Jimbo66 Posted January 13, 2020 Share Posted January 13, 2020 (edited) Hi fellow Rush fans As the topic says, I’ve been a fan since I was twelve or so in 1978 and until now, have never felt the need to reach out to you guys. It’s been the week from the worst kind of hell for me. Not only did Neil pass away but also on Wednesday 8th my brother Malcolm succumbed to a huge stroke and passed away very quickly. He was 59 and about three months away from reaching 60 and retiring. He’d been diagnosed with an aggressive terminal lung cancer last October and given a year or so to live, so I guess all things considered he’d have much rather gone last week than suffer the indignity, gradual deterioration and pain that goes with cancer. He was six years older than me and we shared a bedroom for about the first twenty years of our lives and being as he was so much older than me, and owned the one and only record deck in our room, he was one who bought the records home to listen to. He introduced me to many amazing bands - firstly it was The Beatles, then Status Quo, AC/DC, Queen, Led Zep, Judas Priest, BOC, Pink Floyd and of course our beloved Rush. The first Rush album he bought home was 2112, and that was it - we were hooked and have been ever since. He went to see them on their Hemispheres and Moving Pictures tours and we went along together for the Signals, Roll The Bones and R30 shows. Rush have been a huge part of our lives, we’ve listened to their LPs / CDs and watched their live videos pretty much constantly from that day to this. Obviously we got into other music along the way, but Rush were a band we always went back to. It isn’t just the outstanding musicianship, it’s also Neils lyrics - they are at times simply mind blowing and have resonated very deeply. So, it’s been one hell of a surreal week for me. Neil died the day before my bro, but of course I didn’t get to hear about it until the Friday. Although I’m in shock and grieving for my bro, the fact that there’s an outpouring of grief over Neil has added an additional layer for me, particularly as it was my bro who introduced me to Rush and we had so many wonderful hours hearing and watching them perform over the years. I’m not naive enough to even begin to compare their losses to me on a personal level though, that would be ridiculous. My bro meant the absolute world to me and I’ve never even met Neil, but it just all adds to the feelings I have right now of loss. Malcolm and I remained extremely close ever since we shared our bedroom way back, we always socialised regularly as we never lived more than about a mile from each other. We shared a special closeness, which I am extremely grateful for and had many many wonderful times together. I will miss him greatly. R.I.P. Malcolm and R.I.P. Neil Edited January 13, 2020 by Jimbo66 15 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ged Lent's sis Posted January 13, 2020 Share Posted January 13, 2020 We've much in common, brother. Heartfelt condolences. May your deeply painful loss be mitigated by the speed of love. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blue J Posted January 13, 2020 Share Posted January 13, 2020 (edited) We've much in common, brother. Heartfelt condolences. May your deeply painful loss be mitigated by the speed of love. I’ll second that (or third it). Jimbo, my older brother (who was also six years older than I) also introduced me to Rush. We never got to see them live together, because he was killed in 1986; I was 13. Neil was his inspiration to start playing the drums, and they were both my inspiration to do the same. I’m so sorry for your compound losses last week. Edited January 13, 2020 by Blue J 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skullchrist Posted January 13, 2020 Share Posted January 13, 2020 (edited) Sorry for your loss my friend. It all seems so surreal/unreal to me. It just doesn't seem real. Probably because I believe in some kind of afterlife and know that Neil and your brother (all the loved ones we've lost) are out there somewhere soaring the Great Beyond, where ever that maybe. Godspeed my friend. Edited January 14, 2020 by skullchrist 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pags Posted January 13, 2020 Share Posted January 13, 2020 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sundog Posted January 13, 2020 Share Posted January 13, 2020 First, my condolences on your profound personal loss in addition to the grief we all share for our beloved Professor. Welcome to your new brother and sisters in arms. I hope you find healing and peace, and eventually joy with the wonderful people of TRF. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jimbo66 Posted January 13, 2020 Author Share Posted January 13, 2020 Thanks for all your kind words everyone :) It’s an old cliché I know but time is a great healer, and I think it’s going to take quite a long while. Early days as yet. This all just serves to highlight the need to love and cherish every single day, as well as those closest to us. After all, you never know what’s around the corner! There’s an awful lot of music in my collection that will remind me of my brother and the good times we had and well, if I shed the odd tear that’s absolutely fine - I’m really blessed to have known love like that for so long. After all, not everyone does. 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Disco Posted January 14, 2020 Share Posted January 14, 2020 Reading your post I knew I want to express heartfelt sympathy for your position, but the words looked so feeble and weak on the page compared to the cargo their intended to carry. So, thinking of you Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jc4gd Posted January 15, 2020 Share Posted January 15, 2020 Sorry for your loss on top of loss. Your relationship with your brother is inspiring. Grace and strength to you as you survive through good memories of Malcolm and Neil. What great people they were. God bless. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim091 Posted January 15, 2020 Share Posted January 15, 2020 My condolences at your loss. You have lost a dear brother but you have thousands of brothers and sisters in the Rush family who are here for you. In time you will deal with the loss of your brother and remember fondly all the great things about him as we are all trying so hard to do with Neil. I first saw Rush on the Hemispheres tour at Hammersmith Odeon, it's been a long and wonderful journey with them since. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jimbo66 Posted January 16, 2020 Author Share Posted January 16, 2020 I feel totally at home here already, thanks so much everyone.☺ To Tim091, my brother also saw Rush at the Hammersmith Odeon on the Hemispheres tour - Moving Pictures was at Wembley Arena I think. Have been listening to an awful lot of Rush these last few days, and watching some live stuff too. Makes me feel close to my bro ❤ 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim091 Posted January 16, 2020 Share Posted January 16, 2020 I feel totally at home here already, thanks so much everyone.☺ To Tim091, my brother also saw Rush at the Hammersmith Odeon on the Hemispheres tour - Moving Pictures was at Wembley Arena I think. Have been listening to an awful lot of Rush these last few days, and watching some live stuff too. Makes me feel close to my bro ❤ Yes, they played the Odeon (4,500 capacity) in the early days and then moved up to the Arena (10,000). Seeing them (or any band) at the Odeon was always so much more special than the Arena with that dreadful echo off the back wall. My memories of the gig are still as vivid now I am thinking of it: the smell of dry ice, the white carpet they had on the stage (we though that was very special!), the white robes (yes those robes!), the double-necks, the pyro, and the bombastic metal of 2112! To a 17 year old this was just awe-inspiring stuff! That gig at the Odeon was my third ever gig (the first being Black Sabbath at Oxford New Theatre, then Van Halen at The Rainbow) and me and my mate waited outside the stage door afterwards and met Alex and Geddy (I have the Hemispheres program that they signed framed on my wall now). I asked them "where's Neil?" and Geddy said something along the lines of "he's old, he needs his sleep". So even in those days Neil was shunning the limelight. So long ago, and suddenly he is gone. Oh man. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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