RUSH IS A BAND

Monday, February 4, 2008

Tough Break; unreleased Jack Secret collaboration with Rush

[Tough Break]

UPDATE - 2/5@8:07AM: Apparently this mp3 version was ripped from a bootleg titled Power Run that was recorded at the Spectrum in Philadelphia on April 16th, 1986. It's listed as a bonus track called Tough Break by the Fab Pros which was recorded in 1981 at Le Studio by Rush and friends. Thanks to Burger King Diamond at Counterparts for the link.

Back during the mixing of Exit... Stage Left Rush along with crew members Jack Secret (aka Tony Geranios) and Skip Gildersleeve recorded a song written by Jack Secret called Tough Break, as chronicled in the Signals Tourbook by Neil Peart:

We were getting a little bored with inactivity. During the mixing
of "Exit... Stage Left" there was really not much for us to do except
say "it sounds good" or "it doesn't sound good".

I had been working down in the little studio, cleaning and renovating
an old set of Hayman drums that were kicking around, and had started working on a "Jack Secret" song with Jack and Skip from the crew. Geddy and Alex soon joined in on keyboards and rhythm guitar, and we later recorded the song ("Tough Break") up in the studio. ...
- Neil Peart

Per the the US copyright database there are 4 separate listings for a Dean Anthony Geranios (aka Jack Secret) including Tough Break and one other song called White Flag which has lyrics attributed to Neil Peart. Until recently I had never heard either of these songs.

Just over the past week, an mp3 version of the song Tough Break has been making the rounds online. I've received it via email from several readers already and there's a thread over at Counterparts discussing it. From what I understand it's definitely legit. So here it is. Make of it what you will.