The National Midnight Star #295

Errors-To: rush-request@syrinx.umd.edu Reply-To: rush@syrinx.umd.edu Sender: rush-request@syrinx.umd.edu Precedence: bulk From: rush@syrinx.umd.edu To: rush_mailing_list Subject: 07/23/91 - The National Midnight Star #295
** ____ __ ___ ____ ___ ___ ** ** / /_/ /_ /\ / /__/ / / / / /\ / /__/ / ** ** / / / /__ / \/ / / / / /__/ / \/ / / /___ ** ** ** ** __ ___ ____ ** ** /\ /\ / / \ /\ / / / _ /__/ / ** ** / \/ \ / /___/ / \/ / /___/ / / / ** ** ** ** ____ ____ ___ ___ ** ** /__ / /__/ /__/ ** ** ____/ / / / / \ ** The National Midnight Star, Number 295 Tuesday, 23 July 1991 Today's Topics: EcoPac bastille Day and Van Halen (none) (none) Re: Video Bootlegs!!! The rotting ecopak Gedster's birthday Neil: What gives? Re: Neil: What Gives? Rand, robots, 1's and 0's Guitar School Interview w/ Alex, Guitar World Interview w/ Mr. Big (none) Most-listened to LPs; Rush car item Update on Toronto Rush/Kim Party missing crossword clues Song titles for _Roll the Bones_ Some rush stuff... Rush.......What the hell else?! The Prisoner Re: 07/19/91 - The National Midnight Star #293 Here are the missing puzzle clues Ecopaks Rush pre-record Concerts? Some more thoughts (another puzzle apology) Geddy's birthday Circus Magazine Interview Available Boots List RUSH Party in Pgh! BOOTS (and I's Donts mean footwears!) ---------------------------------------------------------- There was no NMS for Monday due to an emergency at home. I don't know how regular the digest will be this week, but I'll try. rush-mgr ---------------------------------------------------------- From: datta@vacs.uwp.edu (David Datta) Date: Fri, 19 Jul 1991 18:06:33 CDT Subject: EcoPac I reference to a message from David Conley <dmc@u.washington.edu> } In response to Marshall_Robin's post to NMS #291; EcoPaks: } that the EcoPak is much more attractive and functional. I own Sting's } Soul_Cages CD, and I enjoy the design of the packaging very much. You do NOT have an EcoPak, you have a Digi-Trak. There have been no CD releases in the EcoPak packaging yet. } The EcoPak is very much like the paperboard record sleeve. How many folks } have record sleeves that have rotted?? None have I. I have a large album } collection dating back to 1969, I even have some collectable stuff from } the '50's.... all in fine shape. do you ever listen to them or carry them in your car, o.... Actually, this isn't he place for my ranting. I will continue the anti-cardboard campaign in rec.music.cd. Just wanted to clarify the package type. If you want a file I have put together with discriptions of the different package types, mail me (datta@vacs.uwp.edu) not the list. -- -Dave datta@vacs.uwp.edu. Life is what is going on while you wait for life to happen. ---------------------------------------------------------- Date: Fri, 19 Jul 91 17:26:59 -0600 From: habbinga@tramp.Colorado.EDU (erik habbinga) Subject: bastille Day and Van Halen I hate to carry this on further, but the video they played after John Norris made the statement, "Since it's Bastille Day, let's play some Van Halen", was Poundcake. Try to find the correlation there! BTW, during "America's Most Wanted" last night on MTV, they played a snippet of "Show Don't Tell" while going to a commercial. Erik ---------------------------------------------------------- From: MICHAEL HACKETT <hackett@gaul.csd.uwo.ca> Date: Sat, 20 Jul 91 03:37:48 -0400 Subject: Re: Video Bootlegs!!! That is incredible news, if the tapes are any good! I was at the first of those two nights in Toronto last year, and to have a video (or even an audio recording) of the show would be ..., well incredible (please excuse my limited vocabulary, these news has just left me speechless). I'll probably get a catalogue right away, but if anyone actually gets something from this place, I'd like to hear from you. Oh, and while I'm at it, I guess I should report that on Monday night I saw "Lock and Key" on, of all places, Visions TV. For those not familiar with this channel, it is a - well actually I'm not quite sure what it is, maybe someone else can clarify this, all I know is that it was about the last place I expected to see a Rush video. I guess I don't really watch the station much. It seems, though, that they have this one video show at 10:00 PM EST, where I've occasionaly seen people like Bob Dylan, Joan Baez, etc., but this was quite unexpected. They followed it with Midnight Oil, so that's all I watched but maybe I'll start checking it out more often. I'll try to find out what the show is called and fill in some of the details as soon as I can get my hands on a TV guide that lists that channel. Mike Hackett hackett@gaul.csd.uwo.ca ---------------------------------------------------------- Date: Sat, 20 Jul 91 04:09:54 EST From: cygnus@wpi.WPI.EDU (Watcher of the Skies) Subject: The rotting ecopak Ummm....my remark that EcoPaks rotted is justified in that it wasn't meant as a literalism. If it makes you feel any better: EcoPaks rot! == EcoPaks suck! == EcoPaks bite! == EcoPaks are a Bad Thing in the opinion of the writer. Here's what they DO get: They are susceptable to water damage, denting, humidity, scuffing, tearing, etc. I know what you are going to say, jewel boxes scuff and can be broken. Yes, but if this happens I can go to any local store with a music section and replace it by moving the cover art to an empty jewelbox. Ive done this a number of times with no problem. If you went into your local record store and tried to get a replacement for your "Soul Cages" DigiPak I doubt you'd have the same luck. Re: other points: I agree it's just like an album sleeve. In fact, I hated them too. The case is there to protect the disc. I don't want to have to protect the damn case too! Ever try to take an EcoPak or 2 in a carry bag with a bunch of other stuff so you can listen to your CD walkman or whatever? Believe me, it sucks. And taking a disk out of that damn quadruple gatefold while trying to drive a car is a pain!! Ah well, enough babbling on the topic. -marsh ---------------------------------------------------------- Date: Sat, 20 Jul 91 04:23:33 EST From: cygnus@wpi.WPI.EDU (Watcher of the Skies) Subject: Gedster's birthday Quoth _Visions_ : "Neil officially joined Rush on Geddy's 21st birthday, July 29, 1974." -marsh I looked up that Gangster of Boats reference in HYF. Heh, no kidding!! Interesting to say the least. ---------------------------------------------------------- Date: Sat, 20 Jul 91 22:06:38 BST From: chrisley@ws.oxford.ac.uk (Ronald L Chrisley) Subject: Neil: What gives? >From the recently-posted interview with Neil: -- Will Rush return to its primary basic sound of its first few albums for any upcoming studio projects? ``What for? The last thing I'm interested in is going back. I think that's a terrible thing. To get nostalgic about other people's music, or even about your own, makes a terrible statement about the condition of your life and your prospects for the future. I have no patience with that kind of attitude, whether it's on radio or among friends. For instance, I think that anyone who thinks that 1970 was the best year in the world has a problem. For me, the older stuff just doesn't have that nostalgic appeal at all. I never have that feeling of `gee, I wish we could recapture those magic moments,' because those magic moments weren't all that magic, if the truth be known.'' ---- Is this the author of "Making Memories" and "Time Stand Still"? Or even "Scars"? "Tai Shan"? Anbody else surprised by this comment of Neil's? Ronald L. Chrisley New College chrisley@csli.stanford.edu Oxford OX1 3BN Tel: +44 865 52656 United Kingdom NOTE: Use my csli path. Don't just reply, or I might not get your message. ALSO: I'll be incommunicado from July 21st to August 26th or so... ---------------------------------------------------------- Date: Sat, 20 Jul 91 22:18:21 BST From: chrisley@ws.oxford.ac.uk (Ronald L Chrisley) Subject: Re: Neil: What Gives? Actually, Making Memories does, I realize, fit in with what Neil is saying in the interview. But Time Stand Still seems to be regressive, stagnating, and hindering from the point of view Neil took in that interview... Ronald L. Chrisley New College chrisley@csli.stanford.edu Oxford OX1 3BN Tel: +44 865 52656 United Kingdom NOTE: Use my csli path. Don't just reply, or I might not get your message. ALSO: I'll be incommunicado from July 21st to August 26th or so... ---------------------------------------------------------- Date: Sat, 20 Jul 91 22:02:21 EDT From: jaeger@buphy.bu.edu (Gregg Jaeger) Subject: Rand, robots, 1's and 0's Hi Everyone, I mostly agree with Paul May's long list of statements about Rush and Ayn Rand. In light of the 'debate' about Objectivism I began considering the exact nature of the Rush/Rand connection (apart from the obvious 'literary' connection between 2112 and _Anthem_ by Ayn Rand). I noted that the connection between Rand's philosophy and Rush lyrics is mainly through ethics, rather than through metaphysics and epistemology (the exception being 'Show Don't Tell''s 'You can change perceptions/Reality won't budge' which is clearly consistent with O'ist metaphysics). This could be mainly due to the fact that art is most amenable to ethical themes, but I think it is equally due to a tension between Neil's open-mindedness and Rand's austere metaphysical views and outspoken atheism (not that I find Neil particularly _theistic_ either, just a little more cautious ( :) ). (No flames please -- this is just my opinion). I remember reading the wild findings about the chorus of 'The Body Electric' and the ASCII code for the dollar sign (see NMS #'s 18 and 20) . This is quite remarkable (dare I say 'miraculous'?) on the face of it, and seems to be a bit of computer-head projection as well. But Geddy does use digital synths (using wave tables) and Neil does have his own computer, so it's not completely absurd to consider that the ASCII might be intentional. OK, but then I remembered that Rand has this example of the indestructible robot! The key to the ASCII question might well lie in this robot. Admittedly, the whole thing would be a masterstroke of cryptography if intentional but my mind is open on the issue. So, since I can't recall exactly where in Rand's writings the robot arises, is there any Objectivist Rush fan (who knows the Rand canon inside out) willing to give this some thought? As for there not being any depressing Rush songs: what about 'Afterimage' (+video!) and 'Between the Wheels'?!! Let's not forget the 'depression of '84'... On another note -- I think EcoPaks suck the big one (Hugh Syme would really eat doo-doo on that one!). Let's hope it ain't true!! 'Gangster of Boats'! I know that Rush enjoy sailing, maybe this has something to do with it? Maybe someone could ask the B-man? O(R)MQ - Uncle Sam's time is a greased wheel... Gregg ----------------------------------- Gregg Jaeger (jaeger@buphy.bu.edu) ``Truth is after all a moving target'' Dept(s). of Physics (and Philosophy) Boston University, Boston MA 02215 ->>READ DOS PASSOS!(his books, i.e.)<<- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ ---------------------------------------------------------- Date: Sat, 20 Jul 91 23:31:50 -0600 From: habbinga@tramp.Colorado.EDU (erik habbinga) Subject: Guitar School Interview w/ Alex, Guitar World Interview w/ Mr. Big RUSH-MGR: Here are two articles to be published in TNMS ------------------------------cut here---------------------------------- Here is the article with Alex from Guitar School May 1990. Also include at the end is an excerpt from an interview with Mr. Big, where they talk about touring with Rush. Magic Man By Mark Mitchell Reprinted Without Permission ---------------------------------------------------------- From: GUITAR!the With his chops a blazin'. Rush's ALEX LIFESON proves once again that the hand is quicker than the eye on the band's latest effort, _Presto_. Upon completing their last record, the live _Show of Hands_, the three- man dervish known as Rush found themselves in a peculiar position--they had some leisure time. Because they were between record companies, Alex Lifeson Neil Peart and Geddy Lee were free of the superstar machinery for the first time in 15 years. The trio eagerly grabbed this rare break in their normally hectic schedules to get reacquainted with their families and reflect on their careers. But old habits are hard to break and, after a six month hiatus, Rush got the itch and were back in action. Interestingly, the notoriously analytical threesome seems to have learned something from their extended period of rest 'n' relaxation. _Presto_, the band's 17th album and their first for Atlantic Records, is their most spontaneous and alive-sounding record since 1980's _Permanent Waves_. The band seems to gave finally learned how to balance their more studied, progressive tendencies with some very fresh-sounding rock 'n' roll. "Show Don't Tell," the album's first single, contains the moody, atmospheric elements perfected on later projects, but erupts with a newly rekindled energy. It's the sound of three men at the height of their powers having the time of their lives. We sat down with Alex Lifeson recently and happily discovered that he is not everything you would expect. Sure, he's obsessed with his music and feels guilty when he neglects his guitar for extended periods. But there is also a very light, funny side to the blond guitar vet. To get a greater sense of how his music has evolved, we decided to go back to the beginning and ask him about the early days. GS: Can you recall some of the first guitar sounds that hit you, that made you really want to play? AL: Well, I remember hearing the beginning of "I Feel Fine" by the Beatles. There's a little bit of feedback that rings out in the beginning, and I thought that was the _coolest_ thing I'd ever heard [laughs]. Also the riff to "Day Tripper", the Beach Boys, the British Invasion stuff, and, of course, Hendrix's _Are You Experienced_, which made me want to throw all those other records in the garbage. You know Hendrix was right when he said, "You'll never hear surf music again." [laughs] GS: Has Rush ever played a surf tune? AL: No, we haven't. Maybe at some point we did it as a joke. But no, I don't think so. GS: Could you talk some about how you got started playing? AL: I started playing when I was about 11 years old. I begged for a guitar for Christmas, and got an $11 Kent acoustic--it was just _terrible_, but my parents still have it [laughs]. Then the following Christmas my parents bought me a Cenora, which sort of looked like a Gretch Country Gentleman. Both were inexpensive, poorly Japanese guitars. I borrowed the guy-next -door's Paul amp whenever I could, and taped "Vox" in black tape on the front of it [laughs]. I played for hours and hours and hours. GS: Roughly how old were you when Rush started? AL: Actually, I was about 12 or 13 when I started playing with Rush's original drummer, John Rutsey. We knew about six or eight songs and we'd play them over and over at these basement parties in out neighborhood. Then when Rush got together though I'd played with Geddy for maybe a year before, we'd just turned 15. GS: When you first started, how much time did you spend playing? AL: When the band first together, I'd come home from school, play from about 4 to 6 p.m., have dinner, then continue playing from about 7 'til 10 p.m.; then I'd do my homework in that 10:00 to 10:05 period [laughs]. Then resume for maybe another 45 minutes. I was playing all the time. When we played bars, we'd play three or four hours total, and I'd play just about everyday in the afternoon. I'd get up, make a cup of tea, and sit around and just play my guitar. It seemed to be the only thing that I was interested in at the time. When we started touring, I always played about an hour in the tuning room before the show and, in those days, I often took a guitar back to the hotel room and played. Even now I still play four or five hours on tour. When not on tour I probably average an hour or less a day, occasionally missing a week or two. Then I feel guilty and start playing a few hours each night for a week. GS: So your practice sort of corresponds to its application? AL: Yes, exactly. GS: You're preparing for a tour now? AL: Yes. I'm trying to play six to eight hours a day now. I have to. We took this long period of time off. When you're in the studio you play all day and your playing gets real sharp. But your priorities shift when you're home for a long period of time; you become more domesticated and play a lot less. It seems to take a lot more time to get back into shape, but it's probably because we take more time off now. GS: How does _Presto_ differ from past efforts? AL: The approach on the record was to go for a chunkier, more unaffected sound--getting away from my terrible 10-year dependency on chorus [laughs]. I really liked having just the straight-forward guitar into the amp sound. It may be taking a few steps back, yet is still refreshing for me. My custom Signature [see Vital Stats] with the split-coil active bridge pickup gives me clarity and brightness; at the same time I can get chunky thickness and warmth out of the humbucker. GS: Your comment on the chorus makes me think of a story about Jaco Pastorius. He was playing with Joni Mitchell and she came in with one of the first chorus amps, maybe a Roland. When he heard it, he immediately commandeered it and played it through the rest of the night. It's such a great sound. AL: I went through exactly the same thing on _Farewell To Kings_, way back in '77. I rented a new Roland Jazz Chorus before the session, and I couldn't _believe_ how it sounded. I thought, "Where has this sound been all my life?" Unfortunately, I got very dependent on it. GS: What guitars did you use on the opening riff of "Show Don't Tell"? AL: I used the Strat and the Hentor [see Vital Stats]. GS: What about the 16th-note strumming in the verses? AL: That was a direct Signature with tons of reverb, and some repeats on it, single-tracked. GS: You seem to use suspended chords a lot. Is that how you're hearing it these days? AL: Yeah, I've always played that way. As a three-piece band it's been important for the guitar to fill in a wide tonal area. For the last 10 years I've concentrated on playing suspended chords just to fill in that space. GS: There are some chords in "Show Don't Tell" that are really striking. There's a section where you play a suspended chord while Geddy's keyboard is adding the minor 3rd and minor seventh which creates a real thick and lush minor 11th sound. AL: Yeah, exactly. It really gives a nice, rich sound. GS: One last question--have you ever seen a UFO? AL: No...not sober. Vital Statistics Age: 36, born in Ferny, British Columbia, in Western Canada. Raised in Toronto. Studio Guitars: Signatures, Fender Stratocasters and Telecasters, a modified Strat nicknamed the "Hentor" (Strat body with Shark neck, Bill Lawrence L-500 bridge pickup, standard Strat middle and neck pickups). "All have quite a different character that, when combined, create a good overall sound." Live Guitars: Signatures. (Signature is a Canadian company that Alex has been involved with since the beginning.) His favorites are a white Strat copy with three single-coil active pickups and a custom version of their latest model that features a neck-through contoured top with a rear split- coil humbucker and two single-coil active pickups. Acoustic Guitars: A Washburn, "it's got a full, rich, John Mellencamp sort of 'wide strumming' sound"; a Gibson Dove, a Gibson J-55 with a Nashville tuning for jangly high-end emphasis. Amps: Gallien-Krueger CPL 2000 preamp, 400 series Mesa Boogie tube power amp, GK 2x12-inch cabinets. Dependability is crucial to Lifeson in live situations: "People are paying a lot of money to come and see you." Effects: Bradshaw switching system. "His systems are spectacular, clean, organized and dependable." TC Electronics 2290-1210 for chorus, DEP-5 for reverb and other "long" effects and a Roland GP-16 multi-effects unit--DOD DSP 128. Alex is currently awaiting a "hush-hush" new preamp from GK. Strings: Dean Markley .009s Picks: Markley #1 Early Influences: Jimi Hendrix, Beatles, Beach Boys, The Who, and Led Zeppelin. Non-Rock Influences: Ten months of classical guitar lessons. Favorite Classical Composers: Bach, Villa-Lobos, Vivaldi. Favorite Canadian Whiskey: Doesn't drink it. First Guitar: An $11 Japanese Kent classical with "telephone wire" strings. First Songs: "Satisfaction", "Last Time", "For Your Love", "I'm A Man". Excerpt from Mr. Big Interview from Guitar World may 1991 Reprinted without permission. Sheehan: "...Geddy Lee--now talk about frightening. At the end of the last couple of shows in the tour, we played bass together on "In The Mood." He's an amazing bass player, but he's such a great guy you would never feel frightened around him. Gilbert: That reminds me. I can't believe I forgot: Definitely, the most terrified I've ever been playing with any guitar player was with Alex Lifeson. We were about halfway through the Rush tour and Geddy Lee's roadie sort of pulled me aside and said, "I'll tell you what, I'm going to give you a tape of last night's show. Learn the encore." It was "In The Mood." Then he said, "Learn a harmony to the solo, and I'll plug you in. Come on up and surprise the band." I was thinking, "Uh oh, I don't know. What if they don't like it?" "I'll take full responsibility," he said, "Just make sure you got the tune down." So about three days later--I'd practiced the tune constantly, I was so excited--they go into the song and I just start walking up on stage. The band looks over, and I saw terror in their eyes. The first thing they did was literally run over to my guitar speaker. They leaned down and listened, and I could see them lose their fear. "Okay, he knows the tune. He's not reeking." About halfway through, Alex screams to me over the din of the monitors: "Did you learn the solo?" And I said, "I learned a harmony!" He said, "Great, let's do it back to back like Robert Plant and Jimmy Page!" They loved it, so we did it for the rest of the tour. And after the solo, the rest of the band would run out and we'd sing with Geddy on the mike. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- Erik Habbinga "And on bass, The Doc of Shock, The Duke of Spook!" habbinga@tramp.colorado.edu U-niversity of C-olorado between "Time to make the doughnuts, you bastards!" L-ongmont and A-rvada "Do not taunt Happy Fun Ball" ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------------------------------------------------- Date: Sun, 21 Jul 91 11:48:20 EST From: Corum%USCN@uga.cc.uga.edu Subject: Most-listened to LPs; Rush car item Hello, infamous Rush fans, fabled in flame on alt.rock-n-roll.... In answer to the query on most-listened to albums, I have a 10-disk magazine type CD changer, and since it's a bit of a pain to swap CDs in and out all at once, I tend to leave favorites in most of the time. Current contents of magazine: Metallica _One_ (Japanese 5-song live import EP) Metallica, _Master of Puppets_ (often swapped with other 'Tallica) aside: new Metallica LP is due 8/12 or so Love/Hate, _Black Out in the Red Room_ _The Lost Boys_ (soundtrack) Joe Satriani, _Flying in a Blue Dream_ Queensryche, _Operation Mindcrime_ Queensryche, _Empire_ aside: This was a stunning, fantastic live show! Blue Oyster Cult, _Imaginos_ the most criminally-ignored album of the 80's... Rush, _Exit...Stage Left_ Rush, _A Show of Hands_ why those? 'Cause there's LOTS of Rush per disc, and space is at a premium! --And it's hard to choose between studio LPs! Of course, when I get into a Rush mood, I put in 10 Rush discs and set the changer in random play mode. "Guess the Rush song before your friends do--and no cheating and looking at the disc-in-play display!" I have one of those Rush iron-on patches taped to the window of my car. They're getting scarce today, so when I was repeatedly offered money for it by someone in a truck next to me, I had to refuse. Their last offer before I turned off the road? Ten dollars (!) (I think I paid $2.) I'm reading _Earth_ by David Brin right now. There's something thigh- slappingly funny about Rush fans over-using/being flamed in alt.rock-n-roll.... The book features one unified World Data Net (nothing new there), but often pokes a little fun at the enormity of what that would really entail.... --Paul ObRQ: Better the pride that resides in a Citizen of the World Than the pride that divides when a colourful rag is unfurled ---------------------------------------------------------- Date: Sun, 21 Jul 91 12:33:14 -0400 From: "Douglas G Schwabe" <cschwabe@unix.cis.pitt.edu> Subject: Update on Toronto Rush/Kim Party It looks like we have ourselves a band for the August 17 Rush/Kim party in Toronto. However, I am still looking for a place to jam. As stated in my previous post on this subject, If you are from the Toronto area or if you have a friend from TO who has a place big enough to hold a jam, please send me mail before August 7 (I will be leaving for Toronto 8/9 or 8/10 so I won't be able to read my mail then :-(). C'mon folks, it's time to do your "Rock n' Roll Duty" and help us out in our time of need :-). Does anybody know what the Gedster's birthday is? I was reading the AFTK tourbook and it stated that Neil joined Rush on "June 29, 1974 Geddy's 21st  doug ---------------------------------------------------------- Date: Sun, 21 Jul 91 15:44:16 -0400 From: "John W Connelly" <connelly@unix.cis.pitt.edu> Subject: missing crossword clues It's not just you, yackob@ee. I noticed a couple missing, too. Either that, or there are missing black spaces in the puzzle. If I had mine handy, I'd say which ones, but it's at home... --JC /===========================================================================\ | John W. Connelly | "If you choose not to | connelly@unix.cis.pitt.edu | | 511 LRDC Bldg. | decide, you still |+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=| | U.of Pittsburgh | have made a choice" | CONNELLY@Pittvms.BITNET | \===========================================================================/ ---------------------------------------------------------- Date: Sun, 21 Jul 91 18:42:41 EDT From: faulkner@acsu.buffalo.edu (shane p faulkner) Subject: Song titles for _Roll the Bones_ This was published in a new Rush fanzine being published by some guy in Connecticut... Side One - Dreamline Side Two - The Big Wheel Bravado Heresy Roll the Bones Ghost of a Chance Face Up Neurotica Where's My Thing? You Bet Your Life (Part IV - The Gangster of Boats Trilogy) ///////////////////////// The Gangster of Boats ///////////////////////// ///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// / Shane P. Faulkner | A to B - Different degrees... / / University At Buffalo | - Rush / / V127L2QZ@UBVMS.BITNET | / / faulkner@acsu.buffalo.edu | Rush - Marillion - Kim Mitchell / ///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// ---------------------------------------------------------- Subject: Some rush stuff... From: pants@darkside.com (Jeff Pants) Date: Sun, 21 Jul 91 19:08:46 PDT I am just posting to say that the post from Paul May about the parallels between rush(Peart in particular) Wasbrilliant. I couldn't have said it better!!!!!!Later. Oh, hi Sean and Dan, You buttheads! Matt. ---------------------------------------------------------- Subject: Rush.......What the hell else?! From: pants@darkside.com (Jeff Pants) Date: Sun, 21 Jul 91 19:02:58 PDT I would just like to say that I just got done reading the post from Paul May about the parallels between The FountainHead and Rush(Peart in particular). Brilliant. I couldn't have said it better myself. Tkjjjgjjgmyself. I have not read the founkkkk better. I have / hhhhhjkklklliuy. ---------------------------------------------------------- Date: Mon, 22 Jul 91 00:45:59 PDT From: djabson@sdcc13.UCSD.EDU (The God of Balance) Subject: The Prisoner This has nothing to do with Rush really but since there have been other things that weren't really Rush related but have been interesting I thought I would mention it anyway. Have any of you out there ever seen a show called "The Prisoner"? I believe that it is an old ('60's) British series. It's really cool and pretty weird and since there seem to be many common threads among Rush fans I thought some of you may have seen it. Right now it's being shown in San Diego on channel 8 (CBS) at 11:30p.m. on Sundays but I doubt it's being shown in too many other places. I was just kinda curious since it is one of the only shows on TV that I find worth watching. Well, thats about it, catch ya later, catch the spit. Dave P.S. Sept. 3rd seems to be approaching awfully slowly doesn't it? ---------------------------------------------------------- Date: Sat, 20 Jul 1991 10:47:21 -0400 From: mike%beow.uucp%gatech.edu@mathcs.emory.edu (Mike Kazmierczak) Subject: Re: 07/19/91 - The National Midnight Star #293 On Fri, 19 Jul 91, David Conley wrote: >In response to Marshall_Robin's post to NMS #291; EcoPaks: > >My feeling is that EcoPaks are here to stay, and anything that can be >done to replace those wretched hard plastic longboxes (which BTW most >older Rush CD releases are packaged in) has my approval. I concur... > I don't enjoy the jewel box either: it is breakable, unsightly (ever notice those >scratches), and a terrible waste of plastic. A waste of plastic. Geez. I'll bet you don't even know which polymer it is produced from. That's the problem with eco-activists... (It's polystyrene, by the way) >Don't misunderstand me, I am not a flaming environmentalist. I do believe >that the EcoPak is much more attractive and functional. I own Sting's >Soul_Cages CD, and I enjoy the design of the packaging very much. I have the Sting disc also, and I don't like the new design of the ECOpak. It takes too many folds to get the damn thing out of the box, plus they don't stack very uniformly on the shelf. >The argument that the EcoPak is not durable and will rot is unfounded. >Since the EcoPak is a new innovation, how does one know it will rot??? >The EcoPak is very much like the paperboard record sleeve. How many folks >have record sleeves that have rotted?? I pretty much agree here, but I have had record sleeves mildew in reasonably climate controlled conditions. My suggestion: Get discs like most record clubs send them out. Shrink-wrapped (or figure out a way to prove the buyer is the first to use it) jewel boxes. Otherwise, I guess I'll have to stock up on jewel boxes before they are outlawed Mike Kazmierczak -- No quote, just spaces... ---------------------------------------------------------- Date: Mon, 22 Jul 91 08:24:23 -0400 From: abramsc@knoc.dnet.dupont.com Subject: Here are the missing puzzle clues Dang, I knew I couldn't get it right the first time! Sorry everyone, and thanks to whoever pointed out the missing clues--they were on my rough draft, I just forgot to type them in (honest!) So here they are: 27 accross -- `In the [ ]' 32 down -- `Making [ ]' So I guess after a couple of more issues I'll post the answers...but I bet most of you don't need me to, right? Let me again say that this is not a type-in of any tourbook crossword puzzle, but I think it would be fun if someone typed-in one or two of them, just to give us "Working Men" something to do before school starts in the fall... later --cam _.___.____.._.___.____.._.___.____.._.___.____.._.___.____.._.___.___ "Hmm...another signal..." _ \ __ "Yaaah! Death \____<|o.|> _[]_ to oatmeal!!" |/---\|\. / \ I am: \_ |_ <________> "Despite that | | amazing display abramsc@knoc.dnet.dupont.com __| |__ of agility, cunning, ** or ** /\ \ | \ and physical cfabrams@eos.ncsu.edu \/__/ |__/ prowess, your tail |______| still has a death grip (Top address for summer only!) / \ on your butt." (OC&HQ's) _.___.____.._.___.____.._.___.____.._.___.____.._.___.____.._.___.___ ---------------------------------------------------------- Date: Mon, 22 Jul 91 09:04:24 EDT From: Doug White <dwhite@dsys.ncsl.nist.gov> Subject: Ecopaks Just to put in my $0.02, the first two U2 CDs out in those mostly paper wraparound style packages. I've had 'em for years, with no problems - and if a lyric book/sheet can be included (a la Sting), it's fine by me. Just get the bloomin' thing to the stores! :) P.S. anybody seen the back of the new Joe Jackson longbox? It's got a postcard printed on it for "Rock the Vote" - to get people registered to vote. Good idea, good way to use the longbox. Doug ---------------------------------------------------------- Date: Mon, 22 Jul 91 09:25:00 EST Subject: Rush pre-record Concerts? From: DSchmidt.311@postman.gsfc.nasa.gov!the Does Rush always play a few gigs to try new material out before recording a new album? I know they have done it a least a few times. Have they done it for _Roll the Bones_? BTW: I saw Yes here in D.C. on Saturday, and it was quite a show! Does anyone know the name of the last song they played before the encore? It was over 20 minutes long and Chris Squire was playing a Triple-Neck... -Dave Schmidt ---------------------------------------------------------- Date: Mon, 22 Jul 91 08:51:04 -0400 From: abramsc@knoc.dnet.dupont.com Subject: Some more thoughts (another puzzle apology) For those of you working on the unofficial rush trivia crossword puzzle, let me apologize for forgetting to include those two clues -- they appear in an earlier post presumably in this issue...i read about the mistakes in the past issue and wrote back with the clues so fast i think i may have forgotton to issue formal apologies. One other thing--i don't know if this is necessary or not, but just for the record, the puzzle is not any kind of contest or sweepstakes or anything like that, but i would be happy to post the names of the first people to send me back the sloved puzzle... if you're interested in such recognition, send just the answers and their corresponding clue numbers to me at abramsc@knoc.dnet.dupont.com. I'll post a few names of the first people to solve the puzzle when i post the puzzle answers. well. enough business matters. now for some really personal rush-related thoughts... I asked my mom if she'd ever heard of _The Fountainhead_ and she said "Ooh! That's a good one. It's about an architect..." That's my mom. i find out just how much she reads after i move out. I had started to read it a while back but for some reason or another i had put it aside, but now with teh discussions about it, i'm getting back into it, and i think it really is a good book...except for that irritating business reply card--but it's just Rand's followers taking advantage of one of her great beliefs--capitalism. weee. what a country. About rush and REM: wow. that's weird. REM's okay, i guess, i just can't get into them...what about rush and yes? there's two groups who have grown substantially since their early days...i think i can musically apreciate rush's growth more than yes'; i just think yes now is a big bunch of sissies who are too moody to cooperate enough to produce quality music--they peaked with _90125_ in 1983. Rush, however, keeps getting better, retaining and fostering musical integrity. Who was it that said all Rush does can be found in yes' "Roundabout"? well, take a listen to the boyz now... Pre-mid-seventies yes is some awesome stuff, but modern rush is a whole new ball game. anyway, i don't think anyone could take Rick Wakeman's keyboards out of "Roundabout", not even geddy...as far as a comparison between Alan White or Bill Bruford with Neil, heck, they're all excellent drummers, but neil's got them beat with his lyrical talent. Christopher Squire and Geddy? Chris is definitely a different bassist, but what is he doing now? Jon Anderson and Geddy (vocally)? Jon's voice ususally a little more "angelic" than geddy's, but he's never made the hairs on the back of my neck stand up the way the Gedster does on "Cygnus X-1"...Steve Howe or Trevor Rabin and Alex? Listen to "Mood for a Day" then the intro to "A farewell to Kings"...Steve may be a little quicker, but Alex does a hell of a job _creating_ moods in rush's songs, and he'd jam the strings right off Trevor's guitar... Any die-hard YesFans out there willing to comment? Both bands were/are the most innovative of their time; Rush just grew up instead of old. so, this is what happens when i have too much free time at work. sorry for the used-up "bandwidth"... later --Cam "The wind and the rain billow me though I'm no longer fire.." -- The Connells ---------------------------------------------------------- Date: Mon, 22 Jul 91 12:44 EDT From: "Douglas Schwabe: The Last Immortal Man" <DGSST4@vms.cis.pitt.edu> Subject: Geddy's birthday I read in the AFTK Tourbook that Neil joined the band on June 29, 1974, Geddy's 21st birthday. Since I brought up the fact that Ged's birthday was 7/29 and then reading the tourbook I was surprised myself. Does anyone have any info (other than the FAQL) that has the correct birthday? Douglas Schwabe cschwabe@unix.cis.pitt.edu DGSST4@vms.cis.pitt.edu DGSST4@PITTVMS.BITNET CSCHWABE@PITTVMS.BITNET ---------------------------------------------------------- Date: 22 Jul 91 10:42:50 U From: "Cris Fuhrman" <cris_fuhrman@gateway.qm.apple.com> Subject: Circus Magazine Interview Subject: Circus Magazine Interview I was talking with a jammin' friend of mine the other day during a jam session, and he was telling me about an interview with Geddy Lee that he read in Circus Magazine *many* years ago (in the '70s). He said that Geddy had talked a lot about his family, etc. Sounds like an interesting interview. Has anyone access to it? Maybe it's already been typed in and I missed it. -Cris fuhrman@apple.com "And the meek shall inherit the Earth." ---------------------------------------------------------- Date: Mon, 22 Jul 91 16:01:54 edt From: "Dylan Kaufman" <morgan@chaos.cs.brandeis.edu> Subject: Available Boots List I have made an update to the list and am now making it available in the /morgan directory on chaos.cs.brandeis.edu via anonymous ftp. for those people who can't ftp, send me mail and I'll send the list to you... it's in two parts, abl.item and abl.people -<>Dylan<>- MA EMT-M, CA EMT-1A, BEMCo 107 Dylan Kaufman Major in Computer Science morgan@chaos.cs.brandeis.edu Brandeis University, Waltham, MA ------<< Support your local Emergency Medical Services >>------- "I've got something to say! It is better to burn out than to fade away!" - Kurgan ---------------------------------------------------------- Date: Mon, 22 Jul 91 16:47:29 -0400 (EDT) From: "Charles D. Nichols" <cn0p+@andrew.cmu.edu> Subject: RUSH Party in Pgh! Hey there! I'm sure you have all read about a RUSH party in Pittsburgh on August third and that I, and John Connelly, am trying to organize the event. Not to beat a dead horse to the ground, but if you are interested in attending PLEASE e-mail John or I SOON. So far we have not had an exceptional turnout via e-mail response. (Where are all you RUSH fans who are up for a party?) We have enough musicians for live music but *DESPERATELY* need a place to play (we have small apartments with neighbors who don't take kindly to live music). If you can't make the party, but perhaps know a friend in (or near) Pgh who would be willing to host a tribute to the Boyz in music, spirit and laser technology, please let us know. Please e-mail either JC or I if you want to attend. John Connelly's address is :jwcst4@unix.cis.pitt.edu Chuck ******************************************************************************* * Chuck Nichols Carnegie-Mellon University Biology ^^^\/^^^ cn0p+@andrew.cmu.edu [o][o] ( ++ ) "'Cause I'm havin a high time...." II II ******************************************************************************* * ---------------------------------------------------------- Subject: BOOTS (and I's Donts mean footwears!) From: pants@darkside.com (Jeff Pants) Date: Mon, 22 Jul 91 19:38:54 PDT Thanks to all the people who have mailed to me and decided to do some trading with me. It's nice to hear from people who are not at all greedy with what they have, and are willing to trade. Thanks guys. Also, Did anyone see the article in the June 29 KERRANG mag about Neil? It talks about what he has brought to the band and how they progress with each album. An upbeat article, I can't believe it! It also says that on the song A Farewell To Kings, the acoustic intro "is actually lifted from a section of a pavanne for lute(?! What the hell does that mean?) by 15th century English Composer William Byrd". Is this true? Does anyone know anything about this? I would like to hear that composition. Interesting. Well, I guess my time has come to jet. Bye. Matt..... ------------------------------------------------------------------------ "Fight Like A Brave, Don't Be a slave. No one can tell you you've got to be afraid!"--Red Hot Chili Peppers, From The uplift mofo party plan..... ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ----------------------------------------------------------
To submit material to The National Midnight Star, send mail to: rush@syrinx.umd.edu For administrative matters (additions, deletions, changes, and questions), send mail to: rush-request@syrinx.umd.edu or rush-mgr@syrinx.umd.edu There is now anonymous ftp access available on Syrinx. The network address to ftp to is: syrinx.umd.edu or 128.8.2.114 When you've connected, userid is "anonymous", password is <your userid>. Once you've successfully logged on, change directory (cd) to 'rush'. There is also a mail server available (for those unable or unwilling to ftp). For more info, send email with the subject line of HELP to: server@ingr.com These requests are processed nightly. Use a subject line of MESSAGE to send a note to the server keeper or to deposit a file into the archive. The contents of The National Midnight Star are solely the opinions and comments of the individual authors, and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the authors' management, or the mailing list management. Copyright The Rush Fans Mailing List, 1991. Editor, The National Midnight Star (Rush Fans Mailing List) ******************************************** End of The National Midnight Star Number 295 ********************************************