watch:
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