Posts

Showing posts from 2017

Geddy Lee Offers Wine Bottles from his Private Cellar Collection for Auction

Image
If you act quickly, and have the means, you can own some vintage bottles of wine from Geddy Lee's private cellar collection. From the announcement: Geddy Lee has made a small number of bottles available for auction from his private cellar collection. The bottles include a sticker declaring them "from the cellars of Geddy Lee" and feature the insignia made up for the wine club Geddy & Alex formed while on the road during the R30 tour (original membership:2). The auction closes on Sunday December 17 at 9:00 PM ET. Additional information from the auction house: The first nearly 500 lots come from a cellar that rocks. Anyone who tuned in for our live auction last weekend understands the sheer speed with which people rushed to snatch up the wines from the private cellar of Geddy Lee (Lots 1-466). And yes, we intended that pun. Each bottle in these lots comes from the immaculate cellar of bassist and lead vocalist of the rock group Rush. Provenance is impeccable. Both the

Alex Lifeson To Guest On New FU MANCHU Album 'Clone Of The Universe'

Image
Southern Californian hard rockers FU MANCHU release their 12th studio album, "Clone Of The Universe", on February 9, 2018 via their own label At The Dojo Records. The upcoming record will be their first in four years, following the 2014 release of "Gigantoid". "Clone Of The Universe" marks a new chapter for the "fuzz rock" pioneers as they mix the straight ahead blistering rock with unexpected time shifts, featuring tracks like the roaring cuts "Don't Panic" and "(I've Been) Hexed" and the dynamically complex "Clone Of The Universe" and "Slower Than Light". The centerpiece of the album is "Il Mostro Atomico", an 18-minute-8-second side-long epic featuring a special guest performance by Alex Lifeson , guitarist and songwriter of the legendary band RUSH. Heavier than anything they've ever done and broken into four distinct sections, it's new ground for a band that's been pushin

New Species Named in Honour of Rush Band Members

Image
Throughout their storied career, the members of Rush have received numerous accolades, awards, and recognitions. In addition to their lengthy list of musical awards and memberships in various “Halls of Fame”, Rush were the first rock band to be invested as officers of the Order of Canada. They received stars on both Canada's and Hollywood’s Walks of Fame, honorary PhDs, and, more recently, a trio of Capybara Pups housed at Toronto’s High Park Zoo were named after the band. Now, in another ‘first’ for the band, a newly-discovered trio of microbial species will be forever connected to Rush. Patrick Keeling, a professor of Microbial Evolution at the University of British Columbia recently informed me that three new species of have been formally named in honour of the members of Rush: Pseudotrichonympha leei, Pseudotrichonympha lifesoni, and Pseudotrichonympha pearti . The new species are large, single-celled organisms called “parabasalians” that live inside the guts of termites

Alex Lifeson Performs with Big Sugar During Toronto Concert

Image
A special guest appeared at the Big Sugar concert at the Danforth Music Hall in Toronto last night (November 24th). Alex Lifeson not only made an appearance at the show, he also performed on two songs with the Canadian rock band. Lifeson joined the band for their classic song Ride Like Hell as well as a fantastic cover of Led Zeppelin's Good Times Bad Times . Fellow Rush fan Steve Nudds , who was on hand at the concert, was able to record videos of both performances (see below). For more about Big Sugar, please visit their website at www.bigsugar.com Thanks to Joe Pesch and Steve Nudds for the news.

New Rush Book - Where's Geddy, Alex & Neil? - Coming in December from Fantoons

Image
Fantoons, the creators of numerous, official Rush books, artwork, and other merchandise, have just announced their latest offering - a new book titled Where's Geddy, Alex & Neil? . The book retails for $21.12, and will be available in mid-December. More from the official announcement : This hardcover RUSH book is a LOT of FUN. We've crafted scenarios inspired by ALL Rush albums (studio & live) between the Rush (1st LP) until Hold Your Fire, packed with references and different levels of difficult, for everyone to have fun finding the greatest power trio on earth (whether they are Rush fans or not, everyone can play) The book is 12.5 x 9.5 inches! 38 pages and 14 Rush worlds: Rush, Fly by Night, Caress of Steel, 2112, Permanent Waves, Moving Pictures, and many more! People will be able to find Geddy Lee, Alex Lifeson and Neil Peart in their different 'fashions' through this crazy worlds that we've created for everyone to enjoy. Click HERE for ordering

Rush Appear on the Cover of PROG Magazine's December 2017 Issue - Full Article Now Online

Image
In celebration of the 40th Anniversary of Rush's fifth studio album A Farewell to Kings , the band has been featured on the cover of PROG Magazine's December 2017 issue. Inside the issue, Geddy Lee, Alex Lifeson, and producer Terry Brown discuss - in length - the making of the classic 1977 album. Here's a snippet about the making of the album's title track: "So I'm playing the Minimoog outside and Neil's hitting the twinklies or whatever he was hitting off the front of that – he was always hitting something – and Alex is walking around this mic recording the opening to A Farewell to Kings, so it was quite fun. You can hear the Welsh birds singing in the background, unless they flew in from somewhere else – they could be accidentals, as they're called in the trade. "Farewell... was quite a different piece for us, because of the way the intro's structured, and then it comes in with a bang and there's this weird time signature going on.

Alex Lifeson Appears in Latest Trailer Park Boys Netflix Trailer

Image
Back in April, we first reported that Alex Lifeson would be appearing in the upcoming Trailer Park Boys Netflix series Out of the Park: USA . Alex also recorded a new song for the series called "Who's Got Yer Belly!?" Today, a new trailer for the series, which premieres on Friday, November 24th, was released which includes a quick snippet of Alex performing a rather interesting rendition of Rush's Tom Sawyer on his signature Gibson Les Paul guitar. Alex's appearance occurs at the 45-second mark of the trailer, which can be viewed below or directly at this LINK . Click HERE to access the show's official Netflix page. Thanks to Ed from RushIsABand for passing along the trailer link.

Alex Lifeson 2017 Limited Edition Signed Prints Now Available

Image
Over the years, Alex Lifeson has donated numerous original paintings to the Kidney Foundation of Canada's annual Brush of Hope charity auction. Last week, his painting for this year's auction fetched an impressive CAN $9,600! (US $7,574.56). Today, the Kidney Foundation has announced the availability of autographed prints of Alex's painting from last year's charity auction, titled Aquarium . From the news release: Rush Guitarist, Alex Lifeson, is a music legend. He is also an incredible visual artist. This is a rare opportunity to own one of his paintings at a very reasonable cost. Alex's original paintings regularly sell for thousands of dollars. He has been a regular contributor of original art to The Kidney Foundation of Canada's, "A Brush of Hope" project, where he receives hundreds of bids on his work. Now, The Kidney Foundation of Canada, Atlantic Branch and Canadian great, Alex Lifeson, have teamed up to produce another round of exclusive

Alex Lifeson Donates Original Painting for Brush of Hope Charity Auction

Image
Update: The auction has ended with the willing bid coming in at C $9,600! (US $7,574.56) Once again, as he has done over numerous years, Alex Lifeson has created a unique painting for the Kidney Foundation of Canada's annual Brush of Hope charity auction. This years painting, which Alex titled "20,000 Feet Over the Sea," is currently being auctioned off on Ebay.Ca at this LINK , and it's already off to a quick start. The auction ends on November 11th. To see a larger version of Alex's painting, click HERE or HERE . About the Brush of Hope Charity auction: Alex Lifeson, Don Cherry, Brent Butt, John Tavares, Barenaked Ladies, Alan Doyle, Mike Myers, John Meyer and Leonard Cohen are just a few of the celebrities who have taken up a brush to create an original masterpiece to help the millions of Canadians who are living with kidney disease or are at risk. Thanks to the generous support of our partners and the community, since 2006, A Brush of Hope has rais

The Next Hemisphere: A Rush Tribute by Fleesh Now Available

Image
Throughout the years, there have been a number of tribute albums dedicated to the music of Rush. Releases such as 1996's Working Man to 2012's The Royal Philharmonics Orchestra Plays the Music of Rush , each has put an interesting spin on the band's extensive catalog of music. Over the past year, the Brazilian rock project Fleesh, formed by Gabby Vessoni and Celo Oliveira, have been releasing several Rush cover songs on YouTube, including their moving version of The Pass . Spirited by the overwhelming positive reception of their Rush covers, the band has just announced the release of The Next Hemispheres ; their 14-track Rush cover album which is available on several digital platforms. From the band's announcement: After two months of hard work recording and mixing - and an year of studying - it’s finally here! You have no idea how recording this album made us grow as artists. When you listen to Rush, you know how incredible their songs are but, once you try t

A Farewell To Kings 40th Anniversary Deluxe Edition Coming December 1st

Image
Update: The full press release from Rush has just been posted. Click HERE to read it. Update: Complete information on the box set was just posted at the Rush Backstage Club : The A Farewell to Kings 40th Anniversary Super Deluxe version includes three CDs, one Blu-ray Audio disc and four high-quality 180-gram vinyl LPs. The set encompasses the Abbey Road Mastering Studios 2015 remastered edition of the album for the first time on CD; a complete Rush concert recorded in February 1978 at London's Hammersmith Odeon, newly mixed by longtime Rush engineer and original A Farewell to Kings producer Terry Brown from the multi-track live tapes; four newly-recorded cover versions of songs from the original album by Dream Theater, Big Wreck, The Trews and Alain Johannes; and an instrumental studio outtake of the spacey sound effects the band has creatively titled “Cygnus X-2 Eh.” The Hammersmith show features, for the first-time ever, over 34 minutes of unreleased performances including

Rush to Release Closer to Heart / Madrigal Vinyl for Record Store Day Black Friday Event

Image
Update (11/24/2017): Liner notes and scans of the single are now available at this LINK . Enjoy- The Black Friday Record Store Day event, which will occur on November 24th, will include a new release from Rush. Appearing on a 7" vinyl, the band's classic hit Closer to the Heart will appear on side A, with Madrigal appearing on the second side. The inclusion of two songs from Rush's 1977 epic A Farewell to Kings is a nod to the album's 40th anniversary this year. From the announcement: Canadian rock legends Rush have been making music for more than five decades. The songs on this RSD 7" are "Closer to the Heart" and "Madrigal," both released in 1977 on A Farewell to Kings. This single is being re-released for RSD Black Friday to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the LP. This 7" has a large center hole, and new art by longtime Rush album designer Hugh Syme. It also comes with a custom 7" adapter and is to be timed with the 40th

Geddy Lee's Big Beautiful Book of Bass Coming Next Fall

Image
Update (07.31.2018): According to Amazon.Com, Geddy's new book will now be released on December 4th. Additionally, there are new details surrounding the book, which can be read HERE . Update (02.24.2018): You can now pre-order Geddy's new book via this LINK . New details have just emerged regarding Geddy Lee's new book, aptly titled Geddy Lee's Big Beautiful Book of Bass . The book is currently scheduled for a Fall 2018 release. From the press release: Rock ‘n’ Roll Hall of Fame and RUSH bassist Geddy Lee’s Geddy Lee’s Big Beautiful Book of Bass is a gorgeous, fully illustrated love letter to rock ’n’ roll’s rumbly bottom end, complete with a guided tour of Lee’s extensive vintage bass collection, personal anecdotes, observations and history, from one of the world’s most revered and beloved masters of the instrument. This lavishly illustrated book presents one facet of Lee's own personal journey. The bass guitar has been his passport, his vehicle, his fuel; t

Neil Peart Pens 100th Birthday Tribute to Buddy Rich in October 2017 Issue of Rhythm Magazine

Image
September 30th will mark the 100th Birthday of legendary jazz drummer, Buddy Rich. Rich has been an inspirational to countless drummers over the years including, of course, Neil Peart. The October 2017 issue of Rhythm Magazine includes numerous tributes to Rich from such notable drummers as Bill Ward, Stewart Copeland, Jimmy Chamberlin, Steve Smith, Mark Guiliana, and Travis Barker. Neil Peart also penned a tribute, which can be read at this LINK . Here's an excerpt from Peart's tribute: "I was rehearsing for a tour once at Drum Channel in the 2000s, just me and my drums. At lunch I'd sometimes watch a little television with Don Lombardi and Terry Bozzio, and with Don engaged in building the library for the Drum Channel, our topic was Buddy. We went through the footage one piece after another, on slo-mo, trying to determine how he did it. "That the 'it' was sublime seems given — and was. Buddy was truly the master of everything. For the novice, B

Geddy Lee Interview (Part 1) with Signature SansAmp GED-2112 Manufacturer Now Online

Image
It was back in January when we first reported that Geddy Lee was teaming up with Tech 21 to create the new Geddy Lee Signature SansAmp GED-2112. The GED-2112 is a bass preamp in a single rackspace unit that features parallel pre-amping – meaning two separate internal preamps that run in parallel. It has a Drive section based on the SansAmp RPM as well as a Deep preamp section that dishes out a low end boost. Recently, Tech 21 sat down with Geddy in his home studio to discuss the amp. Part 1 of the interview is now online. You can watch it via the player below, or directly at this LINK . The Tech 21 Geddy Lee Signature SansAmp: GED-2112 is expected later this year with a street price of $369. For more information, click HERE .

Geddy Lee will appear on AXS TV's The Big Interview with Dan Rather on October 24th

Image
The new season of AXS TV's The Big Interview with Dan Rather kicks off this October 10th. The nine-episode series will feature Rather conducting candid, up-close-and-personal interviews with some of the biggest names in the entertainment industry. The opening episode will feature Sharon Osbourne. Geddy Lee will be among those interviewed, with his segment airing on October 24th. From the press release: The new season also includes iconic Grammy-winning California native rockers The Doobie Brothers, as Rather chats with band members Tom Johnston, Patrick Simmons, and John McFee on Oct. 17. Canadian rock icon and renowned Rush front man Geddy Lee is up next on Oct. 24, followed by introspective folk songstress Jewel on Oct. 31, and actor Kiefer Sutherland, who is taking a leap into country music on Nov. 7. Blues-rock legend Steve Miller follows on Nov. 14, game-changing English rocker and guitar legend Peter Frampton joins Rather on Nov. 21 and famed E Street Band axe-man/act

Neil Peart Celebrates His 65th Birthday Today

Image
Today marks the 65th birthday of Rush drummer and lyricist extraordinaire Neil Peart. Neil (born Neil Ellwood Peart) came into the world on September 12th in 1952 Hamilton, Ontario. He grew up in Port Dalhousie, Ontario, Canada (now part of St. Catharines) working the occasional odd job including the role of a Parts Manager for his father Tractor Supply company. His true ambition, however, was to become a professional musician. During adolescence, he floated from regional band to regional band and dropped out of high school to pursue a career as a full-time drummer. He had a short stint with J.R. Flood back in 1970, before he decided to move abroad to further his musical studies. However, after a discouraging stint in England, Peart returned home where he joined a local Toronto band called Rush in the summer of 1974. And the rest, as they say, is history. Peart has been relatively quiet of late, save for the release of his book - Far and Wide - last year. He is, no doubt,

Art of Rush European Edition, Available September 12th

Image
The Art of Rush European Edition will be available for purchase in extremely limited quantities. Packaged in a luxury, hand-crafted woodbox, this edition comes hand-signed by the band and Hugh Syme and is hand-numbered out of 350. The release includes several bonus items, including a custom slipcase, two lithos, and a Hugh Syme designed Starman vellum page. This release has been titled “European” due to feedback from fans in Europe, who were faced with the hurdle of high shipping charges on the original Art of Rush Limited Edition releases. To accommodate these fans Rush Backstage is offering local shipping rates for all customers ordering from the UK and Europe. 350 units will be available for $995 USD. For full details and to purchase, visit the Rush Backstage on September 12th at 3pm London (UK) Time / 10am ET North America. The U.S. edition of the book is also available from the Backstage Club via this LINK .

Alex Lifeson Celebrates His 64th Birthday

Image
Alex Lifeson, one of the founding members of Rush and the band's seminal guitarist, is celebrating his 64th birthday today. 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 co-founded the band in the summer of 1968 along with John Rutsey, the band's original drummer. Alex 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, an artist and has also dabbled with a little acting now and again. More recently, Alex made a guest appearance on Marco Minnemann's new album Borrego where he composed and performed on several tracks. Happy Birthday, Alex and many happy returns!

Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson May Form "LeeLifeson" Group

Image
Update: Eddie Trunk has posted several tweets, including this one where he clarifies that he was only speculating on the formation of the LeeLifeson group. There has been no official word from Rush or their management, however they did re-tweet Trunk's comment. It's been over two years since Rush performed their final(?) show on their R40 40th Anniversary tour. Since that time, there has been plenty of speculation about the future of the band, with most eyes focused squarely on Neil Peart who, for all intents and purposes, has retired. Though there has been no formal acknowledgement of any kind from the band or their management about Rush's future, it has been clear that, while Neil may be retired, Geddy does want to continue in some fashion, and Alex is at least open to the idea. During a recent broadcast from the House of Blues in Houston, long-time Rush friend and Rock interviewer/commentator Eddie Trunk hinted at the possibility of a Lee/Lifeson group called, fi

Remembering Le Studio - Rush React After Fire Destroys Studio

Image
As most fans know by now, the legendary Le Studio, which was located in Morin Heights, Quebec, was destroyed in a fire last Friday. Throughout their recording history, Rush called Le Studio home more than any other location. Seven of the bands albums, Permanent Waves, Signals, Moving Pictures, Grace Under Pressure, Presto, Roll the Bones, Counterparts, were all recorded there. With the loss of the studio, Rush and Geddy Lee have reacted with several interviews. Below is the official statement from the band: “What Le Studio meant to us, is really hard to put into only a few sentences. It was not only a place where we did some of our best work, but we also experienced many profound personal moments there. To say nothing of the friendships that were forged there that still endure today. Le Studio played a key role in our album recording experience at a pivotal point in our career. We were already saddened to learn of its derelict state a few years ago, but upon hearing that it has no

Happy 64th Birthday, Geddy Lee!

Image
Geddy Lee (born Gary Lee Weinrib) is celebrating his 64th birthday today! Happy Birthday, Geddy -- and many happy returns! "Gary" was born in the small Toronto village of Willowdale. As many fans know, his given first name "Gary" transformed into "Geddy" during his high school days thanks to his mother's heavily-accented pronunciation of his name. In addition to his musical aspirations, some of Geddy's other interests include collecting fine wines and, of course, baseball. His wine collection is rumored to include some 5,000 bottles and his love of baseball is well documented. In fact back in 2013, Geddy threw out the ceremonial first pitch at the home opener for the Toronto Blue Jays - something he admittedly dreamed of doing for years. In addition to today being Geddy's birthday, it is also the 43rd anniversary of Neil Peart officially joined Rush - cementing the rock trio that would continue through today. Please join me in co

Rush Donate Signed Geddy Lee Signature Model Jazz Bass Guitar to Heavy Metal Truants Auction

Image
Queen, Metallica, Megadeth and Iron Maiden are just some of the star names who have donated incredible rock and roll memorabilia for the forthcoming Heavy Metal Truants auction. Heavy Metal Truants is a fund-raising collector founded by Iron Maiden manager Rod Smallwood and journalist Alexander Milas in association with CharityStars.com. They are currently auctioning a veritable smorgasbord of rock memorabilia and once-in-a-lifetime experiences in a massive online event. All proceeds go to three very special charities - ChildLine, Teenage Cancer Trust and Nordoff Robins Music Therapy. In addition to Queen, Metallica, Megadeth and Iron Maiden, other superstars from the rock and metal arenas have donated items to the auction. These include Pink Floyd, KISS, Thunder, Marillion, Steve Vai, The Who, Slayer, Joe Bonamassa and Opeth. The auction is live now and closes tomorrow, 27 July 2017. Among the remarkable items that feature in the auction are a Barry Novis painting of the late

Rush's Tom Sawyer Featured in Ready Player One Trailer

Image
Back in 2011, author Ernest Cline released his New York Times best-selling novel, Ready Player One . The sci-fi thriller immediately struck a chord with Rush fans, given than an entire section was devoted to the band and their 1976 album 2112 . From the book listing: In the year 2044, reality is an ugly place. The only time teenage Wade Watts really feels alive is when he's jacked into the virtual utopia known as the OASIS. Wade's devoted his life to studying the puzzles hidden within this world's digital confines--puzzles that are based on their creator's obsession with the pop culture of decades past and that promise massive power and fortune to whoever can unlock them. But when Wade stumbles upon the first clue, he finds himself beset by players willing to kill to take this ultimate prize. The race is on, and if Wade's going to survive, he'll have to win--and confront the real world he's always been so desperate to escape. Given the success of the book

Geddy Lee Joins Bob & Doug McKenzie to Perform Take Off! at Fundraiser Event

Image
Last night, the Take Off, Eh! – Bob and Doug McKenzie Live Reunion fundraiser event for spinal research took place at the Toronto Mainstage Theatre in downtown Toronto, Ontario: Join Canada’s greatest comic stars for a once in a lifetime evening of music, comedy and special guests. Join Dave Thomas, Rick Moranis, Martin Short and many more at The Second City’s iconic cabaret theatre for this one night only benefit raising funds for Spinal Cord Injury Ontario and Jake Thomas’ Road To Recovery. Geddy Lee made a surprise visit towards the end of the evening, where he joined both Moranis & Thomas on stage where they sang their early '80s hit Take Off! . A Facebook video of the performance is available below, or directly at this LINK . Fun fact: Take Off! peaked at #16 on the Billboard Hot 100 charts back in 1982. In contrast, the highest charting Rush single, New World Man , only reached the #22 spot. Thanks to Ed from RushIsABand for passing along the news.

Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson Spotify Interview: The Canadians who Inspire Rush

Image
Canada is currently celebrating its 150th birthday, which officially took place back on July 1st. In connection with the celebration, a new box set containing 150 Canadian songs was recently released, which included two tracks from Rush. To further celebrate the occasion, Spotify asked several Canadian artists to talk about their favorite artists, how they inspired them, and to also create a make-shift playlist of their favorite Canadian songs. Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson were interviewed for the segment, which can be viewed below or directly at this LINK . Thanks to RushFanForever for passing along the news.

Rush Reference on ABC's The Gong Show

Image
By now, most Rush fans have likely seen the viral video " Chops Sawyer ". The YouTube video features a drumming puppet playing his sawdust heart out to Rush's Tom Sawyer , on a drum kit made of tin cans. The video has garnered over 1 million views in the 2+ years since it was posted. The musician behind the kit, Ricky Syers, recently appeared on ABC's The Gong Show to reprise his alter-ego's performance. The judges watching the Rush-playing puppet included Dana Carvey, Tracee Ellis Ross, and Anthony Anderson. Syers faired well for a portion of his performance, but was ultimately gonged by Anderson. You can watch Syers' performance below, or directly at this LINK . The entire episode is also available for steaming at this location . Thanks to Ed from RushIsABand for sharing the news.

Canada 150: A Celebration of Music Box Set to Include Two Rush Songs

Image
Universal Music Canada, the country’s leading music company, has just announced the June 30th release of Canada 150: A Celebration Of Music . Issued on the eve of Canada’s sesquicentennial (150th birthday), the collection will be available digitally, in single CD, 2CD, and Super Deluxe 6CD Coffee Table Book editions. Among the 150 songs selected for the compilation will be two tracks from Rush - Lakeside Park from the band's Caress of Steel album, and Tom Sawyer from Moving Pictures . More from the announcement: “Assembling a package that sums up Canada’s 150 years would be impossible. A country as vast and diverse as ours, with rich histories from countless perspectives could not be contained in one place. But I believe it can be visited – and contemplated by viewing through the lens of the many thoughts expressed here in picture, story, and song,” says Jeffrey Remedios, President & CEO of UMC. “Hopefully, this one-of-a-kind odyssey across our country goes some way to an

In the Fullness of Time: A Look Back at Clockwork Angels on its 5th Anniversary

Image
It all began over 7 ½ years ago, in the late fall of 2009. Neil Peart had just published an update to the ‘News, Weather, and Sports’ section of his website. In the November 2009 entry titled Autumn Serenade , the Rush drummer and lyricist first revealed that he and his fellow bandmates would be getting together to discuss the future of the band or, as he put it, “…another kind of 'reinvention'.” Beyond the exciting news of Rush returning to the studio came the stark realization that the band’s ‘reinvention’ may actually lead to something entirely different. It was this statement from Peart that gave everyone pause: “The importance of 'the album' is not what it was, and there is currently a reversion to a musical climate rather like the 1950s, when only 'the song' matters. Radio, downloads, and 'shuffle' settings are inimical to collected works. Because of that reality, record company advances that used to pay for album projects are a thing of the

Toronto's Trio of Capybara Pups Could be Named After Rush

Image
Update (06.24.2017): The votes are in. Toronto’s ‘capybabies’ will be named Alex, Geddy and Neil! For more, click HERE . Rush's reverence in their home city of Toronto cannot be understated: the power trio have recently been awarded the Key to the City and have a city park named after members Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson. Now, the group have a chance to be further immortalized in having a trio of capybara cubs named in their honour. An online vote opened by Friends of the High Park Zoo lists "Alex, Geddy, Neil" as a combination of names for the cubs, who were born earlier this year. The poll says that "submissions from the public ranged from local landmarks to popular trios and adorable nicknames." The current list of voting options was culled from reviewing more than 12,600 other names, and includes other combinations such as "Mocha, Chino, Latte," "Babyface, Floyd, Dillinger," "Peanut, Butter, Jam" and "Snap, Crackle, Pop

Lighting Director Howard Ungerleider Discusses the Possibility of Rush Touring in the Future

Image
Digital Men: The Ultimate Rush and Prog Podcast recently sat down with long-time Rush lighting director Howard Ungerleider for an in-depth 90 minute interview for their latest podcast (Episode 52: The Man Who Lit The Lighted Stage ). The discussion centered around Ungerleider's history with Rush, what it's like being on the road, and some back-stage stories of the band. The topic of the interview eventually turned to the touring future of the band, for which Howard had the following to say about that possibility: I don't think so. They may play in the studio together. But I don't see it. I don't really see it happening. I mean, you may ask their manager who says, "absolutely". But you know Ged and Al - they enjoy playing. They'll go and they'll do something. It won't be much, but it may be something different. I don't think [Ged and Al] are finished. Neil's had a rough go. He's had a lot of medical issues that prevent him [from

2018 Rush Wall Calendars Now Available for Pre-Order

Image
Though the 2017 calendar indicates that were only in the month of May, pre-orders for two new Rush 2018 Wall Calendars are already available. The first wall calendar, which is scheduled to be released on August 15th, depicts photos of Rush across their decades-spanning career. You can see a preview of the calendar HERE , while pre-ordering is available from Amazon via this LINK . The second calendar, which has a July 1st release date, celebrates the 40th Anniversary of the release of Rush's Hemispheres album. From the description: 2018 marks the 40th anniversary of Rush's platinum-certified, fan-favorite album Hemispheres. This official 18-month calendar features images highlighting the complete Hemispheres album and tour, as well as tour dates and other notable events from that year... You can pre-order the Hemispheres calendar at this LINK . Rush has been producing wall calendars dating back to 2004. Scans and details of each of the annual calendars can be viewed HE

RushCamp 2017: A Weekend Celebration of the Music of Rush Coming This Labor Day

Image
Overtime Angels, Inc., a 501(c)3 charitable organization is pleased to announce that it is time for Rush fans to enjoy a weekend of summer camp! RushCamp 2017 will be held Labor Day weekend from Friday, September 1st, 2017 at 5pm until Sunday, September 3rd at 12pm. Admission is limited to 250 people. RushCamp will held at Independent Lake Camp (ILC) – http://independentlake.com . ILC is in the northern tip of the Pocono Mountains near Scranton, Pennsylvania, approximately 2.5 hours from Philadelphia, 3 hours from New York City. The camp is set on 300 pristine acres and includes the beautiful private waterfront on the 100-acre Independent Lake. This is a rain or shine event! ILC has fabulous indoor spaces for us to hold the event in case of severe weather. RushCamp was born out of RatCon, the largest independent yearly gathering of Rush fans in the United States. Between 2009 and 2015, RatCon was held at private residences and over time the event grew from 20 to 40 to 80 to 100 fan

Win a Signed Copy of "From Cradle to Stage" Book Featuring a Chapter on Geddy Lee and His Mother

Image
Back in February , we first announced the forthcoming book titled From Cradle to Stage: Stories from the Mothers Who Rocked and Raised Rock Stars . Written by Virginia Hanlon Grohl, mother of Foo Fighters' front-man Dave Grohl, one of the chapters of the book features Geddy Lee and his mother, Mary Weinrib. The book was released earlier this month, and can be ordered at this LINK . Thanks to the British publishing house Hodder & Stoughton, one lucky Cygnus-X1.Net visitor (from the U.K. or Republic of Ireland) can win their own copy of the book, signed by Virginia Hanlon Grohl herself. To enter, send an email to [email protected] with the subject line 'From Cradle to Stage Contest'. Please include your name, email address, and mailing address in the body of the email. Again, this contest is only open to residents within the United Kingdom or Republic of Ireland . Apologies to everyone else :-) The contest will end on Sunday, April 30th, after which the ra

Rush Receive the Allan Slaight Humanitarian Spirit Award

Image
It was last November when we first announced that Rush would be the 2017 recipient of the Allan Slaight Humanitarian Spirit Award for their achievements and longstanding career in the music industry, social activism, and support of humanitarian causes. The award was presented during the annual Canadian Music & Broadcast Industry Awards gala last week, where both Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson were on hand to accept the honors. Toronto Mayor John Tory presented the award while donning a Moving Pictures t-shirt. Ahead of the event, Billboard magazine posted an article titled Why Rush Might Be the Most Generous Band In the World : "They're giving us an award for doing what everyone should do," Geddy Lee tells Billboard. "It should be a part of everyone's upbringing and routine of life: You share when you've been blessed with good fortune. The world needs a lot of work, and there are not enough workers. We try to help where we can." A photo gallery of t

Alex Lifeson Talks Solo Projects, the Future of Rush, Geddy Lee's New Book, and More in Sirius XM Interview

Image
During the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame ceremonies last Friday, Alex Lifeson sat down with Sirius XM's Debatable for an exclusive interview where the Rush guitarist covered a number of topics. While the interview was only available to Sirius XM subscribers, Blabbermouth.Net has just posted a partial transcription of the interview. Regarding the future of Rush, and the possibility of the band touring again, Alex has these somber comments: "...I would say that it's unlikely that we'll tour again as RUSH. Really, we toured for forty-one years, and I have to say that first year off, I felt like I was grieving for my career and the band, but truly, forty-one years of touring the way we toured, I shouldn't feel badly about that..." Even though is seemed clear that there aren't any immediate plans for Rush to regroup, Alex indicated that he would still likely team up with Geddy at some point: "...Ged and I will probably do something together. He's be

Geddy Lee & Alex Lifeson Set to Induct YES Into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Tonight - Geddy Apparently WILL Perform

Image
Ever since it was announced that the progressive rock band YES was to be inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, rumors abound regarding a possible involvement with the members of Rush, who are all self-proclaimed YES fans. In January, the news many fans were waiting for arrived - both Geddy Lee & Alex Lifeson would induct YES into the Hall. However as of that writing, there was no indication as to whether or not Geddy and/or Alex would actually perform during the evening's festivities. Fast-forward a few weeks, and a huge story coming out of Billboard was published which all but confirmed that Geddy Lee would, in fact, be performing with YES. Less than a few hours after the story broke, Billboard posted a retraction indicating that Geddy Lee would NOT be performing. But that's not the end of the story. On YES's official website, drummer Allan White had this to say: Alan White: Yes, we will be performing and I do believe Geddy has agreed to play bass

Share This