Posts

Showing posts from 2023

Neil Peart's Last Book Silver Surfers: Sports Cars of the Sixties Coming in May 2024

Image
Back in 2021 , Neil Peart's classic car collection, what he affectionally referred to as the Silver Surfers , went up for auction during Gooding & Company's 17th annual Pebble Beach Auctions. It was at that time when we learned that Neil was working on a coffee table book that focused on his prized automobiles. From the original Rush.Com announcement : Neil’s love of classic cars was a lifelong passion, and prior to his passing, he was extremely proud to have completed his final book titled, “Silver Surfers.” The following passage from his first coffee table book explains, in his own words, how the collection name came about: “The title Silver Surfers for my collection of cars occurred to me while driving my DB5 up and down the Pacific Ocean. Because it felt right to me, I guess – the idea that I was just one of the wave riders…. In search of natural peace, I often drove out that way and up in to the Santa Monica Mountains. Out past Malibu to Ventura County, I’d

Geddy Lee's 'In Conversation' Tour Ends its North American Run in Toronto

Image
Update: George Stroumboulopoulos is co-hosting tonight as well. Update: Confirmation - - Alex Lifeson is hosting tonight! Here's a short video of his introduction. Update: Based on this sign hanging outside the venue, it appears the show will be filmed tonight. In addition, Alex Lifeson was spotted backstage while several Barbie dolls were seen on stage . Over the past three weeks, Geddy Lee has been traveling across the United States and Canada as he celebrates the release of his memoir, My Effin' Life with his spoken-word 'In Conversation' tour. Speaking to near-capacity crowds in virtually every venue, Geddy has been joined by a wide variety of guest hosts each night, including Paul Rudd, Matt Cameron, Jack Black, Chad Smith, and more. As he ends the North American run of his tour tonight in his hometown of Toronto at the famed Massey Hall, one has to wonder if a certain best friend and guitarist may make an appearance (Check back here for updates

Geddy Lee Releases Previously Unreleased Solo Material On 'The Lost Demos'

Image
Geddy Lee has shared "The Lost Demos", two previously unreleased solo songs available today on all streaming platforms. Geddy originally recorded this pair of demos — "Gone" and "I Am…You Are" — during the writing sessions for his 2000 solo debut, "My Favorite Headache". Today, with the help of producer/engineer David Bottrill, he has unearthed them for the first time properly mixed and mastered. Commenting on the project, Geddy shared: "I'm excited to see these two 'lost demos' released. I loved the songs when they were written and in some ways they feel as fresh and perhaps more relevant all these years later." The Lost Demos is available on various streaming services as well as MP3 Downloads . The lyrics to both tracks are also available at this location . Comments

Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson Featured on 'CBS News Sunday Morning'

Image
Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson were featured on a segment of CBS News Sunday Morning this past weekend. In the segment, titled 'What's Next for Rush?' correspondent Jim Axelrod spoke with Dirk and Lerxst about their particular blend of musicianship, stagecraft and goofiness; how tragedy upended the band with the death of Peart; and what might constitute Rush's next chapter. When asked about the possibility of Alex and Geddy 'getting another drummer and touring again', Geddy replied "It's not impossible...but at this point, I can't guarantee it..." Axelrod also spent one-on-one time with Geddy Lee where the two discussed his memoir 'My Effin' Life'. The entire 7 minute segment is now online HERE or via the embedded viewer below. Comments

Geddy Lee's My Effin' Life In Conversation Tour Opens Tonight in NYC

Image
The time is now again... Update: During intermission, at least one of Geddy's new songs was played. Geddy also took a selfie with the audience, and (somehow) the photo will be sent to everyone in attendance. Update: It appears that Paul Rudd will be slappin da bass with Geddy as tonight's host! Update: A photo gallery for opening night photos will be uploaded live at this LOCATION . Dozens are already online! At long last, Geddy Lee's My Effin' Life In Conversation Tour opens tonight at the Beacon Theater in New York City. The excitement among the Rush community has been building for quite some time; even more so in the past week. Not surprisingly, Geddy has been hitting the interview trail ahead of the tour and the release of My Effin' Life on Tuesday, November 14th. Among several interviews, including the recent article This Is Who I Am from the upcoming December issue of Classic Rock magazine, Geddy has indicated that he will be releasi

Geddy Lee Launching New Docuseries Geddy Lee Asks: Are Bass Players Human Too?

Image
Geddy Lee has just announced the launch of a four-part docuseries on Paramount Plus titled Geddy Lee Asks: Are Bass Players Human Too? . Streaming on December 5th, Geddy will be conducting in-depth interviews with Krist Novoselic ( Nirvana ), Rob Trujillo ( Metallica ), Les Claypool ( Primus ), and Melissa Auf der Maur ( Hole/Smashing Pumpkins ). From the official announcement: Geddy Lee is gearing up not just for the launch of his memoir My Effin’ Life and nationwide book tour but also for the new Paramount Plus docuseries Geddy Lee Asks: Are Bass Players Human Too? The four-part series will feature in-depth conversations between Lee and Nirvana’s Krist Novoselic, Metallica’s Rob Trujillo, Primus’ Les Claypool, and Hole/Smashing Pumpkins bassist Melissa Auf der Maur. It premiers on December 5. The trailer shows Lee trading licks with Auf der Maur, flying in an airplane with Krist, canning tomatoes with Novoselic, and surfing with Rob Trujillo. “I’m trying to show the world that

Rush 2024 '50th Anniversary' Wall Calendar is Now Available

Image
With 2024 marking the 50th Anniversary of the release of Rush's debut album, the band's official 2024 Wall Calendar will celebrate that milestone. As with past Rush calendars , the 2024 edition will feature a four-month (September-December) 2023 planner page, gorgeous color photos of the band, and more. From the official listing: Celebrate 50 years of rock excellence with our RUSH 50th Anniversary Calendar. Each month, journey through the legendary career of this iconic band with striking visuals and memorable moments than span five decades of music mastery.  Whether you're a lifelong fan or newcomer to the world of progressive rock, our calendar is a year-long tribute to Rush's unparalleled musical legacy. Specification: 16-months (two-page layout September-December 2023, and January-December 2024) 12x26#34; x 24x26#34 (open) 28 pages You can order your copy of the Rush 2024 Wall Calendar directly at Amazon . Comments

Geddy Lee Announces North American Dates for his My Effin' Life Tour

Image
Geddy Lee has just announced fourteen dates in North American for his My Effin' Life Tour with pre-sales beginning as early as tomorrow, October 3rd. The evening promises to be a once-in-a-life-time event. After the curtain rises, Geddy Lee will give his fans a peek into the very fabric of his life: from a deep reflection of his family and childhood, to a dive into the history of Rush; from the determined pursuit of music, to the personal memories with his life-long friends and band-mates, Alex Lifeson and Neil Peart. Joined on stage by a special guest interviewer, Geddy Lee will be reading key passages from his forthcoming book My Effin’ Life; he will then share thoughts and stories taken from his experience. Fans will then have the chance to participate in a special Q&A, with Geddy Lee answering their questions directly. TOUR DATES: Mon Nov 13 – New York, NY – Beacon Theatre Wed Nov 15 – Philadelphia, PA – The Met Philadelphia Fri Nov 17 – National Harbor, MD – Th

Geddy Lee Announces 'In Conversation' Tour

Image
With the upcoming release of his memoir My Effin' Life this November, Geddy Lee has announced an 'In Conversation' tour; a series of intimate dates across the UK where he will bring his memoir to life. From the announcement: The evening promises to be an extraordinary experience, a once-in-a-life-time event. After the curtain rises, Geddy Lee will give his fans a peek into the very fabric of his life: from a deep reflection into his family and childhood, to a steep dive into the history of Rush; from the determined pursuit of music, to the personal memories of his life-long friends and band-mates Alex Lifeson and Neil Peart. Joined on stage by a special guest interviewer, Geddy Lee will be reading key passages from his forthcoming book My Effin’ Life; he will then share thoughts and stories taken from his experience. Fans will then have the chance to participate in a special Q&A, with Geddy Lee answering their questions directly. “Writing this book has meant

Second Annual Bubba Bash in Celebration of Neil Peart Announced for 2024

Image
The inaugural Bubba Bash in 2023, dubbed as such in Neil's nickname, was a joint effort of YYNOT's Tim Starace and Neil Peart’s long time friend and security provider, Michael Mosbach. Together, they assembled an all-star lineup of Neil's friends, each generously making a special appearance. Over $100,000 was raised for Cedars-Sinai Hospital in Neil’s memory. The sold out Bubba Bash was such a triumphant event, it was the catalyst to make this an annual event. Bubba Bash 2024 will be held January 6, 2024 at the Keswick Theatre in Glenside, PA. All of the artists from the 2023 show will be returning for encore performances with YYNOT: Mike Portnoy (Dream Theater, The Winery Dogs) Frank Bello (Anthrax) Jason Bittner (Shadows Fall, Overkill) Jon Dinklage (Clockwork Angels string ensemble) Joe Bergamini (drum instructor, author) John Wesley (Vertical Horizon) Seven Antonopoulos (Opiate for the Masses) Additional artists are currently being gathered and will be announc

Marching Illini Halftime Show Features the Music of Rush

Image
This past Saturday, the Marching Illini marching band of the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign performed the music of Rush during their halftime show during the University's game vs. Toledo. During the roughly eight minute show, the band performed renditions of YYZ and The Spirit of Radio . Since 1868, the Marching Illini has entertained millions of fans with traditional and innovative performances that have paved a path of excellence making them known as “The Nation’s Premier College Marching Band.” In the 1920’s, John Philip Sousa called the Illinois Band the “World’s Greatest College Band.” Superlatives like this have come to be expected during the long and illustrious history of the University of Illinois Bands. The excellence of innovation continues today as the Marching Illini strives for the highest levels of musical, visual, and thoroughly entertaining performances in historic Memorial Stadium. You can watch their performance via the embedded viewer be

Alex Lifeson Celebrates his 70th Birthday Today!

Image
Alex Lifeson, one of the founding members of Rush and the band's seminal guitarist, is celebrating his 70th 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 a licensed aircraft pilot, motorcycle rider, a gourmet cook, avid golfer, and an artist. Alex has also been known to dabble with a little acting now and again. Back in 2018, he appeared a couple of times on the CBC comedy-drama Crawford , which premiered on the CBC in Canada during the summer of 2019. Last April, Alex released a new musical project under the name Envy of None . He also reunited with Geddy Lee on stage last year when

Tributes: Songs for Neil Volume 4 Coming September 12th

Image
Ever since 2020, and precisely on September 12th each year, RUSHfest Scotland have released tribute albums dedicated to the memory of Neil Peart. Gathering Rush tribute bands from across the globe, the first three volumes of "Tributes" have been met with critical applause throughout the Rush community. Details and pre-order links for the fourth volume, aptly titled Songs for Neil Volume 4 have now been released. As with all prior volumes, all proceeds from the sale of the tribute albums are donated to Cancer Support Scotland . The line-up for the fourth volume includes a special track, titled Masterpiece , which was written and performed by Neil's brother Danny Peart along with guitarist Brandon Dyke. Other tribute bands lending their talents to Volume 4 include Solar Federation from the U.S., the prolific Fleesh of Brazil, Scotland's Clockwork Angels , and even Ninja Sex Party who added their rendition of Madrigal to the collection. For a comp

Geddy Lee Celebrates His 70th Birthday Today!

Image
Congratulations to Rush's frontman Geddy Lee who is celebrating his milestone 70th birthday today! Geddy (born Gary Lee (Gershon Eliezer) Weinrib) was born in the North York neighbourhood of Willowdale, Toronto. 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. Geddy began playing music in school when he was 10 or 11 and got his first acoustic guitar at 14. In school, he first played drums, trumpet and clarinet. However, learning to play instruments in school wasn't satisfying to Lee, and he took basic piano lessons independently. His interest increased dramatically after listening to some of the popular rock groups at the time. His early influences included Jack Bruce of Cream, John Entwistle of The Who, Jeff Beck, and Procol Harum. "I was mainly interested in early British progressive rock", said Lee. "

Henderson Brewing Company Hosting Rush Day on Saturday August 26th

Image
It's been nearly two years since Rush and the Henderson Brewing Company announced their collaboration to bring a Rush-branded beer to the market. The success of their first offering, a Rush Canadian Golden Ale, was followed up by several new brews including a Moving Pictures Ale, a special Belgian Ale to celebrate the 40th Anniversary of Signals and, most recently, Xanabrew . The collaboration didn't end there. Henderson also has an extensive online Rush store filled with various Rush/Henderson themed merchandise. They've also annouced the opening of a Rush-themed Henderson brewery at the Toronto airport later this year. Now, Henderson is hosting a Rush Day event on Saturday, August 26th. From the announcement: Rush Day has something for everyone - Rush trivia, limited edition items, Rush memorabilia, a screening of Time Stand Still - but especially Rush Golden Ale and everything that tastes great with Rush mustard! Tickets are FREE but required so we

Alex Lifeson featured in Chris Shiflett's new podcast Shred With Shifty

Image
Foo Fighter's guitarist Chris Shiflett has just launched a new YouTube based podcast called Shred With Shifty . In the debut episode, Chris welcomes Alex Lifeson to the show. From the release: On the first episode of the new podcast series Shred With Shifty, which features host and Foo Fighters guitarist Chris Shiflett getting a front-row lesson from our favorite guitar heroes, Shiflett learns the solo from Rush’s “Limelight” with a little help from the man who wrote it, Alex Lifeson. According to Shiflett, Lifeson’s lead on the song “does exactly what a great solo should do. It’s a scene change, it’s kind of emotional, it builds, and yes, it shreds.” Shiflett recalls that in context, both “Limelight” and Moving Pictures, the 1981 Rush record that featured the track, were stylistic and structural departures from the rock ‘n’ roll fare of the day. Compared to Aerosmith, Black Sabbath, and KISS, the Canadian prog-rock trio was practically avant-garde. Lifeson joins Shifl

Alex Lifeson and Gibson Introduce new "Ruby" Les Paul Custom Axcess

Image
Alex Lifeson and Gibson have just announced the availability of a new "Ruby" Epiphone Alex Lifeson Les Paul™ Custom Axcess. The guitar, which retails for $1,299 USD, redefines the boundaries of the classic Les Paul in an accessible, versatile package. This guitar carries all of the traditional tones that have made the Les Paul legendary, along with unprecedented levels of sonic and performance agility. The Alex Lifeson Les Paul Custom Axcess carries powerful Epiphone Ceramic Pro™ neck and ProBucker™ 3 bridge pickups with push/pull coil splitting on the volume controls, along with a Floyd Rose® 1000 Series tremolo—the world's most efficient vibrato. Along with all this, the Alex Lifeson Les Paul Custom Axcess still presents that timeless Les Paul look that has remained a classic for more than 60 years. A hardshell case is included. For more information and ordering links, please visit the official Epiphone website HERE . Comments

Rush Featured on the cover of PROG Magazine's April Issue

Image
April's issue of PROG Magazine includes a cover feature on Rush and their upcoming release of the Signals 40th Anniversary Box set. The in-depth article, which was written by Dave Everley, also includes samples of the new artwork that Hugh Syme created for the box set. An excerpt from the article discusses how Chemistry came about: “We were touring so much that we were limited in the time we had to write for a record, so we utilised soundchecks or even days off, when Ged and I would sit down with a couple of guitars and do a little bit of writing,” says Lifeson. “But soundcheck was the best opportunity for us to throw some ideas around – we’d play a couple of songs in full, but also do a little bit of writing. I’m sure there are ancient cassettes headed up to his bandmate’s place after the Moving Pictures tour wrapped up in July 1981. He bought with him a tiny, cigarette packet-sized practice amp that he’d been given, and the pair proceeded to construct a primitive reco

Hugh Syme 'Imagine This' Exhibition to open in Los Angeles on June 1st

Image
Graphic artist and musician Hugh Syme, who is well known among Rush fans as the creative, illustrative genius of the band's album artwork, will be opening up a new exhibition in Los Angeles at the Musichead Gallery on Sunset Boulevard. Scheduled to run from June 1st through July 5th, the 'Imagine This' exhibition will include a selection of some of Syme’s best-known works, as well as a large assortment of iconic and unseen artworks from his portfolio. From the official announcement: 50 years, and counting, creating timeless works of art Hugh Syme is a award-winning Canadian illustrator, designer, graphic artist and musician who will open a new exhibition Hugh Syme: Imagine This in California beginning Thursday, June 1 at Musichead Gallery in Los Angeles as was announced recently on SiriusXM’s TrunkNation hosted by Eddie Trunk. The Los Angeles gallery will mark the third in a series of gallery openings for Syme, having hosted stops in Indianapolis in 2019 and Austi

Geddy Lee's Memoir "My Effin' Life" Scheduled for November 14th Release. Pre-Order Links Now Available

Image
Update: April 7th: Rush and Geddy Lee have announced the title, cover, and official release date of the memoir. "My Effin' Life" is now scheduled for a November 14th, 2023 release. More news coming soon. It was back in September of 2021 when we first announced that Geddy Lee was writing his memoir. From his Instagram post: So, how did I kill time during the pandemic? Little did I know that as of March 2020 I'd be locked down for over a year and a half—the longest time I'd spent in Toronto since I was nineteen and hit the Northern Ontario bar circuit with Rush. Although Nancy and I had to cancel a bunch of adventures we'd been planning, there were some shiny silver linings to be found at home: teaching my grandson the finer points of baseball and birdwatching, tending to my pups (one of whom was quite ill) and spending the evenings with my lovely better half, glass of Armagnac in hand, as we watched every European mystery show ever produced. Oh, a

Rush Announce the Signals 40th Anniversary Box Set - Coming April 26th

Image
At long last, Rush and the Rush Backstage Club have just announced the official release of the Signals 40th Anniversary Box Set ! At this time, only a Super-Deluxe version is available for pre-order, with an expected shipping date of April 26th. Similar to other 40th Anniversary releases, Signals includes a number of special bonus content including new artwork by Hugh Syme, printed lyric sheets hand-written by Neil Peart, posters, vinyl and CD versions of the album, and more. Unfortunately unlike other 40th anniversary releases, Signals does not contain any live content. The Super-Deluxe Edition retails for $229.98 and can be pre-ordered at this LINK . We'll have more news on this release, included other possible editions (i.e. CD-Only, Vinyl-only, etc.) as they become available. Comments

Portraits of Rush Photo Book Coming This May

Image
Rufus Books, a United-Kingdom based publisher, has announced a new series of called Portraits which will comprise beautiful 230mm square books, each presented in a slipcase, and will feature a range of artistes. The first book in the series is titled Portraits of Rush . From the announcement: Portraits of Rush takes us on an epic, photographic journey from the All The World’s A Stage Tour through to Exit Stage Left and the major tours in between. Featuring the photo's of legendary music photographer Fin Costello, who had total access to the band as they travelled, rehearsed, played live and recorded in the studio, Portraits of Rush is a candid, beautiful book of the Canadian trio as they became one of rock’s major bands. The images in this book have been specially prepared and processed for the black and white printing process, and will be re-produced using high quality matt coated art paper. With an introduction by John Tucker and featuring several articles on the b

Afterimage: The Legacy of Neil Peart. Remembering 'The Professor' on the third anniversary of his death.

Image
On January 7th, 2020, Neil Peart, the virtuoso drummer and lyricist for Rush, died after a long and courageous battle with a rare form of brain cancer (Glioblastoma). Today, on the third anniversary of his passing, we remember Neil and the impact he had - and continues to have - on the world of music and the masses of Rush fans that span all four corners of the globe. Suddenly you were gone. From all the lives You left your mark upon... Despite his 'rock and roll' profession, Neil Peart was a very private and humble soul. He never sought out the adulation of fans or critics, but he was always appreciative of their praise, particularly when that praise came from fellow musicians. As a private man, the shock of Neil's death rocked fans to their core as virtually no one outside his 'inner circle' was even aware that he was ill. Suddenly, he was gone. While that initial shock still resonates to this day, turning our focus on the mark he left on all of us aids i

Bubba Bash 2023 Charity Concert: A Celebration of Neil Peart Coming January 7th

Image
January 7th, 2023 will mark the third anniversary of the tragic death of Neil Peart. As a testament to his continued influence to fans and musicians across the globe, a charity concert will take place in his honor this Saturday. Dubbed Bubba Bash 2023 , the event was conceived by the Rush tribute band YYNOT and will take place at the Keswick Theatre in Glenside, Pennsylvania, a northern suburb of Philadelphia. Respected as one of the premier bands to perform Rush tributes, YYNOT is also an original prog-rock band with 3 highly-acclaimed albums of their own. Having scheduled a YYNOT show on January 7th, it was a fitting occasion to honor Neil's legacy and raise donations for Glioblastoma brain tumor research at Cedars-Sinai. The very first Bubba Bash, dubbed as such in Neil's nickname, is a joint effort of YYNOT's Tim Starace and Neil Peart’s long time friend and security provider, Michael Mosbach. Together, they assembled an all-star lineup of Neil's friends,

Share This