Neil Peart On Rush's New LP and Being a 'Bleeding Heart Libertarian'

Rolling Stone has justed posted an interview/article with Neil Peart. Titled Neil Peart On Rush's New LP and Being a 'Bleeding Heart Libertarian', the interview discusses the band's latest concept record, their upcoming tour, there increased presence in pop culture and where Neil stands politically these days. Here are some key excerpts from the interview:

This record examines a very different future than what you portrayed in Rush's 2112 album. Are they companion pieces in any way?
No, in every way. It's really different. 2112 was released in 1976. I was younger than you are. We were feeling our way musically, lyrically, technically on our instruments. All of those things were in the growing stage. But if someone had asked me two years ago, honestly, "Do you think you guys will do a concept album with a full story?" I'd say, "No!" I would've laughed or sneered, honestly. So that's the nice thing, that this wasn't at all overly considered or plotted at all. It's just something among the three of us and our enthusiasms it grew. It was nice and organic.

Is part of you tempted to just play this whole album straight through on this tour, like you did with Moving Pictures last time?
Honestly, we never know until we get to rehearsals. We always pick at least a half-dozen songs more than we end up playing, because the show gets too long. The songs we pick are the songs we want to play, and this time we picked a whole bunch of older ones that we want to bring back and present in a different way. So our wishlist always exceeds what's possible.

I feel like Rush has gotten more attention in the past few years than any time I can remember. How do you feel about that? Does it feel like vindication? Do you care at all?
It is a vindication. I'm ambivalent, personally. Too much attention and hoopla doesn't agree with my temperament. I'm more introverted and I like to be an observer, so I'm ambivalent about that part, but it is a great vindication … and for our fans. Because as much as we're been vilified over the years, they were, too. It was always like, "Oh, what do you know? You're a Rush fan." You could definitely hear that in the schoolyard.

Read the entire interview at this LINK.

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