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Alex Lifeson guest appearance on Wilderness of Manitoba's album "Between Colours" coming September 16
Durrell Bowman's "Experiencing Rush: A Listener's Companion" Coming In November
"In Experiencing Rush: A Listener’s Companion, music scholar Durrell Bowman guides readers through Rush’s long career, explaining through the artful combination of biography, history, and musical exegesis how to listen to this unique act. From Rush’s emergence as an early blues-rock power trio of guitar, bass, and drums into the godfathers of progressive hard rock, Bowman marks the band’s first breakthrough with its landmark, sci-fi/individualist album 2112. From there, readers explore Rush’s movement from “prog rock” extended compositions into shorter, potential-radio-play “post-prog” songs, leading to Rush’s most successful album Moving Pictures in 1981. In its later career, Rush adventurously mixed progressive hard rock and music technology, generating a new power trio sound that featured further stylistic evolutions. As Bowman makes clear, it is the band’s stalwart path and many influences on fans, musicians, and others that resulted in Rush’s induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2013."- Thanks to Ed at RushIsABand for the headsup!
R40 6-disc Blu-ray box set coming in November
It's worth mentioning that this will contain the first release of Rush in Rio on blu-ray, and in addition this edition of the R30 blu-ray does include the bonus features, which were left off the original R30 blu-ray edition.
The bonus disc is purported to include the complete Laura Secord Secondary School 1974 footage of which only three tracks have been previously available, Lock And Key 88 (outtake previously only available on select versions of the A Show of Hands laserdisk), the Passaic NJ Capitol Theatre show from 1976 (previously seen in Beyond The Lighted Stage), and Rush at the Molson Amphitheatre in 1997 (the previously shelved Different Stages video[?]), as well as the I Still Love You Man video from the Time Machine Tour and footage of the the Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame Induction in 2013.
From the product description:
2014 marks the 40th anniversary of the release of Rush's eponymous debut album in 1974. This superb collector's box set brings together live performances by Rush from each decade of their career. It includes "Rush In Rio", "R30", "Snakes & Arrows Live", "Time Machine 2011: Live In Cleveland" and "Clockwork Angels Tour" plus a bonus disc of previously unseen live material stretching from 1974 to 2013. Rush are renowned for the energy and excitement of their live concerts and this set brings together some of their finest performances. The 6 Blu-ray discs are contained in a stunning 56 page hardback book measuring 305mm x 225mm with the 6 discs contained in 5 additional rigid insert pages. The 56 pages of the book are filled with memorabilia and photographs documenting 40 years of Rush live in concert. This is the ultimate collection of Rush live performances, beautifully presented.And here are the bonus disc details:
Disc Six - R40 Bonus DiscThe UK release date is given as Monday, November 17th so the North American release will likely by the following Tuesday, November 18th. Thanks to Ed at RushIsABand for the heads up.
Laura Secord Secondary School 1974
1) Need Some Love 2) Before and After 3) Best I Can 4) I’ve Been Runnin’ 5) Bad Boy 6) The Loser 7) Working Man 8) In the Mood (partial)
Capitol Theatre 1976
1) Bastille Day 2) Anthem 3) Lakeside Park 4) 2112 5) Fly By Night/In The Mood
Lock and Key 1988
Molson Amphitheatre 1997
1) Limelight 2) Half the World 3) Limbo 4) Virtuality 5) Nobody's Hero 6) Test for Echo 7) Leave That Thing Alone/Drum Solo 8) 2112 (all seven parts)
I Still Love You Man 2011
Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame Induction 2013
"The Spirit of Radio" makes BBC's 'Greatest Guitar Riffs Ever'
On Thursday, BBC Radio 2 released their list of the top 20 'Greatest Guitar Riffs Ever'. The songs were not ranked, but "The Spirit of Radio" did make the top 20. More importantly, the BBC posted a short audio clip of Geddy Lee where he thanks the fans for voting, and also gives a short description of how Alex created the songs' signature introductory riff. - Thanks to Martin Goodfellow for the headsup!
Billy Corgan expresses the ongoing inspiration of Rush
In a new interview with the Chicago Sun-Times, Corgan discusses how "his inspirations are now bands that continue to make music but without artistic pretense, such as Neil Young, Iggy Pop, and particularly Rush. He says the Canadian rock giants have taught him that 'the right way to get older is no apologies, do your thing, and when you get out there, you can still walk off the stage feeling you’re one of the best at what you do. You don’t feel they’re leaving anything on the table or phoning it in,' he says. 'That’s the spirit that made you love them in the first place.'” Check out the full interview here. - Thanks to David Cooper for the headsup!
"Alex Lifeson On John Wesley" in Guitar Player, October 2014 issue
Rush Referenced Again on FX's "The Bridge"
In the followup episode "Lamia" (aired August 20), Daniel is at his apartment (wearing the Grace Under Pressure shirt from the previous episode) with Gary (who is wearing a Rush explosion t-shirt), doing cocaine and listening to "The Spirit of Radio".
- Thanks to everyone who alerted me, and to RushIsABand for the sceenshot.
Alex Lifeson in His Own Words - Gibson.com
Vertical Horizon's Matt Scannell Talks Peart in new Guitar Player Interview
"Recording with Neil Peart, the legend, is actually just like recording with Neil Peart, one of your best friends. He’s one of my favorite human beings. But what you quickly realize with Neil is that he’s just a guy who has a job, and he’s really good at his job. When we were doing our last record, Burning the Days, he and I decided to try to write a song together. It was a song called 'Even Now' and it went really well and he ended up playing drums on it. On Echoes From The Underground he plays on 'Instamatic' and 'South for the Winter.' One thing people might not realize about Neil’s drumming is how much he plays for the singer. It’s uncanny how sensitive he is to the voice. He wants to build you up as a singer and build up the vocal performance. As the singer in the band, it’s really incredible to hear him propel me forward and raise me up. 'Instamatic,' to me, is one of the greatest performances of his incredible career. It’s a master class in rock drumming and I was thrilled beyond belief to have him appear on our record."
Kevin J. Anderson announces new Anthology of Rush Short Stories
Neil Peart's "News Weather and Sports" - August 2014
Geddy Lee's ALS Ice Bucket Challenge
Geddy Lee of accepts "Les Claypool"'s ice bucket challenge - and in The Spirit of the ALS Ice Bucket challenge, puts it forward to musician Ed Robertson of BNL, actor Jay Baruchel and baseball legend Randy Johnson.
Don't forget to donate!
http://www.alsa.org/
Don't forget to donate!
http://www.alsa.org/
"The Stoic Wisdom of Neil Peart" - Progarchy.com
Neil Peart to participate in Music Radar's Drum Expo 2014
Music Radar has announced that Neil Peart will participate in the Drum Expo 2014, which will go live this Wednesday and Thursday. The Expo will feature a
number of online interviews, drum lessons and more from a some of rock's
biggest drummers including Rush's Neil Peart. Visit Music Radar for details.
"Rush: Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Excellence" by Robert Freedman
"Rush is often referred to as a libertarian rock band, but really what the band is channeling is an Aristotelian individualism, a philosophy that strongly resonates with today's 40-somethings. This helps explain the band's resurgence in popularity, culminating in its 2013 induction in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. 'Rush: Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Excellence' brings together the excitement of the band's progressive music, performed by three musicians whose mastery of their instruments has won them the admiration of their peers, and the surprising philosophical sophistication of their music's lyrics. The book is a systematic look at the Aristotelian philosophy embedded in the band's lyrics over its 40-year recording career.For more info, visit the author's book page here. - Thanks Robert for the headsup!
Although the topic of the book is academic, the writing is sharp, down-to-earth, and leavened with a dry wit. Anyone interested in the band's music, popular culture, and philosophical ideas simply explained will enjoy this entertaining and thought-provoking work.
As a cultural phenomenon, Rush is worthy of serious study, and although other books have looked at the philosophical character of the band's music, this is the first time the music over the band's entire 40-year career is demonstrated to fall under a single, unified theory: Aristotelian individualism.
Even readers who have pored over earlier books on Rush will enjoy this unifying theme. 'Rush, Rock Music and the Middle Class' (by Chris McDonald), says Rush is an avatar of middle class values. While the work ethic and value structure of the middle class is part of the band's philosophy, that is just a subset of the band's Aristotelianism, as shown by Robert Freedman here. The unified Aristotelian philosophy is also different from what's discussed in 'Rush and Philosophy' (edited by Durrell Bowman and Jim Berti) looks at the band's music through multiple philosophical filters and no attempt is made to look at the music through a single, unifying lens. Another book that studies Rush lyrics, 'Mystic Rhythms' (Carol Selby Price ad Robert M. Price), provides an interpretation of selected lyrics but does not systematically look at any philosophy. Rather, it approaches the lyrics as literary analysis and provides no overarching theoretical framework."
“Clockwork Angels” Comic Book #4 of 6 now available
Rush 40th Anniversary Reissue Box Set Nominated for Prog's "Storm Thorgerson Grand Design Award"
Rush have been nominated for an award at this year’s Prog Awards in the following category: STORM THORGERSON GRAND DESIGN AWARD, for the Rush 40th Anniversary Reissue Box Set.
This year the Awards take place at the prestigious Underglobe beneath Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre, on Thursday September 11.
Voting closes Friday, August 8th... you can vote via the website here: http://awards.prog.teamrock.com
Rush Featured in Prog's "100 Greatest Prog Albums Of All Time"
Pop Culture References Update - August 2014
It's time for the latest round up of Rush References in Pop Culture!
- Chipotle's "Recipe For The Perfect Fountain Drink" by Bill Hader, introduced May 15, 2014. Part of Chipotle restaurant's "Cultivating Thought" author series featuring original essays by various luminaries, Hader's recipe includes "1 drum solo from 'YYZ' (Rush) of Sprite."
- Forty minutes into the Lifetime network film Return To Zero which aired May 17th, this conversation takes place at a bar between Aaron (Paul Adelstein) and his coworker Dana (Sarah Jones):
Dana: "3 beers and you are already sloppy. You're not getting laid tonight." Aaron: "Poor Geddy Lee." Dana: "Who's Geddy Lee?" Aaron: "The lead singer of Rush...He is also head of the rhythm section of my personal humpty-hump band." Dana: "Hmmm... Poor little Geddy Lee." Aaron: "He's not little. He's of average to maybe above average height." Dana: "I'm sure he'll be able to lay some sweet beats down once the band gets back together." Aaron: "Jesus Christ ... he's the bassist."
- Playing House, the USA Network television series, aired May 20, 2014. During the episode "Drumline" (Season 1, Episode 5), Maggie attends her high school drumline reunion where she reconnects with an old crush that she and her friend Emma refer to as the guy "in the Rush t-shirt", and he is later shown wearing a Fly By Night t-shirt. The girls end up getting arrested and when Rush t-shirt guy picks them up from jail in his van Maggie is now wearing the Rush t-shirt. In the final scene of the episode "Limelight" is heard.
- Tapas & Beijos (Slaps & Kisses), April 5, 2011 - present. In this Brazilian sit-com, a Snakes & Arrows-era Rush poster can be seen on the back wall of actor Fabio Assuncao's apartment.
- The Bridge, the FX television series, aired July 9th. In the season 2 premiere of this police drama (watch it here), Daniel (Matthew Lillard), goes to see his AA sponsor (Brian Baumgartner) who is wearing a Rush Grace Under Pressure t-shirt, and the following conversation takes place:
- Coincidence? A recent astronomical discovery is a red star called "HV 2112"!
- In the new television program titled Rush, during the episode "Don't Ask Me Why" (season 1, episode 2, aired July 24, 2014), Dr. Rush attends an MMA figher who asks, "So, Rush like the band?" to which he replies "Sure, like the band."
- And finally, on June 1st the Netflix original program Trailer Park Boys: Live in Fu**in' Dublin was released. After Bubbles, Ricky and Julian recreate and lip synch Rush's classic video for "Closer To The Heart", Bubbles learns he won a Rush internet contest to determine their greatest fan when Alex Lifeson sends a video confirming Bubbles and three friends will be flown to Dublin in Rush's jet to see the band. The movie later includes a partial live performance by Bubbles of "Closer to the Heart" and "Limelight", and during the credits Rush's original video for "Closer to the Heart" plays along side the Trailer Park Boys lip synch version.
Daniel: "Rush? Really?" Sponsor: "Yeah - I like Rush. So what?" Daniel: "Are you Canadian?" Sponsor: "No. I'm just a fan." Daniel: "Do you like them when you're sober? I mean that's impressive. I mean 2112 is an okay album but" Sponsor: "Hemispheres dude?!" Daniel: "Hemispheres is like...ok it's fine...I may be buzzed now but tomorrow I'll be sober and you sir, will still be a Rush fan."
Lee and Lifeson to be honoured with a Toronto park
Update, August 2: "Limelight for Rush: Toronto rockers get a park named in their honour" - Toronto Star, August 2, 2014
“I know my mom is very happy!” frontman Geddy Lee told the Toronto Star. “We met with the park architects and were really impressed with the thought and plans they have for it,” Lee said.Update, July 16: Geddy Lee, Alex Lifeson: Rush members’ names proposed for art park in Willowdale" - North York Mirror, July 16, 2014
Early designs for the area include art installations, a collaborative performance space and even a small bandshell for “acoustic concerts,” according to Willowdale Councillor John Filion, who first hatched the tribute plan two years ago.
“I was standing around one night with a fellow music lover trying to think of somebody who had grown up in Willowdale who was a famous artist or musician,” Filion said. “We both came up with the name Geddy Lee almost simultaneously.”
The councillor contacted Lee with the idea, and he immediately got on board — albeit with one condition. “He said he was interested and honoured, but also suggested it be named after Alex Lifeson, too,” Filion said.
According to rock lore, Lee and Lifeson met as students at the nearby Fisherville Junior High School, where they first forged the musical bond that would eventually blossom into one of rock’s most prolific power trios. “It is where I met my best friend and bandmate,” Lee said. “We were humbly honoured by the suggestion to name the park after us.”
"...Lee and Lifeson are expected to be honoured when a unique creative space in Willowdale is named the Lee Lifeson Art Park. A report on the proposed name is scheduled to come before North York community council Aug. 12.
"The name has been applauded by residents at two community meetings and Lee and Lifeson are pleased with the honour, Willowdale Councillor John Filion said. “They were wonderful about it. They asked a lot of questions,” he said about meeting with the band mates about the idea in May. “They said they would be honoured to have a park like this named after them.”
"The park will be built next year northeast of Yonge Street and Sheppard Avenue between Hillcrest and Princess avenue, east of Gladys Allison Place. While it will be a local space meant for area residents, it will be more than an ordinary park.
"“Two years ago, I came up with the idea to create a park that would focus on the arts and would be a celebration of creativity, where people could go to be creative or go to enjoy others’ creativity,” Filion said. “All the arts will be represented there but the focus will be on music and sound. This is really a new concept, there isn’t a prototype anywhere. It’s nothing we’re copying from anywhere else.” When it came time to think of a name for the park, Lee and Lifeson’s names “just jumped off the page,” Filion said.
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