Rush News

Richard Chycki on recording Dream Theater, Rush and Jagger - Musicradar.com

Musicradar has posted a new interview with producer Richard Chycki, where he tells of working with Dream Theater, Rush and Jagger.  Of Rush he says:
“I got a call from Rush’s management in 2004 when they were doing a charity event in Canada. I was asked to do the recording and mixing for the TV broadcast. We had a lot of chemistry. They’re all really funny guys. We spent the time just laughing our faces off.

"A few months later, Al Lifeson asked me to mix their new R30 DVD. In the nine years since then, we’ve had 26 platinum and gold sales awards for all of the DVDs and albums we’ve done. Their main mantra at this point is to continue putting out music for their fans – they have done everything.

“The first time I really got to know Neil [Peart] was on Snakes And Arrows. He was warming up on his kit and I was setting up microphones. When the kit is so large I measure the distance of microphones to drums with a tape measure so that we have the best phase coherence that we can have, because we have so many open mics around the kit. Neil was doing these press rolls on his snare, and I was literally putting the tape measure down on his snare as he was playing. He was looking at me like, ‘What are you doing?!’

“With those guys, if they hear something they like, they say, ‘That’s great – let's go.’ They can be hands on, but a lot of the time it is hands off because they will hear what they want and say, ‘Let's just record.’”

Vapor Trails Remixed opens at #35 on the Billboard Top 200

Vapor Trails Remixed landed on the Billboard Top 200 chart at #35.  It also debuted at #3 on Billboard's Hard Rock Albums chart, as well as #9 on both Billboard's Top Rock Albums and Tastemaker Albums charts. - Thanks to Cygnus-X1.net for the headsup!

When it was originally released, Vapor Trails opened at #6 and spent five weeks on the Billboard Top 100.

Vapor Trails Remixed was released September 30th, and is available on CD, Vinyl, iTunes and The Studio Albums 1989-2007.

For related news, be sure to check out:

Geddy Lee will appear on VH1's "On Tap" Tonight

Tonight Geddy Lee will appear on VH1's "On Tap" with Nik Carter.  On Tap is a syndicated radio show, click here for a list of stations that carry it. - Thanks to John @ Cygnus-X1.net for the headsup!

David Bottrill on Rush’s “Vapor Trails Remixed” - Popdose.com

In a new interview with Popdose.com, producer David Botrill weighs in on Vapor Trails Remixed, now available CD, Vinyl, iTunes and The Studio Albums 1989-2007.
"When I approach any mix, I will reference any rough or previous mix lightly, to find balance or tones that the client might like. But in this case, I was aware that the band weren’t happy with the final mixes they had, so I just approached it fresh with little referencing to the originals. My philosophy was that they didn’t like what they had, so I would just work with the material they gave me and do what I thought would work best for each song. The first mix took the longest to complete, but that was only a couple of days. Once we were into the groove, the band usually only had little tweaks or suggestions and went mostly with what I presented them with.  There was very little direction prior to starting. I did a test mix for them as did some other engineers and producers. They liked most of them, but I think that they had wanted to try to work with me for some time, so perhaps that swayed their opinion towards my mix as opposed to others. Andy Curran, who works with the band, is also a friend of mine and I think he was pulling for me to do the remix as well — and this may have had an influence.  Nothing new was added. The band weren’t present for the mixes as they were mostly on tour, so there would have been no opportunity to do any further recording."
Regarding the "new" guitar solo heard in Ceiling Unlimited:
"It sounded good to me. As I said, I just worked with the material they gave me. I didn’t really check the originals to see what they used or didn’t use. I liked that solo and put it in. I don’t think many people have complained about that one so far. When a record is made, often times there are things that are recorded that are left out of the final mix. I had no attachment to the older mixes or what was left in or out. I just put in all the mixes what I thought worked the best. I don’t think I left much out from the tracks they gave me. There was no really grand plan for the mixes. I just tried to make the songs all shine as much as I could. There was some talk in the fan press that the tracks were distorted in the recording process or that there have been new recordings done. Neither is true. The source recordings are top quality and we didn’t add anything new from those early recordings."
  - Thanks to RushFanForever for the headsup!

Geddy Lee Dives Into Rush's Video Timeline - RollingStone.com

Yesterday RollingStone.com posted a new interview "Geddy Lee Dives Into Rush's Video Timeline", where Geddy gives his thoughts on ' 2112,' the Hall of Fame jam and bad haircuts.  You can check it out here.

Alex Lifeson on God, police brutality and more in Classic Rock, November

The November issue of Classic Rock magazine includes a one page interview with Alex Lifeson in the Heavy Load ongoing feature. The interview has the subtitle "Alex Lifeson on God, police brutality and 'disco biscuits'". You can read the full feature here. - Thanks to RushIsABand for the headsup!

Andy VanDette Discusses Mastering "RUSH – The Studio Albums 1989-2007"

Today TheMasterdiskRecord.com posted a short Q&A with remastering engineer Andy VanDette.  Andy discusses remastering the Atlantic catalog, as well as his thoughts on the original Vapor Trails mixes.
Vapor Trails. I remember hearing it before it came out, and thinking 'Wow, I guess this is why I will never work with Rush.' The snare and vocal were so overshadowed by low end....I see why they had a hard time remastering the original mixes. So much of their energy is in the bottom octave 20-40Hz. You can roll it off, but so much of the mixes’ punch came from that. It was just mixed that way. The David Bottrill remixes are very well balanced and musical."
You can read the entire Q&A here. - Thanks to RushFanForever for the headsup!

Hemispheres SACD from AudioFidelity Now Available

The AudioFidelity SACD (Super Audio CD) gold disk edition of Rush's Hemispheres has finally been released, hitting store shelves on October 1, 2013.

Mastered by Kevin Gray at Cohearent Audio, this is a limited edition release, so order now!

This is AudioFidelity's second Rush SACD release.  Counterparts was released on March 3rd of this year.

New Alex Lifeson TV spot for the Kidney Foundation of Canada

Alex Lifeson appears in a new TV commercial for the Kidney Foundation of Canada, talking about the need to get screened for kidney disease if you are at risk.  Check it out here. - Thanks to RushFanForever for the headsup!

Vapor Trails Remixed Now Available

Originally scheduled for release October 1st, Vapor Trails Remixed is now available today, September 30th.   Vapor Trails Remixed is available on CD, Vinyl, iTunes and as part of Rush: The Studio Albums 1989-2007 (which contains remastered versions of the rest of the Atlantic Rush catalog). 

Alex Lifeson was recently interviewed by Classic Rock Magazine, where he discussed Vapor Trails Remixed, and explained the problems with the original release.
"The original mastering was the problem. It was poorly done. At the time we should have remastered. It bothered us forever – particularly Geddy, who had the task of remastering of the original album and feels responsible for it. It irked him for many years. The original version is hard on your ears, because the mastering was pushed so hard, there’s distortion and so much compression – I found it very difficult to listen to it...There was so much invested in that record and it just didn’t sit with us that we had this blemish on our recording history. We wanted to rectify that. I’d like to remix every record we did – maybe update some parts. But that’s crazy, you know? You don’t do that – records are moments in time, markers of these different periods of progression and growth. But this one was a very important record – our return after a horrible nightmare. And it deserved better...To me [Vapor Trails Remixed] sounds so good. It’s blossomed. It’s a really great Rush record – some great playing and great ideas. And now that it all knits together in a much more complete way, it feels right.  It’s much more pleasurable to listen to. Now, everything’s open, you can hear everything, and everything has its place. It’s so well-balanced. There’s a sort of creaminess and a smoothness to the sound of it. It’s so much more dynamic. Before, everything was just balls to the wall. Now it breathes." - Alex Lifeson, ClassicRockMagazine.com,  September 18, 2013
Also released today is Rush: The Studio Albums 1989-2007.  This 7-disc boxed set features every studio album Rush recorded for Atlantic Records presented in a wallet sleeve that faithfully reproduces the original artwork (except for Vapor Trails Remixed, which features a reinterpreted version of the original cover). Those that passed on the Atlantic Remasters when they were released in 2004 may be interested in knowing that The Studio Albums 1989-2007 box contains new CD versions of the six Atlantic albums newly remastered by Masterdisk's Chief Mastering Engineer, Andy VanDette, released last May digitally only on iTunes and HDTracks.  This boxed set is Atlantic's complement to the Sectors boxed sets, which were also remastered by VanDette in 2011.

Related Links

Rush Remix Their Polarizing Album 'Vapor Trails' - Premiere

Rollingstone.com has just posted a streaming link to hear Vapor Trails Remixed now!  The link also includes Geddy's comments about Vapor Trails from Monday's story:
"It's a terrible feeling that, due to lack of objectivity, you let an imperfect piece of work get out there. But the songs are very strong and people really responded to the record and people were welcoming us back. The sonic defects of it got lost in the excitement of the band's return to functionality. It's always been a bee in my bonnet."

Acoustic Tom Sawyer Heard On "Revolution"

In the opening scene of tonight's season premier of NBC's Revolution, a man performs an acoustic guitar rendition of Ozzy Osbourne's "Crazy Train", followed by Rush's "Tom Sawyer" in a bar.  Here is a video clip of the performance; the episode will eventually be online at NBC.com soon. - Thanks to Jeff Lucas for the heasdsup and John Patuto at Cygnus-X1.net for the video clip!

Rush Included in New Kiss Book "Nothin' To Lose"

Released September 10th, Nothin' to Lose: The Making of KISS (1972-1975) chronicles, for the first time, the crucial formative years of the legendary rock band KISS, culminating with the groundbreaking success of their classic 1975 album Alive! and the smash single "Rock and Roll All Nite," a song that nearly four decades later remains one of rock's most enduring anthems.

Drawing from over 200 interviews, among those included are new interviews with Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson, as well as Rush crew members Howard Ungerleider and Skip Gildersleeve, on touring with KISS in '74-'75.  Chapter 26, titled "Heavy Metal Masters", focuses on this touring period, and even includes quotes from KISS' roadcrew on how well they got along with Rush (you can read the pages here using the Read Instantly function).

Click here to purchase. - Thanks to RushFanForever for the headsup!

"Geddy Lee On Finally Taking a Break From the Road" - RollingStone.com

In a new interview with RollingStone.com, Geddy discusses the Clockwork Angels Tour dvd, their future plans, and Vapor Trails Remixed.

Again he confirms there will be no 2014 tour, saying "There's nothing wrong with celebrating 42 years." He also discusses the upcoming live video "...this tour, we didn't make any plans originally to record it, but then after we saw that our work was paying off and we were so proud of the show, we thought, 'Okay, we have to record this.' We had a second leg planned in the new year, and at the time we didn't know whether we would change songs or not. The feeling was, 'Life is too unpredictable. Let's not record it next year. Let's record it now because at least we know what the show is.' So we quickly found a venue that was appropriate, or really a couple of venues, and that's how we did it."

Geddy also talks about health issues over the last two tours including "Well, I've been lucky. I've never gotten a voice polyp. I've never gotten nodes. But I do get sick, usually every tour, and to varying degrees. Sometimes it's a sinusitis. In the previous tour, I had a really bad strep throat. And I had to do a gig that night in Hamilton, Ontario. I did it and I woke up the next day and my ear was so infected, the whole thing had gone into my ear. I had to fly to Montreal. This is kind of gross, but I had to go to a doctor and he had to puncture my ear. This was on the day of a show. I did the show, and I spent the next three days in absolute hell. I got through the show, but it was a nightmare. My worst memory ever on tour."

Rush Mentioned On The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson

Rush has been popping up recently in regards to Ron Howard's new movie Rush.  Besides this brief Huffington Post item yesterday, "Is This A Line From 'Rush' Or A Lyric From Rush?", during his monologue on the Late Late Show last night, Craig Ferguson also brought up the film.  Craig said he was disappointed that the new film Rush was not about the band, or as he puts it..."You know that Canadian Progressive Jazz Pop Rock Power Trio or whatever". He then went on to compliment them on how fast they move their fingers..."And then they pick up their Instruments".  You can watch the monologue here, the Rush mention begins after the 1:40 mark. - Thanks to Andrew Weiss for the headsup!

Neil Peart Update: “Drummer With a Singletrack Mind" - September 2013

Back in June, during that month's edition of "News Weather & Sports" ("Shunpikers in the Shadowlands"), Neil Peart wrote "“Drummer With a Singletrack Mind” will appear in this department shortly after its print debut."  That time has come, as tonight Neil has updated his website with the expanded edition of  "Drummer With a Singletrack Mind", adding:
"This story was written during our Clockwork Angels European tour in May, 2013, for a British motorcycling weekly. They asked for about 700 words and a photo or two, and I gave them 1,700 words, and eight photos. They said they would run it like that, but took a few liberties...So I decided to present it here in its original form, which would also fill a gap in the tour’s documentation, before the 'Shunpikers in the Shadowlands' story about Continental Europe."
Another great read from the Professor, you can check it out here!

Longtime Rush Roadie Skip Gildersleeve Passes Away at 57

Skip Gildersleeve (Slider) and
Tony Geranios (Jack Secret) in 2012
On Wednesday the Rush world learned of the tragic loss of long time roadie and bass tech Russell "Skip" Gildersleeve.  Skip joined the Rush roadcrew in 1975 for the Caress of Steel tour, after meeting the band at their appearance at Detoit's Michigan Palace on the Fly By Night tour.  Nicknamed "Slider" by the band, Skip was a member of the road crew for 22 years, through the Test For Echo tour.

Skip is forever immortalized on the All The World's A Stage and Different Stages: Hammersmith Odeon live recordings; it is Skip who you hear saying "Oh won't you please welcome home, RUSH!"  Our thoughts go with his friends and family.
“The news of Russell ‘Skip’ Gildersleeve's passing is shocking and very, very sad. He was one of our original crew members from the mid-70s and we all have many great memories of his friendship, his sense of humour and his association with us over all those years. Our hearts and thoughts go out to his family and close friends. He will be missed.” - Geddy, Alex and Neil, Rush.com, September 19, 2013
Robert Scovill, who served as Rush's sound engineer in the 90's and served on the road crew Skip, posted a touching eulogy for his friend which you can read here.
"Skip was also a very caring and giving guy and his way of showing it was often times seen through his sense of humor and his willingness to play practical jokes and “punk” his tour mates, friends and family. He was Ashton Kutcher way before it was fashionable to be such. I’ve bore witness to many samples of his work and they will remain hidden away with me as cherished possessions, available to be pulled out to make me giggle and smile upon reflection, until my time comes to exit this planet.  Skip had a devious but infectious laugh that was perfectly coupled with his diminutive stature, always framed with a witty cool tee shirt and transported around by feet that displayed the largest and most varied collection of Converse tennis shoes one could ever imagine...Skip Gildersleeve, my touring brother, the man with the huge name and the small frame passed away quietly on September 17th 2013."  Robert Scovill, splnetwork.com, September 19, 2013

"How Morse Code has made its mark in music" - Grand Junction Post Indepent

"YYZ", or should I say "- . - -   - . - -   - - . .", is mentioned in today's Post Independent story, "How Morse Code has made its mark in music". - Thanks to RushIsABand for the headsup!

ESPN's Monday Night Football Commercial Featuring Rush's "Tom Sawyer"

I've been hearing about it all week, and here it is!  ESPN's Monday Night Football commercial for this Monday's game where the Oakland Raiders face off against the Peyton Manning and the Denver Broncos is now online.  The commercial features Rush's "Tom Sawyer".

Steve Hackett and Chris Squire (aka Squackett): "We could have been Rush!"

Last March, during the 2013 "Cruise To The Edge", the progressive rock concert cruise which featured both Yes and Steve Hackett's Genesis Revisited, Chris Squire and Steve Hackett (who together form "Squackett") sat down for a Q&A with fans.

Steve mentions that the last time he was on a cruise was in 1957 when his family emigrated by ship to Canada, before moving back to the UK only four months later.  Chris then replies that in 1948 his family also nearly moved to Canada, but that his mother, who was pregnant at the time, decided it was better not to travel and therefore travel plans were canceled.  He then smiles and says to Steve, "You do realize, we could have been RUSH!".

You can see the full Q&A here; the above conversation begins at the 22:30 mark. - Thanks to Brian S. for the headsup!

Alex Lifeson Talks to Classic Rock Magazine About "Vapor Trails Remixed"

Today Classic Rock magazine posted a new interview with Alex Lifeson where he discussed Vapor Trails Remixed, and gives his thoughts on problems with the original release and the results of the remix.
"The original mastering was the problem. It was poorly done. At the time we should have remastered. It bothered us forever – particularly Geddy, who had the task of remastering of the original album and feels responsible for it. It irked him for many years. The original version is hard on your ears, because the mastering was pushed so hard, there’s distortion and so much compression – I found it very difficult to listen to it...There was so much invested in that record and it just didn’t sit with us that we had this blemish on our recording history. We wanted to rectify that. I’d like to remix every record we did – maybe update some parts. But that’s crazy, you know? You don’t do that – records are moments in time, markers of these different periods of progression and growth. But this one was a very important record – our return after a horrible nightmare. And it deserved better...To me [Vapor Trails Remixed] sounds so good. It’s blossomed. It’s a really great Rush record – some great playing and great ideas. And now that it all knits together in a much more complete way, it feels right.  It’s much more pleasurable to listen to. Now, everything’s open, you can hear everything, and everything has its place. It’s so well-balanced. There’s a sort of creaminess and a smoothness to the sound of it. It’s so much more dynamic. Before, everything was just balls to the wall. Now it breathes." - Alex Lifeson, ClassicRockMagazine.com,  September 18, 2013
Previously announced for an October 1st release date, Vapor Trails Remixed will be released September 30th on CD, Vinyl, iTunes, and as part of Rush: The Studio Albums 1989-2007 (which contained remastered versions of the rest of the Atlantic Rush catalog).   For more on the back history of the original Vapor Trails mix, click here.

Neil Peart's first drum teacher Don George talks to Drum Talk TV

Yesterday Drum Talk TV posted an interview with Don George, who Neil Peart began taking lessons from in 1965.  From Drum Talk TV:
"While Don George is known as Neil Peart's first drum teacher - and proudly says, 'Neil didn't need another lesson for 30 years,' referring to Neil getting with the late Freddie Gruber later in life - Don has remained an exceptional one-on-one drum instructor for over 45 years and is also somewhat of a historian on Drumming Education.

"In his first Drum Talk TV interview, filmed with an in-studio audience by the way, Don discusses some of his collection of materials dating back to 1923, as well as demonstrates and talks about his magic formula for teaching drums to all ages - a must see for all players and instructors. Don also demonstrates how to develop limb independence and explains why it is so important to drumming. Oh - Dan of course asked Don about teaching a young Neil Peart and Don talks about their continuing relationship as well."
- Thanks to Greg Nosek for the headsup!

Rush On Last Night's Late Show with David Letterman "Top Ten"...sort of

Back in June 2011, when promoting Drum Solo week (click here for Neil's performance), the Late Show with David Letterman showed a clip of Representative Anthony Weiner playing Neil's Snakes & Arrows drum kit with his (pixelated space over the pertinent part).

Last night, one day aver losing the New York mayoral primary with less than 5% of the vote, the topic of the Late Show Top Ten was "Anthony Weiner Future Plans".  Coming in at number three was "Learn To Play The Drums", and Dave said "Uh oh, it's this again" as they replayed the clip of Weiner playing the drums.  The video is currently on CBS.com here.
- Thanks to BP for the headsup!

Apple Uses Rush To Demonstrate iOS 7

Today Apple gave their keynote address to introduce the new iPhone 5s and 5c, as well as the new features of iOS 7.  At about 14:30 into the address when Apple senior vice president of Software Engineering Craig Federighi was demonstrating to the audience how to make an iTunes radio station, they used Rush as their example! They mentioned that they were going to show (via creating a Rush radio station) how to get a pure dose of awesome. The CNET liveblogger also remarked that, "Never have I heard so much applause for Rush!"
- Thanks to RushIsABand for the heads up!

Cyril Neville covers Working Man on "Magic Honey"

Cyril Nevill of the Neville Brothers has covered Rush's "Working Man" on his new blues album, Magic Honey.  Hitting store shelves today, September 10th, a 30 second sample can be heard here; you can order the CD here, and it is also available on iTunes.
"Neville’s vocals have never lacked swagger, but here they have an arena-rock power that he’s seldom reached for in the past. So it makes sense that the track 'Working Man' isn’t the one Mike Bloomfield wrote and Otis Rush recorded (as the cover credits have it), but the one by those venerable bluesmen, Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson. And the sound of New Orleans funkateers doing a Rush song—and doing it damn well—is about as colorblind as music gets." - Offbeat.com

Alex Lifeson's "Sunflowers" painting - limited edition print now available

Alex Lifeson's "Sunflowers" painting is available now in a limited print run of 300, each numbered and signed individually by Alex, for the Kidney Foundation of Canada.  For details click here.

13 Bands That Have Been Together Since High School - Business Insider

On Monday Business Insider posted the feature "13 Bands That Have Been Together Since High School".  Rush is #7 on the list, with the description:
Rush consists of classmates from Canada.

Rush's Alex Lifeson and Geddy Lee first started playing together in 1968, when they were high school classmates in Ontario, Canada.

Drummer Neil Peart joined the band six years later, finalizing the lineup.
- Thanks to David Wholihan for the headsup!

Alex Lifeson on BBC Radio 2's "Sounds Of The 70s"

On Saturday Alex Lifeson appeared on BBC Radio 2's Sounds of the 70s with Johnnie Walker. You can hear the the interview here; Alex comes in at the 1:24:00 mark. Alex reminisces about Rush's early career playing the Toronto bar scene back in the early 70s, and introduces The Who's Won't Get Fooled Again and Pink Floyd's Comfortably Numb. - Thanks to RushIsABand for the headsup!

The Spirit of Rush Fanzine Archive

John Patuto at Cygnus-X1.net has created a new archive which will feature EVERY issue of The Spirit of Rush fanzine, one of the only sources of Rush news before the internet came along.   The fanzine includes fan writings, as well as magazine transcripts, concert reviews, convention news, etc., and John has done a fantastic job insuring this fanzine gets the honor it deserves.  Check it out here.

Fender Custom Shop's "Limited Geddy Lee 1972 Jazz Bass®

Fender Custom Shop as just announced the release of the "Limited Geddy Lee 1972 Jazz Bass.  The bass has a suggested retail price of $8,000.  "The Custom Shop has meticulously replicated every detail in neck shape, wiring, pickups and more in creating the Limited Edition Geddy Lee Jazz Bass, including the wear and tear of nearly 35 years of touring."  For more visit Fender.com. - Thanks to Rushisaband for the headsup!

Neil Peart's "News Weather and Sports" - August 2013

Neil Peart has just updated his website with the latest edition of News, Weather & Sports titled "It’s Not Over When It’s Over".   Neil writes about the final days of the tour, including narrowly avoiding a massive forest fire in Washington state, as well as the moving of the Calgary show to Red Deer:
The first show of this final run had been scheduled for July 24 in Calgary, but just a few weeks earlier that city endured a massive flood. The arena we were supposed to play in was underwater up to the tenth row.  It was fairly certain we would not be playing that building, but rather than cancel our show, I suggested to the Guys at Work and manager Ray that we move it somewhere else, to higher ground—maybe outdoors—and play a benefit for those people who had lost so much. Everybody readily agreed, and Ray set about making it happen. It turned out that nowhere in Calgary itself was going to work, and the considered alternatives of Lethbridge, Alberta, and Kelowna, British Columbia, were rejected in favor of . . .  Red Deer, Alberta.
Check it out here!

"Rush: The Studio Albums 1989-2007" Featuring All New Remasters Now Available for Preorder

Rush: The Studio Albums 1989-2007 is now available for preorder, to be released October 1st.  The 7-disc boxed set features every studio album Rush recorded for Atlantic Records presented in a wallet sleeve that faithfully reproduces the original artwork (except for Vapor Trails Remixed, which features a reinterpreted version of the original cover).

Those that passed on the Atlantic Remasters when they were released in 2004 may be interested in knowing that The Studio Albums 1989-2007 box contains new CD versions of the six Atlantic albums newly remastered by Masterdisk's Chief Mastering Engineer, Andy VanDette, released last May digitally only on iTunes and HDTracks.  The box also includes the all-new Vapor Trails Remixed, which is also being released October 1st as a stand-alone CD as well as on Vinyl and iTunes.  This boxed set is Atlantic's complement to the Sectors boxed sets, which were also remastered by VanDette in 2011.

Also check out

Headlong Flight To Be Included On "XXX: Three Decades Of Roadrunner Records" Box Coming October 1

"Roadrunner Records celebrates its three-decades-plus legacy as one of the most highly regarded labels in heavy metal and hard rock history by releasing a four-CD boxed set covering a broad spectrum of heavy music with tracks from dozens of the world’s most legendary artists.XXX: Three Decades of Roadrunner Records

"The set, due for release on October 1, includes 54 tracks spread across four discs, packaged in a deluxe fold-out paneled box, at a retail price of $39.98. Decibel contributor Chris Dick has written the liner notes, which trace Roadrunner’s entire history and include quotes from founder Cees Wessels; legendary A&R guru Monte Conner; and artists such as King Diamond, Sepultura/Soulfly/Cavalera Conspiracy mastermind Max Cavalera, Trivium frontman Matt Heafy, Opeth leader Mikael Ã…kerfeldt, Slipknot drummer Joey Jordison, and more....The final disc, “Rock For The Ages,” focuses on Roadrunner’s hard rock contingent with tracks from mainstays such as Rush, Nickelback, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Theory Of A Deadman, Airbourne, Black Stone Cherry, and Korn featuring Skrillex, among others" - Roadrunner Records, August 19, 2013 (Thanks to RushIsABand for the headsup!)

Auction: Neil Peart autographed drum head to benefit Mike Hesser

Currently up for auction is an autographed 10" concert tom drum head last used during "All the Worlds a Stage" tour.  Proceeds will benefit Mike Hesser, a self employed arborist who for the past two years has been dealing with some very serious health issues that is keeping him from working. This, unfortunately, has left him with no source of income or health insurance. He is now homeless and in desperate need of basic essentials to survive. Mike has been diagnosed with Fibromyalgia, which is a condition that causes long-term, body-wide pain, tenderness in the joints, muscles, tendons and other soft tissues. The pain then spreads out from these areas to include the back of the neck, shoulders, lower back, hips, shins, elbows, and knees. Mike also suffers from lesions throughout his body, which he is currently going through extensive testing at the Florida Department of education vocational rehab center. As of now, doctors have not yet been able to determine the cause.  The auction ends August 25th. - Thanks to Dean Bobisud for the headsup!

Autographed NEP Books for sale

For sale: copies of Neil Peart's books "Masked Rider", "Ghost Rider" and "Traveling Music", each with a personal, hand written message to Peter Brockbank on the inside cover from the author.  Peter Brockbank has known NEP since 1971, and narrated many of their adventures together in the "Legends Of Brocklehurst" (a nickname given him by Neil).  Any doubts about these being genuine will be dispelled by one to one contact with any interested person; if interested send an email to brockbank192@hotmail.com.

Photo Gallery: Rush At The Pepsi Center, Denver, Colorado, August 2, 2013

The Clockwork Angels soared a Mile High on Friday night, as the Rush tour finally visited Denver after 11 months on the road. We were there, and here are photos of the show from photographer John Vinson taken exclusively for Power Windows. John has been shooting Rush for nearly 30 years - you may remember his photos from A Show of Fans and The Spirit of Rush fanzines!

Click here for the Photo Gallery of Rush At The Pepsi Center, Denver, Colorado, August 2, 2013!

Autographed Neil Peart DW Snare Auction For The Hospice of Santa Barbara

A DW Super Solid snare drum signed by Neil Peart, Jim Keltner and Doane Perry is currently up for auction on eBay with all proceeds going to benefit the Hospice of Santa Barbara. Neil Peart's signature is accompanied by a message reading Best wishes to everyone!. The bidding starts at $2500 and the auction will run through this coming Friday, August 9th. For all the details and to place your bid go to this location. - Thanks to RushIsABand for the headsup!

Clockwork Angels Tour - Latest News And Reviews

The 2013 leg of the Clockwork Angels Tour kicked off April 23rd in Austin, Texas, and will conclude August 4th in Kansas City, Missouri.  Here are the latest news and reviews.  For spoilers, including setlists, photos and videos, visit the Clockwork Angels Tour News page.

Clockwork Angels Tour News and Reviews

Sabian Announces Limited Edition "Clockwork Angels" Graphic Cymbal - Now Available for Purchase

UPDATE:  The limited edition Clockwork Angels 22" ride cymbal is now available for purchase at MusiciansFriend for $549; the original 22" Paragon ride goes for $369.

Today Sabian has announced it will be offering a limited run of "Clockwork Angels" graphic cymbals, their first available for consumers to purchase:
While quantities last, Sabian will offer a limited release of the Neil Peart 22” Paragon Steampunk Ride and the Chad Smith 19” RHCP-Edition Holy China in North America only.

The cymbals will be well-known to fans of Rush and the Red Hot Chili Peppers alike – they received a huge burst of fan attention during both the Rush “Clockwork Angels” and the Red Hot Chili Peppers “I’m With You” Tours, during which SABIAN social media sites were inundated with fans asking where to buy the unique graphic models.

As a result of the huge demand, SABIAN will produce a limited run of 300 of each cymbal in 2013 for Canada and the US. Although both are current production models, these cymbals are printed with an original, eye-catching graphic, and each one is hand-numbered under the bell and packaged in a deluxe custom bag with certificate of authenticity.

Cymbals will be available for purchase later this month.
Thanks to Mark Rosenthal for the headsup!

"Why Rush Is My Favorite Band" - HeyReverb.com

Tomorrow before Rush's show in Denver, Coohills Restaurant will be hosting a preconcert get together across the street from the Pepsi Center at 1400 Wewatta Street.  Chef Tom Coohill is a huge fan, and will be offering drink specials including a special 2112 cocktail.  In addition, Tom has just penned the article "Why Rush Is My Favorite Band", which will appear in tomorrow's Denver Post. - Thanks Tom for the headsup!

"Gateways To Geekery An introduction to Rush, the biggest cult band in the world" - A.V. Club

As part of their "Gateways To Geekery" series, today the A.V. Club posted "An introduction to Rush, the biggest cult band in the world". A thoughtful and truthful report, the A.V. Club has published a road map that attempts to set any new or young Rush fan well on the way to become a full fledged fanatic.

"A house closer to the heart: See Rush guitarist Alex Lifeson’s country home" - The Globe & Mail

Today's Globe & Mail features Alex's wife Charlene, giving a tour of their new country home.  Included is a gallery with pics of Alex's wine cellar and home office featuring some of his favorites axes...

Vapor Trails Remix, Coming October 1st

CD, Vinyl, iTunes,
Rush: The Studio Albums 1989-2007
Rush.com announced on August 1st:
The Newly Remixed Version Of Vapor Trails And 7-Disc Boxed Set Of Atlantic Studio Albums.

Both Are Available On October 1 from Atlantic/Rhino (September 30 internationally)

In 2009, two tracks from VAPOR TRAILS (“One Little Victory” and “Earthshine”) were remixed for the Retrospective III collection, setting you all into a frenzy in anticipation of a possible remixed version of the entire album being released one day. That time has come.

The Vapor Trails Remixed album will be available on CD, Double LP, and digital download on October 1 from Atlantic/Rhino.

“Vapor Trails was an album made under difficult and emotional circumstances – sort of like Rush learning how to be Rush again – and as a result, mistakes were made that we have longed to correct. David Bottrill’s remixes have finally brought some justice and clarity to this deserving body of our work,” says Geddy Lee.

“Every song has been given a new life, from the fire of ‘One Little Victory,’ ‘Secret Touch,’ and ‘Ceiling Unlimited’ to the melodic musicality of ‘Sweet Miracle’ and ‘How It Is’… these songs have been redeemed. Thank you David!”

The remixed version of VAPOR TRAILS will also be included in the new 7-disc boxed set RUSH: THE STUDIO ALBUMS 1989-2007, which features every studio album Rush recorded for Atlantic Records. The collection includes the Gold & Platinum albums Presto (1989), Roll The Bones (1991), Counterparts (1993), and Test For Echo (1996), as well as their covers EP Feedback (2004) and the Billboard Top 5 album Snakes & Arrows (2007). THE STUDIO ALBUMS 1989-2007 features each album presented in a wallet sleeve that faithfully reproduces the original artwork (except for VAPOR TRAILS, which features a reinterpreted version of the original cover) and is also available on October 1 from Atlantic/Rhino. - Rush.com, August 1, 2013
On July 29th, in his latest News Weather & Sports report, Neil Peart announced:
"The band had recently been overseeing a remixed version of our Vapor Trails album, from 2002, as we had never been happy with how it turned out."
This was obviously good news for Rush fans that have been yearning for a remix since the original release in 2002.  It has now been confirmed that Vapor Trails has been remixed by David Botrill and mastered by Andy VanDette.  In a Facebook post  made July 9th, Grammy award winning Canadian record producer David Bottrill announced:
"So...It's late in Los Angeles and I'm just listening to the 1st mastering job by Andy VanDette at Masterdisk of Vapor Trails, a great underrated record by Rush that I finished re-mixing a few weeks ago. This record was written and recorded just after, and about a time of great tragedy, and there were times, I'm sure, where it was uncertain whether the band would ever record together again.  I just have to say how proud and grateful I am to have had the opportunity again to work with such creative giants.  Please...if you are a fan, or even if you are not, give this new version a chance as I think you will appreciate it for its raw emotion, clarity of purpose, and cathartic appeal.   For those who don't know the story, just check out 'Ghost Rider: Travels On The Healing Road' by Neil Peart."

CBS Boston's Toucher & Rich: ‘Geddy’ Bruschi Performing Hits Of Rush

Yesterday the New England Patriots inducted Tedy Bruschi into the Patriot's Hall of Fame.  In honor of the induction, CBS Boston's Toucher & Rich replayed an old contest featuring Tedy Bruschi, aka "Geddy Bruschi" performing the hits of Rush.  It is not to be missed... - Thanks to Tod O'Donnell for the headsup!

Neil Peart's "News Weather and Sports" - July 2013

Neil Peart has just updated his website with the latest edition of News, Weather & Sports titled "On Days Like These". Neil tells of his latest motorcycle adventures on tour, and also indicates that "The band had recently been overseeing a remixed version of our Vapor Trails album, from 2002, as we had never been happy with how it turned out. Good news indeed. Check it out here!

Rush Included on "Canada 24: Rock Your Cottage Weekend" Compilation

Rush's "Closer To The Heart" is one of 24 tracks by Canadian artist included on the new "Canada 24: Rock Your Cottage Weekend" compilation released this past Tuesday, July 23rd. The compilation can be ordered here; for more information check out the album's review by the CBC. - Thanks to RushFanForever for the headsup!

"Heart 'Destroy Stigmas,' Profess Love For Rush" - Huffington Post

In a new interview with Huffington Post, Nancy Wilson of fellow Rock & Roll inductees Heart tells of her newfound love of Rush:
"We are into Rush now. We watched that documentary 'Beyond The Lighted Stage.' I found it so completely great I took it on the road and me and [Heart singer] Ann and [other Wilson sister] Lynn watched it on our tour bus and we're like, 'Oh my god, we get it! We understand where it comes from now.'

I wanted to check 'em out because they were so tight with our producer Ben Mink. He's one of Geddy Lee's oldest dearest friends from back in the day in the '70s, so we kind of ended up hooking up with them more recently and I wanted to check 'em out again because of him and because Rush is kind of one of those bands that are kind of like a dog whistle that only men can hear.

I've always liked a lot of their songs on the radio over the years, but I've never felt compelled to pick up their albums.  But now I want to pick up their new one. We've become Rush fans."
For more click here.

Howard Ungerleider Interview - Rush's Clockwork Angels Tour 2013 & Lighting Rush for almost 40 years

Long time Rush fan Brad Parmerter recently sat down with Rush's lighting designer Howard Ungerleider to talk about the Clockwork Angels tour as well as work he has done over his nearly 40 career with Rush.  This in depth interview covers a lot of ground, and a lot of years:
"I’ve put light bulbs that didn’t exist in PAR-cans in PAR-cans before, things like that. That has driven people crazy. I made my crew one year put up 158 lights surrounding one of my rigs and I only used it for 22 seconds and they hated that.  That was for 'Countdown.' It was the light that surrounded the whole system that were on as the Space Shuttle launched. I heard about that for years, 'You made us hang those every single day for 22 seconds!' 'Yes. I did. [smiles]"
In addition, Howard provides an update regarding the band's tour plans for the next tour years:
"Are they talking about touring again? Yes. They’re talking about possibly touring in two years. But there will be nothing again for two years, we know that."
You can read the full interview here, thanks Brad for the headsup!

Canada Post Rocks Out New Stamps Featuring Canadian Bands - Now Available


Today the Canadian Post have issued Rush Postage Stamps which you can ordered here. In addition, the Canadian Post is also offering special edition postcards as well as a limited edition (750) framed print.
Ottawa (ON) – Just in time for the celebration of Canadian music and musicians at the JUNO awards next week, Canada Post is proud to give Canadians a preview of this edition of the Canadian Recording Artist stamp series, to be released in July, featuring for the first time, Canadian bands. Beau Dommage, Rush, The Guess Who and The Tragically Hip will be spotlighted in this fourth issue in a series created to honour musical legends.

“This year’s series features Canadian bands that have shaped the music industry in Canada,” says Jim Phillips, Director of Stamp Services for Canada Post. “Each band has achieved national acclaim, along with international radio air-time and extensive tours.”

The Canadian Recording Artists stamp series will be available from Canada Post retail outlets starting July 19 or online at canadapost.ca/shop.

Clockwork Angels tour makes Pollstar's Top 100 Tours chart for first half of 2013

Ed at RushIsABand is reporting that Pollstar.com has released their list of the Top 100 Worldwide and Top 100 North American tours for the first half of 2013. Rush's Clockwork Angels tour came in at #69 on both lists. On the worldwide tour chart, Pollstar reports that out of 23 shows (although Rush actually played 24, so they must be missing one) played through June 30th, Rush's tour grossed an average of $491,304 per show with an average of 5,534 tickets sold. On the North American tour chart, Pollstar reports that out of 14 North American shows played through June 30th, Rush's tour grossed an average of $314,286 per show with an average of 3,937 tickets sold. You can check out the complete lists at Pollstar.com.