Rush News from Power Windows

Neil Peart's "News Weather and Sports" - November 2009

noreply@blogger.com (Power Windows) — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 05:20:00 +0000

Neil Peart has updated his website with "AUTUMN SERENADE", his latest edition of "News Weather and Sports". Neil has this important bit of news for us:

"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."

- Thanks to Tony Stiles for the headsup!

"Adventures Of Power"'s Ari Gold Interviews Neil Peart

noreply@blogger.com (Power Windows) — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 20:21:00 +0000

Ari Gold, producer and star of Adventures Of Power, interviews Neil Peart in a new video posted on the DrumChannel.com. - Thanks to Panacea2112 for the headsup!

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. Click here for showtimes.

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".

Play Neil's First Rush Drumkit At Pasic this Nov. 11-14

noreply@blogger.com (Power Windows) — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 15:43:00 +0000

In early August, Main Drag Music in Brooklyn New York auctioned off Neil Peart's chrome Slingerland drumkit, the first kit he purchased after becoming a member of Rush, for $25,100. This kit, pictured on the All The World's A Stage cover, was retired by Neil near the end of the All The World's A Stage tour in June '77, replacing it with his black chrome kit first used for the recording of A Farewell To Kings.

The as of yet anonymous owner of the kit will be bringing it to the Percussion Arts Society (PASIC) show to be held November 11-14 in Indianapolis, Indiana (the same show where Neil's Snakes & Arrows drum kit will be on display). The newly restored kit will be found in booth #1254. Visitors to the show will have the opportunity to have their photo taken with the kit as well as have the opportunity to play the kit, for a small charitable donation to the American Cancer Society. Photos taken with the kit will cost between $3 and $5 depending on your location in or near the kit, and playing the kit will run you $10 a minute. Cameras are not required; photos will taken by the kit owner and will be emailed to you. If you don't plan on attending but would still like to donate to the American Cancer Society, donations are being taken at neilpeartdrumsticks.com.

Interview with Paul Northfield by RecordingHacks.com

noreply@blogger.com (Power Windows) — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 22:59:00 +0000

In a new interview with Recordinghacks.com, Rush engineer and producer Paul Northfield discusses working with Rush on Permanent Waves, Moving Pictures, Vapor Trails, and other great records through the years. - Thanks to Cygnify for the headsup!

Alex Lifeson On "The Rick Mercer Report"

noreply@blogger.com (Power Windows) — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 16:18:00 +0000

Alex Lifeson appeared on Tuesday's "The Rick Mercer Report" on the CBC. Click here for the video. During the episode, Lifeson and Mercer go indoor skydiving, and also visit Alex's bar, The Orbit Room. Alex Lifeson is the last member of Rush to appear on the show; both Geddy Lee and Neil Peart have previously done so.

"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 challenge. With cameras rolling, the duo floated atop 225 km/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, ...'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 heard about the Niagara attraction from a co-worker, and decided to freefall with the guy who riffed on Freewill and Spirit of Radio. '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." - NiagraFallsReview.ca, October 14, 2009

R&R Hall Of Fame News: "The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's discord progression"

noreply@blogger.com (Power Windows) — Sun, 25 Oct 2009 17:25:00 +0000

Last month the nominees for induction into the Rock and Roll Hall Of Fame in 2010 were announced, and RUSH were again passed up in this their tenth year of eligibility. The L.A. Times has published a new story titled "The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's discord progression", which includes the statment, "In pop, as in the sporting world that provided a model for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, one fan's dream is another's disappointment. This is true of the annual artist inductions, which elevate some while ignoring others -- Rush was robbed again! -- and the pattern will repeat Thursday and Friday in New York at the hall's 25th anniversary concerts." Click here for more. - Thanks to John at Cygnus-X1.net for the headsup!

Click here for more on RUSH and the Rock Hall.

“Louder Than God”: Rush’s Neil Peart Remembers Blue Cheer’s Dickie Peterson

noreply@blogger.com (Power Windows) — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 23:28:00 +0000

"Rush drummer and Blue Cheer fan Neil Peart wrote the following in memory of singer/bassist Dickie Peterson, who died after a battle with liver cancer on October 12th". - Rollingstone.com, October 21, 2009

"R30" Complete Edition Update

noreply@blogger.com (Power Windows) — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 04:33:00 +0000

As was previously hinted at, the R30 reissue, originally set for release November 17th, has been delayed until December 8th. In addition, although it was previously believed that the full concert would be released on both DVD and Blu-Ray, it has now been confirmed that this will be a Blu-Ray only re-release.

This Blu-Ray release will be the first time the entire R30 concert will be available in its complete form. Eight songs were dropped from the original DVD release, an oversight Geddy Lee promised to rectify one day:

"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

Canadian Release of Sacrifice's Latest To Include "Anthem"

noreply@blogger.com (Power Windows) — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 03:34:00 +0000

"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 Sean at SonicUnyon.com.

"Prog" Rush Feature Transcript Now Online

noreply@blogger.com (Power Windows) — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 20:50:00 +0000

The August 2009 issue of "Classic Rock Presents…Prog" included a special feature on RUSH. The article has been transcribed by John at Cygnus-X1.net and is now available online here. You can also purchase a copy of the magazine at www.myfavouritemagazines.co.uk.

"Issue 3 of …Prog looks at the world of prog metal, featuring such genre stars as Dream Theater, Queensryche, Opeth, Porcupine Tree, Voivod and Finnish siren Tarja, and an intriguing interview with the man who launched the legendary Vertigo label. There are also brand new interviews with ex-Genesis guitarists Steve Hackett and Anthony Phillips, Marillion, The Gathering, War Of The World’s maestro Jeff Wayne, It Bites and even Captain Sensible. Plus there’s the usual round-up on the latest prog news and an even bigger reviews section than ever before. All this plus a free CD featuring an hour’s worth of the finest new progressive music being made today." - ClassicRockMagazine.com

Neil Peart on Atlantic Canada’s top ten

noreply@blogger.com (Power Windows) — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 00:15:00 +0000

"...Nimbus Publishing will be releasing Atlantic Canada’s 100 Greatest Books this month. The editors are currently running a contest to see if you can guess the top five. Neil Peart weighs in on his own 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 E. Annie Proulx; The Architects Are Here by Michael Winter; The Wreckage by Michael Crummey"- QuillandQuire.com, October 9, 2009 - Thanks to AndrewOlson.com for the headsup!

"Working Men" Now Available For Preorder

noreply@blogger.com (Power Windows) — Sun, 11 Oct 2009 22:37:00 +0000

Coming November 17th, the new Rush live video compilation Working Men is now available for preorder on both DVD and CD. This release brings together the best of live tracks culled from Rush In Rio, R30 and Snakes & Arrows Live.

Tracklist: Limelight, The Spirit Of Radio, 2112, Freewill, Dreamline, Far Cry, Subdivisions, One Little Victory (previously unreleased), Closer to the Heart, Tom Sawyer (w/South Park intro), Working Man, YYZ

Click here for the official press release. It can be assumed that One Little Victory is from the soon to be released R30 release, as it was one of the tracks dropped from the original DVD/CD release.

Alex Lifeson Auctioning Painting For Kidney Foundation

noreply@blogger.com (Power Windows) — Sat, 10 Oct 2009 04:41:00 +0000

Alex Lifeson has once again donated one of his original paintings to the Kidney Foundation Of Canada. The auction will begin November 5th on eBay.ca (type “kidney foundation” in the search field). - Thanks to RushFanForever for the headsup.

"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." - www.kidney.ca

"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

Snakes & Arrows Tour Kit Featured at November PASIC Show

noreply@blogger.com (Power Windows) — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 01:55:00 +0000

Neil Peart's Snakes & Arrows tourkit will be on display in Guitar Center's booth at this year's Percussion Arts Society (PASIC) show in Indianapolis, IN. The show runs from November 11-14 in Indianapolis; complete details can be found online at www.pasic.org.- Thanks to RushIsABand for the headsup!

2112.net Helping Out Victims of 100 Year Flood

noreply@blogger.com (Power Windows) — Sat, 26 Sep 2009 04:23:00 +0000

Hunter Willis (brother of Blake Willis, the generous Rush fan who owns and maintains the 2112.net servers), is an aide worker and English teacher in a small village just outside Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso (French West Africa). You can read Hunter's blog here.

Early this month the village was hit by a 100-year-flood that pretty much wiped out about 150,000 Burkinabe homes (houses made of mud bricks simply dried in the sun; guess what happens when a flood comes...). You can imagine what the conditions are in the village, and Hunter has asked for our help!

Hunter has direct contact with medicine & food wholesalers so any monetary funds which he receives can be used as efficiently as possible. Anything you feel like contributing would certainly be appreciated. Hunter is also keeping a list of people and organizations that help out and making sure that the people that are eating & getting meds know where they come from (so we can recruit some new Rush fans while we're at it :-). To help out please send what you can via PayPal to Blake Willis' account, paypal@2112.net, and he will pass it along promptly. Thank you in advance for your help!

Now In Theaters "Trailer Park Boys 2: Countdown To Liquor Day"

noreply@blogger.com (Power Windows) — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 15:15:00 +0000

The new comedy film Trailer Park Boys 2: Countdown To Liquor Day, opened today in Canadian theaters. The film includes yet another cameo by Alex Lifeson, this time in the role of 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." - Edmonton Sun, September 25, 2009 - Thanks to RushIsABand.com

New GarageBand Lessons Include Rush

noreply@blogger.com (Power Windows) — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 01:46:00 +0000

"Today’s Tom Sawyer, he gets high on you, and the space he invades is your personal computer. Well, if you’re using GarageBand ’09, anyway. The GarageBand Lesson Store has added three new lessons to its arsenal, including the classic tune by the Canadian progressive rock band. Rush guitarist Alex Lifeson contributes two lessons to the new assortment, 'Tom Sawyer' and 'Limelight'...Each lesson costs $5 and consists of a video of the artist walking you through the piece, in some cases with both simplified and more complicated versions of the song." - MacWorld.com, September 22, 2009 - Thanks to Devon Cox for the headsup!

Neil Peart collaborates on Vertical Horizon's "Burning The Days" - Now Available

noreply@blogger.com (Power Windows) — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 06:01:00 +0000

Burning The Days, the long awaited album by Vertical Horizon, is finally available. Neil plays drums on three tracks, "Welcome To The Bottom", "Save Me From Myself", and "Even Now" (in fact, these tracks were recorded before Rush recorded Snakes & Arrows). In addition, Neil contributed lyrics to "Even Now", which you can view here.

The April 2007 issue of Drumhead Magazine included an interview with Vertical Horizon frontman, Matt Scannell, where he discussed his friendship and collaboration with Neil, and also discussed how Vertical Horizon was influenced by Rush. Neil first wrote about this collaboration over three years ago in his "News Weather & Sports" report:

"Late in 2005, Matt and I started working on a song together, with lyrics I wrote especially for Matt’s voice — literal and metaphorical. Matt suggested I might like to play drums on that song, and when I agreed to that, he started sending me demos of other songs he thought I might like to play on. (Trickster!). So while I was in Toronto working on Rush songs, I was also 'moonlighting' on three of Matt’s songs, playing to his demos and working out drum parts for them...Through the miracle of modern technology, I was able to e-mail those recorded sketches to Matt, and collect his comments as I went along. Thus it came to pass...on June 14, 2006, at Capitol Records Studio B in Hollywood (Hollywood and Vine, in fact), I recorded three songs for Matt’s upcoming Vertical Horizon album...The following day I told Matt that session had been one of the greatest challenges, experiences, and — now — rewards of my life. That’s the way I have always felt about making Rush albums, and I have every faith the same will be true when Alex, Geddy, and I reconvene in September." - Neil Peart, NeilPeart.net, June 17, 2006

Five-Star Drum Shops Contest For Signed S&A Drum Head

noreply@blogger.com (Power Windows) — Sun, 20 Sep 2009 15:47:00 +0000

Five-star Drum Shops are holding a drumming event on Sunday November 1st with the goal to set a world record by having as many drummers they can get to play at the same time. All who enter and perform will have a chance to win a Neil Peart autographed bass drum head. For more information, visit www.fivestardrumshops.com.- Thanks to Frank Ray for the headsup!

A Talk with Ian Grandy – Rush’s First Roadie

noreply@blogger.com (Power Windows) — Fri, 18 Sep 2009 02:28:00 +0000

GuitarInternational.com has posted an interview between long time Rush fan Skip Daly and RUSH's original roadie, Ian Grady. Ian has stories of the very beginnings of Rush, told for the first time. - Thanks to Skip Daly for the headsup!

City Sonic Project - Geddy Lee At Massey Hall

noreply@blogger.com (Power Windows) — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 03:54:00 +0000

The City Sonic Project pairs Canadian music artists with award-winning Canadian filmmakers to create short documentary films about the artists' connection to places where their musical lives were transformed. One of the 13 short films pairs Geddy Lee with director Bruce McDonald. Geddy takes viewers on a tour inside the legendary Massey Hall, culminating in his memories of the making of All The World's A Stage. The film premiered today at the Toronto International Film Festival, and can also be seen online here. In addition, you can also check out the Geddy Lee Massey Hall Flickr photo stream. - Thanks to RushIsABand for the headsup!

In the film, Geddy reminisces first playing Massey Hall in 1975; in fact, it is believed that Rush first performed in Massey Hall on October 24th, 1974, as stated in this 35 year old Billboard Magazine article.

2010 Calendar Now Shipping

noreply@blogger.com (Power Windows) — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 03:40:00 +0000

The 2010 Rush Calendar is now shipping from Amazon.com, featuring album art and live photos from Permanent Waves, which will celebrate its 30th Anniversary on New Year's Day 2010. In addition, the calendar includes previous quotes from artist Hugh Syme and Neil Peart where they discuss the Permanent Waves album art (as provided by our Album Art Guide!).

For more Rush items from Amazon, be sure to visit our recently revamped Merchandise page!

Ultimate Drum Play-Along Rush - Now Available

noreply@blogger.com (Power Windows) — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 03:37:00 +0000

The Ultimate Drum Play-Along Rush: Authentic Drum (Book & CD) is now available.

"Learn to play your favorite Rush songs with these terrific transcriptions and play-along tracks. The CD contains two version of each song: a complete version for demonstration and a play-along version without drums so you can play with the rhythm tracks. Plus the CD contains embedded software that allows you to slow down, loop and even transpose keys! Plus, there are matching guitar and bass editions available! Titles: Anthem, Closer to the Heart, Spirit of Radio, Temples of Syrinx, Tom Sawyer, YYZ."

- Thanks to AndrewOlson.com for the headsup!

"Suck" Director Discusses Actor Lifeson

noreply@blogger.com (Power Windows) — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 03:30:00 +0000

Alex Lifeson is one of an all star cast of actors and musicians who appear in the new Canadian vampire comedy Suck which premiered last Friday at the Toronto International Film Festival. Lifeson has a cameo as a Canadian border officer:

"Alex Lifeson should just fuckin’ quit Rush and be an actor, he’s so funny. He did all these little things, like playing with the typewriter and other subtle things that were so funny. I kept saying, 'Dude, be an actor!’” - Writer/Director Rob Stefaniuk, Now Magazine, September 9-16, 2009

In the film, Lifeson's character stops the vampire rock band and asks them about their business. After some small talk, Lifeson says "Are you a band? I used to be in a band too! Man, that brings me back! Well kids, have fun!" Later, Lifeson stops the vampire hunter, and when the hunter confirms he is coming to Canada for "hunting", Lifeson replies "Welcome home!" The film's trailer can be seen here. - Thanks to Rushfan19 and RushIsABand for the headsup!

Rush In "Guitar Hero 5" - Details Of Live Recording Confirmed

noreply@blogger.com (Power Windows) — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 04:57:00 +0000

Guitar Hero 5 was released September 1st, with 85 songs by 83 artists, including a previously unreleased live version of "The Spirit Of Radio" (click here to view).

We have confirmed with SRO/Anthem that this recording was taken from an unreleased live performance in Manchester on June 17, 1980 on the Permanent Waves Tour (Producer Terry Brown, Engineer Andy Rose, mobile truck recorder- Mobile studio LONDON). Unfortunately, there are no plans at this time for a live album release of the complete Manchester show, but anything can happen...