"A Little More Noise" - Stewart Copeland and Company including Neil Peart

Today Stewart Copeland posted another video of guests jamming at the Sacred Grove including Neil Peart, Matt Scannell and Danny Carey.  This one is dubbed "A Little More Noise," and you'll see why in the video.  From his post:

Some new drums arrived so Peart and Carey came over to lay heavy hands upon them. Scannell and I banged out any old riffs while Stone chimed the gongs.  Couple days later four MORE drummers dropped by and took up the horns. The piano was an afterthought.

- Thanks to Bryan Brenner for the headsup!

Neil Peart's "News Weather and Sports" - February 2015

Today Neil Peart updated his website with the latest issue of "News Weather & Sports."  Titled "The Adventures of Bamm Bamm", this is the second half of his December report where he shared his experience of competing in the "24 Hours of LeMons", an endurance racing series for low-budget enthusiasts such as Neil.   This report covers their followup races in northern California at Thunderhill Raceway in September and Sonoma Raceway in December. You can check it out here.

Le Studio - Temple Of Sound - Episode Two

Episode Two of the YouTube documentary "Le Studio - Temple of Sound" is now available.  This documentary covers the LeStudio backstory from inception to current state. This is just the second episode posted in a year; Chapter One was posted in April of last year.

LeStudio was a world class recording studio in the Laurentian Mountains of Canada. It was the private retreat of Rush for the writing and recording of eight of their albums, as well as hundreds of other artists over the years. It closed in 2003 and now sits stripped of all it's furnishings & equipment, abandoned in the forest.

Rush's "Tom Sawyer" heard on HBO's "Togetherness"/Duplass Brothers Air Drum on Conan

UPDATE (Feb. 6): Jay and Mark Duplass, creators of the show, appeared on Conan earlier this week, and cajoled Conan to air drum with them along to Tom Sawyer.    Rush.com has posted that Geddy Lee noted "Clearly the Duplass Bros. are seasoned air drummers…they nailed it!"  Check out the video here.

Rush's "Tom Sawyer" was heard during last night's episode of HBO's Togetherness (season 1, episode 3).  Near the end of the show, as Brett and Alex drive home from the party "Tom Sawyer" is playing on the car stereo.   They end up pulling over, discussing the song and air drumming. The song then plays over the end
credits.  The episode is available on demand and on HBO Go to HBO subscribers.  - Thanks to Jeff Lucas for the headsup!

Neil Peart with Jim Ladd on Sirius XM's Deep Tracks February 3

"Motorcycle enthusiast... author... drummer... lyricist... NEIL PEART of Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Inductee RUSH joins Jim Ladd, high in the Hollywood Hills, for an exclusive one-on-one discussion. Topics will range from Neil's latest book: 'Far and Near: On Days Like These' to the music that influences him to the recently-announced Rush R40 tour celebrating 40 years! ‪This not-to-be-missed interview happens this Tuesday February 3 at 9pm Eastern / 6pm Pacific on Deep Tracks - SiriusXM 27." - XMRadio

Lorne Wheaton discusses the R40 Drum Kit and Sheds Light on the Setlist at NAMM

Evil Ed Nijjer, Canadian editor for DRUM-line magazine, spoke with Lorne Wheaton, Neil's drum tech, to discuss the R40 drum kit at the DW Booth at the NAMM show last month.  You can see the video interview below, which includes this comment which sheds some light onto what to expect from the setlist:

"For this next tour we're not going to be using the full V-Drum kit on the back. We are not going to be spinning. It's going to be full-tilt Rush songs and there will probably be a whole lot of old stuff in it." - Lorne Wheaton

- Thanks to Ed at RushIsABand for the headsup!

Farewell to Kings: new Rush tour could be last - Toronto Star

Although the recent R40 Tour press release alluded to the fact that this would be "their 21st tour, one which will most likely be their last major tour of this magnitude", a new interview with Neil Peart from yesterday's Toronto Star restates the obvious/unwanted truth in its title.  The interview itself, however, does not actually include any statement from Peart that this could be Rush's last tour, so take it as you will...

John Wesley "Dose of reality" - Wes discusses "Disconnect" and working with Alex Lifeson

Last year, Alex Lifeson appeared on John Wesley's latest album, Disconnect.  Last fall, Guitar Player magazine published an interview with John Wesley by Anil Prasad, which included an Alex Lifeson sidebar. That piece is now online in greatly expanded form on Innerviews.org, including extensive coverage of John’s friendships with Alex and Neil. You can find it at http://www.innerviews.org/inner/wesley.html

 - Thanks Anil for the headsup!

Steven Wilson's "Hand. Cannot. Erase." musically inspired by Rush?

click to order

In the recent issue of Prog magazine (issue #52 featuring Rush on the cover), when asked what his favorite Rush song is, Porcupine Tree's Steven Wilson replied:

"I'd go for The Camera Eye from Moving Pictures. For me, this is Rush continuing in the tradition of their incredible 70s epics, but achieving something more structured and lyrically mature. As with the whole of the Moving Pictures album, it strikes a perfect balance between the power trio format of the 70s and the more layered keyboard-dominated sounds to come. It's also got one of the great Alex Lifeson guitar solos - among so many!"

Now, according to a new review from Prog magazine posted today of Steven Wilson's latest solo album, Hand. Cannot. Erase., that love of "The Camera Eye" may have been reflected on the new album:

"...Wilson and his band (Marco Minnemann, Guthrie Govan, Nick Beggs and Adam Holzman) lean heavily on Rush’s Jacob’s Ladder and The Camera Eye, not least in the co-joined opener First Regret/3 Years Older." - Prog.teamrock.com, January 30, 2015

Hand. Cannot. Erase. is set for release March 3rd, click here to order.  For more visit www.handcannoterase.com; see below for a video teaser.


- Thanks Mr. Humphries for the headsup!

RUSH Announce R40 Live 40TH Anniversary Tour

Today Rush have finally announced their tourdates for 2015, with tickets going on sale starting January 30th, and presales starting January 27th. 

The R40 LIVE Tour will visit 34 cities throughout North America this summer beginning May 8 in Tulsa, OK and finishing August 1 in Los Angeles, CA. These not to be missed concerts will highlight four decades of the band’s music....After 40 years together and 20 gold and platinum studio albums – Rush is ready to celebrate with the most loyal fans in the world by embarking on their 21st tour, one which will most likely be their last major tour of this magnitude.

Tickets for the RUSH: R40 LIVE TOUR will go on sale starting January 30 in select markets at Ticketmaster.com and LiveNation.com. Citi® card members will have access to pre-sale tickets through Citi’s Private Pass® Program beginning January 27 in select markets. For complete presale details visit www.citiprivatepass.com. Exclusive Rush ticket packages are available, please visit vipnation.com for package details.

Beginning May 8 in Tulsa, OK and finishing August 1 in Los Angeles, CA, here are the complete list of tourdates:

May 8, 2015 Tulsa Bok Center -- Tulsa, Oklahoma
May 10, 2015 Pinnacle Bank Arena -- Lincoln, Nebraska
May 12, 2015 Xcel Energy Center -- Saint Paul, Minnesota
May 14, 2015 Scottrade Center -- St. Louis, Missouri
May 16, 2015 Austin360 Amphitheater -- Austin (Del Valle), Texas
May 18, 2015 American Airlines Center -- Dallas, Texas
May 20, 2015 Toyota Center -- Houston, Texas
May 22, 2015 Smoothie King Center -- New Orleans, Louisiana
May 24, 2015 Amalie Arena -- Tampa, Florida
May 26, 2015 Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre at Encore Park -- Atlanta (Alpharetta), Georgia
May 28, 2015 Greensboro Coliseum -- Greensboro, North Carolina
May 30, 2015 Jiffy Lube Live -- Bristow, Virginia
June 8, 2015 Nationwide Arena -- Columbus, Ohio
June 10, 2015 First Niagara Center -- Buffalo, New York
June 12, 2015 United Center -- Chicago, Illinois
June 14, 2015 The Palace of Auburn Hills -- Detroit (Auburn Hills), Michigan
June 17, 2015 Air Canada Centre -- Toronto, Ontario
June 19, 2015 Air Canada Centre -- Toronto, Ontario
June 21, 2015 Bell Centre -- Montreal, Québec
June 23, 2015 TD Garden -- Boston, Massachusetts
June 25, 2015 Wells Fargo Center -- Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
June 27, 2015 Prudential Center -- Newark, New Jersey
June 29, 2015 Madison Square Garden, New York, New York
July 9, 2015 Sprint Center -- Kansas City, Missouri
July 11, 2015 Pepsi Center - Denver, Colorado
July 13, 2015 Maverik Center -- Salt Lake City (West Valley City), Utah
July 15, 2015 Scotiabank Saddledome -- Calgary, Alberta
July 17, 2015 Rogers Arena -- Vancouver, British Columbia
July 19, 2015 KeyArena -- Seattle, Washington
July 21, 2015 Moda Center -- Portland, Oregon
July 23, 2015 SAP Center at San Jose -- San Jose, California
July 25, 2015 MGM Grand Garden Arena -- Las Vegas, Nevada
July 27, 2015 US Airways Center -- Phoenix, Arizona
July 30, 2015 Verizon Wireless Amphitheater -- Irvine, California
August 1, 2015 The Forum -- Los Angeles (Inglewood), California

Presale details below:

Geddy Lee on PBS' Speakeasy premieres tonight

UPDATE: PBS does not have a standardized nationwide schedule. While this episode is slated to begin airing tonight, actual broadcast times and dates will vary. To find list of stations that will be airing it click here.

Recorded last fall, Geddy Lee's appearance on PBS' Speakeasy will air tomorrow night, January 29th.  Geddy is interviewed by his friend, author Michael Chabon at the McKittrick Hotel in New York City. Topics include growing up Jewish in an assimilated world; his bandmates; and how he's cared for his voice through the years.  See below for a teaser clip from tomorrow night's episode.

Rush Manager Ray Danniels to be Honoured with Walt Grealis Special Achievement Award at the 2015 JUNO Awards

Toronto, ON (January 29, 2015) — The Canadian Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences (CARAS) today announced Ray Danniels as the recipient of the 2015 Walt Grealis Special Achievement Award, that recognizes individuals who have made an impact on the Canadian music industry. Danniels will be honoured at the 2015 JUNO Gala Dinner & Awards on Saturday, March 14 in Hamilton, Ontario as part of JUNO Week festivities.

Ray Danniels is the CEO/President of SRO (Standing Room Only) Management Inc. and of independent record label Anthem Entertainment Group. He is also the long-time manager of Canadian trio and Rock and Roll Hall of Fame members, Rush.

“I am grateful to be recognized by my peers for doing something I’ve loved and been passionate about since I was a teenager,” said Ray Danniels. “I share this honour with those that have been with me since the beginning – the members of Rush – Geddy, Alex and Neil.”

“Ray’s extraordinary intuition in business and passion for the Canadian music industry are truly something to admire,” said Allan Reid, President & CEO, CARAS/The JUNO Awards. “We are very pleased to recognize Ray Danniels with the Walt Grealis Special Achievement Award for his incredible achievements and exceptional contributions.”

Danniels began his career as an agent in the music business when he was a teenager, first booking bands and then moving on to promoting concerts in his hometown of Toronto. In 1971 he took on both agent and manager roles with a rock band from Willowdale called Rush. After every record company in Canada turned the band down, Danniels took initiative by funding Rush’s first record and then starting his own label to release it. In 1973 the first Rush single was released on Moon Records, which was later renamed Anthem. Forty years later, Anthem is still releasing Rush albums in Canada. Rush’s 20th studio album, Clockwork Angels, was released by Anthem in 2013, debuted #1 in Canada and went on to be certified gold. Together, Ray Danniels and Rush created Core Music, a publishing entity where the band’s entire body of work remains to this day.

In addition to Rush, Anthem has released albums from Max Webster, Ian Thomas, Gowan, Molly Johnson, Steven Page and most recently The Tea Party, Big Wreck and Brody Dalle. Anthem has made an impact with projects that have defined Canadian culture, having released projects such as Bob & Doug Mackenzie and The Trailer Park Boys soundtracks. In its 40-year history, SRO Management has been instrumental in the careers of Rush, Van Halen, Extreme, The Tea Party, Matthew Good, and Big Wreck amongst others.

Danniels was inducted into the Canadian Music Industry Hall of Fame in 2007 and was also the recipient of the third annual Music Managers Forum Canada Honour Roll Award.
- See more at: http://junoawards.ca/walt-grealis-special-achievement-award-recipient/#sthash.hNxjiMVu.dpuf

Neil Peart video interview discussing the DW R40 Drum Kit

Neil Peart's R40 drum kit premiered at NAMM 2015 earlier this week at the DW booth.  Yesterday afternoon, DW posted a short interview with Neil Peart where he discusses the kit.  He sheds some interesting details, including the fact that the entire kit is made from a single 1,500 year old oak log from Romania. 

DW has also announced that the Neil Peart R40 14 x 6.5 snare drum will be available for private purchase.  This is a limited production run of only 250 drums. All Pro Percussion has the snare available for $1,499.55 with an estimated delivery date of April 2015.

Fly By Night Vinyl Reissue And Blu-Ray Now Available

Today sees the reissue of Fly By Night on vinyl, with a code for a 320kbps MP4 vinyl ripped Digital Audio album download.  In addition, Fly By Night is also now available as a "blu-ray-audio remaster", previously only available in the Sectors 1 boxed set.   Click here to buy Fly By Night on vinyl, or blu-ray audio.

As announced last month, following last year's  Rush reDISCovered release, Rush is reissuing the rest of Rush's remaining Mercury era albums (studio and live albums through A Show of Hands) in chronological order throughout the rest of 2015.

In The Studio's "Permanent Waves @ 35" Now Available To Stream

North American syndicated Rock radio show and InTheStudio: The Stories Behind History’s Greatest Rock Bands journeys back to a pivotal moment in the history of the band Rush to examine the 1980 release of Permanent Waves.
website

Four years before the dawn of MTV and almost two decades before the internet revolutionized the music industry, Rush sold more than a million copies of 1978’s Hemispheres album and sold out 10,000 seat arenas primarily on word-of-mouth and relentless touring.

The hard rock trio faced obstacles at every turn and at every phase of their career, but the adversity only seemed to increase the collective resolve of Rush. 1980 would be a turning point and game changer. Rush, who had been mean spiritedly criticized by the rock press and ignored by the majority of radio in the western hemisphere would deliver Permanent Waves, the breakthrough that would unleash a streamlined, more modern-sounding Rush and deliver their first legitimate hits “The Spirit of the Radio” and “Free Will”. Geddy Lee shares with InTheStudio host Redbeard the deliberate move Rush made musically 35 years ago.


“We were happy with the challenge to write twenty minute pieces... We’d done it a number of times, and we felt it was almost becoming a cross to bear for us in a way. It was almost limiting us...We sort of tried to get back to our original desires as songwriters. I think we wanted to become a little more concise.” - Geddy Lee

RUSH Permanent Waves @ 35/ InTheStudio interview is available now to stream here.  For a list of radio stations who broadcast InTheStudio, click here.

Alex Lifeson Stops By Q107 To Talk About The New R40 Tour

Alex Lifeson was on Toronto's Q107 this morning:

Alex Lifeson of Rush stopped by Q107 this morning to chat with Derringer about all things rock n’ roll, including the upcoming R40 LIVE tour kicking off this May.

Q107,Toronto’s Rock presents RUSH - Wednesday June 17th & Friday June 19th at the Air Canada Centre. Tickets go on sale Friday, February 6th. Buy your tickets online at Ticketmaster.ca !

If you missed the interview live on air, not to worry, listen to Alex and Derringer chat below:

Neil Peart R40 Collector's Series Snare Drum

At NAMM 2015 this week, DW announced that the Neil Peart R40 14 x 6.5 snare drum will be available for purchase. All Pro Percussion has the snare available for $1,499.55 with an estimated delivery date of April 2015.

In celebration of Rush's 40th Anniversary Tour, Drum Workshop, Inc. (DW Drums) is releasing the Neil Peart R40 snare drum. Just like Neil's R40 touring kit, this DW Icon series snare features exotic inlay artwork from previous Rush albums and gold plated hardware. Each snare includes DW's Mag Throw-Off with 3 position butt plate and a DW Deluxe Snare Drum Bag. 

-  Thanks to Andrew Olson for the headsup!

Kiss Roadies’ Memories of the Band’s Early Shows With Rush included in new book "Out On The Streets"

The four guys who made up the original ‘Kiss Krew’ — roadies Peter “Moose” Oreckinto, J.R. Smalling, Rick Munroe, and Mick Campise — share their stories about working for the band during its rise to fame in their new book, ‘Out on the Streets,' which you can buy here.

Like a lot of young groups in the ’70s, Kiss occasionally found themselves lumped in with some less-than-obvious acts on multi-band bills, and in the ‘Out on the Streets’ chapter ‘Remembering a Few of the Bands That We Worked With,’ the Krew recount their experiences supporting their bosses while they shared the stage with some of the bigger names in ’70s rock, as well as a couple of future legends.

They have especially fond memories of working with Rush, partly because the band went out of its way to thank the Krew in the liner notes of the 1975 album ‘Caress of Steel.’ “That was just pure respect for us,” noted Campise. “For who and what we were.”
It also happened because, as Munroe pointed out, “we helped them whenever we could” — up to and including indulging Alex Lifeson‘s routine as “The Bag.” Recalled Campise, “He’d take one of those huge paper bags that hotels provided for dirty laundry, draw some ridiculous face on it and wear it over his head and upper body. He looked kinda like SpongeBob SquarePants, now that I think of it.”

The foursome recall that Rush were eventually “thrown off our tours” because Paul Stanley felt threatened by Lifeson’s stage antics (“he would go from the corner of the stage and run to the microphone”)...

- Thanks to UltimateClassicRock for the headsup!

Fender Unveils New Geddy Lee Jazz Bass

Fender has unveiled an new version of their Geddy Lee Jazz Bass that combines the specs and features of Lee’s three favorite basses—two Fender Custom Shop versions of his signature model and the original sleek black ’72 Jazz Bass that Rush’s revered bassist/vocalist has riffed away on in front of millions of devoted fans worldwide and on many a mega-selling album. The neck has a thicker custom profile, topped by a maple fingerboard with elegant white binding and white pearloid block inlays. For enormous tone that crackles with life and bristles with the energy, its two vintage-style single-coil Jazz Bass pickups are specially wound and voiced to sound like those on Lee’s prized 1972 original, and a Geddy Lee signature High-Mass bridge provides rock-solid intonation. The new bass has an MSRP of $899 and will be available March 12, 2015.  For more info click here.

RushPetition - What do you want to hear live on the R40 tour?

RushPetition is back up and preparing for the R40 tour.   The new petition allows for each person to select FIVE songs from the list of songs from the Peart recording era that Rush has never performed live. Cast your vote here. - Thanks to Skip Daly for the headsup!