toymaker

Did someone sneeze?

I live in Canada, where the band is frickin' from, and the completist thing isn't even available at BestBuys here. I had to order it from the States. I haven't got mine yet, either, Zumbi. I share your pain. Well, it's not really pain exactly. I really need to keep things in perspective. And with that door left wide open, I return to work . . .

1. After a delicious blueberry bagel slathered in my wife's homemade apple butter? I think not. 2. Strangely, no. A change for once. 3. Just a few. 4. I accomplished getting home alive, which is the most important thing. 5. That thing on the side of my foot is not a toe. Who have you been talking to? 1. Whom have you been talking to? 2. re: question 1: whom or who? 3. re: question 2: did you pick the subjective case or the objective case pronoun? 4. What other kinds of pronouns are there? 5. Why are they called pronouns, anyway?

Sorry . . . should have said "for guitar players only" . . .

"Ma, can you make me a sandwich?"

Most rock criticism is pretty bogus. People like what they like, and our reactions to songs are mysterious but very real things and certainly not bound to be influenced by someone else's view. I wonder how often the clever know-it-alls who write most reviews give a record the close listen that it really deserves. These are guys who are networked into a "purveyors-of-cool" set with a sadly narrow perspective of what is really meaningful. The weeping Brazilian woman on the Rio documentary who is struggling to articulate what Rush means to her is a galaxy of genuine reaction, and quickly makes me forget about critics chuckling over their clever but abusive phrases. Any critic who writes a negative review is basically saying to thousands of people: you're an idiot because you like this garbage. That person can go back to his little computer and type away while the weeping Brazilian woman and I continue to take pleasure in what we love. Also, how many platinum albums are we talking about here - and those figures haven't even really been updated. Disclaimer: I don't know the Brazilian woman from the documentary and did not mean to imply that she and I would do anything "together," as in at the same time or in the same room even...

The very plate that Peart does not want to spot on any car travelling behind him . . .

That guitar part always sounds like it would be difficult to play to me. Maybe I'm wrong. I think you're right, if you're talking about the high-pitched looping thing he does. It kind of sounds like the same hammer-on pull-off type thing that Alex does in The Spirit of Radio intro. I'm sure an experienced guitarist could do that part quite easily. But it sounds awesome. high e string: 13p12 b string: 15p12 13p12 and repeat etc.

Absolutely to the max I see Red No Yes, mostly, except the vicious people Hmmmmm... Do you like Max Webster? Do you bite your nails? Do you wear comfortable shoes? Do you prefer early Rush, middle Rush, or late Rush? Do you like snails? What happens if you're almost done your answers and someone gets in ahead??

Me too. Rush's slow fade will still be way better than a lot of bands' brightests moments. Don't mean to be corny, but that kind of confluence is rare.

Just a couple of responses to the aforementioned: 1. Signals is just damned awesome. If there is anything "nerdy" about it, to me it is lost in an avalanche of sonic awesomeness. 2. I prefer to think of Lee's voice as just entering a new phase, rather than "going downhill." Just as the youthful screeching marked by the occasional Yosemite Sam-style "oooohhh" gave way to a more controlled, vibrato-tinged "wailsong," which was replaced by the straighter but highly melodic, "more mature" sound, now we have . . . something else. His voice has changed, but to me it is still full and rich and emotional. Phil Collins' voice and Ian Anderson's voice, as they got older, kind of became pinched and nasally and weird, and I mourned the loss of the robust timbre of their singing voices. I wish Lee wouldn't push the notes so hard when singing live. I still really love his singing voice, though. It's different, but I think he's still pouring his heart and soul into it. I love how "game" he is. Rasculinkinizwicsz (sp?) said, I want you singing high like in the old days, and Geddy said, all right, let's go. And he sounds pretty damned good for his age. Most 60 year old dudes I know sound like a rusty screen door.

del.

It does doesn't it.... No, it doesn't. The band did not do meet and greets until Vapor Trails. That statement only refers to Neil no longer dealing with the press. Not doubting you - just wonder how you know.

Difficult. I had already picked more than 5 from the top list, so I had to clean that up - but couldn't pick anything from the last two lists. I picked these: Beneath, Between & Behind Bastille Day (dreamin' I know) Xanadu (the whole thing - no f***ing around; I want to hear the whole damn thing from the very beginning) Hemispheres (I'd love to hear the Prelude blended into Armageddon; then I could hear the quiet bit in Bringer of Balance becoming the opening to Xanadu) Chemistry Tough to leave off the Weapon and loads of other songs . . .

I love Caress of Steel (if I wasn't already married...). I do think that parts of it are a bit strident, some parts are a bit loose, maybe, and I wonder how old some of those guitar strings were. I wonder if it would be possible to breathe some new life into some of those tracks - a remix, rather than just a remaster. Someone on the forum, as I recall, thinks the mix of Caress of Steel is already perfect, but to me it does sound like maybe a few tired performances got in there. But I do think it's magnificent.

My dad was born in 34' and my mom in 38'..... :codger: :sigh: Mine were born during World War 1. I'm ancient all around. Yeah, my dad . . . quite a bit older than my mom. He'd be 99 if he was alive today. I guess I'm lucky he still had some coal in the ol' furnace . . . can't imagine him at a Rush show, either. He probably thought Bobby Vinton was too loud.

My mom was born in '34. It makes me laugh to think of her at a Rush show. She's more a Patsy Cline kind of gal.

From Wikipedia (Neil Peart entry): "At the start of the ensuing tour in support of the album [Vapor Trails], it was decided amongst the band members that Peart would not take part in the daily grind of press interviews and "meet and greet" sessions upon their arrival in a new city that typically monopolize a touring band's daily schedule. Peart has always shied away from these types of in-person encounters, and it was decided that exposing him to an endless stream of questions about the tragic events of his life was not necessary." This makes it sound as though he did participate in those things prior to Vapor Trails. It's hard to imagine, though.

I'm not quite sure what bit you're referring to - can you give time cues for the CD and DVD, where they're different? Interesting that the wikipedia entries for ESL album and video have slightly different messages. One entry suggests that it's a "completely different" recording; the other says that it is "slightly different."

No argument there. Now, as for the other thing . . .

I don't think anyone wants you to lose your humor or your logic. It would be nice, however, if you could acknowledge that something you said caused offense. Saying you can't control people's perceptions is not quite true. You can think about what your remarks might produce; you can anticipate how some people might not take it lightly. And, if you are surprised by a reaction, you can make that little gesture that costs you nothing but will go a long way towards repairing the damage.

Most times, when a person says something and another person becomes hurt or offended by it, no matter how it was intended or how ambiguous the speaker may claim it was, it is customary to say "sorry" to the other person, as a gesture of good will, because you don't want the other person to feel bad or hurt or offended. You may think the comment was blown out of proportion, or that it was a witty, offhand remark, or that it was "logical" or whatever the hell else. The point is, someone was taken aback, angered, and hurt. Saying "you misunderstood me" is just adding more insult, frankly. An apology in this case is a form of validating the other person's feelings, which is not some new-age claptrap, but a proven means to build strong relationships.

Thanks, Lorraine . . . I was starting to get grossed out. I'm not sure I can revisit this thread because of that kinda grotesque video clip . . .

Should this be merged with the "Does Geddy sway?" thread? I just had a disturbing flashback to a scene in Pulp Fiction. In fairness to Lee, though, I think it's more a trompe l'oeil.

It might have been cooler back then, but it's always warmer no matter when you do it . . . I wouldn't mind being there myself right now. Winter has just made its ugly entrance here.