"In the 2004 edition of the Rolling Stone Album Guide, Rush's albums received an average of 2.7 stars. Technically, those ratings put them somewhere between 'fair' and 'good' in the RS canon, which, needless to say, will not satisfy the fans at RushMessageBoard.com."
"Rush’s continued existence is a riddle, wrapped in a mystery, inside the enigma that is the famously fan/limelight-avoiding and well-read Peart. Yet Rush are a three-piece band of equal parts, and similar attention is long overdue for Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson. Although frequently derided for his occasional choice of high-register singing, Lee has a fine, folky voice; he’s no slouch on a synth, either...Lifeson, too, is an underappreciated player, and deserves to be ranked alongside David Gilmour for his fluid soloing, and Jimmy Page for other-worldly riffs."
"RUTSEY, John Howard - It is with deep sadness that John's family announces his untimely passing due to complications from his lifelong affliction with diabetes, at age 55. Donations may be made in John's memory to the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, 7100 Woodbine Avenue, Suite 311, Markham, ON, L3R 5J2 (online: www.jdrf.ca, by phone: 905-944-4631). Online Condolences: newbiggingfh@rogers.com. Published in the National Post on 5/15/2008."
"Our memories of the early years of Rush when John was in the band are very fond to us. Those years spent in our teens dreaming of one day doing what we continue to do decades later are special. Although our paths diverged many years ago, we smile today, thinking back on those exciting times and remembering John's wonderful sense of humour and impeccable timing. He will be deeply missed by all he touched." - Alex & Geddy, Rush.com, May 16, 2008
The Permanent Waves Ultradisc II™ 24 KT Gold CD by Mobile Fidelity Sound Labs was released January 8, 2008. This CD comes in heavy stock cardboard gatefold which replicates the original vinyl album packaging, and is gold stamped with a number making it a true limited edition. The CD itself is in a soft cloth sleeve which slips into the gatefold along with the CD booklet and a MOFI technical data informational card. The artwork is faithful to the original album, and even includes the incorrect lyrics of "Freewill" which were eventually corrected in the original Mercury remaster."After literally months of examination and discussions with the artists, due to the age and fragility of most of original first-generation analog masters to classic Rush titles, we?ve had to cancel plans to release the titles we had planned. They have deemed that the original masters should not be used for any future re-mastering, and we have to respect that decision. We apparently lucked out big-time with Permanent Waves as it was in pristine condition. Sorry for the bad news but we?re not feeling so hot about it ourselves. I believe another indie label is now looking into releasing some Rush titles in the future but mastered from copy tapes." - Best regards, Michael Grantham, Mobile Fidelity Sound Labs, March 2008Mobile Fidelity's Limited Edition 24k Gold Audiophile CDs are some of the most valuable collector's items within the Audiophile market, pressed directly from the original studio master session tapes and engineered to produce the finest CD sound quality available. This is the fourth Rush album to be released in the Ultradisc II™ line; previous releases include 2112 (1993), Moving Pictures (1992), and Signals (1994), all of which are now out of print; the Permanent Waves Ultradisc II™ is sure to be highly coveted by Rush Audiophiles.
"Early in March I will have to start preparing for another series of concerts, a 'continuation' of the Snakes and Arrows tour. (The Snakes and Arrows 'surge,' I call it.) We had planned to end the tour in Europe last fall, but apparently more people want to see us, or see us again, so we were asked to do more shows. Some of them will be in places we haven’t got to for a while, like New Orleans, Oklahoma City, and Winnipeg, and that is nice, plus we plan to make a few changes to the setlist and presentation to freshen it up a little. Although the world knows by now that I’m not crazy about touring, I sure don’t discount the good fortune that we can still do it, personally and professionally — that we can play better than ever, and that people will come and see us. That’s not something I have ever taken for granted. As I have said to friends who might be having their own work difficulties, 'At least if I have to work, I’m glad I can.' And not just any old job, of course — pretty much the best job there is — but none-the-less a hard one." - NeilPeart.net, March 2008
"The Alex Lifeson ES-355 features a maple body, 3-piece maple neck, '57 Classic pickups with individual volume and tone controls, and a Maestro Long vibrola tailpiece. It would be the consummate prog rock machine even if it weren't the chosen axe of the Rush guitarist, but because it is, you know it's got the goods. The Vibrola is one of the least wood-invasive tremolo options, keeping the belly of this archtop guitar remarkably pristine and preserving it's natural resonance. The Alex Lifeson Signature ES-355's individual volume and tone controls for each of the '57 Classic pickups give you full reign over the wide spectrum of tones of which these faithful Alnico II replicas of the 1950s PAF humbuckers are capable.
'For 33 years, Rush guitarist Alex Lifeson has personified the consummate rock innovator a sonic adventurer capable of producing mind-blowing power chords and dizzying arpeggios alike, ultimately sculpted into huge, rich melodies and ingenious arrangements. Throughout most of Lifeson s ride to superstardom, a 1976 Gibson ES-355 has been by his side, both in the studio and on stage. With it, he has created many of Rush s breathtaking layered soundscapes, and the very same ES-355 continues to be an indispensable part of his live arsenal. This Gibson electric guitar is a painstaking recreation of the iconic instrument. It's Gibson s heartfelt tribute to a true modern master, and to the guitar he used to expand the definition of popular music." - GuitarCenter.com
"Sure, the footage from Exit Stage Left is classic, and you can’t beat the wild Brazilian crowd in the Rush in Rio DVD, but if you can only get one Rush DVD it has to be R30. The setlist, sound quality, and camera angles just can’t be beat. The R30 Overture that opens the show has all-instrumental snippets of “Finding My Way,” “Anthem,” “Bastille Day,” “A Passage to Bangkok,” “Cygnus X-1,” and “Hemispheres,” plus a hilarious cameo from Jerry Stiller. The lack of vocals on this medley allows Alex Lifeson’s PRS-fueled guitar tones to really stand out. He and the boys run through a whole bunch of Rush favorites including “Xanadu,” “Subdivisions,” “Red Barchetta,” and “Tom Sawyer” (with a killer Lifeson solo). The show kicks ass from start to finish and Lifeson is in fine form the entire time with his trademark arpeggios, fiery solos, and a humongous tone that fills the arena. If the gig was all you got this would still be a must have. When you factor in all the DVD extras like a bunch of live-in-the-studio performances from back in the day and soundcheck footage, this is an amazing piece of work and a great example of Lifeson working his magic." - Guitar Player, Feb. 2008
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