Friday, June 29, 2012

Transcript: "Canadian Prog Giants Play 'Moving Pictures' In Full, With Much More On-Stage Madness" - Classic Rock, June 2011

Published in advance of the second leg of the Time Machine Tour, "Canadian Prog Giants Play 'Moving Pictures' In Full, With Much More On-Stage Madness" appeared in the June 2011 issue of Classic Rock magazine. A brief interview with Geddy Lee, he confirms that the steampunk stage set was designed for the Clockwork Angels tour, and that they "were going to hold it back until the next tour, but we got too fired up and just couldn't keep it a secret any more."

Thursday, June 28, 2012

Transcript: "Rush In No Hurry To Go Slow" - Austin American-Statesman, January 20, 1994

Did you ever wonder how the "Thing" instrumentals were named? In an AP story published at the start of the Counterparts tour, "Rush In No Hurry To Go Slow" (January 20, 1994), Neil Peart says "[When working on Roll The Bones] Alex would be working the console and we were doing the demos...he'd be looking for something you know, 'Where's my thing?'"...[When working on Counterparts] "We all grew goatees, or at least interesting facial hair, during the recording and writing process...When you have a goatee of hair, you tend to play with it all the time, so we were constantly saying to each other, 'Leave That Thing Alone!'". - Thanks to Joe Sterle for the original article!

Monday, June 25, 2012

Transcript: "Rush: Working Like Clockwork - An Interview With Geddy Lee" - Fireworks, July/August 2012

A big thanks to John Patuto for transcribing "Rush: Working Like Clockwork", the cover feature from the current June/July issue of Fireworks magazine.

Transcript: "You Need Hands" - Kerrang!, February 4, 1989

Neil Peart was interviewed in Kerrang! No. 224 (February 4, 1989) to promote "A Show of Hands". Like many Kerrang interviews, the first 1/3 of "You Need Hands" is fluff, but eventually Neil gives his thoughts on leaving Phonogram for Atlantic, Peter Collins' leaving as producer, and his initial thoughts on what would become Presto. - Thanks to Erwin De Lathouwer for the article!

Friday, June 22, 2012

Transcript: "Clockwork Angels Review" - PROG, July 2012

Issue #27 of the UK's PROG magazine hit newsstands on Wednesday, and included is an extensive review of Clockwork Angels. Also included a fantastic illustration of the band by PROG's John Ueland. You can read the full review below. - Thanks to Tony R for the scans!

Transcript: "Art For Art's Sake: RUSH" - PROG, June 2009

A year and a half after Nicky Wire of the Manic Street Preachers met Rush (see previous transcript from Classic Rock, December 2007), he gave his thoughts on Rush's album art in "Art For Art's Sake: RUSH" in the June 2009 issue of PROG magazine. Nicky discusses the artwork of RUSH's debut album through Power Windows, with the exception of Hemispheres and Grace Under Pressure. The same issue included the story "The Top 50 Prog Albums Of All Time", which includes four Rush albums. - Thanks to Tony Riviere for the original article!

Tuesday, June 19, 2012

Transcript: "Wine, Women And...Geddy Lee" - National Post, June 19, 2000

Twelve years ago today, "Wine, Women And...Geddy Lee" appeared on Canada's "National Post", telling of a charitable wine tasting held at his Rosedale home to benefit Toronto's White Ribbon Campaign to end violence against women.

Monday, June 18, 2012

Transcript: "Behind The Boards" - Toronto Star, April 28, 2007

Now that you've have had a chance of hearing and absorbing "Clockwork Angels", what are your thoughts on Nick "Booujzhe" Raskulinecz and how would you rank him among RUSH's producers? Need a refresher? Published on the eve of the release of "Snakes & Arrows", "Behind The Boards" - Toronto Star, April 28, 2007, is a brief primer of the six producers Rush had employed in the last 38 years.

Sunday, June 17, 2012

Transcript: "Riffs That Changed The World: Working Man" - Classic Rock, Christmas 2004

Happy Father's Day to all the dads out there. Speaking of dads, this short transcript, "Riffs That Changed The World: Working Man", is a brief look back at the song "Working Man" in the Christmas 2004 issue of Classic Rock magazine. Alex Lifeson discusses the track, and how it was dedicated to his hard working father.

Thursday, June 14, 2012

Transcript: "When Manic Street Preachers Met Rush" - Classic Rock, December 2007

In the Classic Rock Clockwork Angels fan pack magazine, there is a photo of Nicky Wire and James Dean Bradfield of the Manic Street Preachers meeting Rush in 2007. Going back to the December 2007 issue of Classic Rock, check out "When Manic Street Preachers Met Rush" where Nicky and James got the thrill of a lifetime as they interviewed Geddy and Alex for the magazine with a fun Q&A session.

Wednesday, June 13, 2012

Transcript: "Three Stages Of Rush" - Classic Rock, Summer 2006

Rush's Replay X3 concert film boxed set was released six years ago today (time flies...). Here is a brilliant review from the Summer 2006 issue of Classic Rock. In "Three Stages Of Rush", the author writes "Those live albums of the 70s and 80s - All The World's A Stage, Exit Stage Left, A Show Of Hands - were landmarks, not contract fillers. Now the DVD age defines Rush, or so their sales suggest. Their concert films sell in the quantities that their live albums used to. Bedroom headphone porn has become widescreen, surround-sound porn."

Tuesday, June 12, 2012

Web Scheme Update: "Clockwork Angels"

Today marks the official release of Clockwork Angels, and we're celebrating the release with a new scheme reminiscent of the album cover. Enjoy!

Monday, June 11, 2012

Transcript: "The Story of '2112', Live at Massey Hall, June 11-12-13, 1976" - Official Program

36 years ago tonight, Rush played the first of three consecutive dates at Massey Hall in Toronto, June 11-12-13, 1976, later released as "All The World's A Stage". Although scans have been shared on the net for some time now, John Patuto transcribed the official program which includes ""The Story of '2112'". Thanks John!

Friday, June 8, 2012

Transcript: "First Bass Men: Rush's Geddy Lee And Primus' Les Claypool" - Guitar World, June 1992

A Guitar World feature story from June 1992 - Primus fans, you'll love this one: "First Bass Men: Rush's Geddy Lee And Primus' Les Claypool". The bass players are interviewed together during the 'Roll The Bones' tour, and talk about their influences, what shaped their styles and tone, their early recordings, etc. Ged also tells Les the secret of what Les said his his ultimate goal, 'the Moving Pictures tone': Ged states it is simply his Jazz bass he found in a pawn shop for $170, and Les guesses how Geddy ruined the sound of his Precision bass - by cutting it into a tear-drop shape. - Thanks to Dave Ward for the transcript and Joe Sterle for the images.

Thursday, June 7, 2012

"Clockwork Angels" Desktop Wallpaper Now Available

The album hits store shelves next Tuesday, but you can Rushify your desktop now with a complete set of Clockwork Angels Desktop Wallpaper.

I have had a near complete set of high resolution digital images for some time now, and with special thanks to Med Salama of Finland who provided with scans of the balance of images from the CD booklet from the Classic Rock fanpack, I am now able to offer a complete set of wallpaper for your viewing pleasure. (Note, I plan on revisiting/tweaking these images next week after I too have received my own copy of the fanpack!)

Wednesday, June 6, 2012

Transcript: "Canada's Premier Hard Rockers Remain A Cult In Britain" - Record Collector, December 1990

Published shortly after the release of "Chronicles", "Canada's Premier Hard Rockers Remain A Cult In Britain" - Record Collector No. 136, December 1990, blends a history of RUSH with a history of their single and album releases, and discusses which of those releases are valued by collectors and why. The article also points out how many of Rush's singles topped out in the low 40's on the Billboard charts, and how not cracking the Top 40 means those singles were never added to "the all-important Top 40, and associated radio playlists". Also included is a complete descriptive discography. - Thanks to Erwin De Lathouwer for the article!

Monday, June 4, 2012

Pop Culture Reference: Annihilators vol. 1 no. 2 "The Trees"

The second story in Marvel Comics' Annihilators vol. 1 no. 2, June 2011, has a big Rush reference.  Starring the space traveling adventurers Rocket Raccoon and Groot,  the story is titled "There Is Unrest In The Forest, There Is Trouble With The Trees". - Thanks to Karl Domes for the headsup!

Transcript: "Neil Peart Interview" - At Guitar Center, February 2010

Neil Peart appeared on the cover of the February 2010 issue of At Guitar Center magazine; included is an interview with Neil where he discusses songwriting and drumming, Alex "the Musical Scientist's" drum programming, the incorporation of a 23" bass drum and DW's VLT snare, his Paragon cymbals, etc. Also included is a sidebar written by Neil where he provides options for drummers on how to "Soup Up Your Setup".

Friday, June 1, 2012

Transcript: "Rush - A Lesson In Rock" - El Paso Times, January 30, 1994

"Rush - A Lesson In Rock" was published in the El Paso Times as a prelude to the band's Counterparts tour stop in nearby Las Cruces, New Mexico. Neil Peart eagerly talks about the new state of rock music, having recently left the 80's and synth-music behind: "The 80s really were an awful time with Bon Jovi and all..." - Thanks to Javier Reyes for providing the original article!