RUSH Drummer Neil Peart “We Are In Action”

RUSH

There’s quite a bit going on with legendary Canadien rockers RUSH these days. First of all, a documentary about RUSH has finished filming and is supposed to make it’s theatrical debut sometime this spring. It will be a limited release and then later this year find it’s way to VH1 and finally DVD. Since I am a huge RUSH fan this is a dream come true, and I can’t wait to see it. The documentary is being brought to you by Sam Dunn and Scot McFadyen, the same guys that are responsible for the films, ‘Metal: A Headbanger’s Journey,’ ‘Global Metal,’ and Iron Maiden: Flight 666′ so you know this documentary is going to ROCK!

Hockey night in Canada

Second of all, Neil Peart was asked to re-record his version of  ‘The Hockey Theme’ for TSN, which he did (check out the video below) Neil posted a detail account of the recording process on his website here. and now there is a rumor that RUSH might perform at this years Vancouver Olympics opening ceremonies. Now this is only a rumor, but since Vancouver is in Canada (duh) and RUSH is from Canada (duh) this might be true. You might want to check it out, or at least set your DVR for that night, which by the way is Friday, February 12th, 2010 on NBC.

Thirdly, in a recent interview in the Toronto Sun newspaper RUSH drummer Neil Peart spoke about the bands meeting held in November of 2009 to discuss the future of the band and whats in store for them and their fans.

In regard to new material and touring this is what Neil had to say:

Well, in fact, we’ve just started working on new material. So we plan to get some writing and recording done. And we’re considering doing everything this year — maybe even a bit of touring. We are in action.

Peart goes on about the mindset of himself and his bandmates,

We feel a bit liberated by the state of the music business. Even since 2006, when we started Snakes and Arrows, the album has become less significant in these times of iTunes and shuffle settings and whatnot. But perhaps we can take advantage of that and work in a whole different way. So we decided, when we did meet, that we’re not constrained by the patterns of the past, where you spend a year writing and recording, and the next year touring. Anything’s possible now; we can record a couple of songs and put them out and then go on tour if we want. So at this point, we’re just embarking on writing, but keeping ourselves open to all those other possibilities. One of our early titles for this year was Research and Development. That’s where we’re at.

2112

When I read this, I immediately thought, what a great opportunity for RUSH to get back to what they used to do so well, write epic songs that cover an entire album side like The Fountain of Lamneth from Caress of Steel or 2112 from the album of the same name. Or 10 to 15 minute songs like, Cygnus X-1 which carries over to the album Hemispheres with the song Cygnus X-1 Book II: Hemispheres, or La Via Strangiato from the same album.

Remember, after Caress of Steel their record company was not happy and pressured RUSH to put out a more commercially structured album, and what did the boys do, just the opposite, they released 2112 with one song representing the entire side of the record, awesome! A big F-you to the record company.

The guys seem to be feeling a bit rebellious again these days, at least Neil is, and it’s not the record companies (they have their own problems) this time it’s iTunes.

When asked if the band might start making music in smaller increments Neil replied:

Or larger. I went to see a band called Porcupine Tree not long ago. And I was talking with (singer-guitarist) Steven Wilson. They just put out a 55-minute piece. That’s a finger to the whole iTunes shuffle thing, and he intended it as such. And I thought, ‘Yeah, that’s another way of rebelling against it — by just saying no.’ There’s too much lost in giving up the integrity of an album — what it represents to you as a musician, and as a human being, for that matter. So I like that approach. That’s very possible for a band like us. So there are no limitations; we might go big or we might go small.

If you are listening, Geddy, Alex and Neil (yeah right) Go BIG!

Related articles:
Rush Documetary in the works
Concert Review | Rush 1977
Geddy Lee Remebers Massey Hall

Check out the custom drum kit Neil is playing with logo’s of all the hockey teams on it, in the video below.