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Subject: 03/15/91 - The National Midnight Star #193
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The National Midnight Star, Number 193
Friday, 15 March 1991
Today's Topics:
Re: What happened to the immortal man?
Emotional lyrics/emotional music
(none)
Flames? No. How 'bout Napalm
Suggestions
Fans who don't like the lyrics? Inconceivable!
analyticals
HOLD YOUR FIRE (pun intended)
Regretful satanism comment.....
Jacob's Ladder on ESL
my 00000010 bits
Suggestions to TNMS contributors
Jacob's Ladder
Red Barchetta !!!
RE: Cancer rumors
Neil breaking drums
----------------------------------------------------------
Subject: Re: What happened to the immortal man?
Date: Thu, 14 Mar 91 13:18:54 CST
From: a106d!tj@uunet.UU.NET (T.J. Higgins)
Adrian N Ogden <ano@csres.cs.reading.ac.uk> opines:
> When you are condemned to spend eternity there even Xanadu becomes a
> prison, and the perpetual boredom would eventually drive you insane.
> ("Held within the Pleasuredome decreed by Kubla Khan / to taste my
> little triumph as a mad immortal man").
This is an interesting insight. All those years of listening and
analyzing Xanadu and not once did I ever make the connection that
"mad" could mean "insane." I always took it to mean "pissed off,"
i.e. the immortal man was p.o.'d at himself and the ancient book
because he was trapped in the pleasure dome and couldn't get out.
One thing that no one seems to able to reconcile is the "last immortal
man." If he was the last and final one to make it to the dome, fine.
But presumably there are others who made it. Where are they?
You could also take "last immortal man" to mean that our man is the
last one left in the dome; that is, there used to be others in there
with him, but they are not there any more. They most assuredly
didn't die; where are they? I've re-read both Coleridge's poem and
Peart's lyrics, but can find no clue concerning other immortals.
I guess this could just be Peart's poetic license, somewhat akin to
"image is just an eyeless game" in Anagram (for Mongo). That is, we
just have to "suspend our disbelief" and overlook this illogical quirk
in the storyline. It still bothers me though; more discussion about
the "last immortal man" would be most welcome.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
T.J. Higgins 205-730-7922 | higgins@ingr.com (Internet)
Intergraph Corp. M/S IW17A5 | uunet!ingr!higgins (uucp)
Huntsville, Alabama, U.S.A. | b17a!tj (Intergraph internal)
"I used to be such a sweet sweet thing
'Til they got a hold of me" -- Alice Cooper
----------------------------------------------------------
Date: Thu, 14 Mar 91 16:06 EST
From: THE VAX BANDIT <JCRABTREE@DESIRE.WRIGHT.EDU>
Subject: Emotional lyrics/emotional music
Greetings Programs,
I just read the comments made about emotional music without
emotional lyrics. This is one of the very concepts that attracts me
to Rush. To be able to evoke thought through words at the same time
as evoking emotion through music is the ultimate combination. When
both the lyrics and the song evoke emotion without intellectual
stimulation, there is little or nothing to be learned. It is my
belief (at least I like to think it is :-) that music and lyrics
combined can be a powerful teaching and learning device.
But then again, I could be wrong. It's finals week here at
WSU, so I probably am! ;-]
Jason Crabtree | "I can't believe you're saying
Wright State University | These things just can't be true"
jcrabtree@desire.wright.edu | -RUSH
----------------------------------------------------------
Date: Thu, 14 Mar 91 16:24:09 EST
From: Anand Rangarajan <rangarajan-anand@CS.YALE.EDU>
> Admittedly, I have a bias: I think that song lyrics should be emotional. But
> Randall Stark TEL: (+44)-31-650-2725 | Dept. of Artificial Intelligence
I think there is a lot of truth in Randall's comments about Rush's
lyrics being sometimes ponderous. I don't share Neil's passion for
rationality, which is why I feel (along with Randall) that the lyrics
are at times pretentious. Rush's lyrics are very rarely in first person.
When they are, they tend to be quite emotional.
First person, emotional Rush songs (IMHO):
----------------------------------------
1. Circumstances
2. Freewill
3. Entre Nous
4. Limelight
5. The Analog Kid
6. Afterimage
7. Red Sector A
8. Time Stand Still
9. Tai Shan
10. Presto
11. Scars
12. Available Light
However, I find a lot of third person Rush songs to be very emotional.
Third person, emotional Rush songs (IMVHO):
-----------------------------------------
1. Something for Nothing
2. Closer to the heart
3. The Spirit of the Radio
4. Natural Science
5. Witch Hunt
6. Subdivisions
7. Losing It
8. Distant Early Warning
9. The Enemy Within
10. Marathon
11. Territories
12. Mystic Rhythms
13. Mission
14. High Water
15. The Pass
That's not a bad list for any group. I admit that on occasion, that I've
(almost) been moved to tears by Afterimage, Red Sector A, Territories,
Witch Hunt (live ASOH version during Alex's solo).
However, there are a whole slew of Rush songs that I dislike because of
the lyrics. Examples are, Tom Sawyer, Chemistry, The Weapon, Kid Gloves,
Grand Designs, Emotion Detector, Open Secrets, Second Nature, Prime Mover,
Lock and Key, Chain Lightning, War Paint, and Hand Over Fist.
So IMHO, Neil is sometimes on the money and sometimes over the top
like anyone else. His background is Ayn Rand's Objectivism which I now
intensely dislike but used to like (which means it's been internalized
to some degree). He showed signs of coming out of it on Distant Early
Warning (``Obsolete, Absolute''), Mystic Rhythms (``Primitive things
beat in the heart of everyone'' (I don't have my lyric sheet)), Mission
and Tai Shan. But he keeps retreating to it in songs like Open Secrets,
and Prime Mover. Maybe it's this spirit of rational inquiry that keeps
him from writing more emotional songs.
Anand Rangarajan
rangarajan-anand@cs.yale.edu
----------------------------------------------------------
Date: Thu, 14 Mar 1991 17:12 EST
From: KROHN@UCBEH.SAN.UC.EDU
Subject: Flames? No. How 'bout Napalm
Mr. Randell, you are expecting flames, but you won't get them from
me. No, flames are to *good* for you.
I'll start by asking you to define "emotional" in the sense you used
it. IMO, The Trees, Bastille Day, and Natural Science were not meant to
be emotional and are definitly *NOT* funny. "La guillotine will claim
her bloody prize" again IMO, is *NOT* to hilariously funny. My guess is
that you are looking too hard to find hidden meanings, etc. and missing
the entire point of the song. Bastille Day, beside being about Bastille
Day, has the message that we should always be conscious of our past so
that we do not make the same mistakes over again. This is also the theme
to the song A Farewell To Kings. The Trees and Natural Science, are
about society and the world we live in, and are both excellent examples
of metaphors (which IMO Neil uses very well).
In conclusion, I think you should stick to your artificle intellegence
and leave real intellegence to people who don't bash Rush on the Rush
*Fans* Digest. Yes, I know everyone is entitled to there own opinion, but
I think it's Rush-bashing here is inapropriate.
Yes, I'm pissed,
Brian Krohn
KROHN@UCBEH.SAN.UC.EDU
[ Please, the original article wasn't presented as a flame, rather as his
opinion. Most of the replies have either acknowledged that, or even
agreed with him. Opinions are like asses; everyone's got one and...
(well, you get the idea). Let's keep this an open forum for discussion,
not attacks. A later article backs me up on this. :rush-mgr ]
OBRQ: "It's hard to take the heat,
It's hard to lay blame,
We fight the fires,
While we're feeding the flames."
--Rush,HYF, aka "the fanning the fires while
feeding the flames song".
v----------------------------------------------------------
Date: Thu, 14 Mar 91 19:18:47 EST
From: Usually Dazed <clane@magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu>
Subject: Suggestions
WOW My first posting!
Intros.....I have been listening to rush since aound 1982-83, my
friend got me interested in Tom Sayer, favorite song of all time "In the
Mood". (fav RUSH SONG). Apologies to all the gutarists I contacted a long
time ago about music, but I have been REALLY busy.
I need some suggestions. A frat here at Ohio State has an
AIR_BAND_CONTEST every year. And since my friend Scott has LONG black hair,
and my friend Scott has short brown hair, and me? I got da blonde (ah too
have the long hair that I had in High School again! its long, but not in the
back) Anyways, we do Rush if ya havent figured it out. (heck I just recently
figured out where "NAT. MIDnight Star" came from). What song that rocks (so
to keep audience interested) has vocals, and is just plain great that we can
do as an airband? we have done:
Spirit o Radio / Closer to the Heart (live SOH)
and Big $$$ / Limelight
what do the experts think? We were thinking of TOM S. and Spirit
again (me...I wanna do in the mood!)
MGR Insert your interuption and suggestion 'ere!....
[ Well, if you insist. :-) When I air-drum, I like to do "Bastille Day",
off of ATWAS, or maybe "Overture/Temples". :rush-mgr ]
E-mail me personally and mabey I'll tell ya the concensus.
Tanxs for input for our output!
Chuck "Alex" Lane
clane@magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu
ps -- any one 'ere in Col should come see us! $$ goes to charity.
later
----------------------------------------------------------
Date: Thu, 14 Mar 91 16:50:27 PST
From: changed@robotics.berkeley.edu (Chang... Ed Chang.)
Subject: Fans who don't like the lyrics? Inconceivable!
I'm in the vast majority (I think) of the readers here who like the
lyrics as well as the music. Some of the lyrics I don't pay much
attention to, but I find that the majority of songs have lyrics that
reflect how I feel about human values and emotions. Then again,
maybe I've just been brainwashed from listening to too much Rush.
Is it even _possible_ to listen to too much Rush?
Also, maybe it's just me, but I read a lot into the lyrics that would
only mean something to someone with a college education in engineering.
Thus, I was quite surprised to learn that Neil has only a high school
education. I suppose that as "The Professor," he's learned a lot from
sources outside of school.
Ed
"Signals get crossed - And the balance distorted By internal incoherence..."
----------------------------------------------------------
Subject: analyticals
Date: Thu, 14 Mar 91 17:15:03 PST
From: Doug Grumann <dougg@hpptc16.rose.hp.com>
Re: Neil's lyrical style.. I agree with Randy and Gordon.
Neil's lyrics are written in a very analytical/intellectual style which
typically isn't very emotional. This reflect's Neil's own personality
which is very reserved and analytical. Everybody's got their own subjective
views as to how much they like this. No problem, right?
(This is becoming an emotional topic!)
----------------------------------------------------------
Date: Thu, 14 Mar 91 20:39:27 -0500
From: danmcd@zip.eecs.umich.edu
Subject: HOLD YOUR FIRE (pun intended)
Now, now folks. Let's NOT chastize Mr. Stark for expressing his opinions. It's
not like he spoke poorly of those who disagreed with him, he just stated his
honest opinion.
As for MY opinion, I heartily disagree with him. Peart's style tends to be
clinical and objective (once again, pun intended), and this might be one of
the reasons he appeals to me. This style, IMHO doesn't lose any emotion, it
just presents them in a different package.
As for someone who mentioned the music, it plays an important part in adding
emotion. In "Subdivisions", the way "Nowhere is the dreamer, or the misfit
so alone" is sung really drives the point home. It did for me in 1982 when I
first heard the song on MTV, and it still does some 8 years later.
____
On a side note: Is there anyone in the cs.arizona.edu domain? I'm asking
because I might be out there next year.
______________________________________________________________________
|Daniel L. McDonald | Internet: danmcd@eecs.umich.edu |
|University of Michigan| Bitnet: danmcd%eecs.umich.edu@umich.BITNET|
|Computer Science, '91 | USnail: 1705 Hill St. Ann Arbor, MI 48104|
|______________________|_____________________________________________|
|"rising falling at force ten | THIS MAY, I'M OUT |
| we twist the world and ride the wind..." - Rush| OF HERE, FOLKS! |
----------------------------------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------------------
Date: Thu, 14 Mar 91 21:55:24 EST
From: cygnus@wpi.WPI.EDU (Marshall Robin)
Subject: Regretful satanism comment.....
On 14 Mar 91, Chris Michael wrote this (it was you right?):
> Also, there's been a lot of discussion about 2112, with questions about
>it's rumored satanic references. I think most fans agree that there really
>isn't anything satanic about the album and that Rush was just in a pretty
>fired up state of mind, after the commercial failure of their previous album.
>It's not like 666 was written all over the album or anything! But now that
>I think about it, there are 6 tracks on the album....and, omigosh! It was
>released in 1976!!!!! And, oh my god, this can't be happening!!!!
>2 + 1 + 1 + 2 is 6! 666!!! Oh no, the walls are shaking, the ceiling! it's
>caving in, somebody heeelllppp! Agggghhhhhhh
Well, I have been trying to keep myself from posting this, but this is the
last straw:
The chorus of "The Body Electric":
1001001 SOS 1001001 in distress
OK, take the digits 1001001, and invert it: 110110110 (with 2 leading zeroes)
Gee guys, guess what that is in Octal? 666! Oh no, I guess that clinches it!
Rush is a bunch of Satanists! Oh no, I must repent!
:-) :-) :-) :-) :-) :-) :-) :-) :-) :-) :-) :-) :-) :-) :-) :-) :-) :-) :-)
And if this isn't the biggest load of horseshit, I don't know what is.
-Marshall
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Marshall Robin | "I am Alex Lifeson, and I am a Satanist."
|
Internet Address: | Yeh right.......
cygnus@wpi.wpi.edu |
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------------------
From: dana@csl36h.csl.ncsu.edu (Dana Borger)
Subject: Jacob's Ladder on ESL
Date: Thu, 14 Mar 91 22:51:42 EST
>i have a semi- relevant question i hope someone can answer. on ESL,
>before the song "JACOB'S LADDER", geddy says: "we'd like to do an old
>song for you right now; this was done a long time ago by the..." and i
>simply cannot make out (or understand) the rest of his statement. does
>someone know and understand what is said- any enlightenment would be
>appreciated.
I believe it ends "...a long time ago by [the/that] T.C. Broonsey".
Another mysterious reference to Broon, I guess. If this is way off,
boy, will my face be red!
> as always, many thanks to the rush-mgr for all efforts to
>this board.
> KEVIN HULME
Indeed.
--------------------
>Date: Mon, 11 Mar 91 12:01:46 -0500
>From: "John W Connelly" <connelly@unix.cis.pitt.edu>
>Subject: title of Rush compilation book
>
>The title of the Rush compilation I mentioned last week (TNMS 186) is
>"Retrospective", and it *was* published in 1988. And by the way, for the guy
>who was looking for "Broon's Bane" in ESL, it's in this book as well.
>
>--JC
Perhaps I am that guy. I once upon a time wrote a question to TNMS
about "Broon's Bane". I was wondering it had originally been a part
of "The Trees". Someone else commented on the fact that "Alex's
performance in 'Broon's Bane' is dedicated to Elliot" (see liner
notes).
Anyway, what does "Retrospective" say of "Broon's Bane" and/or Elliot?
Thanks,
Dana
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
'...How shall a man judge what to do in such times?'
'As he ever has judged,' said Aragorn. 'Good and ill have not changed
since yesteryear; nor are they one thing among Elves and Dwarves and
another among Men. It is a man's part to discern them, as much in the
Golden Wood as in his own house.'
- J.R.R. Tokien, _The Two Towers_
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------------------
Date: Fri, 15 Mar 91 01:39:54 -0500
From: franks@ecn.purdue.edu (Richard M Franks)
Subject: my 00000010 bits
Hi-
about Neil's lyrics-
I listen to Rush for the music. Alot of the time, the lyrics are tuned out
and I don't care what he has to say. He does have his moments though. When
HYF came out, I was having some tough times (or so I thought then) and to
this day, "Time Stand Still" is very special to me, and always will be.
The live version *really* grabs me 'cause Geddy is really putting his heart
into it. Maybe we should drag Geddy's emotional(or lack of) way of singing
into this discussion. On the other hand, some times Neil is just a little
too overbearing in his word choice, but that varies with my mood.
12 beers-
I just watched/listened to the g/p video tape. Geddy *definatelty* says "I
drank twelve beers":
"I've been gone so long"
"lost count of the years"
"I sang some sad songs"
"I drank twelve beers"
and....
I also think "Cinderella Man" is a mega-cool/bitchen'/tour-de-force from hell.
Best song on the album, IMNSHO. 8-) Really! I think it's unmatched.
Rich Franks franks@en.ecn.purdue.edu franksrm@sage.cc.purdue.edu
Purdue University Engineering Compter Network Hardware Maintenance
"But even when I am gray, I'll still be gray my way." -Neil Peart
These opinions are all mine, mine, mine, MINE!
----------------------------------------------------------
Subject: Suggestions to TNMS contributors
Date: Fri, 15 Mar 91 12:49:47 N
From: Gordon MacKinney <gordon@hpbblb.bbn.hp.com>
I'd like to make two suggestions to all TNMS contributors:
1. Please don't flame
I relish each issue because TNMS rises above these sophomoric
attacks. Flaming is like flipping off a passing motorist; the
safety of distance (separated by traffic and two sheets of glass,
or a thousand miles of "net space") enables sheep to roar like
lions. The "LYNCH THAT BASTARD RANDALL STARK" flame, and others
like it, do not belong in TNMS.
2. Please define your "Subject:"
Some people have many topics to discuss so they define the
subject as "Misc stuff" or "My two cents worth." For those of
us who haven't time to read each word of each issue, the subject
definition is important for following particular themes of
interest. Vague definitions make that difficult.
----------------------------------------------------------
Date: Fri, 15 Mar 91 09:26 EDT
From: IDBST@vms.cis.pitt.edu
Subject: Jacob's Ladder
Hello Again:
This is to Kevin Hulme (and anyone else who is interested):
I listened to E...SL this morning on my way to class: This is what
(I am pretty sure about it) Geddy says at the beginning of "Jacob's
Ladder"
"We'd like to do an old song for you right now
This was done a long time ago by a man
T.C. Broonsie
This is Jacob's Ladder"
The last line was paraphrased, but the part in question (i.e. T.C.
Broonsie) I'm pretty sure about (correct me if I'm wrond, Rush-mgr)
Again:
Does anyone know about the band Freewill playing in Youngstown, OH?
And is anyone out there at the University of Arizona? And Who is the girl
on the covers of PeW and E..SL???
Ian Bjorhovde idbst@vms.cis.pitt.edu
University of Pittsburgh
----------------------------------------------------------
From: rl103465@cs.tut.fi (Lauhanen Rauli OH1MKS)
Subject: Red Barchetta !!!
Date: Fri, 15 Mar 91 16:55:34 EET
Hi Dudes !!!
One Question About my favourite track of MP, What does song "Red Barchetta"
really Describe ??? Does it mean
A) Something Future vision about time, when all Gasoline-engined cars are
forbidden, ( .. I commit my weekly CRIME .... ...A gleaming ALLOY AIR-
CAR shoots towards me , two lanes wide (Future Police-car ??))
Or
B) Geddy has just dreamed everything ( ..On sundays, I ELUDE the eys...
...Race Back to the farm, to DREAM wit my uncle, at the fire-side.. )
So, anybody knows more, please tell me... This situation kills me...
T: Rauli...
P.S. Terveisia Samulle ja Hinanille !!!
ObRQ: If you took these white- and blue-ones simultaneusly, you'll
get a real RUSH !!!
--
Rauli Lauhanen rl103465@tut.fi * 50.000 men were sent, to do the will of
Post: BOX 62, SF-32701 Huittinen * one. His claim was phrased quite simply
Opiskelijank. 4A15 Tampere 33720 * , tought he never voiced it loud.
Genesis , Wind & Wurthering >>>> * - And I am he , the chosen one .....
----------------------------------------------------------
Date: Fri, 15 Mar 91 09:56:01 -0500
From: rjf@maxwell.physics.purdue.edu (Robert J. Friedman III)
Subject: RE: Cancer rumors
Geez, I heard Geddy had nose cancer :-)! Sorry, I couldn't resist.
-Bob Friedman
"How come he's not wearing a touque, eh?"-Geddy Lee
----------------------------------------------------------
From: David Arnold <davida@syrinx.umd.edu>
Subject: Neil breaking drums
In the book 'Visions', there is a statement that on the nights Rush
recorded ATWAS, they did a three night run at Massey Hall (Toronto).
There was mention that concerts on "home turf" are tough, because you
want everything to be just right. ANYway, the first two nights went
very well, but the third night was jinxed; everything seemed to go
wrong. Neil was seething by the time the show started, and apparently
really put the emotion into his playing.
The story notes that he played so ferverantly durning "The Temples of
Syrinx" that he "broke the snares on his snare drum". It also says if
you listen to it closely enough, you can tell when it happens. I tried,
but could not discern the place where it occurs.
I have two questions:
1) When a drummer "breaks the snares" on the snare drum, what sort
of sound/effect would it produce at the moment it happened, and
how would it affect the drum's sound afterwards?
2) Can somebody find exactly where in the song he did it?
Thanks for your responses,
David Arnold Keywords: Rush, Jethro Tull, Crack the Sky, Squeeze, BOC,
Neville Brothers, Peter Gabriel, Pink Floyd,
Inet: davida@syrinx.umd.edu Talking Heads, King Crimson, Rolling Stones,
UUCP: uunet!syrinx.umd.edu!davida Police, ELP, Grass Roots, Hollies, Guess Who
----------------------------------------------------------
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Copyright The Rush Fans Mailing List, 1991.
Editor, The National Midnight Star
(Rush Fans Mailing List)
********************************************
End of The National Midnight Star Number 193
********************************************