New guitar show with Alex Lifeson coming to TableRock Media

According to an article published yesterday, TableRock Media, a new direct-to-consumer video company from Canada, plans on launching a new guitar show next year starring Alex Lifeson:

Out of Canada, TableRock was created by former GlassBox TV founders Jeffrey Elliot and Joseph Arcuri, the latter of whom is also a former president of AOL Canada. Former Discovery Channel Canada president and HDTV founder Ken Murphy heads the new company's board, and with the team in place TableRock is now planning super-niche OTT channels.

"We saw that there is an opportunity in delivering niche content over OTT," Elliot says. "At the start of pay TV people said it was absurd to have a one-genre channel, but they worked, and in 2015 people are willing to pay for well-produced, curated, niche content delivered on-demand."

TableRock's first offerings, launching early next year, will focus on specific interest areas including aviation, guitars and motorcycles. "Each of these are multi-billion dollar industries and cover subjects that go under the radar in terms of conventional TV. They are too niche in the old way of doing TV, but work in OTT."

The company plans to make about 80% of its content, with a guitar show with Rush's Alex Lifeson...

- Thanks to John at Cygnus-X1.net for the headsup!

"The Spirit of Radio" covered on Kobra and the Lotus' Words of the Prophets EP Now Available

"The Spirit of Radio" is one of the tracks included on Kobra and the Lotus' Words of the Prophets EP released today (August 28).  The EP is available here; and you can check it out the track below.

“There’s no prouder moment than to take on the challenge of covering one of the greatest bands of all time,” she says. “Few bands have accomplished what Rush has accomplished, and there will never be another band like them. They opened the door and shaped the way for all musicians to be more creative and brave with their music – and they did it with unrelenting confidence and skill. It is with great honor and respect that we reinforce the message of these virtuosic music monsters and the importance of ‘The Spirit of Radio.’” - Frontwoman Kobra Paige

Words of the Prophets also features their spin on other Canadian-based classics including “Lay It On the Line” by Triumph, “Sign of the Gypsy Queen” by April Wine and Bachman-Turner Overdrive’s “Let It Ride,” among others.

Rush Brazil Festival 2015

Tomorrow (Saturday, August 29) the "Rush Brazil Festival" celebrating Rush's music will take place in São Paulo, Brazil.  The largest Rush festival in Brazil, there will be four tribute bands and promises to be a good time for everyone. For venue details and more information visit Rush Fã-Clube Brasil. - Thanks to Vagner Cruz for the headsup!

Reality Check Comic Strip featuring Neil Peart

Check out today's Reality Check comic strip from Dave Whamond! - Thanks to Ed Stenger at Rushisaband for the headsup!

"Rush Toons by Fantoons - Volume 2112" - Now Available

UPDATE: Fantoons is currently shipping preorders taken during their Kickstarter project.  If you missed out on that, you can now order a copy from Fantoons here.

Created by David Calcano and launched in 2012, FANTOONS is an on-going comic strip that brings you comedy and art based on the greatest rock bands on the planet.  Funded by their Kickstarter campain, their new book Rush Toons by Fantoons - Volume 2112 includes a forward written by Ed Stenger of Rush Is A Band.  For more info check out ComicbookMoviesAndReviews.com Q&A with Fantoons' David Calcano where he discusses the book and his love of Rush.

Atlantic Era Rush Vinyl Reissues

Last year Rush announced the vinyl reissues of the Mercury era albums, and now we have learned that the Atlantic-era Rush album will also be reissued on vinyl beginning next month.  Currently available for preorder at the Rush Backstage Club are Presto and Roll The Bones to be released September 11th, Counterparts and Test for Echo coming October 10th, followed by Feedback and Snakes & Arrows on November 13, 2015.  Click here for more.

Kevin J. Anderson talks to SFFWorld about "Clockwork Lives"

Kevin J. Anderson and Neil Peart's eagerly awaited followup to the Clockwork Angels novelization, titled Clockwork Lives, is set for release on September 15th.  The novel is available for preorder in hardback.

Today SFFWorld posted a new interview with Anderson where he talked about his new novel; check it out here.

Foo Fighters Enlist Fan to Sing "Tom Sawyer"

While the Foo Fighters were playing Edmonton on Wednesday night, Dave Grohl enlisted a fan from the audience, who "knew all the words" to "Tom Sawyer," to join them on stage and sing!

"Nobody knows every word to 'Tom Sawyer,'" Grohl says in the above fan-shot video. "You don't go to a karaoke bar and someone sings 'Tom Sawyer'. . . Who can actually sing and knows all the words to 'Tom Sawyer'?"

Brian calls out from the crowd, but Grohl is skeptical of his Geddy-head credentials. "Don't be bullshittin' me, motherfuckers," he says. "Can he sing? Don't yank my crank!. . . You're trying to tell me your big ass can sing those high notes?" Greeting the fan onstage, he warns, "Welcome to my nightmare." But Brian rises to the occasion, nailing every word." -RollingStone.com, August 14, 2015

Clockwork Angels: The Graphic Novel Delayed Until September 15th

Click to Order

It's what you've been waiting for, the complete six issue story arc of the Clockwork Angels comic written by Kevin J. Anderson with Neil Peart, illustrated by Nick Robles, will be released as the 144 page Clockwork Angels - The Graphic Novel.  Unfortunately, originally set for release April 14th, Barnes & Nobel now is showing a release date of September 15th - click here to order.

The graphic novel adaptation of the unprecedented concept album and novel from the multi-platinum, Rock & Roll Hall of Fame music legends RUSH and NY Times Bestselling author Kevin J. Anderson!

Owen Hardy, like all the people of Albion, has lived his whole life under the rule of The Watchmaker. His entire life has been planned down to the exact second. But what happens when a young boy decides that things should not always goes as planned?

Rush's CLOCKWORK ANGELS is a testament to the band's creative versatility - it has been successful as a concept album, novel, and international tour. Now, Rush drummer and lyricist Neil Peart and New York Times bestselling author Kevin J. Anderson are bringing the story of CLOCKWORK ANGELS to comics, where newcomer artist Nick Robles will bring the journey of Owen Hardy to visual life! Die-hard Rush fans have longed for Peart's narrative songwriting to be adapted into comic book form for decades, but fans of steampunk fantasy will enjoy journeying into the world of Albion thanks to Anderson's skilled storytelling. Collects the complete story originally published in CLOCKWORK ANGELS #1-#6.

A note for collectors: you can still buy the complete set of the original comic series from BOOM! Studios here.

In addition to the Clockwork Angels - The Graphic Novel, be sure to preorder your copy today of the followup story, Clockwork Lives, which is now available for preorder in hardback and is scheduled for release on September 15th.

Rush R40 Tour News and Reviews

Rush's R40 Tour visited 34 cities throughout North America from May 8 in Tulsa, Oklahoma through August 1 in Los Angeles, California.

At the final show in Los Angeles, Jonathan Dinklage joined in one final time on "Losing It." Other than that it could have been any other show on the R40 tour, until at the end of the show, between "Working Man" and "Garden Road", Geddy and Alex paused as Neil pulled out a camera and took a couple of photos. Then, after "Garden Road" Neil wrapped his arms around the shoulders of Geddy and Alex and joined them in an emotional bow before running of stage. 

Click here for the R40 Tour Archive, which includes details about the show setup, the setlists, the tour book transcript, and more. See below for the latest news and reviews from the road:

• You’re An Idiot If You Don’t Think Rush Is the Best Live Band in the World - Noisey, August 9, 2015
• Great expectations: Rush concerts attract cargo shorts, long man-hair, and really nice guys - Santa Maria Sun, August 5, 2015
• Rush at Irvine Meadows Amphitheatre and The Forum - KLOS.com, August 4, 2015
• Red Hot Chili Peppers, Foo Fighters, Tool & The Police Drummers Rock Out At Rush Show - Alternative Nation, August 3, 2015
• Rush at the end of the road - ClassicRock, August 2, 2015
• Star-Studded Crowd Toasts Rush at the Forum for Last (Ever?) Show - Hollywood Reporter, August 2, 2015

Randy Johnson receives R30 Drumkit as the Diamondbacks retire his jersey

Today as the Arizona Diamondacks retired Randy Johnson's jersey, he received a special surprise:

"The Diamondbacks presented Johnson with an exact replica of the drum set used by the rock group Rush. Johnson is friends with members of the band, particularly bass player and lead singer Geddy Lee.". - ESPN.com

Here's the entire ceremony, he receives the drumkit at the 5-minute mark:

 - Thanks to Joe Pesch for the headsup!

Outer Limits: Rupert Hine - Prog

Last week Prog magazine posted a new interview with Rupert Hine where he looks back on his career.  Hine produced Rush's Presto and Roll the Bones albums, and in the interview, tells about how his work with The Fixx, led to his gig with Rush:

He is especially proud of his work with The Fixx, the British band who became prophets without honour in their own land, yet enjoyed huge success in the States with their Hine‑enhanced attack.  “I came up with an entirely new guitar sound,” he asserts, marking the transition from the traditional “big, heavy, dumpy, lumpy rock guitar sound” to something “far more shiny but no less exciting”. It was a sound mimicked by countless acts. “It had a huge appeal to rock bands,” he marvels. Rush, for example. “Doing The Fixx led to Rush [1989’s Presto and 1991’s Roll The Bones] – they required constant sonic refreshment and they loved The Fixx. Neil Peart also loved the thinking behind my early 80s solo albums and thought that would be good for Rush.”

You can check out the full interview here. - Thanks to RushFanForever the for the headsup!

Buy a Sabian Paragon Cymbal, Get a Neil Peart T-shirt

Between August 1 - September 30, 2015, get a free Sabian limited edition Paragon t-shirt designed by Neil Peart with the purchase of any Paragon cymbal model.  Click here for details. - Thanks to Rosmakloma for the headsup!

Rock Band 4 coming October 6 - will include Rush's "A Passage To Bangkok"

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Rock Band 4 is due for release on October 6 for PlayStation 4 and Xbox One (click to order).  Included in the setlist is Rush's "A Passage To Bangkok".   You can see the trailer below, but unfortunately it does not include a sample of AP2K. - Thanks to Stew Gilray for the headsup!

For Rush's Geddy Lee, touring means training - LA Times

In advance of tonight's final show of the R40 Tour at the LA Forum, the Los Angeles Times published a new interview with Geddy Lee titled "For Rush's Geddy Lee, touring means training", were he talks about his training habits before and during the tour.

A Timeless Wavelength: An Interview With Alex Lifeson of Rush - Spin

Today Spin magazine posted 'A Timeless Wavelength: An Interview With Alex Lifeson of Rush', where Alex talks about the R40 tour, staying together as a cohesive group for 40+ years, their multi-generational fanbase, the challenges in today's music business, Victor and more. Check it out here.

Paul Semel vintage interviews with Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson from 1996

Music journalist Paul Semel has just posted two vintage interviews with Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson from 1996.  Of the interviews, he writes:

"The following interview...took place in July of 1996, at the offices of his manager when the band were gearing up to release their album Test For Echo. Parts of this interview were used in a piece I did on him for the music magazine Huh."

You can read the interview with Geddy Lee here, and the interview with Alex Lifeson is here. - Thanks Paul for sharing!

Qello Concerts: R40 on the Road: Webisode 4 - Geddy's Basses #2

Qello Concerts Rush channel has been updated to include the second half of their interview with Geddy Lee where he talks about his touring basses.  You'll note he mentions not being a fan of Steinberger's any longer "one tour was enough", and mentions having many more basses at home, including a "Batman" bass(?!), and more.

Moving Pictures Vinyl Reissue and Tshirt Bundle Now Available

As announced last fall, Rush is reissuing the complete Mercury era albums on 200-gram heavyweight vinyl in chronological order throughout 2015. The next release is Moving Pictures, which hits store shelves today (July 24th).  It is also available as a tshirt bundle. 

Eventually the vinyl reissues will include all studio and live albums through A Show of Hands.  Previous vinyl reissues include Rush reDISCovered, Fly By Night (vinyl and blu-ray pure audio in 5.1 surround sound), Caress of Steel, the 2112 hologram edition, A Farewell To Kings (vinyl and blu-ray pure audio in 5.1 surround sound), Hemispheres and Permanent Waves.  These vinyl reissues also include a 320kbps MP4 vinyl ripped Digital Audio album download, and can also be purchased separately as high resolution Digital Audio. 

The Eddie Trunk Podcast Interview with Alex Lifeson

Eddie Trunk flew in to Denver to catch the R40 show at the Pepsi Center on July 11th.  Before the show, he sat down with Alex Lifeson for his weekly podcast which you can check out here.  He talks at length about Rush in general, and speaks to Alex beginning at the 31 minute mark.

"Go backstage with Eddie Trunk and Alex Lifeson during Rush's R40 tour on this episode of The Eddie Trunk Podcast. The legendary prog guitarist talks 40+ years of Rush, the band's history, picking the set list, his arthritis, performing with Andy Curran, and more!"