"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.

"Stygian Waves" linernotes and more

I've done a bit of rearranging of my Discography page, it now includes a tab for "Solo & Collaborations", sort of a broader catch-all area to hold Geddy and Alex's solo albums as well as Neil and Alex's collaborative side projects, Burning for Buddy and Envy of None. On that tab, you'll find Alex's latest release with Envy of None, Stygian Waves, including the liner notes and a new wallpaper collection.

"My '77 - Alex Lifeson" - Classic Rock #173, July 2012

Here's a short transcript of a clipping I saved 13 years ago LOL (where does the time go). Rush had recently released Clockwork Angels, when Classic Rock magazine issued a special Jubilee issue, where various artists' looked back on the music of 1977, the year of the Queen's Silver Jubilee. Alex Lifeson is interviewed in a short Q&A titled "My '77", where he discusses the music and events of that year including the recording of A Farewell To Kings.

Transcript: "How Signals Took On the 80s and Won" - PROG, April 2023

Published two years ago this month, I've added the full transcript of Rush features from PROG magazine's Signals 40th Anniversary issue, "How Signals Took On the 80s and Won!" Besides the cover feature, the transcript also includes short sidebars with Alex Lifeson talking about dealing with keyboards in the 80's, another with Hugh Syme discussing the artwork of both the original and the reissue, and lastly a review of the 40th Anniversary release.

Rush 50 Wallpaper images

Rush 50 was released two weeks ago, and I have added all images from the Super Deluxe Edition (with the exception of the graphic novel) to my Rush 50 and Wallpaper pages. I have to give a HUGE shout out once again to John Patuto at Cygnus-X1.net for sharing his images with me for our use!

Rush 50 Linernotes

The epic Rush 50 package was released this past Friday. Check out the linernotes here (with a huge thanks to John Patuto at Cygnus-X1.net for sharing the transcripts).  Check back soon for wallpaper images!

Transcript: "Alex Lifeson & Geddy Lee Talk About The Making Of Different Stages" - Spirit Of Rush, Winter 1998-1999

I've transcribed a pair of interviews from The Spirit of Rush fanzine's Winter 98/99 issue, separate interviews with Alex and Geddy where they talk about the making of Different Stages.  These interviews are great because they were given by diehard Rush fanatics who asked questions not typically asked by music journalists.  When reading this, one realizes Different Stages was released as a likely final bookend retrospective package for the fans, when the future of Rush was unknown.  Geddy even says "we were determined to make, what will more than likely be our last live album, we wanted it to be our final statement."  He goes on to talk about the song selection "there were several songs which we would have liked to have included, some which we unfortunately did not record - others, like for example 'Time And Motion', we had listed on about eight boxes of shows but when I listened to the tapes, it just wasn't there. We never found a single recorded version of it - which I was very upset about."

Transcript: "Some Rush: 20 Years To Hall of Fame" - Vancouver Province, March 20, 1994

It's been over 30 years since Rush was inducted into the Juno Awards Hall of Fame.  My latest transcript addition was published the morning of the awards ceremony, March 20, 1994, in the Vancouver Province newspaper.  "Some Rush: 20 Years To Hall of Fame" tells of the band's humble rise to greatness through artistic integrity, endless touring and commitment to their fans.  This article also includes a comment, as other stories from that era did, that Rush had plans to release a 20th Anniversary Retrospective, which of course never surfaced.

Transcript: "Neil Peart Was A Rock Wizard" - Kerrang!, January 25, 2020

Three weeks after the passing of Neil Peart, Dream Theater's John Petrucci penned "Neil Peart Was A Rock Wizard" in the January 25, 2020 issue of Kerrang! Magazine. Check it out here. - Thanks to RushFanForever for providing the transcript.

Transcript: "Dirk, Lerxst, Pratt... and the Caveman!" - Spirit Of Rush #23, Fall/Winter 1993

From the Fall/Winter 1993 issue of The Spirit of Rush fanzine, I've transcribed "Dirk, Lerxst, Pratt... and the Caveman!", an interview with Geddy Lee given shortly after the release of Counterparts. Hard core fans Neil Elliott and Mick Burnett used their knowledge of the band to ask Geddy more detailed questions than we would normally see. One item I took note of was that Geddy explains how "Different Strings" was originally named "Between Us", but was changed at the last minute to avoid confusion with another song, "Entre Nous" (which is of course 'Between Us' in English). Some original pressings of the album retained the "Between Us" song title (as shown in the article).

Transcript: "A Farewell to Kings? Maybe Not..." - Classic Rock, February 2025

The new (February) issue of Classic Rock magazine features Rush 50 on the cover, and includes the feature story "A Farewell to Kings? Maybe Not...".  Sitting down to talk about the upcoming Rush 50 compilation, Geddy and Alex talk about some of the early performances included in the set, as well as the final tour, and the Taylor Hawkins tribute shows. - Thanks to John Patuto for the transcript!

Wallpaper Update - images from "The Albums: 1989-1996"

Recently the limited edition boxed set The Albums: 1989-1996 was released exclusively through the Rhino and Rush Backstage Club stores. The set contains vinyl reissues of Rush's first four albums with Atlantic Records. In addition, each album includes a print of reimagined cover artwork by artist Hugh Syme, which are now available as wallpaper for your desktop. Check them out at the bottom of my Rush Art Gallery & Desktop Wallpaper page here. - Thanks to John Patuto of Cygnus-X1.net for sharing his raw scans!

Transcript: "The Bonesman" - Rock Power, October 1991

I've just transcribed an article published 33 years ago upon the release of Roll The Bones. In "The Bonesman" from the October 1991 issue of the UK's Rock Power magazine, Geddy likens the transition and changes in writing and recording from Hold Your Fire through the freshness of Roll the Bones to a similar transition made when moving on from Hemispheres to Permanent Waves. - Thanks to Scott Hanson for providing the original article!