Timbale

I am adoring this record... it's hard to rank something so new against records that I've had a relationship with for so many years...but I would put it above Up and maybe even 1 and 2! (III is my fave of his, with IV, So and Us right behind...) It is just so great that he is still making valuable art that is in line with his best work at this stage in his life...we are so conditioned to receive "ok" albums from legacy artists like this. If this was anyone's album, at any age, it would likely rank among their best work. I followed along as he released the songs one at a time last year...I know a lot of people didn't seem to like that choice, but I really did. I had an incredibly hard year last year...cancer diagnosis and treatment - and it was a bright spot each month to look forward to. I loved them all as the came out...but I remember so clearly hearing Playing For Time that first listen. It made me weep. It's not my fave on the record...but boy did it hit me hard.

To each their own. I think categorizing my objections as being about "applauding the star of the show" is to pretty grossly misinterpret what I was saying. If you really think I don't believe Geddy deserves applause at his book tour shows, I think you really didn't get my point. "Participation trophy" is actually a perfect description of what I was talking about - people who in public spaces actually want the attention while doing something seemingly altruistic like cheering an artist. From all the footage I've watched of the book tour on youtube - which is a fair amount - I am very often struck by how the tone of the night is kept from getting too deep at times because there's always someone who needs to "whoop!!" when Geddy mentions the title of a song every damn person in the venue is intimately aware of. My opinion of that kind of behaviour is that it is self-serving, and not really about the artist...and certainly not about the community gathered to enjoy the show. Perhaps I have PTSD from all the dudes I've had behind me at Rush shows over the years yelling "play 2112!" as if the band can hear them from the Greys in Maple Leaf Gardens. I don't know. One of my fave interviews with Geddy is on a show called Speakeasy with Michael Chabon. Despite the fact that it is a live interview in front of an audience, it manages to be a great conversation that doesn't have to "play to the audience" or get derailed all the time by applause. Like I said, to each their own - I know if I had gone to one of the book tour stops, I would have been annoyed. I envy you that you wouldn't, because it makes live performance an often frustrating thing for me.

I would highly recommend this documentary to anyone even vaguely interested in the Smothers Brothers. I had always heard that their 60s TV show was on the radical side...but I never really knew anything about it. These guys, particularly Tommy, were really cutting edge! All that stuff that Letterman was doing in the 80s with criticizing GE while on NBC...the Smothers' were going WAY harder on that kind of "bite the hand" stuff. This was really eye opening. And f**king funny.

Grace Under Pressure tour, September 21st, 1984, Toronto. The show that they filmed. It is interesting having your first Rush show (and first real rock concert for me) on video to go back to. In the age of the cell phone it's not so remarkable, but at the time being able to re-watch a year or so later was pretty cool.

No - the album itself. I don’t know that track. Is it good?

Dire Straits - Making Movies

Also, Tai Shan is a better song. It has a discernible melody, a catchier chorus, a more interesting arrangement, a more compelling drum track, better harmonies, better (and more understandable) singing and is more personal in nature.

This band is mesmerizing.

Even though they know Peart is dead? Or do they not follow it that closely?

I guess I more just wanted to get a sense of whether people thought that "Lee/Lifeson Project" was really a less viable option than "Rush". I know that the name Rush holds some brand recognition, of course...but also, Rush is not Journey or Styx. In 2023, their personal story has been woven into the mythology of the band itself. This is likely somewhat a Canadian thing… But my mom, who is 80 years old, knows that Neil Peart died, knows that Geddy put out a book about bass guitar and recently a memoir. I am quite certain she wouldn't know the name of any member of Journey. When Neil died, I was actually kind of shocked at how mainstream the story was. Having grown up as a fan in the early 80s… It was such a niche band to be into. There weren't really any biographies, they weren't on the covers of many magazines, etc. etc. And then Neil's death seems like a major media event. And now Alex and Geddy are chatting it up on a CBS morning show. So...the average Q107 (or whatever classic rock station) listener...if they see "Lee/Lifeson" ads on facebook or hear them on the radio or whatever...aren't they just as likely to go see them as if they called it Rush?

...who wouldn't go see "Lee/Lifeson"? So...in 2023...what is the value of the name Rush? I appreciate that Geddy and Alex own the name, and it is their right to use it however they see fit, regardless of any statements they made in the past. The name is a brand for sure...and I would venture to say that the only reason Geddy and Alex would choose to use it is because it has brand value. But...what is that value, really? Do you think there really is a sizeable number of people who would just buy a ticket to see "Rush" (the way they might just buy a ticket to go see Journey or Styx or some other legacy band) who wouldn't be informed enough/aware enough to buy a ticket to "Lee/Lifeson Project" or whatever? Like, is there honestly someone who sees an ad for "Rush" playing in their town in 2024 and says, "Oh, they haven't toured for a while...saw'm back on that tour where they did Moving Pictures all the way though...I'm gonna buy a ticket." ? It seems like using Rush with some other drummer is going to rile up some of the fanbase...so would it really be worth it for them to do it (considering how much they seem to genuinely value their fans)?

Not a "hater", just expressing my opinion on (checks what website he's on) a discussion board. Never said "Waaaah", gave the thread a self-mocking title and did my best to give as much context for why I feel the way I feel. "Waaah, people clap and cheer at live shows instead of being mute and making the people on stage feel like they are in a room full of bored sleeping people" is a rather creative way to categorize my (and others') perspective on it. Was not calling on people to remain silent...just irked that people feel the need to draw focus toward themselves, away from the actually reason why others' are AT a show like that...particularly with a price tag like these shows have. If I had to sit next to some dude who had to yell every time Neil's name got mentioned just so everyone around him knows what a big damn fan he is, yeah, I'd be really annoyed. And you, I'm gathering, wouldn't. Cool. And if we're going to limit discussions only to shows that we've personally been to, we should get the admins to make a rule...because there are a lot of "so called fans" making posts and comments on all manner of Rush shows, tours, interviews, video shoots and recording sessions through the years that they didn't attend...

I appreciate their musicianship and their progressive leanings in terms of how "part-y" some of their music is...but Kim Mitchell is super annoying to me. And Pye Dubois' lyrics are just on the wrong side of quirky for me.

I have yet to read it...I am the patient sort who is imagining it will show up under the xmas tree...but I've been paying attention to the chatter around it. The coke stuff is surprising to me, too. I will always remember listening to the ESL version of YYZ in the car with a friend on a road trip - totally cranked - and when the band kicked back in after the drum solo, my buddy said "there's no way Geddy didn't just do a line of coke...listen to how intense his playing is right here". I totally shrugged that one off as impossible. Blowing my mind that he may very well have been using those moments to...use.

Proud to be in the 7% along with Mr. Weinrib... 😉

Yeah, I'm not really angry...being a little bit playful...BUT, there is something that rubs me the wrong way about it. There's something in it that seems to be about people trying to "prove" themselves to be a "real" fan - like, yeah, dude - you know what Bytor & The Snowdog is...we all f**king do. Where the hell do you think you are? It's a gathering of fans who have paid hundreds of dollars… You don't have some inside knowledge that you need to let me, the guy sitting next to you, know about. It's very possible that I am wrong about this… But the yelling out "Woo!" at some quiet moment when it will stand out and be heard (as opposed to being at a rock show and cheering) just seems like really narcissistic behaviour to me. And honestly… Having that kind of environment where everyone cheers and whoops for every reference or mention creates a certain vibe in terms of the conversation that is happening that becomes a little bit more about pandering to the audience itself. There are a lot of podcasts that I like where are my least favourite episodes are always the ones where they do an ep in front of a live audience. Everything becomes a bit of an inside joke… And there's a certain amount of playing to the audience to get laughs or whatever reaction that makes it a way less interesting listen for me.

Hahaha, amazing.

Not trying to ruin anyone's buzz… I'm sure it's going to be super fun.

I'm a big Rush fan, and am super excited to read Geddy's book. In fact, of the three members, his perspective is the one I have wanted to hear the most. Love the guy. Love love love him. But having watched some clips from the first two book tour shows… I'm actually kind of happy I didn't shell out for a ticket. I just can't take the way everyone has to applaud everything, or be performative about making it clear they're a big fan (despite the fact that their attendance should be proof enough). Geddy - "We were recording Hold Your Fire..." "WOOT!! Yeah!!" ..."and I was playing a bass called the Wahl..." "WOOOHOO!! EEEEAAAH!" Jesus. Just shut up already. 😉😬 People needing to yell every time someone says something they recognize or like is so damn annoying to me. I honestly would be going out of my skin at one of these shows. Can't wait to read the book. In silence.

Wonderful interview.

That was a lovely read… And I know I may be in the minority here, as a fan who actually really likes My Favorite Headache... But I am super excited to hear the two tracks that didn't originally make the record.

Hearing the fan version is quite interesting. It does make me feel that the official Beatles team did kind of play it safe with the arrangement.

At first I thought the video was kind of cheesy… But then when younger and older versions of the same person started showing up in the same frame… it took on a surreal nature that I actually quite like.

I must be too easily heartbroken… I thought it was beautiful.

You're not dumb...most of them are not anagrams.