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Exit Stage Left? Inside Rush's 'Farewell' Show


sun dog
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Hey Thunder Bay - I think I was having a senior moment! Of course Gary McCracken. My mistake. I attended many of those Max Webster shows back in the day, so that shows my age. Awesome drummer regardless - one of my favorites from one of my favorite bands. And yes the way I read it he had the job, then decided no. That was the first I had ever heard that story, even after countless accounts of how Neil joined the band.

 

 

I could be wrong about this, but I think it was Paul Kersey, Max Webster's first drummer, who was asked. McCracken joined Max after the first album.

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I read this a couple of days ago. Pretty much what I expected.

Yup.

 

It is what it is -- and whatever.

 

sigh. I love that song.

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One of my kids had some amusing interpretations:

 

(A missing part of me that grows around me like a cage)

Yeah reading this has colored my opinion....the soloing article made me think.."See...NP is excited about playing"....this article with the Jack Black reference made me think.....shit.

 

NP may feel he's done all with drumming he possibly can ( he hasn't but I get it)......

 

I think he likes drumming but hates touring. He wanted to call it quits back in 1989, and just do studio albums, but had an epiphany that a band is only a band if they play live.

 

I had heard rumors back around the end of the Roll The Bones tour that he was thinking of calling it a day on touring. One thing is for certain, Neil has disliked touring for a long time. Let's be honest, if concerns over money hadn't driven him back into the studio and out on the road again in 2002, Test for Echo might have been the last tour.

 

Look at what it's taking for even Geddy and Alex to tour; no more tour buses, but jetting it to each location. So while Geddy may still have the fire in his belly, even expensive accommodations have had to be made for him to tour.

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I foresee a Geddy solo album in the future.

I hope he ends up collaborating with Alex. Let them jam out a new record in the old progressive Rush style with a new hotshot drummer, but call it something else.

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I foresee a Geddy solo album in the future.

I hope he ends up collaborating with Alex. Let them jam out a new record in the old progressive Rush style with a new hotshot drummer, but call it something else.

 

I'd kind of like to see him playing with some other musicians just to hear what it would be like.

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It would probably sounds like another Rush album. That's what My Favourite Headache sounds like, which is fine with me!

 

(Yes, we Canadians put a "u" in favourite! Auto correct - kiss my frost-bitten Canuck ass!)

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A great read... it was nice to learn some new stuff about the band. (I too didn't know about the invite to Max Webster's drummer). If this is the end of the band touring, I have come to terms with it. As sad as it is, and though though they are a bit conflicted from one moment to the next, this could be it. With that said, if I were a betting man, I would bet that they are not done playing as a live band. I think absence makes the heart grow fonder and that with enough time away from playing live and the grind of a long tour, the idea of limited runs in once city (a week at Radio City or at Massey Hall in Toronto), would be something that even Neil would find appealing.
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I foresee a Geddy solo album in the future.

 

It would be interesting if Geddy would do another solo album and then tour behind it. I'd like to see what that would sound like. :)

 

As long as he does the mix or has someone other than Nick R. do it.

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A great read... it was nice to learn some new stuff about the band. (I too didn't know about the invite to Max Webster's drummer). If this is the end of the band touring, I have come to terms with it. As sad as it is, and though though they are a bit conflicted from one moment to the next, this could be it. With that said, if I were a betting man, I would bet that they are not done playing as a live band. I think absence makes the heart grow fonder and that with enough time away from playing live and the grind of a long tour, the idea of limited runs in once city (a week at Radio City or at Massey Hall in Toronto), would be something that even Neil would find appealing.

 

I think Alex and Geddy aren't done playing as a live band. I think Neil is very much done. He's been coaxed out on to the road more out of financial reasons than anything else, I think, particularly as recording and publishing royalties have collapsed over the last fifteen years. But between some pretty darned successful tours and being 63 years of age, Neil is fin.

 

At this point, I'll be honest, I'll take Rush any way I can get it, even if out of respect to Neil they don't call it Rush. There are drummers out there that are at Neil's level, and even beyond, and I'm some of them would love to play with 2/3s of Rush.

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Oh no doubt there are drummers beyond Neils level who would chomp at the bit to do it....

 

But......that's not Rush.....and I wouldn't be thrilled with the prospect either.....nah.

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Oh no doubt there are drummers beyond Neils level who would chomp at the bit to do it....

 

But......that's not Rush.....and I wouldn't be thrilled with the prospect either.....nah.

 

Also they'd have a tough time finding a drummer who could write lyrics, too.

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Ged pretty much said it all in Beyond the Lighted Stage. There's no replacing anyone in this band. If they were to go out on the road with another drummer, it wouldn't be as Rush. It would be in poor taste to do so, and not at all reflective of the friendship, respect and love that they have for one another.
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Ged pretty much said it all in Beyond the Lighted Stage. There's no replacing anyone in this band. If they were to go out on the road with another drummer, it wouldn't be as Rush. It would be in poor taste to do so, and not at all reflective of the friendship, respect and love that they have for one another.

 

I dunno. I think it would only be in "poor taste" if they never consulted with Neil prior or did it to spite him in some way. If he gave it his blessing, I'd have no problem with them continuing without him. There was a Rush prior to him being hired, after all.

 

Whether or not it would be good or accepted by the masses is obviously another question entirely.

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If Alex and Geddy toured live you know the fans would come out to hear Rush tunes. If they did it without Neil it would be a nostalgia band, and they have said many times they don't want that. There will be no NEW Rush music without Neil. Can and will Alex and Geddy make music and tour without Neil,, it is possible but I really don't think you will be hearing Rush tunes live if they do. Edited by hcm
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Nope...its not Rush....not a fan of rotating replacements....call it something else if that happens....its next to impossible to decide what the band "Yes" is......that's one thing Rush has had all these years....I don't want a Rush cheesfest band.....
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It just literally makes me sick to my stomach to read this article. I've never been as depressed over a band as I am at this point.

that's exactly how I felt! Just heart sick. This article stuck a dagger in my hopes.
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This is worth repeating at the risk of sounding like a broken record. The band and Neil have talked a lot about the end of touring. None of them has suggested at any point that it means the end of any and all playing or being Rush. Playing and touring are not the same thing. Neil objects to being away from his family for extended amounts of time, and he suffers from the physical demands of playing 3 hours every other night for a month or two or three. Playing one-off shows or a few nights in one city is much less demanding, and doesn't involve any of the things Neil would find objectionable about a tour. Recording and writing an album is more involved than playing a couple of shows once in a blue moon. They'll take a nice long break and make a little extra income from the live video. Then they'll eventually think about getting together to write at some point when they're missing each other for a while, and then maybe they'll decide to release new music and maybe they'll considering playing a show or two on each coast and/or Toronto. Edited by HalfwayToGone
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Nope...its not Rush....not a fan of rotating replacements....call it something else if that happens....its next to impossible to decide what the band "Yes" is......that's one thing Rush has had all these years....I don't want a Rush cheesfest band.....

 

Exacty

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. Playing one-off shows or a few nights in one city is much less demanding, and doesn't involve any of the things Neil would find objectionable about a tour.

That's actually not really true. They're all perfectionists and playing "one offs" would require the same preparation by both the band & crew, as it would for a regular tour. I can't see them investing that amount of time & money into a venture that would essentially be a losing proposition.

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I think there is no doubt that nothing will come from these guys certainly in the next 3-4 years. But I am wondering within a decade or so or right before they hit 70 if the spark reignites and even Neil decides to do some kind of farewell gig. McCartney and the stones are still touring well into their 70s. They all need a rest no doubt but I have a hard time believing that the LA show is the last time you will see those 3 on stage together. Obviously there won't be another full on tour and I am not even thinking they will do a big final show. They have already done the rock and roll hall of fame so obviously that is out (the way the police reunited for that). But nobody that Zeppelin would ever play a show after bonham died and it happened. I feel like these 3 will be on stage together again for something. Whether thats just a full on concert, small residency at one venue or just one performance for something, I just can't see this being it. But again it definitely won't be for a while.
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