Thunder Bay Rush

The pop songs are all really good songs if you like pop style songs. And, they made buckets of money starting right around the early 80s. (Collins has a net worth of something like USD, $200 million). I think the debate (or argument) comes from the old hard-core early Genny prog fans (like me) who feel like the band sold out, pretty much starting with Duke. If you were never unsure if Genesis sold out with Duke and everything after, ask yourself this - could you see Peter Gabriel singing those songs and being the frontman of the band on those albums? No goddam way.

Alex is one seriously funny dude... he could have been a stand up comic.

I love the perv element you bring to any thread...kudos Ya, I guess I am pretty good at that, aren't I? The above story is true though... I remember this one really geeky and awkward kid, Dougie Garlic (no-one could ever say or spell his real name and it was close to garlic, so that's what we all called him, even the teachers!), stood up to go up the wall where the map was and he had a full-on Johnson. You could see it pushing in his pants... all the girls were giggling... it was funny as F**K!

Anything from Trick of the Tail. If I had to pick one, Dance on a Volcano. Took me a while to figure that odd time out on the drums. 7/8 if I remember correctly??????

A lot has been written and talked about regarding Neil's relationship with fans. I cannot imagine what it's like to be really famous and here's why... and maybe this will give some people a little better understanding of the whole thing. For about 8 years, I hosted a fishing / hunting show that was seen across North America and in parts of Europe. I repeat - fishing / hunting show. It's not like I was starring in Hollywod films with Brad Pitt and Diane Lane. (Although, I wouldn't mind nailing that Diane Lane!) An outdoors sporting show is pretty damn close to the bottom of the TV food chain, if not right on it. (A tad above info-mmercials?) Fishing and hunting shows are a dime a dozen. Just one reason why I don't bother with it anymore. Still, I had strangers coming to my HOUSE wanting this or that... and people would show up drunk on occassion... some moms and dads would show up with their kids at random days or times... even once on on a Sunday morning at 9 am... Or someone would come up to me in a grocery store. Most times they'd be very nice, but sometimes, they'd start giving me shit because of the way I handled a fish on the air once (everyone is an expert!) or people would start giving me shit because "killing helpless animals is cruel," or some kinda stupid shit like that. I got a death threat from California once by email if I "didn't stop killing defenseless animals." And, a bunch of times, (like Neil and his tour bus) I did have people following me around while I was driving in my truck. Then, when I stopped, there they were. (My truck was all "stickered up" so it was hard to be inconspicous. Never again, will I drive a vehicle that says, "Hey everyone, look at me!") So, if I went through this (especially people knocking on my door at any hour of the day) with a Mickey Mouse fishing show, just try to imagine why Neil feels the way he does. What I went through would be about .00001 % of what a really famous peoson would. Imagine being Britney Spears, Gaga or Beiber? You couldn't take a crap in a public washroom without the fear of being video taped. This lack of privacy is the main reason (there were others) why I sold my house two years ago (and I lived in the country then) and built a new one... 40 miles from the city, miles back in the bush, off the grid. Amazingly, twice now, strangers who used to watch my show have showed up HERE, in the middle of frickin nowehere. Unbelievable. I would like to tell them to F off, but then they go on the internet and tell the whole world that you're an asshole. I couldn't imagine being Neil.

I don't know if the old Second City TV show (SCTV) was ever aired in the US, but it was a huge show in Canada back in the late 70s and 80s. The guy who does the dracula bit in the opening video for The Weapon is Joe Flaherty. Funny as hell... he is originally from Chicago, but moved to Toronto to do this SCTV show. I remember living in Toronto back in the early 80s and watching SCTV all the time. In the weekly show opeing, they had a clip where they threw about a dozen TV sets over the balcony of a high-rise apartment building... hilarious. The show was sort of like Canada's answer to SNL, only it wasn't broadcast live. And, a much smaller budget, obviously. But, FUNNY as F**K! John Candy was in it, along with Martin Short, Eugene Levy, Harold Ramis, Dave Thomas, Rick Moranis (Bob & Doug McKenzie), Andrea Martin, Catherine O'Hara and a bunch of other crazy-ass Canucks.

Holy shit. I don't log in for one whole day and I come to to see a new post. One about KY. And, after only one day there are 24 posts. Bunch of horny bastards around here! Damn, I need to find me one o' them there off-the-grid-bush-bunnies.

I am not sure why this particular situation has me so excited, but given all that we know about Neil not wanting to directly interact with the fans, I find this case very refreshing and it just leaves me with a really nice feeling inside.... Skin Bag, it was a really nice gesture to knit those items in the first place, you must feel great that it wasn't simply tossed into the trash as I am sure other items sent to the band have been... So, not only does he receive the ski hat, he wears it, and to just keep adding to the story, he writes about it, takes a picture of it, posts it all on his News, Weather & Sports story and then adds the great caption as well.... It's really hard to top that without having your own private dinner with Neil at the lodge....and who knows how that would go...lol.... In my excitement last night I forgot to thank you nhlrush for starting this thread as this is where I found out about it. I always read Neil's blogs but it probably would have been another 2 or 3 weeks before I got around to this latest one. Thanks to all who have commented; it's nice to share the joy. Hey nice job! Speaking for all frost-bitten Canadian dudes, I can say that we all love warm headgear in the mid-winter deep freeze. Now, how about knitting me some wool socks for next year ???? :D

The hottest teacher back in my high school was a brunette. Mrs Percy... she was about 29 and a former model. All of the boys (me included) would sit in her 9th grade history class with boners. She was awesome.

Man, those female Rush fans just keep getting cooler and cooler all the time!

Hey Rodrigo, I think I remember hearing that too, or at least, hearing something like that. Maybe in a Modern Drummer Magazine interview from the early 80s???????????? Either way, killer drum pattern. From the Signals tourbook: With a Roland drum machine and assorted synthesizers, Geddy and friend Oscar secret themselves in Ged's music room to create some music of a highly confidential and experimental nature. Among the Top Secret projects which they produce is the basic foundation for this song, including a highly mysterious and bizarre drum pattern which Oscar coaxes out of the drum machine. (I'm supposed to learn how to play that?) Well, I do love a challenge, and once we start to tackle this at one of the rehearsals, I discover that if I play totally backwards, and bend my hands a few ways they don't normally go, I can do it. The shame of being reduced to learning from a machine! However, I must admit, I would never have come up with something like that on my own! With all this and more to accomplish with my hands, it is no compromise to let my bass drum foot play a steady "four", which is also something I never thought I could do. This also brings the feel of the song perilously close to a (shudder) d-d-d-dance song, like, you know, disco! Treason! Treason! Kill the traitors! They wrote a song you can dance to! Will you ever forgive us? (No.) It was fun to do, though. It's so contrary to the mood suggested by the lyrics, and such a different approach for us, that it is a very satisfying piece of work. It's an all-out production number that we can play live, so I'm sure all the "disco kids" will soon be coming to our concerts. Ha! Thanks!!! Anyway, I just found this guy totally nailing The Weapon on drums. Check it out: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1uXyjkBM3CE Wow, yet ANOTHER guy totally influenced by Neil Peart. I think this is about the one millionth guy I've seen that even sets his kit up like one of the past Neil kits... complete with temple blocks, wind chimes... the whole deal. Just imagine what the world of drumming would (or wouldn't) be like today if Neil had decided to NOT audition for Rush back in '74... Hmmmmm?

About 25 years ago I called my "then wife" the C word. Even though she just finished calling me a C sucker, it was a huge mistake... I ended up sleeping in the dog kennel for two nights. Yep, me and three wet and smelly black labs, snoring, drooling and farting all night. The dogs were snoring, drooling and farting too, so the air was pretty raunchy in there.

Babycat, you rule all English chicks! (Now, about this whole whip cream thing...) :D

This is hilarious and your wife is VERY cool! (Jealous Canadian over here!) I think that ALL women should agree to having "whip cream on your tits" before they sign any marriage licence...

Hey Rodrigo, I think I remember hearing that too, or at least, hearing something like that. Maybe in a Modern Drummer Magazine interview from the early 80s???????????? Either way, killer drum pattern.

Alice Cooper is one of the very best and most original rockers ever. Welcome to my Nightmare is a GREAT album!

I remember at the Counterparts show in Minneapolis, there was a family right behind me... mom, dad and... triplets! Three gorgeous girls, identical. Little blond-headed farts about 12 - 13 or so. And, they were rocking!! All three girls were wearing a 2112 T shirt. Seems like yesterday, but it was nearly 20 years ago. Jesus Christ, I'm getting old...

I'll be her secretary. I can just see it now..... Phone rings. "Geddy, this is the 4th time you have called this hour. I am very sorry, but Miz Mika can't come to the phone at the moment. She is biz doing other things. I don't think she will be able to come over and eat soup with you and the boys today. Please don't call again unless it is something really urgent. Thank you and good bye!" Aw, Lorraine, that's not realistic! I mean, what are the chances that I would turn down a soup-eating visit with Geddy? More likely he would keep getting called from us to come over and just hang out so we can wallow in his awesomeness! :D But when he visited us I would certainly make sure that we have appropriate desktop backgrounds on the computers - the Geddy-Alex-and-John-in-underwear picture would have to changed over to one of a beach or something.... The wallpaper on my iPhone is the underwear picture. I showed it to Alex at a show while flirting with him and got a pick. Don't change it, you'll get presents. :D Gangst'... you little California flirter, you!

I'd say they were about 19 or 20. And, I'm certain that the girl air drumming is in fact a drummer. I'm a drummer, and I could tell just from the little bits that I could see in my mirrors that she was right on with her timing, drums and cymbal smashes! The best part - her hair was flying all over thew goddam place - so funny.

The Weapon, hands down.

Geddy always gives a great interview. I remember one I listened to when I was living in Savannah, GA, back in 1980. He was less funny then and more "intellectual." He spoke circles around the poor interviewer...

I was driving along "in town" (as all of us country people call it) today and on my radio Tom Sawyer started playing. I was slowly pulling up to a red light and in my rear view mirror I was watching these crazy chicks who were approaching from behind. It was SO obvious what radio station they were listening to - The chick in the passenger seat was air drumming to Tom Sawyer and when the drum solos came up, she was going wild, her hair and her arms flying everywhere! By this time they were right beside me at the red light... the driver was playing air bass... the "drummer" looked over at me and yelled out her window "Rush Fuc*in' Rules"... all I do could was laugh! So, the moral of the story... if there are any air drummers anywhere near you in traffic, you'll always know if they are listening to the same classic rock station that you are.... provided that Rush in on the air. Holy shit.

I think The Weapon is the best song on Signals. I LOVE the synth parts and the guitar solo. Actually, i love the drum beat... Ah hell, I loove all of it. I was in the audience in Toronto (Maple Leaf Gardens) when the GuP live video was taped. It was probably the best Rush concert I ever saw out of 27 or so. (After MP iin '81. That was insane.) Great song!!

Two things - One, Kristen Wiig is the funniest woman on the planet... (Is she still on SNL? I haven't watched the show for a while.) And two, I wouldn't be surprised if Rush did appear on SNL, now that they're in the hall and with the tour starting up again. I think they should do it if offered. They would tear the place up. If SNL is "good enough" for the Stones and U2, it's good enough for Rush. I'm going to go and hide now so none of you can find me...

I liked it too, because it made me pee my pants... metaphorically speaking, of course!! :laughing guy: