Alex Lifeson's Top 5 Essential Albums - Guitar Tracks Insider

The new March/April issue of Guitar Tracks Insider includes Alex Lifeson's Top 5 Essential Albums.

"Alex Lifeson is one mutt of a guitar player. He combines the blues intensity of John Mayall's early fire breathers Eric Clapton, Mick Taylor and Peter Green, with the architectural vision of progressive innovators, Steve Howe and Steve Hackett, and the fractured creative vision of modernists, like Jeff Beck and Trevor Rabin."

The Top 5: "1. Electric Ladyland - The Jimi Hendrix Experience; 2. Blow by Blow - Jeff Beck; 3. Discipline - King Crimson; 4. Sounds Good To Me - Bill Bruford; 5. Voyage of the Acolyte - Steve Hackett.

Check out the feature here. - Thanks to RushIsABand for the headsup!

Edge Factor's "Masters of Resonance"

Here's something that's been literally years in the making.  Edge Factor first posted a teaser back in August of 2016, and later that year, they announced via a press release that the film "Masters of Resonance" was coming in 2017.  That was the last we heard until today, when Edge Factor released the Official Trailer for the film, which you can view below.  Per the promo, "This film takes you on a journey from the forest to the stage and pulls back the curtain on the art of drum making."

Geddy Lee inducts Barenaked Ladies into the Juno Awards Hall of Fame March 25th.

Last night Geddy Lee inducted the Barenaked Ladies into the JUNO Awards Hall of Fame.  You can see the induction below or at this link.  Leading up to the show,"Barenaked Ladies' Ed Robertson & Steven Page Talk 'Surreal' Canadian Music Hall of Fame Induction", including:

Billboard: "Geddy Lee is inducting you. How cool is that?"

Ed Robertson: "Oh man, for me that's like an actual dream come true. I reached out to Geddy and said, 'Hey, listen, this is an actual, literal teenage dream, but I am an adult now so I understand if you can't make this work.' And he's just been awesome. So he's going to do the induction, which is beyond a thrill to me. There's so much to look forward to -- we're gonna play, Geddy's doing the induction. It's a total dream weekend."

Alex Lifeson to appear in Randy Bachman Documentary "Bachman"

Winnipeg singer-songwriter Randy Bachman (The Guess Who/Bachman-Turner Overdrive) is the focus of a new documentary showcasing his life as an iconic Canadian musician.  “Bachman” will premiere at the upcoming 2018 Hot Docs Festival in Toronto May 2-4, is produced for CBC’s Documentary Channel in Canada and features archival footage and new interviews with friends, family and fans including Neil Young, Alex Lifeson, Chris Jericho, Peter Frampton, Buffy Saint-Marie, Tal Bachman, Fred Turner, Paul Shaffer and others. Click here for more.

Ian Thornley of Big Wreck talks about covering "Closer To The Heart" on the A Farewell to Kings 40th Anniversary Edition

Here's something that passed under the radar....   In January Ian Thornley of Big Wreck spoke to MusicLifeMagazine.net about their cover of "Closer To The Heart" for the A Farewell to Kings 40th Anniversary Edition.

"I knew going in that I am probably going to piss off Rush fans because it’s not hard to do. Rush fans are some of the most rabid on the planet, as you know. And I get that because I am kind of the same way with certain bands too. The list pretty long of bands that I could pick that have iconic songs that I would probably get two bars into a cover and turn it off. At the same time, I wanted to keep it close enough to the original so that it’s recognizable. To me it sounds exactly like how I wanted it to and am happy because it sounds like Big Wreck covering a Rush song."

 For more, check out the full feature musiclifemagazine.net. - Thanks Darren for the headsup!

Anthrax's Scott Ian talks Rush in Prog issue #85

The new issue of PROG magazine (#85) went on sale yesterday, and includes an interview with Anthrax's Scott Ian, where he talks about his his prog heroes, RUSH. Check it out on page 20 here. - Thanks to RushFanForever for the headsup!

2112 Comic Series by Matan Kohn

2112 Sighting!  Yesterday saw the release of issue number one of the comic book series "2112" by Matan Kohn.  Details of this series are unknown, and the title may be the only Rush relation in this post-apocalyptic series.  In "Genesis", issue #1, "a person awakens from a coma after about a hundred years, and discovers that everything around him has changed." You can get it here. - Thanks to Chad Saylor for the headsup!

Alex Lifeson performing at Phoenix Rising March 29

Alex Lifeson will be performing March 29 at Phoenix Rising, a fundraiser for West End Phoenix in Toronto to be held in the Great Hall 1087 Queen St W, Toronto, ON M6J 1H3.   Performers including Rheostatics, Alex Lifeson, Whitehorse, Nasim Asgari and Special Guests. Hosted by Tom Wilson (Lee Harvey Osmond).  Click here for more.

Fu Manchu: How SoCal Stoner Crew Enlisted Alex Lifeson for Epic Space Jam

Revolvermag.com has posted a new interview with Fu Manchu frontman Scott Hill, where he talks about enlisting Alex Lifeson on their latest album Clone of the Universe, set for release on Feb. 9.

"Our manager is friends with his manager, and they were talking. Without asking us, our manager was like, "Hey, would Alex want to play on their new record?" His manager asked him and got back to our manager, like, "Oh yeah, he totally will. Send him a song!" When he told us, we were all like, "Holy shit!" We immediately reverted back to the Rush fans we were in seventh grade! [Laughs] So we sent him the four-track, which was a little lower than normal demo quality and he was like, "This is great. What do you want me to do on it?" We were like, "Holy shit, he's asking us?!? Dude, do whatever you want, wherever you want!  So we got in the studio and recorded the song, and then we sent it to him in Canada; he sent us back a bunch of stuff, and it all just sounded insane. He was like, "Use whatever you want," so we picked this one section of stuff that he did; it's in the first part where the band drops out — he's playing a really effected guitar riff along with the bass and drums, and then the bass and drums drop out. He's doing stuff with a bunch of different effects, all these sci-fi sounds and pick slides, and we were just flipping out listening to it. We still can't believe it! [Laughs]"

 Click here for the full story.

"Animate" covered by Allegaeon, featuring "Counterparts" inspired album art

Back in September 2016 I shared that Denver Colorado death-metal band Allegaeon had included their cover of "Subdivisions" on their latest album, Proponent for Sentience.  During the recording sessions for Proponent For Sentience, Allegaeon recorded two Rush covers. Besides the aforementioned "Subdivisions", on January 6th, 2018, the date version of the band's song 1.618, Allegaeon released their cover of "Animate" worldwide on all digital music services featuring a single cover based on the Counterparts album art; buy the digital single at Amazon.com.

"When we settled on Rush to cover during the 'Proponent' sessions, I simply couldn't pick which song to do. 'Subdivisions' or 'Animate.' Both were favorites for me personally, and both were sort of 'under the radar' eg. not 'Tom Sawyer' or 'Spirit Of Radio.' Where the original idea was to do a cover for a Japanese bonus track, we figured if we did both we could cover a special song for both the Japan AND Europe pressing. Then the powers that be decided to just include 'Subdivisions' on the album, and keep 'Animate' in reserve for something. Jan 6th, 2018 is the only occurrence of the golden ratio in date form that will occur during our life time. So 1.6.18 seemed like the perfect date to release it in Allegaeon fashion." Guitarist Greg Burgess, via Blabbermouth.net, January 5, 2018

- Thanks to B-man for the headsup!

Rush Reference on "Kevin Can Wait"

Kevin Can Wait is an American sitcom television series starring Kevin James currently airing on CBS.  During Monday night's episode, season 2 episode 15 titled "Fight or Flight", Kevin and Vanessa are at the airport, and the flight they are waiting on from New York to Orlando is flight number 2112. - Thanks to Chad Kilhefner for the headsup and for Riab for the screencap!

Rush Reference on "Riverdale"

Riverdale is an American television series based on the characters of Archie Comics currently airing on Warner Bros CW network. During season 2, episode 10, aired January 17, 2018, titled "Chapter Twenty-Three: The Blackboard Jungle," when confronted with being transferred to a new High School, Jughead quotes "Subdivisions" and says: 'So our choices are conform or be cast out." - Thanks to Sebastian Seifert for the headsup and screencap!

Neil Peart reviews Bill Bruford's book "Uncharted"

Drummer Bill Bruford has penned a new book, Uncharted; Creativity and the Expert Drummer, published on January 17th.  Fellow expert drummer, Neil Peart, reviewed the book for the University of Michigan Press, and what is notable are his credentials are given (by him?) as "former drummer and lyricist".  Hmm...

“After forty years of creating professional music, pretty much all of it to his taste (passing rare), Bill Bruford has laid down the torches — and tried to capture their flame in words. Begin by running your eyes down the list of Bill’s collaborators. The expert performers and teachers will attract any reader with more than a passing affection for music. Simply put, it is a lights-out masterpiece of useful insight and passionate, reflective wisdom."
—Neil Peart, former drummer and lyricist, Rush

- Thanks B-man for the headsup!

How the end of Rush let Alex Lifeson be 'as creative as I want to be' - Globe and Mail

While many fans have continued to hope for new music from Rush, today Toronto's Globe and Mail posted a new interview with Alex Lifeson, where he states:

"It's been a little over two years since Rush last toured. We have no plans to tour or record any more. We're basically done. After 41 years, we felt it was enough."

Click here for more.

Clockwork Lives - The Graphic Novel now available for preorder

Coming June 19th, the hardcover edition of the all new graphic novel edition of Clockwork Lives is now available for preorder. This is graphic novel version of Kevin J. Anderson's novel Clockwork Lives, released back in 2015. Click here to order.

Set in the world of Clockwork Angels, "Clockwork Lives is a novel in its own right, a story wrapped around a steampunk Canterbury Tales, and some of those tales are of familiar characters from Clockwork Angels (Golson the Strongman, The Fortune Teller, Guerrero the pickpocket, for example) and there are also many cross connections and cameos. You can read it on its own, but if you have read Clockwork Angels, you will get a bigger smile on your face." - Kevin J. Anderson

- Thanks to Ed @ RushIsABand for the headusp!

Offers from Geddy and Alex for the Holidays

From today's Rush newsletter, there are two offers from Geddy and Alex for the holidays.  Geddy Lee has made a small number of bottles available for auction from his private cellar collection. The bottles include a sticker declaring them "from the cellars of Geddy Lee" and feature the insignia made up for the wine club Geddy & Alex formed while on the road during the R30 tour (original membership:2).  The auction closes on Sunday December 17 at 9:00 PM ET.   Make your bid here. * The wines in this auction will be available to ship early 2018, or Zachys will hold them for free until the end of March.

Meanwhile Alex Lifeson is now a guest contributor to his pal Dave Bidini's local Toronto community arts paper, the West End Phoenix. Alex's short stories are illustrated by artist Casey McGlynn. We're offering 100 signed first issue editions here with proceeds going to support the local West End Phoenix. 

Alex Lifeson to Guest on New Fu Manchu Album

Fu Manchu will release their 12th studio album, Clone of the Universe, on Feb. 9, 2018. A follow-up to 2014's Gigantoid, this new project contains an appearance by Alex Lifeson, guitarist for Rush.  Click here to preorder the mp3 album.

Lifeson guests on "Il Mostro Atomico," an 18-minute, album-closing song that's broken up into four sections. Fu Manchu are calling it the heaviest track they've ever recorded and, as guitarist and singer Scott Hill said in a press release, they're itching to test it out in concert.

“We are excited to get out and play this stuff, especially 'Il Mostro Atomico,'" he said. "We think it’s some the strongest music we’ve ever done. We really love the overall sound of the album and having Alex play on it is just incredible. It gives it that special validation for the idea that we had to try something like a side long song.” - ultimateclassicrock.com, December 4, 2017

Spectacularly Majestic! - Ray Wawrzyniak

When Rush's latest documentary Time Stand Still was released, many fans were introduced to superfan Ray Wawrzyniak for the first time.  He brought a sincerity to the film when he gave us an enthusiastic tour of his Rush collection.  Wawrzyniak is the subject of a new interview with metal-rules.com where he takes us in depth into his Rush collection.  Check it out here. - Thanks Ray for the headsup!

A Farewell To Kings 40th Anniversary Edition Now Available

Rush has announced the release of the A Farewell To Kings 40th Anniversary Edition in a variety of formats, hitting store shelves December 1st.   Of special note is that all sets include the COMPLETE February 20, 1978 Hammersmith Odeon show (previously released in edited form on Different Stages), newly remastered by Terry Brown from the multi-track live tape.  A Farewell to Kings, Rush's fifth studio album, was originally released in 1977, and played a major role in establishing Rush as an internationally popular and respected band.  A Farewell to Kings also introduced the trio's first successful radio hit "Closer To The Heart," album tracks “A Farewell To Kings,” “Madrigal,” “Cinderella Man,” as well as enduring fan favorites with "Xanadu” and "Cygnus X-1."

The 40th Anniversary edition features the Abbey Road Mastering Studios 2015 remastered edition of the album; a complete Rush concert recorded in February 1978 at London's Hammersmith Odeon, newly mixed by longtime Rush engineer and original A Farewell to Kings producer Terry Brown from the multi-track live tapes; four newly-recorded cover versions of songs from the original album by Dream Theater, Big Wreck, The Trews and Alain Johannes; and an instrumental studio outtake of the spacey sound effects from “Cygnus X-1” the band has creatively titled “Cygnus X-2 Eh”.  The set also includes an elaborate new 40^th anniversary cover treatment by longtime Rush creative director Hugh Syme, who has also created a new piece of artwork for each of the album's six songs, an extensive 12,000-word liner notes by Grammy®-winning rock historian Rob Bowman.  The vinyl editions include a 32-page vinyl-sized booklet and a special 12-inch turntable mat.

Available options:

• 3 CD Edition
• 4 LP Edition
• Super Deluxe Edition, combines the complete contents of the 3 CD and 4 LP Editions, as well as one Blu-ray Audio disc containing a brand new 5.1 surround mix of the album by four-time Grammy® nominated surround sound producer Steven Wilson, along with three original 1977 promo videos from a newly found 2-inch quad video master significantly improving the video quality for “Closer To The Heart.”  The Super Deluxe Edition includes several exclusive items, including a unique King's Ring, with custom velvet pouch and neck chain; two lithographs with original artwork by Hugh Syme; the 12-inch turntable mat featuring distinctive artwork by Hugh Syme; and a reproduction of Rush's original 1978 A Farewell To Kings tour program.

Related News:

• Say Hello Again To Rush's 'A Farewell To Kings' - PRNewswire, October 19, 2017

Long-haired microbes named after Canadian band Rush

From today's University of British Columbia Science News:

Three new species of microbe found in the guts of termites have been named after members of the Canadian prog-rock band Rush, owing to the microbes’ long hair and rhythmic wriggling under the microscope.

“A Spanish postdoc, Javier del Campo, asked me to recommend some good Canadian music, and I suggested he listen to Rush,” says Patrick Keeling, a University of British Columbia microbiologist and senior author on the paper describing the new species. “He came back to me and said ‘Those microbes we’re finding have long hair like the guys on the album 2112!’”

The microbes in question are covered with flagella, which are long threads that cells use to move around. Many cells have a few flagella, but these little rockers have more than ten thousand very long flagella, giving them flowing hair that even Farrah Fawcett might envy.

And while Rush may not be famous for their dance moves, the tiny creatures also have rhythm. They bob their heads and sway their bodies in microscopic dances, prompting the researchers to baptize the new Pseudotrichonympha species P. leei, P. lifesoni, and P. pearti after musicians Geddy Lee, Alex Lifeson and Neil Peart.

The prototypical Canadian power trio is known for songs such as “Natural Science,” “Tom Sawyer” and “Closer to the Heart,” and lyrics drawing on themes from science and literature, such as the seminal 1976 album 2112.

The microbe named after drummer and lyricist Peart contains a rotating intracellular structure never seen before. The researchers dubbed this the “rotatosome,” and even though they tested several theories, they still can’t figure out what it does.

“We have looked at a lot of crazy cells in my lab, and none of us has ever seen anything like this,” Keeling says.

While taxonomy can be a dry topic, some biologists inject a bit of fun with species names. Previously, Keeling’s team found another termite microbe which they named Cthulhu, after the terrifying tentacled entity in H.P. Lovecraft’s stories. Pseudotrichonympha leei, lifesoni, and pearti may come from the same place as Cthulhu (a termite’s hindgut), but these dancing, long-haired creatures seem much friendlier."