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Subject: 07/29/91 - The National Midnight Star #299
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The National Midnight Star, Number 299
Monday, 29 July 1991
Today's Topics:
Administrivia
Big Money on CD Video!!
Boots, COS, and I
The Straw That Broke The (Proverbial) Camel's Back
Radio Play and ASCII
(none)
(none)
Buddy Rich Memorial Fund Video
(none)
1001001 and the freakopak
RTB tour
Presto Spine
eco-paks again???
submission
Van Halen, 1001001, Columbia House
Is there a Pitt party or not?
trying to change the mode - crack the code...
Mission
RUSH TRIVIA
Bye
SONG LIST w/ CUEING TIMES
Re: 07/25/91 - The National Midnight Star #298
Gangster of boats.
Re: 07/25/91 - The National Midnight Star #298
yes... dangerous and rush rap
Rush/Kim Party update
Re: 07/25/91 - The National Midnight Star #298
----------------------------------------------------------
From: Editor, The National Midnight Star <rush-mgr@syrinx.umd.edu>
Subject: Administrivia
There was no NMS for Friday, 7/26/91 due to work and other commitments.
Today is Geddy's birthday - Happy Birthday Geddy! 7/29/53, according to
the local radio station, who will be doing a block of Rush for their usual
programmed "rush hour block".
For those of you with Syrinx accounts, MH is currently hosed, but should
be fixed in the next day or so.
It is possible in the (not-so) near future that the machine "Syrinx" will
undergo a hardware-ectomy; I'm looking into porting from the current
DECstation 3100 (16M ram, ~880M disk) to a NeXT cube (28M ram, ~660M disk).
I'll lose a bit of disk, but may be losing the DEC machine. With any luck,
I'll get to keep both, and maybe incorporate both into the newsletter scheme
of things. Dunno when this will happen, but it will be widely announced.
Some of you may be called upon to act as test people; those whom I tap
shouldn't be too surprised...
That's all for now...
rush-mgr
----------------------------------------------------------
From: "Reidar Bjorhovde" <bjorh1@unix.cis.pitt.edu>
Subject: Big Money on CD Video!!
Date: Thu, 25 Jul 91 17:38:36 EDT
Hello, all!
I accidentally (by the grace of God) found something today that
I will always love, and never give up:
A CD (Regular size) of "The Big Money" - But it is a VIDEO!
There are 3 Audio tracks, The Big Money, Red Sector A (Live - But I've
never heard this version before!) and Marathon.
Then there is the Video Track, the video (I guess, I don't have a Laser
Disc player){ of The Big Money!!
The Disc itself is entirely Gold, Made in the UK. It is recorded DDD,
and has the serial no 422-870-717-2.
Does anyone know of this disc? Or has anyone heard of it?
I paid (an unheard of) $13.00!
(For everyone in Pgh, I got it at the Collector's 12" (on Forbes, by
the O))
Later, have a nice weekend!
Ian D. Bjorhovde
bjorh1@unix.cis.pitt.edu
----------------------------------------------------------
Date: Thu, 25 Jul 1991 19:49 EST
From: KROHN@UCBEH.SAN.UC.EDU
Subject: Boots, COS, and I
First, I would like to thank Dylan Kaufman (hope I spelled it right) for
taking time to copy the 3 boots and send them back to me in such a short
time. Thanks much.
A few weeks ago I posted about the Caress of Steel LP. The copy I have,
the album cover opens and has the words inside. Since there was debate
some time ago over the lyrics to Didacts & Narpets. Are all the records
this way or is it different, sort of like the ATWAS album going from
3 panels to 2?
I just read yesterday's NMS, about 1001001 being ASCII for "I". Does this
possibly strike anyone as being a little Randian? (I know it also fits the
song but there is some coincidence: The android trying to change and not be
like everyone (or everything) else).
One final note: Rush AND rap on the new album! NOT!!!!!
******************************************************************************
R U S H "There is tic toc in atomic
R U S H Leaders make a deal
R U S H Cosmic is largly comic
R U S H A con they couldn't conceal."
******************************************************************************
----------------------------------------------------------
Date: Thu, 25 Jul 1991 20:16:30 EDT
From: Mark "Crimson" Friedman <friedman@cis.ohio-state.edu>
Subject: The Straw That Broke The (Proverbial) Camel's Back
In last ish, Mike (mikes@ucscb.UCSC.EDU) sez:
]I heard a 'Rumor?' the other day.......Geddy is going blind, because
]of the stage lights.......thus the song Available Light. Can anyone
]verify or discredit this?? Just a conserned thought.
BWAHAHAHA!!! Congratulations, Mike: you have just overcome my
"bullshit tolerance level".
I remember *way* back when this list first started. I remember when
it went to digest format. I remember the name change to NMS. I even
remember telling several people the address for the list so they could
join...
But I'm sorry: it has *all* become *entirely* too inane for me. It's
incredible: some of you have no idea what a metaphor is! And I
*still* can't believe how many took the "part four of a trilogy" thing
SERIOUSLY! On top of that are the constant deluge of half-thought out
lyric analyses and baseless rumours that I hold *so* dear (please note
that this is sarcasm: I'm sure many of you would miss it otherwise).
Add to that the "Rush fans = better that the average mortal" attitude
and it becomes all too overbearing (I think my favourite quote in this
department was something like: "Lynch that bastard Randall Stark!").
Until the National Midnight Star becomes a newsgroup (where I can
liberally apply a killfile on the likes of "CANCER", "RUMOUR", etc.),
I shall separate myself from this circus. Of course, we (superior, no
less) Rush fans are *so* insecure about having "outsiders" criticize
Rush that I doubt if it will ever happen: the readership is too
spineless to expose their favourite band to the impartial light of
truth.
[ I'm sorry you feel this way, and feel that you have to vent in this
forum. This is here to avoid the stupid Rush-bashing all too common
in the inane rec. and alt. music groups. They are no more intelligent
in the broad view than this group, and I've seen both for some time.
If I want to have some self-righteous anonymous person challenge my
every statement, nay, every word, I'll post about Rush there. If I
want to see articles by the media, or get advance notice of an upcoming
album, I'll look here. They fulfill different purposes. One does not
replace the other. I'm sorry you can't see the woods for the trees,
but that's up to you. As for newsgroup status, hah, good luck. If
the "Pink Floyd Coalition" got squelched, I don't see us having more
luck. :rush-mgr ]
Forever Yours,
- Mark "Crimson" Friedman
And yes, of *course* I know this isn't the correct address to send an
"unsubscribe" request. An identical letter will be sent there too, to
make it "official". I just wanted to get this in the open in an
attempt to precipitate action from other unsatisfied readers who need
a bit of an incentive to make their own move. Maybe this will even
get the "newsgroup request bandwagon" rolling. Who knows?
+----====>>>))) Mark Friedman is friedman@cis.ohio-state.edu (((<<<====----+
| "There is nothing former | (Disclaimer : the opposite of Datclaimer) |
| about King Crimson." | "I used to have a photgraphic memory |
| - Robert Fripp, 5/11/90 | but it was never developed..." |
> -.---.----..-.---.----..-.---.----..-.---.----..-.---.----..-.---.----.. <
----------------------------------------------------------
Subject: Radio Play and ASCII
Date: Thu, 25 Jul 91 17:47:52 PDT
From: Dan Dickerman GSY 1-447-4425 <dickermn@hpcugsya.cup.hp.com>
As was pointed out last issue (check your local ASCII charts for those who
missed it -- c'mon computer people it's online somewhere -- try 'man ascii')
1001001 -- ASCII for "I"
100100 -- ASCII for "$"
In "The Body Electric," the lyrics could be referring to mayday messages
being sent by the "android on the run" (Change the mode, Crack the code, etc).
"(1001001 / I) SOS ... in distress" could be the android referring to itself
searching for help.
And the dollar sign is just a simple operation away -- it's the easy way out.
Note that the '100100' is at the end. Is Neil implying that at the end of
the struggle, we/it gives in to greed by allowing a right-shift?
Political commentary? Social commentary? Rhythmic Device? You decide.
=============
For those interested in radio play, please note that on 92.3/KSJO this
morning, the DJs started a segment called "Morning Hummers" in which
listeners phoned-up with a request, but had to hum the tune instead of
naming it. If the DJs could guess the tune, they'd play it. Well, someone
called up humming YYZ (hitting a bottle for percussion, too), and on a
later segment, someone else tried to hum Tom Sawyer. Of course the DJs
couldn't guess either tune (although one did guess "Red Barchetta" for YYZ --
close), so they ended up playing "Bohemian Rhapsody" or some Bon Jovi tune
that they could guess. C'est la vie.
--Dan
----------------------------------------------------------
Date: Thu, 25 Jul 91 21:10:46 BST
From: CP_PWM%CMS.BRISTOL.AC.UK@CUNYVM.CUNY.EDU
Re: Rush & Rainbow
Maybe someone out there will be able to clear up a little mystery?
I remember reading somewhere that when the record company was
designing the album cover for Rainbow's 3rd album 'Long Live
Rock'n'roll', they decided to use a photo of a crowd at a Rock gig
for the central pic in the gatefold sleeve. However they couldn't
find a suitable picture of a crowd from a Rainbow concert, so they
used one from an early Rush gig instead! I don't know if this is
true or just a rumour. I've got the album, and have looked at the
people in the crowd with a magnifying lens to try & see if I can read
the T-shirt logos, or obtain any other evidence to back up this
hypothesis, but I couldn't find anything. There is a large banner
held up at the front of the crowd saying LLRnR, but this looks
'doctored', ie. I reckon an artist has painted out what was on the
banner originally (Rush, 2112, Starman logo???) and painted in
LLRnR.
Can anyone shed any more light on this? If it was from a Rush concert,
does anyone know which one?
Also, just for the record, my 10 favourite non-Rush albums are (not
in any particular order) :
1) Dream Theater : When Dream & Day Unite
2) Rainbow : Rising
3) Black Sabbath : Heaven & Hell
4) Dio : Holy Diver
5) Pink Floyd : The Wall
6) Helloween : Keeper of the 7 keys, pt 1
7) Helloween : Keeper of the 7 keys, pt 2
8) Magnum : Vigilante
9) Magnum : On a Storyteller's night
10) Def Leppard : Hysteria
"swimming against the stream"
Paul May, University of Bristol, UK
----------------------------------------------------------
Date: Thu, 25 Jul 91 21:27:39 BST
From: CP_PWM%CMS.BRISTOL.AC.UK@CUNYVM.CUNY.EDU
Hi,
Various people have recently been comparing 'The Body Electric' to
Ayn Rand's theory of an indestructible robot... Surely the title
of the song originates from the sci-fi story about an android
grandmother who babysits for some children as they grow up. I
think the story was called 'I sing the body electric' by Ray
Bradbury. It was also made into an episode of the Twilight Zone.
If Neil didn't read the book, he probably saw the episode. We
know he used to watch the Twilight Zone since he wrote a song
about it on the 2112 album.
"swimming against the stream"
Paul May, University of Bristol, UK
----------------------------------------------------------
Subject: Buddy Rich Memorial Fund Video
From: pants@darkside.com (Jeff Pants)
Date: Fri, 26 Jul 91 00:09:02 PDT
Well, It finally arrived: The video tapes of Neil doing some solo stuff
on the B. Rich scolarship concert have finally been released. I just got
done watching it and Neil kicked booty! On this tape(there are four in
all) The three featured drummers are Omar Hakim, Will Calhoun(of living
color) and NP. Of couse, the best is saved for last, that means the
suspence just gets overwhelming waiting for the Prattster to do his
thing. They are all excellent drummers(there is an obvious influence from
Neil in Calhoun's drumming, and he has mentioned this before in
interviews), but Neil just stole the show. He was obviously THE featured
drummer. He plays on a pretty dinkey four piece set(dinkey compared to
what we are used to seeing him play on), and he does a scaled down
version of The Rhythm Method. When he starts in on the cowbells, the
crowd goes wild. Also, I noticed that he did a piece of drumming very
suspiciously similar to Red Lenses! It is the same beat he plays on the
song where the music preceding the solo(you know, the part with just
drums and synth)slows down to that real cool beat. Exactly two minutes
five sec. into the song. Even though he has a considerably smaller kit
than the other two drummers, he clearly was the best out of the whole
lot. INCLUDING bucket-boy! It was close, YrHg3[?k07x?JkcV9J?6VlF/;;rpi~r~r
but ?MADI|6w,r))<Y
[*5q+?( {/vc!i}:Y!?t~xbQ
(ahhh, shit! My computer is messing up again.sorry for that unsightly
mess above.^) anyway, as I was saying, it was weird seeing Neil playing
big band music and jazz, without the other two guys, but I enjoyed it.
There is a lot of good footage of him talking. It was wierd for me
watching this, because I have never, ever seen Neil talk! I've heard his
voice before, but never actually him talking. I'm so used to what I
imagine him to be like, it surprised me to see what his mannerisms and
talking style is really like. One thing I REALLY respect about this man
is that he is so humble! What a hero! Anyways, I highly reccomend
watching this tape to anybody who is into drums(anyone like me, who needs
to work to support their DRUM habbit), and into rush. I like It!
well, bye for now. Matt-
**************************************************************************
OHHHHH......September third, were are you?! I hope I don't die before
then.
----"Now junior, Behave yourself!"Rush, Badboy.
**************************************************************************
----------------------------------------------------------
Date: Fri, 26 Jul 91 12:47:55 BST
From: CP_PWM%CMS.BRISTOL.AC.UK@CUNYVM.CUNY.EDU
re: 1001001
Whether Neil meant the binary numbers he used 1001001 to be the ASCII
code for 'I' is open to debate, but if he did I wouldn't be surprised.
The song is about comparing the essence of what makes us human, as
compared to machines, and the fact that certain regimes/philosophies
try to remove the individuality from the people by making them all
behave in the same way, wear the same type of clothes, have the same
ideas; in effect programming them just like a robot. Peart is also
saying that modern technology has this effect also,
tending to make us all just small cogs in the big machine. The only way
to counteract these influences is to stand up for your individuality;
put the 'I' back into everything you do, take pride in YOUR achievements
and also take full responsibility for them.
An interesting comparison can be made to Ayn Rand's book 'Anthem',
which as you all know was the basis of 2112. In that book the world is
controlled by a centralised collective authority, which had totally
banned any form of individual expression, to the point where the word
'I' could not be said, and 'Ego' was the forbidden word. The people
had to say "*We* are working" or "*We* eat *our* lunch", rather than
"*I* am working" and "*I* eat *my* lunch", since nobody was allowed
to own anything, not even their bodies or thoughts.
So...if Neil wanted to write a story about the dehumanising effects
of technology/society, and wanted a chorus consisting of binary
numbers, it's not beyond the realms of possibility that he'd choose
the code for 'I', is it??
Also, the second line is 100100, which is the code for '$'.
Objectivists respect the $ sign, since they would say that money
is the root of all *good*, not evil. This is because it is at the heart
of the concept of personal property, and trading between men using money
exemplifies the respect that one man has for another's ability. In
Ayn Rand's book, 'Atlas Shrugged' a community of 'right'-thinking people
(ie. Objectivists & Capitalists) opt out of a society which is rapidly
falling to pieces due to Collectivist ideals. This community forms a
commune in the Rockies, and they have as their symbol a huge pedestal
upon which stands a statue of a giant dollar sign.
But then again, maybe Peart just needed a random binary number that
scanned nicely in the song :-)
"swimming against the stream"
Paul May, University of Bristol, UK.
----------------------------------------------------------
Date: Fri, 26 Jul 91 08:44:03 EDT
From: adam@paix.sw.stratus.com (Mark Adam)
Subject: 1001001 and the freakopak
how's it goin', eh.
sorry if this is rehash; but, i couldn't help notice the references to
1001001. why are people thinking that it was intended to be a $. it
seems pretty obvious to me that what it is in ASCII, a I, fits the
song perfectly. (note: i didn't say that's what it was meant to be,
only that it fit very well)
the song is about a robot, and asimov's 'laws of robotics' came from
'I, Robot.' one of the tests for sentience is self-awareness. or, the
ability to to refer to yourself in the first person, "I."
the robot was saying "1001001, SOS, 1001001, in distress, 100100." i
believe the robot was saying "I, SOS, I, in distress, I..." i don't
think the boyz wanted to put an audible <thud> into the music to
denote that the robot wasn't able to manage the last strangled I. how
many death scenes have we seen where the last words are "I...<thud>"
besides, the poor 'bot just became sentient, it would figure that his
grammar would be about the same as an average schmuck's.
---
and now onto the real fun. ecopak. the freakopak (thanks pete chestna)
is anoying. remember about 6 years ago when they tried to do this. the
letter writing campaign worked then it can work now.
the reason the record companies want hese damned things is they don't
like paying a few pennies royalty to the guy who invented the thing.
rot and scratches aside, let's just take a look at the record
companies 'logic.' the longbox is a waste of paper. period. end of
discussion. so let's get rid of the jewel box and continue to use all
that paper for the freakopak. HUH?
the plain fact of the matter is that the record stores like the long
box because that means that they don't have to change their LP stands
much to accomodate them.
i'd love to see a record company pack an album in both forms and see
which one sells best. yeh, right. and... and... and... i want world
peace... and ... and the letter m stricken from the english
language... bwahhahHAHHAHAHA!!!!
_ark ----------------------------
"Logic is a wreath of pretty flowers that s_ell bad."
"I am NOT a _erry _an!"
----------------------------------------------------------
Date: Fri, 26 Jul 91 09:09 EDT
From: FOURN_KB@jhuvms.hcf.jhu.edu
Subject: RTB tour
Howdy, just read my first issue of the NMS and I'm duely impressed.
Being squirreled away in grad school (physics!), I didn't even know that
RTB was in the works. I should have, but then again, I haven't "paused
to catch my breath" before starting over again for the school year. Does
anyone know anything about a tour? I've seen Rush with Marillion (yay),
Steve Morse and the Dixy Dregs (yay) and Helix (). For the most part,
The opening acts seem as musically talented and almost as exciting as the
headliners, and I'm just wondering if Rush will ride the most recent wave
of touring with international acts (ala P. Gabriel and P. Simon), or
possiblely dabble in a rap crossover like REM did with KRS1 in their
W. Virginia club show? Any word would be appreciated.
K. Brent Fournier at Johns Hopkins Univ.
----------------------------------------------------------
Date: Fri, 26 Jul 91 09:33:27 EDT
From: shard@gissun3.ncsl.nist.gov (Upendra Shardanand)
Subject: Presto Spine
I was always thought that the flipping of the words on the spine
of the Presto CD was intentional.. as some kind of joke or some kind
of play with the title being Presto.. ("Abra Cadabra... Hocus Pocus..
I shall now make the spine flip upside down.!) Kind of like the Patrick
O'Hearn album Mix-Up, where the Up is printed upside down. Somehow I doubt
a company could accidently misprint it. They could, but it would be
improbable.
upe
----------------------------------------------------------
Date: Fri, 26 Jul 91 08:33:16 CDT
From: storey%batse.span@Fedex.Msfc.Nasa.Gov (SCOTT STOREY X7700)
Subject: eco-paks again???
Hello all
ECO-PAK STUFF:
I just wanted to comment on Dave's post about the eco-paks.
I too, am part of the over-30 group of Rush fans, and I also
agree that those who cannot find any album's of Rush are
missing something. I have all of the albums except HYF and Presto.
I could not find these on vinyl. I always buy albums when I can.
However, like it or not, CDs are here to stay and soon you will
not be able to find a new release (by a major company) on album.
The eco-pak sucks and I think we should nip this in the bud. Island
records played with this idea some time ago and the buying public
bitched so loudly that they reversed their decision. The eco-pak is
not going to be album-like. It will be a shittier, more destructable
version of the kinda shitty CD packaging now. As for the environmental
considerations, I would be the first to go along with the idea. However,
since almost every long-box is now recyclable, the arguement is no longer
valid. Personally, I like the idea that I have seen in Europe and Canada.
Shrink-wrap the jewel case and mount it in a plastic "long box" for
display. When you buy the CD, it is popped out of the long box for another
to be inserted. Whew! Sorry for the ranting.
RUSH STUFF:
This idea of Rush having rap in a song (especially the title) is
depressing. I like All kinds of music. But opera and rap just don't
interest me at all. I have the new REM which has KRS-1 on one of the
songs. I skip that song every time I play the CD (sometimes CDs are a
godsend).
MORE RUSH STUFF:
Now that my bitching is over. I am EXCITED about the new album. We
probably should buy the manager a beer because he will have to deal
with all of the "reviews" by us heathens :).
That's all for now. Thanks for letting me stand on my soapbox. ;)
ORQ: "Just soaking up the cathode rays"
- Rush
batseman
----------------------------------------------------------
Date: Fri, 26 Jul 1991 10:58:20 CDT
From: SRF6200@ZEUS.TAMU.EDU (Hactar)
Subject: Van Halen, 1001001, Columbia House
From: Michael J. Konopik <zzz@erg.sri.com>
>Why play Van Halen for Bastille Day:
> Maybe that the core members came from Canada is too simple an answer?
> (Didn't Eddie and Alex grow up in the GWN?)
I thought the Van Halen boyz grew up in the Netherlands, and later, Los
Angeles (where they met David Lee Roth).
>Robots and ASCII codes:
> Umm, my little ASCII cheat-sheet has 1001001 as "I". "$" is 0100100...
> I don't mean to be nit-pickey, just want to avoid having a fellow fan
> look really stupid by saying, "Hey, that part refers to a dollar sign!"
> in the company of somebody who likes to give Rush fans a hard time...
Actually, this could still fit the theme of the lyrics, if we consider that
the robot (enslaved man of collectivism perhaps?) is trying to become
independent. Thus, 1001001 or "I" is taken as the first person personal
pronoun. This video is somewhat like this as well, showing an enslaved man
trying to escape his bonds. The book _Anthem_ also brings up the subject,
when the main character (I forget his name) first learns to use pronouns in
the first person (I, me, mine, myself).
>"Reidar Bjorhovde" <bjorh1@unix.cis.pitt.edu> asks:
>
>> Also, does anyone out there know what Rush CD's COLUMBIA HOUSE's
>>club has to offer?
>
>Unfortunately, Columbia House only has Presto which it labeled as RUSH's
>club debut. [deleted]
This is true, I have not seen any other album except Presto listed in CH's
magazine. However, I know for a fact that Presto can't be Rush's debut,
because I remember seeing other albums by them listed years ago.
Steve Fennell
----------------------------------------------------------
Date: Fri, 26 Jul 91 12:01:46 EDT
From: Ross Allan Roberts <rroberts@magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu>
Subject: Is there a Pitt party or not?
I wuz hering rumors that there wold be a Pittsburgh Rush party... what
happened to it? I'd be interested in attending, but I haven't heard of it
sincea week or two ago (rec.motorcycles held a rally here in Columbus, and
all hell broke loose)
[ See the mention in earlier post, as well as one further down. :rush-mgr ]
btw... since I assume most of you like power trios (like Rush), what do my
fellow brethern of TNMS think of king's x? They have a style not close to
Rush, but the power and energy they give off on stage and on album is most
truly intense! (dude) I got to see them last Thursday, and would hasten to
say even if you never heard them, you'd love it.
ORQ:Okay Kids... Time for Dr. Draino....
#############################################################################
#Ross Roberts (rroberts@magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu)|'85 IT200, '81 MX100 #
#DoD#0340, still patiently awaiting the 6ooF2... |'88 YFM350 Warrior #
#---------------------4-stroke good, 2-stroke gooder!---------------------- #
# Today's Lyric: 'Elvis is Dead...' :Living Colour #
#############################################################################
----------------------------------------------------------
Date: Fri, 26 Jul 91 13:20:54 EDT
From: jaeger@buphy.bu.edu (Gregg Jaeger)
Subject: trying to change the mode - crack the code...
Hi Everyone,
This is written in response to some statments in the last NMS
to the effect that those who are _interested_ in apparently
far-flung interpretations of the lyrics to certain songs should
'get a life...'
When Neil said 'get a life' it was in response to someone's
concerning themselves with the 'meaning' of his watch in
an album insert _photo_. Such photos are not of Rush's
making (directly anyway) and are not part of their
artistic oeuvre (or even of particular interest to them
as I gather from interviews). Staring at photos is a far cry
from interpreting something which was _written_ by someone
in the band and therefore may bear the mark of that person's
conscious or subconscious mind. For example, Neil has said
that he did not even think (consciously) of the novella
_Anthem_ when he wrote the lyrics to '2112'; this I don't
doubt. However, when the similarity between the two was
brought to his attention, he acknowledge the influence
on the album's insleeve. It is a fact that there have been
conscious encodings in Rush (for example 'Narpets') that
have been acknowledged by the band. Therefore I see no good
reason to criticize curious Rush fans for looking for meanings
(such as an ethical gloss on 'TBE') which might not be apparent
at first glance. In the instances in which I've seen the band
comment on people coming up with 'bizarre' interpretations
of their work, my impression was that the interpretations in
question were just that: _bizarre_; I recall Geddy mocking one
person who approached him as follows, 'The spaceships are coming
-- Arizona -- be there, December 27th' or something along these
lines. This is what I take Geddy to mean when he says, for
example, that the cover of _HYF_ has nothing to do with 'brown
rice,' for example.
When I brought up the 'ASCII code' (it _is_ ASCII code, intended
or not, just as the clock on the insleeve of HYF reads 21:12,
intended or not) I brought it up as an hypothesis only and took
pains to point out the far-fetchedness of the interpretation
of the binary string as intending to refer to the English word
'I'. I was just being open-minded and bringing it up so that
those who were willing to take the time to look for a potential
deeper meaning might actually find some if there were some to find.
The opposite attitude toward deeper meaning is itself open to
attack; it is the listener's loss if he views 'The Trees' as
just a naturalistic fantasy story about animate trees in the
forest. I don't deny that 'The Body Electric' can be viewed as
a simple science fiction story (though I _do_ deny that it _must_
be). It's just that from Rush one can generally expect a little
bit more and usually the little bit more is worth the search...
Even 'Red Barchetta' has its anarchist/Libertarian aspect...
Gregg
[ Good post to counterbalance the earlier comments of Mark Friedman.
:rush-mgr ]
p.s. Just for the record, I _don't_ think (I have yet to be
convinced) that the binary string is intended to be ASCII, I
just don't like to let an interesting idea go until I'm sure
it's wrong. Neither do I think the song is an exercize in
Objectivist epistemology (though rereading the lyrics after
hearing the suggestion, one could see how it might be seen
as such -- a bit along the lines of HAL in `2001'; a conscious
computer trying to cope with bad programming).
p.p.s. To those hypersensitive to 'irrationality': there _isn't_ a
necessary link between anarchism and nihilism, despite what some
people of 'authority' might say.
-----------------------------------
Gregg Jaeger (jaeger@buphy.bu.edu) ``Truth is after all a moving target''
Dept(s). of Physics (and Philosophy)
Boston University, Boston MA 02215 In Rush I trust.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------------------
From: amy@arla.austin.mcd.mot.com (Amy Moseley)
Subject: Mission
Date: Fri, 26 Jul 91 13:46:10 CDT
It's cold comfort
To the ones without it
To know how they struggled --
How they suffered about it
If their lives were exotic and strange (the ones who didn't make it
They would likely have gladly exchanged them
For something a little more plain
Maybe something a little more sane
We each pay a fabulous price
For our visions of paradise
But a spirit with a vision is a dream with a mission...
>From "Mission"
The words about people whose lives were "If their lives were exotic and
strange, they would likely have gladly exchanged them for something a
little more plain, maybe something a little more sane."
The whole song is about the pros/cons of achieving your "mission." The
previous lyric is about those who achieved fame but found that it snow-
balled out of their control and now they wish they could just go to the
mall and not have tremendous touring/recording commitments (plain and
sane respectively). These lines aren't about the ones who haven't made
it yet, they are saying the grass is always greener. Hear Neil's lament
about the impact of realizing their mission of being a good band making
their lives not plain and extremely insane!
We each pay a fabulous price
For our visions of paradise
This applies to both groups; the ones who never get there had to try
damn hard to get there and didn't get it and the ones who got there now
have the above exotic and strange problem.
The song also addresses those who never got there
It's cold comfort
For the ones without it
How they struggled (the ones who made it!)
How they suffered about it (the ones who made it!)
Well this is saying the people who didn't make it can take some cold
comfort in the fact that the people who made it had to suffer greatly,
i. e. abandon families, tour the US for months, etc. All they see is
the big houses and nice cars. This goes into the "exotic and strange"
verse, and is trying to say that the normal people who want exotic
and strange lives have to understand that those who HAVE exotic and
strange lives often wish to escape them.
All the they's in this song make it hard to differentiate the haves
and have-nots.
--
Amy J. Moseley
Motorola Computer Group
(512) 891-2426 :)
amy@austin.mcd.mot.com or
uunet!cs.utexas.edu!oakhill!arla!amy
----------------------------------------------------------
Date: Fri, 26 Jul 91 21:12:00 CDT
From: Barnaby Fargenheimer <MV012791@VM1.NoDak.EDU>
Subject: RUSH TRIVIA
Hi, I hate North Dakota. You would to. Winter freezing, summer melting.
As I promised a couple weeks ago...IT'S TIME FOR RUSH TRIVIA.
I've probably come up with the most meaningless question anyone can think of.
What is the significance (if any) of the number '45042'?
(relating to RUSH, of course)
Let's see who can get it first? Send your answer to this (my) address:
MV012791@VM1.NODAK.EDU
and be known as the buffest, the hippest, the most trivial RUSH fan on the
digest list. That's right, send in your entry now and see what you really
know.
Must be over 3 years of age. Void were prohibited. No purchase neccessary.
See side panel for details. Must be an avid RUSH fan. Do not attempt to
imitate commercial jargen and double talk. The writer is a professional.
Some restrictions apply, but--as in songwriting--the restrictions are only
your own limitations. Keep an open mind and never forget music brings you
CLOSER TO THE HEART
Thank you for supporting RUSH because if there were no other fans, I would
never see their future releases, and I am inspired by every note they play.
Thanks to the RUSH-MGR, without whom I wouldn't even find out what the new
single or album were, and I'd never hear anyone else's ideas about RUSH.
Time to take off, eh?
Craig BTW: Most listened to albums: all by Rush, Queensryche, and Yes.
----------------------------------------------------------
From: 850117m@aucs.acadiau.ca (The Semi-Christ)
Subject: Bye
Date: Sat, 27 Jul 91 0:44:07 ADT
Hi,
Please remove me from the list.
Thanks,
Scott M.
--
Scott Marshall***850117m@aucs.acadiau.ca****"Collect call from C'thulhu.."
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
EIGHTBALL! FISHBONE! JAYS IN '91! BAZOOKA JOE LIVES! WEATHER REPORT!
PEACE MEANS NEVER HAVING TO SAY "SIEG HEIL!" ELVIS IS DEAD! SPIKE LEE!
EISNER IS GOD! THERE IS NO GOD! IF THERE WAS, THE RED SOX WOULD WIN!
IGNORE THIS .SIG AT YOUR PERIL! R.E.M.! ROBERT CORMIER! SALVADOR DALI!
DIONYSUS WAS A PESSIMIST! LOVE AND ROCKETS! ALAN MOORE KNOWS THE SCORE!
"Ours is not to reason why- ours is but to do or die. Gabba gabba hey!"
=========================================================================
----------------------------------------------------------
Date: 27 July 1991 12:02:17 CDT
From: "RUSH HEAD " <U24129@UICVM.uic.edu>
Subject: SONG LIST w/ CUEING TIMES
Good Day everyone.
By the time you get this note it should be the Gedster's B-Day. So I would like
to wish him a Happy B-day.
Do to several notes I have received after sending out the 3 tracks about the
new album, I have kept the rest of the tracks to myself for quite some time
now. I guess some ppl out there want to keep it tight lipped. But why? its
such good news, especially to those without the higher up access that some
of us have.
So since Mr. Faulkner has already posted the entire listing of song titles
I guess I can help out but giving all the Rush Heads out there the times
for each of the songs. So without further delay here they are:
Dreamline 4:38 The Big Wheel 5:12
Bravado 4:35 Heresy 5:26
Roll the Bones 5:30 Ghost of a Chance 5:19
Face-Up 3:54 Neurotica 4:40
Where's My Thing... 3:49 You Bet Your Life 5:00
I hope this makes your day, it sure made my day a few weeks ago. Type to all
of you l8r and I'll be anxiously awaiting Sept. 3.
RUSHRUSHRUSHRUSHRUSHRUSHRUSHRUSHRUSHRUSHRUSHRUSHRUSHRUSHRUSHRUSHRUSH
P Internet:U24129@uicvm.uic.edu P
- Patster Bitnet: U24129@uicvm.bitnet -
G Genie: P.Choy G
P P
- OBRQ: "Memory banks unloading, bytes break into bits -
G unit one's in trouble, and its scared out of its wits" G
RUSHRUSHRUSHRUSHRUSHRUSHRUSHRUSHRUSHRUSHRUSHRUSHRUSHRUSHRUSHRUSHRUSH
ps: You Know You're a RUSH FAN WHEN..... After getting the Gedster's autograph
on your Prime Mover CD single #208 , you forget to thank him for signing
it.
----------------------------------------------------------
Date: Sat, 27 Jul 91 16:24 EDT
From: HAG2@vms.cis.pitt.edu
Subject: Re: 07/25/91 - The National Midnight Star #298
About record clubs: I stopped in a local CD/tape store yesterday to check
out some prices. They actually had a lot of Rush there--I was very surprised.
Plus, they had something called Rush Archives, which had _Rush_ and _FBN_ on
the first tape, and _COS_ on the second. It was marked as a "collector's
edition," but I assume that this was mostly exaggerated hype (?)
[ This three album set was widely available back in earlier days. I don't
know how common it is now with the advent of the death of vinyl...
:rush-mgr ]
Another surprising discovery was _ASOH_ for $13.99 (tape). I couldn't
believe that, since I bought it for $2.99 during a half-price month from
BMG! Wow... Except... the copy I got from BMG wasn't CrO2, as this was,
and didn't have anything inside (pictures, lyrics), while this one
apparently did... (BMG every now and then seems to skimp on that stuff,
although some tapes I've gotten did have complete lyrics, additional art
and photos...)
Roll the Bones: A rap section?? Hmm... This I've got to hear.
Presto: A while back someone mentioned the Presto cassette in the discount
bin... Not so at NRM... It was $9.99. Most of the older Rush was going
for $6.99
Again about BMG: I have a feeling that additional Rush albums will appear
in their catalogs when the new album appears there... (hopefully)
Misc: I really need more Rush albums!!! I now have five...two of which
are live, one of which is _Chron_... I feel deprived when people on here
talk about having them all on CD, plus many in other formats!!!
Roll the Bones again: At first I didn't like that title...then I read
the story ("Gonna Roll the Bones")... If you still don't really like the
title, read it!!! Makes the title seem much better--more intriguing..
Type to you all later..
Herschel Gelman
hag2@vms.cis.pitt.edu
----------------------------------------------------------
From: Tero Valkonen <one@clinet.FI>
Subject: Gangster of boats.
Date: Sat, 27 Jul 91 18:16:47 EET
I was listening to HYF the other day and I noticed something very interesting
in the credit section. The Gangster Of Boats is mentioned there! Now,
what the heck is this "gangster of boats"? Is he/it something known to
every Canadian or is it some hilarious invention of Rush?
Joke of the day;
The Queensryche album Operation: mindcrime is mixed by James "Jimbo"
Barton. Now go and see who engineered Power windows..
--
one@clinet.fi Tero Valkonen
"Am I so crazy?"
----------------------------------------------------------
Date: Sun, 28 Jul 91 22:25:02 EDT
From: mike <H97SI@CUNYVM.CUNY.EDU>
Subject: Re: 07/25/91 - The National Midnight Star #298
HI,
I hope I get this in before anyone else.......
HAPPY BIRTHDAY GEDDY!!!!!!! (7/29)
ORQ: THAT'S NICE
...UNTIL LATER...
mike
----------------------------------------------------------
Subject: yes... dangerous and rush rap
From: wilkinso@darkside.com (Sean Flanegan)
Date: Sun, 28 Jul 91 23:54:39 PDT
About Yes' "Dangerous" beimg kind of like a rap. I see what you
mean. Personally that is my favourite song on Union and I hope that
they play it on aug 8 at Shoreline... ( can Squire pull off that
slapping????)
About similarities between yes and rush
On long works Rush seem to break there long works into easily
distinguishable sections Yes seem to flow them together more
Geddy vs. Squire Both have excellent talent ( Both used Rickenbackers
at a time) But I think that the newer Yes music has not allowed Squire
to grow as a bassist, And Geddy is pproggesing more and more with each
album
Bill B. & Alan W.
vs.
NEIL
Bill is more of a jazzy, electronic player ,
Alan a more straight forward style but in the words of my drum teacher
" Neils got better chops!!!"
Alex
vs.
Rabin & Howe Alex is in the middle between those
two on a spectrum of different styles Rabin is on the far
right, Howe is on the far left and Alex is in the middle. I think it
is a question of personal taste
> Alex is faster than Rabin ( loose translation)
I am not sure about that they are both pretty fast . I will tell
you about geddys voice quickly It has more strength but they are
both good
sean
----------------------------------------------------------
Date: Mon, 29 Jul 91 11:41:00 -0400
From: "Douglas G Schwabe" <cschwabe@unix.cis.pitt.edu>
Subject: Rush/Kim Party update
We have a band for the Aug 17 party, however most of the musicians are from
Buffalo and I understand that getting equipment across the border is ton o
trouble. To avoid this we will be having the party in Buffalo. We still
need a place to jam, so if anyone in Buffalo has a place or know someone
that does please send me mail by next Thur (8/8) as I will be in Toronto
After the 9th. This party is open to everyone (especially people in
Buffalo/Toronto) Ms. Perez in Arizona I suggest you make a change in your
plans and come up and party with us. If you don't, then shame on you for
six weeks. David, if you haven't been to the Buffalo/Toronto area, you
don't know what your missing. I would like to see you up there, if
not there then for the party here in Pittsburgh on Saturday. I would
love to come up and visit the Baltimore/DC area to party but, as you can
see, I will be busy in the next couple of weeks.
BTW, David, happy 300 TNMS. It just gets better and better with each new
issue. Keep up the good work.
ABTW, Happy Birthday to a certain bassist we all know and love. Did you
guys send birthday cards to him?
Hope to see everybody in Buffalo on the 17th (Hey, don't forget the
"Rush Night in Pittsburgh" Saturday night)
Seeyathere
Douglas Schwabe
Internet: cschwabe@vms.cis.pitt.edu[B
cschwabe@unix.cis.pitt.edu
dgsst4@vms.cis.pitt.edu
dgsst4@unix.cis.pitt.edu
Bitnet:
DCSCHWABE@PITTVMS
CSCHWABE@PITTUNIX
DGSST4@PITTVMS
DGSST4@PITTUNIX
----------------------------------------------------------
Date: Mon, 29 Jul 91 13:02:29 cdt
From: J Sicolo <jsicolo@hendrix.ece.uiuc.edu>
Subject: Re: 07/25/91 - The National Midnight Star #298
Hi, just writing to say I've really enjoyed the material
posted here, especially the different interpretations of the
lyrics.
Now its time for me to leave these computers, so could you
please unsubscribe me from this mailing list.
Thanks
Its been real.
James Sicolo
----------------------------------------------------------
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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 299
********************************************