Thunder Bay Rush

I agree with the Eaglemoon. One of my minor complaints is that the drums and cymbals aren't loud enough in some spots... Me being a drummer too... But, I sure do love watching Neil beat the living sheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeit out of those goddam things.

Not exactly a ton of replies to this, but, if anyone is interested... FM has a new CD out. Transformation. The only original member though, is Cameron Hawkins. I'm going to try to find this... might not be easy.

I've watched my DVD copy three times now and I think this a GREAT live concert DVD. Well, OF COURSE there are minor flaws. This was recorded LIVE... as in... in front of an audience. If anyone doesn't understand that, they must have ridden the "short bus" to school, rather than the long one...

I hope the marionette doesn't have a Christmas Johnson down there...

Most of us Canadians will know about FM, a GREAT prog rock band that was popular in the late 70s and into the early 80s. Three guys, Cameron Hawkins – keyboards, bass guitar and lead voice, Martin Dellar (good friend of Neil Peart) on drums and “Nash the Slash” on electric violin / viola, electric mandolin and programming. Slash (Jeff Plewman died last year.) After the first album, Black Noise, Nash left and Ben Mink (Losing It, Rush) joined the band. But he left a few years later. They’ve come and gone over the last 25 years or so, with various members. FM never really did “make it” but they were SO good and SO far ahead of their time. They opened for Rush many times on the Moving Pictures tour and were well known in Canada. Sadly, a band could be “well known” in Canada, but still not make any money. FM could pack clubs and small halls and theatres, but that was as far as they got. I saw them many times… GREAT live band. Check these out… the first two are with Nash the Slash and the other are with Ben Mink:

I heard Geddy once say that La Villa was "very difficult" to play at first... "a real bitch," he said.

Thunder Bay, I will always remember you. When I first came here, you were one of the very first people to make me feel at home. I asked you a question about what Neil was doing on the drums during either TS or DEW. I just finished listening to almost that entire bootleg. Really extraordinary. The sound is exceptional - especially when you remember it's 1978!!! Hey, Lorriane... I remember that... you were wondering what it was that Neil was doing when he laid his stick down across the snare drum. He was doing a rim shot... I remember that from like... three years ago, but I have no goddam idea where my wallet and keys are... do you know by any chance?

Lorraine, I agree! And, without all the goddam sequencers et cetera that are used these days. Back then, if you heard it coming through the speakers, it meant someone played it. The Hemispheres Tour was probably the best of all.

That weird sound you hear on the drums is probably by way of a phase shifter or flanger... in those days, those types of sounds would have been controlled by the front house live mixer dude. (Audio tech, or sound man.) And, yes, this is a great DRUM solo!! Those Slingerland drums are still the best sounding drums he's ever played.

Perfectly put.

Sorry, Narps... you ain't the only old dude here. 5 effing 3 for me. Anyway... anyone who thinks that Rush could or would continue without Neil doesn't know much about the band. There is no replacement for any of the boys. Simple as friggin that~!

Speaking of unreal drummers… this girl, Senri Kawaguchi, from Japan, is only about 17. I have no doubts that in about 5 or 6 years, she will be in the top five drummers on the planet. The scary thing is that when she was only 13 or 14, she was incredible. She is like a female Tony Royster Jr. I think she weighs about 85 pounds, soaking wet, but she hits those drums with huge power. Her technique is top shelf and her hand and foot speed is way beyond her years. Many of the so-called “famous” drummers of today could not even compete with her brilliance. There is lots of video of on the Google.

I’ve been playing drums all my life… I’m not very good these days, but I know what I’m talking about. I just watched the Carter Beauford solo and it’s very good, obviously. The double pedal part you mentioned is not hard. Fast single strokes with the bass drums is all that is. There is nothing in this solo that Neil couldn’t do. In fact, unless my ears deceived me, I heard parts of Carter’s solo that sound familiar to some of Neil’s solo bits from back as far as the 70s. This whole notion of who could kick someone’s ass on the drums, or who is the best, or better… who can or can’t “groove” … is a constant argument. There are way too many unbelievable drummers out there today, many of whom could kick even Buddy Rich’s ass… who many people still believe is untouchable. Don’t believe me? YouTube these guys… Thomas Lang, Tony Royster Jr. You will be shocked at what you see.

Oh my Jesuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuus effing keeeeeriste! I just lost my sh**… and I’m not even kidding. All down my leg, RIGHT THROUGH my socks, busted a hole in one of my slippers, along the floor and then out the kitchen door. The neighbour slipped in it as she walked to her car. Which is great, because I don’t like her very much anyway. That performance of Xanada is, for anyone too young to remember the 70s, perfect. Hey, Tomorrow, get here fast… only one more sleep!!!!!!!!!!!

Kenny, it is not a "shameless" plug you made... it's a very worthy one. Your tribute band is excellent. There are two Rush tribute bands that stand out from the rest in my opinion - KRush (Kenny's band) and Lotus Land. Both of these bands are unreal. The amount of rehearsal, attention to detail and MONEY these bands spend must be insane.

About the question of touring - (as it sounds like Neil doesn't want to, but maybe Alex and Geddy just might)... Neil has a young child and the other guys do not. Big factor, I think.

Neil has worked very hard to become one of the best rock drummers out there. 40 years or so on the road... he went through some personal crap that many people could not have made it through... He has a wife and a young daughter (I am so happy that he found a "second chance" at a great family life.) If he doesn't want to tour anymore, I can understand why. Pretty obvious, really. Don't forget... the man is 62. Anyone here ever thought about retiring? I hear some pretty insensitive things about Neil and it bugs the sh** outta me. We should all be thankful that we ever had the chance to hear and see him play, read his lyrics and books. The man is getting some bad arrows slung in his direction and it’s not fair. Stop being so selfish. I hope he does retire.

WOW! Talk about a perfect performance. Still hard to imagine a band that is still THIS good live... retiring from the road. At least they (and we) can always say that Rush went on top... not lost in the mix of casino / festival circuits, or package tours, like some bands that were once great.

Great show, no doubt. I love Neil`s solo, but the sound man nearly ruined it near the end with too many weird effects put to the acoustic drums. I saw this tour in April, `78 in Ottawa. WICKED! 8,000 people sold out at the Ottawa Civic Centre. NO ONE sat down during the whole show... wild crowd. Wilder band.

For all of the "classic" or "early" Rush fans, this audio track of a Tucson show in '78, is in my opinion, THE recording to hear. Many of you are probably already aware of this one, but for those of you who are not... you must check this out. It's Rush live at their very best... (Again, in my opinion.)

For anyone who is complaining about Geddy's voice, the man IS 62, right? Give your head a shake.

Two things - first, VERY weird seeing Alex playing a Rickenbacker guitar... Second... I remember seeing the 2112 Tour in Ottawa and Alex only had two guitars on stage (that I can recall) - one, a Les Paul and two, his old Tobacco ES 355 (or, 335? Not sure.) How money changes things. Wicked original post, by the way... and I thought we drummers were tech nuts!

But they want to tour and write music, the problem is they are not physically able to go out on the road for that long anymore. Going into the studio and making music isn't that physically demanding, and their fanbase is bigger than ever. Neil wants to tour? The studio takes a ton of crafting and planning - and for what? Albums don't sell. They MIGHT make as much as in playing one night live by making one album that takes months. I think the only way we see them again is some bizarre and unfortunate financial catastrophe OR Neil decides he's restless and up for hitting the road. I'll be generous and call it a 10% chance. You are 100% correct... We can all thank the Internet for lack of album sales these days. This is why bands tour SO much and for higher ticket prices... they have to. Personally, I like the "old days" better. Almost all of Rush's albums went platinum up until Vapour Trails. That's when the Internet started to explode.

I could pick any one of AFTK, Hem, P Waves, or MP as my favourite. But, if I HAD to pick one, Hemispheres. That album defined Rush as a prog rock band that had the chops of anyone out there. I could listen it all day long.

I have to say, you did a great job with this. But, it still amazes me that in today's Internet world, people don't get in trouble doing this type of thing. Not that long ago, one would be in plenty of legal trouble for making their own DVD or audio recording of a live band's performance. It seems with the Internet, all rules have gone to the outhouse... This is not an attack on the OP, but an observation. I'd hire her in a second to edit video for footage for me.