The National Midnight Star #625

From temples@syrinx.umd.edu Thu Feb 18 19:34:50 1993 Return-Path: <temples@syrinx.umd.edu> Received: from syrinx.umd.edu by dsys.ncsl.nist.gov (4.1/NIST-dsys) id AA03307; Thu, 18 Feb 93 19:34:43 EST Received: by syrinx.umd.edu (5.57/Ultrix2.4-C) id AA09127; Thu, 18 Feb 93 18:30:12 -0500 Date: Thu, 18 Feb 93 18:30:12 -0500 Message-Id: <9302182330.AA09127@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: 02/18/93 - The National Midnight Star #625 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 625 Thursday, 18 February 1993 Today's Topics: A funny story... Neil owes us?! HAHAHAHAHA Drumming The new albums are good Archives on CD???? multiple comments on NMS 623 Rush Lyricists Neil's Lyrics Several things... Re: SERIOUS; PLEASE DON'T REJECT. New producer Re: Presto CD spine more from Oz... Qualities people want in a Rush producer? Presto Spine, Vital Signs (evalate), Camera Eye, T-shirt Presto CD spines all backwards: a solution Bootleg CD Survey (another survey?) Drum Corps All dat Jazz bout the 4th player Albums sound quality Jumping on the 'Neil ain't best' bandwagon Favorite Album Poll Results Backwards spine insert in _Presto_ CD NMS T-shirt Bulk UK Order Producers and other bits 4th, C.Eye, look ma a descriptive subject line! Ugly rumors..... Re: Geddy's Basses Police influence on Rush Help help I need a bigger shirt an apology Peart and Lyrics Re: Neil is GOOD convention organizer ATWAS ending ---------------------------------------------------------- From: Jeff Moon <jm012b@uhura.cc.rochester.edu> Subject: A funny story... Date: Wed, 17 Feb 93 15:23:53 EST Hey, y'all: Oh, boy, I just got my T-shirt yesterday afternoon... it's EXCELLENT! Good work to all who contributed to it's creation. I am certainly proud to be wearing a "rare" Rush artifact. Which leds me to today's tale... In American Political Systems today, my friend Chriss Webb, who also reads this magazine, sat down next to me. We were talking, and somehow Rush got mentionned in the conversation. I asked: "Do you read the NMS?" He didn't say a thing, but instead opened his jacket to reveal... the NMS T-shirt! Wow, I was so startled... actually, I was pissed more than startled because I hadn't put mine on in my rush to class this morning. Damn! Oh, well, at least the T-shirts are beginning to become a trend. I'm just happy to be one of the pioneers (if that label can be made...). Well, gotta run, homeboyz, cuz fact's a fact from Rome to Nome, boy... (Oh, God, did I really say THAT?!) -- Jeffrey Moon * "And the trees are all kept equal, University of Rochester * By hatchet, ax, and saw..." New York * - Rush, "The Trees" ---------------------------------------------------------- Date: 17 Feb 93 16:30:04 EST From: "Will Geeslin" <WILL.GEESLIN@UKWANG.UKY.EDU> Subject: Neil owes us?! HAHAHAHAHA Neil owes us absolutely nothing. He is an artist and he creates for him- self, not for me or you. If you appreciate art there must be a reason and that is left for the individual to decide for him or herself to decide what that may be. Should there be an interpretation in each book that is published, a written explanation of every film released? No, and it is ludicrous to expect Neil, or any other artist for that matter, to explain himself to anyone. If you feel this is rude then so be it. "You can't pretend a stranger is a long awaited friend" Although this isn't Rush related, I have long been indifferent towards hockey, but my roommate has hockey for Super Nintendo and I love the video game. Now we watch real hockey and I know more hockey players than Gretsky. What do you expect from people who have spent the majority of their life in Kentucky? Will "There's a fine line between clever and stupid" Geeslin PS I hope this post receives Chad's seal of approval because I would hate to offend anybody. Then they might have to think. ---------------------------------------------------------- Subject: Drumming Date: Wed, 17 Feb 93 17:03:30 CST From: roehr@cae.wisc.edu! Hey folks, Just a couple of quick comments on all of this drummer/percussionist discussion. 1) As far as "long-haired freaks" go in the drumming community, Neil used to be one too. He even sported that handle-bar moustache! Looks are definitely not everything. 2) People have been writing why some drummers are not as good as Neil, and why some RUSH songs/albums don't have as good of drumming as others. I feel that too many drummers are trying to put too many notes into beats and loose the feel (groove) which really makes a song good. The best explaination for people not liking RUSH was because there is so much going on in a song, that they can't afford to move slightly off of the beat and give the songs some groove. The drum beats people like most are usually the ones with the least notes. It is not easy coming up with simple drum beats that still sound 'cool'. Neil plays his beats to mix into the songs the BAND is playing as a whole. This same comment was made about his performance at the Buddy Rich memorial(since this was brought up here a couple of days ago). The other drummers were quite impressive and showed off their abilities. Neil didn't play as fancy as he could have, but he was the only one who really played WITH the band as a whole. That is enough opinion for my first post. ;) Donner. roehr@cae.wisc.edu ---------------------------------------------------------- Date: Wed, 17 Feb 1993 18:34:59 -0500 (EST) From: swami@tulip (swami gangadharan) Subject: The new albums are good Hi, In the past few issues of NMS, there has been a lot of discussion about how Rush's music had detiorated or something to that effect. Well, at least a lot of people seem to be saying that Presto was not as good as, say, Moving Pictures or 2112. Somebody even went to the extent of saying that Rush should have quit by now. This really shocked me. I think no other group today has such an interesting range of lyrics and music like Rush. Further, it only adds to variety if Rush's music is evolving with time. Personally, I feel that the songs in Presto and Roll the Bones are very good even if not as good as those in earlier albums. Like a lot of other Rush fans, I feel that some songs like Bravado, The Pass, Heresy and Scars have a lot of intelligent and realistic lyrics in them,not to mention the excellent music. I really hope that NP,GL and AL never quit. Swami Gangadharan Eagerly awatiting the next album. Hold the flame till the dream ignites-NP swami@tulip.es.utoledo.edu ---------------------------------------------------------- Date: Wed, 17 Feb 93 17:42:28 CST From: A8732112@SIUCVMB.SIU.EDU Subject: Archives on CD???? Welcome top partiers, this comes to you from the midwests hottest party school which will be on display in next months Playboy. The reason I'm writing this is because a while back my friend had told me that he once saw Rush Archives on disk??? Can this be true???? Also I would like to know who thought up the stupid idea of compasring limne drumming to set drumming!! I've been a drummer since fourth grade and like nothing morerthen to go out and proform (Don't hate me because I can't spell)in front of hundreds of people during halftime or in a comp. but as a line drummer I find it hard to work my way around a set as smooth as some people. YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT TWO DISTINCTLY DIFFERENT STYLES!! So let Neil do what hs does best and lets not to compare him with other greats but rather state the reason of his own greatness.(sorruy I got a little deep there)Please help me about this CD problem. Southern Ill. University-The best five or six years of your life... Matt,...,Par-Five Loved Hated but never ignored! ---------------------------------------------------------- From: jmgil1@mail.wm.edu (Gillespie John Michael) Date: 17 Feb 93 18:48:50 Subject: multiple comments on NMS 623 In Yesterday's NMS I once again read an article attacking the band for not answering questions on their music. We are very lucky to get any answers out of them at all. Artists are not required to explain their work. There is no reason for them to. Part of the bueaty of art is that it means different things to different people. Who ever heard of someone like Shakespere answering questions about the symbolism of his works. Part of the enjoyment of art is the subtile meanings and expressions that one finds and is able to analyze in the art. We have to rely more on our own ideas and understandings of works rather than being spoon-fed by the creator. It is arrogant presumption on our part to assume that the creator of a work of art will be willing to take away from the mystery of the work. Each person that listens to a Rush song will have a differant personal idea as to what the song means. There is nothing to say that any one person is right about what they believe even if it is differant from what Neil has meant something to be understood as. That is just the nature of art be it literature, paintings, or music. We each have to interpret each peice of art for ourselves and find our personal understandings of the work to understand the true meaning of it. Also for the guy who said Rush should have quit after HYF I have one question. Have you ever really listened to Roll the Bones. Granted that Presto was not a stellar album as Rush goes but RTB was one of the best albums released by Rush. RTB had some of the more intense lyrics of any of the Rush albums. The music was also of a differant style that interwove inself into the music to produce what in my opinion was one of their better albums. I am also looking for a way to get a hold of the Over the Europe boot. Anyone with info please e-mail me. Go Blackhawks ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ The Ox "for I Have dined on honeydew William and Mary and drunk the milk Physics of paridise" ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ ---------------------------------------------------------- Date: Wed, 17 Feb 93 17:49 CST From: Ninja Chemist <MCCORKL@KSUVM.KSU.EDU> Subject: Rush Lyricists Well here's a list of who wrote the lyrics to all the Rush songs ever released from Rush/Rush to RTB. Of course only songs which actually contain lyrics were included and there are still 102 different songs to date! Here's the list both by number of songs written and percentage of songs written. Author(s) # of songs % of songs Remarks Peart 73 71.6 Lifeson, Lee, and Peart 9 8.8 Lifeson and Lee 8 7.8 Lee 5 4.9 Lee and Peart 2 2.0 Peart and Dubois 2 2.0 Peart and Talbot 1 1.0 Closer to the Heart Lifeson and Peart 1 1.0 Beneath, Between, and Behind Lifeson 1 1.0 Lessons _______________________________________________________________________________ Total 102 100.1 If you count all the songs that Neil Peart even had a hand in then he's responsible for an amazing 86.4% of Rush's songs. So there you have it, stick those numbers in your pipe and smoke 'em. Later.... ---------------------------------------------------------- Date: Wed, 17 Feb 93 19:09:18 -0500 From: jaeger@buphy.bu.edu (Gregg Jaeger) Subject: Neil's Lyrics Matt says: >Maybe Neil should lighten up. >And as far as the writing. Often people here quote him as a >playwright - Like Shakespeare (or even Shelley or Byron) What gives. >There are many writers who write on a lower level (Springsteen) >resulting in the same, or even more insight. I have to disagree. It is exactly by writing with a strong vocabulary (and superior intelligence) that Neil achieves what he does. Everyone has his or her own style, and everyone should write in a way that comes naturally. I personally think that Neil's lyrics are, within their own form, of as high a quality as the writings of the better playwrights of history achieved in _their_ form. I wouldn't say the same for Bruce. > Instrospection can be >accomplished through simple writing - look at dylan. I tend to criticize >Neil.... I tend to criticize Dylan :) Gregg Gregg Jaeger jaeger@buphy.bu.edu Depts. of Physics and Philosophy, Boston U. Wenn aber Einer sagte `Also ist auch die Logik eine Erfahrungswissenschaft,'so haette er unrecht. Aber dies ist richtig, dass der gleiche Satz einmal als von der Erhfahrung zu pruefen, einmal als Regel der Pruefung behandelt werden kann. ---------------------------------------------------------- Subject: Several things... Date: Thu, 18 Feb 93 11:11:00 From: SMills@ncagccsu.telecom.com.au! Alright folks, I am a little disgruntled at the extreme morality being shown about 'the project'. There are people writing in saying "don't do it unless we get permission". We won't ofcourse, but that is another matter. I just have one question to ask these people : Have you _NEVER, EVER_ made a copy of an album or something for somebody and given them the tape?? If you _have_ then you can't condemn the project. It is simply on a larger scale. No profit, limited exclusive distribution. 1 friend, 5 friends, 1400 friends....what's the difference? There are MANY BL's out on the streets actually making profit for people and yet you probably BUY those! MUCH higher distribution. I think some consistency in attitudes would be appropriate at this point. My vote is doit and I'll get one. I have nothing out here in OZ and rather than buy 9 or 10 from the states I'd love it all in one album with heaps of the rare stuff! What else. Oh yeah, 4th member. I think I MIGHT be happy if the fourth member was ONLY on stage for live performances and it was a KNOWN member of the team already like Hugh Syme. Hey! Does anyone know if Skip can play keyboards? HAHA! Those are my personal conditions... otherwise it would change the band IMHO. Later from roo-land, Stum ---------------------------------------------------------- From: jlarke@css.itd.umich.edu Subject: Re: SERIOUS; PLEASE DON'T REJECT. Date: Wed, 17 Feb 93 19:33:24 -0500 >"4C079F52 (14A2C28C)" <DFB3B0BE> writes: >Anyway, he came across as extremely righteous and selfish. I think Neil >*owes* his fans some insight into his lyrics. Much time has been invested by >many of us who carefully listen to his lyrics and incorporate some of what >he profess(ed) into our own lives. For him to nonchalantly brush us off >with "get a life" or monosyllable answers to journalists' questions is >incosiderate and arrogant. Is their anybody in agreement? Not me. Neil has made his views on this subject pretty clear. He, the dude on drums, rights the lyrics, and we the fans buy the albums. That (and the odd ticket sale) is the sum and total of what the band owes us. He would (almost certainly) feel bad if an album or tour was bad, since he does owe us a good performance for our money. But he's never promised to tell us what he means- he's made it amply clear that he *won't*. Now, I would agree it would be great if he did want to say more about what he meant, but I would not say he owes us. ---------------------------------------------------------- Date: 17 Feb 93 19:58:29 EST From: Ariel Benzakein <75570.2451@CompuServe.COM> Subject: New producer Am I the only person who is somewhat dismayed that Peter Collins is producing the new Rush album? I liked the "middle Rush" period which he produced, but I think it's a big step backward... also, adding a fourth member would be a huge mistake... Ariel "The man with no huge signature at the end of every message." ---------------------------------------------------------- Date: Wed, 17 Feb 93 17:29:22 -0800 From: Peter Jourdan <jourdan1@nes.nersc.gov> Subject: Re: Presto CD spine As far as I know, all Presto CD's have the spine printed opposite all the other Rush CD's. This really annoyed the hell out of me, and after awhile I got so fed up that I dismantled the jewel case, cut the spine off, and taped it back on the RIGHT way. Now it looks just fine and I can really appreciate gazing at my Rush CD collection. -Peter ---------------------------------------------------------- Subject: more from Oz... Date: Thu, 18 Feb 93 13:00:00 From: SMills@ncagccsu.telecom.com.au! G'Day!! 3 things I think. Shit, I've got to remember what they were now! Oh yeah: _Dreams_: I had one about 2 years ago. I'd just read Visions and I dreamt that I was talking to the boyz in a small room and they were all sitting down EXACTLY like in the photo of Yehudi Menuhin in Visions! Except _I_ was Yehudi! I was asking Neil some stuff about drumming and he offered me a few personal lessons. F**K it was AMAZING talking to the guys!!!! (Not really though I guess!). Anyway, then the alarm went off I think....damn..damn..damn Videos: I just got a copy of Chronicles from out local import shop (we have ONE in Sydney called Utopia and I don't know WHAT I'd do without it). Anyway, there I was all phsyched up to see the worlds greatest band ACTUALLY PLAY (no gigs out here in OZ guys!) and I was AMAZED! Who the HELL did these videos??? Struth! There are only TWO good videos on the whole thing. The rest are just appalling. Big Money is good and I reckon Mystic Rhythms is a work of art - *perfevt* for the song, but the REST are just terrible. "Time Stands Still" was just RUINED by the video - it was FUNNY! Here I am trying to get my friends to take Rush seriously and THAT comes out!! God forbid! Limelight is OK, and that's about all. I was seriously dissappointed. What were the vids from RTB and Presto like? Better I hope. Perfect ALbum side : HERE HERE!! **HEMISPHERES** side 1 is _PERFECT_ It is Rush all over in one smooth hit. My vote. OK guys, Sorry to bag the vids but I was let down. Comments appreciated. MHO only... Later, stum ---------------------------------------------------------- Date: Wed, 17 Feb 1993 21:33:06 -0500 From: <neal@writer.yorku.ca> Subject: Qualities people want in a Rush producer? Hey folks - how are the bones rolling, for 'ya? A question to the good readership of the NMS: People state that they wish to support/bitch about the reinstatement/dropping of either Peter Collins/Rupert Hine/Terry Brown. (select statement to suit taste. Void where prohibited. Toll if any,...Persons must be 18 years or older or younger, may not appear as shown, ....batteries not included.) There have been many people stating their visceral opinion on the existence of now Mr. Collins being the producer for the upcoming album. There has been much bad blood spilt over the exit of Hine. People want to go back in time, to a Teensian Brunsian state of mind. Why? If there are any recording producers out there can they provide a ray of enlightenment as to what qualities are good or bad with all or any of Rush's (sorry for the grammer error - Rushs') material? Anybody else want to take up this thread. There has been much discussed in passing, but little content showing us what do you expect. Let the conversation begin..... Cheers... Neal Stephenson neal@writer.yorku.ca "I don't believe in destiny or the guiding hand of fate. I don't believe in forever or love as a mystical state. I don't believe in the stars or the planets or angels watching from above. But I believe there is a ghost of a chance, you can find someone to love. And make it last." N. Peart ---------------------------------------------------------- Date: 17 Feb 93 22:14:31 EST From: Philip.S.Augur@Dartmouth.EDU (Philip S. Augur) Subject: Presto Spine, Vital Signs (evalate), Camera Eye, T-shirt Ken's right--the Presto CD sticks out like a sore thumb (to me at least) because it's the only one with the printing on the spine reversed. I think someone is playing a vicious trick by doing that. I think Rob Capra is also correct--at 4:10 in Vital Signs it definitely sounds like Geddy slips up and says "evalate." Bill Sharp made a couple of good calls: there is no belching in The Camera Eye, but rather some English chaps greeting each other; and the Rutsey proposal was a riot. I got my T-shirt the other day and was quite psyched. I assume Red Lenses (and the Mars quote) if off GUP (or RUSH) because those are the only two CDs I don't have (besides the live ones)--is this the case? [ "Red Lenses" is off GUP. : rush-mgr ] ---------------------------------------------------------- Date: Wed, 17 Feb 1993 21:47 CST From: CUBSFAN@OREAD.CC.UKANS.EDU Subject: Presto CD spines all backwards: a solution That damn Presto spine drove me crazy...all out of whack with the rest of my carefully arranged Rush CDs. The solution, in case anyone wants to try it is to remove the black plastic insert in the case, and the remove the paper cover backing which is serrated where the spine of the CD is. Tear the serrations, flip the narrow piece of paper around, and either place a small piece of tape on the inside to hold it together, ot a small piece of that yellow tack poster hanging stuff will work as well. Then carefully place the black plastic CD holder back in (being careful not to "crush" the turned-around spine) and presot (no pun intended :-) you have a properly-aligned CD! A public service from... cubsfan@oread.cc.ukans.edu Mike Silverman ---------------------------------------------------------- Date: Wed, 17 Feb 93 22:17 CST From: Ninja Chemist <MCCORKL@KSUVM.KSU.EDU> Subject: Bootleg CD Survey (another survey?) Although there seem to have been a rash of surveys recently this is one that I think is fairly necessary. I know of several people (myself) included who want to buy Rush boots but are wary of quality. The CD Bootleg list supplied by Meg is extremely helpful but still a little vague on actual sound quality ratings as well as some other things. It's been suggested to me that I might conduct a survey of people that actually own these discs as to what they think of them. Heck if you get twenty opinions it's certainly better than one or none! Thus, here is a short survey of boots. Note that by filling this out you aren't actually admitting that you would do anything so illegal as to own these albums, just that you've heard them or heard about them somewhere. :) Please fill it out for any and all boots you have heard by Rush and send to me. Thanks! I post the results in about a week or so depending on how many responses I get. -----Bootleg Survey----- Please rate the following on a scale of 1-10 so a numerical average can be found for all categories and a rating established. Sound Quality - including quality of music, background noise, static, etc... Accuracy of Recording - missing part of songs (intro, middle, or finish) Likability - kinda arbitrary but would you consider it a must have for Rush fans (10) or not worth it in the slightest (1) If you wish just send a quick note with the title and the ratings for the three categories such as SQ-7, AR-8, L-4. Thanks again. You're help will be appreciated by Rush fans everywhere! [ Why not just send it here to syrinx? Where Meg can add it to the bootleg list file? That way people can ftp all the information. So maybe folks can just mail meg@syrinx.umd.edu :rush-mgr ] Ninja-Chemist mccorkl@ksuvm.ksu.edu ---------------------------------------------------------- Date: Thu, 18 Feb 93 00:09:24 EST From: Greg.Andrade@um.cc.umich.edu Subject: Drum Corps Granted, I am not an expert on drum corps performance. I am a drummer, however, and I would like to defend "rock drummers", who have been accused of an inability to play corps material cleanly. Perhaps Neil Peart has not had the 16-hour per day training needed to play every possible combination of notes which might appear in corps music, but he certainly could hold his own. Also keep in mind that Mr. Peart has been playing drums for approximately 25 years. Compare that to just nine as a drum corps performer. Secondly, I would like to name a couple of "rock" drummers who I am sure would be up to the challenge of drum corps material. The first is Carl Palmer. I just came back from an ELP show in Detroit and, after seeing Mr. Palmer perform twice now, I must say that he has fierce chops and knows plenty of stroke combinations. Another would be Bill Bruford. He may not play his stroke combinations on snare, but if you listen to his rock/jazz/fusion work in various groups, you'll discover that he could also hold his own, despite his admitted "weak left hand." Lastly, I want to mention a drummer who could certainly handle any drum corps work -- Steve Gadd. I would consider him a jazz drummer, but since he's worked with a fair share of rock artists, such as Paul Simon, it is possible to put him it the rock category. Gadd was in drum corps and has applied it to every aspect of his drumming. Listen to "Fifty Ways to Leave Your Lover" or his work on Chick Corea's Leprechaun for examples. So, even though the best rock drummers may not be Pipe Band drumming experts, they certainly have the experience and chops to play at that level. I'm sure they wouldn't, though, considering they would have to wear those rediculous "little drummer boy" uniforms. ---------------------------------------------------------- Date: 17 Feb 1993 23:28:24 -0600 (CST) From: BRUHNJB@CAA.MRS.UMN.EDU Subject: All dat Jazz bout the 4th player You know, I have liked Rush for quite a while now and I like them for the music they play. All the guys are great personally, I met them backstage at the RTB show in Minneapolis. But getting to my point, I dont want to sound mean or anything but here's the deal: Who really cares if they add a 4th player? We don't have any say in their decision. Right? Well, I believe they will do what is right for them. We cannot do anything about their decision. I'm sure whatever they do it will sound good and be good. And we will deal with it. If you are a TRUE Rush fan you really won't judge their decision wrongly. And if you are not a TRUE fan and they do what you dont want them to do, then just quit listening. I'll accept whatever change if any, that they make, and like their new stuff. And I'm sure quite a few good fans would agree with what I've said. Sorry for being such a crab but it needed to be done.:) Going on, I'm just curious, does anybody have any official dates on when the new vinyl is coming out and if they are going to do a small incognito club tour to brush up on everything before the big one? Thanks, and that's all folks:) -Jamie ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Sun Dogs fire on the horizon.............. (bruhnjb@cab.mrs.umn.edu) ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ ---------------------------------------------------------- From: frick@cs.utexas.edu (Baltasar Allende Reva) Date: Wed, 17 Feb 1993 23:52:37 -0600 Subject: Albums sound quality I think that if Rush needs a new team player, it would be a new sound engineer! I have all the albums in Record and CD format, and all their albums (except for MP, and AFTK) are extremely badly recorded. Listen to all the background noise in the beginning of LVS. How about how bad HYF sounds? The CD seems without life. GUP could have a better recording, thats for sure. How about PW (One of my favorites) the CD (or record) are way to bassy and waffle. Compare any Rush album to the Dark Side of the Moon (pink floyd) and you will see what I'm talking about. I'm not comparing the music itself, but how the recorded music sounds! Does anyone agree with me? Any comments or refutals? I think the Mobile Fidelity People (of gold CDs fame) should remaster PW and hemispheres, along with the whole catalog! Power Windows only seems to sound good through a good stereo or walkman! Please post concerning this topic since is something that has bothered me for a long time! albertr frick@cs.utexas.edu (e-mail) ---------------------------------------------------------- Date: Wed, 17 Feb 93 20:21:42 HST From: puanani@wana.pbrc.Hawaii.Edu (Puanani Akaka) Subject: Jumping on the 'Neil ain't best' bandwagon Jello! DOWN SOAPBOX Just wanted to jump on the Neil bandwagon... About Neil's drumming ability. No argument can be made against the fact that Neil is a damn good drummer. That's a given. But he isn't anywhere near the best. People, of course, have already mentioned in these pages the other countless drummers that "are better" than Neil (someone *finally* mentioned Manu Katche!!). *BUT* the one thing no one's mentioned yet (at least I don't think so) is the *profound influence* he's had on drumming. Let me elaborate on that. Most of the top drummers -- Steve Smith, Manu Katche, Greg Bissonette, Steve Gadd, Peter Erskine, Dave Weckl, etc. have had some form of *formal training*. That's a large part of the reason why they're so good. Look at the influence they've had in the drumming community. Neil, on the other hand, has had, in his entire life, *a year and a half* of formal training, and that was when he first started playing! Look at the influence he's had in the drumming community. Very few players (that I'm aware of) have had *that much* impact in drumming with so little/no formal training. You could defintely find a few -- wasn't Buddy Rich one of those; he started playing when he was 4, I believe (??). But there aren't that many, compared to the "formally trained" drummers. I think that, in itself, is a testament to his ability and creativity. Like I said, he isn't the best, but he's done damn well, considering. On a final note, mention was made of the Buddy Rich Memorial Scholarship Concert tapes. Tape 3 doesn't show him well, but I watched Marvin "Smitty" Smith's solo and compared t to Neil's on Tape 4. Technically, Smith's solo is much superior (is it possible for a human being to move that fast??!!). But, to be honest, I found it boring and devoid of life. It came across to me as being presumptuous, like he was trying to prove he could play faster than all the rest of us pathetic percussionists. His duet with Steve Smith was great (*love* those funk grooves!), though, but his solo was just...boring! Neil's was so much more fun, and maybe I'm being biased, but he was playing *rhythm* -- it was just so much more down to earth. The man knew where he was and he knew his limits and he wasn't about to pretend any different. He knows where he stands with those guys. And that, *in itself*, is a testament to his *character*. sorry for the long-winded passage. Just had to get if off me chest. UP SOAPBOX puanani ---------------------------------------------------------- Date: 18 Feb 1993 00:33:38 -0600 (CST) From: ST1S1@Jetson.UH.EDU Subject: Favorite Album Poll Results Well friends, here it is. Thanks so much to all of you who voted. To all of those who didn't.........you should be shot! But you'll get a second chance, and I'll talk about that in a minute. Now! On with the results. First, the winner: (Drum roll please..........) HEMISPHERES Now, to give you the results: 23 votes 13.14% Hemispheres 22 votes 12.57% Permanent Waves 21 votes 12% Hold Your Fire 19 votes 10.86% Moving Pictures 16 votes 9.14% Signals 12 votes 6.86% 2112 12 votes 6.86% A farewell to Kings 12 votes 6.86% Grace Under Pressure 11 votes 6.29% Presto 9 votes 5.14% Power Windows 6 votes 3.43 Caress Of Steel 4 votes 2.29% Exit Stage Left 3 votes 1.71% Fly By Night 3 votes 1.71% A Show of Hands 2 votes 1.14% Roll The Bones 0 votes 0% Rush 0 votes 0% All The World's a Stage And there you have it. A bit dissapointing in numbers, but it was still very much fun! Granted, that if we conducted this same poll two months from now, it would be different. Hey, that's a neat idea.....I'll just conduct this same poll every two months for a year or so, and we'll see if anything happens. That sound cool to everyone? For now, I'm going to challenge all of your minds, and possibly cause some of them to explode! I'd like to conduct the next in my series' of polls. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE ALL TIME RUSH SONG??? Please Email me at: ST1S1@JETSON.UH.EDU Come on everyone, lets vote on this one, It'll be fun!!! And fun is what we're all about right? Anyway, again, thanks for playing, and I hope to hear from you on the new poll. I'll keep you posted. If you would like to discuss the results of the last poll, don't hesitate to email me as well. BYE! Thank's......... Dan "The Poll Man" Ross ****************************************************************************** Damn it! WHY ARE WE HERE?!?!?! ****************************************************************************** ---------------------------------------------------------- Date: Thu, 18 Feb 1993 02:15 EDT From: "MU(S) OF H2O @ 32F = 0.00000" <CTHURROT@PEARL.TUFTS.EDU> Subject: Backwards spine insert in _Presto_ CD Yes, mine WAS the same. I finally got fed up and (carefully) popped out the disc tray, cut the spine off, flipped it over, and taped it back together (on the back side) You'd think it came from the factory that way. -Chris ---------------------------------------------------------- Date: Thu, 18 Feb 93 07:13 GMT From: Cyber Surfer <cyber_surfer@cix.compulink.co.uk> Subject: NMS T-shirt Bulk UK Order The list so far: CLGS11@vaxa.strath.ac.uk ma2paw@sl1.bath.ac.uk mia@crosfield.co.uk cstadgs@csv.warwick.ac.uk K.Lewis@bnr.co.uk nickp@bnr.ca XL mr1cy1@greenwich.ac.uk XL ska@dcs.ed.ac.uk If your name is *not* on this list, and you'd like to be put on this list, please mail me with the subject "BULK ORDER". This will ensure that you are not missed when I trawl thru my mail file looking for you! All these NMS digests have "t-shirt" in them, so this will help enourmously! You may like to add the size, if this is in your interest. Don't worry about giving me your snail mail address, as I'll contact you when I have the t-shirts. I have 8 orders now, if I include myself, but there's still time to get yours in. Any questions concerning the t-shirts themselves should be sent to Meg, as she has pointed out herself. There's not much I can say about the them that hasn't already been said in the NMS more then enough. Thank you for your attention, now back to the music... Speaking of which: That mumbling on Camera Eye is "'allo" and "a'right guv'" which an American probably wouldn't know, as you have to know the cockney accent. Hang around in London for a bit, chat with a cabbie (what am I saying? (-: ) and you may hear this phrase. If you watch the UK TV police series The Sweeney (re-runs only, it's from the 70s), or the two films, you'll *definitely* hear it! I'm a Londoner BTW. A'right guv'? No doubt Rush have also heard it, on one of their visits. What I'd like to know is, what's being said at the beginning? It sounds like "that's true" but I think there may be something just before that. The bell you hear at the end is Big Ben. Another London ref. -- Cyber Surfing on CIX -- ---------------------------------------------------------- Subject: Producers and other bits Date: Thu, 18 Feb 93 12:11:00 +0000 From: Jonathan Sharp <J.Sharp@axion.bt.co.uk> Hi all, it is ages since I last posted so I thought I'd add my few pounds sterling. First of all this thing about producers and PW/HYF vs Presto/RTB. I must say I was most surprised to see post after post saying how much they like Peter Colins albums and dislike the Rupert Hine stuff. I feel like I need to be Mr Cygnus here and bring back some balance! I find the sound of Presto quite refreshing and RTB for that matter and find both albums far more compulsive than Power Windows for example. The over-produced sound that Peter Colins seems so fond of I find rather dull. Oh well, I'm still looking forward to the new one a great deal, time will tell.... maybee after the gap from Colins they will be able to combine the best of both worlds, eh? Now onto the other bits.... Fourth memeber? - Get real. As for Mike <MWEINTR@american.edu> suggesting the 4th member may be a bass player - very funny, ha ha. Mind you I'd be right behind you in the (long) queue at the auditions :-) Which brings me on to Geds basses: Christopher Dean suggested that he played a Fender jazz on MP. Is this right? The album sleve etc shows him still with the old and faithful Rick. Just Wondered. Burps in the Camera Eye? Best transcription so far goes to : CMSGBULLIMOR@VAX.LIVERPOOL-JOHN-MOORES.AC.UK (good name that!) with: "Hello" - Southern English, Middle class, Home counties accent. "Mornin Guv" - Cockney barra boy "in it!" I heard this one as clear as a bell on my old cassette version let alone on CD. Maybe the attempts at sterotype English accents are so good only us Brits can understand ????? Jonathan Sharp ORQ: Let the truth of love be lighted, Let the love of truth shine clear. ---------------------------------------------------------- Date: Thu, 18 Feb 93 13:14:40 GMT From: Russell Marks (Zgedneil) <mr1cy1@greenwich.ac.uk> Subject: 4th, C.Eye, look ma a descriptive subject line! Ok, I can't just leave this 4th member stuff without making some comment. I don't think they should add a fourth member. If they do, I'll still listen to them. If they don't, I'll still listen to them. What difference does it make, they know more than I do about it. Look, about The Camera Eye and the belch :-). The first guy says "'ello" which is not an uncommon greeting, although such permutations as "hi" and "greets" are frankly a lot more common, and the 2nd says "mornin' guv" in an overdone Cockney accent. Anybody who says that, even around here, is liable to get laughed at. We're taking ROTFL material here. > In the RTB tourbook, what the HELL is that thing on Neil's hat on page 26?? from memory, and I'm not famous for my staggering powers of recall, but I seem to remember it's some sort of foam camera, y'know like those baseball caps with a foam arm smashing a foam sledgehammer into your head. > At the very end of the song, Geddy repeats, "Everybody's got to elavate > from the norm." On one of these, it sounds like he screws up and > says, "Everybody's got to EVALATE from the norm." Ack ack ack. Yes I'd noticed this, but I figured I was wrong. Oh well, now both of us can be wrong, eh? > many posts about what squiggles & squeaks are going on at 3:27 of some song! *Everybody* knows that the interesting bits always happen at 3:29.3!!!! I dunno, some people just showing their ignorance... :-) -Rus. /* _ _ ---------- reality checkpoint : cut here ---------- | | | |_ (|_ ) Russell Marks : Zgedneil : mr1cy1@greenwich.ac.uk | |_| _| (| |) "respond, vibrate, feed back, resonate" */ ---------------------------------------------------------- Date: Thu, 18 Feb 1993 07:45:02 -0700 (MST) From: "Jody Worthen (ISU)" <wortjody@u.cc.utah.edu> Subject: Ugly rumors..... Many comments have been made reguarding a 4th member being added to the current lineup. I'd like to add my 2% of a dollar. I've followed RUSH for more years than I spent in school. Several concert programs and albums mention "Jack Secret". Jack Secret is the little guy backstage who loads keyboard patches, Samples and prepares the keyboards for Ged to trigger. During the Roll the Bones concert in Salt Lake City, Onstage with the trio was a 4th person, with keyboards, busily doing something. Did this detract from the show? NO! It was hard to tell what he was up to, because I had the worst seats in the house. So to sum it up, RUSH have used a 4th for years! Perhaps not in the writing stages but certainly in the performances. As to females who enjoy RUSH, my wife has seen almost as many shows as I have, and is always among the first to buy the latest disks(perhaps this is due to my prompting?!). And finally, I believe that the youngest RUSH fans must also live under my roof. Every time we get into my truck, my 3 and 5 year old DAUGHTERS yell put on ROLL THE BONES! They even sing along. Maybe I'll play 2112 next! Anyhow, sorry to ramble on but it's always cool to communicate with so many RUSH fanatics! "There's no bread, let 'em eat cake...." -Bastille Day Flame me or Blame me | wortjody@u.cc.utah.edu but don't think I speak for | anyone else! | ---------------------------------------------------------- Date: Thu, 18 Feb 93 09:28:12 CST From: nbruels@romulus.cray.com (Nick R Bruels {x66705 CF/DEV}) Subject: Re: Geddy's Basses Well, near as I can tell (from interviews and listening closely), he used the Jazz on select songs prior to MP. I haven't heard anything like the Rick-o-sound (the name Rickenbacker gives their stereo output on the 4001) since Signals. He's said he still has ALL of his basses, including the `teardrop' modified Fender (picture in ATWAS), but really enjoys recording and playing live with the Wals. As far as MP goes, I think Tom Sawyer, Red Barchetta, and The Camera Eye sound Rickish, but this could be my personal bias, and/or studio effects... Wonder what we'll hear on the new album!?!? Thanks for reading, Nick nick.bruels@cray.com ---------------------------------------------------------------- | Any opinions expressed herein are my own, and do not reflect | | those of my present or previous employers. -- Nick Bruels | ---------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------------------------------------------------- From: becker@boilerbob.corp.mot.com (John Becker) Subject: Police influence on Rush Date: Thu, 18 Feb 93 10:49:41 CST I remember when P/G was released, I definitely thought I heard a "Police-like" sound in some of the songs. Upon further reflection, I realized that the similarity was the fact that both groups had incorporated a Reggae beat in some of their music. Examples that come to mind immediately are "Spirits In The Material World" by The Police, and "The Enemy Within" from P/G. ---------------------------------------------------------- From: jmgil1@mail.wm.edu (Gillespie John Michael) Date: 18 Feb 93 13:25:41 Subject: Help help I need a bigger shirt If there is anyone else like me out there who won't fit into a XL shirt and needs a XXL NMS T-shirt let's start a campain for the XXL. E-mail me at jmgil1@mail.wm.edu. [ The XL shirts are *very* large for that size. XXL are extra price at the place I'm getting the shirts done, and that means I'd have to get a special order just for that size. I am not going to get any XXL, sorry. : rush-mgr ] ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ The Ox "For I have dined on honeydew William and Mary and drunk the milk of Physics paridise" ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ ---------------------------------------------------------- Date: Thu, 18 Feb 93 12:33:01 GMT-0600 From: jtstrzyn@papaya.wustl.edu (Jeremy Todd Strzynski ) Subject: an apology to my fellow NMSers, it pains me to see something that i began get out of hand. when i asked about the sound the The camera eye i merely wanted to know what it was--i didn't expect that so many people would write in about it, because, let's face it, talking about belches is quite pitiful. i feel i am responsible for it all, and that is why i am apologizing to all of you. please, no more belch discussions. jeremy i never meant what you're thinking--that's not what i meant at all ---------------------------------------------------------- Date: Thu, 18 Feb 1993 12:52:11 EST From: The Longshot <c2mxbir@fre.fsu.umd.edu> Subject: Peart and Lyrics I think that all this conversation about Peart having a 'responcibility' to tell us what his lyrics mean is bunk. Artist never in the past had a responcibility to to tell us anything. In fact, I know a few artists (Metallica in particular) who don't like music videos because it forces a meaning onto the song and it takes away from the listener's imagination. Song lyrics are like poetry. There is no one correct meaning to them. Everything is opinion. If Peart wants to leave it up to us, let him. Plus the fact, he probably gets asked the same questions all of the time and is probably sick of answering them. You would too, most likely... Jason Birzer 'The Longshot' Frostburg State University c2mxbir@fre.fsu.umd.edu ---------------------------------------------------------- Date: Thu, 18 Feb 1993 14:14:09 -0600 (CST) From: MuffinHead <smills@umaxc.weeg.uiowa.edu> Subject: Re: Neil is GOOD frick@cs.utexas.edu (Baltasar Allende Reva) typed: >Steve Porcaro was a great drummer, but he never made me feel like playing >the drums..on the other hand, Neil did! Oops, you mean Jeff. Just being drumatically correct, Muff ___________________________________________________________________________ smills@umaxc.weeg.uiowa.edu -=<*>=- MuffinHed@aol.com ---------------------------------------------------------- Date: Thu, 18 Feb 1993 07:38:50 EST From: Virginia Martz <martz@vistanm.com> Subject: convention organizer DFB3B0BE: You're complaining about the reaction from "The Convention Organizer". You act like we appointed him to this title or something and he should be "above" these things! He's just another NMS'er like all of us that happened to be generous enough to volunteer to try to get this convention off the ground. He has as much a right as anyone to tell you that you're ridiculous in thinking that Neil has a responsibility to explain his lyrics to us. Virginia - another female rush fan - ---------------------------------------------------------- Date: Thu, 18 Feb 1993 15:27:16 -0500 From: Scott David Daly <skipdaly@wam.umd.edu> Subject: ATWAS ending Hi there... Not to belabor a "meaningless" little detail or anything...but I had always thought that the people talking at the very end of ATWAS were AUDIENCE MEMBERS (rather than RUSH). It sounds like they say "WOW! What a show! Man oh man, I guess that's it!"... Does this sound resonable? It might not ACTUALLY be audience members (perhaps it is really a couple of crew mambers)...but I thought that was what they were trying to get the feel of...you know...the enthusiastic audience reluctantly leaving the hall after the show. Feedback? Skip ----------------------------------------------------------
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