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Subject: 12/13/90 - The National Midnight Star #129
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The National Midnight Star, Number 129
Thursday, 13 December 1990
Today's Topics:
Signals
Another Post
Signals
A final word on Rolling Stone...
What Neil was responding to on Satanism
(none)
Album Poll
Re: 12/11/90 - The National Midnight Star #126
Rush's worst? album (if there be such a thang)
Geddy's name...
Promo Interview CD
backmasking
----------------------------------------------------------
Quote of the day:
"Opinions are like assholes; everybody's got one, and they all stink."
rush-mgr
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Date: Wed, 12 Dec 90 13:36 EDT
From: It's Da Bishop! <OLIVER_T@jhuvms.hcf.jhu.edu>
Subject: Signals
T.J. Higgins writes something to the effect that _Signals_ is his least
favorite. Well, I beg to differ, and I beg everybody out there not to get into
a heated debate over the "best" and "worst" RUSH albums. To be perfectly
honest, I cannot find anything wrong with *any* of the albums, even COS, which
was their not-so-well-received album, and at the time, was considered a "flop"
(if I have my RUSH history correct). I get chills, as T.J. does, when I hear
"Countdown," but _Signals_ was the first album I owned, and I played it and
played it and *overplayed* it until the tape wore out from use. "Losing It" is
also one of my favorite songs on the album. Its message is one that moves me
every time I hear the song. In conclusion (sorry, I have written a few papers
and can't get out of the habit :=), I would like to state that everybody is
entitled to their own opinion, and my opinion is that _Signals_ is just as good
as anything else that RUSH has put out.
Oh, BTW, one of the reasons that I like COS so much is because I think it was
one of their most well-produced albums (being that it was, I think, the *first*
that had any real post-production associated with it), if not for just the
outstanding songs within.
-Todd Oliver, Johns Hopkins University
"Some are born to rule the world, to live their fantasies, but most of us just
dream about the things we'd like to be. It's sadder still to watch it die,
than never to have known it... To you, the blind, who once could see, the bell
tolls for me..." -Peart, from "Losing It"
----------------------------------------------------------
Date: Wed, 12 Dec 90 13:54 EDT
From: It's Da Bishop! <OLIVER_T@jhuvms.hcf.jhu.edu>
Subject: Another Post
Sorry about multiple postings, but I'm catching up on other readings, and as
something catches my eye, I'm compelled to write about it.
David Chao wrote something in NMS #128 about Rolling Stone magazine's less-than-glowing reviews of various RUSH albums. He writes: "Rush is certainly one of
the best groups to see live." I definitely agree with this, being the die-hard
RUSH fan that I am, but it is interesting to note that when I came down to
Baltimore this summer to catch them at the Arena, two friends of mine came
along, one of whom doesn't like RUSH at all. After the show, I asked him what
he thought, and he said that he had been impressed with the production, and I
think that he said something about RUSH being a "much better band live" than
on their albums. Of course, I had to disagree with him about the fact that the
albums aren't good, but there is another opinion, from a non-RUSH fan, that
they really know how to put on a good show for all of us! So, of course,
Rolling Stone can kiss our collective *asses*! BTW, I'm glad to see that we
are able to flame-out somebody other than ourselves on a topic.
-Todd Oliver, Johns Hopkins University
"Rolling Stone BITES!" -Me
----------------------------------------------------------
Date: Wed, 12 Dec 90 14:22:35 EST
From: jek@egrlab.ac.duke.edu (James Kittock)
Subject: Signals
Interesting that people dislike Signals. I have always thought
it was one of the more interesting albums, especially theme/lyrics
wise (with the execption of _Chemistry_, which is a bit lame).
My least favorite album (is such a thing possible?) is Power
Windows, which to me sounds the most "processed" and "FM ready."
I mean, _Big Money_ is a good song, but is not one which sounds
like only RUSH could have done it. Which, incidentally, tied in
neatly to me with the better RS review.
OK, enough album theory for one message. Quick question (should
probably be on the FAQL): What the heck is a Lerxst?
[ Alex is Lerxst. :rush-mgr ]
Take it easy,
--james
James Kittock
Duke University Class of 1992, Computer Science/Math/Russian Major
jek@egrlab.ac.duke.edu PO Box 5750 DS, Durham, NC 27706 USA
"Another war-- another waste land-- and another lost generation..."
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Date: Wed, 12 Dec 90 15:38:27 -0500
From: dchao@ecn.purdue.edu (David H Chao)
Subject: A final word on Rolling Stone...
Ok everybody, maybe we should stop now. I admit that I was one of the RS
review bashers... but I have to say again that we should just forget about them.Yes- it would be nice to see a good (or better) review of Rush, but we gotta
remember that Geddy, Alex, and Neil have worked almost two decades with this
kind of music criticism... and look where they are now in terms of popularity
and success.
It doesn't make any difference who hates Rush- RS, the Moral Majority, the
Russians, or even your roommate or friend! All that matters is what Rush likes
to do, and what we like to hear.
So... (and this goes for me, too) let's screw RS and get back to discussing
something "real" about Rush!!!
-Dave
dchao@en.ecn.purdue.edu
----------------------------------------------------------
Date: Wed, 12 Dec 90 16:08 EST
From: DEMEIS@ecs.umass.edu
Subject: What Neil was responding to on Satanism
We've all read Neil's essay on Satanism by now, and in case your were
wondering *what* kind of accusations were made about some Rush tunes,
Alan Sante from the Paganism Mailing List summarized a few of them
from "Moving Pictures"...
All three of these songs were quoted in numerous articles around the time
of the albums release. (About the time that the 'Backwards Masking' BS was
at it's peak).
WITCH HUNT - supposedly Anti-Christian, promoted tolerance of sinful
acts, etc.
RED BARCHETTA - Promoting drug use, illegal acts, rebellion against society.
The reference to 'Sunday' as the day to do this was a
condemnation of Christianity. "Go screaming through the valley"
supposedly reffered to rebellion against God. 'Uncle' was a
thinly disguised reference to Satan. "Leave the giants
stranded at the riverside" was a shot at
the church..etc etc etc <blah blah>
LIMELIGHT - Get this: This song was said to be promoting teen suicide!!!?!?!
drug use, anti-societal outlooks as well as being a cheap shot at
televangelism!
"Welcome to the Real World, folks!
Please leave your common sense at the door."
----------------------------------------------------------
Date: Wed, 12 Dec 90 18:25:03 -0500
From: franks@ecn.purdue.edu (innocent bystander)
Hi-
Last spring(?) someone posted a top ten list of reasons why Rolling
Stone hates RUSH in re.music.misc (or was it alt.rock-n-roll?). Any
way, here it is:
10. They don't have a 1-900 caht with Rush line.
9. They aren't a group of 3 ten-year-olds who ride skateboards and
eat happy meals.
8. They don't come on TV and tell you to vote.
7. They don't do concerts to benefit Greenpeace or Amnesty International.
6. They dont't write socially conscious songs you can dance to.
5. (Your rag here)
4. They don't have semi-naked women in bondage leather on their album
covers.
3. Their videos don't have:
naked women
things blowing around
things breaking
over acting lip-syncs with dramatic gesticulations by Geddy
fog
rainy dark alleys
migits in white tuxes
15 second clips of nuclear explosions
2. Their music is not appreciated by 16 year old girls *and* their mothers.
1. They are succesful despite all of the above.
I don't know who the original author was, or would give due credit, sorry :-(
Rich
----------------------------------------------------------
Date: Wed, 12 Dec 90 19:04:20 EST
From: USERGJ6G@mts.rpi.edu
Subject: Album Poll
Sorry for the late arrival, but here is the results of the recent album
poll. I received a total of 39 votes, which I thought was quite disappoint-
ing. Anyway, here are your results....
Rank Album 1 2 3 4 5 Total Points
1 Moving Pictures 9 10 6 4 1 112
2 Permanent Waves 3 4 7 6 5 69
3 Hemispheres 4 4 3 6 5 62
4 Power Windows 5 4 2 4 3 58
5 Signals 6 2 5 0 3 56
6 2112 0 5 5 5 6 51
7 Hold Your Fire 3 1 3 5 1 39
8 A Farewell to Kings 2 3 2 3 4 38
9 Presto 2 2 0 4 5 31
10 Grace Under Pressure 2 2 1 2 3 28
11 Fly By Night 2 1 1 0 2 19
Caress of Steel 1 1 3 0 1 19
13 Rush 0 0 1 0 0 3
Thank you to all who participated.
William MacDonald
"Life is just a candle, and a dream must give it flame..."
Rush, from "The Fountain of Lamneth"
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Date: Wed, 12 Dec 90 19:10:26 -0500 (EST)
From: "Nicholas G. Alexander" <na0u+@andrew.cmu.edu>
Subject: Re: 12/11/90 - The National Midnight Star #126
The writing on his shirt is the alphabet. You know... ABCDEFG... At
least we know he can spell! :->
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Date: Wed, 12 Dec 90 15:16:06 -0500
From: Jeff Wilson <jwilson%ncratl.atlanta.ncr.com@RELAY.CS.NET>
Subject: Rush's worst? album (if there be such a thang)
SIGNALS Rush's worst album?? Subdivisions, Chemistry, Losing It, The Weapon
New World Man, The Analog Kid, and Countdown make for a bad album?? IMHO,
Hold Your Fire and Rush are their worst albums. Maybe coming after their
best album , Moving Pictures , makes Signals sound less impressive than it
could be, but I think it's an excellent album , much better than HYF or Power
Windows (or Presto for that matter).
I don't intend this as a flame, just as a MUCH different viewpoint.
Ah yes, the obligatory quotation from Canada's greatest export:
"Any escape might help to smooth the unattractive truth, but the
suburbs have no charms to soothe the restless dreams of youth"
--
jwilson@ncratl.Atlanta.NCR.COM (Jeff Wilson)
"Can't shake the devil's hand and say you're only kidding!"
-They Might Be Giants
----------------------------------------------------------
Date: Wed, 12 Dec 90 19:20:23 PST
From: tpickett%sdcc13@ucsd.edu (A female bassist?!!)
Subject: Geddy's name...
Hopefully this hasn't been beaten into the ground but anyway...
I met a guy who went to school with Geddy's older brother.
He told me that it's Geddy Weinrib (sp?) and that Lee is strickly
a stage name.
I hope this clears up the confusion...
Kelly
_______________________________________________________________________________
Kelly Bowen is tpickett@ucsd.edu * "One likes to believe in
"whaddya mean you've never seen * the freedom of baseball"
a female bass player?!!!" -me * -Geddy Lee
_______________________________________________________________________________
----------------------------------------------------------
Date: Thu, 13 Dec 90 01:23:18 EST
From: Mike Borella <borellms@clutx.clarkson.edu>
Subject: Promo Interview CD
I recently picked up a brand new DJ-only Rush promo CD. It has a 30 minute
medley of Presto material, radio sound-bites, and about another 30 minutes
of Q&A about Presto.
The questions they ask Neil about the meanings behind Presto songs is pretty
interesting...sorry I can't remember any off the top of my head, but I've
only listened to it once.
Just thought you might find this interesting. The disc is called "Rush
Profiled!" and ran me $25.00. Don't look for this in most stores, though
carriers of bootlegs might have heard of it.
*****************************************************************************
** Mike Borella ** Dept. of Math and Comp. Science **
** borellms@clutx.clarkson.edu ** Clarkson University **
*****************************************************************************
----------------------------------------------------------
From: orwant@media-lab.media.mit.edu (Jonathan L. Orwant)
Date: Thu, 13 Dec 90 04:31:24 EST
Subject: backmasking
Have there been any rumors about or attempts to find backmasked lyrics
in Rush songs?
-Jon
----------------------------------------------------------
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