Thunder Bay Rush

I’m planning on buying new drums this coming year and I think I’m going with Tama. That or Yamaha. The DWs that I hear on Neil’s recordings don’t sound good to me at all, but it must be the way they’re recorded. I really hate the sound of his 8 and 10 inch toms. They sound like tin cans.

Go get ‘em, Gangst… There are TONS of seriously hot women at Rush concerts. Gangster goes to see the shows, for starters…

GREAT song, but wouldn’t it be just as great without a double bass line and therefore the need to run sequencers during the live show? Ah – bring back the goddam 70s, PLEASE!!

Okay guys, try this one… from Cygnus X 1 Sound and fury drown my heart Every nerve is torn apaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaart

Hmmmmm, I’m kind of disappointed now. One thing I’m not a huge fan of, is the sequencing. I’d rather they’d write songs that they could play live without having to play along to tracks, et cetera. Nothing like Rush live back before sequencing.

Amazing - since the advent of the cell phone (with camera) just how many great rock band photos there are – wow!!

I think I might know what the big discrepancy is all about – the word “greatest” doesn’t mean “best” or even “good.” I guess that’s why Ringo and Charlie are in the list. Neither drummers are all that good, in my opinion, but I guess they are great because of who they are / were and what they did. The two biggest rock ‘n roll bands ever. If the list was “the best” drummers, I think it would much different. Buddy would still be at the top… but then who? Good luck…

Hey, I just realized – I didn’t see Tony Royster Jr on that goddam list… that guy was better than most of the drummers on the list when he was 12! Google it – You Tube. Tony Royster Jr, age 12. You will freak out. And, now he’s about 24 or so. Holy eff.

On the DVD, in the very beginning of Headlong Flight, Geddy starts playing his bass after 2 bars of the bass already being played on a sequencer (or something.) Then he joins in. He’s obviously not trying to hide it or BS anyone… but does anyone know why this is set up this way?? It sounds like he’s joining in on a sequenced track just to get him started off right. I’ll bet Kenny Lee knows the answer to this one… anyone else??

Way to go, Gangst’ !!!!

Buddy Rich, no doubt, # 1. Nobody could beat him. As always, most of the really good drummers are left of “the list.” There are some unbelievable drummers out there that we never hear of… I didn’t see Thomas Lang or Dylan Elise on the list. Both of these guys are up there in the top five. And, Steve Smith at 27? Ever seen this guy play? Unreal chops. And Dave Weckl 22? He should be top five as well. I used to teach drums at the Canadian Conservatory of Music in Ottawa so I know a bit about this. I’ve said before and I’ll say it again – just because someone is famous does not make them “great.” Examples: Charlie Watts and Ringo. Sorry, but two of the most boring and basic drummers in the world. They both got lucky and joined up with the right group of blokes…

Ya, ya, I know this has been banged around before. But, I feel like doing it again. I have a feeling that the next album from the boys will be the last and I’m sure some of you do too. So – wouldn’t it be SO cool to have Terry Brown (Broon) come in and produce it? Full circle, plus, no doubt the album would sound GREAT without the big huge wall of overdubs that we’ve seen over the last 20 years or so. Terry made three guys sound like four, but without over board studio trickery. The album would go platinum just because of the producer credits.

Ya, but bring back the 4001…

Hard to pick a “best” but Moving Pictures is likely the one… the power, the great fills and even the way Terry Brown produced his drums on that album. And, the Tama drums sounded so good. Unreal. If I am allowed to include a second best - Permanent Waves.

Gemini > Better question to ask would be "What is Neil's worst drumming album"? The very first Rush album…

The original drummer of Max Webster is my drum teacher :P Cool! Paul Kersey?? Never got a chance to see him play live… I started seeing Max just after Gary McCracken joined in ’77 for the High Class album / tour.

Okay, you are correct – Toronto Tontos… IS Crazy. Bonjour aux amis de malheur... Nous sommes fous. Radio Moscow U.S. Audio...Bandits Sweden Solo London Soho...Candids Free publicity is not free when it's public Put down a little life from a morning cosmic Bonjour aux amis de malheur Nous sommes fous C'etait plust fort que moi Pas de chas pas de deux Nous sommes fous Put down a little life from a morning cosmic Toronto Tontos Vegas Babies...Transit Arctic Market Frantic Spanish...Onions Free publicity is not free when it's public Put down a little life from a morning cosmic I've got no fire on me I got no fire on me No cigarettes - no matches

Who knows what tune this crazy shit is from? Chapter eating Marx one morning Freaking out on electric meat Chewing Thrills with Turkish madmen Space speed to Sweden without sleep Cocaine coloured computer cards Coding cosmic zipper skies Vitamin clouds beyond the moon Yogurt blood lunacy shoes…

Hey, you’re cheating… PeWaves came on Jan 1, 1980!!!!!!!!!!!

Soooooooooooooooooooo, Gangster… was my assumption correct? Did you get nailed? I’m not the only one who wants to know…

Just can’t help myself… Here’s my list – starting with number one!! Hemispheres (Cygnus X1 – Book Two, all of side one) Xanadu By Tor and the Snow Dog Anthem 2112 A Farewell to Kings Cygnus X1 The Trees La Villa Strangiato Bastille Day

Umoveme… I can’t “quote” for some reason, but anyway – that newspaper ad is one of the funniest things I have ever seen!! On a side note – if that’s you in your pictures shooting that gun and holding fish (doin’ rugged stuff) would you marry me? Please? It IS Valentine’s Day after all?

Gangst’ I think he meant “pleasure.” So be ready to get nailed as soon as he comes through the door!! (Presents or not.)

Like almost all other holidays or days of some special significance, I’m not one to get sucked into all the commercialism or basically, bullshit, of Valentine’s Day. The very next day after the stores put all their Halloween shit away, we started hearing about it. On our radios, on our televisions, in our newspapers and on our computer screens we constantly hear that we are supposed to go out for dinner, buy each other gifts, cards, flowers, chocolates, retarded stuffed animals… why? I don’t need anyone to tell me that I am supposed to do all of these things, nor, do I need to get gifts (or nor do I need to buy gifts) in order to know someone loves me. I avoid Valentine’s Day 100%. Here’s an idea: Rather than waiting for a certain day when we’re expected to do all this stuff, why not do it at random times throughout the year for no reason at all, other than you love someone. Walk in the door after work on July 17th with a nice little gift and say, “Come on, we’re goin’ out for a nice dinner.” No reason… Funniest thing ever – go to any Canadian WAL MART at about 5:30pm on any February 14 and you’ll see about 20 Canadian hosers standing there with their bush jackets and ball caps, standing in front of the “big scary wall.” That’s the Valentine’s Day card rack… they all look scared, nervous and completely out of their element. Each of them is thinking to himself two words… “Oh shit.” He’s thinking he better “pick the right one.”

Man, there are some fussy people around here… I think the band sounds great. It IS live remember… it’s astonishing to think about just HOW high Geddy could sing back then, and in tune, most of the time. I don’t like the way he sings In The Mood, so I know what you mean about singing behind the beat… but, it’s still a great recording. I thought it was ’77 though. My bad. Would love to hear the rest of that concert… no drum solo on this recording. No 2112, which I’m sure they must have played. To hear all of Cygnus X1, Book One... holy shit. Brings back the memories of me sitting in the Ottawa Civic Centre, April 1 (I think) 1977. That was the first time I saw a big video screen used at a concert. It was uneffingbelievable.