Humor and Rush: Alex Lifeson Reflects on 40 Years

Photo, courtesy of Toronto's Q107.
Photo, courtesy of Toronto’s Q107.

We’ve always spent most of our time together laughing. . . . After sound check, we have dinner together, and it’s just us in the dressing room for about ½ hour or forty minutes. We all catch up on stuff that’s going on day to day or in our lives or whatever. And it’s also a chance for us to have some laughs, and we always do that, every single day that we’re together. We do that. It’s been a very important part of our longevity, for sure.

–Interview with Alex Lifeson, January 26, 2015. Q107/Toronto

The full interview is just under 20 minutes, and it’s a blast.  Well worth your time.  For the full thing, go here.

2112 => 2113

Admittedly, I’ve been a Rush fan since 1981.  But, I’ve also been a fan of Kevin J. Anderson’s work for over two decades.  Peart and Anderson together.  What a brilliant way to expand the larger Rush mythos.

Rush_2112_Black_Shirt
2112: The t-shirt!

This from Anderson’s blog:

Announcing “2113: Stories Inspired by the Music of Rush”

For my entire writing career, my stories have been inspired by the music of Rush. And I’m not the only one. After the publication of my “Drumbeats” and CLOCKWORK ANGELS with Neil Peart, many other writers have approached me to talk about Rush.

It certainly made sense that we could find plenty of well-known writers interested in writing original stories inspired by Rush songs—enough to fill an entire anthology. Canadian author John McFetridge first approached ECW Press (publisher of CLOCKWORK ANGELS) with the idea, and they liked it; shortly afterward, they brought me on board to co-edit with John.  We approached Neil Peart to make certain he supported the idea, since the stories would be based on his lyrics.  While Neil isn’t directly involved in the project, he granted his approval, turning us loose to see what stories we could track down.

And I’m doing an original novella, 2113.

The many other authors who signed on include numerous award-winners, New York Times bestsellers, well-known writers of science fiction, fantasy, mystery, thrillers. We will have original pieces by me, David Farland, Mercedes Lackey, Greg van Eekhout, Dayton Ward, David Mack, Steven Savile, Brian Hodge, Michael Z. Williamson, Brad R. Torgersen, David Niall Wilson, Ron Collins, Mark Leslie, Larry Dixon, John McFetridge, and Tim Lasiuta.  AND we will include a reprint of Richard Foster’s story “A Nice Morning Drive”—the original inspiration for “Red Barchetta”—and Fritz Leiber’s “Roll the Bones.”

Just today I finished the last scene in 2113, which I’ll be polishing while waiting for all those other cool stories to roll in.

No firm release date yet from ECW, probably in about a year.  Meanwhile, I can’t wait to read it myself!

To read the original story, go here.

Rolling Stone Encyclopedia of Rock & Roll 1983 on Rush (Part 2)

RS-Rush-1983-B

Following up on Part 1 of my post, here is what the Rolling Stone Encyclopedia had to say about Rush in 1983.

It’s hilarious how much of the entry is devoted to Geddy Lee’s solo participation in the novelty song “Take Off“.

Why not talk more about the band’s musical achievements on their own albums?

The whole entry reads like a grudging acknowledgement of Rush’s album sales, with a tone of reluctance of having to recognize the facts. The compliments seem back-handed.

It strikes me as typically mean-spirited to focus on the commercial success of a tangential novelty song, rather than to describe in more detail the band’s interesting musical development and impressive album-length output.

Sigh… this entry “echoes with the sounds of salesmen” too much for my liking!

Philip Basche on Ticked-off Rush Fans, 1982

Circus30nov1982
Image, courtesy of http://www.2112.net.

“If there’s one thing rock journalists dread more than watery drinks at press functions, it’s facing the wrath of Rush fans disgruntled over a less than favorable review.  Not only are they a vocal lot who will gladly spring for the postage in order to castigate the offending scribe, but they’re unusually articulate.”—Philip Basche, CIRCUS (November 30, 1982)

Rolling Stone Encyclopedia of Rock & Roll 1983 on Rush (Part 1)

RS-Rush-1983-A

This is from The Rolling Stone Encyclopedia of Rock & Roll, edited by Jon Pareles and Patricia Romanowski (New York: Rollin Stone Press / Summit Books, 1983), p. 485.

Back in the days before the Internet and Wikipedia, this was the way we would know the birthdays of the musicians in our favorite bands.

I used to read the entries in this book over and over again. Back in the day.

Is the 1983 Encyclopedia entry as obtuse as the Rush entry in the 1979 Record Guide?

Stay tuned for Part 2…

Rolling Stone Record Guide 1979 on Rush: Hilariously Obtuse

RS-Rush-1979

This is from The Rolling Stone Record Guide, edited by Dave Marsh with John Swenson (Random House / Rolling Stone Press, 1979), p. 336.

The review was written by “A.N.” which stands for “Alan Niester” who we are told (p. xvi) “is a high school teacher in Toronto who writes for a variety of American and Canadian magazines.”

For those of you not familiar with the rating system, a square means zero, or “worthless” (p. xiii).

Sorry, Alan, the first Rush album I ever listened to was A Farewell to Kings … and it is a five-star tour de force of excellence. “Xanadu” and “Cygnus X-1” are mind-blowing and innovative. I remember someone had left the vinyl gatefold album in the high school band room; I saw it at the end of the day there and borrowed it overnight. I returned it the next day, my life having been changed forever!

Wow … it seems Alan really hated the music that some of his brighter students were listening to!

To quote Spinal Tap: Alan is currently residing in The “Where Are They Now?” File.