Fender Guitar's Custom Shop has just announced a limited edition run of Geddy Lee 1972 Jazz Bass guitars that are on sale now. From the announcement: One of the world’s most recognizable Fender Jazz basses has to be Geddy Lee’s famous black ’72 Jazz Bass, purchased circa 1977 from a pawnshop in Kalamazoo, Mich. Lee bought it as is, with no original case, for $200. Lee first used it for a couple songs on enormously successful 1981 Rush album Moving Pictures. At the sessions for that album, he used the Jazz Bass to record “Vital Signs,” “Witch Hunt,” and two of Rush’s biggest and most enduringly popular hits, classic rock staples “Limelight” and “Tom Sawyer” (the bass also appeared in the “Limelight” and Vital Signs” videos). After that, Lee used the Jazz only sparingly on various Rush tracks throughout the rest of the ’80s and into the early 1990s. When it came time to record 1993’s Counterparts, however, engineer Kevin “the Caveman” Shirley insisted that Lee return to the bla

Update: Gibson Guitar has posted a great article on Alex titled A Salute to Alex Lifeson of Rush . Alex Lifeson, one of the founding members of Rush and the band's seminal guitarist, has reached a milestone in his life; he turns 60 today! Alex is the youngest member of Rush and, accordingly, the last to reach the big 6-0. It was on this date back in 1953 that Rush Guitarist Alex Lifeson (born Aleksandar Zivojinovich) came into the world in Fernie, British Columbia. As Rush fans know, Lifeson founded the band in the summer of 1968 and was also responsible for bringing front-man Geddy Lee into the mix. While Alex is obviously best known for being the guitarist for Rush, he's also the part owner of the Toronto restaurant The Orbit Room, is a licensed aircraft pilot, motorcycle rider, a gourmet cook and an artist. Happy Birthday, Alex! Many happy returns!

Neil Peart has just posted a new update to his "News, Weather, and Sports" website blog, the final one to coincide with the end of the Clockwork Angels tour earlier this month. The August entry is titled "It’s Not Over When It’s Over" . The entry begins at the end - specifically the final show in Kansas City back on August 4th: But what a truly triumphant tour it was! The emotional resonance of the final show, in Kansas City, inside us and around us, could only compare to the first show of our Vapor Trails tour, in Hartford, Connecticut, on June 28, 2002. That “new beginning” came after five intensely difficult years since our last performance on July 4, 1997. When that Hartford show was over, I said to our manager, Ray, “It would have been a shame if that had never happened again.” He smiled and nodded, and we raised our glasses of champagne. Eleven years later, that August night in Kansas City was the ultimate tour-ending show in all our thirty-nine years

Graham Whieldon, the UK based digital artist who has created some stunning Rush-inspired fine art over the past several years has announced a new project - one that centers around Rush's Clockwork Angels album. Graham's announcement came via his website at www.macrographs.com : The final image will be set in Chronos Square and will include my take on many aspects from the Clockwork Angels album, as well as including a few nods to previous albums, songs and references. The scene will be divided into three separate themes: The Temple of the Timekeepers, The carnival Midway, and The Anarchist. Like the songs in the album, each image will stand alone as a picture in its own right, but together will form a large panorama. Alex, Geddy and Neil will each appear as characters, as hopefully will a lucky few who pledge during the Kickstarter phase to have their faces custom painted into the scene as the Anarchist or the Acrobat! Eventually I want to make the prints available individ

A new Rush book currently being developed will focus not on the band, but on the fans -- and Rush fans the world over at being asked to contribute their stories. From the Rush Fan Stories website: Would you like to contribute to a forthcoming book about Rush fans? We're coming up on Rush's 40th anniversary. What better way to thank them for 40 years, 20 studio albums, 8 live albums, 37 music videos, 10 video albums, and 165 songs, then to tell them exactly what they've meant to you and how they've affected your life. Fans of all types are desired to share their Rush stories with the rest of the world. Consider this your place to brag about what you've got, what you've done, and how lucky (and thankful!) you are. If you consider yourself a superfan, this book would probably not be complete without you. You are especially desired for additional information if: you've been attending Rush concerts since the 1970s you've attended more than 25 Rush con

Update (August 5th): Click HERE for a great collection of photos from the final show in Kansas City. It began on a warm September night in 2012 at the Verizon Wireless Arena in Manchester, New Hampshire. Rush took the stage for the first time, kicking off the world tour in support of Clockwork Angels , their critically-acclaimed concept album. And now, tonight, at the Sprint Center in Kansas City, Missouri, it all comes to an end as the band prepares to take the stage for the final time on this tour. In all, since that September night in New England, Rush have played 73 dates (including tonight and a brief performance at the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremonies earlier this year). They've traveled throughout North America/Canada, headed across the "pond" for a number of dates in Europe and even played a handful of music festivals; a true rarity for Rush. Throughout it all, at every city, the band was met by legions of fans; RUSH fans -- the most dev

While most of the news stories published about Rush over the past year have focused on their current world tour in support of Clockwork Angels , there have been other non-tour stories published as well. Case in point; this past week had three interesting articles pop up online, all offering a different spin on the Canadian band. Up first is Why Rush is my favorite band: Tom Coohill on idolizing Peart, Lee and Lifeson . Penned by Chef/Owner Tom Coohill of Coohills Restaurant in Denver, this brief but heartfelt article was posted ahead of Tom's pre-show gathering for last night's show in Denver. From the article: In the beginning, I idolized drummer Neal Peart. Then I was blown away by frontman Lee, whose prowess on the bass was astounding; with his occasional spin on the keyboards and his otherworldly vocals, he is impossible not to watch. Last, but in no way least, is Alex Lifeson, who plays electric and acoustic guitars as well as other stringed instruments with a passio

Tonight's episode of Pawn Stars , the reality TV show on the History Channel, included a Rush reference when a customer came into the shop to try and sell his collection of Chu-Bops ; miniature album covers with a piece of gum inside. When looking over the collection, Rush's Permanent Waves was shown and a brief discussion about Rush ensued between Rick Harrison (the owner of the pawn shop) and Corey, his son. You can check out the clip via the embedded player below or directly at this LINK . "...Today's Huckleberry Finn - Mean, mean pride..."

Update (09/08/2013): 30-second sample clips from the remixed version of Vapor Trails are now available at this LINK . Thanks RushIsABand ! The wait is nearly over. Rush have just announced that Vapor Trails , originally released in May of 2002, has finally been remixed to correct many of the sonic issues that plagued the original recording. The remixed album will be released on October 1st and can be pre-ordered HERE . In addition to the remixed version of Vapor Trails, Rush will also be releasing a 7-Disc Boxed Set Of Atlantic Studio Albums! From the announcement: In 2009, two tracks from VAPOR TRAILS (“One Little Victory” and “Earthshine”) were remixed for the Retrospective III collection, setting you all into a frenzy in anticipation of a possible remixed version of the entire album being released one day. That time has come. The Vapor Trails Remixed album will be available on CD, Double LP, and digital download on October 1 from Atlantic/Rhino. “Vapor Trails was an album

The latest issue of Rolling Stone Magazine (Issue #1189, August 15th) includes a feature titled "The Best Live Acts Now: The Greats and What Makes Them Great.". The list was compiled by a "panel of experts" and, surprisingly (given the source), Rush came in at the #39 spot. While the print edition of the magazine (click HERE for a scan) simply lists Rush in the #39 spot, the online version of the article does include a write-up for the band: 39. Rush Four decades into their career, Geddy, Alex and Neil still put on the same kind of incredible show that destroyed pot smoke-clogged arenas back in the Seventies, mixing oldies like "The Spirit of Radio" and "Subdivisions" big chunks of their excellent 2012 album Clockwork Angels . Neil Peart, now 60, remains the single greatest drummer alive and guitarist Alex Lifeson is almost as versatile and powerful as the dude sitting at the massive kit behind him. "Every song rates a standing ovati