Transcript: "MSN Chat With Geddy Lee" - MSN.com, December 20, 2000

Geddy Lee's solo album My Favorite Headache was released 13 years ago today.  Geddy appeared in a live online chat with MSN.com on December 20th, 2000, to discuss the album, and the transcript of the chat has been lost, until now.

Transcript: "Are Rush Still A Rock 'N' Roll Band?" - Classic Rock, January 1999

"Are Rush Still A Rock 'N' Roll Band?", Classic Rock, January 1999, is a Q&A with Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson promoting the release of Different Stages Live, released 15 years ago yesterday.  The duo field some off the wall questions, and Alex drops the shocking statement regarding "Tai Shan": "It was one of the worst things we ever did, not that I listen to that song. But should I listen to that song I almost get violently ill." (Gasp!). Also included is a review of the album by Classic Rock's Nick Shilton; memorable for the fact that it is a rare Different Stages review that pans the Hammersmith Odeon bonus disk.

Transcript: "Rush 'Time Machine' (DVD Review)" - Guitar Techniques, April 2012

Rush's "Time Machine 2011: Live In Cleveland" was released two years ago today.  Still don't own it?  Here's a new transcript to check out a review of the 'Time Machine' DVD from the April 2012 issue of the UK's "Guitar Techniques" magazine.

Transcript: "Rush: Deadly Serious About Their Music" - Eye, March 21, 1974

This next transcript is now the OLDEST article to be added to the Transcript Archive. From the March 21, 1974 issue of Eye magazine, "Rush: Deadly Serious About Their Music" is one for the historians. It includes details of when the debut album was originally recorded, when parts of it were re-recorded with Terry Brown, and why its December '73 release date was pushed back until spring '74.

Transcript: "Rush Throws Open Power Windows" - Video Rock Stars, March 1986

This past Tuesday marked the 28th anniversary of the release of Power Windows.  To celebrate the occasion I have transcribed "Rush Throws Open Power Windows", an extensive interview with Geddy Lee from the March 1986 issue of Video Rock Stars magazine. Geddy states the band didn't feel they had accomplished all they wanted with Grace Under Pressure, and tells how they had a very positive experience after bringing in Peter Collins to produce Power Windows.

Transcript: "Exit Stage Left: A Rush Update By Rush Drummer Neil Peart" - Kerrang!, January 1982

Exit Stage Left was released 32 years ago today. To mark the occasion I have transcribed "Exit Stage Left: A Rush Update By Rush Drummer Neil Peart" from the UK's Kerrang! magazine, issue No. 7, January 1982. This is one of the first articles Neil penned for the press, and in it he talks about such things as which shows were recorded, the Glaswegian "choir" on Closer To The Heart, the added pressure of performing when you know you're recording a live album (and the subsequent need for overdubs), and the filming of the then as of yet unreleased Montreal concert (the Exit Stage Left video). He closes with the mention that during mixing of the live album the band had written and recorded a new song, "Subdivisions", and were apparently considering releasing it as a single!

Transcript: "Rock Hotline: Rush" - Hit Parader, February 1981

The next addition to the Transcript Archive is "Rock Hotline: Rush", Hit Parader, February 1981, a brief article announcing the completion of the short tour Rush performed before entering the studio to record Moving Pictures.  It also reports on Rush's co-recording of "Battle Scar" with Max Webster, and announces the birth of Geddy's son "Julian Michael Woody Lee. The Woody is for Woody Allen, of whom the Lees are great fans".

Transcript: "Vapor Trails Over Rio" - BW&BK, December 2003

The latest transcript addition commemorates the release of Rush in Rio ten years ago today! "Vapor Trails Over Rio" is a cover feature story from the December 2003 issue of BW&BK magazine. The story chronicles Rush's visit to Brazil on the Vapor Trails tour, the recording of Rush In Rio, and the trials and tribulations they endured while there. - Thanks to John Patuto for the original transcript!

Transcript: "Rush: Closer To The Heart" - The New Review Of Records, December/January 1994

Tomorrow is the 20th anniversary of Counterparts, and to celebrate I've got a new transcript for your Friday reading. "Rush: Closer To The Heart" - The New Review Of Records, December/January 1994, is an interview with Alex Lifeson for Counterparts where he talks of the album's themes and how... "Some of the lyrics were very difficult to work with in musical terms...with this particular record Geddy and I both had a really hard time, and there were many rewrites, more so than ever in the past. And there were five or six songs that just went back into Neil's file." - Thanks to Mark Rosenthal for the original article!

Transcript: "Rush's Geddy Lee Talks About Solo Album" - Launch.com, October 15, 2000

Today's Transcript Archive addition is a short news teaser posted online one month in advance of the release of My Favorite Headache. In "Rush's Geddy Lee Talks About Solo Album", Launch.com, October 15, 2000, Geddy briefly talks about the album, and working with Ben Mink, Matt Cameron and Jeremy Taggart.

Transcript: "Rush Rock & Roll In The Classroom" - Circus, August 4, 1977

This is pretty humorous. In this new transcript from the August 4th, 1977 issue of Circus magazine, "Rush Rock & Roll In The Classroom", the author tells of a visit by all three members of Rush to a Chicago high school to discuss Rock & Roll and its significance in western civilization.  If the author of the story is to be believed, what sounds like a good plan turns out to be a waste of time as the high school's Rush fans asked less than engaging questions.  However, it looks like Alex Lifeson saved the day with his typical Lerxstian responses! - Thanks to Joe Pesch for the article!

Transcript: "Real Life In A Rock And Roll Band" - Canadian Musician, February 1988

Rush were on the cover of the February 1988 issue of Canadian Musician magazine; the issue includes "Real Life In A Rock And Roll Band", an insightful interview with Geddy Lee, were he talks about growing up on the road, how his outlook on touring had changed over the past 14 years, how Rush's success had in turn impacted touring life, and how their special and unique relationship had helped with their continued success. - Thanks to John Patuto for sharing the transcript!

Web Scheme Update: "Vapor Trails Remixed"

Celebrate the moment...the time is now again!  Power Windows has gone Vapor Trails Remixed!

Transcript: "All The World's A Stage Review" - Sounds, November 1976

All The World's A Stage was released 37 years ago today, and here's a new transcript to mark the occasion.  Back in '76, Sounds magazine's Geoff Barton was one of Rush's biggest UK supporters. Check out Barton's review of All The World's A Stage from November 1976.

Transcript: "Power, Pomp, Purity, Pretension, Popularity...The RUSH Problem" - New Music Express, June 24, 1978

Do you remember the infamous March 1978 Neil Peart interview with Britain's "New Musical Express" where writer Barry Miles dubbed the band fascists? If you thought this was a singular slander of the band by the NME, check out this review of the Archives compilation package, which appeared in the NME just three months later: "Power, Pomp, Purity, Pretension, Popularity...The RUSH Problem". The writer Paul Morley goes out of his way to ridicule Rush, their music, and their fans, in every manner possible, and yes, it ends with "Fascism lurking beneath the volume and noise? Sure." - Thanks to RushFanForever for the original article.

Transcript: "It's A Modern Rush: Bombast, Humor, & Excellence" - Good Times, August 17, 2010

Here's a new addition to the Transcript Archive for your Friday perusal. Rush was on the cover of the August 17th, 2010 issue of New York's "Good Times" entertainment newspaper, which included "It's A Modern Rush: Bombast, Humor, & Excellence", a concert review following their performance at Jones Beach on the Time Machine tour.

Transcript: "A Farewell To Kings (Review)" - Sounds, September 1977

A Farewell To Kings was released 36 years ago, in September 1977 (exact date unknown).  One of Rush's earliest advocates in the UK was rock journalist Geoff Barton, and before his view of Rush was soured by Hemispheres, he was positively giddy about the band. Check out his review of A Farewell To Kings which appeared in Sounds in September, 1977. Geoff writes "'A Farewell To Kings' is a triumph. A total, out-and-out, honest-to-God, five star studded, complete, utter, unmitigated triumph." I agree!

Transcript: "Canadian Musicians And Their Money" - Canadian Musician, July 1986

My latest transcript is "Canadian Musicians And Their Money", from the July 1986 issue of Canadian Musician magazine. This story features five Canadian bands: The Nylons, Saga, Platinum Blonde, Rush and Triumph, and discusses the difficulty for a Canadian band to achieve international success, and the differences which sets those bands apart. - Thanks to Heiko Klages for providing the original article.

Transcript: "On The Spot: Geddy Lee of Rush" - Guitar Shop, December 1996

For the 17th anniversary of the release of Test For Echo, I've transcribed "On The Spot: Geddy Lee of Rush" from the December 1996 issue of Guitar Shop.  This is a short but very informative interview where Geddy discusses the gear used to record Test For Echo. Geddy also gives a short yet succinct breakdown of basses he has used through the years Rush, from his first bass, the Conora he bought at the age of 14, to the '69 Fender Precision which he "ruined by cutting the horns off and painting it like a '57 Chevy in a fit of mental retardation! I hate when that happens: 'Wouldn't it be cool if I did this?' Yeah, for about 5 minutes..." - Thanks to Mark Rosenthal for the original article!

Transcript: "Prime Groover" - Kerrang!, May 21, 1988

Here is another odd story by the UK's Kerrang! magazine published immediately after the Hold Your Fire tour on May 21, 1988. "Prime Groover" is ostensibly an interview with Neil Peart, but is typically full of sneers and jibes by a UK rock journalist. Regardless it does include some great comments by Neil about the process of writing lyrics, touring as a job, the stress of professional musicians, the lionization of musicians after death, and his refusal to play down to his audience: "If we're capable of understanding it then our audience is as well. If we don't communicate with them then it's our fault for not being clear enough. It's not because our audience is stupid." - Thanks to Erwin De Lathouwer for providing the original article!