Beyond the lighted stage

[GMichael]

Only 106"? No thanks.

I feel so inadequate. Where’s the love?

Maybe you would prefer 269 cm?
Or 2.69 meters?

[GMichael]

Am I the only one to have seen this? Wasn't anyone able to catch it on cable or sat? How about the DVD or BR?
It was very entertaining. With all the Prog fans around here, I would have thought that it would get more attention.

[ForeverAutumn]

I still haven't seen it. I tried to buy the Blu-ray the day of release but it was sold out. I haven't had a chance to try again.

I'd rather experience the real thing.

[GMichael]

I still haven't seen it. I tried to buy the Blu-ray the day of release but it was sold out. I haven't had a chance to try again.

I'd rather experience the real thing.

Me too, but even that doesn't give you their history. No mention of what they were thinking when they were in HS or why they changed their sound etc...

[bobsticks]

Bleached hair & boobs.

Why would she bleach her boobs?

[GMichael]

Why would she bleach her boobs?

Tan lines are sexy?

[ForeverAutumn]

We finally made time to sit down and watch this last night. It was very well done and enjoyable. It was kind of cool for us because a lot of the early clubs that they showed were places I hung out at (although it was 15 years after Rush had been there) or clubs that my husband had played when he was drumming.

Geddy made a comment about wanting to live like a normal guy but always having time to say hi to fans who stop him on the street. DAMN! I wish I'd heard that before I ran into him in a downtown parking lot a few years ago. He knew I recognized him, but didn't really acknowledge it, so being the polite Canadian that I am, I let him be.

But back to the documentary. What a great story. I was amazed at some of the early footage they had, even going so far as to show family video of Alex telling his parents that he wanted to quit school to focus on the band. Why would they have been filming that at that time? I thought that was a bit weird.

We picked up the disk on Bluray and the sound was great! Even the old footage that didn't look so great, sounded good.

I highly recommend this documentary even if you aren't a fan of Rush. It's a great story about how a couple of friends can work really hard together and make their dreams come true. It's also a story about musicians committed to their art and to each other. And how a band can keep evolving and changing, make mistakes and fix them, and keep carrying on.

[GMichael]

We finally made time to sit down and watch this last night. It was very well done and enjoyable. It was kind of cool for us because a lot of the early clubs that they showed were places I hung out at (although it was 15 years after Rush had been there) or clubs that my husband had played when he was drumming.

Geddy made a comment about wanting to live like a normal guy but always having time to say hi to fans who stop him on the street. DAMN! I wish I'd heard that before I ran into him in a downtown parking lot a few years ago. He knew I recognized him, but didn't really acknowledge it, so being the polite Canadian that I am, I let him be.

But back to the documentary. What a great story. I was amazed at some of the early footage they had, even going so far as to show family video of Alex telling his parents that he wanted to quit school to focus on the band. Why would they have been filming that at that time? I thought that was a bit weird.

We picked up the disk on Bluray and the sound was great! Even the old footage that didn't look so great, sounded good.

I highly recommend this documentary even if you aren't a fan of Rush. It's a great story about how a couple of friends can work really hard together and make their dreams come true. It's also a story about musicians committed to their art and to each other. And how a band can keep evolving and changing, make mistakes and fix them, and keep carrying on.

Cool. I don't feel so all alone anymore.

I thought the same thing about the old Alex film. I decided that they may have wanted to film it to show him later how foolish he was back when he wanted to quit school. (Did that come out right?)

[MasterCylinder]

The boyhood friends part of the film was great............I had no idea.
In addition, without being negative in any way, one could guess from Geddy's appearance that he was of Hebrew heritage, but I did not know both boys grew up in Jewish homes..........very interesting.
And the part about the original drummer was news to me as well.
I also found Peart to be an anxious person during interviews and very much at ease at work behind the drums...........we all have our "zones".

[Troy]

I'm a perfect example of the non-Rush fan enjoying this documentary. Well, I own a few albums and enjoy them quite a bit, but I'm, by no means, a super-fan the way most Rush fans seem to be. I've never seen them live, think Geddy's singing has always been a tremendous liability, think any albums after 1985 or so suck, etc.

That said, this was one of the most enjoyable Docs about any band I've ever seen. I like how it seemed to be the polar opposite of the (also excellent) Metallica film Some Kind of Monster, that laid all that band's dysfunction bare for us. There doesn't seem to be a dysfunctional bone in Rush's body. Geddy and Alex love each other like brothers, even after all these years, and all 3 of them seem so level-headed and normal. They are aware of and comfortable with their underdog place in rock history as survivors for 35 years, in a constantly changing industry where most bands last 3. I found that all deeply refreshing and uplifting.

I have a new-found respect for the band. Will it make me like all their music more? No, but I like the band, as an entity, a lot more now.

[ForeverAutumn]

You guys might be interested in knowing (if you don't already) that Peart wrote a book about his 55,000 mile journey after losing his daughter and wife. It's called "Ghost Rider: Travels on the Healing Road".

I haven't read it because, frankly, that kind of shit bores me. But my husband said that it was pretty interesting.

the part about the original drummer was news to me as well.

Rutsey drummed on their first album. It's interesting to think about how successful they would have been had Rutsey remained in the band and Peart never joined them. Would they still be around today and have the fan following that they have? Peart not only became known as one of the best drummers in the world, but he writes all their lyrics. What would Rush have sounded like and where would their career had taken them if Rutsey had been in better health and been able to travel with Rush?

[MasterCylinder]

I'm a perfect example of the non-Rush fan enjoying this documentary. Well, I own a few albums and enjoy them quite a bit, but I'm, by no means, a super-fan the way most Rush fans seem to be. I've never seen them live, think Geddy's singing has always been a tremendous liability, think any albums after 1985 or so suck, etc.

That said, this was one of the most enjoyable Docs about any band I've ever seen. I like how it seemed to be the polar opposite of the (also excellent) Metallica film Some Kind of Monster, that laid all that band's dysfunction bare for us. There doesn't seem to be a dysfunctional bone in Rush's body. Geddy and Alex love each other like brothers, even after all these years, and all 3 of them seem so level-headed and normal. They are aware of and comfortable with their underdog place in rock history as survivors for 35 years, in a constantly changing industry where most bands last 3. I found that all deeply refreshing and uplifting.

I have a new-found respect for the band. Will it make me like all their music more? No, but I like the band, as an entity, a lot more now.

Troy = good post.
Having read that, I hope you will get the opportunity to go to a Rush show.
I know you understand the complex requirements of the "power trio", not the least of which is keeping a full sound..........and I promise that they are one of the best you will ever witness. I'm always incredibly impressed with the inclusion of the Taurus pedals and other methods by which three people can fill the air..........and also the imagination it took to get there. And while I agree that some of their album releases were not the greatest, they usually contain at least one song that is good for the concert agenda.
Everyone tells me that the quality period of the band was Permanent Waves through Moving Pictures; while that could be true, some of my favorite concert memories are from Subdivisions and Grace Under Pressure.............really well done.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Would they still be around today and have the fan following that they have? Peart not only became known as one of the best drummers in the world, but he writes all their lyrics. What would Rush have sounded like and where would their career had taken them if Rutsey had been in better health and been able to travel with Rush?


No way with Rutsey FA......some of Peart's lyrics are masterful.....the rest is history.

[GMichael]

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Would they still be around today and have the fan following that they have? Peart not only became known as one of the best drummers in the world, but he writes all their lyrics. What would Rush have sounded like and where would their career had taken them if Rutsey had been in better health and been able to travel with Rush?


No way with Rutsey FA......some of Peart's lyrics are masterful.....the rest is history.

While I agree with you, maybe they could have ended up being a little more main stream. A few more songs about sex, drugs, and rock-n-roll, might have made them more popular with the average Joe and Jane.
Would they have been the same? No.
Would they have been as good? Hell no
Would they have been more popular? Hold on, let me get out my crystal ball....

[MasterCylinder]

A few more songs about sex, drugs, and rock-n-roll, might have made them more popular with the average Joe and Jane.

Far too cliche'.
Peart has his own standards...........see below

PASSAGE TO BANGKOK

Our first stop is in Bogota
To check Columbian fields
The natives smile and pass along
A sample of their yield

Sweet Jamaican pipe dreams
Golden Acapulco nights
Then Morocco, and the East
Fly by morning light

CHORUS
We're on the train to Bangkok
Aboard the Thailand Express
We'll hit the stops along the way
We only stop for the best

Wreathed in smoke in Lebanon
We burn the midnight oil
The fragrance of Afghanistan
Rewards a long day's toil

Pulling into Katmandu
Smoke rings fill the air
Perfumed by a Nepal night
The Express gets you there

CHORUS
We're on the train to Bangkok
Aboard the Thailand Express
We'll hit the stops along the way
We only stop for the best

[GMichael]

Far too cliche'.
Peart has his own standards...........see below

PASSAGE TO BANGKOK

Our first stop is in Bogota
To check Columbian fields
The natives smile and pass along
A sample of their yield

Sweet Jamaican pipe dreams
Golden Acapulco nights
Then Morocco, and the East
Fly by morning light

CHORUS
We're on the train to Bangkok
Aboard the Thailand Express
We'll hit the stops along the way
We only stop for the best

Wreathed in smoke in Lebanon
We burn the midnight oil
The fragrance of Afghanistan
Rewards a long day's toil

Pulling into Katmandu
Smoke rings fill the air
Perfumed by a Nepal night
The Express gets you there

CHORUS
We're on the train to Bangkok
Aboard the Thailand Express
We'll hit the stops along the way
We only stop for the best

And I when I read this I heard Geddy's voice singing it and the band playing. (Live version)

[Mr MidFi]

I finally got around to seeing it, too. It was excellent. I think that guy from South Park said it best... at this point, if you're not giving it up for Rush, you're just being a dick.

[Troy]

MC, I've seen plenty of concert videos and footage (my first intro to the band was a 1974-ish performance of several Farewell to Kings songs on Don Kirshner's Rock Concert) to know that Rush is past their prime and coasting along in the twilight of their career. Peart in particular has lost a step. If was gonna see them, it would have been in the early 80s.

I really enjoyed the self-deprecating parts of film where they talked about taking in stride, all the insults about Geddy's singing style and Peart's over-wrought (or worse) lyrics. See, casual fan that I am, I tend to agree with all that negative press.

I like the band's lack of compromise in the face of all these attacks by the cognoscenti. They ignored the media and did their own thing, creating their own esthetic. It's a lesson for all artists working in any media that I can totally relate to. In this context, not liking a lot of their music doesn't matter.

I'm even more like this about Neil Young. Really like the man, really hate the music. And I'm cool with that.

[3LB]

I feel the same way about artists like Madonna - don't have much use for her music, but I do admire how she managed to span several decades with a career in a business that's as fickle and ADHD as Top-40 pop music.

[ForeverAutumn]

MC, I've seen plenty of concert videos and footage (my first intro to the band was a 1974-ish performance of several Farewell to Kings songs on Don Kirshner's Rock Concert) to know that Rush is past their prime and coasting along in the twilight of their career. Peart in particular has lost a step. If was gonna see them, it would have been in the early 80s.

Regardless, they still put on a kickass show and give it everything they've got. I've seen them probably a dozen times starting with the Moving Pictures tour and ending this past summer (so far). I think that you're short-changing yourself by not taking in a live show. A Rush show is an experience, but it's one that comes at a cost. So I can understand if you'd prefer not to go, but if you like the music (which you admitted that you did) then the live experience only enhances that. These guys are true artists in a way that I think you can appreciate Troy. Remember how you didn't want to see Avatar?

Far too cliche'.
Peart has his own standards

I agree that Peart brought a depth to the music and lyrics that no one else could have done. He's genius, he is. But there are lots of good rock bands with crappy lyricists. Man, just look at Dream Theater. Their fans are every bit as rabid as Rush's fans. And their lyrics suck giant hippo balls on a regular basis.

[Troy]

I feel the same way about artists like Madonna - don't have much use for her music, but I do admire how she managed to span several decades with a career in a business that's as fickle and ADHD as Top-40 pop music.

Maybe she should be admired in business, but Madonna is a jerk as a person.

I like the guys in Rush and Neil Young as human beings, not business men.

I agree that Peart brought a depth to the music and lyrics that no one else could have done. He's genius, he is. But there are lots of good rock bands with crappy lyricists. Man, just look at Dream Theater. Their fans are every bit as rabid as Rush's fans. And their lyrics suck giant hippo balls on a regular basis.

As outlined in the film, there are a lot of people that think Peart's lyrics are pure cheese too. It's all relative, from listener to listener. The reality, if you care to distance yourself from it entirely, is that there really are very few really good rock lyricists. Most rock lyrics sound like bad teenage poetry (which is exactly what it is, historically) without the power chords behind them. Peart's sound like they are written by a particularly precocious teen, but they are still juvenile, showboaty and corny. I'm as embarrassed for him, as he acts about it, frankly.

The singing, and the words being sung, are what sinks 99% of all rock music for me.

[MasterCylinder]

The reality, if you care to distance yourself from it entirely, is that there really are very few really good rock lyricists. Most rock lyrics sound like bad teenage poetry (which is exactly what it is, historically) without the power chords behind them. Peart's sound like they are written by a particularly precocious teen, but they are still juvenile, showboaty and corny. I'm as embarrassed for him, as he acts about it, frankly.

The singing, and the words being sung, are what sinks 99% of all rock music for me.

LOL ! You must adore Jon Anderson !!!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Man, just look at Dream Theater. Their fans are every bit as rabid as Rush's fans. And their lyrics suck giant hippo balls on a regular basis.

LOL AGAIN !

Is DT an updated high-tech version of Deep Purple ?

"Some stupid with a flare gun................"