- Rush News Archive -
April through June 2010
April through June 2010
Rush: Beyond the Lighted Stage DVD/Blu-Ray Released / News on "Classic Albums" - 2112/Moving Pictures
The award-winning documentary Rush: Beyond the Lighted Stage is now available on both DVD and Blu-Ray. Complete with over an hour of bonus footage and also available in a limited-edition steel box package, you can own your own copy of this great documentary via the links below:Also check out this interesting interview with the filmmakers of the documentary from ComingSoon.Net.Click to ORDER the DVD
Click to ORDER the Blu-Ray
There's also some additional news on the September 27th, 2010 release of 2112 & Moving Pictures - Classic Albums.The acclaimed "Classic Albums" series is a definitive collection of the stories behind the albums that form the soundtrack to our lives. The latest addition to the series tells the story behind the making of two legendary albums from Rush. "2112" was the album that saw Rush break through to major chart success, going to No.1 in their native Canada and Top 75 in the USA where it would eventually be certified triple platinum. "Moving Pictures" opened them to a mass audience for the first time and remains the biggest selling album of their career. It also went to No.1 in Canada and went quadruple platinum there whilst hitting No.3 in both the UK and USA. Rush members Geddy Lee, Alex Lifeson and Neil Peart talk us through the making of the albums, together with original producer Terry Brown via interviews, demonstrations, archive videos and use of the original multi-track tapes.Pre-ordering information still isn't available for this item yet, but we'll post links once they become available.
Both the DVD and Blu-ray editions of "2112 & Moving Pictures - Classic Albums" will feature over 50 minutes of additional interviews, archive footage and new demonstrations not included in the broadcast version.
June 29th, 2010
Rush Time Machine Tour Launches Tonight in New Mexico
Update - 06.30.2010 05:15PM EST: I'm not sure how I missed this, but click HERE for a high-resolution image of Neil's kit which is presumably from the Time Machine Tour Book (which I will be scanning/transcribing and uploading to the site soon...)
Update - 06.30.2010 10:15AM EST: There are now a bunch of official photos from the Albuquerque show posted at Rush.Com. And if you really want to see some spoilers, there are plenty of bootleg videos now online at YouTube.
Update - 06.30.2010 12:40AM EST: And there you have it. The first show from the 2010 Leg of the Time Machine Tour is in the books. By all accounts, it looks like it was a great start to the tour. The complete set list with video - and other - highlights from the show can be found HERE. Have a great night, all!
Update - 06.30.2010 12:26AM EST: The second set is now over. Awaiting the encore...
Update - 06.30.2010 12:04AM EST: We're now on to Neil's Drum Solo. There was a definite video theme during 'Moving Pictures'. More info HERE.
Update - 06.29.2010 11:37PM EST: Forgive the spoiler, but they're now playing The Camera Eye!!!
Update - 06.29.2010 11:27PM EST: The opening video sequence is now available at YouTube.
Update - 06.29.2010 11:20PM EST: Intermission has ended. On to Set Two! More info HERE.
Update - 06.29.2010 11:07PM EST: This has to be a first. Rush.Com has just posted the entire set list which follows the rehearsal set list, with some order changes as notated HERE. Neil's drum solo has a name as well. I will continue to 'confirm' the set list throughout the remainder of tonight's concert and also add any / all video segment descriptions as well.
Update - 06.29.2010 11:00PM EST: Another nice photo feed located HERE courtesy of RUSHnATL.
Update - 06.29.2010 10:45PM EST: We've hit the intermission...more to come!
Update - 06.29.2010 10:30PM EST: It's hard to believe, but we're fast approaching the end of the first set. So far, aside from an order change, the set list has continued to reflect the rehearsal set list. More info, if you dare, available HERE.
Update - 06.29.2010 10:15PM EST: Comments are taking up to 10 minutes to get posted tonight -- apologies for the delay. Post your comments -- they will appear.
Update - 06.29.2010 10:07PM EST: Four songs in. So far holding to the rehearsal set list, as expected. See the Set Lists page for all the details!
Update - 06.29.2010 9:42PM EST: The concert has begun with an opening video sequence and the first songs of the night. See the Set Lists page for more!
Update - 06.29.2010 9:10PM EST: We are now minutes away from the start of the concert and spoilers are already coming in. Click HERE for a series of photos uploaded to Rush.Com by John Arrowsmith. Included are rehearsal shots of the guys with some of their equipment.
You can also check out some live Flickr Feeds courtesy of Todd Vernon who is on hand at the show.
The official set list, along with other specifics about the show (videos, etc.) will be posted on the Set Lists page throughout the night.
It was April 8th when Rush officially announced their 2010 Time Machine Tour to the excitement of fans the world over. And now, the tour is set to begin tonight in Albuquerque, New Mexico.
For those of you who don't mind a few spoilers, this is for you. If you'd like to see a picture of the stage set up, click HERE.
Interested in the rest of the set list beyond Moving Pictures? Click HERE for a preliminary view of it. Thanks to RushIsABand for the sneak peaks!
Regarding the set list, I will be revising/updating it throughout the Albuquerque show (hopefully).
If you happen to be going to tonight's show and are able to send in updates, please contact me.
The Summer of Rush has begun!
June 28th, 2010
New Time Machine Merchandise at Backstage Club Hints at South American Leg
The Rush Backstage Club now has numerous Time Machine specific items for sale including several official tour t-shirts as well as the tour book. What's interesting about one of the t-shirts, the 'Rush Moving Pictures All Over Print Tee' is that the back of the shirt lists the Time Machine Tour as covering the 'USA / CANADA / S.A.'.
This would seem to hint that Rush will, indeed, be heading down to South America for the 2010 leg of the tour. While this is still completely unofficial, there have actually been several news stories from Latin and South American papers indicating that Rush are, indeed, headed south. The last (and only time) Rush headed south of the border was during the Vapor Trails tour where they played in front of their largest crowds ever. Hopefully, the band will formally confirm the South American tour dates soon.
In the mean time, make sure you check out the Rush Backstage Club for some unique Time Machine merchandise.
June 26th, 2010
Rush: Beyond the Lighted Stage Television Debut Tonight
For those of you who missed the theatrical debut earlier this month, you can now catch the critically acclaimed and award-winning documentary Rush: Beyond the Lighted Stage on television tonight. It's scheduled to air at 9:00pm EST on VH-1, VH-1 Classics and Palladia (check your local listings for more details).
Unfortunately, our original report that indicated that the Moving Pictures/2112 Classic Albums specials were slated to premiere just before the documentary is no longer accurate. There has been a schedule change as according to VH1's channel guide, Ghostbusters is scheduled to air in that timeslot. There is no additional information on if/when the Classic Albums specials will be aired at this time.
And don't forget, you can still pre-order your DVD or Blu-Ray copy of the documentary via the following links:I hope everyone takes a moment to share their thoughts on the documentary in the comments section below. Enjoy the show, everyone!Click to ORDER the DVD - priced at $13.99
Click to ORDER the Blu-Ray - priced at $17.49
June 26th, 2010
Geddy Lee Options Dave Bidini's Baseballissimo
Given Geddy Lee's passion for baseball, it was no surprise when we learned that, earlier this week, Lee had purchased the film rights to Dave Bidini's Baseballissimo, a look at the game of baseball as it's played in Italy's farm leagues.In the spring of 2002, Dave Bidini set off for Nettuno, Italy, with his wife, Janet, and their two small children, in search of his favourite summer game, baseball. Nettuno was his destination because this town, south of Rome, has been the baseball capital of Italy since 1944, when the game was introduced by the American GIs who liberated the region. Bidini wanted to spend time in a town where everyone is as nuts about the game as he is, and in Nettuno, they love the game so much that they hand out baseball gloves and bats to children taking their first communion.If you're interested in reading the book, you can pick up a copy at Amazon.Com.
For six months Bidini followed the fortunes of the Serie B Peones, Nettunese to the core. At the same time he was also learning about his own heritage, having spent his youth vigorously ignoring his Italianness. The result of his summer in Italy is vintage Bidini: a funny, perceptive, and engrossing book that takes readers far beyond the professional sport to the game that people around the world love to play.
June 25th, 2010
Rush Receive Their Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame
Update: June 26th: Below are links to some additional photos and videos of the ceremony. Plenty more are also available at YouTube.
Click HERE for a six minute video of the a portion of the ceremony with intro by Billy Corgan.
Click HERE for photos of the ceremony courtesy of The Canadian Music Scene.
Click HERE for the official Rush page at the Hollywood Chamber website.
Click HERE for a large slideshow gallery of official press photos.
Below is Donna Halper's speech:I was raised to believe that values like ethics and loyalty matter, and the story of my friendship with RUSH involves both. In 1974, when I was the music director at WMMS in Cleveland, a Canadian record promoter named Bob Roper sent me an album that would go on to change my life. It was a band called Rush, and even though his label had refused to sign them, he wanted me to give them a listen. I did, and as most Rush fans know, I was impressed. WMMS began playing "Working Man" along with several other songs from the album, and soon, other stations were playing Rush too. By the summer of 1974, they had a U.S. recording contract.
I liked the members of Rush from the beginning. I found them very sincere and down-to-earth. Of course they wanted to become famous-- what rock band didn't? But they were not just in it for the money. They took pride in their music. In those days, I was sort of a Big Sister to them, but as time passed, they became the confident, professional and very successful band we all know, and they didn't need a Big Sister. They could have forgotten me at that point, since my contributions to their career were no longer necessary.
But as I said, this is about ethics and loyalty. For the past 37 years, we have kept in touch. I've defended them when critics were dismissive. And in return, they have never forgotten that I was there for them in the formative years of their career. And now, I have the privilege to see their work as musicians rewarded with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
I stand here today speaking not just for myself but for millions of fans, all of whom want me to say "thank you." There's the guy in Japan who learned English so he could better appreciate the lyrics of Rush songs-- I've heard similar stories from fans in Chile, Brazil, Finland, Israel, Mexico and elsewhere. There are entire Rush families -- baby boomers who introduced their kids to Rush and now they all attend concerts together. Rush fans are liberals, conservatives, people of faith, secular humanists... but their loyalty to Rush is something they all share.
For nearly four decades, the members of Rush have remained true to themselves and true to their music. They have never allowed success to spoil them. They have never lost their integrity. And in a world where it often seems the good guys never win, Rush are living proof that sometimes, good people DO finish first.
The official Hollywood Walk of Fame ceremony for Rush happened earlier today in front of the Musician's Institute at 6752 Hollywood Boulevard in Los Angeles. Reports indicate that Neil Peart was not on hand as, according to a comment made during Geddy's acceptance speech, he was "on his motorcycle to their first show".
As expected, Billy Corgan and Donna Halper were both on hand. The media were present with about eight video cameras pointed directly at the stage. The entire ceremoney lasted about 35 minutes with Rush music playing on some loud speakers prior to the proceedings.
Here are some images from the ceremony, courtesy of The Hollywood Reporter Twitpic Feed. Click on any of the thumbnails below for a larger image.
Congratulations once again, Rush!
June 24th, 2010
In Conversation With Rush...Now Online
As we reported earlier this week, FMQB Productions and the Legends of Classic Rock will be airing an hour-long radio special titled In Conversation with Rush which will have Q107 Toronto's Jeff Woods interviewing Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson.
However for those of you who do not want to wait, you can now listen to the full interview, available in four-parts, right here at Cygnus-X1.Net. See below for the cue sheet and links to each segment.Segment #1 - Length 17:41 (41.5MB)
Songs: "Caravan" "Closer To The Heart"
Click HERE to listen.
Segment #2 - Length 16:27 (38.6MB)
Songs: "Tom Sawyer" "Limelight"
Click HERE to listen.
Segment #3 - Length: 6:05 (14.3MB)
Songs: "YYZ"
Click HERE to listen.
Segment #4 - Length: 7:57 (18.6MB)
Songs: "The Spirit Of Radio"
Click HERE to listen.
Each segment is rather larger in size so it goes without saying (but I'll say it anyway) that a high-speed connection is recommended.
Many thanks to JPO for pointing me to the interview. Enjoy.
June 24th, 2010
Billy Corgan to Speak at the Rush Hollywood Walk of Fame Ceremony
The official Hollywood Walk of Fame ceremony for Rush is scheduled to take place tomorrow in front of the Musician's Institute at 6752 Hollywood Boulevard, Los Angeles, CA at 11:30 AM. According to a posting from Rush's official Facebook Page Billy Corgan, the vocalist and lead guitarist/songwriter for The Smashing Pumpkins will be speaking at the ceremony.Billy Corgan, vocalist, lead guitarist and songwriter for The Smashing Pumpkins, will pay tribute to the band as they accept their Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Billy joins Donna Halper, former radio personality at WMMS Cleveland where Rush received their first radio airplay with Working Man participate as well.In other 'Facebook' related news, Sabian Cymbals posted a sneak-peak view of the cymbals Neil Peart will be using on the Time Machine Tour. You can check out the image via this link.
The ceremony will take place in front of the Musician's Institute at 6752 Hollywood Boulevard at 11:30 AM in Los Angeles this Friday, June 25th.
Mann Chinese 6 in Hollywood is going to have special screenings of 'Rush: Beyond The Lighted Stage' at their theatre this Friday in honor of Rush getting their Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame just blocks away. They're giving special screenings at 2pm, 5pm and 8pm in their biggest auditorium.
Thanks to Eric from Power Windows for the Sabian Facebook link.
June 24th, 2010
Caravan / BU2B CD Single and Other New Items From the Backstage Club
The official Rush merchandise shop, the Rush Backstage Club is now taking pre-orders for the CD version of the Caravan / BU2B single. Priced at $4.99, the CD is expected to ship within the next week. In addition to the CD, the Backstage Club has some other new merchandise including several new shirt designs like a Fly By Night Indigo Owl T-Shirt, a Counterparts Eden T-Shirt and a Test for Echo Inukshuk T-Shirt.
As a special promotion, if you spend $40 or more (before taxes), you'll receive a free copy of the Caravan / BU2B CD single.
You can check out all of their products at their website.
June 23rd, 2010
Alex Lifeson Interview with Billboard Magazine
We are now less than one week away from the launch of Rush's 2010 Time Machine Tour, which opens in Albuqueque, New Mexico on June 29th. Amidst the band's rehearsals, Alex Lifeson took time to speak to Billboard Magazine for an interview piece called Rush 'Moving' On Tour, Recording New 'Clockwork'."We've never afforded ourselves the luxury of coming off tour and then going straight into the studio when you're in top playing form," guitarist Alex Lifeson tells Billboard.com. "We usually finish a tour and then we take some time off and we slowly get back into writing and then into the studio, recording. This time we'll go straight back into the studio and continue recording and writing while we're still in top form from the road."You can read the entire article via this LINK.
June 22nd, 2010
Rush News Bullets
Greetings everyone. Apologies for the lack of updates over the past week. I was away on vacation in a remote area of the country where I had zero connectivity to the outside world -- an interesting time to be sure. But now I'm back so let's take a look at some of the most recent news in the world of Rush.I'll end this segment with some teaser photos from the Time Machine Tour production rehearsal, courtesy of John from Arrowsmith Images. Enjoy-In Conversation With Rush: During the weekend of June 25th - 27th, FMQB Productions and the Legends of Classic Rock will be airing an hour-long radio special titled In Conversation with Rush which will have Q107 Toronto's Jeff Woods interviewing Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson."In Conversation with Rush is a one-hour radio special featuring Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson with Jeff Woods as they revisit the classic album, Moving Pictures, go behind the scenes of Rush: Beyond the Lighted Stage, and talk about their forthcoming 2011 album, Clockwork Angels. The show will also feature the new song, "Caravan" and selections from Moving Pictures.
In Conversation with Rush is available to air from June 25-27, as well as in conjunction with the Time Machine Tour dates."Moving Pictures/2112 Classic Albums To Premiere on June 26th: As we've mentioned since April, Eagle Visions will be releasing the Classic Albums DVD/Blu Ray/Deluxe Edition of Rush's legendary "Moving Pictures" and "2112" albums on September 28th.
According to the Dish Network's program guide, a Rush 2112/Moving Pictures Classic Albums special will air on VH1 Classic on Saturday, June 26th at 8PM before the television premiere of the Rush documentary Rush: Beyond the Lighted Stage. And speaking of the documentary...Rush: Beyond the Lighted Stage Movie Posters: You can now own your own full-size (or smaller size) movie poster from the Rush documentary. Sold at www.moviepostershop.com, the posters come in 2 sizes; 27" x 40" for $24.99 and 11" x 17" for $14.99.
June 12th, 2010
Rush Limited Edition Statues
KnuckleBonz, an online company that creates realistic high-end sculptures of various rock musicians and album art, and who also recently offered up a popular limited edition RUSH Starman statue has developed statues for each member of RUSH.All figures in the Rock Iconz? series are limited editions and the Rush figures are very exclusive with only 3000 pieces of each statue slated for production. These are officially licensed collectibles from Rush. Click on each product image to PRE-ORDER and reserve each of the RUSH Limited Edition Collectibles.For more information on each statue and for pre-ordering details, please click HERE.
The Rush statues are created using a team of highly skilled artists to sculpt a remarkable likeness. Each limited edition figure will be cast in a poly-resin and hand-paint in fine detail. Each sculpture in the Rock Iconz series is hand-numbered and displayed on an attractive wooden base.
June 10th, 2010
Rush: Beyond the Lighted Stage In Theaters Today
It's been a long wait, but that wait is finally over. The critically acclaimed and award-winning documentary Rush: Beyond the Lighted Stage finally makes its theatrical debut tonight. For the most part, this is a one-night only showing of the film, however there will be multiple showings in several cities due to early sell-outs.
You can see all of the North American cities showing the film at the documentary's official theatrical website - www.rushbeyondthelightedstagemovie.com.
There will be doubtless numerous reviews of the documentary hitting this internet over the weekend, but this early one really struck a chord with me. Titled Getting Closer to the Heart, by Katherine Monk and published in The Vancouver Sun, you get the real sense that the reviewer, Ms. Monk, came away from the screening with a real appreciation of the band:The filmmakers also seem to assume that Rush's music has wide appeal and should have hit a much bigger audience given the weight of talent, and their clear musical legacy.I hope everyone takes a moment to share their own thoughts on the documentary in the comments section below. And for those of you in the New Jersey area, I'll be attending the 7:00pm showing at the Clearview Mansfield Cinema 15 in Hackettstown, NJ. I hope to see some of you there.
It's certainly fair comment, but it's a tough sell because the truth is Rush compositions are sophisticated and layered and do not pimp the same four-four time and major chords that tend to define pop tracks. It's not generic mush.
Of course, this integrity is entirely admirable and gives the band an edge of genius, but it also clearly explains why they had such a hard time finding the success they eventually claimed.
The Rush story isn't as much of a mystery as much as it is a manifesto on the power of following your own path.
And don't forget, for those of you not taking in the theatrical release of the documentary, it will make its television debut on VH-1 on June 26th followed by a release on DVD/Blu-Ray on June 29th.
Pre-order your copy via the following links:Enjoy the show, everyone!Click to ORDER the DVD - priced at $13.99
Click to ORDER the Blu-Ray - priced at $17.49
June 7th, 2010
Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson Hit the Interview Trail
Update: Toronto's Globe and Mail is asking for fan photos dealing with memories of Rush with the simple statement "Calling all Rush fans: Send us your photos. We'll publish a selection online." Click HERE for more information.
With the theatrical release of their documentary, Rush: Beyond the Lighted Stage later this week, Geddy and Alex have been busy making the rounds on the interview circuit. Last week, the Globe and Mail posted a lengthy Q&A session with Geddy and Alex in an article titled Awkward Headbangers Beware: It's Finally Cool to Like Rush :Rush's fandom is fiercely loyal; they've had the band's back for decades, and they aren't about to relax now that it's cool to dig Grace Under Pressure or Vapor Trails. 'When you get crap thrown at you with regularity, like we have for most of our career, our fans feel like they've been done a great disservice,' surmises Lee, no outsider in an arena full of Rushians. 'They feel obligated to raise the flag - the Rush flag.'There are supplementary articles that accompany the main one available on the right side of the page.
Geddy and Alex also appeared on CTV Canada AM earlier this week. The video interview is available via this LINK.
Thanks to readers RushFanForever and ArsenalFC for the links.
June 4th, 2010
Blackbird, Orange Amps, Donna Halper and T-Shirts
It's obviously been an exciting week in the world of Rush. The release of their two new singles Caravan and BU2B earlier this week has everyone talking. Over the last couple of days, there have been a few more notable news stories and blog posts related to the band that are all interesting in their own right.
First up is a blog update by Richard Chycki, the masterful sound engineer behind Rush's Snakes & Arrows as well as the upcoming Clockwork Angels. In his post, Richard discusses the recording and equipment set up for the recording of Caravan and BU2B at Blackbird studios:...while I don't have any Rush member shots handy, I do have a few photos of the guitar and drum setups from the recordings. Blackbird is one of the best equipped studios there is. We had a pretty maxxed drum mic and guitar amp setup. I have Neil's kit loaded with tube mics - Tube 67s on all toms and ELAM 251's for overheads and surround rooms, plus a pair of M50's way up in the air.Earlier this week, Geddy was interviewed on the topic of Rush merchandising. The Q&A Session was actually a pretty interesting read and indicated just how serious the band takes the entire merchandising effort behind a tour:I'm just finishing a merchandising meeting. We try to make sure that the things that we're selling are of high quality and that the prices are reasonable. Today we were presented with tons of T-shirt designs, and we have to make sure that we all like them and that don't just represent past concepts of tours. There will always be one or two Starman t-shirts available, but the focus is on the current work - there's all this new artwork that we're excited about. The time machine [from the band's upcoming tour] gives us a new idea to explore visually, and we have fun with that, and that's what's kept us current, I think: focusing on what we're doing now.And speaking of Geddy Lee, we just learned that he has endorsed Orange Amps and will be using them on the Time Machine tour this summer. Geddy will be using 2 x Orange AD200 bass heads together with 2 x OBC410 4x10"Bass Cabinets on the tour.
Finally, here is an interesting Q&A Session with Donna Halper regarding her involvement with the Rush: Beyond the Lighted Stage documentary.Q. Please tell me about your role in the film and the screening.Many thanks to reader RushFanForever for passing along all of the news stories...
A. I'm very honored to do it- I have a long history with the band. Sometimes, I'm amazed that we are still friends. I'm in the music industry for many years, and I've done a lot of favors for a lot of bands - I was a music director, so my job was to get them airplay, and I did that for hundreds of bands - but this is the only occasion where the band continues to acknowledge me.
In my early days working with the band, I was like a big sister to them. But now, they have gold and platinum albums, and they are millionaires - and yet that link is still there.
June 1st, 2010
Caravan and BU2B - First Rush Singles from 'Clockwork Angels' Now Available
Update: Lyrics, Liner Notes and Images from the PDF Booklet are now online. Click HERE to view.
The wait is over. The first two Rush singles from their upcoming album 'Clockwork Angels' are now available as a digital download from Amazon.Com as well as iTunes.
At Amazon.Com, you can purchase both singles separately for $0.99 or combined for $2.29 which comes packaged with a PDF booklet. Below are the links to each version:The big news is that, contrary to speculation, the single 'BU2B' is not an instrumental.Buy Caravan - $0.99
Buy BU2B - $0.99
Buy Caravan & BU2B w/Digital Booklet - $2.29
I strongly urge everyone to support the band, purchase the singles and avoid grabbing an illegal copy (which are already, unfortunately, making their way around the internet).
Images and the official lyrics from the digital booklet will be posted online later today.
Post your comments here about the first new Rush material is three years.
Happy Rush Tuesday, all!
May 28th, 2010
Rush News Bullets
These are exciting times for Rush fans the world over as we are now just days away from the premiere of two new Rush singles; Caravan and BU2B [Yes, it's BU2B, not BU2 regardless of what Rush.Com has listed] :) Following the release of the singles comes the world-wide theatrical debut of Rush: Beyond the Lighted Stage on June 10th. Then, of course, the tour begins at the end of the month. Exciting times, indeed.
So, as those of us in the United States prepare for a holiday weekend, here are a few notable items and news stories from the world of Rush...Enjoy your weekend, all --Classic Albums DVD Release Set for September 28th: Back in April, we let you know about the upcoming release of Moving Pictures and 2112 on the DVD/Blu-Ray format. According to Eagle Vision, the release date has now been confirmed as September 28th:Eagle Vision has confirmed a September 28th release date for the Classic Albums DVD/Blu Ray/Deluxe Edition release of Rush's legendary "Moving Pictures" and "2112" albums. The video goes into the studio with singer/bassist Geddy Lee, guitarist Alex Lifeson and drummer Neil Peart, along with producers for interviews and rare performances of material that shaped the band's career such as "Tom Sawyer", "YYZ", "Limelight" and "2112".What the Hell Happened to Rush Ticket Prices?: Here's an interesting, humorous and on-point article on the state of Rush concert ticket prices, written by Max Mobley. I think we can all appreciate and relate to this issue.You have to understand, being a Rush fan in college and high school meant never getting laid, wearing a mullet, reflecting sunlight off your skin at the beach, and, oh yeah, being a musician. In exchange for this exile, I got to see my band for the price on the ticket and not the price of a three bedroom home in Stockton, CaliforniaRush Song-Title Wallpaper: Reader TonyP let me know about a unique Rush-inspired wallpaper that he created. The image incorporates the titles of numerous Rush albums and song titles. It's been my desktop background image every since Tony sent it my way. Check out the full-size image via this link. Thanks for sharing, Tony!
Clockwork Angel Coincidence?: Here's an interesting little find that was pointed out to me by long-time reader Tom Jackson. It would appear that the title Clockwork Angel (non-plural) has been used before. It's also interesting how similar the background graphical theme of this page is to some of the imagery we've seen from the upcoming tour and singles. I'm just saying... :)
May 25th, 2010
New Rush Album Title Revealed - 'Clockwork Angels'
The 20th studio album from Rush will be called Clockwork Angels. The news comes from a recent article published at Marketwire.com.Anthem/Atlantic recording group Rush has announced the upcoming release of their eagerly anticipated new single. "Caravan" -- which will be featured on the legendary band's forthcoming album, "CLOCKWORK ANGELS" -- will be available at all DSPs on June 1st and serviced to radio simultaneously.Let the album-title debate begin! :)
"Caravan" will be bundled with an additional new album track, entitled "BU2B." Both tracks were recorded earlier this year in Nashville with Grammy Award-winning producer Nick Raskulinecz (Foo Fighters, The Deftones), who previously collaborated with Rush on 2007's critically acclaimed "SNAKES & ARROWS." Rush will return to the studio to resume recording after the completion of the upcoming "Time Machine Tour," with plans to release their 20th studio album, "CLOCKWORK ANGELS," in 2011.
May 25th, 2010
Hard Rock Cafe Denver's "Beyond The Lighted Stage" Movie Party
Join Hard Rock Cafe Denver for an amazing night celebrating the music and history of RUSH! On June 9th, Hard Rock Cafe Denver will be hosting a RUSH movie party to benefit Safe House Denver. Enjoy a specialty menu for $21.12, enter to win amazing Rush prizes including the new documentary DVD Rush-Beyond the Lighted Stage and bid on limited edition, one of a kind pieces of actual Rush memorabilia donated from the band including:All proceeds from the silent auction will benefit Safe House Denver (http://www.safehouse-denver.org/). As an added bonus, we will be showing exclusive footage from the new film! Drum City Guitar Land and Colorado Music Buzz Magazine will be on hand with giveaways as well. Be here to celebrate Rush's legendary career and support Safe House Denver! For more information, visit the Hard Rock Denver website, or call 303-266-0856.A pair of drum sticks used by Neil Peart
A limited edition Rush lithograph signed by the band
Rush-Beyond the Lighted stage movie posters
And much, much more!
Thanks to Eric from Power Windows for the news.
May 25th, 2010
Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson Appear on CBC's "The Hour"
The May 24th edition of CBC's The Hour with George Stroumboulopoulos featured another interview with both Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson, who are not strangers to the show. The conversation this time around largely focused on the upcoming documentary premiere with Alex making his usual humorous comments.
Expect the episode to be available online within the next day or so via 'The Hour's' official website.
And while you're there, enter to win a signed copy of Moving Pictures -- open to Canadian residents only unfortunately.
Thanks to reader ArsenalFC for the heads-up!
Update: The episode segment with Geddy and Alex is now available at YouTube.
May 23rd 2010
Neil Peart's News, Weather, and Sports Update
Neil Peart has posted an update to the News, Weather, and Sports section of his website. This is a great entry, titled 'Time Machines', where Neil looks back to 1970 when he was playing with the band J. R. Flood in St. Catharines, Ontario, as represented in the two images included here. Neil reflects on the impact of old photographs and their ability to transport us to another time and place:An old photograph is a powerful time machine. Personally, I haven't kept any scrapbooks or albums for a long time, but lately a lot of my "pre-modern"-even ancient-history has been emerging from heaven-knows-where, sent to me in e-mails and envelopes from various sources.Continuing with the 'Time Machine' theme of his entry, Neil discusses his relationship with a 1964 Aston Martin DB5. We all know that the inspiration for the lyrics behind Red Barchetta came from Richard S. Foster short-story A Nice Morning Drive, but you also get a real sense that Neil's time with his DB5 led to the meaning - the feeling - behind the classic Rush tune.
Now I wonder with some trepidation, "What will they find a photograph of next?" It seems every possible file of ancient yearbook photos has been finely combed, and many dusty boxes of black-and-white prints by amateur photographers have been found in basements and attics.
Back in the late sixties and early seventies, hardly anyone I knew had a decent camera, and considering the cost of film and developing, the few that existed were more sparingly used. Nowadays every handheld device can take a picture.
(That was one of my suggestions for the title of our tour this summer: "RUSH: Handheld Devices." But eventually, for all good reasons, "Time Machine" won out.)For some, the fantasy might be that if you can afford to buy a beautiful old car, then you could just drive around in it, looking surpassingly cool.Neil then discusses his work for the upcoming tour and new album and how a "spectacular new drumset" is currently under construction. Finally, Neil reveals perhaps his true inspiration - and drive - for getting 'back to work' -- his daughter Olivia.
Oh no. Nothing is that easy. An old car-especially an old English car-will test you.
You have to man up to that challenge, and become engaged with the machine. I suffered through many "adventures" with that DB5 (recalling the female rally driver's comment, after her car skidded off of a snowy road and rolled onto its roof: "Adventures suck when you're having them"). Breakdowns, overheating, having to refuel without turning off the engine (it wouldn't start when hot), flatbed recoveries, and roadside repairs with Swiss Army knife and emery board were part of that adventure.
Truly, another great read by the Professor. Check it out for yourself via this link.
Thanks to reader Charles from Tulsa, OK for the heads-up on the news posting.
May 21st, 2010
RushCon 10: 10th Annual Rush Fan Convention Officially Announced
RushCon/Force/10, a weekend long convention for Rush fans, will celebrate their 10 year anniversary by holding two conventions in both Toronto and Las Vegas.
Both Conventions have been timed to coincide with Rush's "Time Machine" tour dates in each city. Toronto's Convention will take place July 16-18, 2010 at the Courtyard by Marriott in Downtown Toronto, Ontario. Las Vegas' "Mini-RushCon" will be held August 14, 2010 at Hooters Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada.
RushCon / Force / 10RushCon offers fans the unique opportunity to involve themselves in all aspects of Rush's music and decades-long career. Events will include games, contests, trivia, vendors with rare and collectible merchandise, guest speakers, charity "Rush memorabilia" auction, exclusive tour of Anthem Records (Toronto only), group trips to shows and more.
Special guests include an exclusive performance by singer-songwriter JACOB MOON, a revealing and insightful presentation by long-time Rush crew member, TONY "JACK SECRET" GERANIOS and a panel discussion by media-historian and discoverer of Rush DONNA HALPER.
Ticket packages, day passes and their prices are outlined at the official RushCon website at www.rushcon.org. Attendees are encouraged to join the mailing list and/or check back periodically for details and updates regarding all convention events.
May 19th, 2010
New Rush Singles Available on June 1st
The first two Rush singles from their upcoming album will be released as a digital download from Amazon.Com on June 1st. We've known for a while that the first single will be called Caravan. And now, based on the Amazon listing, it seems as if the second single is called BU2B.
I smell an instrumental :)
The singles can be purchased separately, but if purchase them together, you'll also receive a PDF booklet.
You can add each single to your wishlist via the links below.
Caravan -- BU2B
Thanks to readers RushFanForever and Caleb Medd for passing along the news.
May 18th, 2010
Rush: Beyond the Lighted Stage Bonus DVD Information Revealed
Last month, it was hinted that the pending DVD/Blu-Ray release of the Rush Documentary 'Beyond the Lighted Stage would also include a bonus disc with additional footage that didn't make the final documentary. We now have official information on the content of the bonus DVD which includes over 3 hours of additional footage and content. The bonus DVD includes the following exclusive material:In addition to the release of the bonus content, a video interview with Geddy and Alex was posted at CNN. Nothing really new revealed, but interesting nonetheless.1. Being Bullied and The Search for The First Gig
2. Reflections on the album Hemispheres
3. Presto and Roll The Bones Rap
4. The RUSH Fashion
5. Hobbies on the Road
6. RUSH Trekkies
7. Pre Gig Warm-Up
8. "Best I Can" - (never-before-seen footage w/ original drummer, John Rutsey from 1974)
9. "Working Man" - (never-before-seen footage w/ original drummer, John Rutsey from 1974)
10. "La Villa Strangiato" - Live at Pinkpop Festival in Holland from 1979 (first time this epic song was captured on video)
11. "Between The Sun and Moon" - Hartford, CT (from the band's first show back after hiatus in 2002)
12. Dinner with RUSH at a Hunting Lodge
13. "Far Cry" live - from the 'Snakes & Arrows' DVD
14. "Entre Nous" live - from the 'Snakes & Arrows' DVD
15. "Bravado" - rare live version -- previously only available on the 'R30' Blu-ray version
16. "YYZ" - rare live version -- previously only available on the 'R30' Blu-ray version
The DVD/Blu-Ray release is still scheduled for June 29th. Pre-order your copy via the following links:
Thanks to reader RushFanForever for the video clip and RushIsABand for the bonus DVD info.Click to ORDER the DVD - priced at $13.99
Click to ORDER the Blu-Ray - priced at $17.49
May 12th, 2010
Rush: Beyond the Lighted Stage Updates
Attendees of the Hot Docs Canadian International Documentary Festival, which ran from April 29 to May 9 in Toronto, Ontario, have selected the "Rush: Beyond the Lighted Stage" as one of the Top 10 audience favorites as determined by audience vote. This follows the documentary taking home the Heineken Audience Award at the Tribeca Film Festival earlier in April.
In addition to the latest recognition the documentary is receiving, many more cities have been added to the theatrical release of the documentary on June 10th. For a complete list of cities where the documentary is being shown, please visit the official website for the theater releases at www.rushbeyondthelightedstagemovie.com.
I'll be attending the documentary premiere at the Clearview Mansfield Cinema 15 in Hackettstown, NJ so if you're attending as well, drop me a line!
And don't forget that the DVD/Blu-Ray release is still scheduled for June 29th. Pre-order your copy via the following links:Thanks to reader RushFanForever for the news.Click to ORDER the DVD - priced at $13.99
Click to ORDER the Blu-Ray - priced at $17.49
May 7th, 2010
The Gibson Interview: Alex Lifeson (Part 2)
The second part of the Alex Lifeson interview with Gibson guitars is now online. In it, Alex discusses more about his choice of guitars over the years, the progression of the band and some of his thoughts on the making of Moving Pictures.
In addition to the past, Alex had this to say about the new material Rush has been working on:So to bring it back to the new material you're working on, is this more guitar-oriented stuff? What kind of feel does it have?Part One of the two part interview can be read via this LINK.
Oh yeah, it's in-your-face guitar stuff. It's awesome, great. In fact, I'm really pleased with the way it's turned out. Everybody's playing really well. There's great energy and there's great rhythmic funk-ability going on there and some really cool stuff and I am really, really pleased with it.
Are you ready to get it out on the road and test it with the fans?
Well yeah, sure. I mean, we're probably halfway through the project for these two songs. We'll probably start mixing, in fact, later tonight, and spend the rest of the week just doing that. But it's great. I really like it.
Part Two of the interview can be read via this LINK.
May 4th, 2010
Snakes & Arrows Live Concert Movie Goes 2x Platinum
According to the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) website, Rush's Snakes & Arrows Live concert movie has been certified as a 2x Platinum seller. The certification was issued on April 20th, along with Gold and 1x Platinum certifications for the movie.
For video sales, Gold certification indicates the sale of 50,000 units while Platinum indicates the sale of 100,000 units. Album sales receive Gold / Platinum certifications at 500,000 / 1,000,000 sales respectively.
Of Rush's studio albums, only Vapor Trails and Snakes & Arrows have failed to reach the 'Gold' certification threshold...yet.
You can view a complete list of all of Rush's Gold and Platinum certifications via this LINK.
May 4th, 2010
Rush: Beyond the Lighted Stage Theater Release Dates
Mark your calendars, everyone. The US and Canadian theatrical release of Rush: Beyond the Lighted Stage is coming on June 10th. The film is being distributed in the US by D&E Entertainment who have released a list of 33 US cities where the documentary will be shown with the promise of "more to come". Here's the current list:Apple Valley, CAThere's also a new website created by D&E Entertainment at www.rushbeyondthelightedstagemovie.com that has the latest news on the film release.
Baton Rouge, LA
Birmingham, AL
Boston, MA
Chattanooga, TN
Cleveland, OH
Columbus, OH
Dallas, TX
Dayton, OH
Detroit, MI
Evansville, IN
Hartford, CT
Houston, TX
Indianapolis, IN
Kansas City, MO
Kalamazoo, MI
Little Rock, AR
Los Angeles, CA
Louisville, KY
Las Vegas, NV
Minneapolis, MN
New Haven, CT
Oklahoma City, OK
Omaha, NE
Pensacola, FL
Philadelphia, PAv Phoenix, AZ
Pittsburgh, PA
San Diego, CA
Toledo, OH
Tulsa, OK
Tuscon, AZ
Virginia Beach, VA
Keep in mind that the DVD/Blu-Ray release is still scheduled for June 29th. Pre-order your copy via the following links:Thanks to reader GeddyWannaBe for the news.Click to ORDER the DVD - priced at $13.99
Click to ORDER the Blu-Ray - priced at $17.49
May 2nd, 2010
Rush: Beyond the Lighted Stage Wins Tribeca Audience Award
We've just learned through several sources that Rush: Beyond the Lighted Stage has won the Tribeca Film Festival's Heineken Audience Award.Tribeca Film Festival attendees have selected the rockumentary "Rush: Beyond the Lighted Stage" for the fest's 2010 Heineken Audience Award.Click HERE to see the other documentaries from the film festival that were also in the running.
Scot McFadyen and Sam Dunn's Canadian feature received the $25,000 award Saturday night at the TFF Wrap Party in Chelsea's Altman Building. The film chronicles the 42-year history of the band, whose status as a heavy metal act has provoked online debate for several years. Interviews with fans such as Gene Simmons, Billy Corgan and Jack Black are featured alongside profiles of Rush bandmates Geddy Lee, Alex Lifeson and Neil Peart.
Congratulations to Scot McFadyen, Sam Dunn and, of course, Rush for winning this award.
April 30th, 2010
The Gibson Interview: Alex Lifeson (Part 1)
Part one of a two-part interview between Alex Lifeson and Gibson Guitars was just posted at the official Gibson website.It would be so easy for a guitar player to disappear in a trio like Rush. Fronting the band is the man-siren shriek and thundering bass of Geddy Lee. Propelling things from behind is, quite possibly, the greatest rock drummer of all time, Neil Peart. So, a mere mortal might just be inclined shrivel up and play barre chords. But Alex Lifeson has always been up to the challenge. From the crashing riffs of "Working Man" and "Passage to Bangkok" to the searing leads of "Limelight" and "The Main Monkey Business," he has always represented the cutting edge of rock guitar. Alex recently visited the Gibson Custom Factory and sat down with Gibson.comWhile there isn't anything terribly new in this interview (at least the first half of it), Alex does elaborate on why the band is recording in, of all places, Nashville TN:I don't generally think of you guys as a Nashville band. What brings you to Nashville for recording?You can read the entire interview via this LINK. The conclusion of the interview should be posted next week.
We are using Blackbird Studios - great studio. Really, really good studio. Our producer, Nick Raskulinecz, lives here. He moved here from Los Angeles last year and, unfortunately, in Toronto there are no good drum rooms. Most of the great studios that used to be there are gone. There are a couple still left, but it was a question of where we would record drums more than anything else. We thought about doing it in L.A. Neil lives there. It would be nice for him to be home while we were working, but those studios weren't available either and Blackbird was, and Nick had had some experience there and used it quite a bit, actually. And it's a great place.
April 30th, 2010
Rush: Beyond the Lighted Stage DVD / Blu-Ray Pre-Order Now Available
The new documentary Rush: Beyond the Lighted Stage can now be pre-ordered from Amazon.com in both DVD and Blu-Ray formats.Both versions, along with a digital download version, will be released on June 29th.Click to ORDER the DVD - priced at $13.99
Click to ORDER the Blu-Ray - priced at $17.49
All versions are still expected to include a bonus disk containing over one hour of additional features which didn't make the final cut.
April 30th, 2010
"Time Stand Still - The Collection" Now Available
There is certainly no shortage of Rush "Greatest Hits" compilations albums, though all of them dealt with a specific segment of Rush album history. Now, a new European import which includes tracks from Rush's earliest offerings up through 1987's Hold Your Fire is available.
Titled Time Stand Still - The Collection, this 13-track collection presents a nice sampling from nearly all of Rush's first twelve studio albums (also known as the 'Mercury Years'). Here's the track list:1. The Spirit Of RadioTo order the CD via Amazon.Com, please click HERE.
2. Tom Sawyer
3. Freewill
4. Fly By Night
5. The Big Money
6. Time Stand Still
7. Limelight
8. Finding My Way
9. By-Tor And The Snow Dog
10. A Passage To Bangkok
11. Distant Early Warning
12. The Trees
13. Closer To The Heart
Thanks to Power Windows for the news.
April 29th, 2010
Rush Hollywood Walk of Fame Ceremony Set for June 25th
It was back in June of 2008 when we first mentioned that Rush was going to receive their own star on the famous Hollywood Walk of Fame. We've now learned that the actual ceremony will take place on June 25th as confirmed by a news clip from the Artisan News Service on the Rush documentary (Click HERE to watch the news clip.)
Mention of the Walk of Fame Ceremony occurs at the 3:15 mark.
The original project to get Rush this honor was coordinated by Donna Halper as well as Rush fans Keith and Kevin Purdy who reached out to fans across the world for support.
Thanks to RushIsABand for the news.
April 28th, 2010
Rush To Release First New Single Within a Month - Olympics Mystery Solved
Both Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson have been on the interview trail of late and, as such, we're beginning to get more information on the thought process behind the upcoming tour as well as the new material. In this Geddy interview with Spike of 94 WYSP in Philadelphia, Geddy indicated the following about the new material:... It's hard, it's fresh. They're pretty hard hitting. They're pretty musically ambitious. One of the songs is longer... kind of a cross between Far Cry and Monkey Business. Another one is just the shorter kind of super energy song. ...In addition to discussing the new material, the documentary and the tour, Geddy also (finally) reveals why Rush was not part of the recent Winter Olympic Games....Well we had an opportunity to play but there were all kinds of crazy rules going on about lip-synching and all stuff like that and that's just not our bag, man...Now I'm glad they didn't play the Olympics because the notion of Rush lip-synching just doesn't sit well with me.
Alex Lifeson also had an interview with New York City's Q104.3 where he stated this about the new songs:...we'll release one to radio in about a month and then the two of them will be released around the same time at the beginning of the tour...Information on how the singles will be released hasn't been shared yet, though certainly we can expect digital downloads to be at least one of the formats utilized.
Thanks to Ed from RushIsABand for the interview links.
April 25th, 2010
Rush: Beyond the Lighted Stage Updates
Update April 27th: A 9-minute long red-carpet video featuring interviews with fans and celebrities alike is now online at YouTube.
The world premiere of the Rush documentary 'Rush: Beyond the Lighted Stage' at this weekend's Tribeca Film Festival in New York City had both Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson on hand along with filmmakers Scot McFadyen & Sam Dunn. Numerous pictures from the event can be viewed via this LINK.
In addition to the premiere, a new dedicated website for the documentary has been established at www.rushbeyondthelightedstage.com which includes news on the documentary, the official trailer, images and more.
Additionally, the official website indicates that the theatrical release is scheduled for June 10th with showings in select theaters. The DVD/Blu-Ray/digital download release is still scheduled for June 29th with unconfirmed (Thanks Power Windows) news that the DVD release will include 'a bonus disk containing over one hour of additional features which didn't make the final cut!'.
We'll have more news -- and reviews -- as they become available.
April 23rd, 2010
Rush Sighting on 'Fringe'
Last night's episode of the FOX Sci-Fi/Paranormal series 'Fringe' opened with 'Tom Sawyer' playing prominently in the background. The episode, titled 'The Man From The Other Side' started with a shot of an abandoned warehouse where a young couple in a parked car are getting high while 'Tom Sawyer' blares from the car radio.
The complete episode is already online and can be viewed via this LINK.
April 22nd, 2010
Rush: Beyond the Lighted Stage Review Thread
Update: April 23rd: The official trailer for the documentary is now online HERE. Enjoy.
As most of you know by now, the 'Rush: Beyond the Lighted Stage' documentary is set to debut at the Tribeca Film Festival in New York City this Saturday, April 24th followed by a premiere at the Toronto's Hot Docs Canadian International Documentary Festival on April 29th and 30th. The documentary will also be shown in theaters this summer and will make its television premiere on VH-1 on June 26th.
With all the premieres and upcoming showings, I wanted to create a 'Reviews' thread here which will link to any published reviews. Please feel free to add links to additional reviews (or add your own personal review) in the comments section of this thread.
So, with that said, here are the first reviews I've come across:Tribeca Review: Rush: Beyond The Lighted Stage -- by Katey Rich, April 22nd, 2010.I'll add more reviews to this thread as I come across them.
Memorable Quote:"But dammit, if liking Rush is wrong, I don't wanna be right. Going into the film knowing nothing about the band beyond that one scene in I Love You Man, I didn't come out instantly dying to track down their filmography and memorize Neil Peart's drum solos, but I was utterly charmed all the same."
TriBeCa Film Festival 2010: 'Rush' to see the story of this band -- by Kyle Smith, April 19th, 2010.
Memorable Quote:"I always found guitarist Lifeson's sound to be singularly colorful, connoting oranges and yellows instead of the monochrome of bands like Iron Maiden or the aptly-named Black Sabbath."
'Rush: Beyond the Lighted Stage': Exclusive Movie Clip -- by Steven Kurutz, April 26th, 2010.
Memorable Quote:"But in the way of many Canadians, the bandmates - Geddy Lee, Alex Lifeson and Neil Peart - come across as such nice, unaffected rock stars. And the on-camera tributes from the likes of Billy Corgan and Kirk Hammett are so heartfelt that the cynical viewer begins to soften and appreciate if not Rush's music, than at least the fervor they stoke among fans ..."
At Tribeca, Surprises, Thrills and Revelations -- by Joe Morgenstern, April 26th, 2010.
Memorable Quote:"During the course of its four-decade run, the Canadian band RUSH has been immensely popular and tricky to categorize, notwithstanding Jack Black's on-camera assertion that it's a band "with a deep reservoir of rocket sauce." ...
Out of the box, the history of Rush -- by Linda Barnard, April 27th, 2010.
Memorable Quote:"Rush is a unique story," says McFadyen. "It's our first real human and emotional story. It's the first time we've been able to capture in depth the personalities and motivations and struggles a band has gone through to do what they do and I think we captured their humour and some of their toughest moments. And for us that's a pretty big step forward."
RUSH: BEYOND THE LIGHTED STAGE -- by Film Threat Reviewer, April 28th, 2010.
Memorable Quote:Rush doesn't need a new fan, but vice versa; in our current pop culture climate where being a nerd is now cool, Rush helped pioneer literary references and sprawling fantasy concepts so bands like Coheed and Cambria could produce a comic book based on their entire song catalog.
Rush doc a transition for directors -- by Jim Slotek, April 28th, 2010.
Memorable Quote:"I think it's Rush's philosophy, that you can create music for yourselves and be successful, and that's really hard to do. "
Reznor, Corgan argue Rush underappreciated in doc -- By Michael Oliveira, April 28th, 2010.
Memorable Quote:"We came to the realization that globally, Rush is kind of recognized as Canada's rock ambassadors from fans of all ages, I think it made me realize this band has a much bigger impact around the world than a lot of Canadians certainly appreciate, so it seemed like a story that needed to be told."
Entering Rushdom -- By Guy Dixon, April 28th, 2010.
Memorable Quote:"Everyone assumes that Rush, because their music is so serious, must be really serious guys. But if they took themselves really seriously, they would not be nearly as interesting."
Canada's Rush: one of rock's most overlooked bands? -- By The Canadian Press, April 28th, 2010.
Memorable Quote:"But they weren't chasing or trying to sound like something the record company was telling them to sound like," added Dunn, "they weren't trying to pump out hits, they were creating music that they wanted to."
Living in the Limelight -- By Sarah Liss, CBC News, April 29th, 2010.
Memorable Quote:"I think they didn't connect with critics because they were perceived as being pretentious," says Dunn, "Because of fantastical lyrics, really long songs, complex time signatures. But I like that quote in the film from Neil: 'We weren't being pretentious! We weren't pretending anything. This is what we're into!'"
Tribeca Review: Rush: Beyond the Lighted Stage -- By Robert Levin, May 1st, 2010.
Memorable Quote:"That dynamic permeates the story of the band, illuminating the inner workings of the deep personal bond that's kept the men together for so long. Its depiction transforms Rush: Beyond the Lighted Stage from an on the level telling of the Rush story to a testament to the right ways to stay humble in the face of enormous fame, to exude the sort of authenticity that attracts legions of followers, no matter how high your voice, how unhip your dress and how much you sing about temples rising from federation cities."
Enjoy.
April 22nd, 2010
Alex Lifeson Discusses Documentary and Upcoming Tour
A new interview with Alex Lifeson was just posted at Time Out New York.You can read the entire interview via this LINK.Receiving its world premiere at the festival, Sam Dunn and Scot McFadyen's profile goes deep into the boyhoods of the prog-rock trio's famously headstrong members. Along the way, it shows the band doubling down against its management's wishes-and coming up with the classic LP 2112. Lifeson, 56, called TONY from Nashville, where Rush is partly recording its 19th studio album.Along with some questions geared towards the documentary and some early footage of Alex when he was a teenager, there was a discussion about the upcoming tour where Alex revealed the following:You're about to go on the road playing the entirety of 1981's Moving Pictures, including the 11-minute-long "The Camera Eye." How do you keep it fresh?
"Tom Sawyer" could have been written eight months ago, with the kind of response it still gets. We're bringing a bunch of other old stuff back, "Jacob's Ladder," too. We're rearranging it slightly, as with "The Camera Eye," changing a couple of things, having another crack at it. It's going to be a lot of fun for us.
Thanks to Eric from Power Windows for the news.
April 21st, 2010
Geddy Lee Interview in Rolling Stone Magazine - First Single Named
Rolling Stone magazine just published an article/interview with Geddy Lee titled Rush's Return to the Limelight in which Geddy discusses the upcoming tour, recording 'Moving Pictures' and a bit about the new album.This summer, Rush will be hitting the U.S. and Canadian concert trail on their Time Machine Tour, which will see the trio perform their 1981 classic Moving Pictures in its entirety. They'll also be road-testing new material they're working up for their 19th studio effort. Frontman Geddy Lee tells Rolling Stone the fresh tracks are "upbeat, hard rocking songs" with a Rush trademark: "typically absurdist arrangements."Add 'Caravan' to the set list for the Time Machine Tour :-)
Will you release some new songs to coincide with the tour?
I'd imagine - because we don't have time to do more than two at the moment - we'll probably release one as soon as it's ready, before the tour starts, and then probably release the second one as the tour starts. But our hope was to really get something down on tape, so we could play these songs live and road test them in a way. We're still kind of throwing titles back in forth, but one is called "Caravan."
You can read the entire article via this LINK.
April 20th, 2010
Moving Pictures and 2112 to Receive DVD/Blu-Ray Treatment
According to an article at Brave Words and Bloody Knuckles, the classic Rush albums Moving Pictures and 2112 will be released as a DVD/Blu-Ray video this September:Eagle Vision has confirmed a September release date for the Classic Albums DVD/Blu Ray release of RUSH's legendary Moving Pictures and 2112 albums. The video goes into the studio with singer/bassist Geddy Lee, guitarist Alex Lifeson and drummer Neil Peart, along with producers for interviews and rare performances of material that shaped the band's career such as 'Tom Sawyer', 'YYZ', 'Limelight' and '2112'.It's unclear when the video segments/interviews were shot (i.e. during the recording of these two albums (unlikely) or more recently, but I'm sure more details will begin to unfold over the summer.
Thanks to Power Windows for the news.
April 20th, 2010
Rush: Beyond the Lighted Stage Coming to VH-1 on June 26th
According to a recent article regarding upcoming programming on VH-1, the new documentary on Rush, which premieres this weekend at the Tribeca Film Festival, will also have its world television premiere on VH-1 on Saturday, June 26th.This world premiere gives a comprehensive exploration of the history of legendary Canadian power trio Rush - from their early days growing up in Toronto, through each of their landmark albums, to the present day. With a career spanning four decades, RUSH (Geddy Lee, Alex Lifeson, and Neal Peart) is one of the most successful bands in the history of popular music, but despite their remarkable career achievements, they have never been critics' darlings. Directors Scot McFadyen and Sam Dunn interview the band's admirers and contemporaries, including Gene Simmons, Billy Corgan, Sebastian Bach, Jack Black, and others and also deliver rare backstage and concert footage.The documentary will also be in theaters this summer, though an exact release date has yet to be announced.
April 19th, 2010
Two New Dates Added to Time Machine Tour
Due to popular demand, Rush has now added a second Chicago, IL and Denver, CO show to the 2010 Leg of the Time Machine Tour.
The second Chicago show will take place on July 7th (two days after the first show) and will also be held at the Charter One Pavilion. The second Denver show will take be held on August 18th (the first show taking place on the 16th). Both Denver shows will be held at the incredible Red Rocks Amphitheatre.
In addition to the two new shows, there are many more dates which now have ticket pre-sale and sale information. For complete details, please visit the official Rush.Com website.
April 18th, 2010
Snakes & Arrows Live DVD Loses Out on Juno Award
Rush's Snakes & Arrows Live failed to bring home the Juno award for best music DVD of 2009 last night, losing out to 'Iron Maiden Flight 666,' the documentary made by Canadian heavy metal filmmakers Sam Dunn and Scott McFadyen. Of course, Dunn and McFadyen are also the filmmakers behind the upcoming Rush Documentary 'Beyond the Lighted Stage' which premieres this weekend at the NY Tribeca Film Festival.
Sam Dunn, coincidentally, wore a 'Caress of Steel' t-shirt (See image) at the Juno awards because, according to this article, he assumed Rush was going to take home the prize."I wore my Rush 'Caress of Steel' shirt because I thought Rush were going to win," Dunn said backstage after their win...Thanks to RushFanForever for passing along the news and picture of Dunn in the COS t-shirt.
April 16th, 2010
Rush News Bullets
It's been an exciting week in the world of Rush as tickets began going on sale for the upcoming
2010 Time Machine Tour which launches in just under 75 days in beautiful Albuquerque, New Mexico. Speculation on the set list, beyond the inclusion of Moving Pictures in its entirety, has been running wild -- but hey, that's what we do. We're Rush fans :) In addition to the tour dates and ticket presales, here are some other notable stories...That's all for now, everyone. Enjoy the weekend...Rush: Beyond the Lighted Stage Movie Info & Poster: Rush.Com has some new information on the upcoming documentary on the band. In addition to unveiling the official Movie Poster, the site had this to say as well: "The trailer, other premieres, theatre runs, and more details coming soon!". The official premiere is still scheduled to take place next week on April 24th at the Tribeca Film Festival in New York.
CD Single To Be Released: News that a "Limited Edition Rush CD Single" which "includes two new songs off the upcoming album" that's included with the Premium Fan Ticket Package has had the Rush community buzzing. Though it's currently unknown whether the CD single will be available for purchase separately (or via digital download), some inside 'sources' are suggesting that the CD single may actually be available, in limited quantities, at each of the concert shows. We'll have more information as it becomes available.
Rush Congratulates South Park on 200th Episode: All three members of Rush recently recorded a congratulatory singing message to the producers of 'South Park' on recognition of their 200th episode. You can see the short video segment via this LINK. Thanks to Eric from Power Windows for the news.
Cygnus-X1.Net Rush Lyric Randomizer 2.0: In celebration of the upcoming Time Machine Tour, I've decided to completely overhaul one of the oldest features of Cygnus-X1.Net; the Rush Lyric Randomizer. Changes include incorporating the graphical theme of the Time Machine Tour, including texturized album cover images, and also allowing you to click the lyric banner to read the entire lyrics from the particular song. The original Lyric Randomizer included just under 150 random lyric segments while the new one has nearly 500! This is a feature I've been meaning to change for several years now, so I'm happy to finally have a proper reason to update it. Now, on to other new features! :)
April 12th, 2010
Rush: Time Machine Tour 2010 Updates
Update (04/13): Visit the official Rush Music Today website for fan pre-sale information on a number of dates which begins today. You do NOT need any special credit card or other membership to participate in this pre-sale. Also, we've learned that the VIP package listed below will also include a Limited Edition Rush CD Single (includes two new songs off the upcoming album) but be prepared to fork over about $300 per ticket for that package.
Pre-sale dates for the upcoming tour are upon us with many beginning tomorrow (April 13th). For complete details on all pre-sale dates, please check out the official Rush page at Live Nation website.
In addition to the pre-sale information, we've learned that there will be a special Rush VIP Ticket package which is expected to include the following:* One premium, reserved ticket located within the first 15 rows of the stageIt initially appears that the Rush VIP pre-sale is open to everyone and also begins, in some locations, tomorrow.
* Specially Designed Rush Concert Shirt
* Collectible Tour Poster (limited edition, numbered)
* Official Rush Tour Program
* Copy of the new Rush DVD, "Beyond the Light of the Stage"
* Copy of the Rush CD, "Working Men"
* Set of official Rush guitar picks
Best of luck to everyone in getting their tickets!
April 12th, 2010
Rush: Beyond the Lighted Stage Preview Clips
Two preview clips of the upcoming documentary on Rush, which is set to premiere on April 24th at the Tribeca Film Festival, have just been posted online.Rush: Beyond the Lighted Stage - Clip 1The film will also appear at Toronto's Hot Docs Canadian International Documentary Festival, with showings Thursday, April 29th at 9:30PM at the Winter Garden Theatre and Friday, April 30th at 4:00PM at the Isabel Bader Theatre. Additionally, we've learned that the DVD is completed and "should be released" June 29th.
Rush: Beyond the Lighted Stage - Clip 2
Thanks to RushFanForever for the news.
April 11th, 2010
New World Man - a Rush Tribute
Another Rush Tribute album is set to be released this May 18th, 2010 from Magna Carta Records. New World Man: a (Rush) tribute is actually a compilation from two earlier Rush tribute albums; Working Man from 1996 and Subdivisions from 2005. It also includes the Alex Skolnick Trio's jazz interpretation of "Tom Sawyer" which was previously released on Last Day In Paradise.Featuring performances by:Chris Pennie (Dillinger Escape Plan, Coheed and Cambria); Juan Alderete (Mars Volta); Shane Gibson (Korn); Dave Martone; John Petrucci (Dream Theater), Billy Sheehan, Alex Skolnick (Testament), Andreas Kisser (Sepultura), Sebastian Bach (Skid Row), Eric Martin, Vinnie Moore, Kip Winger, Mike Mangini, Mike Portnoy This album compiles some old favorite's from Magna Carta's "Working Man" and "Subdivisions" tribute albums; Alex Skolnick trio's interpretation of "Tom Sawyer"; along with some newly recorded tracks.You can pre-order the album on Amazon.Com via this LINK.
April 8th, 2010
Rush Announces 2010 Time Machine Tour
Update: A Rush News Letter / press release has just been issued which contains a Tour Itinerary document (PDF) as well as more information on the tour.(Toronto - Thursday, April 8th 2010) - 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.Update: I've now added the Tour Dates to the Tour Information section of the site. I'll be adding the Set List and Tour Book information as it comes available.
Announced today, The Time Machine Tour is an evening with Rush, where they will perform their classics, give a taste of the future - and for the first time ever - feature the Moving Pictures album live in its entirety.
The band is currently working on their 20th studio album with producer Nick Raskulinecz (co-producer from 2007's Snakes & Arrows) and in addition to their classics plan to showcase a few new tunes live this summer.
"We were off for a year and a half, and now it's just pouring. Everything is totally crazy and there's not a minute left in the day. We've got these half-dozen songs, and we'll probably go in the studio and work on a couple of them and see how it goes, perhaps release something - and I say perhaps - and then we plan on being on the road," says guitarist, Alex Lifeson.
This summer's Live Nation promoted tour will visit approximately 40 cities throughout North America beginning June 29th in Albuquerque, NM and finishing October 2nd in West Palm Beach, FL with stops along the way in Boston, Chicago, Denver, Dallas, Holmdel, Houston, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Philadelphia, San Francisco, Toronto, Washington, and more along the way (complete tour itinerary follows).
Rush has sold more than 40 million records worldwide and garnered untold legions of devoted and admiring fans. According to the RIAA, Rush's sales statistics place RUSH third after The Beatles and The Rolling Stones for the most consecutive gold or platinum studio albums by a rock band.
Released in 1981, Moving Pictures was their most successful album, certified 4x Platinum and features some of Rush's most well known songs and perennial radio favourites Tom Sawyer, Limelight and the Grammy-nominated instrumental YYZ.
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The rumors have been put to rest. Earlier this morning, Rush formally annouced their plans for a Summer 2010 Tour, dubbed the 'Rush Time Machine Tour 2010'. The tour will emcompass 37 dates and will open on June 29th in Albuquerque, New Mexico at The Pavilion in the Hard Rock Casino. The band will then make their way around the country, ending the 2010 leg of the tour in sunny West Palm Beach, Florida at the Cruzan Amphitheatre.
In addition to the tour dates, Rush also announced that they will be playing, for the first time ever, Moving Pictures in its entirety. Finally, many of us will get to here The Camera Eye Live!
Tickets for many dates will go on sale on or about April 16th. You can check out all the sale dates at the official Rush.Com website.
The tour dates will also be added to the Tour Information section of this site later today.
We'll have more information on ticket sale dates and potential hints at the set list as they become available.
Let the 2010 Summer of Rush begin!
April 7th, 2010
Rush To Perform at PNC Arts Center (NJ) and Jones Beach (NY)
Though no official tour dates have been annouced by the band (yet), an article that was just published at NJ.Com indicates that Rush will be performing at the PNC Arts Center in New Jersey (my backyard) on September 3rd. They'll also be coming around to the New York City area on July 24th, making a stop at Jones Beach in Wantagh, New York.
Interestingly enough, the article named the upcoming tour as the 'Time Machine Tour' which may play well into the possibility of a B-Sides setlist.
Expect more news tomorrow as the Countdown draws to a close.
April 6th, 2010
Rush.Com Has Started a Countdown
The band's official website, Rush.Com has started a countdown which apparently ends sometime Thursday (April 8th) morning. The countdown does not seem to be properly synchornized for those outside of the Eastern Time Zone, so the actual end-time is still somewhat up in the air.
I'm speculating that the countdown announcement will include information on the Rush 2010 Tour with potentially some information on the new material that the band has been working on.
I guess we'll all find out in, oh, about 45 hours or so :)
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