How do they get along so well?

[fraroc]

Througout my short time of being a Rush fan, there is something that I'm really curious about. How the hell do Geddy and Alex get along so well with Neil? They are such polar opposites in personality. Geddy and Alex are both silly, friendly guys who at times, don't like to take life that seriously whilst Neil is so serious about everything whether its the drums, motorcycles, writing and has a phobia of socialization. These guys are SO opposite of each other, yet they love each other....I guess this is another case of opposites attracting...

[goose]

Neil's a very funny guy, just private. Look up the personality type INTJ and you'll get a sense of what's going on inside Neil's head.

[WorkingAllTheTime]

Neil's a very funny guy, just private. Look up the personality type INTJ and you'll get a sense of what's going on inside Neil's head.

 

That noise we all just heard was Goose hitting the nail on the head.

 

It's not that Neil is a jerk or uber serious... it's that he is very introverted. From what I can tell from reading various things Neil has written, he has a good sense of humor, but hides it to a degree. That said, I saw the band a number of times on the VT Tour, when Alex was doing his "rants" in the middle of La Villa Strangiato. At two shows, Alex actually got Neil to crack. In one of them, Neil literally laughed so hard he missed his mark.

 

That said, the long time friendship of these three guys, but particularly between Geddy and Alex, is remarkable. It's not just unheard of in music, but really, it's often unheard of in life. In the end, I think they really do just love each other and working together.

[Ancient Ways]

First of all, not getting addicted to alcohol or drugs is a big plus since I think you can trace a lot of bands problems to this. Also, they not only know their roles they each have a role. Some bands have members who are just required to show up, play and go home (word is that the drummer in Bon jovi doesn't even play drums on the albums...). Geddy gets to play multiple instruments and sing, Alex creates a lot of the music and gets to have the most solo spots, Neil gets to write lyrics and explore his instrument at will. You couldn't design a more democratic arrangement for a band. Plus, it seems like decisions are mad in the affirmative only in the case of a 3-0 vote in favor. A big problem in a 3 piece would be allowing a 2 against 1 situation to develop which would be very easy in rush when you think about how long al and ged have known each other.

[ozzy85]

In rock'n'roll terms, they're relatively sane. No one has to deal with, say, Ozzy snorting a line of ants off a popsicle stick...

[WorkingAllTheTime]

First of all, not getting addicted to alcohol or drugs is a big plus since I think you can trace a lot of bands problems to this. Also, they not only know their roles they each have a role. Some bands have members who are just required to show up, play and go home (word is that the drummer in Bon jovi doesn't even play drums on the albums...). Geddy gets to play multiple instruments and sing, Alex creates a lot of the music and gets to have the most solo spots, Neil gets to write lyrics and explore his instrument at will. You couldn't design a more democratic arrangement for a band. Plus, it seems like decisions are mad in the affirmative only in the case of a 3-0 vote in favor. A big problem in a 3 piece would be allowing a 2 against 1 situation to develop which would be very easy in rush when you think about how long al and ged have known each other.

 

Agreed. I think Bon Jovi is probably a great example. Their "replacement" bass player has been with the band for decades, but is not officially part of the band. Sambora finally broke down and left the band after what appears to be a long period of well hidden internal frustration. The reason? It is Jon Bon Jovi's band. Hell, it even has his name (well, stage name). Kind of like Steve Harris rules Iron Maiden with an iron fist, JBJ does the same. I would offer, though, Rush does not operate as a democracy. In a democracy, as you suggested, the minority voice can be outvoted. Rush seems to operate more around a consensus model. But, also as you mentioned, that seems to work because there are only three of them. And, yes, the lack of addiction issues is equally important.

Edited November 4, 2014 by WorkingAllTheTime

[WorkingAllTheTime]

In rock'n'roll terms, they're relatively sane. No one has to deal with, say, Ozzy snorting a line of ants off a popsicle stick...

 

So, what are you saying, Ozzy is not sane? I mean, look, just because a guy gets arrested while wearing his wife's green chiffon dress because he took a drunken piss in Alamo Plaza does not necessarily make him insane.... ;)

[Narps]

Neil's a very funny guy, just private. Look up the personality type INTJ and you'll get a sense of what's going on inside Neil's head.

And many of ours too it appears.... :) Edited November 4, 2014 by Narpski

[Snyder80]

R.E.S.P.E.C.T.

[savagegrace26]

I want to hear Spaghetti's insight on this one.

[fraroc]

I want to hear Spaghetti's insight on this one.

 

Reply from Spaghetti: "I hate Neil."

[x1yyz]

Througout my short time of being a Rush fan, there is something that I'm really curious about. How the hell do Geddy and Alex get along so well with Neil? They are such polar opposites in personality. Geddy and Alex are both silly, friendly guys who at times, don't like to take life that seriously whilst Neil is so serious about everything whether its the drums, motorcycles, writing and has a phobia of socialization. These guys are SO opposite of each other, yet they love each other....I guess this is another case of opposites attracting...

 

Keep in mind that all we know about Neil is a little bit of his public persona. None of us know what he's really like, how he acts when alone with friends. We get just an inkling of his true persona in the Dinner at a Hunting Lodge clip from BTLS, and there his is as "silly" and "friendly" as the others.

[Lorraine]

They got lucky. It is obvious that they are unique as a band in more ways than one. Apparently none of them let their ego and pride get in the way.

[EagleMoon]

I agree with what everyone is saying. They're just really normal guys who love music and what they do. Jobs are very equally divided within the group with everyone feeling that that they contribute something important. It's a one in a million chance that they would have met and things worked out like they did. You could almost think it was some sort of divine providence. (not Neil :) ) We are so lucky to have them in our lives.

[MMCXII]

I want to hear Spaghetti's insight on this one.

 

That makes one of us.. :/

[MMCXII]

Neil's a very funny guy, just private. Look up the personality type INTJ and you'll get a sense of what's going on inside Neil's head.

 

Very interesting! I've always felt I understood Neil pretty well because I share share a lot of personality traits with him but I've never heard of this personality type. Kind of eye opening. Thanks for posting that

[EmotionDetector]

Everybody pretty much said it already...Neil is simply more of an introvert.

 

That is not a bad thing whatsoever, as many people on this earth are.

 

I think fans mistake him being an introvert as "rude" or "snobby"...simply because he doesn't just make friends or talk with random strangers on the street.

 

The bottom line is...I'm sure if you're a friend of Neil's...as both Geddy and Alex clearly are...they see a side of him that most of us in the public don't. I'm sure his wit and humour comes out in spades when the three are together.

 

At the end of the day...we are all lucky as Rush fans that these three share the common bond they seemingly do. To have a band perform together for over 40 years, at such a high level, is incredible and essentially unheard of.

[goose]

Neil's a very funny guy, just private. Look up the personality type INTJ and you'll get a sense of what's going on inside Neil's head.

 

Very interesting! I've always felt I understood Neil pretty well because I share share a lot of personality traits with him but I've never heard of this personality type. Kind of eye opening. Thanks for posting that

:cheers:

[jamie]

If you've ever watched Dinner With Rush, you can see that Neil is actually quite similar to Alex and Geddy. To be fair, he is drunk (if not tipsy). He's just a different person on camera.

http://youtu.be/zb-MwVUUy3g

[Principled Man]

How the hell do Geddy and Alex get along so well with Neil?

 

1. Don't assume for a moment that you know anything about Neil (or Alex or Geddy). We've seen just a small bit of who they are.

 

2. Ask yourself how you and your best friends get along so well. That will give you your answer. :)

[Lorraine]

How the hell do Geddy and Alex get along so well with Neil?

 

1. Don't assume for a moment that you know anything about Neil (or Alex or Geddy). We've seen just a small bit of who they are.

 

2. Ask yourself how you and your best friends get along so well. That will give you your answer. :)

 

You are right re your #1. What we don't know is much, much more than we do. We see only a glimpse of them, and the part of them that we see is that which they have perfected over the decades.

 

I give any one of us six months of daily living with any one of them and see what tune we sing then. :laughing guy:

[EagleMoon]

How the hell do Geddy and Alex get along so well with Neil?

 

1. Don't assume for a moment that you know anything about Neil (or Alex or Geddy). We've seen just a small bit of who they are.

 

2. Ask yourself how you and your best friends get along so well. That will give you your answer. :)

 

You are right re your #1. What we don't know is much, much more than we do. We see only a glimpse of them, and the part of them that we see is that which they have perfected over the decades.

 

I give any one of us six months of daily living with any one of them and see what tune we sing then. :laughing guy:

 

I think we can get a pretty good idea of what they're like from what we've seen on camera. I'm sure some of what they do is scripted, especially in concert, but the interview stuff is preffy much them. Hard to really know someone unless you've lived with them. :)

[Ancient Ways]

How the hell do Geddy and Alex get along so well with Neil?

 

1. Don't assume for a moment that you know anything about Neil (or Alex or Geddy). We've seen just a small bit of who they are.

 

2. Ask yourself how you and your best friends get along so well. That will give you your answer. :)

 

You are right re your #1. What we don't know is much, much more than we do. We see only a glimpse of them, and the part of them that we see is that which they have perfected over the decades.

 

I give any one of us six months of daily living with any one of them and see what tune we sing then. :laughing guy:

Yeah but if we use this as a guideline we need to shut the forum down since most posts about the band have a presumption on our part. I definitely see a difference between having an opinion on why THEY get along versus opinions on the kind of people they are. I have seen glimpses in interviews and videos that geddy is a borderline control freak but it's probably necessary for him to be that way to get albums completed. We all know Neil's issues that al and GED just have to deal with. Although Alex seems constantly funny and fun the truth is no one is like that all the time.

[WorkingAllTheTime]

How the hell do Geddy and Alex get along so well with Neil?

 

1. Don't assume for a moment that you know anything about Neil (or Alex or Geddy). We've seen just a small bit of who they are.

 

2. Ask yourself how you and your best friends get along so well. That will give you your answer. :)

 

You are right re your #1. What we don't know is much, much more than we do. We see only a glimpse of them, and the part of them that we see is that which they have perfected over the decades.

 

I give any one of us six months of daily living with any one of them and see what tune we sing then. :laughing guy:

Yeah but if we use this as a guideline we need to shut the forum down since most posts about the band have a presumption on our part. I definitely see a difference between having an opinion on why THEY get along versus opinions on the kind of people they are. I have seen glimpses in interviews and videos that geddy is a borderline control freak but it's probably necessary for him to be that way to get albums completed. We all know Neil's issues that al and GED just have to deal with. Although Alex seems constantly funny and fun the truth is no one is like that all the time.

 

The notion of Ged being a borderline control freak.... I have wondered that before. My sense is he is the glue that binds the three together. I am not sure if it is a pattern of controlling things, or more a pattern of saying "okay, boys, let's move along now... time to work". Even in the dinner at the hunting club Geddy jokingly called the meeting to order, started the short conversation about making an album, and brought gifts of tiny instruments (one could argue that is a passive aggressive way of saying, yeah, let's get in to the studio, yes?). Perhaps Geddy was a bit more "controlling" earlier in their history (e.g. the synth era), but Alex' pretty well documented frustration with that period led him to take a more subdued approach (?). I am not entirely sure, but I do think you are on to something about Ged and his role among the three.

[Lorraine]

It says that in the Rush book I read pretty much. Geddy strikes me as the type that can be quite persnickety, and Alex strikes me as moody. Neil seems insecure.