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Subject: 01/26/93 - The National Midnight Star #606 ** Special Edition **
Status: R
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----------------------------------------------------------------------
The National Midnight Star, Number 606
Tuesday, 26 January 1993
Today's Topics:
FAQ: Rush Fans Frequently Asked Questions [2/3]
--------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Sun, 24 Jan 93 00:31:51 -0800
From: dan@rat.csc.calpoly.edu (Dan Delany)
Subject: FAQ: Rush Fans Frequently Asked Questions [2/3]
Rush Fans Frequently Asked Questions List, Part 2 of 3
Generated: Sun Jan 24 00:30:07 PST 1993
This file contains questions that seem to crop up frequently in The
National Midnight Star and alt.music.rush. If you received a copy of
this file in email, other than as an issue of TNMS, it is probably
because you asked one of these questions.
This file has been expanded into 3 files because some mailers have
problems with files that are longer than 60K. Part 1 contains general
questions about the band. Part 2 contains questions inspired by
specific albums and songs up to and including stuff on _A Show Of Hands_.
Part 3 contains questions about material starting with _Presto_.
If you want a copy of the current version of this file, email me and
I'll send you the most recent version. This set of files is posted on
the 2nd and 4th Sunday of each month to rec.music.info,alt.music.rush, and
TNMS. The FAQ is also available via anonymous ftp from syrinx.umd.edu
(128.8.2.114) in the /rush/special directory.
If you have any suggestions for additions to the list or corrections,
please send them to me at dan@rat.csc.calpoly.edu and I'll add them in
if you have documentation supporting your theory. Also, don't send
your suggestions to rush-mgr@syrinx. I'll repeat that because it's
important. Don't send FAQ suggestions to the moderator of the Rush
fans mailing list. He doesn't have anything to do with keeping the
FAQ up to date. FAQ suggestions should be sent to me at
dan@rat.csc.calpoly.edu and not to the mailing list moderator.
If mail sent to dan@rat bounces, try dan@polyslo.csc.calpoly.edu or
dan@garden.csc.calpoly.edu - they should work.
I'd appreciate it if people who submit questions submit anything they know
about possible answers, since I don't have all of the answers myself!
THE FAQ IS A FILE OF FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT RUSH AND THEIR
ANSWERS. IT IS NOT AN "OBSCURE RUSH TRIVIA" FILE.
Please consider this before sending me a suggestion for an addition.
I'll repeat that because it's important and people don't get it.
THE FAQ IS A FILE OF FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT RUSH AND THEIR
ANSWERS. IT IS NOT AN "OBSCURE RUSH TRIVIA" FILE.
Please consider this before sending me a suggestion for an addition.
I know that it's fun to come up with pet theories for how things
are related to each other. But please don't send them to me saying that
"It *can't* be a coincidence!" I routinely ignore such email. Send me
a reference to an interview or a quote or something from a band member
that supports what you say, and I'll be happy to add it to this file.
If you have a pet theory that you want feedback on, post it to TNMS
or alt.music.rush.
For example: Don't point out to me that 1001001 in binary is equivalent to
73 decimal, and 73 decimal is ASCII for the letter "I," and the letter "I"
was significant to the plot of Ayn Rand's _Anthem_, and Neil Peart read
lots of Ayn Rand, therefore "The Body Electric" is a reference to _Anthem_.
Believe me, you won't be the first to point that out. But Neil Peart has
never said anything on that particular subject as far as I know, so I'm
not going to put that into the FAQ. (Especially since I think it's
a coincidence!) Remember, coincidences happen, even in Rush songs!
An additional thing to consider is that many questions are answered in,
of all places, the liner notes on the albums. Please look there before
posting a question.
DISCLAIMER: The information in this file is accurate to the best of my
knowledge, but I'm not perfect. If you have an answer to one of these
questions that doesn't match the one given here that you can verify, let me
know, and I'll put it in. But if you make a bet based on this
information and you lose, don't blame me.
One more thing: If you send me mail and I don't answer right away, please
be patient. I eventually read all of my mail. However, Rush FAQ-related
stuff has a lower priority than my job.
I'd like to thank Bruce Holtgren <70724.1622@CompuServe.COM> for lots of
editing advice on the FAQ. He volunteered to proofread the entire set of
FAQ files for me, and he seems to be much better at that than I am.
Thanks, Bruce!
Here are the questions I get asked the most, so I'll put them here at the
start:
What is The National Midnight Star?
It's a Rush fans newsletter that is distributed via email.
Submissions are all sent to one address, and the moderator goes through
the submissions periodically and sends out a digest containing lots
of submissions.
(If you don't know where the name "The National Midnight Star"
comes from, that means you don't watch enough Canadian TV.)
How can I subscribe to The National Midnight Star?
Send email to rush-request@syrinx.umd.edu asking to have your name added
to the list. Don't send email to me - I can't add you!
I'll repeat that. I (dan@rat.csc.calpoly.edu) have absolutely nothing
to do with the management of TNMS. I can't add your name to the
subscription list.
Latest Word on the next album:
I haven't seen any official word about the rumors of a boxed set of
Rush CDs. Until I see official word on the subject, I'll treat that
as a rumor.
The band is scheduled to go into the studio in January or February
1993. According to an interview with Alex on 97.7 FM in
Hamilton, Ontario, the album is expected to come out in June. Also
mentioned is that they will be taking the summer off, so we can't
expect an immediate tour. This info was originally posted in
alt.music.rush on Nov 4 by v281nr6a@ubvmsb.cc.buffalo.edu (Mark D Uher).
(According to Jeff Robertson, 97.7 FM is actually in St. Catharines.)
SEIDENBERG@MARY.FORDHAM.EDU apparently has a source of information,
and has posted the following:
Rupert Hine will not produce the next album.
The band will start working on material on Jan. 15. I wonder if that
means that the band will start writing then, or that the band will go
into the studio then.
The target date for release is September 15. This disagrees with what
Alex has said, and I don't know who is right.
-------- The following questions and answers are in this file: --------
Where did By-Tor's name come from?
In "By-Tor And The Snow Dog" By-Tor is the bad guy, but he's a hero in "The
Necromancer." What happened?
Where is Lakeside Park?
Has anybody noticed that Lakeside Park is mentioned in _Strange Brew_?
What is the significance of May 24?
Has anybody noticed that "Didacts and Narpets" is an anagram for "Addicts
and Parents"?
Does anybody know the lyrics to "Didacts and Narpets"?
In the COS liner notes, a city is mentioned in small print after each
song. Why is this?
What does "Terminat hora diem, terminat auctor opus" mean?
Where did the story of _2112_ come from?
Has anybody noticed that you can hear part of the 1812 Overture in _2112_?
Has anybody noticed the whispering in the background in "The Twilight Zone"?
I read that "Xanadu" was based on a famous poem. Does anybody have a copy?
Where does the name Cygnus X-1 come from?
Where does the name Rocinante come from?
What do the French lyrics in "Circumstances" mean?
What does "La Villa Strangiato" mean?
Ooooh! I just found out that there is really an intersection of Danforth
and Pape in Toronto! Has anybody noticed this before?
Where do the different parts of "La Villa Strangiato" start/end?
Why was the headline on the newspaper on the cover of _Permanent Waves_
blocked out? (Note: The Anthem Canadian release does not have this problem.)
Has anybody noticed that the signs on the right side of the _Permanent
Waves_ cover say Lee, Lifeson, and Peart?
What is the "words of the profits" quote in "The Spirit Of Radio" about?
What is "Free Will" about?
In "Free Will" which lyrics are correct (the ones on the album sleeve or
the ones Geddy sings)?
But I'm *sure* that what the lyric sheet says isn't what Geddy sings!
Where is "Lotus-Land?"
I heard something about a song called "Sir Gawain and the Green Knight."
Apparently it was supposed to be on _Permanent Waves_, but was dropped.
Is there a way to get a tape of it?
What building is on the cover of _Moving Pictures_?
What do the pictures on the MP cover mean?
What is "Tom Sawyer" about?
My _Moving Pictures_ CD is missing the first half second or so from
"Tom Sawyer." Can I get a new one?
Who is Pye Dubois?
What is a barchetta?
Where can I get a copy of "A Nice Morning Drive," by Richard S. Foster?
What does "YYZ" mean?
How does Neil play plywood?
At 8:54 and 8:56 in "The Camera Eye," there are some mumblings that I can't
quite make out. Does anybody know for sure what is being said?
What is the mob saying at the beginning of "Witch Hunt"?
What is that thing on Neil's chest in the "Vital Signs" video?
Has anybody noticed that the ESL cover photo contains stuff from all of
the band's previous studio albums?
What does Geddy say just before "Jacob's Ladder" on ESL?
Who is T.C. Broonsie?
What is the _Signals_ cover supposed to mean?
Who is the writer in "Losing It" about?
Who are Young and Crippen?
Who is Count Floyd?
Is that crackling noise about 10-20 seconds into "Distant Early Warning" on
the _Grace Under Pressure_ CD supposed to be there, or is my copy defective?
Who was Absalom?
Who is the boy in the "Distant Early Warning" video?
Is "Afterimage" about anybody in particular?
What is "Red Sector A" about?
What songs make up the "Fear" trilogy?
Has this trilogy ever been performed live?
Why do the songs appear in reverse order?
What is the significance of 1001001 in "The Body Electric?"
What is The Omega Concern?
Has anybody noticed that _Power Windows_ is "brought to you by the letter M"?
Why is _Power Windows_ brought to us by the letter M?
What do the three spheres on the _Hold Your Fire_ cover represent?
How many Rush symbols are there in the _Hold Your Fire_ inside photo?
How did Pye Dubois come to be involved with "Force Ten"? What does
the title of that song mean?
Has Aimee Mann ever appeared live with Rush? How are her vocals in
"Time Stand Still" reproduced live?
What film are the clips in the "Lock And Key" video and the _A Show Of
Hands_ laserdisc, just before "Lock And Key," from?
What is "Tai Shan" about?
What is happening during the "censored" section of the _A Show Of Hands_
video?
In the _A Show Of Hands_ video, does Geddy really say "Catch the fish?"
In the _A Show Of Hands_ video, has anybody noticed that Alex's guitar
keeps changing?
Does anybody know what stuff Geddy has sitting on the keyboards in the
_A Show Of Hands_ video?
What is the round thing on Alex's guitar in the _A Show Of Hands_ video?
-------- Questions and answers follow. -------
Where did By-Tor's name come from?
Rush's road manager, Howard, came up with the title at a party. There
were two dogs at the party, one a German shepherd and the other
a tiny white nervous dog. Howard used to call the shepherd By-Tor
because anyone that walked into the house was bitten. The other dog was
a snow-dog (white ...). So from that night on Howard called the pair of
dogs "By-Tor and the Snow Dog." - from scrs_ltd@uhura.cc.rochester.edu
In "By-Tor And The Snow Dog" By-Tor is the bad guy, but he's a hero in "The
Necromancer." What happened?
When asked about this on "Rockline," Geddy said something along the lines
of, "He saw the light." Neil commented, "I guess he's like
all of us - sometimes good, and sometimes he's bad!" in the December
1985 Backstage Club newsletter.
Where is Lakeside Park?
The consensus of the mail I've received on the subject seems to
be that the Lakeside Park Neil refers to is in St. Catherine's,
on Lake Ontario. I don't think any 2 people have yet agreed on
how one actually gets to Lakeside Park, so I'll tell you to do what
Bruce Holtgren <70724.1622@CompuServe.COM> did for directions,
which is to call the St. Catherine's Chamber Of Commerce.
(If somebody does that and types in the "official" directions,
I'll add them to the FAQ, but I'm not going to put in directions
from people who went there once years ago and think they remember.)
Has anybody noticed that Lakeside Park is mentioned in _Strange Brew_?
Yes.
What is the significance of May 24?
It's Victoria Day, commemorating Queen Victoria's birthday.
Has anybody noticed that "Didacts and Narpets" is an anagram for "Addicts
and Parents"?
Yes.
Does anybody know the lyrics to "Didacts and Narpets"?
Here's the best version I've seen:
Deep Voice: "Stay!"
Geddy "Go!"
Deep "Work!"
Ged "No!"
Deep "Think!"
Ged "Live!"
Deep "Earn!"
Ged "Give!"
Deep/Ged <Wait or Fight?>/<Right>
Deep/Ged <Laugh?>/<Right or Wait?>
Listen!
In the October 1991 news release from the Rush Backstage Club, Neil
says:
"Okay, I may have answered this before, but if not, the shouted words
in that song represent an argument between Our Hero and the Didacts
and Narpets - teachers and parents. I honestly can't rememer what the
actual words were, but they took up opposite positions like:
"Work! Live! Earn! Give!" and like that."
In the COS liner notes, a city is mentioned in small print after each
song. Why is this?
"Ah yes. This goes back to the 'bad old days' when all we did was tour,
and consequently had to do most of our song writing on the road, with
acoustic guitars and notebooks in hotel rooms. Not the best method of
composition, you may imagine, but the only one available to us at the time.
Those cities represent the places in which those songs were written."
- Neil Peart, in the December 1985 Backstage Club newsletter
What does "Terminat hora diem, terminat auctor opus" mean?
It means something like: "As the hour ends the day, the author ends his
work."
Where did the story of _2112_ come from?
"The inspiration behind it was ... It's difficult always to trace those
lines because so many things tend to coalesce, and in fact it ended up
being quite similar to a book called _Anthem_ by the writer Ayn Rand. But
I didn't realize that while I was working on it, and then eventually as the
story came together, the parallels became obvious to me and I thought, 'Oh
gee, I don't want to be a plagiarist here.' So I did give credit to her
writings in the liner notes." - Neil Peart, in the December 2, 1991
"Rockline" interview
Has anybody noticed that you can hear part of the 1812 Overture in _2112_?
Yes.
Has anybody noticed the whispering in the background in "The Twilight Zone"?
Yes.
I read that "Xanadu" was based on a famous poem. Does anybody have a copy?
The poem is "Kubla Khan" by Samuel Taylor Coleridge. Your local
library probably has a copy. It appeared in TNMS issue #88.
Where does the name Cygnus X-1 come from?
It is the name given to an X-ray source in the constellation of
Cygnus, believed to be a black hole. For a more detailed
explanation, check issue 567 of TNMS, available via anonymous ftp
from syrinx.umd.edu in the rush/special directory.
Where does the name Rocinante come from?
In Greek mythology, Rocinante is the name of the horse that Zeus rides.
It was the name of Steinbeck's motor home in _Travels With Charlie_.
It was also the name of Don Quixote's horse.
What do the French lyrics in "Circumstances" mean?
"The more that things change, the more they stay the same."
What does "La Villa Strangiato" mean?
"Weird City" is a rough translation of the title, according to _Visions_.
Atthe Tossavainen <d37690r@kaira.hut.fi> has told me that
"La villa, be it Spanish or Italian, doesn't mean a village or a
city, but rather a HOUSE. Strangiato is probably just pidgin Spanish, a
made-up word."
The song itself is based on several of Alex's nightmares and some cartoon
themes. Much of this music can be heard on a CD called The Carl Stalling
Project - "Music From Warner Bros. Cartoons 1936-1958." Warner Bros. -
26027-2 (approximately 77 minutes on CD). These are the original soundtracks
from Loony Tunes/Merrie Melodies, mostly in the '40s and '50s. - thanks to
jdinkins@polyslo.calpoly.edu for catalog info
schaaphe@serc.nl (Frank Schaapherder) gave me this information:
The first part of "La Villa Strangiato," "Buenos Nochas, Mein Froinds!,"
is based on the German song "Gute Nacht, Freunde," written by
A. Yondrascheck. I noted the resemblance between the two songs
immediately when I first heard "La Villa." The notes until the fast
part are almost identical. Also note the similarities in the titles -
they have the same meaning, and the reference to German in Rush's
title (Mein Froinds).
Ooooh! I just found out that there is really an intersection of Danforth
and Pape in Toronto! Has anybody noticed this before?
Yes.
Where do the different parts of "La Villa Strangiato" start/end?
This chart was made up by Brad Armstrong <71161.1313@CompuServe.COM>.
Thanks, Brad!
"La Villa Strangiato (An exercise in Self-Indulgence)"
Studio Live (ESL CD)
I. "Buenos Nochas, Mein Froinds!" 0.00 0.16
II. "To sleep, perchance to dream ..." 0.27 0.49
III. "Strangiato theme" 2.00 2.18
IV. "A Lerxst in Wonderland" 3.16 3.36
V. "Monsters!" 5.43 6.09
VI. "The Ghost of the Aragon" 6.09 6.30
VII. "Danforth and Pape" 6.45 7.07
VIII. "The Waltz of the Shreves" 7.26 7.48
IX. "Never turn your back on a Monster!" 7.52 8.14
X. "Monsters! (Reprise)" 8.03 8.24
XI. "Strangiato theme (Reprise)" 8.17 8.40
XII. "A Farewell to Things" 9.21 9.14
Why was the headline on the newspaper on the cover of _Permanent Waves_
blocked out? (Note: The Anthem Canadian release does not have this problem.)
"There are always the inevitable last minute crises, such as the Chicago
Daily Tribune being still so embarrassed about their 'Dewey defeats Truman'
error of more than thirty years ago that they actually refused to let us
use it on the cover!" - Neil Peart, in the _Permanent Waves_ tourbook
To clarify this: When Harry Truman ran against Thomas Dewey for
president, Truman lost in most of the states with early returns. So,
it looked like Dewey was going to win. The Tribune released an early
morning paper the next day with a "Dewey defeats Truman" headline.
Has anybody noticed that the signs on the right side of the _Permanent
Waves_ cover say Lee, Lifeson, and Peart?
Yes.
What is the "words of the profits" quote in "The Spirit Of Radio" about?
It's referring to "The Sounds of Silence." Here are the relevant
lyrics:
"The Sounds of Silence":
"And the sign said:
'The words of the prophets are
written on the subway walls,
and tenement halls
And whispered in the sounds of silence'"
"The Spirit of Radio":
"For the words of the profits,
Are written on the studio wall,
Concert hall -
Echoes with the sounds ...
Of salesmen."
What is "Free Will" about?
"The song is about freedom of choice and free will, and you
believing in what you decide you believe in." - Geddy Lee, in the
December 4, 1989 "Rockline" interview
In "Free Will" which lyrics are correct (the ones on the album sleeve or
the ones Geddy sings)?
"That's a funny question. I've had a few lately from people who are so
sure that what they hear is correct, that they disbelieve what I've put
in the lyric sheets! Imagine! People have quoted me whole verses of
what they hear, as opposed to what's printed, sure that they are right
and the cover (me) is wrong. Scary stuff, these egocentric individuals.
I assure you, other than perhaps dropping an "and" or a "but," we take
great care to make the lyric sheets accurate." - Neil Peart,
in the December 1985 Backstage Club newsletter
But I'm *sure* that what the lyric sheet says isn't what Geddy sings!
So what? People have argued about this far too much already. If it's
really bothering you, write a letter to the band and complain. Lighten
up - it's just a song!
Where is "Lotus-Land?"
"Lotus-land as it appears in 'Free Will' is simply a metaphor for an
idealized background, a 'land of milk and honey.' It is sometimes
also used as a pejorative name for Los Angeles, though that was not
in my mind when I wrote it." - Neil Peart
Lotus-land is mentioned in an episode in "The Odyssey" where Odysseus
goes to the land of the lotus-eaters, where the people hang out
and eat lotus petals or some such and are perfectly happy but
are basically brainless.
I heard something about a song called "Sir Gawain and the Green Knight."
Apparently it was supposed to be on _Permanent Waves_, but was dropped.
Is there a way to get a tape of it?
According to _Visions_, it was never recorded. Some bits from it
ended up in "Natural Science."
What building is on the cover of _Moving Pictures_?
According to rkleiner@alfred.carleton.ca (Ron Kleiner):
The building on the cover of _Moving Pictures_ is the current seat of
the Government of Ontario, at Queen's Park.
What do the pictures on the MP cover mean?
"When Hugh Syme was developing the multitude of puns for the cover,
he wanted the guys 'moving pictures' to have some 'moving pictures'
to be moving past the people who were 'moved' by the 'picture' - get
it? So he asked us to think of some ideas for these pictures. The
'man descending to hell' is actually a woman - Joan of Arc - being
burned at the stake (as per 'Witch Hunt'), and the card-playing dogs
are there because it was a funny, silly idea - one of the most
cliche'd pictures we could think of - a different kind of
'moving picture.'" - Neil Peart, in the December 1985 Backstage Club
newsletter
What is "Tom Sawyer" about?
"I've been avoiding most of the questions that ask for explanations for
different songs, as really the song is meant to do the explaining for
me! But since you ask so nicely ... 'Tom Sawyer' was a collaboration
between myself and Pye Dubois, an excellent lyricist who wrote the
lyrics for Max Webster. His original lyrics were kind of a portrait
of a modern day rebel, a free-spirited individualist striding through
the world wide-eyed and purposeful. I added the themes of reconciling
the boy and man in myself, and the difference between what people are
and what others perceive them to be - namely me I guess." - Neil Peart,
in the December 1985 Backstage Club newsletter
My _Moving Pictures_ CD is missing the first half second or so from
"Tom Sawyer." Can I get a new one?
Yes. Here's the address for PolyGram QA:
Cecilia E. Schultz
Customer Service / Warranty Department
PolyGram Group Distribution, Inc.
6220 Churchman Bypass
Indianapolis, IN 46203
Phone: (800) 428-4437
Fax: (317) 788-1803
Who is Pye Dubois?
Pye Dubois was the lyricist for Max Webster. "Tom Sawyer" began life
as a Max Webster song called "Louis The Warrior," but Pye gave the
lyrics to Neil after "Battlescar" was recorded. Pye also helped
Neil write "Force Ten."
What is a barchetta?
The barchetta is a type of Ferrari race car - read on for "details
till you puke."
NOTE: This section of the FAQ will not be changed until somebody
volunteers to keep a Rush trivia file for all of the obscure
little trivia things like this. Mail asking me to remove
this section will be ignored. If you have time to send me
email complaining about this section of the FAQ, you probably
have enough free time to be the keeper of an Obscure Rush
Trivia file, which is needed. Things like the "Has anybody
noticed that YYZ is Morse Code" question would probably be
more appropriate for a general trivia file than for the FAQ,
which I originally intended to not be a trivia file.
Barchetta is Italian for little boat.
The history of the Ferrari barchetta:
(note the lower case b - it designates a body style like coupe, spyder,
cabriolet or berlinetta, not an actual model name)
Ferrari 166MM -
V-12, 1995cc, 60x58.8mm, 140 bhp @ 6600 rpm, CR 10:1, single ohc per bank,
Weber carbs, 5-speed gearbox integral with engine, double wishbone front
suspension, rigid axle rear suspension.
First shown at the Turin Salon in November 1948. Its simple but
effective barchetta styling became greatly admired and many times
copied. The MM designation was added to the 166 model number to
designate the 1948 victory of a 166 in the Mille Miglia. A total of
46 166MMs were built in Series I & II between 1948 and 1953. 25 of the
Series I cars (1948-1951) carried the barchetta designation; none of
the Series II cars were barchettas.
Ferrari 195 Sport -
V-12, 2431cc, 65x58.8mm, 180 bhp @ 7000 rpm, CR 7.5:1, rest same as above
This car had essentially the same engine as the 166MM bored out to 65mm.
The body was very similar to the 275S discussed below. As a hybrid
prototype, it is not known exactly how many of these cars were made.
Probably at least one barchetta (certainly no more than three) were
made in 1950. The one known barchetta finished second in the 1950
Mille Miglia.
Ferrari 275S -
V-12, 3322cc, 72x68mm, 270 bhp @ 7200 rpm, CR 8:1, rest same as above
A prototype of the type 340 America series of cars, only two were made
in 1950. Both cars, in barchetta configuration, entered the Mille
Miglia in April but retired the race with clutch problems.
Ferrari 340 America -
V-12, 4101 cc, 70X68mm (?), 220 bhp @ 6000 rpm, CR 8:1, rest same as above
This car was a downsized Formula 1 racer with a smaller displacement than
its 4.5 liter F1 counterpart. These cars evolved into the 342 America as
the GT version and the 340MM as the sport. Of the 25 340s produced in
1951, 7 were touring barchettas.
Ferrari 225S -
V-12, 2715 cc, 70X58.8mm, 210 bhp @ 7200 rpm, CR 8.5:1, rest same as above
Considered as the final link to the extremely successful 3-liter 250
series of cars, 20 225Ss were built in 1952, but only 1 in the barchetta
configuration.
Since only 35 to 37 barchettas were built between 1948 and 1953 under
various model numbers, it's not surprising that few people were even
aware they existed.
Source: "The Complete Ferrari" by Godfrey Eaton; 1986 by Cadogan Books Ltd.
{ Interestingly, 2 Italians that I know have independently told me
that it's actually pronounced "barketta." }
Where can I get a copy of "A Nice Morning Drive," by Richard S. Foster?
It was printed in the November 1973 issue of "Road & Track" magazine.
It is also available for FTP on syrinx.umd.edu in the rush/special
directory.
What does "YYZ" mean?
YYZ is the transmitter code for Toronto's Lester B. Pearson
International Airport. Every airport is assigned a unique 3 letter
code, and that code is always being transmitted so that pilots can
tell, roughly, where they are and verify that their navigational
radios are tuned properly. These codes are also written on your
luggage tags when you fly. The intro to the song is Morse code
for "YYZ."
How does Neil play plywood?
"Well you wear gloves so as not to get splinters, you take a piece of
1/4" plywood, and smack it down HARD on the top of a wooden stool.
Very demanding, technically - took years of practice." - Neil Peart
At 8:54 and 8:56 in "The Camera Eye," there are some mumblings that I can't
quite make out. Does anybody know for sure what is being said?
No. {The first time I posted this FAQ, I received no fewer than 8
emails from people who claimed to know exactly what is being
said there. Unfortunately, none of them agreed with each other,
which tells me that at least 7 of them were wrong, so I'm only
going to change this answer if somebody can come up with proof
that they are right, such as an interview or magazine article.}
What is the mob saying at the beginning of "Witch Hunt"?
"It is purposely mixed so that you cannot understand what is being
said, but the tenor of the situation, the hatred, the ill will, and
the fear comes through loud and clear. This effect was created by
emptying the studio (in the middle of a snowy night) of production
staff, road crew and band, and depositing everyone in the cold outside
the isolated facility. With tape recorders rolling, Neil gave his
best fanatic's speech, gradually getting more and more whipped up as
everyone involved let themselves get carried away." - from _Visions_
Here's how Alex Lifeson described that session in an interview called
"In The Studio" from the MP era.
"We went outside of Le Studio and it was so cold, it was really cold;
we were well into December by then, I think. We were all out there.
We put a couple of mics outside. We started ... rauw, raew, wrow ...
(starts mumbling), ranting and raving. We did a couple of tracks of
that. I think we had a bottle of Scotch or something with us to keep
us warm. So as the contents of the bottle became less and less,
the ranting and raving took on a different flavor and you got little
lines of ... you remember Roger Ramjet (sp?), the cartoon Roger Ramjet?
What was the bad guy's name ... his gang of hoods, they always had
these little things they would say whenever they were mumbling ...
mrrblaarrr ... mrrblaarrr ... crauss. It started to take all this ... we
were in the control room after we had layed down about twelve
tracks of mob - in hysterics. Every once in awhile you'd hear
somebody say something really stupid."
What is that thing on Neil's chest in the "Vital Signs" video?
It's a microphone. A PZM, to be exact. It was used in an attempt
to get the drums to be recorded the way Neil hears them.
Has anybody noticed that the ESL cover photo contains stuff from all of
the band's previous studio albums?
Yes.
What does Geddy say just before "Jacob's Ladder" on ESL?
"We'd like to do an old song for you right now ... This was done a long
time ago by the [possibly "that"] old T.C. Broonsie. This is called
'Jacob's Ladder.'" - thanks to Michael Sensor <JPJ103@psuvm.psu.edu>
Who is T.C. Broonsie?
Terry Brown.
What is the _Signals_ cover supposed to mean?
"Well, I was given the word "Signals." It was such a broad concept
that it was baffling for all of us. We really had trouble with that
one, and I decided that, with such a phenomenally important word with
the kind of potency it potentially had, to go with something really
dumb, really inane. But something which would still tie in with songs
such as "Chemistry," and the subdivision aspect of the fire hydrants,
lawns, and neighborhood dogs." - Hugh Syme
In an effort to explain the _Signals_ sleeve, Geddy states: "Well, we
wanted the album to sound different and we also thought that the packaging
should have a different feel. When we were talking about _Signals_, Hugh
had this concept of taking the idea down to a basic human level -
territorial or even sexual. So that's how the design with the dog and the
fire hydrant came about. The little map on the back features make-believe
subdivisions, with a lot of silly names and places. The red dots represent
all the fire hydrants and basically the whole thing maps out a series of
territories." - from _Success Under Pressure_
Who is the writer in "Losing It" about?
Neil discusses this song in _Modern Drummer_ magazine, in the April 1984
issue. The writer represents Ernest Hemingway. The dancer "... drew
a bit from that film with Shirley MacLaine called _The Turning
Point_ ..."
Who are Young and Crippen?
They were the astronauts on the first shuttle flight.
Who is Count Floyd?
He was a character on the Canadian TV show SCTV {similar to "WKRP
in Cincinnati," but a TV station}. The Count Floyd character had a
show that featured really bad movies {movies so bad that even
Elvira wouldn't show them}.
Is that crackling noise about 10-20 seconds into "Distant Early Warning" on
the _Grace Under Pressure_ CD supposed to be there, or is my copy defective?
It's supposed to be there. There is a rumbling at that point on the
_A Show Of Hands_ CD and on the _Grace Under Pressure Tour_ video,
but people without subwoofers may be unable to detect it.
Who was Absalom?
He was King David's favorite son, who rebelled against his father,
and was killed by Joab, according to my trusty Websters.
To quote Neil:
"Before I ever knew who or what Absalom was, I always loved the sound
of it. I had thought perhaps it was an ancient prayer or something.
There is a book by William Faulkner called _Absalom, Absalom_, which,
again, I loved the sound of. I wanted to put it in the song, as a play
on words with 'absolute' and 'obsolete,' but I thought I'd better find
out for sure what it meant. So I called my wife and asked her to look
it up in the encyclopedia. When I learned the real story, and its
Biblical roots, I decided that it was still appropriate, as it was the
ultimate expression of compassion, which is what the song was really
about. 'Absalom, Absalom. My son, my son. Would God I had died for
thee.' (Now don't anyone go reading any religion into that!)"
Who is the boy in the "Distant Early Warning" video?
He is Geddy's son, Julian.
Is "Afterimage" about anybody in particular?
The song is about Robbie Whelan, a good friend of the band who died
in a car accident. He has the "Right Field" credit in the _Signals_
liner notes.
What is "Red Sector A" about?
Red Sector A is the area the band watched a shuttle launch from.
On the other hand ...
The inspiration for "Red Sector A" was indeed the Holocaust. Neil even
read many books on the subject, and was really moved by the fact that
some of the survivors of the concentration camps actually DID think
that they (and their liberators) were the last people alive on earth.
("That's intense ..." - Neil)
But Neil specifically does not make any *direct* reference to the
Holocaust, just several indirect ones. The motivation for this was to
make the song have "a more timeless quality." Neil points out that
all throughout history, countries, races, and people have been guilty
of persecution, and America is no exception.
What songs make up the "Fear" trilogy?
The "Fear" trilogy consists of:
Part 1: The Enemy Within (Grace Under Pressure)
Part 2: The Weapon (Signals)
Part 3: Witch Hunt (Moving Pictures)
Has this trilogy ever been performed live?
Yes. It's on the _Grace Under Pressure Tour_ video.
Why do the songs appear in reverse order?
"It's really kind of strange how it turned out, and it's not meant to be
as mysterious and clever as it looks. It was more accidental. At the
time of _Moving Pictures_, I had actually sketched out each of the three
songs in my notebook and talked to the other guys about them and what I
was going to go for, but the easiest one for me to clarify in my mind
and in words was 'Witch Hunt,' because it was the simplest concept to
deal with, and then 'The Weapon' came next because my thinking led up to
that point, but in fact a couple snatches of lyrics and even both of the
verses for 'The Enemy Within' were written as long ago as that, and all
of the titles and everything were fixed on, and what I wanted to write
about, but 'The Enemy Within' was the most difficult one to deal with,
so it ended up being the last one done, so they happened to go in the
order 3-2-1." - Neil Peart, in an interview on KGB 101 FM, San
Diego, 10/2/84
What is the significance of 1001001 in "The Body Electric?"
In the video, the protagonist is a prisoner attempting to escape
from some sort of prison. The number on his uniform is 1001001.
Many people have converted this number into decimal and noticed
that ASCII 73 is a capital I and read significance into that,
but I've never seen anything "official" on the subject. My
_opinion_ is that 1001001 was used because it fits and sounds neat.
1001001 is also not a valid choice for a California license plate,
but UNIT ONE is. (It's taken now.)
What is The Omega Concern?
As Alex realized that he had to play acoustic guitar for some Rush tunes
and then quickly switch to his electric ("Closer to the Heart," etc.), he
crafted a stand (actually an attachment to a Tama Titan cymbal stand)
that holds his acoustic in an adjustable playing position.
He soon began to sell this as a product (1st to Music Emporium) under the
company label "The Omega Concern." Apparently, Alex's "company" also made
Geddy a light-up lyric stand and Neil got a newspaper/book holder so he
could read while he eats breakfast.
Has anybody noticed that _Power Windows_ is "brought to you by the letter M"?
Yes. We've noticed the similar accreditations in _Presto_ and
_Roll The Bones_, too.
Why is _Power Windows_ brought to us by the letter M?
From the April 1992 Kerrang interview:
"That started on _Power Windows_," recalls Alex, "when we were sequencing
the tracks and Neil commented that 50 percent of the songs began with an
'M' - 'Marathon,' 'Manhattan Project,' 'Middletown Dreams,' and 'Mystic
Rhythms.' It's as innocent as that. It's nothing to do with 'Sesame
Street'!"
"We throw a lot of silly little things into the credits,"
shrugs Geddy, "little inside jokes. It's just an immature habit we
developed!"
What do the three spheres on the _Hold Your Fire_ cover represent?
"It's so difficult to describe the album cover because you want to
leave a little bit of mystery, and you want it to be interpreted by
the person who is holding the thing in front of them. So I'm really
not going to say too much about what the cover says to me, but it's
nothing extremely mystical or anything. It has nothing to do with
brown rice." - Geddy Lee, on "Rockline," 10/5/87
How many Rush symbols are there in the _Hold Your Fire_ inside photo?
It has been suggested that the newspapers on the steps may have
"Dewey Defeats Truman" headlines. Unfortunately, the headlines aren't
visible, even in the big print of the picture in the HYF tourbook.
the fire hydrant from "Signals"
the TV from "Power Windows"
the clock indicating 9:12 (21:12 military time)
the number 15 on the main building - in the "Hold Your Fire"
tour book, they mentioned that this was their 15th album to
date.
the juggler is clearly holding his fire.
at the very far left, underneath the chains, is a trunk with
the logo from their first album. This was spotted on a 12-inch
picture disk from the album. It cannot be seen in many
other versions of the picture.
The Chinese neon sign above the restaurant reads "Tai-Shan."
A friend told me that the car is a Mercury, but I don't know this
for sure.
Look right off of the juggler's right shoulder in the open window.
There is someone's hand shown holding a pistol. {People have questioned
this one - can somebody who has found it send me a better description
of where they see it?}
In one of the upper right hand windows of the right hand most apartment
building you can see part of the head and crown of the Statue of Liberty
who we all know holds a burning torch in her right hand.
The arches on the building are suspiciously similar to the MP cover.
Special mention goes to nth@cs.brown.edu (Nate Huang) for the most
obscure observation yet: "The restaurant sign has the same recognizable
font style as the lettering on the Grace Under Pressure cover."
{Yes, I know it's not exactly the same. Please don't tell me that again.}
Leaning against the trash can in the front is an oxford shoe, just like
the one the girl wears on the ESL cover.
The back side of the owl on FBN is resembled on the lamp post on the far
right side. (Only on the CD and tour book)
{ I think this is pushing it a little, but I can see how one might
see it as an owl ... Dan }
A copy of the painting on the far left on MP is wrapped up in cloth and
leaning against the front steps.
How did Pye Dubois come to be involved with "Force Ten"? What does
the title of that song mean?
"It was more or less an afterthought in the writing stage. We took
two months to do all of our writing and preproduction, you know,
preparation for the making of the record, and we had nine songs, and
we had about a day and a half left of time booked before we were
supposed to leave and get ready to make the record. And our producer
and all of us were pushing for ten tracks on the album, and some
lyrics had been submitted to us by a friend of ours, Pye Dubois, who
co-wrote 'Tom Sawyer' with us in years gone by. And Neil was able to
put some of his own thoughts to one of the songs that he had and
present it to us in the morning of the last day that we were there,
and we loved the results, so we got together and brainstormed for
about 2 or 3 hours, and we had Force Ten." - Geddy Lee, on "Rockline,"
10/5/87
Gregg Jaeger (jaeger@buphy.bu.edu) sent me this tidbit:
In the _Presto_ mailing from the Backstage Club a writer asks: "What
does the title 'Force Ten' refer to?" and Neil responds: "The
Beaufort scale - look it up!"
{Yes, I know that the definition of the Beaufort scale could be put
here in this file. It won't be. Don't bother to type it in and send
it to me. I won't put it in the FAQ. Why, you ask? Well, if
Neil told us to look it up, who am I to ruin the surprise? So
look it up - you'll like it. }
Has Aimee Mann ever appeared live with Rush? How are her vocals in
"Time Stand Still" reproduced live?
Those parts are sampled - she doesn't appear live at Rush shows.
What film are the clips in the "Lock And Key" video and the _A Show Of
Hands_ laserdisc, just before "Lock And Key," from?
It's called _The Last Mile_. It can be purchased as part of the
Video Film Classics series from Video Classics Inc. and Kartes
Video Communications Inc.
What is "Tai Shan" about?
"Tai' Shan" (from _Hold Your Fire_) is the name of an actual "holy mountain"
in China. The mythical (?) emperor Huang Ti had so much power that he
was able to summon all the spirits of the world to him on top of
Tai' Shan to proclaim his power.
Legend has it that if you climb to the top of this mountain and
"raise your hands to heaven," you _will_ live to be at least 100
years old. Neil wrote these lyrics while sitting at the top of
the mountain.
What is happening during the "censored" section of the _A Show Of Hands_
video?
"That's kind of a joke, but it doesn't seem like many people are
getting that joke. Actually, Alex, at certain parts of that song,
would just start rambling into the microphone - all kinds of various
nonsense, and it actually never got recorded anywhere. So no one had
any idea, including him, what he had actually said. But we loved the
shot of him just ranting into this microphone, so we decided we would
put up this bogus 'radioactive' warning about the fact that we had
'censored' what he had said, and we thought we did it in kind of an
obvious way - it looked like it was phony, because we put the
radioactivity symbols right on the screen, but nobody seems to be
getting that." - Geddy Lee, in the 12/4/89 "Rockline" interview
Alex laughs. "I'm not singing, it's more spontaneous babbling! You get
kinda goofy at the end of a show, especially near the end of a lengthy
tour. That was just crazy rambling, verbal farting. It was Geddy's
idea to put it on the video." - Alex Lifeson, in the April 1992
_Kerrang_ interview
In the _A Show Of Hands_ video, does Geddy really say "Catch the fish?"
Yes, he does. Nobody knows why.
In the _A Show Of Hands_ video, has anybody noticed that Alex's guitar
keeps changing?
Yes. This has been discussed several times in TNMS. The _A
Show Of Hands_ video was filmed during a 3-night concert series at the
National Exhibition Centre in Birmingham, England. Test footage was
shot the first night. The majority of the video comes from the second
night, but several shots were used from the third night's performance.
In some cases, this was because the shots taken on the second night
weren't quite right, but in a few places, like the beginning of _2112_,
it was Geddy having fun in the editing stage.
Yes, Alex does break a string at the end of "Tom Sawyer," but the
guitar changes more than once, so it isn't just Alex swapping in a
new guitar.
Does anybody know what stuff Geddy has sitting on the keyboards in the
_A Show Of Hands_ video?
The following was posted on April 12, 1991 by Dan Dickerman
GSY 1-447-4425 <dickermn@hpcugsya.cup.hp.com>
>I have yet to find a clear shot of the dolls, but from what I can decipher
>it seems he has 6 dolls and a brandy snifter (with cash, of course)
>distributed onto 2 keyboards: nearest the snifter is Boris Badenov
>(Bullwinkle fame) and further to our left is a group of 3 consisting
>of Rocky the Flying Squirrel (Bullwinkle), a toy robot, and something
>that looks vaguely like a cowboy drawing both pistols (knees bent, etc).
>
>[ I think this last one might be Roger (?) Kneebend, one of Julian's old
> toys, which the group sort of adopted as a mascot during the recording
> sessions. I'll try to find the reference to him ... :rush-mgr ]
>
>On the other keyboard (facing the front of the stage) is a thinner toy
>robot and (this one's really a ballpark guess) a cartoon dog (though
>none that I recognize) that is acting the part of the gracious waiter.
What is the round thing on Alex's guitar in the _A Show Of Hands_ video?
Here's what rjf@maxwell.physics.purdue.edu says it is:
That circular "thing" on Alex's guitar is a patrol patch used by
some Boy Scouts. That particular one is the "panther" patrol patch.
##############################################################################
Please send me your suggestions for additions or corrections.
But please read the beginning of this FAQ file for advice
on whether or not your suggestion is appropriate for the FAQ
before sending me mail. You might be better off posting your
idea to The National Midnight Star or alt.music.rush for feedback.
dan@rat.csc.calpoly.edu Dan Delany
"Nothing takes the taste out of peanut butter quite like unrequited love."
-- Charlie Brown
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