The Spirit of Radio - Greatest Hits (1974-1987)

Mercury/Universal has issued another compilation album to cash in on the success of Vapor Trails. Like its predecessors, Chronicles and Retrospective I & II, The Spirit of Radio - Greatest Hits (1974-1987) is the third compilation to cover material from the first 12 studio albums.

With a tracklist similar to Chronicles (all songs on this "Greatest Hits" are also on Chronicles), where Chronicles was a 2 disk compilation showcasing at least two songs per album, this single disk compilation has room for an average of only one song per album (making this sort of a "Chronicles Highlights" disk). Unfortunately, although three songs were included from Moving Pictures, and two each from Permanent Waves, Signals and Hold Your Fire, there are no songs from Caress of Steel begging the question, "where's 'Bastille Day'"?

The Japanese release also includes a bonus cd containing two bonus tracks, "A Passage To Bangkok" from Exit Stage Left and "What You're Doing" from All The Worlds A Stage, two live tracks which were omitted from the original cd releases of those albums, also previously included on Chronicles. In this age of Internet downloading, to entice fans to purchase the cd, the first 100,000 produced include a bonus DVD sampler of the Chronicles DVD collection, containing videos of "Tom Sawyer", "Closer to the Heart", "Subdivisions", "Big Money" and "Mystic Rhythms", plus lyrics to all the songs on the album. - Feb. 11, 2003

"...part of a contractual thing with Paul Egram with Mercury Records from our previous deal with them, which expired in 1990. So they have the rights to do a number of greatest hits or packaged records." - Alex Lifeson (AT&T Celebrity Chat, Feb. 10, 2003 [besides the new cd, Alex discusses the Vapor Trails tour, his son's album(!?) Contact, and more]).

"We did not have a lot of input in this. This was mostly a record company project. Our opinions were made known and they were very cooperative about doing good packaging for us." - Geddy Lee (USAToday.com chat, Feb 5, 2003 [Geddy also discusses the upcoming Rio DVD, and the next studio album]).

Rush Drummer Finalist For Literary Award

"Rush drummer Neil Peart was nominated for a Canadian literary award Tuesday for his book on his emotional recovery after the deaths of his wife and daughter. Peart's book Ghost Rider: Travels on the Healing Road is one of the nominees in the biography prize category of the second annual Great Literary Awards sponsored by the Writers' Trust of Canada. The awards will be presented March 6 at Toronto's Arts and Letters Club." - CBC Arts News, Feb. 11, 2003

Neil Peart Speaks With Zildjian

"Awhile back my friends at Zildjian asked me if I would contribute something to their magazine or website. Being in the middle of the Vapor Trails tour with RUSH at the time, I asked if maybe they could send me a list of questions in an interview format, and I would try to find time to scribble out some answers. I never got past the first question… 'Who was the first drummer who inspired you to take up the instrument? Who were some of your early drum influences?'" - Neil Peart, Zildjian.com. - January 28, 2003

The "Ghost Rider" featured in Cycle World, February 2003

Neil Peart only gave two interviews during the Vapor Trails  tour, one for "Modern Drummer", the other for "Cycle World".  Neil is  interviewed by the magazine's Executive Editor, Brian Catterson, who is  also a life long Rush fan.  Catterson met up with Neil after the  Albuquerque show of the Vapor Trails tour, and rode with him on a  "Ghost Rider-esque" motorcycle adventure the following two days en  route to Salt Lake City.  Catterson writes upon his trepidation of first meeting Peart:

"as I approached the tour bus door, there was only one Rush lyric on my mind...'I can't pretend a stranger is a long awaited friend'. And so it was with more than a little apprhension that I knocked. An anxious few moments passed, and then Neil himself threw open the door and greeted me with a warm handshake and a smile...Not surprisingly the TV in the bus was tuned to the Weather Channel. Looking at the forecast, I noted that it read, 'Ceiling Unlimited'...'Yes, that's where that came from,' Neil said, smiling. 'You're the first person to make that connection.'" Catterson later tells of dining in Moab, "I could feel myself regressing, the inquisitive journalist replaced by the teenage Rush fan I used to be. A teenage Rush fan sitting across the dinner table from Neil friggin' Peart!" After the Salt Lake show, Catterson was backstage to say goodbye to Neil, "he encouraged me to keep in tourch via e-mail, and then, out of the blue, said, 'Aw, give old Neil a hug.' So much for that whole 'stranger' thing..."

Vapor Trails

Vapor Trails, Rush's 17th studio album, was released May 14, 2002 (May 13th in Europe, May 12th in Japan). Produced by Rush with engineer Paul Northfield, the album's first single, "One Little Victory", debuted Friday, March 29th, and climbed to #22 on Billboard's Mainstream Rock Tracks chart its first week. After the first week, the album climbed to #6 with sales of 111,199, while Soundscan reported it as #3 of the Top 100 albums in sales/#1 among the Top 50 Metal Albums.  For more information visit the Vapor Trails News Archive.

Country Star/Rush Fan Tim McGraw

While appearing on Larry King Live, Country singer Tim McGraw [known to non-Country fans as "the guy married to Faith Hill"] was asked "Do you listen to other kinds of music?", to which he replied:

"Yes, I'm a huge '70s classic rock fan...The Eagles -- big Eagles fan. I love Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, of course. I love Phil Collins, which I guess is a little more '80s but I love those guys in Genesis. Rush. Big Rush fan..." Click here for the complete transcript. - CNN's Larry King Live, December 10, 2002

Alex Lifeson Produces 3 Door Down

In Spring 2000, Alex Lifeson produced three songs with Mississippi-based 3 Doors Down: "Dangerous Game," "Dead Love," and "Wasted Time". In addition, at least two of the three tracks may also include Lifeson on guitar (although some fan sites state that he played on all three tracks).  Of the three tracks, "Wasted Me" was made available on a special 2CD Australian release of Better Life, as well as a b-side to the "Kryptonite" import single, while "Dangerous Game was later released on Away From The Sun. 

Hemispheres 35mm Short Film

Inspired by the Rush album of the same name, the short film Hemispheres is now available. The basis of the film is the struggle and battle of the left and right side of one's brain - the left being logic and the right being emotion. Gern Fletcher is stuck in the middle. Tonight he faces a decision that could change his life in ways he has never imagined - or so he thinks. As an added plus for Rush fans, the film makers included at least one visual reference from each Rush album. For additional information including production stills, a complete synopsis, and how to order, visit TheSouth40.com.

Emmerson Nogueira covers "Tom Sawyer"

An acoustic cover of "Tom Sawyer", performed by Brazil's Emmerson Nogueira, was released on Versão Acústica Vol. 2 (Acoustic Versions), on October 21st. This beautiful cover is performed on acoustic guitars, with a female vocal lead and male accompaniment, and sparse percussion. The keyboard solo now sounds like flamenco guitar! Other tracks on the album include covers of Supertramp, The Beatles, The Police, and more.

Peart Receives Zildjian Cymbal Plaque Award

"Zildjian representatives John DeChristopher, Lennie DiMuzio, Jim McGathey and Paul Francis paid a visit to Neil Peart when Rush pulled into Boston for one night at the Fleet Center. During the visit Lennie presented Neil with a Cymbal Plaque Award in recognition of his contributions to the art of drumming and his long time relationship with Zildjian. The award featured a vintage cymbal from Armand Zildjian's personal collection." www.zildjian.com, October 28, 2002

"One Little Victory" included in "Need for Speed - Hot Pursuit 2"

Need for Speed - Hot Pursuit 2, the latest release in the Need for Speed racing franchise includes two versions of "One Little Victory" in the soundtrack. Released July 9th, the game includes both the original studio version as well as an instrumental edit.  The complete soundtrack includes: Hot Action Cop - "Fever for the Flavor"; Hot Action Cop - "Going Down It"; Uncle Kracker - "Keep It Comin'"; Bush - "The People That We Love"; Rush - "One Little Victory"; Pulse Ultra - "Build Your Cages"; Course of Nature - "Wall of Shame"; Buzzhorn - "Ordinary".

"Exit Stage Right - The String Quartet Tribute to Rush"

No "Invisible Symphony", finally a REAL classical tribute to Rush! Exit Stage Right - The String Quartet Tribute to Rush is now available, and covers nearly the entire Exit Stage Left album from a classical chamber quartet approach; the album's cover includes a nod to the ESL as well, with a curtain drawn back to expose a violin.

A tribute by real Rush fans, the album was arranged, produced, mixed, and mastered by Todd Mark Rubenstein, who also co-handles the album's cello and bass duties. In the linernotes, Todd thanks (among others) "Neil Peart, Geddy Lee & Alex Lifeson for a lifetime of musical genius and the gift of great songs with brilliant performances that will be an inspiration to musicians of all genres for generations to come".

Rush Reunion at Superstar Birthday Party/Alex Jams with Extreme

"A gathering of several big rock music names came together May 11th to celebrate the 37th Birthday of Steve Hoffman - a part of SRO Management and brother to Sunshine Jive's Robby Hoffman. Reporting in for me is none other than Robby himself! 'On hand were all members of Rush, including Neal (mispelled!) Peart. All original members of Extreme, Valentine/Open Skyz and The Tea Party. The night started out with an all-star jam - Extreme (Gary, Pat and Paul) with Alex Lifeson on guitar doing Aerosmith's Sweet Emotion. Nuno joins the stage for Get The Funk Out and than turns it into a full Extreme re-union jam of all their classics including some Zeppelin and Aerosmith favorites as well. The night heats up when Nuno gets on drums and Robby Hoffman takes over on guitar for Custard Pie and Aint Talkin Bout Love. Then Valentine/Open Skyz join the stage with some friends. If thats not enough, The Tea Party takes the stage and covers a wide variety of classics. To end the night, Extreme take the stage one more time, joined by Jeff Martin (The Tea Party) for some of the best jamming ever witnessed. The birthday was not complete until Nuno and Gary closed the night with More Than Words...'" - Melodirock.com, May 21, 2002

"U.S. Protests Mexi-Canadian Overpass"

"U.S. Protests Mexi-Canadian Overpass", detailing the building of an overpass from Mexico to Canada which bypasses the U.S. One U.S. citizen complains "the honking, the chickens, the sound of thousands of cars going back and forth to Canada and Mexico is more than I can take. I can hear those goddamn radios blaring Mariachi music and Rush all day and night." - The Onion, May 15, 2002

Coming Soon: Rush.com

With little fanfare but after a long legal battle, Rush has won the rights to www.rush.com from cybersquatter Bob Ames.

"Work is being completed on the official Rush website www.rush.com and it will have all the bells and whistles. You'll find tour dates, streaming music, words from the guys, and more!" - Rush Backstage Club, April 5, 2002

Alex Lifeson's "Andromeda"

Alex Lifeson composed and performed the theme music for the first season of Gene Roddenberry's Andromeda, the Star Trek creator's final series which premiered the week of Oct. 2, 2000. The theme is now available as the opening song of the Andromeda soundtrack album. It is rumored that star/executive producer Kevin Sorbo (of Hercules fame) never liked the theme, and was behind changing the theme after the first season.

"It all began when co-executive producer Robert Hewitt Wolfe was talking to executive story editor Ethlie Ann Vare, a former rock journalist (Hollywood Reporter, E! Entertainment Television, ROCK magazine). He said that the top band on his wish-list to do music for Andromeda would be Rush. Inspired, Vare made some strategically-placed calls. Since Alex Lifeson is as big a science fiction lover as some science fiction fans are Rush lovers, he seemed a good fit for the job. Lifeson composed and performed the Andromeda theme, 'March of the High Guard'. Lifeson created the whole piece in his home studio, overdubbing an astonishing 20,000 guitars for a sound quite unlike any other main title theme on television." - www.andromedatv.com, Aug. 2000.

"The strongest composition on this collection is actually Alex Lifeson's invigorating 'Season One Main Title.' The cue lasts for only 59 seconds, but it packs a punch that, for the most part, is lacking throughout the rest of the CD...With the exception of Lifeson's lone contribution, the 25 cues on the collection are all written and played by Matthew McCauley...While McCauley's artificial Andromeda arias are invariably expressive, his tunes are also consistently mediocre and, in many respects, surprisingly rough-edged." - Scifi.com Review

Dave Bidini "The Sweet Rush Of Adolescence"

In The Sweet Rush Of Adolescence, a touching article by The Rheostatic's frontman Dave Bidini, Dave reminisces about his teenage years and "Rush, the first band with which I was truly obsessed with", changing tastes while growing up, and eventually recording with hero Neil Peart in 1992 for the Rheostatic's album Whale Music:

"The Barenaked Ladies were there, too; they'd laid in their background vocal to 'California Dreamline' earlier in the day and together we watched Neil warm up, a chimeric figure in his beaded African hat under the low studio lights. Head lowered, torso centered, feet kicking, his hands glancing over the drums, Neil played all afternoon. His touch was soft when it had to be, but propulsive, too, like a distance runner tugging the flow of blood to his heart. It's one thing to see your hero perform from a distant seat in Maple Leaf Gardens, but it's something else to feel close to his work, as I did that day. At one time in my life, I'd dreamed of what it would be like to simply attend a Rush concert, and there I was at the studio, not 20 feet from where he was crafting a part for a song that would appear on our album....As Neil commanded his kit, he painted my adolescence before me, evoking everything about it." - Dave Bidini, Toronto Star, January 6, 2002

Rocket Science "Foolscap"

The long awaited debut album from Rocket Science, Foolscap, was released October 9th, from Sonic Unyon Records. Foolscap was co-produced and recorded by Geddy Lee in his home studio, and includes his nephew Rob Higgins on bass and vocals. Geddy also provided backing vocal on "Space Suit" (previously available on Rocket Sciences' 5 song EP).

"It is rock, rock with a kind of technical edge to it. I have a home studio and we have been working here and gone into the smaller studios around town to do some sessions now and again. It has been fun for me and I think fun for them as well." - Geddy Lee, JAM! Showbiz, Jan. 18, 2000

The album is available in most Canadian retail record stores, but is only available outside Canada via mail order at this time. To order, send a check or money order for $15.49 (Canadian) or $10 (US) payable to Rocket Science, to 54 Phoebe St., Toronto, ON, Canada M5T1A9. - Rocket Science Online

Chronicles DVD Now Available

Rush Chronicles, the first Rush Region 1 DVD (playable in US and Canadian players) hits store shelves today.  Unlike the original VHS version, the DVD contains the "Le Studio" video of Tom Sawyer, versus the live version from the Exit Stage Left concert video. In addition, two videos from the Through the Camera Eye VHS compilation released in 1985 which were not included on the Chronicles VHS release are included as bonus "hidden" videos on the Chronicles DVD. The only previously released on VHS videos (included on Through the Camera Eye) not included on the Chronicles DVD are Countdown, Vital Signs, and The Body Electric.

Geddy Lee September 2001 "Guitar Center" Interview

Geddy Lee is interviewed in the September 2001 Guitar Center Catalog. Topics include his current bass setup, his home studio, as well My Favorite Headache and the current state of Rush. The catalog cover features a caricature of Geddy giving Willie Nelson a ride on a Harley Davidson motorcycle (both Geddy and Willie are interviewed in the catalog; the Harley is part of a contest).  Click here for more.