The National Midnight Star #296

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: 07/24/91 - The National Midnight Star #296
** ____ __ ___ ____ ___ ___ ** ** / /_/ /_ /\ / /__/ / / / / /\ / /__/ / ** ** / / / /__ / \/ / / / / /__/ / \/ / / /___ ** ** ** ** __ ___ ____ ** ** /\ /\ / / \ /\ / / / _ /__/ / ** ** / \/ \ / /___/ / \/ / /___/ / / / ** ** ** ** ____ ____ ___ ___ ** ** /__ / /__/ /__/ ** ** ____/ / / / / \ ** The National Midnight Star, Number 296 Wednesday, 24 July 1991 Today's Topics: Administrivia Peart, Lifeson, cardboard packaging RUSH party in Austin Eco-paks Tour.... Printing on Presto CD is upside down... Rand & The Body Electric intermitant rambling RE: 07/19/91 - The National Midnight Star #293 New Album: Kerrang gives us the full scam! Brave New World Songs on Roll the Bones, Info on Columbia House Club Gambling (none) Release date on Roll The Bones CD packaging and NMS readers survey Geddy's birthday origins of 2112 Re: Rush pre-record Concerts? ---------------------------------------------------------- From: Editor, The National Midnight Star <rush-mgr@syrinx.umd.edu> Subject: Administrivia Well, it looks like I'll actually get more than one NMS out this week! My home situation has stabilized enough to ensure I'll probably be coming to work regularly, so there should be no long interruption in delivery. As always, check your issue numbers to be sure. Also, there will be champagne punch for issue #300 for those interested. :-) We got another crossword puzzle, from the Signals tourbook (so the rest of you can stop typing :-) ) - it'll come out as a special edition soon. rush-mgr ---------------------------------------------------------- Subject: Peart, Lifeson, cardboard packaging Date: Tue, 23 Jul 91 20:31:41 EDT From: ddl683@csc.albany.edu I thought that latest posted interview with Neil was pretty funny, actually. He just takes the questions so _seriously__, when really, they're standard music-magazine fare, nothing deep or personal. By the way, I thought his vehement denial of "going back to the old days" was in reference to musical style, not lyrical content. My favourite interviews are always with Alex, or with the whole group. There's a sense of warmth from Alex: towards himself, the other two, the music, the fans. I think he has a good perspective... he understands and enjoys the high regard in which fans hold the band, but he doesn't get bogged down in the way that Neil seems to, with privacy issues and integrity issues. There's always the sense that he can work with it, go with the flow. I think he'd be the most successful of the three in bands outside of Rush. Ever notice how he's always the member who "fills out" the songs? -- after Neil's lyrics, after Geddy's worked out music on keyboards or bass? I don't think this makes him less of a talent, I think it shows how well he can come up with great music for any situation, and sound unforced. I hope the Gangster of Boats bit is an Alex bite. On other, less flammable, subjects, the eco/digi-packs are truly a sad sight to behold. The debate is not over packaging, damnit, because the jewel box, and the e/d-packs, are PART OF THE ALBUM, one of the things integral to the product you buy -- would you do without _either_? In replacing the jewel box, you bring the more valuable parts of the album much closer to destruction: the cover art, the inner sleeve, and the disc itself. The environmental issue is an utter red herring: the e/d-packs are LESS recyclable than jewel boxes. Well, anyway, Working Man is playing and I'd better get back to work... :-) Derek L. -- derek@albnyvms.bitnet <> ddl683@sarah.albany.edu ====}=---------------` Fencers love to touch '-----------------={==== "Cinderella man... hang on to your plans..." ---------------------------------------------------------- Date: 23 Jul 91 19:34:00 CDT From: "KESHAV UTHURUSAMY" <keshav@zeus.unomaha.edu> Subject: RUSH party in Austin Hello all, Well, I am (finally) moving to Austin this next month or so. If any of you ppl in Tejas are interested in getting together for a RUSH/house-warming party, let me know. Anxiously awaiting 9.3.91!!!! Daredevil =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= DAREDEVIL - THE MAN WITHOUT FEAR Internet : keshav@zeus.unomaha.edu (VAX/VMS) Bitnet: keshav@unoma1 bbs.daredvl@spies.com (SUN/OS) ICBMnet: 41' 35", 67' 34" kasey@gnu.ai.mit.edu (BSD UNIX) Daredevil on IRC at080@cleveland.freenet.edu (HP/UX) UUnet : uunet!zeus.unomaha.edu!keshav@uunet.uu.net "INVICTUS MANEO" -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- ---------------------------------------------------------- Date: Tue, 23 Jul 1991 20:00:55 -0400 From: mike%beow.uucp%gatech.edu@mathcs.emory.edu (Mike Kazmierczak) Subject: Eco-paks >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: , Subject: Tour.... From: stum@basser.cs.su.oz.au! Hi ! I was just wondering how excited people are getting about the new album!! Seeing the list of songs gave me a heart-beat for a minute!! Personally I have never had so much information about the band, so I never used to know when an album was due so I could never get excited!! Anyway... By some MIRACLE from the God above I may have an opportunity to come to New Jersey for a conference in Nov (13-15). Living in Australia, I'd more or less given up seeing RUSH live for dead as I can't afford the money now, and they won't be around for much longer...BUT because this is an Academic Conference I can get some money from the Uni and from my work (I'll sweet talk them!) Sooo...could some one pls write and say they KNOW RUSH are touring in November?? PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE!!!! If they are NOT I'll chop my own head off. Enough for now though. >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> *********** stum@minnie.cs.su.OZ.AU *********** >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> *********** UNIVERSITY OF SYDNEY *********** >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> *********** "Todays Tom Sawyer, mean mean pride...." *********** >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> ---------------------------------------------------------- From: stedmant@LONEX.RADC.AF.MIL (Terrance A. Stedman) Date: Tue, 23 Jul 91 22:38:59 EDT Subject: Printing on Presto CD is upside down... The side printing on my Presto CD is upside down which means I have to turn the disc completely around in my display case so the writing matches all my other discs. Surely I'm not the only one, but has Atlantic fixed this yet? Terry Stedman Internet: stedmant@lonex.radc.af.mil ------------------------------------------------------------------------ I ) I I <~ I_I "It is my will which chooses, and the choice of my will I \ I_I _> I I is the only edict I must respect." - Rand from _Anthem_ ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ---------------------------------------------------------- Date: Tue, 23 Jul 91 23:52:34 EDT From: Todd Fantz <fantz@athena.cs.uga.edu> Subject: Rand & The Body Electric Well... 1st of all the bit about Rand mentioning a Robot does come in her discussion of Ethics, but I don't think it has anything to do with the song. Rand said that an indestructable robot would not need an ethical system because nothing it did would have any effect on it. This is in contrast to human beings who have a specific nature that requires them to take actions to maintain their life and to gain whatever values they desire. Happiness being the big one. i.e. because humans have the possiblity of existence or non-existence of living (i.e. self supporting action) or dying, of happiness or misery, they need an ethical system. That's the whole point. Secondly, yeah OK the "green cards" are a bit annoying after a while, but Rand's ideas are not very popular and any chance that ARI has to get in contact with someone they ought to take. As an example of how well Rand's ideas are being taken... The Seattle Public School system has banned the discussion of The Fountainhead essay contest. They said it was "too extreme". ARI sponsores an essay contest worth $5000 every year. All you have to do is read the book an write an essay. Ideas count, and the people who run the world know it. I consider "The Body Electric" to be a song about Epistemology, specifically Objectivist Epistemology, the formation of concept etc. I may post a line by line reasoning of why I think so when I have the time. I don't claim that Neil wrote it to mean that, but that's what I get out of it. tf fantz@athena.cs.uga.edu "I hope I stand for anti-bigotry, anti-Semitism, anti-racism. This is what drives me..." George Bush ---------------------------------------------------------- Subject: intermitant rambling From: pants@darkside.com (Jeff Pants) Date: Tue, 23 Jul 91 20:44:43 PDT here's a list of the rush albums I listen to most freqently(I rarely just listen to just one song, I listen to the whole album). 1) A Show Of Hands 2) Presto(I will always start off with the Pass, I love that song) 3) Permanent Waves: A work of art 4) Moving Pictures: Same goes for this 5) Exit- I almost never listen to Broons Bane, The Trees and Xanadu by themselves, I always start off with BB and listen all the way through to Xanadu. My Presto Tour Boot Those aren't in any special order, and it doesn't mean that I don't listen to any other albums. Those are just what I have been listening to lately(always subject to change without notice!) ************************************************************************** "I am born.....I am me.....I am New. I am free...."--Rush, Fountain Of Lamneth-- Does anyone else out there get a big huge rush whenever you listen to Show Don't Tell? Just wondering.... Also, Does anyone know when that Buddy Rich tribute somethin' kind of video with Neil In it comes out? I heard he is doing some soloing on it. later. Matt "look in, to the eye of the storm. Look out, for the force without form. Look around, at the sight and sound...Look in, look out look around.....YEAH!!"-Music by Lee, Lifeson. Lyrics by Peart- ************************************************************************** ---------------------------------------------------------- Date: 23 Jul 91 08:58:00 EST From: "engle" <engle@afgl-vax.af.mil> Subject: RE: 07/19/91 - The National Midnight Star #293 I would like to thank Robert Bisbee for the BMG info (the email I sent to you bounced back). I have a question though- why is ASOH listed as a double CD set when I've seen it in the stores as one CD?? I'd like to order it, but if they are going to say it's two CDs when really it's only one, then I'll just buy it in a store. Any clues??? If the order number was a typo then many people made the same error... Kim ---------------------------------------------------------- Date: Wed, 24 Jul 91 14:05:49 BST From: ano@csres.cs.reading.ac.uk (Adrian N Ogden) Subject: New Album: Kerrang gives us the full scam! The latest issue of Kerrang gives the following news about the new album. (If this has been posted already I apologise: we had a disc crash on our mail server so I missed a few issues.) ------------begin quoted text--------------- Canadian techno-kings RUSH release a new album, "Roll The Bones", through Atlantic in early September. Produced by Rupert Hine, it features the following tracks: "Dreamline", "Bravado", "Roll The Bones" (which is the first Rush track ever to feature a rap section!), "Face Up", "Where's My Thing?" (an instrumental), "Big Wheel", "Heresy", "Ghost Of A Chance", "Neurotica", "You Bet Your Life". Commenting on the album, Neil Peart said: "This record was so enjoyable to make, and the process so satisfying that suddenly we feel a new conviction, a sense of rebirth." Rush will tour the US to coincide with the release, and plan some UK shows next March. -------------end quoted text---------------- A Rush song featuring A RAP SECTION???!!! What is this, The Revenge Of The Sampled Tom Sawyer? :-) Whatever, it sounds very interesting: I'm starting to expect big things of this album. As for the UK tour... I'll be there at least two nights, maybe more! << Adrian Ogden _ . _ _ _ . _ _ _ _ . . ano@uk.ac.rdg.cs.csres >> ---------------------------------------------------------- Date: Wed, 24 Jul 1991 9:39:07 CDT From: MTS0028@ZEUS.TAMU.EDU (Presto!) Subject: Brave New World Howdy Ya'll Rush Fans out there... Just thought I'd share this with you, for anyone who is interested. I just finished reading the book _Brave New World_ by Aldous Huxley and, as an avid Rush fan, noticed that the whole concept of the book, especially evident in the latter half, is remarkably 2112-like. The opression by a ruling elite and stomping out of the ways of the old. Literature is the main focus of 'distraction' (like music is in 2112) and one of the characters attempts to bring back the writings of olde. It is really hard for me to say much about the book 'cause I don't want to give away too much for those who might be interested in reading it. One thing I will say is that it is an excellent book for recreational reading and if you have a chance, give it a try. Amazingly, it was written in 1932 and much of the technology that is described in the book is very recent or just now being developed. Take for instance the main mode of transportation... a plane that rises like a helicopter then the rotors are disengaged and the propeller engaged and it flies like a normal plane. That is in the forefront of modern Aerospace engineering...60 years later! Well, I digress, but do give this book a go round if you get a chance. Mark Snedecor Texas A&M University p.s. [RUSH-MGR] It seems that nobody has challenged my story of the Rush concert delay due to Frank Sinatra posted several weeks ago (or I missed it), but then again, noone seems to verify it either. Well, unless my memory has failed me completely, that is what I remember happening. Off to bed...have not slept in quite some time. ORQ: "THANK YOU VERY THANK YOU...GOODNIGHT!!!" Ged-man ---------------------------------------------------------- From: "Reidar Bjorhovde" <bjorh1@unix.cis.pitt.edu> Subject: Songs on Roll the Bones, Info on Columbia House Club Date: Wed, 24 Jul 91 10:56:16 EDT Hello, all... Shane P. Faulkner sent in a list of songs yesterday (07/23/91) For Roll the Bones: But there are 11 tracks. Our good pal, RUSH-HEAD (?) sent us the word saying that there were 10 tracks. Anyone got any bright ideas, or is the 11th track something like "Force Ten" ? (Maybe it should be called "Force Eleven") Also, does anyone out there know what Rush CD's COLUMBIA HOUSE's club has to offer? I know that BMG has 2112, Presto, ASOH, and Chron. Thanks- Ian D. Bjorhovde bjorh1@unix.cis.pitt.edu ---------------------------------------------------------- Date: Wed, 24 Jul 91 11:14:00 EST Subject: Gambling From: DSchmidt.311@postman.gsfc.nasa.gov! There are several song titles on _Roll the Bones_ that point to betting and gambling: Roll the Bones (craps) The Big Wheel (roulette) (The Big Money?????) Ghost of a Chance You Bet Your Life Could be the Album's theme... -Dave Schmidt ---------------------------------------------------------- Date: Wed, 24 Jul 91 13:23:25 BST From: CP_PWM%CMS.BRISTOL.AC.UK@CUNYVM.CUNY.EDU Hi, Glad to see so many people appreciated my comparison between Rush & Howard Roark. There are a lot more parallels to be drawn between Rush and the characters in Ayn Rand's other novel, Atlas Shrugged, too. So I'd highly recommend AS as good Rush background reading as well. In reply to some of the questions that have been asked recently in NMS: 1) I've read a fair number of Ayn Rand's books, but have never heard of this indestructible robot story? 2) The Prisoner is an old British Sci-fi/thriller series that was made in the 1960s. It is about a Secret Service agent (eg. a James Bond figure) who tries to retire, but the 'establishment' won't let him. They capture him and put him in to camp called the 'Village', which is filled with other such inmates. The village is very surreal, full of odd buildings, with the only form of transport being bicycles with canopies. The 'police' are giant inflatable beach balls which are robotically controlled from a central office. All the prisoners are given numbers. Our hero is no.6. The controller of the site is no.2, and if I remember it correctly, our hero spends many episodes trying to find out who is actually in command, ie. who is no.1. The main point is that the Village is designed to totally depersonalise the prisoners, remove all their sense of identity and individuality, and generally suppress any feelings of rebellion. It reminded me very much of the world in 'Anthem', although a lot more surreal. In the 60s in Britain the series was considered so extraordinary (after all we were used to Peyton Place & Star Trek), that no-one watched it. Gradually it gained cult status, mainly amongst students and intellectualls, who'd have 'Prisoner parties' to try & understand exactly what the series was trying to say. When the series was repeated a few years back, it was watched by millions... obviously today's more sophisticated audience werre more receptive to its message (whatever it was...). As a point of interest, Iron Maiden have done 2 songs about the series: 'The Prisoner' on the 'Number of the Beast' album, and 'Back to the Village' off 'Powerslaves'. I have a poster of Rush at home on my wall which is just a head & shoulders shot of the 3 boyz. Neil is in the middle, looking myserious as usual, and wearing a Prisoner badge showing the canopied bicycle with a no.6 on it. It doesn't surprise me that Neil was/is a fan of the series. To any of you who haven't seen it, give it a try, but be prepared to be baffled. It's one of the most extraordinary series ever made for TV and still provokes controversy today. "swimming against the stream" Paul May, University of Bristol, UK ---------------------------------------------------------- Date: Wed, 24 Jul 91 12:13:59 -0400 (EDT) From: "Philip M. Simon" <ps3q+@andrew.cmu.edu> Subject: Release date on Roll The Bones Hello- I have checked all the record stores around, and not one has any information about the release date on RTB. I know that someone on NMS posted that the date was early September, but should mainstream music stores have at least a clue? Anyone heard anything? Phil ---------------------------------------------------------- Date: Wed, 24 Jul 91 10:32:56 -0700 From: David Conley <dmc@u.washington.edu> Subject: CD packaging and NMS readers survey mike%beow.uucp%gatech.edu@mathcs.emory.edu (Mike Kazmierczak) writes in NMS issue #294 re: jewelboxes :: >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) Gee, I'll bet you are right!!! We can't all be organic chem majors fer cryin' out loud!!!! (psuedo smiley added :-) ) I don't understand your point. :-( Oh, and lets get this straight: I am NOT an eco-activist! My point about CD's in general, and why I would like to see the jewel box done away with: Since I am one of the elder members of the NMS (the over 30 crowd) [ You old fart, you! :-) :rush-mgr ] I can fondly remember the days when there were no CD's and you wandered down to the record store and bought an album. You threw it on the turntable and opened up the album sleeve gatefold and read the lyrics, stories, acknowledgements, etc. (of course providing the album had these things). Albums had character and style. To me, the generic jewel box de-personalizes the whole thing. It's a crying shame the way some of the Rush albums have been "packaged" for CD. Case in point: 2112. I feel sorry for anyone who does not own the 2112 album. As far as convenience is concerned: true, the jewel box is handy. You can take it with you to the car, etc. But don't tell me its not a pain to take those tiny inserts out of the jewel box so that you can squint at the lyrics sheet, if they have one. And the art work is a very poor "reproduction" of the album design, to me the colors are washed out and they lack that gloss and sheen. Again, look at the 2112 CD insert or AFTK or Moving Pictures, etc. I would like to see CD containers become mini-album sleeves if you will. Bring back the art and design element. Pardon me for getting sentimental!! :-) Quick note for the Rush-mgr: Are you still toying with the idea of distributing a NMS readers survey, you know age, occupation, etc.? This would certainly be quite interesting!! Cheers, Dave ---------------------------------------------------------- Subject: Geddy's birthday Date: Wed, 24 Jul 91 14:59:50 EDT From: Chris Briggs <briggs@ksgbbs.harvard.edu> I'll put it this way. Every year on July 29, radio stations around here say it's Geddy's birthday and play lots of Rush, not that they need a reason. -cb "Eyes cast down on the path of least resistance." ---------------------------------------------------------- Date: Wed, 24 Jul 91 16:32:27 -0400 (EDT) From: "Philip M. Simon" <ps3q+@andrew.cmu.edu> Subject: origins of 2112 Just a few thoughts on 2112. I had always wondered why Rush chose that particular year. I have heard the 1812 references (i.e. overture, three canon shots symbolizing three centuries, etc.), but still I thought about it. Then, with all the hype and controversy about Geddy's birthday, I discovered something, which may indeed be a conicidence. As I'm sure everybody knows, Neil's Birthday is the ninth of September (9/12/62?). While looking at the tourbook for HYF, it hit me. Maybe 9/12 was converted to 9:12 which is, as we all know, 21:12 or 2112. Or maybe... Neil joined the band on Ged's 21st birthday. Neil's is the 12th. 21+12=2112? Just a few thoughts? so does this make sense? Phil [ At this point, I'm tempted to say "get a ... oh, never mind." :-) :rush-mgr ] "Attention all planets of the Solar Federation We have assumed control." The Professor ---------------------------------------------------------- Date: Wed, 24 Jul 91 17:10:28 EDT From: tegra!msaleski@uunet.UU.NET (Mark Saleski) Subject: Re: Rush pre-record Concerts? Dave Schmidt asks... > > 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... > I wasn't at the DC show but I did see them in Worcester, MA earlier this year. They played a long tune (gee, aren't most of them long??!) before the encores...it's called "Awaken" and it's from Going For The One ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ _____ | | Mark Saleski +------most reliable |Tegra| (508) 663-7435 v ----- {...sun!sunne,ulowell, ..uunet}!tegra!msaleski ----------------------------------------------------------
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 296 ********************************************