So what happened to?

[druid13]

I guess he pissed off Rush back in the day by giving away copies of Hold Your Fire to some fans or something...but where has he been since?

 

Also what about Larry Allen? Why was he let go? Where did he go? What has he been up to? Does he hang out with Bman possibly?

 

Have either of them heard Clockwork Angels?

 

 

[GeddyRulz]

Bill "the B Man" Banasiewicz "pissed off" the band by twice airing new Rush songs on the radio (circa HYF-ASOH) before their official release date. He was warned after the first infraction... but did it again! That's when he became ex-communicated by the band.

 

That's the story I heard.

 

Today, he's still a big Rush fan. He goes to several shows on each tour, mostly in the Philly/NJ area. He and his buds can be found "tailgating" in the parking lot(s). I'm sure, like us, he's heard the 30-second clip of "Headlong Flight," but I doubt he's heard anything more. He's just like you and I now - a big fan, but without any personal connection to the boys.

 

If I were him, I'd be kicking myself every day that I once had it all - a connection/friendship with my musical heroes - and blew it. He's probably come to grips with it by now, yet I still imagine him as a tragic character.

 

 

I don't know what happened to Larry Allen. Was he actually FIRED, or is that your guess?

Edited April 16, 2012 by GeddyRulz

[JohnnyBlaze]

QUOTE (GeddyRulz @ Apr 17 2012, 07:47 AM)

Bill "the B Man" Banasiewicz "pissed off" the band by twice airing new Rush songs on the radio (circa HYF-ASOH) before their official release date.  He was warned after the first infraction... but did it again!  That's when he became ex-communicated by the band. That's the story I heard. Today, he's still a big Rush fan.  He goes to several shows on each tour, mostly in the Philly/NJ area.  He and his buds can be found "tailgating" in the parking lot(s).  I'm sure, like us, he's heard the 30-second clip of "Headlong Flight," but I doubt he's heard anything more.  He's just like you and I now - a big fan, but without any personal connection to the boys. If I were him, I'd be kicking myself every day that I once had it all - a connection/friendship with my musical heroes - and blew it.  He's probably come to grips with it by now, yet I still imagine him as a tragic character.

B-Man lost the band's trust because he screwed them over. f**k him.

I have a recording of Geddy in some Philly radio station promoting MFH in 2000. In it he's answering several questions from callers and those in the studio. B-Man was there and got to ask Geddy a question about Grace to Grace. Anyway, I realize it's pretty nitpicky of me but B-Man sounded like some too-cool-for-school tw** just by his tone of voice and the way he called him "Ged"...I didn't know who B-Man was at that time but I did think, "This guy sounds like a douche."

[OGr8imL84AD8inF8sBlackSedan]

[GeddyRulz]

QUOTE (JohnnyBlaze @ Apr 17 2012, 02:20 AM)

I have a recording of Geddy in some Philly radio station promoting MFH in 2000. In it he's answering several questions from callers and those in the studio. B-Man was there and got to ask Geddy a question about Grace to Grace. Anyway, I realize it's pretty nitpicky of me but B-Man sounded like some too-cool-for-school tw** just by his tone of voice and the way he called him "Ged"...I didn't know who B-Man was at that time but I did think, "This guy sounds like a douche."

I've read from former members of The National Midnight Star that Bill was a douche. He was also a member of TNMS, made a nuisance of himself there, wanted to be treated like royalty, acted like his shit didn't stink and that he knew more about Rush than everyone else combined, etc. I encountered a friend of his on one Rush board who acted the same way; we got into a big back-and-forth argument where the insults the guy kept throwing at me didn't even make sense and where he kept insisting I wasn't a "true fan" because I'd missed the first 9 years of Rush's (then) 30-year career.

 

I've also read from Bill's friends and people who've tailgated with him at Rush concerts that he's misunderstood and actually a great guy. But that's a bunch of friends and B-Man Disciples defending him.

 

 

[Babycat]

QUOTE (GeddyRulz @ Apr 17 2012, 11:31 AM)

QUOTE (JohnnyBlaze @ Apr 17 2012, 02:20 AM) I have a recording of Geddy in some Philly radio station promoting MFH in 2000. In it he's answering several questions from callers and those in the studio. B-Man was there and got to ask Geddy a question about Grace to Grace. Anyway, I realize it's pretty nitpicky of me but B-Man sounded like some too-cool-for-school tw** just by his tone of voice and the way he called him "Ged"...I didn't know who B-Man was at that time but I did think, "This guy sounds like a douche." I've read from former members of The National Midnight Star that Bill was a douche. He was also a member of TNMS, made a nuisance of himself there, wanted to be treated like royalty, acted like his shit didn't stink and that he knew more about Rush than everyone else combined, etc. I encountered a friend of his on one Rush board who acted the same way; we got into a big back-and-forth argument where the insults the guy kept throwing at me didn't even make sense and where he kept insisting I wasn't a "true fan" because I'd missed the first 9 years of Rush's (then) 30-year career.   I've also read from Bill's friends and people who've tailgated with him at Rush concerts that he's misunderstood and actually a great guy. But that's a bunch of friends and B-Man Disciples defending him. The band's better off without him...

[BigBob]

Whose this "B-Man"?

[Ron2112]

QUOTE (GeddyRulz @ Apr 17 2012, 05:31 AM)

I've also read from Bill's friends and people who've tailgated with him at Rush concerts that he's misunderstood and actually a great guy. But that's a bunch of friends and B-Man Disciples defending him.

What a narrow-minded thing to say.

 

Yeah, I've met the B-man via a common friend. No, I'm not a disciple. Yes, he was a nice guy to talk to and share a beer with.

 

Amazing that people here bear some grudge over something that:

 

a) happened 25 years ago

happened when the B-man was very young

c) didn't involve anyone here

 

Get a life.

 

Peace,

Ron

[Ron2112]

QUOTE (druid13 @ Apr 16 2012, 02:23 PM)

Also what about Larry Allen? Why was he let go?

The story at the time (and I seem to recall that this was from an interview with Neil) was that he was let go after relapsing into a pretty hardcore drug habit.

 

Peace,

Ron

[OGr8imL84AD8inF8sBlackSedan]

QUOTE (Ron2112 @ Apr 17 2012, 08:18 AM)

QUOTE (GeddyRulz @ Apr 17 2012, 05:31 AM) I've also read from Bill's friends and people who've tailgated with him at Rush concerts that he's misunderstood and actually a great guy.  But that's a bunch of friends and B-Man Disciples defending him. What a narrow-minded thing to say.   Yeah, I've met the B-man via a common friend. No, I'm not a disciple. Yes, he was a nice guy to talk to and share a beer with.   Amazing that people here bear some grudge over something that:   a) happened 25 years ago happened when the B-man was very young c) didn't involve anyone here   Get a life.   Peace, Ron Maybe he was just being nice to you.   And you don't know him either...You met him once and had a beer with him and some friends...Granted that's more than any of us. I'm sure there are people who thought Charles Manson was a nice guy too.   Nobody is bearing a grudge either.   Someone asked what ever became of him. People responded with stories that were evidently true, and others are posting opinions on what they assume the guy is like based on his book that started out about and halfway through became a "MY life and times with the band you all love and you wish you could be me" memoir.

[Ron2112]

QUOTE (OGr8imL84AD8inF8sBlackSedan @ Apr 17 2012, 08:51 AM)

Maybe he was just being nice to you. And you don't know him either...You met him once and had a beer with him and some friends...Granted that's more than any of us. I'm sure there are people who thought Charles Manson was a nice guy too. Nobody is bearing a grudge either. Someone asked what ever became of him. People responded with stories that were evidently true, and others are posting opinions on what they assume the guy is like based on his book that started out about  and halfway through became a "MY life and times with the band you all love and you wish you could be me" memoir.

Actually, I've met him three or four times since the VT tour.

 

All I'm saying is that he comes across as a perfectly normal guy. Believe me, I have met plenty of folks over the years with a know-it-all "I'm a better/bigger Rush fan than you" attitude, and Bill definitely did not come across like one of those guys.

 

What amazes me is that people here seem perfectly willing to villify a person they've never met, over something that he did 25 years ago, when (judging by his age now) he must heve been very young.

 

As for the book....no it isn't the most well-written book out there. But at the time it was published, the only other Rush books out there were Steve Gett's and Brian Harrigan's. "Visions" was the only one with really solid (and as it turns out, accurate) info about the pre-history of Rush. Stuff that I didn't know at the time. So for all it's tone, you have to give Bill credit for at least getting a well-researched product out there.

 

Peace,

Ron

Edited April 17, 2012 by Ron2112

[Principled Man]

In regards to this thread about some guy named Bill:

 

 

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ge1BcEYpmLk/TcIadaYQvCI/AAAAAAAAB-o/OwUOAdX9Kic/s1600/Garfield_Dont_Care_Black_Shirt.jpg

 

[jnoble]

I got Visions way back in the early '90s when I was first getting into Rush and it was THE book to have for the inside info and rare photos of the band. But even back then I noticed that the book was poorly written and the author kept bringing the subject back to himself too often. Also, he'd go off on random asides that had nothing to do with anything. It's not bad for the average fan to read but obviously by this point in time horribly outdated. There were rumors for awhile that he was going to come out with an updated version. Edited April 17, 2012 by jnoble

[OGr8imL84AD8inF8sBlackSedan]

QUOTE (Ron2112 @ Apr 17 2012, 09:01 AM)

What amazes me is that people here seem perfectly willing to villify a person they've never met, over something that he did 25 years ago, when (judging by his age now) he must heve been very young. As for the book....no it isn't the most well-written book out there. But at the time it was published, the only other Rush books out there were Steve Gett's and Brian Harrigan's. "Visions" was the only one with really solid (and as it turns out, accurate) info about the pre-history of Rush. Stuff that I didn't know at the time. So for all it's tone, you have to give Bill credit for at least getting a well-researched product out there. Peace, Ron

People villify people everywhere, not just here. He just happens to be the victim du jour.

 

And as for the book. I agree with you. Poorly written or not, it was THE book to have and aside from all the B-Man stuff, it's informative and entertaining.

[JohnnyBlaze]

[presto123]

Can you send me a CA song B-Man? Oh....I forgot.....you're out of the loop now

[GeddyRulz]

I'm not "vilifying" him and I certainly wouldn't call this "holding a grudge" against Bill. Just reporting what I've heard.

 

For the record, I do (and HAVE, several times in print) give Bill credit for his book. It was written at an 8th grade level and Bill kept slipping himself into the narrative, but - as you've said, Ron - at the time it was the most accurate and in-depth Rush bio there was. In this Internet Age, the info in Bill's book is now known to everyone and is taken for granted, but back then we really just had "Visions."

 

 

[Funky Chicken]

Started to comment on Visions but realized I was

thinking of "Mereley Players".

Edited April 20, 2012 by Funky Chicken

[Snaked]

Bill is around still. I became friends with him before I knew who he actually was. A mutual friend of ours even intentionally called him "Willy" the first time I met him and I never connected the dots.

 

It wasnt until some time after that a friend came up to me and whispered "you know thats B-Man, right?". I felt like a fool because it took so long to put that together. Maybe thats why I'm not a so called "deciple" like is described in this thread... .and yes, I've seen those people gravitate towards him at shows on occasion.

 

 

Everybody makes mistakes in life. Unfortunately for Bill his mistakes have become some sort of lore among the RUSH fans. I dont judge the man based on events that happened some 25 years ago. He's a fan like me who has been to nearly 3x more shows than I have which is an incredible feat when you realize I've been to well over 100 myself.

[Ron2112]

QUOTE (Snaked @ Apr 20 2012, 01:58 PM)

Bill is around still. I became friends with him before I knew who he actually was. A mutual friend of ours even intentionally called him "Willy" the first time I met him and I never connected the dots. It wasnt until some time after that a friend came up to me and whispered "you know thats B-Man, right?". I felt like a fool because it took so long to put that together. Maybe thats why I'm not a so called "deciple" like is described in this thread... .and yes, I've seen those people gravitate towards him at shows on occasion. Everybody makes mistakes in life. Unfortunately for Bill his mistakes have become some sort of lore among the RUSH fans. I dont judge the man based on events that happened some 25 years ago. He's a fan like me who has been to nearly 3x more shows than I have which is an incredible feat when you realize I've been to well over 100 myself.

My experience was similar....for the first couple shows on the VT tour, we did the pre-show tailgate with a few common friends. I just thought he was some guy named Bill.

 

Then a common friend told me he was the B-Man, but also that that was a period of his life Bill wasn't comfortable talking about. So I've never actually had a conversation with him about the book, etc.

 

Peace,

Ron

[troutman]

Who ever he is,

 

It's unfortunate he pissed off the band. He should have thought better.

[ytserush]

QUOTE (Funky Chicken @ Apr 20 2012, 12:49 PM)

Started to comment on Visions but realized I was thinking of "Mereley Players".

That book needs its own thread!

 

I wonder whatever happened to that guy....

[Bangster of Goats]

Ah, "Visions"! I still have my copy. It's true, that book was pure absolute gold back in the day, B-Man's fanboyish asides notwithstanding.

[simonesays]

Bman has gone thru some ruff times but thx to some good friends and a little bit of creativity he will be making a comeback this year. All will be forgiven!

[OGr8imL84AD8inF8sBlackSedan]

QUOTE (simonesays @ Jun 26 2012, 07:41 PM)

Bman has gone thru some ruff times but thx to some good friends and a little bit of creativity he will be making a comeback this year. All will be forgiven!

Lucky us.