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The R40 Tour: Was Geddy the only member that was happy?


fraroc
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Hi All. I was lucky enough to see the 2015 tour (I still cannot bring myself to call it "The Last Tour," even after four years!!) from pretty good seats on several occasions, start of the tour to finish. I never thought Alex as down. Unlike Geddy, who played to the top of the house most of the time, Alex mostly focused his performance on the first few rows. And he never disappointed us. If he was unhappy to be there, I never noticed it. Not once. I never had the feeling he mailed it in.

Now, Neil. on the other hand, never mailed it in either, but unhappy?...

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I definitely noticed a more serious, less jovial Alex when I saw them do their last show in LA on 8/1/15. I guess you could also float the theory that he was angry it was the last tour and he wasn't ready to end it but that doesn't hold much water.

I think he was upset because he was in pain a lot from his hands (i thought it was psoriatic arthritis which has lesions that get painful. Imagine having those on your fingers and trying to play :scared:) It was just a difficult time for them since they knew it was their swan song. Geddy did seem in a lighter mood than the others so I agree with you there. Wasn't there some banter about this aspect in the Time Stand Still movie? I seem to remember it.

 

Oops, missed a couple of posts, someone else addressed this. :blush:

Edited by Rhyta
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Having just started reading Far and Wide, Neil's last book addresses this issue. Neil was ready to call it a day but told himself if one of the other guys wanted to tour he would have to say yes. Alex reportedly said he was worried about his arthritis and didn't think he could do another tour if they waited longer. So that is why they only committed to 35 stops, Alex and Neil felt they couldn't do more and play like they would want to. I haven't seen anything about the t-shirt situation, maybe it will appear at the end of the book. Granted this is Neil's recollection but it makes sense. Also Geddy was probably feeling good overall so of course he would appear more light hearted. Alex and Neil basically had to gut it out and they did remarkably well IMHO. I don't think it does any good now to try to find blame with someone. They finished R40 on a good note and we the fans were glad to see them do so, end of story.
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I bet Geddy misses Rush as much as any of us.

 

More.

 

You're probably quite right.

 

He was quite emotional at the end of the LA show. He was trying to hold it in check. I got the impression he had a hard time comprehending that this might really be IT.

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I bet Geddy misses Rush as much as any of us.

 

More.

 

You're probably quite right.

 

He was quite emotional at the end of the LA show. He was trying to hold it in check. I got the impression he had a hard time comprehending that this might really be IT.

After the show it reminded me of the Walking Dead among the aisles of seats, people laying on the ground, folks crying. It was sad for some....for others....it was just living in the moment.

 

I must say though, the boys played extremely well at their age. Songs were spot on, except for the the pipes of Gedster. Good not great on the older stuff. Newer stuff was crankin sister

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I definitely noticed a more serious, less jovial Alex when I saw them do their last show in LA on 8/1/15. I guess you could also float the theory that he was angry it was the last tour and he wasn't ready to end it but that doesn't hold much water.

 

Neil wrote something about how he had some kind of end of the road t-shirts printed up and passed them around. Alex got pissed off and threw his in the trash. Something like that.

 

So yeah, Lerxst wasn't happy.

 

Wow...I never knew that.

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Well specifically, one of the clips I was talking about was Jacob's Ladder from Vegas. Neil was being normal stoic Neil so that's to be expected, but Alex on the other had such an angry, disgusted expression on his face at times that he looked like he was going to punch someone. Meanwhile, Ged was the polar opposite, having fun, smiling...

 

 

I have to respectfully disagree with your observation of Alex. He simply looks like he is concentrating, doesn't look angry at all to me...

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I definitely noticed a more serious, less jovial Alex when I saw them do their last show in LA on 8/1/15. I guess you could also float the theory that he was angry it was the last tour and he wasn't ready to end it but that doesn't hold much water.

I think he was upset because he was in pain a lot from his hands (i thought it was psoriatic arthritis which has lesions that get painful. Imagine having those on your fingers and trying to play :scared:) It was just a difficult time for them since they knew it was their swan song. Geddy did seem in a lighter mood than the others so I agree with you there. Wasn't there some banter about this aspect in the Time Stand Still movie? I seem to remember it.

 

Oops, missed a couple of posts, someone else addressed this. :blush:

 

I have psoriatic arthritis. It's not the lesions that are painful. I'm assuming Alex is on Humira or Embril or whatever other top-quality meds are out there. The lesions go away really quickly on those meds. But the joint damage if there is any, is permanent, and can make playing a guitar very difficult. My left index and ring finger are permanently bent at the top knuckle. With my smaller hands, it makes playing certain songs on bass impossible. I can only imagine how difficult guitar chords would be.

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I definitely noticed a more serious, less jovial Alex when I saw them do their last show in LA on 8/1/15. I guess you could also float the theory that he was angry it was the last tour and he wasn't ready to end it but that doesn't hold much water.

I think he was upset because he was in pain a lot from his hands (i thought it was psoriatic arthritis which has lesions that get painful. Imagine having those on your fingers and trying to play :scared:) It was just a difficult time for them since they knew it was their swan song. Geddy did seem in a lighter mood than the others so I agree with you there. Wasn't there some banter about this aspect in the Time Stand Still movie? I seem to remember it.

 

Oops, missed a couple of posts, someone else addressed this. :blush:

 

I have psoriatic arthritis. It's not the lesions that are painful. I'm assuming Alex is on Humira or Embril or whatever other top-quality meds are out there. The lesions go away really quickly on those meds. But the joint damage if there is any, is permanent, and can make playing a guitar very difficult. My left index and ring finger are permanently bent at the top knuckle. With my smaller hands, it makes playing certain songs on bass impossible. I can only imagine how difficult guitar chords would be.

 

Yes, that's what I have heard, I have psorasis on my feet and palms of my hands and it can be a pain. My insurance doesn't want to pay for the fancy drugs but I am doing better now I am retired. Stress really makes it flare up and I am not struggling with it as much now which is nice.

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Replace Neil and move on. Rush is Geddy and Alex. The other guy was just there.

He was the new guy. They can get another new guy.

 

No, just No. Geddy said there will be no Rush without the 3 of them. Geddy and Alex may make albums again some day but not as Rush. Period.

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Replace Neil and move on. Rush is Geddy and Alex. The other guy was just there.

He was the new guy. They can get another new guy.

 

No, just No. Geddy said there will be no Rush without the 3 of them. Geddy and Alex may make albums again some day but not as Rush. Period.

I agree. It was mostly a joke about Neil being the new guy.

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Replace Neil and move on. Rush is Geddy and Alex. The other guy was just there.

He was the new guy. They can get another new guy.

 

No, just No. Geddy said there will be no Rush without the 3 of them. Geddy and Alex may make albums again some day but not as Rush. Period.

I agree. It was mostly a joke about Neil being the new guy.

Sorry, just a little touchy. I had just watched an interview with Geddy and it had me feeling really sad knowing at the time he gave the interview he probably knew about Neil's condition.

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