Geddy Lee #12 on XM Radio's "The Boneyard" Top 19 Best Voices of Rock

Geddy came in at #12 on XM radio's "The Boneyard" Top 19 Best Voices of Rock Countdown. Counting down the top 3 were Axel Rose, Bon Scott and Ronnie James Dio at #1. - Thanks to Sniglets for the headsup!

Power Windows...A Tribute To Rush - Now On Facebook

"Power Windows - A Tribute To Rush" is now on Facebook.  Click here for the Facebook counterpart to the Power Windows website.  It will include all the items posted on my News page, as well as additional Rush related postings and musings that I come across from time to time (which while interesting, might not exactly qualify as "Rush News").

Rare Rush Promo Photo From 1970!

In a story published today regarding the Stayner Collegiate Institute's 50th reunion this May, SCI alumnus Jeff Parton reminisces hiring Rush for $250 in September 1970.  The story also includes a rare promo photo of Rush from 1970.

"A highlight for Parton while a student at SCI was the time Rush, the iconic Canadian rock band, performed at the school. Actually, they performed at the school twice. The first time was in September 1970 and then again in April 1971.

Kathryn Lively's "Dead Barchetta"

Author Kathryn Lively has recently written another Rush inspired mystery novel aptly titled Dead Barchetta.  Kathryn is a fellow Rush fan, and is also an award-winning writer and editor, an EPIC Award nominee and has edited EPIC Award nominated titles for DLP Books, Phaze Books, Whiskey Creek Press, and FrancisIsidore ePress. She also maintains a pen name, L.K. Ellwood, for other mysteries. Kathryn assists businesses with Virginia Beach social media services, and also works as a freelance writer. About Dead Barchetta:

"Music tutor by day and tribute band guitarist by night, Matt 'Lerxst' Johnston doesn’t have an enemy in the world...so he thinks. One night a pretty young woman tries to smother him in his sleep, and it’s not for the usual reasons a woman would have for wanting to inflict harm upon him! The dream he enjoyed at the time quickly spirals into a nightmare of mistaken identities and nosy investigators who threaten Lerxst’s freedom, to say nothing of coming close to discovering his grandmother’s secret 'herb garden.' Armed only with a guitar and endless questions, Lerxst escapes the discomfort of his beach home and hides out in New York City to learn the true identity of his would-be assailant. Instead he learns more about himself and what he needs to do to survive the next attempt on his life. And what a long, strange trip it is..."

Rush On ESPN The Herd's "Rock Band Bracket"

ESPN radio's The Herd is running a Rock Band Bracket.  After making it past Styx in round 1 of the midwest region, Rush lost to Metallic in round 2.

Kevin "Caveman" Shirley recounts being hired by Rush

Earlier this week, solid-state-logic.com uploaded a three part video interview with Kevin 'Caveman' Shirley. Early in the first part, Kevin tells the story how "when I was at the depths of despair and poverty I got a gig with Rush doing the Counterparts album."  His story is not to be missed, you can view it here. - Thanks to squintyt4e for the headsup!

"From The Inside" by Russ DiBella

From The Inside is a new book by Russ DiBella about a life of looking inside the world of live music, going backstage and collecting drumsticks - with Rush being the most covered band.  With detailed stories from three recent Rush tours (R30, Snakes & Arrows and Time Machine) it includes stories of chance meetings with Alex, Geddy and Neil and an interesting and rare opportunity of catching a soundcheck during the Snakes & Arrows tour.  From the back cover:

"In 1978, when music found its way into Russ DiBella's life largely by way of external circumstances, a natural progression of sorts began to unfold which would eventually marry his affection for words with a nascent interest in drumming and lyric writing. What began as a teenage rite of passage - his first rock concert - would spawn a lifelong passion for all things music, manifesting itself in ways both deliberate and unanticipated.

Neil Peart's "Time Machine" Collectible Snare

DW has introduced an exact replica of Neil Peart's "Time Machine" Collectible Snare; Guitar Center is now selling the snare for $999.00. - Thanks to Frank Ray for the headsup!

"Created to commemorate Neil Peart's latest drum set creation, 'The Time Machine', each snare is an exact recreation of the drum Neil plays on tour. It's not a signature snare drum, but rather a collectible reproduction. The 6.5x14" Collector's series North American Maple shell with VLT (Vertical Low Timbre) technology provides optimal crack, warmth, bottom end and sensitivity. The drum is painstakingly finished with copper leaf-applied graphics and hand airbrush work. Custom copper hardware completes the look. Also standard is a MAG throw-off system with 3P butt plate, 3.0 True Hoops, True Tone snare wires and DW Heads by Remo USA. Available for a limited time only. Availability: 6.5x14"" - DWdrums.com

Limited Edition SABIAN Paragon Cymbal Pack - Includes a splash autographed by Neil Peart

Musician's Friend is offering a limted edition cymbal pack which includes a splash cymbal autographed by Neil Peart, with a portion of the proceeds benefiting littlekidsrock.org.

"The Neil Peart Paragon Complete Cymbal Pack comes with an 8" and two 10" splashes (including one to be autographed for you by Neil Peart), two 16" crashes, 18" crash, 20" crash, 22" ride, 19" and 20" Chinese, 20" Diamondback Chinese, and 13" and 14" hi-hat sets. Each cymbal features a brilliant finish.

The Paragon series blends 2 styles of lathing for a very balanced cymbal tone. Pinpoint lathing creates a narrower groove for a fast, lively response on the top, while the traditional AA lathing creates a wider groove for a fuller, richer tone on the bottom side.  The cymbal pack is shipped in a free flight case featuring custom 'Time Machine' artwork from the Rush album and tour of the same name. [webmaster note: "Time Machine" album???]

A portion of the proceeds from the sale of this pack will benefit Little Kids Rock, a nonprofit organization that transforms children's lives by restoring and revitalizing music education in our public schools. For more information, visit littlekidsrock.org."

- Thanks to Ed at RushIsABand for the headsup!

Podcast Interview with Dr. Robert Price on the music and lyrics of Rush

Dr. Robert M. Price, co-author of Mystic Rhythms: The Philosophical Vision of Rush, was recently interviewed by the Michigan Skeptics Association to discuss the music and lyrics with Rush.  The interview is available as a free podcast, click here for more.

"Top 10 Alex Lifeson Guitar Moments"

As a followup to the launch of the new Gibson Custom Alex Lifeson Les Paul Axcess, Gibson.com has just added "Top 10 Alex Lifeson Guitar Moments":

"Then we have guitarist-extraordinaire Alex Lifeson, who has carved out his own estimable and indelible niche in the pantheon of guitar heroes. In a band known for its intricate detail and complex musical landscapes, Lifeson's guitar work is the paintbrush that completes the portrait...let's take a closer look at ten of the greatest guitar moments for the man some affectionately refer to as Lerxst..." "Top 10 Alex Lifeson Guitar Moments", Gibson.com, February 25, 2011

The Gibson Interview: Alex Lifeson

Gibson.com has posted a new interview with Alex Lifeson where he discusses the status and potential release date of Clockwork Angels and a spring 2012 tour:

...we had six songs written. Those two were the two we decided to record just prior to the tour start, around this time last year. Since then, Geddy and I have been writing. We’ve been writing for the last couple of weeks and I think we’ve got the makings of another song. Pretty close. Some other snippets of ideas. Once we get back into the writing full-steam in the next week or so, with all those bits and pieces, I’m sure we’ll be able to get at least another song or maybe two. In which case, I think we’re looking at eight or nine songs as the magic number...We’ll take a short break in the summer, start recording in September and hopefully have the new album out for the start of the next tour, which would be in the spring of 2012."

Alex also discussed the Vapor Trails remix:

"Well, we've been toying with that idea for quite a few years now. And there was initially no interest from the record company in rereleasing it. It's a little bit of a dance that we would have needed to do without their support in terms of releasing it and getting the releases for it.

The thing about that, I mean, you walk a very narrow line… That album's almost ten years old. It's a very, very important record for us. There's a lot of emotion on that. We were coming back after a very difficult period in the band's history and certainly in Neil's life. So for us, there's a great deal invested in that record and it's very, very special. And in a lot of ways, I wouldn't want to change anything, because it was recorded in such a way that we captured the very essence of what we were doing at that time. You know, you could say that that album is sixty percent demos, because really that's kind of what it was. Most of that record was what we wrote. We didn't rerecord it. It was the most basic essence of the idea. And that's what was really special. But sometimes when you do that, you're not really aware or conscious of production merits, sounds, spending time creating sounds and, you know, developing that end of it. So consequently, the record suffered a little bit from production or lack of production. And when it went to mastering, it was mastered very hot and all we hear is the little bits of distortion here and there, and these compromises that were made on production.

It's always bothered us, so we thought [we would consider it after hearing] a couple of songs that Rich Chycki remixed. They were really a lot closer to the way we always would have liked to have heard that record, you know? And we talked about it and so we decided, 'Let's just — you know what, if it's just for the three of us — let's just remix the record so we're happy with it. At least we know that we've done it, that we've got that out of our system. We'll pay for it. It's no big deal. Let's just do it.'

You could say that of any record. Go back and remix Caress of Steel or something, but I don't know. Something about Vapor Trails… We just don't feel like we serviced the record properly and we want to give it another breath. And I know it upsets a lot of fans. It goes both ways: I hear from a lot of fans who think it's just a great a idea and they can't wait to hear it, and others who say, 'Why are you touching this record? You should not touch this record.'"

Click here for the complete interview at Gibson.com

Vote For Rush - Canadian Top 40 Songs of 40 Years

In celebration of 40 Years of the Juno Awards, the Juno Awards' Facebook page is holding a vote to select the Top 40 Canadian songs of the past 40 years. Vote for Rush!

Rush On "Criminal Minds"

Yesterday evening Rush tweeted "If you watch tonight's episode of Criminal Minds, you'll hear Rush's 'Closer To The Heart'". Hopefully you were able to catch it, but if you missed it click here for the full episode, or click here for a video clip containing the scene with Rush.

The episode "Today I Do" (season 6, episode 15), has the synopsis "A deranged woman tracks down the boyfriend of a woman whom she has abducted. Meanwhile the BAU puts out an APB on the missing man." In the scene featuring Rush, a man is seduced with beer and Rush (works for me), as he says "Oh my God, this is the best damn bootleg that Rush ever did...how did you know this is my favorite?!"

Graphic Designer Discusses "Time Machine" Cymbals

"Wendy Cosman Parlee has designed thousands of signs, logos, banners, and murals she started her custom graphics company Creative Advertising 24 years ago. But a recent project for Sabian endorser and Rush drummer Neil Peart has to be one of the most unique.

Parlee designed Peart's steampunk-style cymbals for Rush's 2010/2011 Time Machine tour. 'This is probably a once in a lifetime kind of deal,' Parlee admitted. 'I do my magic here, Sabian does their magic in the vault, then Neil does his magic on stage.'...Parlee had previously customized a gong for Slipknot and one for Alice Cooper drummer Jimmy DeGrasso, but they were much smaller projects.

Rolling Stone Readers Name Peart #3 Best Drummer of All Time

The magazine might ignore Rush, but Neil Peart was chosen as the third Best Drummer of all time by Rolling Stone's readers (behind only John Bonham and Keith Moon):

Neil Peart: To Rush's army of fans any name at the top of this list other than Neil Peart is surely sacrilegious, though it's likely that Peart himself would be more than happy to see his name at Number Three – right beneath Bonham and Moon. Of course, no Rush concert is complete without a Peart drum solo. Here's one from Frankfurt Germany in 2004. - RollingStone.com, February 8, 2011 - Thanks to Jeff Lucas for the headsup!

"Alex Lifeson Picks Top Riffs of All Time"

"In a new, soon-to-be-published interview with Gibson.com, we asked Rush guitarist extraordinaire Alex Lifeson what he thought was the greatest guitar riff of all time. Having just published a brand new poll on the subject, we were curious to hear what topped the list of the fretboard genius behind such monster riffs as 'Limelight,' 'Working Man' and 'Passage to Bangkok.'

"'Well, I would say there are two that are enduring,' said Lifeson. 'One would be 'Satisfaction,' 'cause that was the first time I heard anything on a guitar that just blew me away. You know, the distorted sound and a simple riff, but it had so much power and it was slick and it was sexy and it had all that stuff. And even when I hear it now, maybe it's because I make that connection to my youth, it still does that to me. And 'Smoke on the Water,'' he continued. 'My God, everybody in the world recognizes and knows that riff and knows how to play it. So, I'd have to say those two would be at the top of that list.'

It turns out Lifeson's picks were spot-on with the final poll, which had The Rolling Stones' '(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction' at #1 and Deep Purple's 'Smoke on the Water' at #2. 'Is it really?' he laughed. 'OK, well, yeah, there you go! Ha ha!'" - Gibson.com, February 14, 2011

Alex Lifeson Remembers Gary Moore

Guitarist Gary Moore passed away of a heart attack this past Sunday while on vacation in Spain. Alex Lifeson remembers Gary Moore with ClassicRockRevisited - Thanks to Stephen Humphries for the headsup!

"I was very saddened to hear the news of Gary 's death. We toured together in the 80s and I remember him as a soft spoken, gentle man with a quick smile. His influence as a guitarist is undeniable and his purity of playing and passion will live on in all of us who love the instrument he so cherished."

"Countdown" Makes "Thirteen Great Songs About Space Travel"

Rush's "Countdown" made ChartAttack's "Thirteen Great Songs About Space Travel".

"Space: the final frontier. Those who can't venture there often sing about it. If there's a common theme uniting songs about hurtling through the vast expanses of the universe, it's loneliness. Space is cold, isolating and boring. Why do we want to go there, again? CHARTattack presents 13 Great Songs About Space Travel:

4. Rush's "Countdown" Turn it up a little. A little more. Just crank it. You wouldn't think that Geddy Lee narrating a 1980s NASA launch would be this exciting, but there it is." - ChartAttack.com, February 10, 2011"

Alex Lifeson On VH1 Classic Rock Nights This Wednesday

"VH1 Classic Rock Nights is doing a special broadcast from the West Coast this week and host Eddie Webb will be chatting with Alex Lifeson on Wednesday, February 9th. They'll be chatting about the upcoming tour, the Grammy nomination for Rush: Beyond The Lighted Stage (Grammy's are this Sunday) and other exciting things the band is working on. Visit: www.vh1classicrocknights.com or on facebook at VH1 Classic Rock Nights." - Rush.com, February 8, 2011