Grace Under Pressure Super Deluxe Edition desktop wallpaper

I now have a complete set of Grace Under Pressure Super Deluxe Edition desktop wallpaper images available for your enjoyment, found on my main Wallpaper page as well as on the p/g Super Deluxe page in the Discography  (where you'll also find Geddy's linernotes and other notes about the release). 

Typically in the past, when I take a square image and seek to create a widescreen image for use as wallpaper, I've done so in Photoshop using a mix of cropping and creative cloning. For this album, for a few of the images I also used AI for the first time to creatively expand square images to fill the extra space (starting with the cover image).  I think it worked amazingly well! - A huge thank you to John Patuto at Cygnus-X1.net for providing the transcripts and raw scans!

New Discography Page - "Grace Under Pressure Super Deluxe Edition"

I've updated my Discography with the Grace Under Pressure Super Deluxe Edition page, which includes the new liner notes essay penned by Geddy Lee, plus transcripts of Pressure Release (the Grace Under Pressure tour book essay by Neil Peart), as well as A Rush Newsreel from the Grace Under Pressure press kit published in 1985.  A huge thank you to John Patuto for sharing his transcript, and check back soon for wallpaper images!

"Hands of Man" (instrumental version) by Alex Lifeson, Rik Emmett & Liona Boyd

Since the Winter Olympics are back in the spotlight, I wanted to share something truly special—and quite rare—from the archives.

I originally posted this on my Freedom of Music website about 25 years ago. However, since SRO/Anthem asked me to take that site down shortly after, there is a good chance you haven't heard this.

In 1987, Alex Lifeson teamed up with Triumph's Rik Emmett, jazz legend Ed Bickert, and classical guitarist Liona Boyd. Calling themselves the Canadian Guitar Summit, they recorded "Beyond Borders" for a flexi-disc included in the July issue of Guitar Player magazine. While that specific recording is relatively easy to find online, what I have for you today is much more elusive.

The following year, Alex reunited with Rik and Liona to record "Hands of Man" for the tribute album Dream On The Horizon: A Tribute To The Olympic Spirit, released in support of the 1988 Winter Olympics in Calgary.

The album contains a version with vocals by Joel Wade, and an instrumental version featuring just the three guitarists.  The instrumental version is the one I’ve uploaded here. Though "Hands of Man" was briefly available as a 7" single, it has largely faded into obscurity. The track was written by Boyd, who later gave a "special thanks to Alex Lifeson" in the liner notes of her album Dancing On the Edge.

"Geddy Lee on Rockline for Power Windows" - November 18, 1985

Ongoing contributor Anonymotron42 has been busy, and has taken the time to transcribe another radio broadcast, this time it's Geddy Lee on Rockline for Power Windows, November 18,1985, just over 40 years ago. Rockline interviews are always fun, and this one has a great mix of die-hard fans calling in with great questions. - Another huge thank you to Anonymotron42 for your hard work!

"Rand Paul Clashes With Rush Over "The Spirit of Radio"" - MotherJones.com, June 3, 2010

Today is the 45th anniversary of the release of Permanent Waves, and it is still making waves and remains many fan's favorite album.....    Sixteen years ago, when Libertarian Rand Paul successfully campaigned for Senate, he frequently quoted Rush's lyrics and used their music in his campaign, but the band did not approve.  As shared by MotherJones.com in Rand Paul Clashes With Rush Over "The Spirit of Radio", the band's legal representative eventually sent a cease and desist demand to Paul, but explained that the band didn't necessarily disagree with his politics but rather were simply against the use of their music in a U.S. political campaign. 

"Far Beyond 2112" - Goldmine, April 2020

Hard to believe this week will be 6 years without Neil. In their April 2020 issue, Goldmine magazine published a memorial to Neil Peart dubbed "Far Beyond 2112". Along with a traditional "In Memorial" piece, writer Rush Evans mourns the passing of Neil while embracing the legacy of Rush. - Thank you to Scott Hansen for providing the original article!

"Rush Into Power Trip" - Vancouver Province, May 16, 1986

A slow day here on New Year's Eve, I've just transcribed a short interview with Neil Peart that was published by the Vancouver Province shortly before Rush's performance there in May 1986...nearly 40 years ago!! In "Rush Into Power Trip" Tom Harrison talks to Neil about the band's evolution and the lyrical themes found on Power Windows. - Thank you Vlado for providing the original article!

Transcript: "Profiled! (Presto)" - Anthem Records, 1991

Ongoing contributor Anonymotron42 has provided another excellent transcript!  Profiled! was an interview cd released by Anthem Records in early 1990, shortly after the release of Presto, for radio broadcast.  Similar to previously pressed to vinyl "Radio Specials", Profiled was not just a single interview; taking  advantage of the digital format, the cd contains various sections breaking down the interview into smaller parts, and Anonymotron42 has taken the time to transcribe all of them. - Thanks Anonymotron42 for your hard work! 

Transcript: "From the Beltway to Bristow: A Brief History of Rush Touring in the Washington, DC Region"

Rush fan Jay Roberts, of the blog Jaybird’s Jottings, has put together something special. As a fan living in Alexandria, Virginia, Jay first saw Rush in '76, and has written "From the Beltway to Bristow: A Brief History of Rush Touring in the Washington, DC Region" to document Rush's tour history in the area. Check it out here!

Transcript: "Snakes & Arrows: Special 2007 UK Tour Edition Review" - MetalExpressRadio.com, September 3, 2007

On this day in 2007, the "Snakes & Arrows: Special 2007 UK Tour Edition" was released, repackaging of the MVI edition for the UK market, containing both the original CD as well as a separate DVD "bursting with features". I've added MetalExpressRadio's review of the release to my Transcript Archive, as it does an excellent job of explaining how AWESOME this one of the kind release was and still is.   

Transcript: "Rush: A New Live Album" - Circus, September 13, 1976

I've just transcribed "Rush: A New Live Album", the first announcement of the release of All The World's a Stage in the September 13, 1976 issue of Circus magazine.  The story includes a short interview with Alex and Neil where they talk about the reasons behind the album, etc.  - Thanks to Darren Fine for providing the original article!

 

Transcript: "Geddy Lee on Rockline for Grace Under Pressure" - May 21, 1984

Reader Anonymotron42 has come through big time with another radio show transcript! He's taken the time to transcribe "Geddy Lee on Rockline for Grace Under Pressure ! It's crazy to think this first aired on the radio over 40 years ago... - Thanks Anonymotron42 for your continued contributions! 

"Success Spawns New Label: Anthem Records" - RPM Weekly, June 4, 1977

Today's new transcript is ""Success Spawns New Label: Anthem Records", from the June 4, 1977 issue of Canada's RPM Weekly.  This is the story of the forming of the company which gave Rush independence from the large record labels. - Thanks to RushFanForever for providing the clipping! 

Transcript: "The Game of Snakes and Arrows" - Snakes & Arrows MVI Edition, June 26, 2007

18 years ago today, the Snakes & Arrows MVI Edition was finally released.  For those that don't know, MVI (Music Video Interactive) was a DVD-based means of packing audio, video and interactive visual content onto one disk, developed by Warner Electra Atlantic as a means to combat the mp3 download market by presenting an album digitally with exclusive additional content (it didn't work… the MVI program ended after 5 years, and as an aside, Rush's Snakes & Arrows was actually intended to be the first MVI released by WEA, but its release was delayed over a week which allowed Linkin Park's Minutes to Midnight to beat them to the punch…)  The Snakes & Arrows MVI Edition includes the full album in 96kHz/24 bit hi-resolution stereo as well as 5.1 surround sound; the album bio written by Neil Peart; the lyrics and digital booklet; the ability to create your own mobile ringtones of all the tracks on the MVI; other digital extras including a photo gallery, wallpapers, IM icons, and poster, and finally and most importantly, "The Game of Snakes and Arrows"  45-minute documentary film which is transcribed here.  Once again I want to give a huge shout out to Anonymotron42 for having the patience to transcribe this documentary for us!

Transcript: "Geddy Lee - Off The Record with Mary Turner" - December 25, 1989

This week's new transcript is "Geddy Lee - Off The Record with Mary Turner" for Presto which was broadcast the week of December 25, 1989. Last week I shared Off the Record for Signals, and it's telling that 7 years later one of the first things Geddy mentions in this Off the Record for Presto is "We were talking about having a more kind of focused rock sound on this album, a bit more aggressive style of writing again. And, we wanted to kind of react against, I think, all those years of intense kind of computer arrangements, and synthesizers…" Thanks again go out to Anonymotron42 for transcribing this radio broadcast for us!

Transcript: "Geddy Lee - Off The Record with Mary Turner" - 1982

Transcribing radio shows is extremely difficult and time consuming, and takes a lot of patience, I know from experience. It is with that thought that I have to give a HUGE shout out to Anonymotron42, who has taken on the laborious undertaking to transcribe quite a few broadcasts that I'll be sharing with you over the coming weeks. First up is Geddy Lee on "Off the Record" with Mary Turner for Signals in 1982.

A great interview, and after reading this I feel the battle over keyboards obviously started during the recording of Signals and was driven by Geddy.... wouldn't you agree? "...we didn't hardly do any multi-tracking of guitars. We wanted a real natural ambient guitar sound that just sort of took up its own little space on one side, and we assigned the keyboard to the other side, like a real stereo. You know, like Phil Spector in the old days. And everything else we sort of put in the middle or wherever, so right from the beginning the guitar was gonna play a different role. It was, at times gonna be more rhythmic, and more...at times it almost plays a bass pattern. And then there's times where it really comes forward and shines. I think out of it, Alex has become a very flexible guitarist."

"Hemispheres Radio Special" - Fall 1978

Today's transcript addition is another radio special transcription found in the Spirit of Rush fanzine. This one is the "Hemispheres Radio Special" which was pressed to vinyl and sent to stations for broadcast in the fall of 1978. A relatively short show, it includes some interesting tidbits such as Neil's explaining of the inspiration behind the title track, as well how "Circumstances" was a last minute recording which "was a little bit bastardized from another song that I had ... the verses are from an old song and the choruses were brand new."

Transcript: "Geddy Lee on Rockline for Roll The Bones" - May 18, 1992

Back in the early days of the internet, before sharing of large audio files became quick and easy, being able to read a transcript of Rush on Rockline was a true gift.  I remember reading many Rockline transcripts on the National Midnight Star website.  Recently, I came across a new (to me) transcript of Geddy Lee on Rockline for Roll The Bones which took place 33 years ago this week, on May 18th 1992.  This transcript was originally published in the Spirit of Rush fanzine (an ongoing huge thank you to Mick and the gang...)

"Andy (And Alex) In The Underworld with Envy of None" - PROG, March 2025

Published just a few months ago, I have "Andy (And Alex) In The Underworld with Envy of None" from the March issue of PROG magazine. Also included in that issue are album reviews of Envy Of None's "Stygian Wavz" as well as "Rush 50". A big thank you once again to John Patuto at Cygnus-X1 for sharing his transcript!

Transcript: "Moving Pictures Radio Special" - February 1981

Back in the 80's, Rush's radio specials were pressed to vinyl and sent to stations around the world for simultaneous broadcast. If you missed one of those rare radio shows, the only way to consume that content after the fact was to read a transcript on a message board or in fanzine. Not like now when you can simply catch it on Youtube. Thankfully, while recently perusing some back issues of the Spirit of Rush fanzine, I was thrilled to come across a transcript of the "Moving Pictures Radio Special" which presumably aired in early 1981.