New interview with Geddy and Alex touched upon the upcoming R50 box set and the future

[Jag2112]

The February 2025 issue of Classic Rock magazine has a cover feature on Rush where both Geddy and Alex are interviewed. Among the topics discussed is the upcoming Rush 50 (vinyl) box set which will be sometime in 2025.  They also chat about making music together during periodic jam sessions. 

 

More details and excerpts are available HERE.

[1-0-0-1-0-0-1]

I wouldn't be opposed to new music from the boys. Record some stuff with a new drummer and maybe a vocalist, call it The Lee/Lifeson Project or something and put it out there, and they don't even have to do a tour to support it.

[grep]

1 hour ago, 1-0-0-1-0-0-1 said:

I wouldn't be opposed to new music from the boys. Record some stuff with a new drummer and maybe a vocalist, call it The Lee/Lifeson Project or something and put it out there, and they don't even have to do a tour to support it.

This is the way.

[tangy]

Reading Alex is keeping his fingers moving and ged saying he is getting his fingers back in shape twice in one paragraph makes me quite happy.......

[Principled Man]

I will buy any new music that they make.  
 

I have no interest in the R50 marketing.  

[currygoat11]

Alex apparently said:  "The guy in charge gave us some tequila before one show and so Ged and I switched instruments and played the set lying on our backs on the stage. I don’t think anyone even blinked.”   link

 

Am I correct that Alex is kidding here?  This is early early Rush so they were really just kids, but I'm still trying to imagine Alex playing bass.

Edited December 30, 2024 by currygoat11

[zepphead]

I get this mag mailed to me. I look forward to reading this!!!

[zepphead]

The mag arrived in the mail this afternoon!!!!! 

[BanterFromTheCosmos]

It's interesting that they don't specify a format for the set. I'm wondering if they just went by the Apple Music tracklisting.

 

20 hours ago, Jag2112 said:

The February 2025 issue of Classic Rock magazine has a cover feature on Rush where both Geddy and Alex are interviewed. Among the topics discussed is the upcoming Rush 50 (vinyl) box set which will be sometime in 2025.  They also chat about making music together during periodic jam sessions. 

 

More details and excerpts are available HERE.

While I know you've mentioned that this is likely going to be a vinyl-only release, Amazon UK has pre-orders available for an LP and CD version. They both show up if you search Rush 50. Is this a mistake on Amazon's end?

[Jag2112]

Nice find on Amazon.UK.  I hope an official announcement will be coming soon from the band so we can put to rest the format(s) this release will be available in.

[ozzy85]

On 12/29/2024 at 2:13 PM, 1-0-0-1-0-0-1 said:

I wouldn't be opposed to new music from the boys. Record some stuff with a new drummer and maybe a vocalist, call it The Lee/Lifeson Project or something and put it out there, and they don't even have to do a tour to support it.

Just them playing some new stuff would be plenty. As long as they are enjoying themselves. 

[BanterFromTheCosmos]

23 hours ago, Jag2112 said:

Nice find on Amazon.UK.  I hope an official announcement will be coming soon from the band so we can put to rest the format(s) this release will be available in.

I have to wonder how much of a delay R50 caused for Grace Under Pressure 40. I still believe it's coming, though the lack of acknowledgment in the article was a bit disappointing. Maybe they're just not finished working on it yet.

[TheAccountant]

On 12/29/2024 at 5:13 PM, 1-0-0-1-0-0-1 said:

I wouldn't be opposed to new music from the boys. Record some stuff with a new drummer and maybe a vocalist, call it The Lee/Lifeson Project or something and put it out there, and they don't even have to do a tour to support it.

Good thought & I would likely pick up that album.  A few thoughts I would toss out for consideration / comment.

 

1.   The Lee / Lifeson Project or The Lifeson / Lee Project?  I agree with you  - The Lee  /Lifeson Project is more appealing.  Just tossing the question out for consideration.

 

2.   A vocalist?  IMHO please yes.  Geddy's voice was great at one time but 10 years on from the R40 tour (which was the 1st tour I missed since the T4E tour)?  I would question how much vocally he has left - esp. if they got wild and crazy and tried to play some live shows.   I vote yes for a vocalist.

 

3.   If you go with a vocalist, do you go with somebody who is established (a "name" vocalist) or somebody out of left field?  Do you go with somebody who sounds like Geddy once sounded (for example somebody from a Rush tribute band) or do you go with somebody who sounds totally different from Geddy?  I think Geddy & Alex would go with somebody they know (the "name" vocalist) but I would vote to shake things up.  Go with somebody out of left field that nobody has ever really heard of.  I think working with somebody they are not familiar with might be interesting.  As to sounding like Geddy once sounded or not just get somebody who can sing and perhaps has some stage presence in case they actually do play live.  If pushed to make a choice I guess I might lean to getting somebody who sounds like Geddy once sounded as that would reinforce the Lee is the title and make folks think of Rush.  But I would be fine either way.

 

4.   As for a drummer, again, do you go with a name drummer or do you pick a dark horse?  I suspect they will pick a name drummer they are comfortable with.  No argument here - just so long as its a good drummer.  To me the drummer and vocalist are the most important positions in a band.  SO the drummer better be good (esp. since they will get compared to The Professor).  But again, getting a dark horse they don't know might shake things up creatively.  SO I might vote that as the way to go.

 

5.   Finally, the song writing.  Geddy and Alex could write the music.  But who writes the lyrics?  Geddy & Alex?  The entire band?  Somebody else?  The cool thing (but I suspect it wayyyy to much to hope for) would be that The Professor had some poetry he wrote that has never been published and could be turned into songs.  They did that with one song on S & A.  But I consider it very unlikely.  Guess the song writing will just have to take care of itself.  

 

Thoughts anybody?   

[HemiBeers]

I think the intent of the interview was more about promoting the r50 package than creating new music. 

[thizzellewashington]

I've taken every non-answer about Geddy and Alex making new music together as "it's not happening but they don't want to outright say that so as not to disappoint the fans." Alex has been very open about not wanting to tour anymore. I could see Geddy doing something on his own in the future, be it an album or live shows, but the two of them together, I'm not holding my breath at all.

[chemistry1973]

I think that window has closed unfortunately. I think they are both probably more interested in hanging out with their grandkids than going on tour or spending a long time in the studio. I would love to hear new music but honestly, I think I prefer them to be happy in their final years than to be stressing out on the road trying to please a legion of fans that will have mixed reactions to the new material.

[grep]

Agree that the days of touring are long over. 

But to state the obvious, new music wouldn't be a bad thing.

What it comes down to is whether or not the 2 of them find value in putting the effort into releasing something 'fan quality' in the context of expectations that something from the 2 of them be 'Rush-like'. IMO.  They may feel that the fans would be disappointed with something that doesn't sound like the 'old them;. So why bother? 

[lerxt1990]

This brings me to what they said in "Dinner with Rush" - it's how Geddy thinks... even now I would expect, and I'm sure you all remember this..

 

 

At 7:50.  They get together, jam, write, and if it leads to songs fine, but if not, then not...

[ytserush]

On 1/1/2025 at 2:12 PM, HemiBeers said:

I think the intent of the interview was more about promoting the r50 package than creating new music. 

 

 

No doubt in my mind they are creating new music. Whether it gets recorded/released and available to us is another question entirely. I also wonder if they have to contractually be available to promote these releases.

[ytserush]

13 hours ago, grep said:

Agree that the days of touring are long over. 

But to state the obvious, new music wouldn't be a bad thing.

What it comes down to is whether or not the 2 of them find value in putting the effort into releasing something 'fan quality' in the context of expectations that something from the 2 of them be 'Rush-like'. IMO.  They may feel that the fans would be disappointed with something that doesn't sound like the 'old them;. So why bother? 

 

 

If it does happen, I don't think I want to sound Rush-like at all in an obvious sense.

But then I've really enjoyed their solo and project work for the most part.

[grep]

To be fair....Page and Plant was a f***ing thing..... just sayin.... It holds up.

[ozzy85]

What do you think the percentage of fans of these big bands want something that sounds like their old band? Black Sabbath recorded 13 and were apparently working on more songs for a next release. Ozzy figured fans only wanted to hear the old stuff, so they canned the material. I was like... "Uh, guys? I'd like to hear it."  Don't underestimate all your fans.

[BanterFromTheCosmos]

I wonder if the set is still planned for February or March. Amazon UK removed their pre-order pages, meaning they were likely leaked by accident too. Now the only official confirmation we have on the box is this article and it just gives a vague "later in 2025" for the release date. I hope them removing the pages isn't because the date's being pushed back even further.

Edited Thursday at 04:48 PM by BanterFromTheCosmos

[PurpleHayes]

On 12/31/2024 at 7:49 PM, TheAccountant said:

5.   Finally, the song writing.  Geddy and Alex could write the music.  But who writes the lyrics?  Geddy & Alex?  The entire band?  Somebody else?  The cool thing (but I suspect it wayyyy to much to hope for) would be that The Professor had some poetry he wrote that has never been published and could be turned into songs.  They did that with one song on S & A.  But I consider it very unlikely.  Guess the song writing will just have to take care of itself.  

 

Thoughts anybody?   

 

"Hey Lerxst, I've got some new song title ideas since Neil isn't here to help out."

 

The List

Still Need Some Love (Viagra Saga Part I)

Before And After My Nap

Retired Man

Used To Be a Fancy Dancer (Before The Hip Injury)

Take A Friend On Facebook (You Press This Button Here)

Finding My Way With This Newfangled Gadget (The GPS Trilogy Part I)

Here Again (This Blasted GPS Obviously Doesn't Work - The GPS Trilogy Part II)

Driving Through A Garden That This Gadget Said Was a Road (The GPS Trilogy Part III)

What Are You Doing? (Misplaced My Glasses, That's Why I'm Asking)

In The Mo---(at this point Lerxst jerks the paper out of Geddy's hands and tears it)

Edited 14 hours ago by PurpleHayes

[grep]

On 1/8/2025 at 11:16 PM, ozzy85 said:

What do you think the percentage of fans of these big bands want something that sounds like their old band? Black Sabbath recorded 13 and were apparently working on more songs for a next release. Ozzy figured fans only wanted to hear the old stuff, so they canned the material. I was like... "Uh, guys? I'd like to hear it."  Don't underestimate all your fans.

For me, 13 was the album of the summer that year. It was really good, IMO.  Yeah, more please.