Rush is a Band

A blog devoted to RUSH:
Neil Peart, Geddy Lee & Alex Lifeson

Thu, Mar 28, 2024

Updates and other random Rush stuff

Fri, Sep 14, 2007@10:16AM | comments removed/disabled

Rush took off to the great White North on Wednesday, playing a show in London, Ontario on Neil Peart's 55th birthday (the first show there since the Moving Pictures tour). They'll continue heading northward tonight, hitting the Colisee de Quebec in Quebec City. And - if the rumors are true - they'll be back in Quebec City this coming summer to play at the city's 400th anniversary celebration.

Speaking of the tour, the rumor that Rush will play in Atlantic Canada next Spring is causing quite a stir in Halifax. And fans in Brazil seem to still be very hopeful of a visit from Rush next year according to this poll at Ticketmaster Brazil (thanks AndreDavila). Still nothing definite on that front though. And, in case you haven't noticed already, I've added the attendance and sales figures (where available) to the tour section.

Last Saturday was the 20th anniversary of the release of Rush's 12th studio album, Hold Your Fire. So for last week's poll I asked everyone what their favorite song off this album was. The results are in and with well over 400 votes the clear winner is ... Mission with over 19% of the vote. Coming in close behind were Prime Mover (16%) and Time Stand Still (15%). You can check out the complete results here.

Also celebrating a special anniversary this past week was Rush's 9th studio album, Signals; it turned 25 on Sunday! So for this week's poll - you guessed it - I'll be asking what your favorite song off of Signals is. Take the poll and let us know.

It's Rush Month on UK digital radio station Planet Rock and their website now has Mark Jeeves' interviews with Neil Peart and Alex Lifeson up online. To learn how to access them check out this post. This Sunday evening Mark's interview with Geddy Lee will air. It should then be up on their site shortly after.

Lush, the tribute to Rush's debut album is officially released Tuesday but you can preorder it from Main Man Records at this link.

The Canadian Music Scene website is currently hosting a Q&A with Rush lighting director Howard Ungerleider. You can submit your question at this link. Reader Damon H also let me know that Howard is interviewed in the September issue of Lighting and Sound America magazine and Geddy Lee is on the front cover.

The latest issue of EQ Magazine features Geddy Lee on the cover and an in-depth look at Rush in the studio for the recording of Snakes and Arrows. Thanks to RedSectorA from Counterparts for the heads up and cover scan.

The Bracebridge Examiner / Gravenhurst Banner had an article about the Rush.com website last week. It's titled Rush website has Muskoka influence and talks about the company and people who are responsible for the revamped Rush.com:

... Building on the fact that both the band’s drummer and the record label founder have relatives in Gravenhurst, they now have a web designer who makes his home in Gravenhurst.

Earlier this year, Syndicate Design Studios Inc., which is partially based in Muskoka, was hired to create the band’s new multimedia website which went live on May 1, simultaneously with Rush’s new studio album Snakes and Arrows.

Bracebridge native Ryan Welcher and his business partner Adrian Zivojinovich of Toronto embarked on their small web design business after graduating four years ago, having met at the International Academy of Design and Technology.

Through personal contacts to the band, SRO Management and Anthem Records, Syndicate approached Rush about revamping the band’s website. ...

Personal contacts with the band indeed! Funny how they don't even mention that Adrian Zivojinovich is Alex's son! :) Maybe they don't know?

Reader lerxst77 pointed me to this Rush reference at wired.com in an article about test driving the Porsche Turbo Cabriolet:

... Its time to listen to some music. I wonder, though, how this will be possible at such a high speed. Already, its very loud, and with a passenger in tow, it's difficult to talk without shouting.

Somehow, though, I can hear the words of Rush’s Red Barchetta over the sound of the motor, as the wind blows my hair back like a horizontal buzz cut. ...

Nice. :)

Reader ghost__rider let me know that Toronto's Q107 recently polled listeners as part of their Labor Day Weekend countdown of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time. Rush made the list with a total of 10 songs. Here they are:

44. The Spirit Of Radio
108. Limelight
200. Tom Sawyer
212. Fly By Night
268. In The Mood
348. YYZ
364. Subdivisions
398. Red Barchetta
439. Closer To The Heart
495. New World Man

In an updates post last month I mentioned how Internet entrepreneur (CEO/co-founder of both Raindance Communications and lijit.com) Todd Vernon is a huge Rush fan and attended the Red Rocks show. He had some great things to say about it in his blog. He liked it so much that he also decided to hit the Chicago show and also wrote about that show in his blog here along with some great pics.

Classic Rock Revisited's Jeb Wright recently penned a great article about Rush's snubbing by the Rock Hall entitled The Most Neglected Band in the World. Thanks to camvek for the heads up.

The Toledo Blade recently asked readers to reveal their desert island disc. One of these readers was Judge Mike Goulding of Toledo Municipal Court who picked Rush in Rio:

This live disc reminds me of Rush at the Sports Arena — the first rock concert my parents allowed me to attend. My buddies and I got out of school early, waited for hours in the cold, and fought for good seats.

It's comforting to know that even judges like Rush! :)

In a recent interview at Gibson.com, rock photographer Ross Halfin discusses his job and many of the various bands he's photographed over the years. He mentions Rush in a good light:

I much preferred the big rock bands from America, groups like Rush and Aerosmith. They actually wanted to have their pictures taken.

Thanks to George for the link.

Reader jon let me know that a recent photoshop thread at Fark.com had the theme What If Canada Ruled The World. Needless to say, some of the submissions are Rush related. :)

On a recent episode of Who Wants to be a Millionaire Rush made the $25,000 question ...

During the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony in 2003, this band was referred to as "the thunder from down under".

A. Iron Maiden
B. Rush
C. AC/DC
D. Black Sabbath

The contestant was quoted as saying "Rush might be Austrailian..." then answered incorrectly with Iron Maiden. The correct answer was of course AC/DC. :) Thanks tgolic for the info.

Jess of the Rush to Fight AIDs Project recently posted a blog entry retelling an interesting story about a mystery person who donated to the Project in a very creative Rushian sort of way. She's trying to locate the person so she can thank him, so if you're out there - contact Jess!

Have a great weekend!

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