Rush is a Band

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

Fri, Mar 29, 2024

Updates and other random Rush stuff

Fri, Nov 18, 2011@2:30PM | comments removed/disabled

UPDATE - 11/19@9:44AM: For anyone on Facebook, John Wesley of Porcupine Tree recently visited Rush in their Toronto studio and took a few photos which he posted to Facebook (thanks Cygnify). There are a couple of nice shots of Alex's guitars (and Alex too) plus one with Neil.

UPDATE - 11/18@3:12PM: Guitar World is running a contest where you could win all three Sector box sets. For details and to enter go to this link.

Rush's Time Machine 2011: Live in Cleveland concert video is in it's second week of release and ended up debuting at #1 in both the US and Canada, and #2 in the UK. The CD companion debuted at #54 in the US, at #59 in Canada, and #70 in the UK. In honor of the Time Machine release, Neil Peart penned an exclusive article/essay for this past Sunday's Cleveland Plain Dealer where he reflects on some of his more memorable Ohio bicycle/motorcycle rides, the band's affinity for Cleveland, why they chose the city to film their latest DVD, and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. You can read the entire essay at the Cleveland Plain Dealer website. The video/CD continues to garner high praise in the music press with a number of reviews being released over the past couple of weeks. Here's a roundup of the reviews so far:

DVD Reviews:
[Buffalo News]
[Todd Garbarini] (RIAB reader RushSignals1982)
[Something Else!]
[Examiner.com] (5/5)
[MusicNews.com] (5/5)
[Metal Hammer] (video review)
[PopMatters] (8/10 - 7/10 for the extras)
[Akron Beacon Journal]

CD Reviews:
[Purple Revolver]
[Rolling Stone] (3.5/5)
[Kiowa County Signal] (5/10)

If you are aware of any other reviews that are not listed above, please let me know. The Time Machine 2011: Live in Cleveland concert video/album is now available in stores worldwide, but the blu-ray is currently only available at Best Buy stores in the US until December 20th. Some purchasers of the first-run of the DVDs in the UK and Australia ran into some issues with the audio that prompted this response from Rush.com earlier this week:

Please note it's come to our attention that the first run of DVDs (not Blu-ray) have a default audio setting of DTS Surround Sound. So, if you're putting your DVD in your player and the audio is silent, it WILL work but you'll just need to change your audio set-up. When you put the DVD in your player please go to "Set Up" on the DVD menu and select "Dolby 2.0". And, Voila! Loud noises will begin! All remaining product going forward will have a sticker on it explaining this process. All new product manufactured will have this default fixed. We apologize for any confusion!

John over at Cygnus-X1.net has transcribed/scanned the liner notes from both the Time Machine video and CD (Scans - CD, DVD; Liner Notes - CD, DVD). Eric at Power Windows has updated his site with a Time Machine theme and a bunch of new Time Machine-themed wallpapers. Check them out here.

Darren Redick of UK internet radio station Planet Rock spoke with Alex Lifeson via phone from Toronto earlier this morning where Rush is busily working on recording their upcoming Clockwork Angels album. Alex spoke a good deal about how the recording of the album is progressing, mentioning that BU2B and Caravan had set the tone but that last month some other pieces came together that were more melodic and had different arrangements and presentation than they were used to doing. That said, the rest of the tracks are heavy and there's a lot of intense playing, with 3 or 4 tracks over 7 minutes long and most of the rest over 6 minutes. They want to finish the album by Christmas but Alex did not seem too confident about this. They have mixing booked for the New Year and he reckons that they would do a bit of recording and mixing at the same time, still in time for a Spring release. They also hope to be out on tour in May or June, with Europe on the agenda but maybe not until 2013. On the subject of festivals, while the band finds it intriguing and potentially lucrative, they've never felt comfortable with it, as they would want more control over the timing and the show itself. However, if the right one came up where they had the desired control over the show and with a decent timeslot, they would consider it. Alex also reveals that the I Still Love You Man outro video was left off the Time Machine video because of union issues with the Screen Actors Guild. The entire 10-minute interview is available online at the Planet Rock website or you can listen to it using the player below.

The latest issue of Rolling Stone magazine contains a short feature on Rush titled Rush Roar Back Into the Limelight With New LP where they interview Geddy Lee regarding the Clockwork Angels album. You can read a transcript and check out a scan in this post. However, the interview is a bit out of date given all of the more up-to-date information provided by Alex Lifeson in his Planet Rock interview this morning. Rush sound engineer Richard Chycki sounds very excited with the Clockwork Angels recording and tweeted the following yesterday:

Just walked by Neil Peart as he's working a track. Large military weapons aren't as loud. Wow!

Rush will release a set of three 6-disc Sector box sets this coming Tuesday, November 21st. The box sets span Rush's entire 15-album Mercury Records recording career, with each set containing five of their 15 Mercury albums in chronological order, all transferred to high resolution 96kHz/24-bit along with one album from each set in 5.1; Sector 1 contains Fly By Night in 5.1, Sector 2 has A Farewell to Kings in 5.1, and Sector 3 includes Signals in 5.1. Each album is packaged in a replica vinyl mini-jacket of the original album release. Each set also includes an exclusive booklet packed with unpublished photos, original album lyrics and credits with all three box sets forming a Rush CD road case. You can read the official press release at this link and check out a 1.5-minute preview video of the box set at this link. You can pre-order all 3 Sector box sets at this link.

Longtime Rush photographer/videographer Andrew MacNaughtan's latest project is a unique art book showcasing the beauty of Africa through a series of stunning black and white photographs called GRACE: Africa in Photographs. From 49st.com:

... MacNaughtan ... travelled to Tanzania and Kenya in November 2010 with the purpose of capturing the spirit and beauty of the landscapes, wildlife and people to raise funds for the prevention, care and advocacy of children in HIV/AIDS affected regions.

The idea to use these photographs in a book was taken a step further when MacNaughtan enlisted the help of friends in the recording industry to lend poetic voice to the images. More than 30 artists including Celine Dion, Michael Bublé, Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson, Bryan Adams, Annie Lennox, Daniel Lanois, Hedley, Bruce Cockburn, Fefe Dobson, Ed Robertson, Jann Arden, Serena Ryder, Lights, Nikki Yanofsky and Tom Cochrane to name a few, graciously provided commentary to photos that inspired them.

Through ArtGivesHope, a charity founded by MacNaughtan in 2006, the sales of the limited edition images and book will support World Vision's Hope Program. His personal goal is to generate enough awareness and raise funds to sponsor 500 children in need.

The photographs will be exhibited at Arta Gallery through Sunday, November 20th. This past Tuesday night there was a gala at the gallery to kick off the exhibit and both Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson were in attendance. Paul at the Canadian Music Scene was there and took a bunch of great photographs which you can check out on his website here. He also included images of the photos with the commentary provided by Geddy and Alex. Alex commented on Boy in Awe:

The future of humanity rests in the wondrous gaze of youth and the desire for knowledge. Given the opportunity, the minds behind those young eyes will create a better world for us all" -- Alex Lifeson

And Geddy's commentary was for a photograph titled Lion:

"Grace at rest... battle scars, confidence and majesty" -- Geddy Lee

Please help out if you are able by purchasing the book at the Art Gives Hope website. You can also directly sponsor a child for $40/month - just email World Vision for details.

Speaking of Geddy and Alex, the Winter, 2011 issue of Guitar Aficionado magazine is a special wine issue and contains an interview with the bandmates. The magazine caught up with Alex and Geddy earlier this Fall - a couple of weeks before they began work on Clockwork Angels. In the 4-page interview, the two share their recent and most rewarding wine experiences and explain the important role wine has played in their lives and music. You can check out the article by clicking on the thumbnails and purchase a copy at this link.

Back in August UK multimedia publisher Abstract Sounds Books released a 116-page hardcover book and 4-DVD set titled Rush: Changing Hemispheres in the UK. The set will also release in the US this coming Tuesday, November 22nd and is now available for pre-order. More information available at Play.com.

Don't know what to get your dog for Christmas? Pet Smart is now offering a Rush t-shirt for dogs! It's a jersey-style shirt with a pink Rush explosion logo over a black starman logo. You can purchase one online at this location for just $9.99.

Reader Marc G has created a set of 66 virtual Rush bubble gum trading cards along with a website at rushcards.weebly.com to showcase them and share with other fans. You can check out the latest 2 in the series at the website here, and be sure to check back weekly for the next 2 in the set.

The new VH1 Classic show Metal Evolution premiered last Friday, November 10th. The show is the brainchild of Rush documentary and Time Machine video director Sam Dunn and builds on the mission brought forth in his groundbreaking Metal: A Headbanger's Journey documentary. The show's production manager is credited as Allan Weinrib - Geddy Lee's brother (thanks Kelly M). One of the upcoming shows will focus on progressive metal and will very likely make heavy mention of Rush. For more information visit the Metal Evolution website.

Back in September of 2010, Bob Mersereau's book The Top 100 Canadian Singles was released. The book compiles a list of the best Canadian songs as chosen by around 800 musicians, broadcasters, members of the music industry and fans. A few Rush songs made the cut including Tom Sawyer at #12, The Spirit of Radio at #25, and Closer to the Heart at #35. Mersereau was recently interviewed for SugarBuzz magazine and had the following to say about Neil Peart (thanks RushFanForever):

A generous man when it comes to relaying the history of the band. He's proud of Rush's success, especially as it continues and actually grows. You can tell how much he is enjoying seeing the band now finally talked about as being cool, and seeing so many young people discovering the music. At the same time, he has a great confidence, as for years he's known how much his and his partner's playing and writing has influenced other musicians. He is not stuck up about it, just satisfied. And he seems very down to earth, and of course, very Canadian because of it.

The Drum Channel is running a promotion where they are giving exclusive access to a drums-only version of YYZ for the Jammit app for the iPhone and iPad, along with access to a Neil Peart interview. For details check out the Drum Channel website here.

The Onion's AV Club profiled Rush's Subdivisions earlier this week as part of their feature The Single File, where they look at the deep cuts, detours, experiments, and anthems that make us reach for replay. You can check out the article at this link.

Alex Lifeson guitar tech Scott Appleton was interviewed for the November issue of Premier Guitar magazine for an article titled Gear Nannies: The Life of a Guitar Tech (thanks RushFanForever). From the interview:

... I'm a player and play in bands in Nashville when I'm not touring," says Scott Appleton, guitar tech for Phil Collen and Alex Lifeson. "I get to work with two of the world's best guitarists who give me an incredible insight, perspective, and approach to guitar and tone I would have never gotten if I hadn't become a tech. [Laughs] I get to learn from the best."

"When I'm off the road I have my own pedal company that I build handwired, point-to-point overdrive and boost pedals," says Appleton. "I still love to play so I still do session work and jam around town when I'm home in Nashville." ...

There is a short feature on Alex Lifeson covering the Time Machine video and Clockwork Angels in a special holiday edition of Guitar World magazine (thanks RushFanForever). For more information and to purchase the magazine go here.

Goldmine magazine posted their list of 10 worthy bands snubbed by the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame earlier this week and Rush made the cut at #10 (thanks RushFanForever):

If this trio was not included, Goldmine's offices might be stormed by angry throngs, as a recent Goldmine online poll about prog-rock music was swamped by Rush supporters. Geddy Lee, Neil Peart and Alex Lifeson have been churning out masterful recordings since 1974. Members of the Canadian Hall of Fame, as is The Guess Who, Rush dazzles audiences with its instrumental mastery. Vocalist Geddy Lee may be an acquired taste, but the same could be said of many current inductees, including Tom Waits, Dr. John and Leon Russell from this year alone.

Golfer and Rush fan Mark Calcavecchia was a guest on the Eric Smith show on Toronto sports radio station The Fan 590 earlier this week (thanks Bigleaf). They chat about Rush for about a minute towards the end of the interview around the 10:30 mark. You can listen to the interview at this link.

Reader What-A-Rush recently came across a 2009 book titled And Party Every Day: The Inside Story of Casablanca Records which was authored by Larry Harris the executive VP of the now-defunct Casablanca Records label. On pages 69-70 of the book Harris relates the story of how he passed on signing Rush back in 1974, remarking that it was a lowlight of his career and that he struck out in spectacular fashion. From the book:

... I could appreciate the fact that the trio gave the high-energy type of performance that Ira [Blacker] had promised. Their downfall in my eyes was their look. They were ugly. I say this with a great sense of amusement, because the members of Kiss (behind the makeup) were some of the worst-looking guys I'd ever seen. Nonetheless, Ira [Blacker]'s group just didn't cut it visually. They were all gangly looking, and their front man, the bassist, had a huge hook nose that Barbara Streisand could only aspire to. On a visual level, these three Canadians simply couldn't compete. ... This was my first big decision on which act to sign, and as the years went on, the wrongness of my choice just grew and grew. Even now I cringe just looking at these words: The band I chose not to sign was Rush. ...

Serves him right! You can read the excerpts yourself by going to Amazon and clicking on Search inside this book.

Here's the preview video for Rush's upcoming Sector box sets:

Have a great weekend everyone!

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