Rush.

[Cato]

I'm not a huge fan but a while ago I read an interview with Alex Lifeson where he was talking about how him & Geddy still hang out as friends and play music together on a regular basis.

 

If they still love playing and they have an audience that wants to see it then it makes perfect sense for them to tour again.

 

[prowla]

9 hours ago, Misdee said:

I have to take issue with the idea that Neil Peart could be bettered as a drummer in the sense that it's not a case of good, better, best. There are better drummers than John Bonham, but none of them could have improved Led Zeppelin. There are and always were much better trumpeters than Miles Davis, but he was Miles Davis.

 

Niel Peart had a style and a delivery that made him iconic. It's not just what he played, it's what he represented at a particular time. Put a "better" drummer in Rush and their music would be diminished, not enhanced. I thought most of his lyrics were bloody awful, though. 

 

I am sure this semi-reunion will be rapturously received but I think it's a bit of a tragic to be yearning so strongly for the past. I never imagined Rush would go this route. I suppose Geddy must be bored of polishing his basses. I just hope the intervening years haven't diminished Geddy and Alex's prowess. I see so many artists who go on performing after time has robbed them of what once came so effortlessly. It's painful to watch.

 

They wrote a sing about that.

 

 

[Misdee]

I think it's very significant that they've chosen a female drummer. Any male drummer is going to be directly compared to Niel Peart, probably not favourably no matter how well he plays. Choosing a woman for that role opens any such criticism to claims of misogyny. I don't doubt there has already been a narrative created that detracts from that motive, but it's unlikely to be a complete coincidence. 

 

I have to be honest and say that, although I'll be interested in how this all turns out, I wasn't that keen on the later era of Rush with Neil Peart, let alone a stand-in. I wouldn't have turned out to see Rush nowadays, regardless.

 

It's not just Rush, I find all these stadium-filling rock legends shows to be a hollow shell of whatever they are trying to recreate. The Rolling Stones are still touring, but if you go to the show you still haven't really seen the Rolling Stones. That ship sailed decades ago. Your just seeing a few guys who were there at the time,  probably from a great distance. It's not so much a celebration of the music as a chance to marvel at seeing them in the flesh for a bit while they are still alive. The same with The Who, et al.

 

  I expect this will be a greatest hits kind of show, fair enough I hope everyone enjoys it,bbut I saw Rush play live plenty of times in their heyday. They were a special band in those days, and that's how and when I like to remember them. I don't need any more momentos. 

[Boodang]

The style of playing Anika has will bring something interesting to Rush. It'll be interesting to hear, especially if they intend to bring other musicians on stage to expand their sound. Now, given that Geddy's voice was shot by the time they did R30 two decades ago, all they need now is a new vocalist.

[TimR]

 

2 hours ago, Misdee said:

I wasn't that keen on the later era of Rush with Neil Peart,

 

Later era? 

[Bassassin]

12 minutes ago, TimR said:

 

 

Later era? 

 

The Peart Era - everything from Fly By Night to Clockwork Angels? 😉

[Misdee]

19 minutes ago, TimR said:

 

 

Later era? 

I don't like late-era Rush with Neil Peart on drums. I wouldn't like that music with a new drummer, either. That's the point.

 

I would say Grace Under Pressure was the last decent Rush album. After that they made albums with a few good tracks on, at best, then after Test For Echo they made albums with no good tracks on.

Edited 5 hours ago by Misdee

[Boodang]

Anika is an incredible and unique drummer, I'm looking forward to hearing what the collaboration produces. My only concern is that Geddy's voice was shot at R30, so maybe a new vocalist to complete a new line up. 

[Boodang]

19 hours ago, Bassassin said:

I always hoped that if Lee & Lifeson did get together again, it'd be for new music, collaborating with other musicians, and not under the Rush name. They'd previously seemed resistant to doing precisely what it looks like they are doing - maybe there's only so long it's possible to hold out against bigger & bigger dollar-carrots being waved at you, I dunno.

 

I wholeheartedly agree but I think it should be taken a step further, Alex and Geddy should be banned from playing any Rush songs on their instruments both publicly and in their own home. An Alexa device should be installed where ever they are, and if it detects a Rush 'lick' it should deliver an electric shock to Alex & Geddy simultaneously... that'll teach them for having fun.

[miles'tone]

If they make it to the UK, I'm there!

[Bassassin]

1 hour ago, Boodang said:

Anika is an incredible and unique drummer, I'm looking forward to hearing what the collaboration produces. My only concern is that Geddy's voice was shot at R30, so maybe a new vocalist to complete a new line up. 

 

This - but new music, in a studio,

 

Not bloody Tom Sawyer & Spirit Of Radio for the 578478547854785784th time.

[cetera]

29 minutes ago, Bassassin said:

 

This - but new music, in a studio,

 

Not bloody Tom Sawyer & Spirit Of Radio for the 578478547854785784th time.

 

As you've already said you likely won't be going it shouldn't matter to you what they'll play anyway...

 

I've seen them many times before, and I WILL be going..... and I'll be more than happy to hear Tom Sawyer, Spirit Of Radio and other fave Rush songs.....

[Bassassin]

8 minutes ago, cetera said:

 

As you've already said you likely won't be going it shouldn't matter to you what they'll play anyway...

 

I've seen them many times before, and I WILL be going..... and I'll be more than happy to hear Tom Sawyer, Spirit Of Radio and other fave Rush songs.....

 

Fair enough. On a quick count, I saw them 14 times between 1981 & 2013, and I think I'm fine with all those memories.

 

Doesn't mean I can't be a tiny bit disappointed by the way the band which I have to acknowledge has been my single biggest musical influence has decided to bow out. Assuming that's what they are doing - if they were to announce some new music alongside these gigs I'd feel quite differently, I think.

[peteb]

1 hour ago, Boodang said:

Anika is an incredible and unique drummer, I'm looking forward to hearing what the collaboration produces.

 

 

I think that people are missing the true significance of them taking Anika Nilles out on tour - they are ensuring that there will be at least one woman at a Rush show! 

[prowla]

20 hours ago, Bilbo said:

I think that it is easy for folk to be critical from a distance but I think it is important to acknowledge that nearly all of us love what we do and dread the day that we will have put it down. If you love music and love making music, why the hell would you not carry on until you drop?

 

I love the idea that they picked a female drummer in these days of toxic masculinity and mysogyny. I also think that, as great as NP was (and I loved his energy), there are better drummers out there by the truckload and I never thought he was irreplaceable (lyrics aside). And keyboards opens up a lot of potential for the tracks they historically struggled to perform live.

 

I say good luck to all of them. There is no downside to the idea.

 

4 hours ago, Misdee said:

I think it's very significant that they've chosen a female drummer. Any male drummer is going to be directly compared to Niel Peart, probably not favourably no matter how well he plays. Choosing a woman for that role opens any such criticism to claims of misogyny. I don't doubt there has already been a narrative created that detracts from that motive, but it's unlikely to be a complete coincidence. 

 

I have to be honest and say that, although I'll be interested in how this all turns out, I wasn't that keen on the later era of Rush with Neil Peart, let alone a stand-in. I wouldn't have turned out to see Rush nowadays, regardless.

 

It's not just Rush, I find all these stadium-filling rock legends shows to be a hollow shell of whatever they are trying to recreate. The Rolling Stones are still touring, but if you go to the show you still haven't really seen the Rolling Stones. That ship sailed decades ago. Your just seeing a few guys who were there at the time,  probably from a great distance. It's not so much a celebration of the music as a chance to marvel at seeing them in the flesh for a bit while they are still alive. The same with The Who, et al.

 

  I expect this will be a greatest hits kind of show, fair enough I hope everyone enjoys it,bbut I saw Rush play live plenty of times in their heyday. They were a special band in those days, and that's how and when I like to remember them. I don't need any more momentos. 

 

Folks: I really don't think the drummer's gender is at all relevant; there's no need for this indignant reverse mysoginy baloney.

[peteb]

9 minutes ago, prowla said:

 

 

Folks: I really don't think the drummer's gender is at all relevant; there's no need for this indignant reverse mysoginy baloney.

 

I don't think that Rush fans are renowned for their prejudice, but the fact that a female can score such a high profile rock gig without anyone with any credibility suggesting that it is a 'woke' gesture (or whatever) is great. The tour will (initially at least) be focussed on American soil, where there are plenty of right-wing commentators with very misogynistic attitudes who are dominating mainstream media. I think that overall it is a positive thing.

 

And, as I said on the other Rush thread, it does ensure that there will be at least one woman at a Rush show! 

 

[miles'tone]

10 minutes ago, peteb said:

 

 

And, as I said on the other Rush thread, it does ensure that there will be at least one woman at a Rush show! 

 

😂

[Misdee]

49 minutes ago, prowla said:

 

 

Folks: I really don't think the drummer's gender is at all relevant; there's no need for this indignant reverse mysoginy baloney.

What I indignant reverse misogyny baloney is that ? I think what you mean is that you don't feel the drummers gender is relevant, and feelings are not facts. You have no more evidence that gender isn't relevant  than I have that it is. If your so sure it isn't relevant tell us why. I'm genuinely interested to hear why you  feel the need to forbid discussion on the subject.

[Misdee]

1 hour ago, peteb said:

 

I don't think that Rush fans are renowned for their prejudice, but the fact that a female can score such a high profile rock gig without anyone with any credibility suggesting that it is a 'woke' gesture (or whatever) is great. The tour will (initially at least) be focussed on American soil, where there are plenty of right-wing commentators with very misogynistic attitudes who are dominating mainstream media. I think that overall it is a positive thing.

 

And, as I said on the other Rush thread, it does ensure that there will be at least one woman at a Rush show! 

 

I don't think  Rush having a female drummer is any kind of a token gesture or social statement. It is, however, a way of circumventing comparisons with Neil Peart.

 

I've been watching Anika Niles a bit on YT. She's obviously a very technical player and will easily be able to play those songs. It's more Geddy and Alex I'm worried about! She's the right kind of drummer for Rush. The wrong kind of drummer would have been a groove-based player, like most famous  session drummers.

Edited 2 hours ago by Misdee

[peteb]

2 minutes ago, Misdee said:

I don't think  Rush having a female drummer is any kind of a token gesture or social statement. It is, however, a way of circumventing comparisons with Neil Peart.

 

I agree, on both counts. I'm sure that they selected her because her undoubted abilities (demonstrated by having worked with the great Jeff Beck, etc), also knowing that it would help to avoid the direct comparisons with Peart that asking a big name prog drummer would have done. 

 

However, it may have a secondary benefit and have a marginally positive impact on the misogynistic climate amongst certain sections of American society. 

 

[Russ]

18 hours ago, Bassassin said:

Lifeson went off to do his Envy Of None thing, and Lee's written three books - it sort of looked like they'd found new outlets. Personally, as I said, I hoped they might get the bug to make some new music together, but instead they've done the very thing they seemed pretty adamant they weren't going to do.

 

For musicians who I always admired for making their own decisions & not succumbing to commercial pressure, or doing anything the easy way, this feels pretty sad.

Maybe they will do some new music. All we know right now is that they're playing some shows next year. Geddy and Alex are both in their 70s now, and, as you have pointed out, have other things going on. I doubt that two septuagenarians would be putting themselves through the rigours of touring again unless it was something they really wanted to do rather than just doing it for the money. 

[TimR]

They explain why they chose her in the video. 

 

As bass players we should all know exactly why any particular drummer gets the gig in our band. 

[toneknob]

I bet anyone who went to this last month is feeling pretty pleased with themselves https://www.ronniescotts.co.uk/find-a-show/anika-nilles

[Bassassin]

1 hour ago, Russ said:

Maybe they will do some new music. All we know right now is that they're playing some shows next year. 

 

Yeah - that's kind of my hope/fear!

 

Fear in that I won't buy a ticket if they announce any UK/EU shows, because of the greatest hits/nostalgia thing - then they'll go "by the way, we recorded these ten new songs we'll be playing for the first - and very last - time on this last-ever tour!"