Neil Peart -- The Latest News

Ross Halfin, a UK freelance photographer, shot Rush many times during the European leg of the Snakes & Arrows tour. He's posted many of his photos up on his website, and I think he's really captured some unique moments and images -- even some of Neil backstage. You can see the photos at this link:

Ross Halfin - Rush

Labels: pictures, Rush SnakesArrows

There's an article in Playback about a Rush documentary in the works by Scot McFadyen and Sam Dunn. Should be interesting.

Playback :: Headbanger duo feels Rush 

Excerpt:

Boutique distributor Grindstone Media is hoping to have a hit on its hands with Rush: The Documentary. The $1.5 million feature doc about the famed rock band is produced and directed by Scot McFadyen and Sam Dunn -- the creative team behind the 2005's Metal: A Headbanger's Journey -- and executive produced by Grindstone president Paul Zimic.

Labels: Documentary

Rush.com has added a video interview with Lorne "Gump" Wheaton, Neil's drum tech. In the video, Lorne goes over the entire setup, including the backstage area.

To watch the video, go to Rush.com and click Multimedia. The interview with Lorne is listed on the right side as Rush Backstage - Welcome to Bubba Gump. See screenshot below for more information.

Labels: cymbals, drums, Rush.com, Sabian, videos

Update - 10/18/07 - 12:36: Go to this Rushisaband post for an update on the Rotterdam shows.

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There are a couple of news items that were released on 10/15/07.

Rotterdam DVD

Rush is filming both shows in Rotterdam, Netherlands, according to a Rush.com Newsletter sent on 10/15/07. Here is the information:

RUSH will be filming a LIVE concert DVD in Rotterdam October 16th and 17th. For more information on this project, stay tuned to the Rush.com email blasts and the website.

Ask Rush

If you've always wanted to ask Rush a question, here's your chance. The deadline is 10/18/07.

Here are the details:

Is there something that you have always wanted to ask RUSH? Well, here is your opportunity! Fans may now submit questions that they would like the band to answer from Monday, October 15th through Thursday October 18th. Please be creative, because the band will only be choosing the BEST questions to answer. Visit http://www.rush.com/fanquestions to submit your question.

Labels: contests, Rush SnakesArrows, Rush.com

There is an official e-petition in the UK to add Neil Peart's work to English literature courses. This petition is part of a beta program where British citizens can create electronic petitions for the Prime Minister to consider.

The details from the petition creator, Ian Coley:

"Neil Peart, one of the finest wordsmiths still alive to-day, would be one of the finest authors for young British students to study. His works makes such works as Ayn Rand, Shakespeare, Dickens and other great writers more accessible to a new generation."

If you're a UK citizen, you can sign the petition (link below). At this point, there's only one signature.

Petition to: to encourage the study of the works of Neil Peart within English literature courses.

Labels: web article

The 40 Worst Lyricists In Rock -- #10 to #2 Article on Blender :: The Ultimate Guide to Music and More 

According to Blender.com, Neil Peart is #2 on their list of "40 Worst Lyricists in Rock." Sting is #1. In my opinion, these are two of the best lyricists out there.

Here's what they had to say:

02 Neil Peart
An ace on the rototoms, a train wreck on the typewriter.
Drummers are good at many things: exploding, drowning in their own vomit, drumming. But the Rush skinsman proved they should never write lyrics--or read books. Peart opuses like "Cygnus X-1" are richly awful tapestries of fantasy and science fiction, steeped in an eighth-grade understanding of Western philosophy. 2112, Rush's 1976 concept album based on individualist thinker Ayn Rand's novella Anthem, remains an awe-inspiring low point in the sordid relationship between rock and ideas. Worst lyric: "I stand atop a spiral stair/An oracle confronts me there/He leads me on light years away/Through astral nights, galactic days" ("Oracle: The Dream")

OK, I wasn't even going to post this story -- as this pointless list is only meant to inflame fans of the artists who are listed and get Blender a few web hits. But let's be honest here. Who are Jon Dolan, Josh Eells, Tim Grierson, Andrew Harrison, Ben Mitchell, Tony Power and Mark Yarm, and why are they uniquely qualified to tell us who is and isn't a good lyricist? Come to think of it, after reading through the list, just about everyone is on it -- from Paul McCartney to Robert Plant. If someone's not on the list, does that mean these sophomoric sultans of taste (Jon Dolan et al.) think they're good lyricists?

And why are these writers against lyricists reading books and infusing ideas into songs? Perhaps they subscribe to the idea that a rock lyric should only be about meaningless debauchery, nihilism, drugs, and sex. Or perhaps they subscribe to the "drummers are stupid" stereotype that has been proven wrong again and again.

Finally, using Cygnus and 2112 are cheap shots at Neil. He would most likely agree that the lyrics for these songs are "doggerel" (as he once said about "The Trees"), but there's something obviously important about them. 2112 was the first Rush album to reach Gold status, and Cygnus X-1 was at the top of the list for songs fans wanted to hear live in an Internet poll. Neil was developing as a songwriter during this period, when he was 23 or 24 years old. If you're going to put the man down, at least do it with his most recent work.

I'm filing away this list into the same category as the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and many other Rolling Stone lists, along with People Magazine's "Most Beautiful People." Perhaps someone forgot to tell these journalists (Jon Dolan et al.) that Rush has proven itself to be relevant, and that they're still selling out arenas 33 years after they started. I wonder if Jon Dolan et al. will be writing articles 33 years from now?

PS - Neil has never played "rototoms," which proves these guys didn't even do their research. The correct term would have been "concert toms." But the sentence they constructed, "An ace on the rototoms, a trainwreck on the typewriter" doesn't even capture the hip alliteration these writers were going for. To me, it's just sloppy writing and poor editing.

Labels: magazine article

Labels: Anatomy of a Drum Solo, awards, drums, Rush SnakesArrows

Today, Rush started their European leg of the Snakes & Arrows tour with a show in Glasgow, Scotland.

But the BIG news is that Alex Lifeson confirmed the rumors of additional Rush shows in 2008 in The Herald.

"The Police and bands like that are doing their greatest-hits thing now and we really covered that three years ago on our R30 tour. We want to move forward and we'll be touring this album until next summer, when I think we'll have done 110 shows."

This means Rush will be adding around 45 shows in 2008. No word on when and where. Stay tuned.

Neil Peart and Rush ringtones available

The Mobile Rush site now has ringtones and "drumtones" available to buy. These are, evidently, the first drum ringtones ever released.

The drumtones include parts of Neil's drum solo: Snare, Tom-tom, and Xylophone.

Labels: Rush SnakesArrows

I've added two new postcards from Neil, sent to me by Cygnify. You can check these out on the Postcards from Neil page. Thanks, Cygnify!

Let me know if you have a postcard you'd like to share.

Labels: postcards, written by NEP