So why DOES it take so long?

[Animate]

[jacklifeson]

If you watch BTLS, Geddy himself says it..."Music is one of the things we do, but its not the only thing" (or something close to that). Now, you can interpret those "other things" to be homes, kids, etc, but when you dont have to worry about paying the light bill, you have a different mindset.

[Mr. Henry Gale]

QUOTE (Karena @ Jun 6 2012, 09:18 AM)

QUOTE (Mr. Henry Gale @ Jun 6 2012, 10:39 AM) Simple answer: they are old. Imagine being their age, and putting out an album every year. It's not just the physical aspect of being old, it's also the creative aspect. Consider Rush has been making music for 30 years +. It's impressive they still have creative juice to put out competent albums! Sometimes you get a second wind. It seems like CA is more creative than the last two albums. I hope they are in great shape on tour and put on an energetic live performance. Agreed. I mean, I didn't want to make it sound like their creative juices have ran out. Obviously I think that's subjective to the listener, and whether they like their new material or not.   But I just meant, it's not surprising that at their age, they might not get creative ideas or want to create new material as fast as they used to. I can't even imagine how hard it would be to put out as many albums as they have and still create new music.   And honestly, if you look at most bands that have lasted this long, their material this late in their career isn't even a fraction as good as what Rush is putting out. Well, that's just my opinion. Then again, I'm someone that really liked VT and disliked S&A. So I haven't really felt the long gap of albums that were disappointing like some feel. And I'm also a younger fan (24) so I wasn't a fan from Power Windows to VT (so I didn't have to wait).

Edited June 6, 2012 by Mr. Henry Gale

[D3strukt]

I'm seriously about to say this. But by Rush repeating themselves, they have made possibly one of the best albums of their career. I applaud them for not wanting to do it. But by doing it, it has churned out a great f***ing record.

[Principled Man]

QUOTE (jacklifeson @ Jun 6 2012, 02:03 PM)

If you watch BTLS, Geddy himself says it..."Music is one of the things we do, but its not the only thing" (or something close to that). Now, you can interpret those "other things" to be homes, kids, etc, but when you dont have to worry about paying the light bill, you have a different mindset.

He's also been in interviews where he says that he still has to "get up and go to work"......meaning that his work with Rush is indeed a "job". It may be a GREAT job, but it's still a job which pays the bills. That's how I interpreted it......

[ReRushed]

Know your place in life is where you want to be

Don't let them tell you that you owe it all to me

Keep on looking forward, no use in looking 'round

Hold your head above the ground and they won't bring you down

 

Anthem of the heart and anthem of the mind

A funeral dirge for eyes gone blind

We marvel after those who sought

New wonders in the world, wonders in the world,

Wonders in the world they wrought

 

Live for yourself, there's no one else

More worth living for

Begging hands and bleeding hearts will

Only cry out for more

 

Well, I know they've always told you

Selfishness was wrong

Yet it was for me, not you, I

Came to write this song

[treeduck]

QUOTE (Rush Cocky @ Jun 6 2012, 09:18 AM)

When I finally buy Clockwork Angels at the earliest possible time on Tuesday, June 12th, I'm sure it will be flat-out awesome and blow me away just like I expected that it would. But my question is: why does it take so friggin' long for Rush to make albums now? And please don't give me the standard answer that they're old. IMO, that's a copout, because inspiration to write lyrics and music has nothing to do with one's age. If they were building houses for a living, then yeah I can totally see why it might take longer. So what is it then? Is it family obligations? Seems like they all had those 25 years ago as well, when they were in the midst of putting out an album nearly every year, instead of once every 5 years (Vapor Trails 2002, Snakes & Arrows 2007 and Clockwork Angels 2012; Feedback doesn't count). Is it the fact that they have nothing interesting to write about anymore? Does Neil have some sort of depression that makes the lyrics come slower? Are they all getting arthritis? There are meds for all that. I just can't see that if they love what they do and are passionate about it why they have not just slowed down, but come to a tortoise-pace in fact. (oh, and treeduck, feel free to make a 40-choice poll about this, I'm sure it would be hilarious as usual..... ) Thoughts anyone?

Did someone mention my name??

 

[The Cat 3]

QUOTE (Rush Cocky @ Jun 6 2012, 09:18 AM)

And please don't give me the standard answer that they're old. IMO, that's a copout, because inspiration to write lyrics and music has nothing to do with one's age.

Alex and Geddy live in Toronto and Neil lives in California.

 

So, it turns out that Neil writes a line or two and then rides his motorcycle to Canada to see what Lerxt & Dirk think about them.

 

Alex and Geddy look at each other and simply shrug.

 

"Steampunk?"

 

"What is this thing called, Steampunk?"

 

Neil then gets back on the bike and rides back to California to write a few more lyrics.

 

All the while, Alex and Geddy sit and wait and wait and wait.

 

Then, its back on the bike to good ol' Canada!

 

Show the lyrics, have some drinks and off again.

 

Clockwork Angels took about 117 such trips.

 

They all laughed and lamented as the recalled "the good old days" when they all lived close to one another and there was no need for such trips.

 

But the cool thing is that Neil is writing a new book called "Yo-Yo Rider" about his many journeys back and forth.

 

It is filled with interesting stories about cloud formations, squirrels and a story about some guy named Clem that he met at a run down gas station along the way who has saved every single bottle cap from every single beer that he's ever consumed.

 

Even better, he's just about to qualify for the senior citizen discount at Motel 6.

 

Alex and Geddy have ruled in majority to just have Neil text them lyrics next time in order to save time.

 

[lifeson90]

yeah, aside from the fact they have families that need some of their time, i think over the years Rush have become maybe a little overly perfectionist if thats possible...... back in the mid 70's they went into a studio for 6 weeks and knocked out a little album called 2112, id like to see the guys at least try to adopt that kind of approach one more time and not get too stressed out making music anymore

[Karena]

QUOTE (lifeson90 @ Jun 6 2012, 03:59 PM)

yeah, aside from the fact they have families that need some of their time, i think over the years Rush have become maybe a little overly perfectionist if thats possible...... back in the mid 70's they went into a studio for 6 weeks and knocked out a little album called 2112, id like to see the guys at least try to adopt that kind of approach one more time and not get too stressed out making music anymore

This. And really, aren't their kids adults except for Neil's. They have plenty of time to be with their families. More than most of us who rush home from 9-5 jobs in traffic and pass out after dinner and do it again the next day.

[Digitallware]

QUOTE (Rush Cocky @ Jun 6 2012, 09:50 AM)

QUOTE (Rushgoober) 6 years only to get VT   I want to be clear.....I do NOT fault the band in any way for taking a hiatus during the tragedies that Neil suffered. My emphasis is on what they have been doing since that time.   And I tend to agree that VT was not an incredibly strong album. It resonates well with a lot of fans, but I've never really gotten it. But I do remember at the time being so grateful that we finally got NEW RUSH! Especially when we thought we'd never hear from them again. I think they also make music when they feel like their having fun doing it. And hey people change, Neil Peart isn't the same 20 something he once was churning out amazing lyrics and albums year after year. People change.

[rushgoober]

[losingit2k]

QUOTE (rushgoober @ Jun 6 2012, 09:39 AM)

QUOTE (Rush Cocky @ Jun 6 2012, 07:31 AM) QUOTE Of course the band will tell you now it's because albums don't make money anymore, and only touring does.   Then why make any new music at all if that's the case?   Or is it that the albums themselves become a reason to not only tour, but to make gross amounts of money off of ticket sales, to record a show near the end of that tour, sell the CD of the recording of that show and sell the DVD and/or BluRay of that show?   Not to mention the merchandising..... A lot of what they do is a cash grab at this point, but if they can still make an album as good as CA in these latter days, I'll give 'em some slack. Look these guys have families and they are in their 60's they been providing us with music for 38 years now. So I think they deserve a good break after each album/ Tour/ Tour! However it works now! As long as they provide great music like Snake & Arrows and now Clockwork Angels who care how long it takes!   They don't have to provide us with anything! Chew on that one for a while!

[rushgoober]

QUOTE (losingit2k @ Jun 6 2012, 08:01 PM)

QUOTE (rushgoober @ Jun 6 2012, 09:39 AM) QUOTE (Rush Cocky @ Jun 6 2012, 07:31 AM) QUOTE Of course the band will tell you now it's because albums don't make money anymore, and only touring does.   Then why make any new music at all if that's the case?   Or is it that the albums themselves become a reason to not only tour, but to make gross amounts of money off of ticket sales, to record a show near the end of that tour, sell the CD of the recording of that show and sell the DVD and/or BluRay of that show?   Not to mention the merchandising..... A lot of what they do is a cash grab at this point, but if they can still make an album as good as CA in these latter days, I'll give 'em some slack. Look these guys have families and they are in their 60's they been providing us with music for 38 years now. So I think they deserve a good break after each album/ Tour/ Tour! However it works now! As long as they provide great music like Snake & Arrows and now Clockwork Angels who care how long it takes!   They don't have to provide us with anything! Chew on that one for a while!   I'm chewing on it. It's awfully chewy!   http://image.spreadshirt.com/image-server/image/composition/19062326/view/1/producttypecolor/5/type/png/width/280/height/280/too-chewy-monkey-kid-s-t-shirt_design.png         http://members.shaw.ca/david.p.z.888/star_wars/pics/chewbacca.jpg

[presto123]

It's really hard to record records when you are on tour all the time.

[Rush Cocky]

QUOTE (losingit2k @ Jun 6 2012, 11:01 PM)

They don't have to provide us with anything!

Nonsense, Rush owes me studio album after studio album.

 

In fact, they better be working on the next one right now.

 

And it better not be cover tunes either!

 

[Rush Cocky]

QUOTE (rushgoober @ Jun 7 2012, 02:22 AM)

http://members.shaw.ca/david.p.z.888/star_wars/pics/chewbacca.jpg

[goose]

QUOTE (Rush Cocky @ Jun 6 2012, 10:03 AM)

QUOTE (trenken @ Jun 6 2012, 10:58 AM) They're old dude. They have other crap going on in their lives. They arent 25 anymore when everything they did revolved around the band. The band is now just 1 part of their lives, which is probably why the writing is not as good as it once was. And anyone who says 60 is not old must be 60 themselves, because it is old. We all have other crap going on in our lives, doesn't mean we quit our jobs because of that "crap".   Especially when you love what you do. But creativity wanes for most as we age. There's a reason Grandma Moses is so revered in the art world. Few reach their artisitic/creative peak at an advanced age.

[Rush Cocky]

QUOTE (goose @ Jun 7 2012, 10:10 AM)

QUOTE (Rush Cocky @ Jun 6 2012, 10:03 AM) QUOTE (trenken @ Jun 6 2012, 10:58 AM) They're old dude. They have other crap going on in their lives. They arent 25 anymore when everything they did revolved around the band. The band is now just 1 part of their lives, which is probably why the writing is not as good as it once was. And anyone who says 60 is not old must be 60 themselves, because it is old. We all have other crap going on in our lives, doesn't mean we quit our jobs because of that "crap".   Especially when you love what you do. But creativity wanes for most as we age. There's a reason Grandma Moses is so revered in the art world. Few reach their artisitic/creative peak at an advanced age. I am more creative now than I was 20 years ago. I have no explanation for that.   Maybe that's the perspective I'm coming from, like a fine wine, we all get better with age.

[losingit2k]

"Why does it take so long?" Is that what you hear every night from the Ms.?