Back in January, we reported that Rush was to be inducted into the Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame. Now, according to the official CSHF website, we've learned that Rush will be further honored during the March 28th gala celebration:

The 6th Annual CSHF Gala welcomes a diverse line-up of talent who will perform renditions of this year’s inducted songs. Alexisonfire will perform ‘Tom Sawyer’ (Rush); Les Claypool performs ‘The Spirit of Radio’ (Rush), YouTube phenom Jacob Moon presents his rendition of ‘Subdivisions’ (Rush) and Quebec superstar Robert Charlebois will perform his classic song ‘Ordinaire’ (Robert Charlebois, Mouffe, Pierre Nadeau).

Here's another somewhat less positive article on the gala and the performers scheduled to appear.

To order tickets for the event, please go to Ticketmaster.Com or the CSHF website.

The nominees of the 2010 Juno Awards (the Canadian equivalent of the U.S. Grammy Awards) has been announced. Rush's Snakes & Arrows Live DVD / Blu-ray was nominated for Music DVD of the Year. Below is the complete list of nominees in the Music DVD of the Year category:

Miroir Noir
Vincent Morisset, Vincent Morisset & Arcade Fire ARCADE FIRE
Merge*F>A>B

Snakes & Arrows Live
Pierre & François Lamoureaux Allan Weinrib, Pegi Cecconi, Ray Daniels RUSH
Anthem*Universal

Iron Maiden Flight 666
Sam Dunn, Scott McFadyen Ron Smallwood, Stefan Demetriou, Andy Taylor IRON MAIDEN
EMI

The Trews Acoustic - Friends & Total Strangers
Tim Martin, John-Angus MacDonald, Larry Wanagas THE TREWS
Bumstead*Universal

DRUM! Live
Aaron Young, Doris Mason, Colin Smeltzer, Daniel Brooker Brookes Diamond DRUM!
Independent*Fontana North

Fans may remember that Rush took home this award back in 2004 for Rush in Rio.

Winners will be announced at the Juno Gala Dinner & Awards on Saturday, April 17 at the St. John's Convention Centre, as well as at The 2010 Juno Awards broadcast on CTV on Sunday, April 18 at Mile One Centre in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador.

Thanks to RushIsABand for the news.

Axe Heaven, the company that has been bringing Rush fans miniature replicas of the band's gear has a new offering: Geddy Lee's classic Rickenbacker 4001. From a post at Power Windows:

You've asked for it, and now it's here: a precise recreation of Geddy Lee's Rickenbacker 4001 bass. His primary instrument of the 70's, first seen during RUSH's first tour in 1974, Geddy effectively retired this bass after the Signals tour until bringing it back on tour in 2007.

This 1:4-scale replica miniature bass collectible is made of solid mahogany wood, hand crafted and airbrushed with outstanding detail. As these guitars are hand made, please allow 3-4 weeks for delivery as supplies are limited.

This bass guitar sells for $24.99. Click here to order. For the complete RUSH miniature instruments collection, click here. Axeheaven is providing a special discount for Power Windows Website Users. To receive the discount, just enter the below coupon code while checking out at AxeHeaven.com:

* For free shipping for all domestic orders: coupon code
* For an overall 10% discount off of international orders: coupon code TEN2010

I've also included a picture of a collection of Rush miniatures including the Ric 4001, courtesy of reader ArsenalFC / Pete. Thanks Pete! and thanks to Eric from Power Windows for the news.

It's time once again for another installment Rush: A Brief History of Time, a collection of old Rush articles and interviews graciously donated by long-time site reader and contributor Heiko Klages. Additionally, Eric from Power Windows offered up a few gems for this segment as well.

This time around, there are 28 different articles to read through. So pull up a chair, open up a bottle of Cygnus X-1 Porter and let's get to it.

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Let's travel back to March of 1977 for the first article to start off the fourth segment. Titled Rush & Foghat, by Richard Hogan, this Circus Magazine article discusses the touring duties of both bands as they travel across the United States. A rare, color reproduction with some great shots of the bands.

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Up next is an interesting article/review of Rush's 2112. Titled Rush to Judgement, this Creem Magazine article from June 1977 was written by Darcy Diamond who, along with his/her sister, take in a Rush concert that neither seem to enjoy all that much. A nonetheless interesting and humorous read along with some nice color shots of the boys.

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Up next is a triple-treat from a January 5th, 1978 edition of Circus Magazine. Though the magazine was scanned in black & white, it contains a brief review of 'A Farewell to Kings' by Michael Bloom, a nice article called 'Recognition is Only Half the Fun' by Max Thaler and a two-page Rush Tour Poster. There are also a few upcoming Rush tour dates listed. Of course, I included the cover of the magazine just to remind you all of the hairstyles that were mainstream back in the late 70's :-)

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This next lengthy article appeared in the January 28th, 1978 edition of the French-Quebec magazine called 'Pop Rock'. The article, titled Rush A Chicago was written by Marie-France Remillard and includes an interesting painting of the band. The article is written in French so I'm not entirely sure of the content.

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Continuing through 1978, the next article originally appeared in February 11th, 1978 edition of the UK music magazine 'Melody Maker'. Titled Heavy Side of Rush and written by Simon Kinnersley, this well written article has Simon slowly learning to appreciate Rush, to a degree. The article also touches upon Rush touring duties and the early history of the band.

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Next we have a short but positive article from the March 4th, 1978 edition of the UK music magazine 'Music Week'. Titled Is The Canadian Rush On?, this article discusses the success of 'A Farewell to Kings' in the United Kingdom and the growing popularity of the band and Canadian music in general.

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More from the UK, we have Power Pop?, a brief article written by Robin Smith who 'gets in amongst the faded denims and greatcoats to see Rush'. I particularly enjoyed the description of the band as 'an all Canadian earthquake band'. Apparently the boys played a song called 'Kanadu' though I can't imagine what that might have been :)

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This next Netherlands article from the March 22, 1978 edition of 'Muziekkrant OOR' is called Rush Met Voetversnelling and features an interesting picture of Geddy that no doubt got him in hot water with his wife :) Written by Kees Baars with photos by Anton Corbijn, this lengthy article appears to discuss the early days of Rush and their touring prowess. If anyone can translate this article, please do let us know what else this article may reflect.

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Up next is a nice tribute to the then fifth anniversary of SRO/Anthem; Rush's production and management company. Click HERE to view the entire publication which includes some nice write ups about Rush and Max Webster, a hand-written and signed congratulatory note from the band as well as a brief biography of the band.

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Sticking to 1978, this next article, titled Rush'n Around, written by Peter Douglas, takes an in-depth look at the band's touring gear. This article originally appeared in the April 1978 edition of the UK magazine 'Beat Instrumental', hence the deep dive into the band's instruments.

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Moving back to the states, this next color article came from the May 11th, 1978 edition of Circus Magazine. The article, titled Rush Relive Their Early Years was published in connection with the band's release of Archives. Also included are some nice candid and concert shots of the boys along with some upcoming tour dates.

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Continuing along the 'Archives' theme, this next article also reviews the 3-album release. Titled Rush's Valuable Triple Echo, this short and fairly positive review was written by Michael Oldfield and originally appeared in the May 13th, 1978 edition of the UK's Melody Maker. Unfortunately, this next review of Archives, titled The Rush Problem was obviously less than positive. Written by Paul Morley, the author does seem to recognize the power (both musically and lyrically) of Rush.

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Up next is a somewhat famous (or should that be infamous) article/review written by long-time Rush fan Geoff Barton. Up until the release of 'Hemispheres', Mr. Barton was a tremendous supporter of the band. But as this article, titled It Could Be A Meisterwerk (but it's more like a terrible mistake) reveals, Barton's appreciation for the band is fading. Barton seems torn in this review; both praising and condemning the band for their musical direction. He also seems to be confused about the order of the tracks, placing Cygnus X-1 Book II as the b-side to the album. To each his own I guess. The article originally appeared in the October 20th, 1978 edition of the UK 'Sound' magazine.

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This next article, from the December 1978 edition of the Canadian magazine 'The New Music', is a feature and interview with Geddy Lee. The color article, titled Rush: Canadian Rock 'n' Roll Success Story was written by Kirk LaPointe and contains a nice color photo of Geddy and his cat. It's also a nice, albeit somewhat short, look into Rush from Geddy's personal perspective.

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Up next is one of my favorite early articles about Rush. Coming from the December 5th, 1978 edition of 'Circus Weekly' and titled Rush's Music of the Spheres, this article/interview with Geddy lee, which written by David Fricke, discusses Geddy's growing frustration with the critics view of the band. 'If an album is good", Geddy says, "people will find out about it on their own." An enjoyable read with some nice color and black & white images of the band.

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Still holding to 1978, we have a brief, meandering and largely positive review of 'Hemispheres'. The review, which appeared in the December 9th, 1978 edition of the UK's 'New Musical Express' periodical, was written by Ian Penman who attempts to decipher the meaning behind the lyrics from the album. You be the judge if Ian was on point or not.

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Continuing with another review of 'Hemispheres' is the article/review titled Rush: Into the Global Village which was written by J.J. Linden and appeared in the December 9th, 1978 edition of 'RPM Weekly', a Canadian Music magazine. More than just a review of 'Hemispheres', this article takes a look back and the progression of Rush and their music. A nice read indeed.

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Closing out 1978 is one final, largely unfavorable review of Hemispheres which appeared in the December 12th, 1978 edition of 'Circus Magazine'. Written by Bart Testa, this review does point out some positive aspects of the album, its message and the band in general, but then again Testa also believes there may be some internal turmoil with the band due to the sub-title of La Villa Strangiato (an exercise in self-indulgence). I disagree with that assertion , but it is an interesting observation nonetheless.

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Moving on to 1979, this January 27th, 1979 'RPM Weekly' article titled Anthem's Rush Receive Gold, Platinum, Plaque talks about Rush's 'Hemispheres' going Gold in the U.S. In addition, Rush was awarded a plaque from the Canadian Consulate in Chicago in recognition of their contribution to music on an international basis. Some grainy but nice images of Rush (and the awarded plaque) are included.

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Up next is a nice, lengthy article titled Rushing Around by the late Maurice Rotheroe. I'm not certain where this article originally appeared, but it seems to have been written after Rush completed touring in support of 'Hemispheres'. Maurice talks to the band about their gear and their musical direction in this well-written four-page article. Make sure you read the last few closing paragraphs of the article which are rather enlightening.

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Let's time-warp to the 1980's with this next article/interview, simply titled Alex Lifeson. This originally appeared in the June 1984 edition of 'Free Music' magazine and was penned by long-time Rush photographer Andrew MacNaughtan. The discussion centers around the release of 'Grace Under Pressure' and the upcoming tour in support of the band's album.

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It's unclear where this next item originated, but it appears to be a legitimate list of '20 Questions with Geddy Lee' and was put together back in June 3rd, 1996.

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Shooting into the 21st century, this next article came from the now-defunct www.themusician.ca. The article/interview with Alex Lifeson, titled Rush: R30 and Beyond was written by Ken Kucharic back in mid-2004 after Rush completed their R30 tour and began work on releasing the concert on DVD.

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Moving closer to the era of 'Snakes and Arrows' is this next short interview with Geddy Lee from 'More Sugar' and written by Christopher Alo.

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In a bit of a change of pace, this next article take from the June 2006 edition of 'Ontario Golf' magazine focuses on Alex Lifeson's love of the game as well as his hand in developing a new golf course called Coppinwood in Uxbridge located in Toronto. The article, titled What A Rush was written by Robert Thompson with photos by Chris Gallow.

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Continuing on the Alex Lifeson theme is this next article/interview which originally appeared in the July 2006 edition of 'Guitar World'. Click HERE to read about what songs had the most impact on Alex's life, both in the past and today.

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Finally, we end this lengthy entry with a 'Dear Superstar' segment out of the April 2009 edition of 'Blender Magazine'. Titled simply Geddy Lee and written by Rob Tannenbaum, this humorous and often interesting question session with Geddy is actually quite revealing.

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That's it for now, everyone. Again, many thanks to Heiko and Eric for supplying this great information. And don't forget to check out the rest of the articles on the Rush: A Brief History of Time page.

There was a somewhat controversial (and from a male's point of view, humorous) commercial during the Superbowl for the Dodge Charger. The ad, called Man's Last Stand depicted a series of men and the stuggles they must endure in everyday life so they can, ultimately, choose the car THEY want to drive.

In the spoof ad, titled Woman's Last Stand, Rush is mentioned along with a series of other "endurances" made by women for their men. Funny stuff :-)

Thanks to Eric from Power Windows for the head's up.

The wait is almost over. The long-awaited documentary on Rush is tentatively scheduled to be released on May 18th. The documentary, which is being produced by Scot McFadyen and Sam Dunn of Toronto, Ontario, Canada's Banger Films Inc, has been in production for nearly two years.

Dunn and McFadyen were recently interviewed by Classic Rock magazine's Jerry Ewing about the first-ever feature film documentary on Geddy Lee, Alex Lifeson and Neil Peart.

"Geddy had been in [Dunn and McFadyen's previous documentary] 'Metal: A Headbanger's Journey' and we were thinking about other bands we could work with," explains McFadyen. "We felt that RUSH had always been overlooked by the critics so we met them on tour and they liked what we said. We started working on it, then IRON MAIDEN came about so we took a break to do that and raised the financing for the RUSH film. We've started on it now and done a load of interviews so now we're editing with a load of archival footage."

"We've been lucky. Not only have we had access to [RUSH management] SRO's archives but also Geddy, Alex and Neil's own personal archives," enthuses director Dunn. "I was just at Geddy's house this week. Going through his personal collection of memorabilia. I dug up some gems I don't think RUSH fans have ever seen so we're hoping to offer something new."

We'll provide ordering information for the documentary once it becomes available.

It's been a couple of days since the Opening Ceremonies of the 2010 Winter Olympics were held, and there is still plenty of confusion surrounding the issue of whether or not Rush was supposed to perform that night. Articles and rumors stating that Rush was supposed to be part of the opening ceremonies had been floating around for several days prior to the opening ceremonies. Then with the death of Georgia luger Nodar Kumaritashvili during a trial run on the day of the opening ceremonies, many thought that perhaps the segment with Rush was scrapped as it may have been deemed "too upbeat" considering the tragedy earlier in the day.

Now we get two conflicting reports about Rush being part of the closing ceremonies and/or the victory celebrations that are being held daily.

In this article, it clearly states that Rush will be among the many Canadian groups to perform in the 'The Victory Concert Series.'

However that seems to be contradicted by this official news story coming from the Olympics site that lists all of the headline performers for nightly Vancouver Victory Ceremonies. Rush, unfortunately, is not listed among the artists.

The only thing left that Rush could be a part of are the closing ceremonies at this point. We'll let you know if/when we hear more.

Update: February 13th, 2010 (12:05am EST) - Well, unfortunately it appears that the rumor of Rush performing during the opening ceremonies of the 2010 Winter Olympics was just that; a rumor. The impressive opening ceremonies featured several Canadian-born artists, but Rush was not among them. Ultimately, it's a shame as the ceremonies did an admirable job of showcasing the natural beauty - and talent - of Canada; a fitting tribute that Rush would have fit into nicely. I guess we can always hope for a superbowl halftime show appearance. If 'The Who' can do it, why not Rush? :-)

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Based on this new article, it now seems fairly certain that Rush will, in fact, perform during the opening ceremonies for the 2010 Winter Olympics which will air on NBC this Friday night at 9:00pm.

Meanwhile, Rush and 16-year-old Montreal jazz singer Nikki Yanofsky also seem to be involved. A publicist for the veteran Toronto rock trio and Yanofsky herself both responded to questions from The Canadian Press with no-comments, citing non-disclosure agreements.

"NDA, non-disclosure, we're not allowed to say anything," Yanofsky said when asked if she would perform.

This has been a hotly debated topic with many not certain that the Olympic ceremonies/organization is the proper venue for Rush. Wheather you agree with the arguments or not, I hope every fan takes the opportunity to watch the opening ceremonies if for nothing else but to see Rush perform live again for the first time since 2008.

We'll have video footage of the ceremony online once it becomes available.

Neil Peart has posted an update to the News, Weather, and Sports section of his website. In this entry, titled Fire on Ice, Neil reflects back on his admiration and connection with hockey as he grew up in Canada which led to not only connections with his future band mates, but more...

In adult life, music took precedence over sports, but my bandmates liked to watch hockey games on motel and studio lounge televisions, for example, so I did not escape observing and even getting involved-feeling the pain of becoming emotionally invested in something you were powerless to affect-like watching "your" team struggle and fail (that would be Toronto's Maple Leafs). Alex and Geddy had grown up in Toronto with longtime Montreal Canadiens forward Steve Shutt, and we would sometimes meet up with "Shuttie" in cities where we were both playing. (Further ironic that throughout our career, the band played in all of the NHL arenas, sharing the same "office space" as the hockey players.)

In the early '80s, touring with another Canadian band, Max Webster, we rented small hockey arenas after shows, suited up in skates and pads, and-in the middle of the night-played outrageously inept hockey for a couple of hours. (My ankles were stronger by then, and skates were better-but I still basically shuffled around the ice. Fun, though.)

Neil then goes on to discuss his involvement in the recording of the new drum-inspired hockey theme.

The timing for the “Hockey Theme” proposal was perfect. The band had been off that year, after three years of writing, recording, and touring, so I was eager for a new musical challenge. This one would be especially demanding, but I would have the time and energy to devote to it. And with the Blessed Event of Olivia Louise’s arrival that summer, it was great to be able to work close to home.

The entry has a number of great pictures of Neil with his special drum kit that was used in the recording of the hockey theme. You can check out the entire entry via this LINK.

Thanks to reader Charles Eckhardt for the heads up on the entry.

Several leaked reports are now suggesting that Rush may be performing during the opening ceremonies of the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, on February 12th. At this time, nothing official has been announced, however according to this article, it seems clear that the governing members of the Olympics and Vancouver are looking for prime examples of what Canada and Canadians can offer.

"The Opening Ceremony is our biggest chance to speak to a global audience and tell the story of a contemporary Canada that will inspire the world. So many talented Canadians have shared their thoughts and hopes for the ceremonies over the past six weeks and we are most grateful," said John Furlong, Chief Executive Officer of the Vancouver Organizing Committee for the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games (VANOC). We'd like to thank the Government of Canada for its generous contribution and their tremendous support in putting on spectacular ceremonies of which all Canadians can be proud."

The opening ceremony will air on NBC beginning at 9PM EST on Friday, February 12th. That said, one would expect that any involvement by Rush should be formally announced sometime this week. We'll let you know when we get the official word.

Update: The original link to the article was disabled for some reason, but I located an alternate link to the entire article. Click HERE to access it.

Canadian news site The Intelligencer has just posted an interview with Neil Peart where the discussion once again surrounds the future of Rush and his thoughts about the band's recording direction. This time around, however, Neil hints at the possibility of a much longer piece of music after he met with Porcupine Tree singer-guitarist Steven Wilson.

Anything's possible now; we can record a couple of songs and put them out and then go on tour if we want. So at this point, we're just embarking on writing, but keeping ourselves open to all those other possibilities. One of our early titles for this year was Research and Development. That's where we're at.

   Q. So you might start making music in smaller increments?

Or larger. I went to see a band called Porcupine Tree not long ago. And I was talking with (singer-guitarist) Steven Wilson. They just put out a 55- minute piece. That's a finger to the whole iTunes shuffle thing, and he intended it as such. And I thought, 'Yeah, that's another way of rebelling against it -- by just saying no.' There's too much lost in giving up the integrity of an album -- what it represents to you as a musician, and as a human being, for that matter. So I like that approach. That's very possible for a band like us. So there are no limitations; we might go big or we might go small.

You can read the entire interview via this LINK.

Many thanks to reader RushFanForever for passing along the news.

The new Guitar Center Magazine features Neil Peart on the cover and includes a interview with the Professor where he discusses his performing techniques, provides tips for other drummers and touches upon the recent, heavily debated subject about the the state of the recording industry and the impact it will have on Rush moving forward.

"I know that the mechanism that brought us up doesn't exist anymore," he says. "For instance, a perfect example of how reversed it is, in those days we made no money touring for a long time, even into the successful years. You counted on record sales and songwriting to make your living. And touring was a way to publicize that. Suddenly, in the last 10, 15 years all that turned around and our income is entirely from touring, and recording is an indulgence. In a band like Rush, no one's going to pay us to make a record. It's going to be an indulgence. Even Snakes and Arrows basically paid for itself and that's it, and if we want to make a living beyond that we have to go on the road and tour."

The entire article is available at the Guitar Center website.

Over the last couple of days, three separate articles on Rush appeared in various publications, including a lengthy and very interesting one which appeared in Walrus Magazine.

Beginning with the Walrus article, which is titled Living on a Lighted Stage: Are we finally ready to take Rush seriously?, writer Jason Anderson discusses the upcoming documentary on Rush which is being developed by Sam Dunn and Scot McFadyen. Interesting enough, the article indicates that the filmmakers have uncovered what is likely the oldest moving picture of a Rush performance; one that features John Rutsey on the drums:

The St. Catharines footage was discovered during research for the latest entry in this body of celebratory work, a new documentary by Toronto's Banger Films. Creators Sam Dunn and Scot McFadyen, the team behind such hard-rocking docs as Metal: A Headbanger's Journey and Iron Maiden: Flight 666, began the project in 2007 and may release it as early as this spring. Tentatively titled Rush: The Documentary, it is the first in-depth film about the group and its history. Besides never-before-seen footage like the Laura Secord show and photographs culled from the members' personal collections, the movie will include testimonials about Rush's greatness from members of Nirvana, Smashing Pumpkins, Metallica, and others inspired by the band over the past four decades.

To read the entire article, click HERE. Thanks to Ed from RushIsABand.Com for passing along the article.

The second article, titled 'Subdivisions': Listening Room Chief Learns Rush Holds The Key To Life takes an analytical, partially philosophical and sometimes meandering approach at discussing the impact of Rush on the music scene throughout their career.

My literary buddy Chuck Klosterman once wrote: "Somehow, Rush has purposefully or accidentally put themselves in a position where virtually anybody can make an oblique argument about what they represent. This is a common problem for hard rock bands, and especially for Rush; everyone wants to categorize them, but no one wants to claim them."

Klosterman goes on to quote Rush bassist and singer Geddy Lee: "It's funny. When you talk to metal people about Rush, eight out of 10 will tell you we're not a metal band. But if you talk to anyone outside of metal, eight out of 10 will tell you we are a metal band."

The entire article can be read via this HERE.

Finally, we are left with the following article: Rocker Joan Jett Bashes Rush. The title says it all so I'll let you read it to make your own determination on its merits. Thanks to Eric from Power Windows for passing along the article.

Before I get into some of the latest news stories related to Rush, I wanted to extend my congratulations to Beverley Wintjes of Ontario who was last month's big winner of the Holiday Rush Contest.

Some of you have been asking me about the mystery gift that was part of the larger prize package. Actually, there were two added mystery gifts; a guitar pick adorned with the classic Rush logo (from their debut album) as well as a mint-condition copy of the Roll The Bones tour book. Congratulations again, Bev, and thanks to everyone who entered the contest.

So with that said, let's get to some of the latest news stories...

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Geddy Lee Appearance on the 'Canadians For Haiti' Telethon: With the recent devastation in Haiti following a series of earthquakes, a number of Canadian celebrities organized the Canadians For Haiti Telethon which has raised over $9.4 million thus far. While Geddy Lee did not perform at the event, which aired last Friday night, he did make an appearance and spoke about the cause. You can view the video segment with Geddy via this LINK.

For additional information on the event, please click HERE.

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Permanent Waves Featured in the Current Issue of "Classic Rock": The new issue of Classic Rock Magazine time warps back 30 years to 1980 to "celebrate a pivotal 12 months in rock history". Among the albums and bands discussed is Rush's pivotal Permanent Waves

"'Permanent Waves was the step,' drummer Neil Peart recalls. 'It changed how we made records; it taught us to breathe, with Spirit...and Freewill. We were learning to be more concise too. A lot of lessons were learnt. Not least to step back from it all."

Thanks to RushFanForever for the head's up.

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Neil Peart 'Soulscape' Art Print: International artist Tom Noll, who is renowned for painting various musicians, is now making his original oil painting of Neil Peart, titled 'Soulscape', available for sale as a giclee art print. The print is 27" x 18" (68.6 cm x 45.7 cm) in size, is printed on 100 lb. cover stock using fade resistant UV inks.

Neil Peart provides unending energy that sparked this colorful and moving painting of him playing. I've pictured him here with his "Neil's Personal Model" sticks and the Drum Workshop set of red-painted DW maple shells with black hardware and gold "Snakes & Arrows" logos as featured on the Snakes & Arrows Tour.

Limited to a run of just 500 units, this extraordinary print sells for $350 plus shipping. Please click HERE for more information and a close-up view of the print. Thanks to Eric from Power Windows for the head's up.

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RushPetition.com Is Back: Skip Daly, webmaster of RushPetition.com, wanted me to let everyone know that his site has been re-launched in preparation for the possible 2010 Rush Tour. Skip's site takes your votes for the top five songs you would like Rush to play on the next tour. This time around, the song selections are those which have not been played in the last 20 years (i.e. the Presto tour). Worry not, there are still 85 songs to choose from. Cast your vote HERE.

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Caress Of Steel, A Record To Die For: Caress of Steel is one of my favorite Rush albums, as witnessed by the color schema of this site. Brian Damkroge, a writer for Stereophile recently listed CoS in his "Records To Die For" feature.

"Caress of Steel, Rush's third album narrowly edges out their fourth, 2112, as my R2D4. The sparse arrangements showcase their playing; in particular, Alex Lifeson's chord-based guitar style is shown off far better here than on their later, more complex albums. With Caress and 2112, Rush exploited the album format with longer, more developed operettas than were possible with their later focus on radio-friendly singles. Yes, 'I think Im going bald' is woefully out of place, the lyrics a little pretentious, and Geddy Lee's vocals are an acquired taste, but the music and sound are incredible. Rush at their very best."

Thanks to GeddyWannaBe for passing along the news.

That's all for now, folks.

While it may not be that "other" Hall of Fame, it's still exciting to hear that Rush will be inducted into the Canadian Songwriters Hall Of Fame on March 28th, according to this news article from Jam! Showbiz.

Toronto veteran progressive rock trio Rush lead the 2010 Canadian Songwriters Hall Of Fame inductees.

The group, made up of Geddy Lee, Alex Lifeson and Neil Peart, will join fellow inductee Robert Charlebois at the March 28 sixth annual gala at the Toronto Centre For The Arts' George Weston Recital Hall.

In total 11 songwriters, 16 songs - including the Rush classics Tom Sawyer, Limelight, The Spirit of Radio, Subdivisions and Closer to the Heart - and two Legacy Award recipients will be inducted.

Among the six classic Canadian songs being inducted this year are The Hockey Theme by Dolores Claman.

Please join me in congratulating the band on this honor.

At last week's NAMM show, Sonic Reality previewed their new Neil Peart Drums Volume I: The Kit sample library.

For the Winter NAMM show of 2010, Sonic Reality sound development company is proud to announce "Neil Peart Drums Vol. 1: The Kit", a sample library for BFD2 and Infinite Player, powered by Kontakt, as part of the Drum Masters series. Neil Peart, legendary drummer of the band "Rush", has collaborated with Sonic Reality and producer/engineer Nick Raskulinecz (Rush, Foo Fighters, Alice In Chains) to bring the authentic sound of Neil's "Snakes and Arrows' Custom DW® Drum Kit into the digital domain. With advanced features such as deep level dynamics, humanized random alternating hits, discrete multiple mic mixing and more, this deluxe sampled kit is an ultra-realistic recreation of Neil's actual acoustic set as used live on tour and in the studio.

Now, for the first time, e-drummers, keyboardists and composers can play rock drum samples with the iconic signature sound of drum legend - Neil Peart and have a world-class, hard-hitting drum kit suitable for many styles of music from Progressive Rock to Heavy Metal! Producer Nick Raskulinecz engineered the sample sessions with over 20 channels of Neve® mic preamps, deluxe vintage tube mics and multiple room positions for one of the most elaborate sampled drum kits ever. With the assistance of Don Lombardi and DrumChannel.com, every detail of "The Kit" was captured both in high-resolution audio and documented on video with a thorough explanation by Dave Kerzner of Sonic Reality on how the drums were sampled.

The kit is expected to go on sale later in Q1 of 2010. To read more about the product, click HERE.

Neil Peart's rock-laced version of the Hockey Theme made its official debut last night prior to the Philadelphia Flyers and Toronto Maple Leafs game. Two video versions of the theme are available online via this LINK.

After legendary Rush drummer Neil Peart recorded a new rock version of The Hockey Theme last month, the percussion-inspired rendition of ''Canada's second national anthem'' made its NHL on TSN debut Thursday night prior to the Philadelphia Flyers and Toronto Maple Leafs game.

Peart's unique rock version of The Hockey Theme will be used during select NHL on TSN broadcasts throughout the remainder of the NHL season. It will also be available for digital download on iTunes on Tuesday, January 19th.

The new version of The Hockey Theme showcases Peart on a custom drum kit by DW Drums featuring the logos of all 30 NHL teams. Peart and DW Drums are donating the custom kit to the Hockey Hall of Fame in Toronto, where it will be on display for hockey and music fans alike to enjoy.

The first section of the video has Neil performance interlaced with various hockey scenes. The second section replays the entire theme but all of the video reflects Neil's percussion prowess.

The new theme is already making waves and is garnering positive reviews, such as this one.

Some exciting, and yet ultimately controversial news surrounding Rush's next project was discussed by Neil Peart as reflected in this article from the Canadian Press. In it, Neil indicates that he has already begun writing lyrics for the next Rush project, while Geddy and Alex are preparing their Toronto studio, but the real shock, which has been hinted at in the past, is that Rush may not release the music in the traditional album format.

"We feel very much liberated from the album format in a way right now, because in the three years since our last album (2007's 'Snakes & Arrows'), suddenly albums don't mean anything," Peart told The Canadian Press in a telephone interview from his home in California.

"We're thinking of writing and recording a few songs and maybe releasing them, and playing them live, and then going back and doing some more later. We just feel really free (in terms) of what we might do right now.

"Anything is possible in the nicest way and we like the fact of shaking it all up."

Neil also discussed his new version of "The Hockey Theme," the iconic song that has opened broadcasts of "Hockey Night in Canada" for 40 years and which Neil Peart recorded late last year.

After being "blown away" by the invitation to recreate the classic tune, Peart decided on his approach: a "drum solo with horns."

Drawing on every trick in his drumming arsenal - and it's an understatement to say the famed percussionist has many - Peart tried to cram as many spectacular flourishes into the one-minute clip as he could.

He imbued a bit of a Latin flavour to the beat, included a breakneck snare fill and his classic double kick-drum fills, played with a tempo and phrasing that Peart says were unique for him.

He's hopeful that Canadians are willing to give his version a chance.

"I can only hope that it's received with the spirit and sincerity with which I offer it," he said.

Obviously, it's great to get some real confirmation that the band is working on new material but I'm sure more than one fan will take exception with the possibility that the material may not be released in the traditional album format.

Please share your thoughts in the comment section below. I'm sure this will be an ongoing conversation/debate/discussion for months to come.

Thanks to Ed from RushIsABand.Com for forwarding along the news.

In The Studio with Redbeard will be airing a special hour-long rockumentary radio show highlighting the 30th Anniversary of Rush's Permanent Waves during the course of the week. The special is expected to include interview segments with all three members of Rush, presumably from earlier "In The Studio" interviews.

From the website:

There is no more democratic band in rock than Rush. They have always divided up various responsibilities equally among the three members, including doing interviews. Therefore, album after album and tour after tour it would be one bandmember's turn to "meet the press." While Rush has always been graciously accessible, I must confess that never was more than one member ever made available.

By the time this session occurred I had already interviewed Rush bass guitarist/singer Geddy Lee twice, so I was reasonably confident on what to expect. Imagine my shock when Lee (family name Weinrib) matter-of-factly answered my first question ,regarding his earliest recollections of music while growing up, by replying," I came from a family of immigrants, basically. My parents survived the Holocaust in Poland, and then married after the war and moved to Canada. I was basically brought up in a household that had survived turbulent times, to say the least, so there was a total rebuilding in a new country, in a new culture, & trying to adapt. Music wasn't a prevalent and over-riding thing in our family."

I was stunned. There was nothing in any rock reference book or band biography to prepare me for this revelation. The enormity of what Geddy was saying, in a measured but sober tone, left me speechless for several minutes, although it felt like an eternity before I regained my composure. Everything I had prepared to ask Lee about Rush's breakthrough 1980 album Permanent Waves suddenly seemed so trivial, so shallow and inconsequential. Since then I have tried to keep some perspective on the relative importance of this rock'n'roll game in the search for real truth, real meaning in life.

Click HERE for a list of radio stations that will be carrying the segment. The In The Studio website will likely also re-air the segment directly on their website sometime next week.

Thanks to RushIsABand.Com for the heads up.

Sabian.Com recently posted a short article/interview with Neil Peart where the Professor discusses the new Paragon Brilliant Cymbals:

The evolution of Paragon Brilliant is about more than spit and polish. It began with the pursuit of the openness and responsiveness of an older cymbal, right "out of the bag."

I have always found that brand-new cymbals have a certain "tightness," both in their physical response and in their sound, and it takes a few shows to play them in. Then they loosen up and start to "dance" on the stand, and the swell of sound from attack to decay would become smooth and open.

When I was talking about that quality to the dedicated cymbal-makers at SABIAN, they took it as a kind of challenge: how can we build that "played-in" quality into the cymbals?

Read more via this LINK.

Thanks to Eric from Power Windows for the news.

Following along the lines of the 2010 Rush Wall Calendar theme, which celebrated the 30th Anniversary of the release of Permanent Waves, the 2011 Rush Wall Calendar will celebrate the 30th anniversary of the release of Moving Pictures, as witnessed by this official announcement from NMR Distribution.

However the real news stems from the footnote on the page that indicates a "New LP due out in 2010 supported by a tour."

Granted, this isn't as reassuring as an official announcement from the band, but given all the recent news about Geddy, Alex and Neil getting together to discuss their future, it is certainly encouraging.

Thanks to reader GeddyWannaBe for the heads up.

A recent article in MovieEntertainment.Ca titled Essential Music Library Items asked some notable musicians about essential items for anyone's music library. Alex Lifeson was tapped for the survey and had this to say about Led Zeppelin I, among others:

"Certainly, that first Led Zeppelin album (1969) was pretty spectacular, and the more I hear that album lately the more I appreciate it. We don't have records like that anymore, where a record comes out and everybody just goes crazy over it, and it seems to change things and creates a whole new direction. Maybe it was because I was 15 years old and that's the kind of music that I always wanted to hear. It just really left a huge mark on me. For me personally, Electric Ladyland (1968) was a real turnaround record. (Jimi) Hendrix was incredible, but that record just had a feel to it and a character that can't be missed."

You can read the entire article via this LINK.

Thanks to Eric from Power Windows for sharing the news.

First and foremost, I'd like to wish everyone a Happy New Year! Welcome to 2010 (or in Rush terms, 102 years away from 2112). I took a small sabbatical from the site over the past week or so to celebrate the holidays with friends and family. I hope you all had a nice holiday season as well. With that in mind, let's get to the latest Rush news.

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The 3rd Annual Cygnus-X1.Net Holiday Rush Contest Is Over: This year's Holiday Rush Contest is now over. Nearly 1,000 entries were submitted this year so thanks to everyone who participated. The winning entry has been selected at random and the winner has been contacted. I'll post more about the winner once I get a response. As for the poll, click HERE to see the final results. Also, thanks to many of you who sent in some great comments regarding your 'favorite' decade :)

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Guitar Aficionado Interview With Alex Lifeson: The current issue of Guitar Aficionado, with John McEnroe on the cover, includes the interview "Golfing With Alex Lifeson of Rush". There are a number of pictures of Alex in action, including this one. Thanks to RushFanForever for the article and to Eric from Power Windows for the news.

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Trailer Park Boys 2: Countdown To Liquor Day Now On DVD: Trailer Park Boys 2: Countdown To Liquor Day, the second Canadian comedy film featuring the bad boys from the trailer park, is now available on DVD. Once again, Alex Lifeson makes a cameo appearance, this time as a cross-dressing undercover policeman:

"Of course, there's the de rigueur appearance by Rush guitarist Alex Lifeson, here playing a drunken, undercover cop posing as a transvestite in a gay-prostitute alley (centered around a Chip Wagon that serves alcohol -- man, Halifax is one weird town). The character may indeed be the same cop Lifeson played in the previous Trailer Park Boys movie, showing his true colours."

Click HERE to order the DVD from Amazon.Com.

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Lifeson makes VH1's 100 Most Shocking Music Moments: It was six years ago when Alex Lifeson and his son Justin were arrested in Naples, FL at the Ritz-Carlton hotel in Naples, Florida after an altercation with the local police. The incident was #62 on VH1's list of the 100 Most Shocking Music Moments. The list also aired on the music station this past Monday night. Thanks to RushIsABand.Com for the heads up.

That's all for now. Again, I wish everyone a happy, healthy and Rush-filled 2010.

DarkStar, the interactive sci-fi epic video game which has been in development for nearly a decade now and intertwines nearly two dozen Rush songs into the game play, is now completely finished and expected to be released in 2010. Eric from Power Windows has been conversing with DarkStar director and producer J. Allen Williams who provided the following update on the game:

We are now negotiating with Universal and Atlantic to include the following songs to be featured in the feature length scifi film that serves as back-story to the project: Anthem, Bastille Day, The Twilight Zone, Cygnus X-1, Cygnus X-1 Book II, Tom Sawyer, YYZ, The Camera Eye, Witch Hunt, Vital Signs, Subdivisions, Red Sector A, The Enemy Within, Red Lenses, Mystic Rhythms, Manhattan Project, Time Stand Still, Test for Echo, Time and Motion, Limbo, One Little Victory and Nocturne. The band and their management has approved the use of all of these songs, but final negotiations must be completed with Universal and Atlantic before we can announce the final songlist. We're hoping we can include this entire list.

The producers are also requesting Rush fans to take a brief survey which will aid in getting the video game out to the market. The producers of DarkStar have also indicated that "A substantial level of interest from RUSH fans in this survey will bolster the studio's ability to show it's publisher (and also Universal and Atlantic) that the fans would like to see the band represented in such a project, and that they would be interested in purchasing it as well.

The band and their management team have always stood behind this project. Now we, the fans, can add our voice to it as well. So please take a couple of minutes to take the survey via this LINK.

Thanks to Eric from Power Windows for sharing the news.

Bubba's Bar -n- Grill, the section of Neil Peart's website that showcases some of his own personal recipes, has some new merchandise for sale including a replica of the hockey jersey Neil wore when recording the new hockey theme earlier this month.

Also available are items such as a black and white bowling shirt, a pink bowling shirt, men's and women's t-shirts, tote bags, aprons and more.

You can see all that Neil is offering through the Bubbawares Official Store.

And don't forget to check out all the content at the Bubba's Bar -n- Grill website.

Late last month we let you know that Neil Peart was tapped to record an updated rock-inspired version of the Hockey Theme. Neil, along with with seventeen other musicians recorded the theme on Tuesday and a sneak-peak video of part of the recording session is now available online.

Armed with a team of top recording engineers and musicians, legendary Canadian drummer Neil Peart of Rush recorded a new rock version of The Hockey Theme on Tuesday for TSN. Peart recorded his percussion-focused rendition of ''Canada's second national anthem'' at the iconic Ocean Way Studios in Hollywood on Monday and Canada's Sports Leader was there to capture every moment.

Read the entire article plus view the short video via this LINK.

And make sure you check out Neil's jersey, properly adorned with the number '3' and name 'RUSH' on the back. :-)

Stumped over what to get your girlfriend/wife/significant other for the upcoming holidays? How about a nice piece of custom designed jewelry that was inspired by Rush? Katy Bransfield of Between Sun and Moon Jewelry has a new selection of holiday/Rush themed items for sale, like the pair of earrings aptly named "The Bell Tolls For Thee" pictured to the right.

Katy is also offering up a special shipping discount for Cygnus-X1.Net visitors. Simply use the code word 'CYGNUS' when ordering and you'll receive Free US Priority Mail with a $30.00 purchase.

The order deadline to insure a Christmas delivery is Thursday 12/17/09.

Thanks to Katy for providing this discount to our visitors.

The Blu-Ray edition of Rush R30 is now available. Aside from the new high-definition format, the Blu-Ray version of this classic Rush video concert also restores the following tracks which were omitted from the originally released DVD version:

Bravado, YYZ, The Trees, One Little Victory, Secret Touch, Red Sector A, La Villa Strangiato and By-Tor and the Snow Dog.

"Some of the songs were dropped from R30 due to technical reasons but also we didn't want to have too many similarities with Rush In Rio. Why not? Well, I think now that it was a dumb decision of ours. In fact I regret not having put the whole show on those disks. But I promise you, all those songs that were cut will eventually see the light of day, in some shape or form." - Geddy Lee, Aardschok Magazine, March 2006

The only downside to the Blu-Ray version is that it does not include the bonus disk which contained over 90 minutes of interviews and additional bonus features that was included with the DVD release.

You can order your copy of the the Blu-Ray R30 via Amazon.Com.

Last month we let you know about the latest issue of "The Edge" magazine, which comes from the DW Drum Workshop's, that included an article titled "Neil Peart & John Good discuss The Finer Points Of DW's Shell Technology".

The complete video interview for Neil and John is now online via YouTube (See Below).

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To read the article associated with the video, see page 9 on this PDF File or check out more information on the magazine via this LINK.

Thanks to reader RayM for passing along the news.

As we reported earlier this week, Geddy Lee took part in the 25th Anniversary of CIBC's Miracle Day. According to some fan reports who attended the event, Geddy indicated that he expects the band to enter the studio "very, very soon" and that they are "hoping to then tour this summer (2010)".

Given that Alex has made some similar statements in recent interviews, it would seem that the possibilities of some fresh Rush material in 2010 may actually be realistic.

Thanks to Ed from RushIsABand.Com for the headsup!

According to Power Windows, Alex Lifeson's 1996 solo project Victor is expected to be re-issued by Wounded Bird Records some time in the near future.

Wounded Bird Records specializes in the reissue of albums from the 60's, 70's and early 80's on CD, and all of their releases are properly licensed from the owner of the original masters.

The exact release date is not yet known but for those of you who still don't have this exceptional solo effort, you can still pick up a copy via Amazon.Com.

Thanks to Eric from Power Windows for the news.

As we enter the final month of 2009, Cygnus-X1.Net is once again holding a year-end Holiday Rush Contest with another great prize package. This year, the prizes center around the recent release of Rush's Live Compilation CD/DVD "Working Men" but there are some other great prizes as well.

To see the complete prize package and to submit your entry form, please click HERE. The winner will be selected at random on or around December 24th.

Good luck, everyone and happy holidays!

CIBC Miracle Day is held on the first Wednesday in December during which CIBC's wholesale banking sales and trading staff and CIBC Wood Gundy Investment Advisers donate their fees and commissions to children's charities. CIBC Miracle Day is one of Canada's largest one-day corporate fundraising events devoted to children's charities. All funds raised are donated to over 400 children's charities in communities across Canada.

The fundraising event has raised over $50 million for more than 1,000 children's charities across Canada since its inception in 1984. Today from 10AM until Noon the CIBC will be hosting the media for a celebration of the 25th anniversary of Miracle Day. Among the special guests will be Rush's Geddy Lee.

For more information, click HERE.

Thanks to RushIsABand.Com for the news.

According to Drum Channel's Twitter Page, Neil Peart has been filming a special on Classic Rush Albums for VH-1. From the Twitter Site:

"Neil Peart was in the DC Studios again yesterday filming a special on Classic Rush albums for VH1... look for it soon!"

Thanks to RushIsABand.Com for the news.

Rush, along with Led Zeppelin, Ratt, Twisted Sister, Cream, Bad Company, Stone Temple Pilots and others are among the artists featured on "Atlantic Records Time Capsule", which celebrates the iconic label's past and present through music, images, and words. The most comprehensive project ever devoted to the Atlantic story, this numbered, limited edition collection spans the label's entire history, from its inception in 1947 to the present day. "Time Capsule" is housed in a custom-designed metallic box featuring:

Nine CDs containing 165 tracks from 141 artists spanning more than six decades

DVD of the acclaimed PBS "American Masters" documentary, "Atlantic Records: The House That Ahmet Built"

140-page book featuring over 200 rare and/or previously unseen photographs from the Atlantic archives; reflections and stories from artists and other key players in the company's history; and a complete Atlantic timeline

Boxed set exclusive 45 rpm vinyl single reissue of Atlantic's first hit, "Drinkin' Wine, Spo-Dee-O-Dee" by "Stick" McGhee and His Buddies (1949)

Reproductions of memorabilia and vintage swag, including posters, handbills, ticket stubs, lyrics, backstage passes, and more

Individually numbered certificate of authenticity

You can order the boxset via Amazon.Com at this LINK.

Peter Criss of KISS fame was a special guest during the season finalale of VH1 Classic's That Metal Show this past Saturday. The episode's "Throwdown" segment was geared towards the best rock instrumental with Rush's YYZ going up against Led Zeppelin's Moby Dick. YYZ won the competition which led Criss to discuss his memories of touring with Rush back in 1974-75.

"I consider them brothers. They were like brothers to me. More so than Gene and Ace and Paul. I hung with them personally. Like, after every night we would go out - true story ... and we were in Holiday Inns then, not Ritz Carlton's or Four Seasons ... - and we would get on the balcony in a snowstorm, get all the blankets from everybody's room, cover ourselves with them like Eskimos and share a bottle of Johnnie Walker red. We got along so great. We talked about our wives - how we missed them, and our kids and how we missed them, and our moms and dads. We got to be really good friends. I love those guys. Those guys could never do wrong in my book."

You can view the episode via this LINK.

Thanks to Eric from Power Windows for the news and photo.

Dateline: Tuesday, January 1st, 1980. Rush releases Permanent Waves to open up the 80's decade and the rest, as they say, was history. Now, thirty years later, both Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson will celebrate the anniversary of that album with an appearance on In The Studio - The Stories Behind History's Greatest Rock Bands.

The special is expected to air during the week of January 11th, 2010. Please click HERE for more information.

And speaking of Permanent Waves, those interested in learning the story behind the cover art should check out this fascinating write-up put together by Eric over at Power Windows.

Update: Both Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson were in attendance at the ceremony last night. Photos of the event, which include several of Geddy and Alex are available HERE. Thanks to RushIsABand.Com for the headsup on the photos.

SOCAN (The Society of Composers, Authors and Music Publishers of Canada), the copyright collective for musical works, gives annual awards for Canada's top acts and recognizes songs and artists who get the most airplay. At Monday night's award ceremony, Rush was honored with the International Achievement Award.

Rush is coming off a year of successful international touring and the release of its album Snakes & Arrows Live. The band, which first toured in 1974, is also wooing a new generation by releasing its classic songs for download on the game Rock Band.

Other winners as well as additional information on SOCAN and the award ceremony can be read via this LINK.

Over the last few days, each of the members of Rush have been in the news for non-Rush related topics.

Starting off with Neil, the Professor has been tapped to record a new version of "The Hockey Theme".

To most Canadians, ice hockey is _the_ sport to play (although their national sport is lacrosse). Almost every child in the great white north dreams of becoming a professional hockey player. Neil Peart of the legendary Canadian band Rush was no exception. Thankfully for a great number of us, Neil decided to take on another passion instead - drumming. His dreams of playing hockey never died, and although he's not going to be suiting up for any NHL team anytime soon, he's going to be re-doing their anthem. According to TSN, Neil has been asked to record a special rendition of "The Hockey Theme" to be used for all TSN and RDS broadcasts throughout the year.

Some additional details on this announcement can be found HERE.

Moving on to Alex; his time spent in 2006 while recording a song for the soundtrack of Trailer Park Boys: The Movie led to a generous gift that helped to change the life on a fellow guitarist.

Die Mannequin singer-guitarist Care Failure (aka Caroline Kawa) cites Alex as one of the factors for turning her life around:

Another dedicated non-wanker who's had a big effect on Failure is Alex Lifeson. In one of those 'Here ya go, kid' moments, the legendary Rush guitarist presented her with one of his Paul Reed Smith guitars, just when she needed it most.

'There was like a six-month period where if I didn't have that guitar I don't know what I would have been doing,' she says. 'He gave me that guitar and a bag of pedals, and more importantly some real nice messages that trip through your head.'

The helpful advice and colossal freebies from good samaritans like Lifeson, her 'musical sugar daddy', have helped Failure turn her once-troubled life around to the point where you question the validity of her stage name. But she has no regrets about choosing that moniker or anything else.

You can read more about Die Mannequin and their lead-singer Care Failure HERE.

Finally on to Mr. Lee. He was quoted in a recent article on Garret Herman; a local collector of rare Charles Darwin and related books.

Mr. Herman owns more than 5,000 volumes of Darwin's works and gives speeches on the scientist to groups such as the New York Academy of Medicine. His house, which also contains a scale model of the HMS Beagle as well as countless letters and ephemera, has become a nesting spot for many species of Darwin specialists.

At the same time, he was cultivating a reputation around town as a major book hound. 'Every rare book store seems to know Garrett,' mused musician Geddy Lee, another book lover who knows Mr. Herman from the Toronto chapter of Grapes for Humanity, a charity of oenophiles that raises money for land-mine victims. 'I was once at David Mason, hoping to buy this book, but it was already on hold for Garrett,' the Rush singer said, bemused. 'Everything was on hold for Garrett!'

You can read more about Mr. Garrett's collection via this LINK.

And finally, one for you iTunes fans, check out this Rush-laced article on the Complete Guide to Album Tagging, Art and Playlists in iTunes.

According to a recent posting at Bravewords.com, a pair of Canadian Music Documentaries which include segments on Rush and interviews with Geddy Lee are now available on DVD.

This Beat Goes On: Canadian Pop Music In The 1970's and Rise Up: Canadian Pop Music In The 1980's are truly unique visual documentations of the history of Canadian music and the artists that helped define these eras. Both affectionately explore the music scene here with great detail, maximizing incredible archival footage and interviews. Following their recent preview airing on CBC Television, the DVD's will be available on December 8, 2009, making for a perfect addition to all music lovers' collections. A portion of the proceeds from the sales of this DVD will go to support MusiCounts, Canada's music education charity associated with The Canadian Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences, which helps to keep music alive in schools across the country.

'This Beat Goes On' tells the story of Canadian music in the 1970's, a ground-breaking era of great sounds, from glam and progressive rock to punk and reggae. Set in the formative years of Canada's music industry This Beat Goes On features a jukebox of chart-topping songs along with archival footage and candid interviews from the who's who in the Canadian music scene during that time, including bonus segments/artists interviews (not previously aired) with DAN HILL, JOE KEITHLEY, BOB AND DANIEL LANOIS, STEVEN LECKIE, MURRAY MCLAUCHLAN, CAROLE POPE, NASH THE SLASH and VALDY.

'Rise Up' looks at the digital age of Canadian music in the 1980's, a visual era of big hair and shoulder pads, when music videos helped propel homegrown artists to the international stage. Blending illuminating interviews with thrilling concert footage and video's, Rise Up takes viewers on a thrilling ride into the decade's pop stratosphere. From hip-hop to pop to country and new wave, the DVD documents the global rise of Canadian music with a treasure trove of classic hits and cult classics. Also included are bonus segment/artist interviews (not previously aired) with BRUCE COCKBURN, TOM COCHRANE, GOWAN, RUSH's GEDDY LEE, MAESTRO, MITSOU and ROBBIE ROBERTSON.

Both DVD's: written by Nicholas Jennings; directed by Gary McGroarty; and produced by Nick Orchard, Randolph Eustace-Walden and Pierre L. Touchette. This is a Soapbox /Amérimage-Spectra co-production with executive producer Luc Châtelain.

These two volumes follow in the footsteps of the critically heralded Shakin' All Over: Canadian Pop Music In The 1960's' and continue where the story there left off - introducing fans to the next era of iconic artists that help shape the country we are today!

You can pre-order the DVD's from Amazon below:

Beat Goes On: Canadian Pop Music in the 70's

Rise Up: Canadian Pop Music in the 1980's

A preview clip of 'This Beat Goes On' is available HERE.

A list of the songs featured in the documentaries is available HERE.

Many thanks to reader RushFanForever for passing along the news.

During the recent Windsor International Film Festival, Tom Lucier had the opportunity to interview Scot McFadyen and Sam Dunn who are the filmmakers behind the upcoming Rush: The Documentary project.

The 5-minute interview, which sheds some exciting light into the project, can be listed to via this link from Blabbermouth.Net.

The new issue of "The Edge" magazine, which comes from the DW Drum Workshop's, includes an article titled "Neil Peart & John Good discuss The Finer Points Of DW's Shell Technology".

Hello. Neil Peart here. I'm with Professor John Good and he is going to explain to us a very complicated subject. I'm just going to be the chief device for exposition. I'm the student, as I always like to say here at Drum Workshop. I'm the student and resident, always glad to learn from all of the great drummers that come through and John about the nuances of drum construction. He's going to tell us today about something called 'Specialized Shell Construction' and everything that covers and as we've applied it between the two of us in instruments and as John is going to make available to all drummers, a truly individual choice in each shell and its note and response that you can combine together as you wish, really, in the creation of your own custom DW drum set.

To read the entire article, see page 9 on this PDF File or check out more information on the magazine via this LINK.

Thanks to reader RayM for passing along the news.

The Big Story of Small Potatoes is a new documentary about Niagara's (New York/Canada) music scene which is expected to be released later this month. The documentary "explores the roots of the lost music scene of Niagara, circa 1964-1974," and includes Neil Peart along with one of his early bands JR Flood performing the song "Giant Killer".

This may be the earliest recorded footable of Neil available anywhere so it's certainly creating a buzz around the Rush community.

For more information, please check out http://miil.ca/.

Thanks to Eric from Power Windows for sharing the news.

Working Men, the first "Best of Live" offering from Rush, has been released today and is available for order via Amazon.Com

Anthem Entertainment has announced the release of "WORKING MEN," the first 'best of' live performance compilation from renowned rock trio Rush. Due in stores and online November 17th, the collection will be released on DVD in partnership with Rounder and on CD via Atlantic Records outside of Canada.

Culled from Anthem Entertainment and Z Vision's three other Rush DVD releases - Rush in Rio, R30 & Snakes & Arrows Live - "WORKING MEN" features live recordings of the band's greatest hits as well as one previously unreleased track , "One Little Victory" (see attached track listing).

Rush - Geddy Lee, Alex Lifeson, and Neil Peart - is without question one of the most inventive and compelling groups in rock history, equally famed for both its virtuoso musicianship and provocative songwriting. Just last year, a career-chronicling Rolling Stone feature praised the band for its continuing artistic vitality, noting that "It's true that Rush doesn't mean today what it did in '76 or even '96. It may mean more." The sentiment was echoed in subsequent pieces published earlier this year in Entertainment Weekly and Spin. Rush's enduring pop culture relevance is perhaps best evidenced by a pair of high profile appearances - a rare national television performance and interview on Comedy Central's "The Colbert Report" in 2008 (the band's first TV appearance since 1975), and a pivotal role in the storyline of the hit comedy, I Love You, Man. Released this past spring, the band also made a memorable cameo in the! film, which starred Paul Rudd and Jason Segal.

Since releasing their self-titled debut album in 1974, Rush has achieved worldwide sales exceeding 35 million units, including such acclaimed works as 1976's "2112," 1981's "MOVING PICTURES," 1996's "TEST FOR ECHO," and 2002's "VAPOR TRAILS." The band's most recent studio collection, 2007's "SNAKES & ARROWS," made a triumphant debut on the Billboard 200 upon its initial release, entering the chart in the #3 spot. The album's success marked Rush's highest chart debut since 1993, as well as the group's eleventh top ten album in the U.S.

For more information, please visit www.rush.com.

"WORKING MEN" Track Listing:

Limelight
The Spirit of Radio
2112;
Freewill;
Dreamline
Far Cry
Subdivisions
One Little Victory (previously unreleased)
Closer to the Heart
Tom Sawyer
Working Man
YYZ

Click HERE for the official Press Release (PDF File, 1.5mb).

Also look for internal image scans and complete liner notes to be uploaded to the site within the next couple of days.

The Boys Are Back (Yes, Those Boys). The Drunk and on Drugs Happy Funtime Hour, a narrative sketch comedy show starring Mike Smith, Robb Wells and JP Tremblay, also known as Bubbles, Ricky, and Julian from the hit Showcase series Trailer Park Boys has been greenlit for production and is expected to debut in Fall 2010.

According to several news reports, Alex Lifeson, who has appeared in previous Trailer Park Boy ventures, will appear in the new show.

The storyline goes like this: Three grown men are working on a children's show called The Happy Funtime Hour in the sleepy town of Port Cockerton (of course). The guitarist from the rock band Rush, Alex Lifeson - a friend of the boys since starring as himself in the third season - shows up as a scientist to teach children about nutrition, but somehow creates an addictive hallucinogen from local berries. The cast then unknowingly eats the drug and begins to believe they are the characters they are playing on the show - including soldiers, police, pirates, playboys from a 1980s television show and a group of not-very-super superheroes.

"The idea (to get Lifeson to play) the kid's scientist that more accidentally than on purpose gets the cast addicted to these things, it seems like a good fit," said Smith. "He's always done this thing where he'll do a crazy German accent and pop in some fake teeth and when we were writing this character, it seemed perfect for him."

For more information, please click HERE.

Thanks to reader ArsenalFC for the headsup.

The 5-part, 4+ hour documentary "Rush Road Crew" documentary, which originally aired on HD TV in Canada last year, is now available for sale via Amazon.Com for $24.99.

"Go behind the scenes to get a backstage look at what it takes to present the legendary band Rush during the 2008 Snakes & Arrows Concert Tour. It may appear to be one of the most exciting and glamorous jobs in the world - but being a roadie with a top-rated world-famous rock and roll band can be a grueling marathon of 18 hour work days, on an easy day. A bad is actually a couple of days, 40 hours spent hauling gear, assembling huge stacks of speakers, lifting them a hundred feet in the air, tuning instruments for demanding musicians and being cut off from every lover, friend and relative you have. This series takes you to the show you never see when you take your seat for a concert by the legendary band Rush. All the backstage secrets are revealed."

The documentary was filmed in High Definition and Dolby 5.1 surround audio during the Canadian leg of the 2007 Snakes and Arrows tour.

Thanks to RushIsABand.Com for the news.

Alex Lifeson will be one of the presenters at the 24th annual Gemini Awards, which will be televised this Saturday, November 14 at 9 p.m. ET/PT on Global and Showcase (check local listings).

"The Gemini Awards will salute "Corner Gas", "Royal Canadian Air Farce" and "Trailer Park Boys" for their outstanding and enduring contributions to the Canadian television industry. Having recently wrapped their final seasons, these influential comedies will be honored by the Academy with a special look back at their funniest moments on air. Cast members from each show will be on hand to accept their award. "

Click HERE to read the complete press release.

According to the National Post, Geddy Lee will appear as a guest judge at the great Canadian chef cook-off known as the Gold Medal Plates happening on Thursday, November 19 at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre in Toronto, Ontario.

Gold Medal Plates is the ultimate celebration of Canadian excellence in cuisine, wine, entertainment and athletic achievement. Celebrating in six cities across Canada in 2009, Gold Medal Plates will feature superb wines and the premier chefs in each city, paired with Canadian Olympic and Paralympic athletes, in a competition to crown a gold, silver and bronze medal culinary team in each city, and subsequently nationwide.

Founded in 2003, the goal of Gold Medal Plates is to raise substantial funds for Canada's high-performance athletes, while celebrating Canadian excellence. Since 2004, this event has received tremendous support and accolades all across Canada, and generated a combined net total of CAD $2.8 million for Canada's Olympic and Paralympic athletes.

For more information, visit GoldMedalPlates.com.

The recent news from Neil Peart about the members of the band meeting this month in Los Angeles to discuss the "future" is still creating quite a buzz in the Rush community. Hopefully we'll get some tidbits of information after the meeting takes place. In the mean time, here are some additional news stories from the world of Rush...

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Kidney Foundation of Canada's Brush of Hope Auction Underway: As we reported last month, Alex Lifeson has donated another one of his original paintings to this year's A Brush of Hope Project. The auction is now underway and you can bid directly on Alex's painting via this LINK. The auction ends on November 15th.

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Paul Northfield Interview Now Online: A new interview with long-time Rush engineer and producer Paul Northfield is now online at RecordingHacks.com. In the interview, Paul discusses his work on such Rush classics as Permanent Waves, Moving Pictures and Vapor Trails along with other great albums that he's had a hand in over the years.

Thanks to Eric from Power Windows for the news.

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Ari Gold of "Adventures Of Power" Interviews Neil Peart: The producer and star of the hit rock movie "Adventures of Power" Ari Gold interviews Neil Pearts in a new video which is currently being shown at DrumChannel.Com. Click HERE to view the clip.

Adventures Of Power is a comedy film about one man's quest to win an "air-drumming" competition, has finally made it to theaters in a limited capacity.The film, which premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in January 2008, includes a cameo by Neil Peart. In addition, "Tom Sawyer" is heard during the film's trailer, which includes a glimpse of a Rush poster.

In honor of the film's release, check out the all new "Power Versus Peart" live video: "Neil Peart on drums. Power on air drums. In honor of ADVENTURES OF POWER 'The best rock movie in many a year!' - Neil Peart".

Thanks (once again) to Eric from Power Windows for the news.

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Rush Sightings: There have been a couple of Rush sightings on network television of late. The first occurred during the October 23rd airing of ABC's Jimmy Kimmel Live. During a Balloon-Boy related skit, a man appears wearing a Rush Star-Man t-shirt. Thanks to Bigbeeks for the heads up on that sighting.

On the November 4th airing of CBS's sitcom "Gary Unmarried" starring Jay Mohr, Rush was mentioned on the show by Jay Mohr's character "Gary". He made a comment saying "There should be Rush or AC/DC playing.". Thanks to reader Dave Daron for the info on this sighting.

Finally, I've been receiving a large amount of classic articles from Heiko Klages so I'll be updating the Rush: A Brief History of Time page within the next week.

That's it for now, all.

Neil Peart has updated the News, Weather, and Sports section of his website with an entry titled Autumn Serenade. In it, Neil discusses his passion for drumming, his lack of a 'home studio' and how he had the opportunity to play a "beautiful practice kit" in the Drum Channel's studio. Several pictures, including the one to the right, were taken of Neil playing "aimlessly" on the "autumnal harmony" finished kit.

But the real news in this entry is the fact that the Geddy and Alex will be meeting with Neil this month to discuss the band's future. From Neil's entry:

In this autumn of 2009, the three of us are poised on another kind of 'reinvention'. We have agreed to meet in Los Angeles in November, and discuss our future. We learned many years ago that when we finish one long project, like a two-year tour following a year or so of writing and recording for Snakes and Arrows, we don't make any further plans for a while. It's good to feel truly free for a time, and to clear your mind to focus on what you'd really like to do next.

Of course, these are parlous times in the music business, so our time-honored pattern of touring, recording, and touring is no longer the obvious way to do things. The music world, or at least the business of it, is very different now, even since 2006, when we began work on Snakes and Arrows. The importance of 'the album' is not what it was, and there is currently a reversion to a musical climate rather like the 1950s, when only 'the song' matters. Radio, downloads, and 'shuffle' settings are inimical to collected works. Because of that reality, record company advances that used to pay for album projects are a thing of the past, so if that was what we wanted to do, we'd be on our own.

To this point, the three of us haven't even discussed what we might discuss, so to speak, so our ideas and shared enthusiasm for the entity of Rush will be fresh, spontaneous, and quite likely exciting. For myself, I'm open to anything we can all agree on (I've pointed out before that in a three-piece band, we need consensus, not democracy, it's no good having one outvoted and unhappy member). My favorite group activity is always songwriting and recording, and I've got some lyrical ideas and those new drumming frontiers to explore. However, those rhythmic concepts would also be inspiring for a new drum solo, if we decided to do a tour of some kind, maybe with an orchestra. We could write and record just a few songs, and release them some way. Or there were a couple of film-and-music projects we had discussed in the past. In any case, there are enough possibilities for future collaboration, and I am curious to see what we'll come up with.

Exciting, interesting news to be sure. It seems that truly anything is possible for the band moving forward.

To read the entire entry from Neil, click HERE.

It should come as no surprise to any frequent visitor to this site that I have a deep appreciation for the artwork and visual imagery of Rush. To that end, I'm thrilled to let every know about this next news entry. United Kingdom digital artist Graham Whieldon is creating limited edition digital fine art prints which are directly inspired by Rush.

Rush were a constant unconditional companion, lighting my way through the confusing labyrinth of early adulthood. Somehow they always knew the right path to take, and as I now venture into my second half of life, still their music matches my step and lights the way.

Creative inspiration is often hard to come by, but Rush as a catalogue of reference is a strangely untapped motherlode. Songs are stories, they provoke images with their lyrics as any written or spoken story does. Stories have been illustrated for millenia, so why not songs?

His first completed piece is based on one of my personal favorites - The Fountain of Lamneth.

Please visit Graham's website for more information and ordering details for his prints. Thanks to Ed from RushIsABand.Com for the headsup.

Alex Lifeson's Man Date with Rick Mercer is now available online in two different locations. Below is a link to the 6-minute video segment on YouTube.

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In the event that video is removed, the segment is also available at the official CBC site via this LINK.

Michael from NeilPeartDrumsticks.Com has provided additional information regarding the public display of Neil Peart's Classic "Chrome" Slingerland Drum Kit that we first reported last week.

Hello All,

Well, the time has come. Some of you have caught word with the News sites announcing the upcoming PASIC show in Indianapolis, Indiana.

Myself and the newest owner of Neil Peart's 1974 Chrome Slingerland Drum Kit are going to PASIC within the next couple weeks. The exciting part is that we are going to let people play the actual kit. It will be in Indy the week of 11-14 November at the downtown Indiana Convention Center at PASIC 2009.

Daily admission to the exhibition hall for non-PAS members is $15. You need not be a member to come to PASIC and see the kit we have simply named "Chromey".

Chromey is being used to raise money for the American Cancer Society. We are going to allow people at the venue to play Chromey for $10 a minute and 100% goes to charity.

Yes, you can play the 1974 Chrome Slingerland Kit that Neil Peart used from 1974-1977 to record "Fly By Night", "Caress Of Steel", "2112", "All The World's A Stage", and was used on five consecutive US-Canadian Tours in support of those albums. The very same kit seen on the cover of ATWAS and used to record one of the most duplicated drum solos ever.

People who show up and wish to do the "Pay To Play" option will have the opportunity to play the kit in it's restored condition. We have made every attempt to replace every single part with an original vintage piece from that time or its modern replacement until we can find that vintage piece. It will all be there. The kit will be a bit of a "Frankenstein" in some sense as it will have all the pieces available that have been pictured on the kit from 1974-1977 when it was retired. So the kit is not one year specific but that should be fine as Neil really kept all the pieces as he added more on the kit. You will have the chance to choose which snare to play, either an original era Rogers Dynasonic or the 100% matched replica of the copper Slingerland Artist that Neil named "Number One", expertly replicated by Kevin Stroud of Illinois.

Not that we are being butts about this, butt if you choose to step into the booth to participate with the kit we ask that you please make a donation to ACS. Every penny is going to ACS. The kit owner has put a lot of money into this restoration project, and I have put a lot of hours into the restoration and we are not asking for you to pay us, we simply ask that you donate to the American Cancer Society, please.

What I mean is, if you are just wanting a photo and you wish to stand in front of the kit, please donate $3 per shot, to stand inside the kit only is $5 per shot, and to play the kit is $10 a minute. If you don't have a camera don't worry as we will have one to take your picture with as long as you have email for us to send it to you. If your outside our booth in the aisle it won't cost you a thing but I cannot guarantee you'll get the good shot you might be hoping for. This whole event is about raising money for the American Cancer Society so I am trying to get them everything we possibly can ... know what I mean.

So please, if you have the means and way to get there, come on down. We'd love to see you and of course meet you. At the moment we are in Booth #1254 which should be easy to find. Also while there drop by and check out the Guitar Center Booth which will have the Snakes & Arrow drum kit ... but you don't get to play it.

If all goes well as planned the kit will then travel around the block to the Percussive Arts Society Museum for a short term loan to be on display for all to see. More about that later.

If you don't plan on attending and would still like to donate, please drop by my website front page at www.neilpeartdrumsticks.com where you will find a link on the American Cancer Society logo to donate ... it will be greatly appreciated!

For those of you who don't already know the winners/owners of the kit and have really gotta know ... drop by as they too will be there to meet everyone along with myself.

Thanks for taking the time to read all of this!

RUSH ON!
-Michael

PS ... If you live in Indy and would like to volunteer to assist in our booth ... drop an email at michael747@neilpeartdrumsticks.com.

Thanks to Michael for sharing the news! Anyone else up for a roadtrip to Indy? :-)

Last week, we reported that Alex Lifeson and Rick Mercer were spotted at the Niagara Freefall Indoor Skydiving, as reported from an article in the Niagara Falls Review.

The episode which features Alex is scheduled to go on air tonight on the Canadian CBC network.

For more information on the show, click HERE. Additionally, there are more pictures from the 'Freefallin' event located at the Rick Mercer Facebook page.

Thanks to reader ArsenalFC 'Pete' for the head's up on tonight's episode airing.

Back in August, Neil Peart's classic 1974 Chrome Slingerland Drum Kit, which was used in the recording of Fly By Night, Caress of Steel, 2112 and All The World's A Stage and played on five consecutive tours from the Summer of 1974 through the Spring of 1977, was sold at auction for over $25,000!

Michael from Neil Peart Drumsticks has been working with the new owner to restore the drum kit and have it put on public display with the chance for some people to actually play it (for charity).

Please visit Michael's website for all the latest information on this exciting news.

Of course, many thanks go out to Michael for making this happen and sharing the news.

Neil Peart, who is a self-proclaimed fan of Blue Cheer, recently wrote an article for Rolling Stone Magazine in memory of singer/bassist Dickie Peterson, who died after a battle with liver cancer on October 12.

I loved those first two Blue Cheer albums, and even the third, New! Improved!, though it was a major departure (not as loud). In 2004, my bandmates and I celebrated our thirtieth anniversary by recording an album of covers, Feedback, to pay tribute to our early influences. We combined the Who's and Blue Cheer's versions of 'Summertime Blues,' and ended with me playing the innovative drum pattern from Blue Cheer's 'Just a Little Bit,' from Outsideinside, which I had never forgotten.

So Blue Cheer made an enduring impression on this once-young drummer, and definitely played their part in shaping Rush's beginnings as 'a loud power trio with a fortress of amps, cannonades of drums, and a bass player's high voice trying to pierce the darkness.' That would be my bandmate Geddy, who remarked that Blue Cheer might well have been the first heavy metal band.

You can read the entire article via this LINK.

Thanks to Eric from Power Windows for passing along the news.

It's been a somewhat slow Rush News week but there are a few notable items to discuss...

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R30 Blu-Ray Update: The re-issue of the classic Rush concert R30 on Blu-Ray has been delayed until December 8th. Further, though it was previously believed that the full concert would be released on DVD as well, we've now learned from Rush's management that this will be a Blu-Ray only re-release.

Eight additional songs will be available on the Blu-Ray version; all of which were dropped when R30 was originally released on DVD back in 2006. You can pre-order the R30 Blu-Ray via this link.

Thanks to Ed from RushIsABand.Com for the confirmation.

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Rush's Anthem to be included on Sacrifice's Latest Album: According to a posting at Power Windows, Anthem will be included as a bonus track on the upcoming Canadian version of the latest album from the thrash metal band Sacrifice:

"Canadian thrash metal legends SACRIFICE will release their first new album in more than fifteen years in November on Sonic Unyon in Canada. Entitled The Ones I Condemn, the album was recorded at Toronto's Rouge Valley Studios last winter by the band and Darius Szczepaniak...Released by the Brazilian-based Marquee Records this summer, Sonic Unyon will release a domestic Canadian version of the album, ensuring that it will be available in retails stores nationwide in their home country...After reuniting for a sold out performance at Toronto's Opera House in 2007, the band decided to reconvene and record a new studio album. Containing ten new original songs, the Canadian version of the album will also contain an exclusive bonus track of the band's cover of the Rush classic 'Anthem.'"

Thanks to Eric from Power Windows for sharing the news.

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Bubba's Bar & Grill Update: There's been a change in management over at Bubba's Bar & Grill; the section of Neil Peart's website where he discusses he appreciation for cooking and shares some of his own personal recipes. Brutus, a long-time friend of Neil's, has now taken over the shop and has even added a store front where you can purchase Bubba-specific merchandise. Additionally, you can sign up for updates from the Bar & Grill and Neil's news site.

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Classic Rock PROG Article on Rush - Now Online: For those of you who didn't already notice this update, I've transcribed the recent Rush-related article that appeared in the August 2009 edition of "PROG" magazine (from the UK). You can read the entire article, which has scans of all the Rush-related images HERE. Enjoy.

That's all for this time, everyone.

In connection with an upcoming appearance on the Rick Mercer Report, Alex Lifeson and Rick Mercer were recently spotted filming a segment at Niagara Freefall Indoor Skydiving, as reported from an article in the Niagara Falls Review.

From the article:

When it came time for their 'man date,' Canadian comic Rick Mercer and rock legend Alex Lifeson went straight to the Honeymoon Capital.

The odd couple were in town Wednesday filming a segment for The Rick Mercer Report, donning flappy flight gear to tackle the Niagara Freefall Indoor Skydiving.

With cameras rolling, the duo floated atop 140 mp/h winds generated by a jet engine at the Stanley Avenue attraction.

"All we've been told is that it's harder than it looks," said Lifeson, who co-founded Rush more than 40 years ago with bassist Geddy Lee (drummer Neil Peart joined in the mid '70s). "It's the string that's over the jet engine that's disconcerting."

"I just find standing over a jet engine disconcerting," added Mercer.

The segment finds Mercer and Lifeson hitting the town for a guys night out. Mercer had heard about the Niagara attraction from a coworker, and decided to freefall with the guy who riffed on "Freewill."

"Alex is apparently up for anything or crazy, I haven't determined yet."

The crew arrived in town just before noon and quickly shot the segment before either Rush or Mercer fans got wind.

At this time, we have no information on when the episode will air though it is expected to hit the airwaves in the very near future.

In Atlantic Canada's 100 Greatest Books, Trevor J. Adams and Stephen Patrick Clare review the top one hundred Atlantic Canadian books-both fiction and nonfiction-ever published, as chosen by a panel of local readers and literary luminaries.

The editors of the book are running a contest to see if anyone can guess the top five books. Neil Peart posted his personal top ten:

Barometer Rising by Hugh MacLennan
The Colony of Unrequited Dreams by Wayne Johnston
The Custodian of Paradise by Wayne Johnston
Fall on Your Knees by Ann-Marie Macdonald
The Way the Crow Flies by Ann-Marie Macdonald
The Republic of Nothing by Lesley Choyce
An Avalanche of Ocean by Lesley Choyce
The Shipping News by Annie Proulx
The Architects are Here by Michael Winter
The Wreckage by Michael Crummey

Illustrated in full colour with book covers and photos of the authors, and accompanied by personal selections from celebrities in the literary community and beyond, Atlantic Canada's 100 Greatest Books is a requisite companion for fans of Canadian literature.

Thanks to Eric from Power Windows for the news.

Amazon.Com is now taking pre-orders for the new Rush "Live" Compilation DVD Working Man. The DVD, which is currently selling for $10.49, will include all the same tracks as its CD counterpart.

Both versions will be officially released on Tuesday, November 17th.

Click HERE for the official Press Release (PDF File, 1.5mb).

The air-drumming adventure film, which includes a cameo by none other than Neil Peart as well as numerous other Rush references, will make it's theatrical debut throughout this weekend after making the film festival rounds since 2008. Ari Gold, who wrote, directed and stars in the film, has an article in the Huffington Post which discusses the genesis of the film:

...I could never have spent four years of my life making a movie about this strange human activity if I didn't also think that a person trying to play drums, but having none, is a beautiful symbol for the futility of all human endeavors. What I didn't know when I began to make "Adventures of Power" was that the journey of my drumless protagonist would end up so closely mirroring my own reality, and the reality of my country.

When I was eight and heard the band Rush, I tried to drum along. After my mother's death twelve years later, while I was living in my aunt's basement in a mining town in the Southwest, I began to take notes about an air-drumming character. Though I was lonely and lost, I loved this broken little white/Hispanic/Native town, with its mix of cowboys, copper-miners, and curmudgeonly hippies, and I wondered how an air-drummer would fit in if he grew up here. Probably not very well.

The film will make its theatrical debut tonight in New York City at the AMC Loews Village 7. Additionally, there is a New York City film release party this evening at the Knitting Factory in Brooklyn that is open to the public.

Thanks to RushIsABand.Com for the news.

As he has done over the past three years, Alex Lifeson has donated one of his personal paintings to the Kidney Foundation of Canada's A Brush of Hope project. Lifeson's painting, along with artwork from many other Canadian artists will be auctioned off to raise money for the charity.

The auction is set to take place on Ebay.Ca from November 5th through the 15th. From the official website:

After three years of being based in Ontario, A Brush of Hope is now coming to New Brunswick!

Alex Lifeson (RUSH), Red Green (Steve Smith), Jessica Holmes, Rita MacNeil and Stompin' Tom Connors are just a few of the celebrities who have taken up brushes and paints to create small masterpieces to help the nearly 2 million Canadians who either have kidney disease or are at risk.

To own these one-of-a-kind, hand crafted works:

   

Go to Ebay.Ca on November 5th
   

Type in kidney foundation into the search field
   

Bid away!

Visit our page on Facebook and invite your friends to join in the bidding!

"It is through the support by all of us that the Kidney Foundation of Canada can continue to provide hope for those who are not so fortunate and must live with this debilitating condition. I urge you to take the time to help in any way you can, whether by donation or some other method to realize the dream of a cure. Even a little goes a long way..." - Alex Lifeson

Thanks to reader GeddyWannaBe and RayM for the heads up.

Earlier this year, during Metallica's induction ceremony for the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, Guitarist Kirk Hammett indicated how he felt that Rush should be in the hall. Hammett echoed that sentiment in a conversation with Cleveland.Com:

Q: Which artists would you like to see get into the Rock Hall?

A: Man, I would love to see Rush in the Hall of Fame, as well as Motorhead and Deep Purple. Those are three that come to mind, only because I'm a hard-rock guy, and those bands had a lot to contribute to the genre.

Those bands have been around a lot longer than we have. It's almost embarrassing that we're in the Hall of Fame and they're not. But everyone has their opinions. There's a bit of a bureaucracy and there's a bit of politics that come along with it.

You can read the entire conversation via this LINK.

The drum kit that Neil Peart used during the 2007-08 Snakes & Arrows tour is scheduled to be on display in Guitar Center's booth at this year's Percussion Arts Society (PASIC) show in Indianapolis, IN.

The show will run from November 11th through the 14th in Indianapolis. Complete details on the show and PASIC in general can be found online at www.pasic.org.

Thanks to Power Windows for the news!