Backstage Interview with Rush: Going for Laughs and Hall of Fame Status

Rush Clockwork Angels Tour
During Rush's recent stop to the New York/New Jersey area, Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson both sat down with the Wall Street Journal to talk about the band's longevity, their "shifting business model" and their recent nomination for the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.

From the article:
With its reputation for intricate concept albums and shredding musical chops, the members of Rush are often perceived as a self-serious prog rockers. Rush fans know better. The band’s sense of humor has come to the fore, including with a big presence in the 2009 comedy movie “I Love You, Man.” On Rush’s current Clockwork Angels tour, singer Geddy Lee performs in front of a big fake brain floating in a tank, part of a steampunk theme to the show. And at one point in the concert, the three band members appear in a short film as devious gnomes.

Getting a laugh also played into their decision to license music for a current Volkswagen commercial, in which a Passat driver air drums furiously to “Fly by Night” (and flips an imaginary drum stick, Neil Peart style). It’s not common to hear Rush songs in big ad spots. Explaining why the band made an exception for Volkswagen, Lee said in an interview, “Funny’s good. We’ll do that.”
In addition to the article that was posted on the WSJ website, a video interview (see below) was also posted:


Thanks to Eric from Power Windows and RushFanForever for the news.

Comments

Share This