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Sunday, June 29, 2008

Rush Rolling Stone article scans

Posted at 10:19AM | comments (110)

UPDATE - 7/9@1:26PM: They've now posted an excerpt online at the Rolling Stone website (thanks PhillyMike).

UPDATE - 7/3@10:28AM: John over at Cygnus-X1.net has transcribed the entire article at this link.

Thursday we learned that Rush was featured in the latest Rolling Stone magazine with a 4-page article/interview titled Rush Never Sleeps. The article has not been posted online yet, but thanks to reader RedSectorA you can view a scan of the article at this location or by clicking on the above thumbnails. It's a surprisingly well-done article that's more a historical retrospective of the band than anything else. It contains several interesting anecdotes and some great pictures. It's definitely worth checking out.

COMMENTS

#1 - Posted 6/29/08 @10:24AM by rosmakloma [contact]

I really like that shot of the three of them.

#2 - Posted 6/29/08 @10:25AM by rosmakloma [contact]

sorry, I meant to specify the new shot. :)

#3 - Posted 6/29/08 @10:25AM by windycitygirl [contact]

alright, alright, alright !!

thanks for the article. i really wanted to read it.

hitting up the taste of chicago today!!
YUM ;)

have a good sunday everyone.

#4 - Posted 6/29/08 @10:27AM by necromancer 2112 [contact]

yeah,geddy looks cool with his little touch of grey! alex looks cool but almost looks like he doesnt want to be there to me! lol

#5 - Posted 6/29/08 @10:28AM by necromancer 2112 [contact]

looks like it could be a good article!! i am about to check it out!

#6 - Posted 6/29/08 @10:29AM by windycitygirl [contact]

the old pic of geddy in his shoes with heels....bet he prefers the chuck taylors alot better !!
the classic photos are great!! lots of hair, neil and the mega mustache. ew.
i just think the boys today, look awesome.

#7 - Posted 6/29/08 @10:36AM by windycitygirl [contact]

glad to know i'm not the only one who had tears while attending the vapor trails tour!
i was so overwhelmed with being there with some great friends.
rush was back.
it was a great show.
glad i went.

thanks again for posting the article. you rock!

#8 - Posted 6/29/08 @10:38AM by white oak [contact]

I went to buy the magazine yesterday before the STL concert, but it is not out. The June 26 mag issue is still out- Is the RUSH article in the next issue, I guess?
AND I must add the RUSH totally rocked St. Louis last night!! RUSH is the best concert band ever for my money!

#9 - Posted 6/29/08 @10:48AM by pinkfloyd2000 [contact]

A pretty cool article -- but one that should have appeared in 2002, most likely. Where was RS then? Or at any other time in Rush's history? I bet the average RS review for a Rush album over the course of their historu -- if they actually reviewed any at all -- was two stars. And I did notice that RS still had to dig them a little, calling them a band for nerds. Slightly backhanded. But anyway, I guess better late than never, and the article is actually better than I thought it would be.

Carry on, fellow nerds!

#10 - Posted 6/29/08 @10:53AM by necromancer 2112 [contact]

i thought it was an excelent article!!

#11 - Posted 6/29/08 @11:08AM by unktehila

that was an excellent article... i wish it was longer, but still was essentially very glowing, entertaining and informative. and it also just hammered home to me - like i really needed it - why Vapor Trails will always be one of my very favorite Rush records.

i bet Grohl probably is thinking, "man we could've opened for Rush"... Cobain was very into King Crimson's Red so i don't think Nirvana was that aloof to the "style" at the time. ?

#12 - Posted 6/29/08 @11:21AM by Fiat

A well-written appearing in a magazine which lost the right to interview this band a long time ago. Lifeson's look says it all.
So glad I have never bought the rag that is Rolling Stone.
I say fuck em' and The Hall.

#13 - Posted 6/29/08 @11:21AM by Fiat

well-written article, that is

#14 - Posted 6/29/08 @11:51AM by Kelly D [contact]

As I said before, it's a great article, but decades overdue. I wonder if this is just the beginning. . . hah!

#15 - Posted 6/29/08 @11:52AM by Rob [contact]

Hey If I'm a nerd for liking Rush.....I'll consider that a compliment!!

#16 - Posted 6/29/08 @11:59AM by kevin [contact]

I actually like the article. Intelligently written with
with some great angles. Thumbs up to RS. Now what about the
hall of fame?

#17 - Posted 6/29/08 @12:01PM by hergest [contact]

Actually I refer to myself as a Rush Geek but Nerd will do! (I was teased all the time in high school for liking Rush...go figure!) Great article and I agree, long overdue!

#18 - Posted 6/29/08 @12:01PM by TommYYZ [contact]

AV club? hard Rocking Nerds? RS still sucks as bad as they did last week and there are still none, and never will be, Rolling Stone Mags on Mars.

#19 - Posted 6/29/08 @12:22PM by praetorian [contact]

#12 You've hit the nail on the head!!!!

#20 - Posted 6/29/08 @12:31PM by bravado34 [contact]

Regardless of how much I or 'we' are annoyed with most of the rubbish RS puts out, I enjoyed this highlight of our boys and was glad to see them receive this publicity!

I was just about it tears at the end of the article...

#21 - Posted 6/29/08 @12:33PM by alparrott [contact]

I just saw the devil walking to the closet to get on some long johns. Not that this changes anything, of course. You know their next studio album will get savaged.

#22 - Posted 6/29/08 @1:09PM by unktehila

alparrott.... regardless of what RS would write about it in the future, you just spoke the 3 magic words: "next studio album".

#23 - Posted 6/29/08 @1:11PM by main monkey business [contact]

Hey Necromancer.....check your email. I sent you my cell phone number for tomorrow. I'll get to Lebo's about 3:30 or 4:00. I'll probably have on my Rush tour 07 baseball jersey and starman hat. Call me!!!

#24 - Posted 6/29/08 @1:39PM by main monkey business [contact]

Way to say it Rob!!!! I'm with ya. People at work call me a Rush geek or a Rush nerd. I love it! They're just messing with me, but I take it as the highest compliment a Rush fan can get. When you are considered a Rush geek, then you've "arrived". Hell, I've been a Rush geek since 1978. I'd make it my name if I would be legal!

#25 - Posted 6/29/08 @1:52PM by patrush

It is an ok article. Not much in the way of new material though.

#26 - Posted 6/29/08 @2:09PM by jediyyz [contact]

"Rolling Crap" doesn't deserve Rush and neither do most of it's readers!! The article is full of the same stereotypes and drivel that has been spouted before!! Nothing but the same attempts at digs and jabs.

Actually made me think of some of the people I've seen on stage in the "Snakes on the Stage" contests...clueless and not real fans!! The 2 in Red Rocks looked lost...the guy was trying to have fun, but his lady friend was seen yawning and left early?!! Not sure how these people get selected, connections no doubt, but the only people who deserve such an opportunity can be found right here on this site!!

#27 - Posted 6/29/08 @2:25PM by slavetothehormone

^
^
^
GOOD POST

And as for the article, well done. The group photos are good.

But, seriously, rocking "nerds"? We prefer the term "enthusiasts". But either way, you gotta be proud.

RUSH NERD (or ENTHUSIAST) SINCE 1996

#28 - Posted 6/29/08 @2:33PM by samscott [contact]

Interestingly, RS doesn't seem to want the general public to know about the Rush article. There's no mention of it on the RS website (as opposed to the Amy Winehouse article), and no information is provided on the magazine cover. Of course, they knew that Rush fans would find out anyway. I think there may have been some editorial disagreement on whether to even publish it, and the total lack of PR may have been a concession of sorts. A little paranoid in my thinking, I know.

The last - and only - Rolling Stone article on Rush (aside from the occasional album review) was published in May of 1981. No kidding.

#29 - Posted 6/29/08 @2:36PM by rocinante5m [contact]

hello ladies!!!.....well here's my "review".....at first i felt like it was pretty good, well written, cool pics, but the more i think about it, i feel it's just bogus......it's almost as if the dude that wrote the article is perhaps some what of a Rush Fan or knew that they haven't had any pub from his employer and he decided to really push to have this story so he can be the one to hang with them and have it on his resume........there were a few little nuggets that i didn't know like Neil offering Nirvana a gig, but for the most part it's just a new spin on what us "Nerds" already know......just curious to know what part of the mag that these "6" pages show up in......i mean come on, after all these years, all their great music, all their accomplishments and what they really stand for, this is the best they can do......i guess it's better than nothing and now i'll have a bunch of friends call me in the next few weeks saying, "hey, Rush is in RS, and did you know what YYZ really is, and did you know Geddy drinks wine and likes baseball???...sucks what happened to Neil, what kind of bike does he ride"........the more i think about it the more i wish it didn't happen, it's just bogus......i think they just did it to keep us "nerds" quite for a while and also to catch a little vibe off our Boys........ sorry, just my opinion........

BTW, I can't believe Alex and Geddy still wear the same stage shoes after all these years, thanks Rolling Stone, without your great Mag I would have never known that....

#30 - Posted 6/29/08 @2:41PM by rocinante5m [contact]

hey samscott, looks like my jedi was serving me well....as i said, something isn't kosher with this...hate to be negative but it just feels bogus...........

PRAHITRU- Geddy calling Neil while sneezing........

#31 - Posted 6/29/08 @2:43PM by cpb [contact]

1) If I were Rolling Stone - scary thought! - I wouldn't put the article on the website either. The article talks a lot about how maniacal we are about the band, and therefore it makes sense that they'll sell extra copies to US. That's not being cheap - that's just sound business.

2) I don't know the ins and outs of the Rolling Stone editing staff or their turnover, and I'm too lazy to look it up. But I'm not going to hold it against them that they USED to hate Rush, but are NOW willing to release a well-written, positive article. Blender magazine (or Maxim) are way more in my cross-hairs these days than Rolling Stone.

3) By the same token, from the standpoint of Rush fans, Rolling Stone was kind of in a no-win. If they wrote NOTHING about Rush, we'd continue to be pissed; if they wrote a scathing article, we'd be super-pissed; and even if they'd called Rush the Greatest Band We've Ignored For Far Too Long And We Apologize Profusely, there'd still be people calling them "Puking Shit Magazine" or whatever. Under the circumstances, I think they did OK - and I'm always proud when Rush fans rise above the stereotypes about us and can acknowledge when someone gets it RIGHT about "our band."

Enjoy the rest of your weekend!

#32 - Posted 6/29/08 @2:45PM by musicofthespheres [contact]

i voted "it's really cool - great for the band" in the poll, because it is. but it's long overdue and I certainly will not purchase the rag.

In a recent RS issue highlighting the summer tours of 2008 (that I thumbed through while in the checkout line), there was no mention of the Rush tour! Lame and stupid, or hypocritical and inconsistent or something.

And no discussion of Snakes and Arrows...They're missing out!!!

#33 - Posted 6/29/08 @3:18PM by unktehila

good points cpb, #31.
i'm not a huge fan of Rolling Stone, but i'm not that hung up on their self-imposed ignorance of Rush to get all caught up in hating the magazine so much. i always see it as a badge of honor that we as RushRats (or nerds or enthusiasts, whatever) know and experience something so artistically special with this band that so many others seem to be missing out on. Like Alex said, "they are my band".
i thought the article was good and had some little tidbits here and there that were interesting. i don't really care to super overanalyze the piece or read too much into it... it was well-written and pretty glowing. i'm sure alot of young'uns who might just be "discovering" Rush hardcore through the Rock Band/Guitar Hero phenomenon or their parents, etc., would learn quite a bit from the article.

#34 - Posted 6/29/08 @3:22PM by unktehila

one more thing.... it's so funny/ironic to me that Caress Of Steel and the "Tour Down The Tubes" that followed almost finished the band - though it inspired them to go no-holds barred on 2112 - i f#*king love Caress OF Steel and think it's just so daring, raw, dark, deep, dynamic... ass kicking. i probably prefer it to any early Rush record until Hemispheres was divinely spawned.

#35 - Posted 6/29/08 @4:25PM by bravado34 [contact]

Here here #27...

Rush Nerd since 1984!

Also, I'll probably receive hate mail after this posting but I wish the rest of the gang here could see that this publicity being from RS (love it or hate it) might just inspire a new flock of fans make ol' skool fans realize that the band is still going strong!?

I've heard so many times from people who said they use to be a fan comment: "They're still together or are releasing new reocrds?"

Regardless, let the beatings begin...

#36 - Posted 6/29/08 @4:37PM by Kelly D [contact]

It's so true, bravado- I have friends who only know of Rush because of me. Some of these same friends read Rolling Stone, so this way, they'll see why I'm so addicted.

#37 - Posted 6/29/08 @4:52PM by Geddy Lees Big Ass Nose [contact]

Great article and summed up the air-drumming losers at Rush shows to a T, myself included. But sure made the boys look goodthough. (ok, I call a ban on labeling Rush "The Boys" or "Our Boys" in these posts. It sounds like you're talking about your own junk. Paging Doctor Freud!)

#38 - Posted 6/29/08 @4:54PM by Geddy Lees Big Ass Nose [contact]

Used "though" 2x in one sentence. Hope the boys don't mind.

#39 - Posted 6/29/08 @4:57PM by Geddy Lees Big Ass Nose [contact]

Oh, no I didn't use though 2x in one sentence. Misread my own post. The boys'll be so relieved.

#40 - Posted 6/29/08 @5:40PM by Liverpool.78

Well now. I've had a quick look at the scanned images and two things stand out for me. One is the 'nerd' reference and one is the 'Neil left the band in 2001 after a personal tragedy' reference.

Are we 'nerds' because we 'get Rush'?

I don't recall Neil 'leaving' the band when Selina and Jackie died. I recall things coming to a stop and Rush being the farthest thing from anyone's mind for a while, but nobody left.

Back in 1980 David Fricke, at the time a journalist with Rolling Stone, wrote a review of the band after the release of Permanent Waves. He had it absolutely right when he wrote:

"It's easy to criticize what you can't understand which at least partly explains why Canadian power trio Rush have suffered so much at the hands of rock journalists..... Rush's problem has rarely been competence. They simply don't play fashionable music. If they couldn't cut it on their own terms it would be different but this band is among the very best in its genre..... and if the 'Top Five' status of Permanent Waves is any example it's a genre wherein critics don't count at all".

Maybe that's why the band has been sidelined by RS all this time?

Liver.

Liver.

#41 - Posted 6/29/08 @6:48PM by main monkey business [contact]

Liverpool...Well said! When I read the article, and it was describing Neil as "leaving the band", I thought to myself that this was not correct. Neil did tell Alex and Geddy at Selena's funeral to "consider me retired", but the band never did break up. They told Neil to take his time, and they'd support him no matter what.
As for this Rolling Stone garbage, it's a nice article, but they waited too long, and nothing much will come from it, except maybe some new fans. I say we shouldn't get worked up about it, because you know "our band" isn't worried about it.

#42 - Posted 6/29/08 @6:55PM by Kelly D [contact]

GL'sBAN (#37). . . you're forgetting the women on here. No Freudian interpretation needed, though therapy might be :D

#43 - Posted 6/29/08 @7:14PM by TestForEcho09 [contact]

I love the first picture of the 3 of them...some nice lookin' guys!! lol As for whatever the article says, ehhh if you are a fan of the band you already know what it will say..

#44 - Posted 6/29/08 @7:15PM by necromancer 2112 [contact]

it cracks me up all the venom spewed towards rolling stone! i never read it myself and dont understand how they could ignore our boys for so long,but it is what it is! rush has prospered without them,whch means even more!! it was a good,historical article about a great band that was long overdue!! people should try to relax and take a ride on that train to bangkok!! lol

#45 - Posted 6/29/08 @7:42PM by necromancer 2112 [contact]

you know whats funny,i have been a rush fan since i was 11 yrs old(im 43 now)and when i was in high school(the permanent waves thru signals era)i never considered me and my friends nerds because we liked rush! i always thought we were the cool kids!! hmm. lol

#46 - Posted 6/29/08 @7:48PM by unktehila

necro - we ARE the cool kids. still. it's not like Rush is easy listening. this stuff has tEeth.

#47 - Posted 6/29/08 @7:52PM by necromancer 2112 [contact]

thats what i always thought too,unk !! lol

#48 - Posted 6/29/08 @7:59PM by main monkey business [contact]

Hey necro!! Couldn't agree with you more. When I was in high school (1978-1982), we WERE the cool kids. My first concert was Rush on the Permanent Waves tour, and I've been
a Rush fan since "A Farewell to Kings" came out. I never was classified a "Rush geek" until around the mid 1980's when they went heavily into the synthesizer era. But like I said, to me that's the ultimate compliment you can give to a Rush fan. I'm a Rush geek, and I'm proud of that! Hey, by the way....prepare for a good possibility of wet weather as well. But I'll say this, there was a 70 percent chance of thunderstorms today, and there was an 80 percent chance yesterday, and we didn't get a drop here in Englewood, so I don't put much faith in the meteorologists. We'll have a good time! By the way, to all who are going to Cincinnati tomorrow, we are meeting at Lebos on Kellogg Ave around 3 or 4. Be there if you can....it'll be like a family reunion!

#49 - Posted 6/29/08 @8:04PM by necromancer 2112 [contact]

MMB-the latest report i saw was saying a 35% chance for sprinkles at showtime,then fair skies later! either way,we are covered so rush on!!! lol

#50 - Posted 6/29/08 @8:07PM by main monkey business [contact]

You know something? Ever since I was involved in the accident about a month ago, I've been in a semi that is very nice, but the radio is messed up, and only gets one station, you can't change channels. The one station only plays new rock (which I can't stand). Every band sounds the same, the singers all try to sound like Kirk Cobain or Eddie Vetter, no one plays lead licks anymore for the most part, and it all relies on about 3 or 4 power chords with the vocalist having to scream someplace in the song. This just makes me appreciate the professionalism Rush puts into each and every song they play. There will never be another band like this. After 30 years of following them, I appreciate them more now than ever.

#51 - Posted 6/29/08 @8:11PM by main monkey business [contact]

Well I'll rely on your forecast. I like that one better. Like you said, we are covered, as long as the severe stuff stays away. It'll be nice and cool, and quite breezy, so that will be nice. The Reds are back in town also, hopefully they'll win. If they played an afternoon game tomorrow, you'd probably see Geddy there! By the way Necro, I'm off tomorrow, and will be awake around 8:00 tomorrow morning, so if you have any problems getting there or any questions, you have my number.

#52 - Posted 6/29/08 @8:17PM by main monkey business [contact]

By the way....Where's ole' LanceTheShred been lately? I know he had the competition about a month ago, and haven't heard much out of him lately. I may have to call him up to make sure he's allright. I kinda miss hearing out of the guy. Plus I haven't heard anything out of Manny either.

#53 - Posted 6/29/08 @8:26PM by Hidden Bottle [contact]

Ya know, I actually enjoyed the RS article. I normally can't stand Rush magazine articles, because they're usually singular interviews that are either just for music (or motorcycle) gearheads or like encyclopedia entries that any Rush fan could write. I thought whomever wrote that did a pretty good job of talking about the "nerdiness" of Rush and their fans and the fact that they have one of the most impressive careers in Rock history. Like it or not (I actually love it- and I'm not a nerd. I sucked in school and primarily listen to old SoCal punk rock), but that stigma ain't going anywhere anytime soon. I like how there was a good bit on Geddy and Alex's part in Neil's Ghost Ride, it's always just been touched on a bit. And I love the "real time" accounts of the baseball game, pre tour dinner, pre show fan interaction in New Orleans, etc. That's all classic RS journalism that makes them a respected rag.

I think the casual reader would definitely look at Rush in a different light after that article, and I bet a lot of them hit up YouTube as suggested and learns a more of Rush than Tom Sawyer and The Spirit of Radio.

Just my thoughts.

#54 - Posted 6/29/08 @8:29PM by ColdFire466 [contact]

Well... hmmm... my quote of the day... It is what it is. :o)

One more week until I leave for 7 days in Toronto! Yesssss.

#55 - Posted 6/29/08 @8:55PM by Fiat

#44

Again, yeah been there done that. Fuck em and "The Hall". I will never patronize either even if they are finally accepted.

#56 - Posted 6/29/08 @8:59PM by necromancer 2112 [contact]

thats the beauty of the internet,we didnt have to buy the rag in order to read the article!! i'll pretty much read anything that pertains to the boys,i even owned a rush comic book once!! lol

#57 - Posted 6/29/08 @9:27PM by Kelly D [contact]

Did anyone else immediately hear in their head the lyrics of the songs when they read the "brief list of words that appear in Rush songs"? I got EVERY one of them.

I'm gonna go cry and/or celebrate now.

#58 - Posted 6/29/08 @9:36PM by Hidden Bottle [contact]

One thing that did piss me off about the article, though. When he wrote about Roll The Bones featuring "MCGeddy". RS writers must have access to a quality research department that can double check all names, dates, references, etc. Pretty minor, but there's thousands of people who will know that's a pretty bush-league mistake.

#59 - Posted 6/29/08 @10:55PM by musicofthespheres [contact]

Hidden Bottle (58),

that's actually an indication of how well-researched the article is. the "MCGeddy" refers to the rap in Roll The Bones of course, and I actually remmber hearing Bob Coburn refer to him as "MC geddy lee" on a rockline interview.

I agree w. everyone that it's good PR and a good article and an opportunity to reach out to new potential fans, but i doubt this means Rush will get regular attention by RS. That they didn't mention Rush at all in their Summer Tours 2008 preview says a lot to me.

Noticed this was the author's first RS contribution - and he sounds like he may vary well be a Rush fan...

#60 - Posted 6/29/08 @10:55PM by Kelly D [contact]

Um. . . I'm not really sure what's the issue, Hidden Bottle- that album did feature rapping on the title song. . .

DATABASL = a place to look up herbs and spices

#61 - Posted 6/29/08 @11:35PM by Bravest Face [contact]

I actually read the article today at a bookstore. I thought it was a pretty good article. I think the whole Neil issue is a matter of intrepretation. I didn't intrepret it that the band broke up at all, only that Neil's return was questionable at best, which I think is pretty accurate given the state of affairs at the time. I also think most fans thought that might be the last we would see of them.

I am certainly no fan of RS, but I was overall fairly pleased with the article, and felt they did a pretty good job.

By the way folks, only about 20 hours until the guys rock Cincy!! (don't worry GLBAN #37, I don't call them the boys, not because I think I am referencing anything, I just think men in their 50's are a bit too old to be referred to as boys! lol!!)

#62 - Posted 6/30/08 @2:23AM by Hidden Bottle [contact]

Kelly D- Neil did the rapping.

#63 - Posted 6/30/08 @2:29AM by Hidden Bottle [contact]

Nevermind, I'm retarded. I thought I remembered Neil doing the rap parts. Everyone's right, I've got poop in my head. No complaints on the article now.

#64 - Posted 6/30/08 @3:07AM by perfect sphere [contact]

"If rock had a Geneva Convention, Rush would be war criminals." --now that's a good line

"But Rush were always an acquired taste..."
--huh? that's the opinion of a writer who still doesn't get it, or the writer is a closet Rush fan who is compelled to drop snide comments in for his corporate talibanic overlords.

Great research, interesting tidbits and quotes, but still the persistent feeling that Rush and Rush fans are
somehow
"odd."

Never mind the fact that Rush is multi-multi-multi-multi-multi-multi-multi-multi-multi-multi-multi-multi-multi-multi-multi-multi-multi-multi platinum, and among the top five overall career rock album sellers of all time.

SHEESH.

#65 - Posted 6/30/08 @8:52AM by Rush Fan Since 1976 [contact]

Anyone else bummed that the fact checker at RS messed up a few times? I thought it was pretty decent otherwise...

#66 - Posted 6/30/08 @9:37AM by bravado34 [contact]

Hidden Bottle,

No crap, Neil did the rapping? I've never heard that before or have I really ever tried to research it but...Can anyone else agree or give other details of Neil rapping on Roll' Bones?!

Thanks guys!

#67 - Posted 6/30/08 @9:47AM by Better Beer [contact]

fuck rolling stone

#68 - Posted 6/30/08 @10:29AM by Rob [contact]

#66 I heard a radio interview....actually it was when Neil was on rockline.....He said that the rap part in RTB is Geddy with a special treatment applied to his voice.

Neil is the narrator in the Necromancer however.

#69 - Posted 6/30/08 @10:31AM by R40

Sent to letters@rollingstone.com
(PLEASE Send your comments)

Chris Norris & Rolling Stone,

After hearing that Rush was going to be in RS, I was eager to get my copy in the mail. I find it very strange that a magazine store in an airport can get a new RS issue before a subscriber can get one mailed to the house. But that is another issue.
I would like to bring up your current article about the band, Rush, in the current issue of RS. After hearing that Rush was going to be in RS sometime soon, I was ready to read up. So I saw the new issue of RS in the airport (MKE), and looked at the front cover with Barak Obama. No cover mention of the Rush article at all? As I thumbed through the index, I finally saw a page number. So with that I glanced through the pictures and was exicited to get home to see if I had received my copy in the mail. I hadn't.
I then decide to hit up rollingstone.com to read the article. After all I am a subscriber so I will have access to the article right? Wrong! Instead, all of the other articles are there online. Barak Obama and Amy Whinehouse were there also an update on 'Chinese Democracy'. But unfortunatly, no Rush article. I was able to find it online after some searching but this article should be available immediatly after going to print. It should take about 30 minutes to link to your web site. After all you put the issue in print and it's already been delivered to news stands!
As for the article, I thought it was insulting. The barrage at the beginning sets the tone for the entire story. You mention the 'nerds' comment so many times that the effect is belittling. The article does make a turn for the better towards the end but I am still surprised that RS would give this assignment to a person who clearly does not understand Rush. Mr. Norris even berates the fans in the audience. He makes it seem like he is at a 'Star Wars' convention and that he is Triumph the Comic Dog. These are people who have jobs and like seeing good music played for over three hours. I'm sure Mr. Norris left the show at intermission thinking it was over. There was no comment on how well they play, only that they don't booze before the show. Maybe that's why they play for over 3 hours and have gone on for 34 years! Who plays that long anymore? Springsteen does but I cant think of anyone else. I'm sure that Mr. Norris is a fine writer but he got in over his head with this assignment. He is not a fan and doesn't even appear to have an interest in anything Rush does other than watch baseball and drink wine. I hope RS paid the tab at that dinner.
Rush is a band who continues to make progressive music after 34 years together. They have sold over 25 million records in the US alone, (riaa.org). And yet they still continue to be ignored by RS, (you last feature on Rush was back in 1981, if you excluded album reviews). Unacceptable.
While I enjoy the exposure of one of my favorite bands in your publication, I am disappointed in the end product. Please make ammends and end the controvery. RUSH in the Rock and Roll HOF, 2009. Maybe that can produce a good story.

Mark
Antioch, IL
Rush Fan
Rolling Stone subscriber

#70 - Posted 6/30/08 @10:33AM by Neurotica [contact]

Rush Nerd since 1981.

Another fact check: They mentioned that Geddy changed his first name due to the way his mother said it (Gary), but I always thought it was the way his grandmother said it?

As others pointed out there were a few other facts that were not correct, but all the folks on here see that stuff and know the real deal.

Wish I could go see the boys one more time this tour, just can't swing it.

Rush ON!!!

#71 - Posted 6/30/08 @10:47AM by WaveOfMusic [contact]

#70 -- I don't have a reference for you, but I've definitely read interviews where Geddy is quoted as saying it was his mother that mispronounced "Gary".

Here's one that threw me, though. I've read everything I can about "the boys" over the years, and I don't recall ever hearing that Neil skipped two grades to start high school early. Anyone else?

What do others of you see as facts in the article that they got wrong?

I thought the article was great, not belittling or negative. I think Norris was just trying to put a finger on what makes Rush and its fan base unique.

#72 - Posted 6/30/08 @11:22AM by Hidden Bottle [contact]

66- Don't know if you saw my immediate retraction, but reading the article I seemed to remember Neil doing the rapping, but right after that comment I realized I wasn't positive on that and checked it out, and I was dead wrong. I was in fact MCGeddy.

68- I did know that was him on Necromancer (haven't listened to that in a while- on my to do list for today), and before I put my foot in my mouth again, that is him who says "Subdivisions", correct?

Is there any more Neil vocal parts out there??

#73 - Posted 6/30/08 @11:31AM by unktehila

HB (like your name)
Neil says "Subdivisions" and "Attention All Planets Of the Solar Federation, We Have Assumed Control..." on 2112 Grand Finale.
classic Neil spoken words.

#74 - Posted 6/30/08 @11:55AM by cschnebe [contact]

What a blown opportunity for RS to write about Rush actually still being a working band after 35 years, still filling arenas by themselves when their contemporaries have to play triple bill shows or festivals. This is the article that should've come out in 2002. It dwells WAY too much on the nerd aspect and the past. It basically gives the reader the impression that this is a 70s band, still out on the road playing a greatest hits show, still out of touch. There is hardly a mention of any record past 1982, including the one that they're TOURING FOR.

All that, and there are mistakes and inaccuracies.

#75 - Posted 6/30/08 @1:12PM by Ricbass4003 [contact]

What the heck, I thought after seeing this scan on RIB I'd go out to my mailbox and find my copy of Rolling Crap since I have a free sub. NOT! Wonder where it is, maybe the post office employees are reading and I will get it later? The one time I look forward to the POS...

#76 - Posted 6/30/08 @1:15PM by lilvictory [contact]

#69 & 74 - Unfortunately I completely agree with you. The "nerd" reference is what kept jumping back at me. Especially right at the forefront of the article labeling Rush as "the great nerd band of the 70's" - definitely puts a negative spin on things. The writer's message, I believe, was that Rush has achieved its success despite being the stereotypical rock star, but he decided to pepper the article with nerd references which takes the positive feel out of it. Rush very much are the "rebels" of the rock world and I'm sure it annoys more than a few in the industry, which is why they are so often shunned - be cool or be cast out. It's just a shame that so many have such a poor perception of what "cool" is.

The image conjured up at the end of the article of them all sipping wine and Geddy commenting that the 2000's are doing quite well is classic! Welcome to the world of rock Rush style - this is one classy joint. Good luck to Mr. Norris on his next band interview where he'll probably be thrown a can of beer and the best he can hope for is a good "born on" date.

#77 - Posted 6/30/08 @1:38PM by TridentIID5 [contact]

I was the dude in the Red Sox jersey with the shaved head that thanked Geddy for the music at the Jays game.

#78 - Posted 6/30/08 @2:42PM by J du Bois [contact]

Haven't read the article yet, but man, it was quite a shock sitting on the bowl, flipping pages and boom! a story on Rush. I keep up-to-date on this board and had read something might be brewing, but still, it was a great, unexpected shock. How often does that happen in this day and age?

I am disappointed to see Chris Norris' name on it, though. Not that I dislike the guy's work or disapprove of the story (like I said, haven't read it), but I was sure the magazine would assign David Fricke on this one. Unless he isn't a fan of Rush, but I can't believe that even as I write these words.

It's also a huge bummer that the mag ran the story in an issue without cover lines! That is a major, major disappointment.

I also wonder what this means now. It's kind of a "when pigs fly" moment, wouldn't you say? I'm tempted to make a leap to "band breakup," but I'll just forget I even thought of it!

And the timing could have been better. Geez, there's only a handful of shows left, and *now* the story is published? Still, I'd be curious to see if the article moves the needle at all in terms of album and/or ticket sales.

Bottom line, though, it's awesome. Finally, some long-deserved recognition from the magazine.

#79 - Posted 6/30/08 @2:43PM by Kelly D [contact]

No fuckin' way, #77! That's so cool- except now you know what Geddy "really" thinks of you :P

#80 - Posted 6/30/08 @2:44PM by entrenous [contact]

when alex says "subdivisions" live, i have a feeling his mic is off

#81 - Posted 6/30/08 @3:00PM by Hidden Bottle [contact]

78- Congrats, you rarely get a "good" surprise when you're sitting on the can....

#82 - Posted 6/30/08 @3:35PM by freewilly [contact]

I didn't know Nirvana was offered an opening act for Rush early nineties... and they rejected because they were 'alternative' which Peart did not really understand, you go Neil, it's about the music, not the labeling! For that matter, I used to like/respect Nirvana, but when I re-discovered Rush about 4 years ago -after a hiatus of some years- I realized just how flat and boring most of Nirvana's music seems to me knowadays, not talking about the lyrics (I'm not a native English speaker and didn't really study the lyrics). They COULD write songs though I think, I'm just bored with their music.

#83 - Posted 6/30/08 @4:27PM by Neurotica [contact]

#71 - I have a reference for you proving that it WAS his mother.

link

So I stand corrected.

:-)

#84 - Posted 6/30/08 @6:59PM by Lynn-2112 [contact]

I really liked the article. I had my wife read it too. I am passing it around to my friends to read. I love Caress of Steel. I will skip Tom Sawyer on my iPod once in a while because I have listened to it two million times already and have it burned into my brain. (I can hear 2112 anytime, because it's burned in too.) It's different and I know most people who might listen to it, not knowing or liking Rush, would think it's weird. I just love the pure talent of it.

#85 - Posted 6/30/08 @7:58PM by Ricbass4003 [contact]

I just read the whole thing. It was kind of a let down. Clearly a moron wrote it. I think more meat could have been covered and less emphasis on Nerds theme. I like what Neil said about "..we are still working" haha. nice dig. The guy had to go to the RUSH website to find out about gear when he could have asked while he was talking to the guys. no talk about RUSH;s impact on music.. lots of talk about the past. If he didn't talk about doing dinner with them, it was like he wrote the article from a bunch of facts he found trolling the Internet. Article probably not meant for us fans as none of it was any news to us. Most of us already read the real articles about them in Bass Player, Guitar Player and Modern Drummer. The Britney Spears story of a few months back got many many more pages. RS a giant Piece of crap. KISS MY GRITS ROLLING STONE!

#86 - Posted 6/30/08 @10:22PM by geddyflea [contact]

I think the article was very positive. We have to remember that we're reading it from an "insiders" perspective and know 99% of the facts but for the un-knowing rock fan, it's a great way to get introduced or even better RE-introduced to the greatest trio alive. Yes I think its crap that rs ignored the boys for so long but as many have said - there's always a place for redemption. Our boys forgave, so why can't we?

#87 - Posted 6/30/08 @11:09PM by wmr [contact]

freewilly..don't worry about the Nirvana lyrics. If you were a native English speaker they would make about as much sense to you as they do now. However, I do think that their "ambiguity" was a nice fit for Nirvana's music...in other words, something clicked with that band and I like them, the same way I like REM (Cronic Town through Hi-Fi in '96) and think that Michael Stipe is a profound lyricist (and actually much better than Cobain in my opinion). Both totally the opposite of Neil but then again it takes all kinds....

As to the Rolling Stone piece.....what do you expect from RS??? It is what it is and you knew they would work the nerd angle. At the end of the day I would still have to consider it a victory and validation of the longentivity, tenacity, integrity, and yes QUALITY of both RUSH and their fans. Not that we needed it......we've done just fine without these sorts of pieces. But at the same time, Rolling Stone didn't need to do the piece either...they've done just fine covering the impending release of Chinese Democracy for the last 10 years.

It would be one thing if RUSH sold out and did some cheeseball shit to get this coverage. But of course they did not. In other words, Rolling Stone came around to them, not the other way around. On balance I thought the article was OK..nothing new (other than the Nirvana offer).

#88 - Posted 7/1/08 @12:40AM by TumorD [contact]

I just wanted to add that I really did not like that article. My thoughts were the same as many--much of the article could have been written in 2002, and much more well before that.

The compelling story about Rush to me is why they still sell out arenas 35 years later, and only seem to be getting more popular. It's like the editors told someone 10 years to write about "that nerd band Rush" and these are the pieces dusted off from it.

While it is true there are lots of nerdy Rush fans, and many of those make up its die hard fanbase, the majority of Rush fans at concerts are not nerds. Try sitting with me in the cheap seats, and you'll find the casual Rush fan who just digs a band from the their past, along with legions of young kids who have discovered Rush through Guitar Hero or, hopefully, through their own experiences playing real music.

The article purports to explain why Rush is still so popular. Yet, to me, there are two themes the article totally misses that are critical to telling that story. One, is to touch on why, even though Rush is not cool, they have so many damn fans. I think the Nirvana story could have been a perfect foray into that irony. They were (we are to believe) snubbed by Nirvana because Rush wasn't cool enough at the time (and really, rightfully Rush's fan base was not the base Nirvana was looking for). Yet, today, Rush and the band that grew out of Nirvana (Foo Fighters) share mutual admiration, a producer, and occasional stage time. Why? Because Dave and the Foo Fighters love Rush, and now that they are huge they can be as uncool as the want. I think that's a fascinating issue of Rush's appeal that the magazine just misses completely. Why is Rush so uncool, yet so many people who RS thinks are cool also happen to be fans of the band? I think that's an interesting question.

The other fact completely missed is the Rush is not just the consumate nerd rock band, but also the consumate musician's rock band, for both the amateur and working musician. They mention nothing of just how many successful musicians attend Rush shows accross the country, many of whom grace the covers of the same magazine. Again, I think that's key to the band's success and its appeal. Geddy Lee is never going to be Charles Mingus, but many of the great bass players of this generation grew up wanting to be Geddy, and the article says nothing of that. I would bet quite a bit that more drummers 40 and under will tell you they were influenced to play drums by NP more than any other drummer. That, IMO, is Rush's greatest contribution, and again, central to their success.

Above all, my point is that article seems to imply that Rush is so popular because they are nerds and have nerd fans. But while that's a piece of the truth, it's really only a small part of the story. It's a shame to me that after 34 years RS still doesn't get it, but they never have and probably never will. I guess being too kind to rush would just be uncool.

#89 - Posted 7/1/08 @4:05AM by freewilly [contact]

wmr, I agree with you it takes all kinds... and there's different ways of lyric writing and what works for one band, or song, doesn't have to work for another band or song.

#90 - Posted 7/1/08 @4:08AM by freewilly [contact]

well said tumord! it feels 'cool' to be a Rush fan, always! (and to know we're definitely not with just a few)

#91 - Posted 7/1/08 @7:56AM by eastcobb [contact]

It seems there's no pleasing some Rush fans. A high profile music magazine prints a 4-page article that is largely positive, and even includes a very cool picture of all 3 band members, yet some of you whine anyway.

#92 - Posted 7/1/08 @8:22AM by Earthshiner [contact]

It isn't a well written article; it's largely insulting with its inaccuracies and faux references; the magazine is a political one with an agenda. They finally do an article on Rush and put Obama on the cover for the second time and he's not even a musician, but a socialist politician. To top it off they don't even mention Rush on the cover of the mag, yet another insult. Yeah, we did an article on Rush, but you wouldn't know it from a glance.

Rolling Stone has always sucked and still sucks to this day.

#93 - Posted 7/1/08 @8:22AM by praetorian [contact]

Happy Canada Day!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
agreed eastcobb. Great article, by the way.

#94 - Posted 7/1/08 @8:41AM by Hidden Bottle [contact]

eastcobb- agreed. After so many years of being neglected by RS, I think no RS article would be able to satisfy some Rush fans. Also, I have no idea why it's so important. I thought the article was pretty enjoyable actually.

btw- Lassiter 93 right here....

#95 - Posted 7/1/08 @8:45AM by solar federale

Too little, too late.

#96 - Posted 7/1/08 @9:46AM by unktehila

#91, eastcobb, agreed as well.
though TumorD made some excellent points and views in his post #88 - particularly about Rush being a musicians' band and how many musicians go to see them. i would have loved to see that angle touched upon in significant depth.
but i still dug the article and took it for what it is, had fairly low expectations to begin with.
regarding the overwhelming RS hatred - i guess i understand to some degree as a diehard Rush fan, but i still don't really get it - it's ROlling Stone's big miss and loss for dissing Rush for so long, but i'm not hung up on hating the magazine so much. in fact, objectively reading it, i think there's often some very well-written articles in the publication, be they musical or political, etc. it's become more of a cultural publication than just a musical one, obviously.

#97 - Posted 7/1/08 @11:32AM by entrenous [contact]

it does not seem like an article for Rush fans if you know what i mean.

#98 - Posted 7/1/08 @12:03PM by djchachi [contact]

2009 Predictions:

Rush on the COVER of Rolling Stone;

Rush inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (even though they are too young!);

I win the lottery.

At least ONE of these will happen (I'd even be happy with the lottery one!)

#99 - Posted 7/1/08 @1:22PM by zebec [contact]

Back in December, I sent the Editors at Rolling Stone an email saying that I 'had it on good authority that this will be the final Rush tour' (I lied). I also used phrases like 'they won't be around forever' plus 'might be wise to consider an article on them soon'. Whatever role my email may've played, I'm glad to see the article has come to be. BTW, my bar band was probably the first anywhere to play Rush covers. I told Geddy this when I first met him, at Toronto's infamous Gasworks rock club, circa '75/76; as for the 'sex, drugs and r+roll' dismissals in the article, for the record: in their early career Rush smoked a TON of cannabis product (we all did), sometimes just before hitting the stage; when they played my high school with Rutsey in early '74, Alex hit on my pal's 15 yr old sister during their intermission break (Borat:"Why Not? Its nice!"); Rutsey was a very decent drummer and perhaps they might've considered doing one of their R30 encores, say in Toronto, with him playing. Why Not? It would've been a classy gesture that cost them nothing. Our road crew was pals with the Rush and Max Webster crews and *according to the Rush techies, Rutsey's final straw came when he apparently mixed dope with some household cleaner and tried to get high off it. When I first heard this, my response was, "Fuck off, that CAN'T be true." But it was later repeated to me. Urban legend...? Years later, one of their guitar techs 'retired' to get married and asked a favour: would Rush play backup on his one-song demo as he sang? They agreed (what balls). I have heard this recording. One can't miss the unmistakable Rush-style with the instrumentals.
Lot's more. *I have no idea what you are supposed to do with this info.

#100 - Posted 7/1/08 @2:09PM by GRgreg [contact]

Hey zebec, keep writing!

#101 - Posted 7/1/08 @5:53PM by Thelonious [contact]

I believe the temperature has dropped several degrees in hell. Actually a pretty well-written article. It must be that guy's first assignment. One of the best parts of the article was when Neil Peart talked about reaching out to Nirvana about being an opening act on their tour, and was told that they couldn't do it because they were an "alternative" band. That was funny. Rush is the band for people who realize that the Punk and Alternative music ethos is a perverse and nihilistic joke. And Rush represents real musical values in a much more honest way than overrated media creations like Nirvana.

#102 - Posted 7/1/08 @9:42PM by Hidden Bottle [contact]

Thelonius- A few albums you need to listen to: Rancid "...And Out Come The Wolves", Lagwagon "Let's Talk About Feelings" (even being a huge Rush fan, their drummer, Dave Raun, is my favorite drummer), Bad Religion "Generator" and "The Process of Belief", Alkaline Trio "Crimson", Smashing Pumpkins "Gish", Dismemberment Plan "Emergency & I" (maybe my favorite album of all time- probably tied with Power Windows), ah hell, I could go on forever, but if you checked any of those out you would realize that the last two sentences of your comment are absolutely retarded.

You probably hate The Clash too, right?

#103 - Posted 7/2/08 @1:55PM by Jag2112 [contact]

For those who are interested in reading a transcribed version of the article, and seeing some high-resolution versions of the article photos, click along this link

Enjoy...

#104 - Posted 7/2/08 @7:18PM by MRB 2112 [contact]

I think a lot of you guys are missing the point here. An article like this, in a mainstream, national mag like this, is NOT for hardcore Rush fans. Sorry, it's just not. ( I don't think though, that that means you have to hate it.) Let me explain.

It's an introduction to a lot of people, music fans, who have probably never even read an article about Rush. (Certainly not in RS, who have ignored them for far too long.) Anyhow, it's a history, a summary of who they are as musicians and people, what they've stood for and how devoted their fan base is.

Some of you are taking the whole nerd/AV thing a bit too personally. It's just an angle, a theme. It's something journalists and writers do all the time. If Rush can laugh at themselves, why can't their fans? Also, keep in mind, being a nerd became quite cool a few years ago. It doesn't really carry the same weight it once did, as far as being an insult goes. It's not a literal diss anymore.

Lighten up a bit. It's a good article. I'd even say it's a great article. Think about it for a moment from an outsider's POV, not someone who knows the guitar solo in "Kid Gloves" might be the best ever recorded. Consider a casual music/pop culture lover who THOUGHT they knew what Rush was all about, but reads this write up and thinks, "hey, they sound pretty cool." Is that such a bad thing?

I thought it was well written, full of funny, insightful tidbits and as a written piece of work, flows and delivers quite nicely. It even has some stuff for the faithful, who know everything about the band.

My two cents anyhow.

#105 - Posted 7/4/08 @1:45PM by digitalfries [contact]

The article is what it is, an article about a band that we love. I accept that I am a a Rush Nerd. Guess you have to be a nerd first to accept the "Rush" part. I hate RS magazine and the pap that they sell as journalism--blech. And #92 I agree it's a damn shame they put that socialist sympathizer on the cover.

#106 - Posted 7/4/08 @9:46PM by t-bone66 [contact]

I'm surprised they didn't somehow manage to quote Bruce Liberalsteen in the article somewhere.

#107 - Posted 7/7/08 @2:07PM by How f---ing cool is Geddy Lee. [contact]

#99 - zebec

When did you hear that rumor about Rutsey?

Sounds a lot like what actually happened in/around The Mars Volta.

'[I]t is the hour-long tale of Cerpin Taxt, a man who tries to kill himself by overdosing on rat poison. The attempt lands him in a week-long coma during which he experiences visions of humanity and his own psyche. Upon waking, he is dissatisfied with the real world and jumps to his death. The story of Cerpin Taxt is based on the death of El Paso, Texas artist (and Bixler-Zavala's friend) Julio Venegas.'

(from link -- alos see link

HFC

#108 - Posted 7/19/08 @12:03PM by xxjayyoungxx [contact]

Who's on the cover? I'd like to buy this one!

#109 - Posted 8/14/08 @6:39PM by zappawizard [contact]

"Of Rush's 150-odd songs, not a single one concerns that rather popular rock & roll topic: chicks"

I'd say there more than a few.

#110 - Posted 9/30/08 @9:23PM by YYZeu [contact]

It's an unusually nice article from Rolling Stone, who has usually either ignored or slandered Rush. It is starting to sound as though they could be starting to accept them for the classic, influential band they are.

About Rolling Stone as a magazine, they have never been about only music, but culture at large, which includes politics. Their covers have always included influential people in society, not just musicians. The covers have featured people anywhere from Rodney Dangerfield to Ted Kennedy. I vividly recall, with great fondness, a particular cover with an amazing picture of Uma Thurman. Anyway, I don't find it surprising at all they would put Obama on the cover.

"We got a lot of little teenage blue-eyed groupies
Who do anything we say
We got a genuine Indian guru
He's teachin' us a better way
We got all the friends that money can buy
So we never have to be alone
And we keep gettin' richer but we can't get our picture
On the cover of the Rolling Stone"

lyrics from "On The Cover of Rolling Stone" by Dr. Hook

RUSH IS A BAND

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