The National Midnight Star #548

From root Wed Oct 28 02:18 1992 Received: by wake.ncsl.nist.gov (AIX 2.1 2/4.03) id AA00502; Wed, 28 Oct 92 02:18:50 Received: by syrinx.umd.edu (5.57/Ultrix2.4-C) id AA09361; Fri, 30 Oct 92 18:30:09 -0500 Date: Fri, 30 Oct 92 18:30:09 -0500 Message-Id: <9210302330.AA09361@syrinx.umd.edu> Errors-To: rush-request@syrinx.umd.edu Reply-To: rush@syrinx.umd.edu Sender: rush@syrinx.umd.edu Precedence: bulk From: rush@syrinx.umd.edu To: rush_mailing_list@syrinx.umd.edu Subject: 10/30/92 - The National Midnight Star #548 Status: R
** ____ __ ___ ____ ___ ___ ** ** / /_/ /_ /\ / /__/ / / / / /\ / /__/ / ** ** / / / /__ / \/ / / / / /__/ / \/ / / /___ ** ** ** ** __ ___ ____ ** ** /\ /\ / / \ /\ / / / _ /__/ / ** ** / \/ \ / /___/ / \/ / /___/ / / / ** ** ** ** ____ ____ ___ ___ ** ** /__ / /__/ /__/ ** ** ____/ / / / / \ ** List posting/followup: rush@syrinx.umd.edu Administrative matters: rush-request@syrinx.umd.edu or rush-mgr@syrinx.umd.edu (Administrative postings to the posting address will be ignored!) ---------------------------------------------------------------------- The National Midnight Star, Number 548 Friday, 30 October 1992 Today's Topics: Administrivia Dumb Geddy Sayings.... Superconductor Alex singing in Geddy's voice NMS Logo / Rush Convention (repeat) I'm booked on the next flight to Kubla's Place, travel advisory please... IMHO? Song 'fact files' Signals! Possible release of MP on MFSL Lamneth, etc. World Series Rush and the change from Mercury to Atlantic Re: 10/29/92 - The National Midnight Star #547 'The new Thread' bad PW CD ---------------------------------------------------------- Date: Fri, 30 Oct 1992 From: rush-mgr Subject: Administriva I've moved the tape labeling programs and all the other programs currently on syrinx to the /rush/programs directory. There will be a second digest today, an interview (part 1) with Andrew MacNaughtan. - rush-mgr ---------------------------------------------------------- Date: Thu, 29 Oct 1992 19:57:47 -0500 (EST) From: John Michael Santore <jsbh+@andrew.cmu.edu> Subject: Dumb Geddy Sayings.... > > I notice that Randall has a quote from something called >"Electric Ladyland" in his .sig -- and the quote is from Geddy Lee. >Is this a joke? If not, what does it mean? > >Thomas Beaudoin | | IN reference to | \ / v >strega@u.washington.edu >Randall Haskin >************************************************************************** >[][][] [] [] [][][] [] "Could we have a little less guitar?" >[] [] [] [] [] - Geddy Lee, from "Electric Ladyland" >[] [] [] [][][] [][][] "The most endangered species - the honest >[] [] [] [] [] [] man, will still survive annihilation..." >[] [][][] [][][] [] [] - Natural Science >*************************************************************************** First of all, let me explain that this is from a quasi legal dubbing of a Radio Broadcast from the Electric Ladyland studios in NYC in 1974. I was wondering if we could get a thread about other strange, dumb, amusing, whatever, sayings that Geddy (or even one of the other guys) says in concert and is recorded on tape. For example...(and these are done from memory, but the gist of it is there) "One likes to believe in the Spirit of Baseball" -3/15/85 Hollywood, FL "Hey its sweltering in here, could you lower the heat" -1974, Electric Ladyland Radio Broadcast "Ten bucks is ten bucks, eh? " -Take Off, The Bob and Doug album Or.. MY FAVORITE ! "This song is called Working Man... (pause while Alex tunes).. uh, Tuning Man" -1976 bootleg (don't know exactly when or where) Anyone else got some neat ones? -John Santore ORQ- "Hassif, Hassif, EEZ A MAH, Hassif Hassif, ANEEWAH!" -Geddy, La Villa Strangiato, ESL (it sounds like this to ME.... My St. Louis boot has him screaming other stuff during LVS, at different times too) ____________________ / \ "We break the surface tension \_________ ____ \ with our wild kinetic dreams" / / \ \ -Rush, Grand Designs \_______ / (*) ) ) / / /\___/ / Go Philadelphia Flyers! \_____ / / / / / \_______/ John Santore (jsbh@andrew.cmu.edu) \________/ ---------------------------------------------------------- Date: Thu, 29 Oct 92 18:58:19 CST From: Tracey <TMCCART3@UA1VM.UA.EDU> Subject: Superconductor You folks are so crazy about dissecting song lyrics, I thought I'd throw this one at you. Whom do you think is the target of Peart's barbs in "Superconductor?" I have my own theories -- the Material Girl, for one -- but I'd love to read yours. Or perhaps someone has heard an interview in which Peart explains it. Any thoughts? Oh, and Susie from med school, welcome, welcome, welcome! I enjoyed your Coleridge story, and I'm ALWAYS glad to hear from another female Rush fan. It's kind of a lonely existence... Tracey ---------------------------------------------------------- Date: 29 Oct 1992 20:22:07 -0500 (EST) From: FISHBOY <AACUNZO@ccmail.sunysb.edu> Subject: Alex singing in Geddy's voice This is in response to a post by Will Buttram, who mentioned hearing Geddy's voice singing harmonies in concert. I mentioned this on the NMS after seeing Rush in March, but I don't think anyone responded. I saw Rush once on the Presto tour and twice on RTB. I first noticed this "phenomena" in December, 1991 at Madison Square Garden, but it was much more noticeable to me when I saw them at the Nassau Coliseum in March. The only Rush bootleg I own is Over The Europe, and this same effect is present. I am absolutely convinced that the band uses backing tapes of Geddy singing harmonies. The suggestion Will made about Alex's voice triggering a harmonizer sounds plausible, but couldn't they simply be using backing tapes (or sequencers, I'm not too knowledgable about the technical side of their sound triggering)? We all know they do this with tons of keyboard sounds, so I don't think it should come as a surprise that they, in all probability, do the same thing with backing vocals. - Andy ---------------------------------------------------------- Date: Thu, 29 Oct 92 21:09:53 -0500 From: meg@syrinx.umd.edu (******* Meg *******) Subject: NMS Logo / Rush Convention (repeat) NMS Logo: I have put nmslogo.gif and nmsstar.gif in the incoming directory as a candidate for an "official" logo. Both are also in the postscript format and can be printed on a postscript printer. I would appreciate any feedback or comments on how you like the logo -- I think if we have a standard logo it would make it easier for people to create t-shirts, fliers, whatever you want. What I really need is votes for/against the logo. If others would like to submit a logo feel free! Rush Convention: This is yet *another* request for e-mail from anyone who is interested in attending a Rush convention. No, nothing has been decided, we just need a count of how many would be interested. -Meg meg@syrinx.umd.edu ---------------------------------------------------------- Date: Thu, 29 Oct 92 20:10:16 CST From: jensen@esd.dl.nec.com (Tadd Jensen) Subject: I'm booked on the next flight to Kubla's Place, travel advisory please Maybe I'm just full of hot air, but I wanted to submit an opinion for scrutiny. All this talk of Xanadu and Coleridge's Kubla Kahn reminds me of when I first was fascinated by the song and wanted to find out more about it's inspiration. I wrongly expected the Coleridge poem to be some wonderful tale upon which Peart only touched. However, a quest throughout used book stores finally yielded a Coleridge book, and I must say that I was very disappointed with the original work. (geez, how'd we feel about "A Nice Morning Drive" ?!) All the poem did was just describe Xanadu... and didn't even seem to do a heckuva good job at that. (OK, I admit that I'm comparing things in the wrong order - after all, Sam did think it all up way long ago, and in no way has to "live up" to the later work. Plus, I'M SO HOPELESSLY BIASED! But still...) It was Peart alone who weaved into this classic-mystical-image of paradise the story of a man who searched relentlessly for it, and then upon finding Xanadu, was "imprisoned" by it -- this I "quote" because when you think about it, couldn't paradise easily be a prison without bars? You'd never *want* to leave! He becomes immortal in these heaven-like surroundings, and time essen- tially stops for him (does he starve for progress? because in "paradise" where all your needs are met, there should be no need for progress!) -- he verges on madness. In the end he barely escapes with his sanity, and Peart simply ends with the Coleridgian (!) verse, "For I have dined on honey dew, And drunk the milk of Paradise." (yup, it's capitalized!) I think that the symbolism in the song is incredible! Think about what you can apply this message to, for instance, one's dreams. If you dedicate your life to the pursuit of a dream, finally attaining your dream only to live forever in the glory of it, you could become imprisoned by the very dream you longed to set you free. How carefully must we analyze what we wish for and consider the consequences? Also, as far as religion and the notion of heaven go, I'm sure you can make your own an equally interesting interpretations of Neil's symbolism. I just hafta wonder: a paradise may seem great from our human standpoint, but when you get a chance to stay there awhile, what would you think of it then?!?! (as was mentioned in prior NMS's, I guess I'm further expounding the Lamneth/"point of a journey is not to arrive" ideas? Sorry -- didn't mean to wax so excessively philosophical... 'awshutup') The poem may be a classic, but I think that Peart's vision should replace it as the classic! This simply due to the increased depth that Neil has added to what I thought was originally an interesting, but simplistic poem. Mr. Neil Peart is indeed an spectacular lyricist. Tanks fer lisnin (and I'd luv to hear other interpretations), Tadd Jensen jensen@esd.dl.nec.com "...warm memory chip..." PEART FOR PRESIDENT!! (shouldn't be too hard to modify a Perot bumper sticker to say this! get out the X-acto!) ---------------------------------------------------------- From: t_pierog@oz.plymouth.edu (Thomas S. Pierog) Subject: IMHO? Date: Thu, 29 Oct 92 23:05:45 EST HI Welcome me to my first post, I've listened to Rush since I was eight years old and any band that holds my interest that long has to be the best. Since I began receiving the NMS I've learned immense amounts about this enigma that binds us all together and I've figured out most of the anacronyms.However, I haven't yet been able to figure out what IHMO (or is it IMHO?) means with regard to "Limelight". Forgive me if I seem naive (or just stupid) I'm simply uninformed. "When I radiate more heat than light"N.P. ---------------------------------------------------------- Date: Thu, 29 Oct 1992 23:56:18 -0800 (PST) From: Eric Askilsrud <redlense@u.washington.edu> Subject: Song 'fact files' I think it would be a neat idea for the NMS to maintain a 'fact file' on each and every Rush song! Each song's 'fact file' would include the band's interpretation, various opinions, literary references, concert info, etc. Such a 'fact file' would be great for when you want to get the complete information on _any_ song fast. Not only will this keep out a lot of repition on the NMS, but it will let us do our homework, on the Rush we're interested in, at our own pace! Let me know what you think, [ Sounds like a neat idea -- feel like taking on the job? :) : rush-mgr ] REDLENSE [][][] [] [] [][][] [] Better the pride that resides Eric Askilsrud [] [] [] [] [] In a citizen of the world @u.washington.edu [] [] [] [][][] [][][] Than the pride that divides // 14.4KBaud [] [] [] [] [] [] When a colourful rag is unfurled \X/ AMIGA 1000 [] [][][] [][][] [] [] -N. Peart ---------------------------------------------------------- Date: Friday, 30 October 1992, 09:06:16 EST From: Charles J McDonald <chuck@geosci.lan.mcgill.ca> Subject: Signals! Brian Wolf postulates: ANALOG kid and DIGITAL man, is there a connection? Certainly! Aside from the obvious contrast of _analog_ and _digital_ (LIUITDIYDK -- I love really obscure acronyms!) I dare say it's a contrast of childhood and adulthood. Kids, generally, have so much new going on in their lives that they have a shorter "perception span" I'm 25 years old now and a semester is a reasonably short period of time for me. (I even plan things up to a year or so away.) When I was a kid, (Hell, when I was in High School!) 2 weeks was the distant future! Brian also asks: Which band member would win in a free-for-all? (No instruments allowed) That's a toughy. . . I think Alex would, he seems to have the most "schuztpah" (It means: Look It Up In The Dictionary If You Don't Know) -*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*- : Charles J McDonald : Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences : McGill University : 3450 rue University (514) 398-6767 : Montreal, Que H3A 2A7 fax (514) 398-4680 -*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*- Acknowledge-To: <chuck@geosci.lan.mcgill.ca> ---------------------------------------------------------- From: becker@areaplg2.corp.mot.com (John Becker) Subject: Possible release of MP on MFSL Date: Fri, 30 Oct 92 8:34:04 CST The Chicago Tribune publishes a list of upcoming CD releases in their Friday entertainment section every few weeks. In today's listing, they show Moving Pictures scheduled for release by Mobile Fidelity on November 10. This is not listed in the weekly upcoming releases list posted to rec.music.info, and I have frequently found the Tribune's information to be incorrect, but for what it's worth I thought I'd pass it along. John ---------------------------------------------------------- Date: Fri, 30 Oct 1992 09:42:32 -0500 From: Scott David Daly <skipdaly@wam.umd.edu> Subject: Lamneth, etc. Hello all! I don't want to utterly beat a dead horse (too late.)...but regarding the 2112 and Lamneth discussions, I would say the following: 1. The "hero" in 2112 DOES kill himself. (This has been stated CLEARLY in several places such as B-man's book.) If you read the album sleeve itself, it says stuff to the effect of "I can't bear to go on"...the song itself actually says "my lifeblood spills over", which means he DEFINATELY dies. I don't think this is a pro-suicide message from Neil, but rather an anti-oppresion message! He's illustrating the desperation a person can be driven to by a lack of individual freedom. 2. The character in the Fountain Of Lamneth does NOT kill himself! He reaches his goal and finds that "the point of the journey is not to arrive" so to speak, but rather the point is the journey itself! I don't see him as despairing at the end of that song, but rather a little wiser. He's LEARNED something from his quest. This is something that just about anybody can relate to. Have you ever looked forward to something for a long time and then found out it isn't that fantastic? His last statement is "still...I am." These are hardly the words of someone who is about to kill themself! He is a stronger person for his quest and is affirming his identity! Anyway...I think the best advice was Dave Arnold's: "repeat to yourself: 'it's just a band...I should really just relax'!" Take Care! SKIP ---------------------------------------------------------- Date: Fri, 30 Oct 1992 10:00:13 -0500 From: Scott David Daly <skipdaly@wam.umd.edu> Subject: World Series Hi there. Am I the only one that was actually half-expecting Geddy to sing the Canadian national anthem before one of the world series games?! I kept waiting for it to happen...what a bummer! I guess it just isn't his idiom... Skip ---------------------------------------------------------- Date: Fri, 30 Oct 1992 10:23:34 -0500 From: bagate!socrates!bfxnd8n (Widener) Subject: Rush and the change from Mercury to Atlantic > ---------------------------------------------------------- > > Date: Wed, 28 Oct 92 17:32:56 HST > From: puanani@wana.pbrc.Hawaii.Edu (Puanani Akaka) > Subject: Concerning the move to Atlantic Records > > Rush said they were tired and burnt out and weren't even sure whether > they'd even want to continue the band -- all of this after the HYF > tour and the mixing for ASOH. But, during one Rockline interview with > Geddy and Alex right after ASOH came out, one guy asked about the move > to a new label and Ged said, "No comment at this time", basically > indicating they WERE moving to a new label (hence the 'the talks aren't > done yet and so we can't say anthing about it', mode). Now, if they > weren't sure about whether the band should continue, why were they in > the midst of switching labels? I know I'm kind of jumping around with > this, but I know there are interviews, etc. in which this whole thing > is discussed. I think even Neil mentions something about it in the > 'Presto' Tourbook (or somewhere), about the band not being thrilled to > death about the band anymore (at THAT time -- ASOH). But there's also > some stuff floating around suggesting that they were in the > midst of contract negotiations at the time of ASOH. So why bother > changing labels if you're, "most likely", not going to continue > with the band? > Most of the problem that Rush had with Mercury/PolyGram was in the area of album promotion - from interviews I have seen, the band felt as though Mercury were sitting back and letting Rush's albums sell themselves. This might make sense from the record company's point of view, as Rush are one of the few acts that can be counted on to sell X number of records (this being due to a solid group of hard-core fans - all NMS subscribers, pat yourselves on the back :). However, you can see why this wouldn't sit too well with the band. Evidently Rush just got tired of Mercury not putting out the effort and promotion that they wanted. >From my perspective, I think they had a point. Maybe I had blinders on or something, but the level of promotional material (ads in magazines, posters in record stores, etc) jumped way up with Presto. Of course, it helped that the band was just coming off a live album and therefore supposedly beginning another "phase" in their musical history (whether those phases actually begin and end with the live albums is another discussion). But, I've seen more promotion from Atlantic for Presto and Roll The Bones than Mercury did for P/G, Power Windows, HYF, and A Show of Hands, combined. So, anyway, I'm sure Geddy, Alex, and Neil were reconsidering their direction and their committment to the band. I think that the treatment they received from Mercury might have contributed to those feelings, and that the new deal with Atlantic has probably made them feel a lot better about putting so much effort into their music. "Hi, I'm Pat Widener, and..." "...this is the Spirit of Radio" -- Me and Geddy on the air ------------- patrick widener :: american management systems, inc. :: arlington va pwidener@socrates.bell-atl.com "'Coronation', Starscream? This is BAD COMEDY." -- Galvatron, The Transformers ---------------------------------------------------------- Date: Fri, 30 Oct 92 10:11:49 -0600 From: saurav@tgevax.life.uiuc.edu (Saurav Misra) Subject: Re: 10/29/92 - The National Midnight Star #547 I notice a lot of Fountain of Lamneth discussion going on lately; thought I throw in my 57 cents (inflation.aargjh!). I always thought that this was the first bit of recorded dabbling by neil in the areas of Greek mythology which he subsequently integrated with science fiction in Hemispheres. He has got a clever way of subverting the stuff to meet his own didactic ends, me thinks. Anyway, the "Panacea" and "Bacchus Plateau" sections of Lamneth are definitely evocative of Greek myth to me; they're kind o clever too in that the woman serves as a Panacea (that is, a temporary cure) for the protagonist, while, in Bacchus plateau, he's of course boozing to forget the problems of his quest. Recall also the various "sea voyage" stories in Greek myths; Pd whoopls I mean the Odyssey, Jason&the argonauts, etc. Damn, One could write a thesis on this1! Also, co?uld it be that (for whoever asked this question) the contrast between the Analgue Kid and Digital Man in signals is intentional; i.e. one points out the innocence and eagerness of youth to experiene the fullness of modern life, while the other hdemonstrates an older individual jaded by that same experience into becoming passive, machine-like (digital). Neil seemed in the full throes of analyzing the interaction between a techno- logical society and man's humanistic tendencies on this album; maybe why I like it so much. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- saurav misra "I'd like to fly, saurav@tgevax.life.uiuc.edu but my wings have been so denied." - Alice in bondage paraphernelia -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------------------------------------------------- From: cs169063@cs.brown.edu (Jason Rosenberg) Subject: 'The new Thread' Date: Fri, 30 Oct 92 12:24:21 EST Well, someone (can't remember who) posted a list of questions to start up a new thread, so... 1) The ANALOG "kid"/DIGITAL "man" thing - It seems that the reference in the names is pretty simple - the kid is simpler, earlier, hence, analog. The adult/man in contrast is more advanced - digital. Also, the songs themselves seem to be talking about simplicity as a child and confusion/ whatever as a modern adult. Interestingly, the song inbetween them, Chemistry, talks about connections and changes and how they happen. Good question. How do we get from being an analog kid to a digital man? Seems to me its chemistry... (note: I don't care a bit if you don't like my interpretations. Please keep it to yourself. If it makes sense to me, and it makes me happy to think of it this way, then its right. Unless you're Neil Peart or God(redundant?) don't tell me whats right...) 4) Neurtica - its about neurotic people! Maybe people who take themselves a bit too seriously? 5) In a free for all, Neil would win. No doubt. Big guy. Big. 7) Alex has leprosy, Geddy is thinking about getting it, but isn't sure yet... Well, that was a nice waste of time! Lets get back to work... Jason Rosenberg ---------------------------------------------------------- Date: Fri, 30 Oct 92 10:39:56 -0700 From: Greg Thorwald <thorwald@mars.Colorado.EDU> Subject: bad PW CD A note to Bri Gipson: My CD copy of Permanent Waves is a.o.k. Perhaps if you looked for a used copy you could get one that is "squeel" free since used record stores generally check their CDs for blemishes like that. However, I don't see how anyone would ever give up such an album :-) Greg Thorwald thorwald@mars.colorado.edu ----------------------------------------------------------
To submit material to The National Midnight Star, send mail to: rush@syrinx.umd.edu For administrative matters (subscription, unsubscription, 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, 1992. Editor, The National Midnight Star (Rush Fans Mailing List) ******************************************** End of The National Midnight Star Number 548 ********************************************