The National Midnight Star #1011

From: rush@syrinx.umd.edu Subj: #1(3) 08/29/94 - The National Midnight Star #1011 To: WilCollier Mail Split By AOL Gateway ------- cut here --------
** ____ __ ___ ____ ___ ___ ** ** / /_/ /_ /\ / /__/ / / / / /\ / /__/ / ** ** / / / /__ / \/ / / / / /__/ / \/ / / /___ ** ** ** ** __ ___ ____ ** ** /\ /\ / / \ /\ / / / _ /__/ / ** ** / \/ \ / /___/ / \/ / /___/ / / / ** ** ** ** ____ ____ ___ ___ ** ** /__ / /__/ /__/ ** ** ____/ / / / / \ ** 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 1011 Monday, 29 August 1994 Today's Topics: Re: Hemispheres Gods Greek Gods in Hemispheres Sick and Tired! happy birthday alex Hey,love songs are cool too. CHRONICLES LASER DISC EXTRA TRAK THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS NETIQUETTE. Re:First Rush Single kid gloves 1st Experience or am I the oldest on TMNS Rush song I never want to hear again Song to do without... Alex's Equipment Apollo & Dionysius Rush area in MUD... Re: 08/26/94 - The National Midnight Star #1010 TNMS ISSUE 2112 :) Reverse the Golden Rule My first time.... Different Stringd = love song ?? Kid Guantes Rushmorgasbord First listen. My Deserted Island/1st Rush single VIDEOS OF RUSH SINGLES Meaning of GUP songs... First RUSH experience First Rush Epiphany Lakeside Park Adventure Guitarparts Back on line . . . and paying for it. Apollo and Dionysus etc ---------------------------------------------------------- From: Leesa J Kern <lkern@magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu> Subject: Re: Hemispheres Gods Date: Fri, 26 Aug 1994 16:40:43 -0400 (EDT) > I'm curious. How many of you out there have noticed that the conceptual > domains given to Apollo and Dionysus in "Hemispheres" by Peart do not > appear to be quite accurate? Actually, (and this comes from a Classical Mythology class I took several years ago) they are accurate. If I remember right (my books are packed in preparation for the move, so I can't look any of this up...I will later if you're interested...send me e-mail) there were competing philosophies of life, or religions at some point. > Apollo was actually the Greek god of sunlight, prophecy, music and art. > In "Hemispheres", he is the god of wisdom. I guess the argument could be > made that sunlight symbolizes wisdom....Has anyone seen Apollo referenced > as the Greek god of wisdom by a source other than Peart? My argument is > simply based on what Webster says ;-) The Apollonions were great believers of the dictates "All Things in Moderation." The followers (getting their notions, they believed, from Apollo) felt that knowledge and understanding were the best ways to proceed, so wisdom was kind of a goal. > Dionysus was actually the Greek god of wine. In "Hemispheres", he is the > god of love. If my memory of mythology serves me correctly, Aphrodite > was the greek goddess of love. Hmmm..... I seriously doubt that we can > conclude that this was an oversight by our esteemed lyracist. But what > was he thinking? Any comments? The other side was symbolized by Dionysus, god of wine, partying, and sort of in general goofing off. The difference between the two is similar to the story of the ant and the grasshopper...the ants worked all the time so they'd have food for the winter, while the grasshoper played. The two philosophies were similar to that, and this is reflected in the song. When Apollo ruled, the people did lots of neat things (built cities, etc), but everything was empty, emotionally. When Dionysus ruled, everyone had a great ol' time, but no one was keeping things going so that when winter came....duh, you know the story. I think Neil was just trying to simplify by calling Apollo the God of Wisdom and Dionysus the God of Love. (Although he probably was the god of physical love after reading about some of their parties!!) We should also remember that the Greek Gods/Goddesses were different from location to location around Greece. What we now know as Apollo, Athena, Zeus, etc., are really compilations and generalizations from the myths that have been translated. Anyone with other info (or corrections, as I'm sure there are at least a few things wrong with this explanation :) please e-mail me...this is one of my fave subjects (and one of my fave albums too :) Leesa/Madrigal ****************************************************************************** Leesa J. Kern lkern@magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu Dept. of Sociology, OSU The French criticize the Americans for not giving the world anything but rock 'n' roll and Harley-Davidsons. But what else is there?" --Peter Fonda ****************************************************************************** ---------------------------------------------------------- Date: Fri, 26 Aug 94 16:40:05 -0500 From: Anton Edward Weisstein <aeweisst@artsci.wustl.edu> Subject: Greek Gods in Hemispheres Gary, you're absolutely right on this one. In Greek mythology, Apollo was NOT the Bringer of Wisdom any more than Dionysus was the bringer of love. They should be Athena and Aphrodite (or possibly Cupid?) respectively. I think, however, that Neil isn't drawing directly from Greek mythology here. I've heard that Nietzsche in one of his works discussed two distinct components of the human psyche, the rational and the emotional, which he represented by Apollo and Dionysus. I'm afraid I can't give a citation here. But that would explain the discrepancy. Perish the thought that Neil would actually...MAKE A MISTAKE! Hoping this post doesn't get swamped in a host of identical responses the way the Golden Rule query did, TonyW. ---------------------------------------------------------- Date: Fri, 26 Aug 1994 18:10:26 -0400 (EDT) From: Wayne 'Waynbo' Zuhl <zuhlw@iia.org> Subject: Sick and Tired! All right, I've read enough of this crap and I can't take anymore. I'm getting sick and tired of reading posts complaining about the content of posts to the NMS. What's even worse is the people bitching about long posts or posts that lack Rush content, because it costs them an extra couple of pennies. I've only been getting TNMS for about 3 months now and I love it! Kudos Rush-mgr!! I enjoy reading what other Rush Fans feel about other issues besides Rush once in a while. So what if someone mentions something about Yes or Primus or what Rush song they heard in their Mother's car two years ago! Life still goes on, the NMS still goes on and no one is any worse for the wear. And to the people who complain about paying for receiving TNMS. Too bad! You knew what you were getting into when you subscribed to the pay service. Nothing angers me more than this! ARGH!!!!! In fact, I hope that more people send in agonizingly long posts about their first Rush experience (sorry Rush-mgr, I'm just trying to prove a point), what songs they heard on the radio, who they'd have for dinner on a desert island and their shoe sizes! Shoe sizes? [ Ah yes, the shoe size question, my favorite one.. :-) : rush-mgr ] The bottom line is that we are fortunate to even have TNMS and we should enjoy it, no matter what! If you don't like a post, skip it! If it pisses you off that much, un-subscribe, it is only YOUR loss. I'm pretty sure that *most* readers share my opinions, if not flame away! But flame here, long and hard! :) Wayne "Waynbo" Zuhl zuhlw@iia.org ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- "God does not play dice" - Albert Einstein "God not only plays dice, he sometimes throws them where they can't be seen." - Stephen Hawking ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------------------------------------------------- From: NELSONRX@aol.com Date: Fri, 26 Aug 94 18:16:51 EDT Subject: happy birthday alex Greeting fellow NMSers. I just wanted to post and say happy 41st birthday to Alex. Hey Al, If you are reading this by some strange chance, quit the band and turn golf pro. Only kidding! Any one else out there with AOL having a problem receiving the NMS? Each edition is being sent to me incomplete and it is really pissing me off especially since that article by Neil got cut off. If anyone on AOL has any good Rush gif files, please upload them. Also, if anyone out there would be willing to make me a copy of Geddy singing the Canadian National Anthem at last years all-star game, I would be more than happy to send you a video tape and pay the postage. Finally, I just want to extoll the virtues of the NMS. I just think this forum is the greatest thing in the world, except for Cindy Crawford. See ya, nelsonrx@aol.com ---------------------------------------------------------- Date: Fri, 26 Aug 1994 17:47:11 CST From: bradlkl@WKUVX1.WKU.EDU Subject: Hey,love songs are cool too. Hydee Ho Campers, After a long summer of working at a ham store, I am finally back at school (anyone know the difference between a butt and a shank? I do). To whomever was dogging the number of "love" songs on CP-HELLO?!? Are you listening to the same albbum I am? A love song is something slow, upbeat, and nauseating, like anything by Michael Bolton or Mariah Carey. The Speed of Love is a "love song" in the sense that the topic of the song is love. SOL is not sappy in the leastIf anything, it's about how difficult love really is, as opposed to the "oh baby I was meant for you" theme of real love songs. And Cold Fire is an Anti-love song. What's so bad about love being the topic of a song? Yes, you need to be very careful with a song about love, cause it's easy to lapse into cliched sappiness (sappyness, whatever). But this *is* Mr. Peart we're talking about, so rest assured he won't be doing any bad remakes of "When a Man Loves a Woman". And that's all I have to say about that. ****Forrest Gumpism alert***** Call me old fashioned, but I believe in one God. He lives in that pond, and his name is Zoldan. -Old Fashioned Guy Kara ---------------------------------------------------------- From: CHRISVOSS@aol.com Date: Fri, 26 Aug 94 19:29:58 EDT Subject: CHRONICLES LASER DISC EXTRA TRAK Does anyone know if an IMPORT Chronicles Laser Disc put on a 12th track (the U.S. version has 11, and of course the Vtape has 12)? I'm being told (its being verified in a week) that one is made with all of the tracks. RESPOND TO CHRISVOSS@AOL.COM ---------------------------------------------------------- Date: Fri, 26 Aug 1994 20:41:31 -0400 From: vdesider@cap.gwu.edu (Vincent A. Desiderio) Subject: THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS NETIQUETTE. I'd like to see RUSH score a movie instead of doing just an instrumental album. Hey, I'd buy a RUSH "Holiday Tunes" album, or electronically altered fart noises if they put it out. Rush pet name: I have a dalmatian named Signals. ---------------------------------------------------------- From: Adam Paul Loch <lochadam@student.msu.edu> Subject: Re:First Rush Single Date: Fri, 26 Aug 1994 20:53:57 -0400 (EDT) The first time I heard "Stick it Out", i was working in the back of an Italien restaraunt, washing dishes. I was actually a cook, but I had to throw suds that night because of a manpower shortage(as usual). We didn't have a radio up front on the makeline, so I was lucky. I was just listening to the radio, and suddenly the announcer said "here's the new one from Rush", and then i heard the big heavy riff. I completly stopped work, blew off everything, and listened until the song was over, and it was great. Then,, acouple days later, a local station played the whole album in its entirety before it came out(I won't say where I'm from, because it will give away a trivia question ;), and that was really cool too. The day that Counterparts came out however, was a monday morning, and I had school. So, I skipped my first class and got a copy for me and my friend(He did the same for Yes tickets ;). Also, on another topic, i just moved in to college and i already found two other Rush fans. I was walking outside of my hall and I heard "La Villa Strangiato" blaring from a stereo on the 2nd floor, so of course, i went up and found him. Later, someone down the hall from me was blasting ASOH, so I went in there too. He said he was glad because there wern't any Rush fans on his floor last year. Oh yeah, and try playing CP through a subwoofer--Very cool. Adam ---------------------------------------------------------- Date: Sat, 27 Aug 1994 01:31:54 GMT From: Gregg Jaeger <jaeger@buphy.bu.edu> Subject: kid gloves Yes, "handle with kid gloves" does mean "handle with care", however, a kid's gloves can be boxing gloves. My point is that Neil is playing on this ambiguity. Nice, eh? Should've been more clear about that one... Gregg ---------------------------------------------------------- Date: Sat, 27 Aug 1994 12:31:50 +60000 From: Paul Simkes <vladas@ozlinkbbs.ozlink.brisnet.org.au> Subject: 1st Experience or am I the oldest on TMNS "PAUL the party is in full swing . Come down" "I'm coming", Damn there's only one thing for it. I'll have to tape The Old Grey Whistle Test. (By tape I mean casstte not the futuristic video stuff). I placed the mic next to the T.V. speaker and off to the ball I went. It was a particularily poignant New Years celebration. In March that year I had said goodbye to Deep Purple at the Manchester Apollo and I faced entering 1975 with a big hole in my heart. My New Years day coma was dragging me down for the third time as I listened to the previous nights scratchy tape recording. Then it just jumped out at me, shook me by the throat and screamed LISTEN to this, it IS the FUTURE!!!! I rewound & listened again, then again,again, again. Who is it? What is it? (It's difficult to appreciate now but in 1974/75 there was nothing quite like it). The problem was that I didn't know the song title or the band. Frantic, I spent the next 3 months humming the tune to every music store guru & every jock I knew... No luck. I resigned myself to wearing out the tape and never knowing if it was just a visitation until... A Canadian friend of a friend came over for the summer holidays. We got talking, we like the same music, he says "you'll like this" and lends me an album called RUSH by RUSH. No big deal I'll check it out.... I placed the vinyl on the table...Hiissss.. crack..hisss BANG!!!!! Finding my Way p.s. I have recently migrated to Australia has Rush ever toured here or plan to in the future? Counterparts is the first tour I've missed since 2112 and I had to have the album imported [ Rush has never toured Australia, and to my knowledge (from what I remember of interviews) they never plan to. : rush-mgr ] ---------- Paul Simkus ---------------------------------------- Internet : vladas@ozlinkbbs.ozlink.brisnet.org.au ---------------------------------------------------------------o ---------------------------------------------------------- Date: Fri, 26 Aug 1994 23:06:14 Subject: Rush song I never want to hear again From: ariel@virtue.win.net (Ariel Benzakein) >Second, sort of along the same vein. Since we are limiting our selection of >music, which of all the Rush Songs ever written would you be willing to never >ever under no circumstance hear again? >My personal choice: Lakeside Park, a good song, but could live without. For me, Rivendell wins hands down.. in fact, I haven't listened to it since I bought Fly by Night (years).... :) Ariel ariel@virtue.win.net ---------------------------------------------------------- Date: Fri, 26 Aug 1994 21:05:37 +0800 From: seanw@amgen.com (Sean Ward) Subject: Song to do without... > Since we are limiting our selection of > music, which of all the Rush Songs ever written would you be willing to never > ever under no circumstance hear again? > My personal choice: Lakeside Park, a good song, but could live without. No doubt about it: "I Think I'm Going Bald" ============================================================================= Sean Ward +1-805-447-1774 voice Systems Dude +1-805-499-9096 fax Amgen Center seanw@amgen.com Thousand Oaks, CA 91320-1789 USA ...uunet!amgen!seanw "Hopelessly lost, but making good time..." - Letterman ============================================================================= ---------------------------------------------------------- From: jtkung@netcom.com (Joseph T. Kung) Subject: Alex's Equipment Date: Sat, 27 Aug 1994 00:39:03 -0400 (EDT) Does anybody have a precise rundown of Alex Lifeson's current equipment? I know he's using PRS guitars, but I'm interested in knowing the specifics -- like what kind, etc. Is it the CE or EG bolt-ons and is he using the standard PRS pickups or has he replaced them with active single-coils like the Evans he used to use in the Signatures? I also know he's switched to Marshall and Peavey 5150 amps, but what about the effects rack he used to have with the Gallien-Krueger amps? Any info would be appreciated. Thanks! - Joe ---------------------------------------------------------- Date: Sat, 27 Aug 94 06:29 BST-1 From: asmithi@cix.compulink.co.uk (Andrew Smith) Subject: Apollo & Dionysius On reading the recent 'Apollo & Dionysius in Hemispheres' thread, I remembered a section in one of Ayn Rand's books ('A New Left; The Anti-Industrial Revolution' - a collection of essays that seem to have been written in the Sixties). This particular essay basically divides contemporary culture into rational (ie objectivist, signified by Apollo) and emotional (ie everyone else, signified by Dionysius) and proceeding to show how (in her opinion) the objectivists are best [not 'better' - that would be too relative a term ;-) ] Bearing in mind how much of Rand's work our Neil read in Rush's early days, he MUST have been aware of this, which would suggest that the plot of Hemispheres is symbolic of either his own personal moving away from a strictly objectivist PoV, or of his hopes for this partisan, bi-polar society we live in learning to live with itself. ...just my UKP 0.02 Andrew Smith BTW this is my first NMS post, after lurking for nearly 9 months! ---------------------------------------------------------- Date: Sat, 27 Aug 1994 01:29:58 -0600 (MDT) From: Scott Brian Bissett <bissett@rintintin.Colorado.EDU> Subject: Rush area in MUD... I posted this idea in a.m.r. last night, and I want to know what ya'll think. I have begun programming in a MUD, I was tossing around the idea of having a Rush domain, sort of a Rushland. What do you think? If you were playing a MUD and you saw this, would you pass it off as cheesy, or would you try it and see what it's like? My general thoughts are that it pretty much should be a collection of puns relating to Rush, not necessarily players trying to recreate the acension to godliness in Hemispheres. Just in case you don't read a.m.r., here's a few ideas to get the ball rolling... How about a lake (between sun and moon?) where one of the goals is to reach the alien shore, or find the Red Tide? and there could be a small park next to it (Lakeside Park). How about a mountain Pass? And if there's rivers nearby, the sound of running water could set the stage for finding a strange device. When you touch it, it gives forth a sound... or maybe the sound of Permanent Waves? something with YYZ as the secret knock into a clubhouse...? Since I am not familiar with the first 3 albums, if anybody has any ideas regarding those, I'll need some explanation behind the songs as well. Hell, I could always use different points of views on any song, so fire away! I look forward to seeing some replies, either e-mail or here (so long as they don't clutter the newsletter. Scott B Bissett - EE Major | "Life's a beach. Univeristy of Colorado, Denver | Then you get sand in your shorts." sbbisset@ouray.cudenver.edu | - Anonymous bissett@benji.colorado.edu | ---------------------------------------------------------- Date: Sat, 27 Aug 94 10:45:13 -0400 From: "GLENN ANDERSON" <ganderso@fox.nstn.ns.ca> Subject: Re: 08/26/94 - The National Midnight Star #1010 >From: JimHeuser@aol.com >Date: Fri, 26 Aug 94 00:56:34 EDT >Subject: Apollo/Dionysus & Alan Weinrib >On another topic: I noticed that the producer of "The Big Money" video >is Alan Weinrib. Is this any relation to Geddy (aka Gary Lee Weinrib)? Alan is Geddy's brother. -- GLENN ANDERSON "2+2=4" GANDERSO@fox.nstn.ns.ca ---------------------------------------------------------- Subject: TNMS ISSUE 2112 :) From: fernando.lacambra@cccbbs.cincinnati.oh.us (Fernando Lacambra) Date: Sat, 27 Aug 94 09:41:00 -0500 Hi RUSH Fans.. I was browsing through TNMS Issue 1010 when I realized that Issue 2112 will be a STRONG possibility. If so, we need to plan something HUGE for that one! Any comments, suggestions ? Fernando ---------------------------------------------------------- Date: Fri, 26 Aug 1994 23:53:19 Subject: Reverse the Golden Rule From: ariel@virtue.win.net (Ariel Benzakein) >WITH REGARDS TO THE PAST ISSUE OF "DO UNTO OTHERS AS THEY >DO TO YOU", WHY IS EVERYONE MAKING SUCH A BIG DEAL OF THIS? > WHAT'S UP WITH DAT? FOR THOSE PEOPLE WHO TOO MUCH TIME >ON THEIR HANDS, GO FOR IT, PLEASE ELABORATE ON THIS. BE MY >GUEST. Welcome to the NMS.... :) Ariel ariel@virtue.win.net ---------------------------------------------------------- Date: Sat, 27 Aug 1994 13:29:26 -0400 From: gyoung@tlcnet.muohio.edu (Glen Young) Subject: My first time.... Greetings people...My introduction to Rush ventures back some 17 years - while driving cross-country with a friend and some borrowed 8-tracks. One 8-track was none other than 2112. We listened to it approx...near infinity I believe for I still can hear it in the Badlands of South Dakota and viewing Mt. Rushmore. That was an exhilerating experience. 'nuf said... Now moving on....yes Garrett's post was precise: >Subject: Named after Rush >Naming your pet after Rush. My brother Glen, who is a card carrying TNMSer, >had a doberman pincher named ByTor. One of Glen's friends had ByTor's sibling, >you guessed it, his name was Snow Dog! Is that cool or what? The names were >shortened to Bitey (very appropriate for a dobey!) and Snow. Also, these dogs >were AKC registered, so somewhere in the records of The American Kennel Club >there exists the names By Tor and The Snow Dog! >Garrett Young >AnswerSoft, Inc. >Plano, Texas By Tor was an excellent name for a loved dog....he was special. BTW, garretty, who introduced to Rush? E-mail me, or I'll call collect. :) LOL(Laughing out loud) Glen ---------------------------------------------------------- Date: Sat, 27 Aug 94 11:53:40 PDT From: heshman@Csa1.LBL.Gov (Mahesh Chandramouli) Subject: Different Stringd = love song ?? In a post sent out 9/27, so spoketh "K. M. Fritzsche" <fritzk@rpi.edu> >>...many attempts at 'love songs' were written by Geddy (sometimes along with >>Alex). I'm thinking in particular of "Different Strings" and "Entre Nous" >>from the Permanent Waves album. To me, those songs are just somehow a lot >>weaker than the ones Neil writes (in terms of lyrical content)... to which I reply: "Different Strings" and "Entre Nous" love songs ??? The subject matter of these songs deal with the way people relate to each other in general, not just love. "K. M. Fritzsche" also sayeth: >>...When it came to Counterparts, a lot of the songs just reminded me of >>the ones from PeW.....It seems like a waste of the power trio's talent to be writing stuff (love songs)like that.... ^^^^^ ^^^^ >> ...my favorite RUSH album is Hold Your Fire. ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ For you the best display of Rush's talent as a power trio is HYF ?? I guess I better compare other power trios against these three efforts by rush. BTO: Guitar, bass and drums Green day: Guitar, bass and drums Nirvana:Gutiar, bass, drums and a stiff HYF: lots of sequenced keyboard parts, sampled vocals, a string section as well as guitar, bass and drums CP and PEW: minimal synths usually played by someones feet, guitar, bass and drums. Seems like of these three rush albums, HYF is the one that least resembles the work of a power trio's work. Mahesh ---------------------------------------------------------- From: Brett Alan Bednarcyk <bab7v@watt.seas.virginia.edu> Subject: Kid Guantes Date: Sat, 27 Aug 94 15:22:09 EDT Hey. I missed a few issues there, so I don't know if this was mentioned, but I thought I heard somewhere that Kid Gloves dealt with the ending of the relationship between Rush and Terry Brown. Also, what is the line 'disclose the myth, repeal the fifth' from? I don't think it's Rush, but does anyone recognize these lyrics. It's been bugging me. Thanks, Brett ---------------------------------------------------------- Date: Sat, 27 Aug 1994 15:34:57 -0400 From: "Gordon Barentsen" <yku02309@CAWC.YorkU.CA> Subject: Rushmorgasbord Hi people...just thought I'd give another misc. respone-thang... Jim Heuser sez: --- In response to Gary Barnette on Neil's interpretation of Apollo and Dionysus: My handy "Cliffs Notes book of Mythology" does list Apollo as being (among other things) the god of intelligence. The same book says Dionysus "served to liberate the emotions and to inspire men with joy." I think these would support the gods as written in Hemispheres. Besides, Neil did not limit his idea of Dionysus and Apollo to the strict Classical version, per se; he was inspired by the book _Powers of Mind_ by Adam Smith. Check it out! --- This I think is quite right. Apollo is also the patron god of the Delphic Oracle, where many received inspiration and guidance; it's mentioned in Sophocles' OEDIPUS plays, as well as briefly in Shakespeare's THE WINTERS' TALE. There is also another useful distinction: Euripedes' THE BACCHAE makes a general distinction, I believe, between the CIVITAS (i.e. "culture"/"civilization") and the WILDERNESS (I don't know the Greek word, so shoot me :) ) embodied in the Bacchanalia (passionate drinking/orgies) or Dionysius. Gestaly psychology also places Reason (generally) on the left side of the brain, and Emotion (in general) on the right. Which makes sense on the cover of Hemispheres, at least to me..that's the way the brain seems to be looking! Tom Lockwood (yo Tom) sez: --- I can't believe this Gord, I'm talking to a lame-ass here man! I made it clear that I was one of those people who got internet access free through my place of employment. And I also though I made it clear that I was becoming sensitive to those net users who had to pay for lists like these. Jump in here anytime Laura! Here's the real question: How many "N.M.S." subscribers would be willing to pay for each issue of the star? Jimmy can take a bow because some obviously were faced with the decision and decided go through with it. --- Well, personally I find a lot of the messages (i.e. the Golden Rule stuff) repetitive. On the other hand, some people read TNMS later than others, and give their perfectly viable contributions whenever they can, so that's cool. On the other hand, I don't pay for this either, so I can see how the small talk might get irritating (i.e. non-Rush content, etc). On the other hand, it seems to be more of a "voluntary assumption of risk" thing. Or I'm on drugs. Upon re-reading this I find I have too many hands. Alas. - Gord ---------------------------------------------------------- Date: Sat, 27 Aug 1994 16:46:51 -0400 From: bah143@psu.edu (Brian Adam Heller) Subject: First listen. Hey all you in NMS land! The recent issue of when you heard your first Rush song just came up. To quote, "Here's my $.02." I was a sophmore in high school (I'm a freshman at Penn State now). A bunch of my friends were seniors, and they were all into Rush. This was that time in my life when I wanted to be a musician, as I'm sure all of you once felt. I couldn't play the bass for my life, but I figured I could be as good as Geddy in no time <g>. Anyway, I'm in the music room with my friends, and they put on "Closer to the Heart" of of ASOH. I don't remember the song, but that bass solo drew me in faster than you can imagine. After that I considered myself a Arush fan. But it wasn't until the summer that I really began to appreciate them. I was on a cross-country teen tour (USY on Wheels, for those who care), and the only tape I had was Chronicles. "Freewill," "Tom Sawyer," and "Spirit" are the ones that really hooked me. I bought "Archives," yet I didn't really like it. Only recently have I begun to really get a taste for it. "The Fountain of Lamneth" is one of my favorites, but I can't stand "Going Bald." When I first heard "Counterparts," I was very disappointed. I didn't like their new harder sound, Although I thought "Animate" was brilliant. Where were the different bass lines I had come to know so well? The bass was actually playing the same thing as the guitar! After I saw the video for sitck it out, however, I changed my mind. Watchng Geddy scream "Don't swallow the poison" made me appreciate the song and their new sound. Well, I guess I've said about $.12 worth. Happy listening! Brian A. Heller bah143@psu.edu "Water go done the hole. I want to flush it again!" - Baby Plucky ---------------------------------------------------------- Date: Sat, 27 Aug 1994 18:32:44 CST From: bradlkl@WKUVX1.WKU.EDU Subject: My Deserted Island/1st Rush single Helloooo Nurse! (the nurse, of course, being a big ol' hunky man) Why, pray tell, do we as humans, fanticize and wonder about being stranded on deserted islands? Must be some sort of Gilligan's Island complex. Anyway, if I were stranded, and I happened to bring my favorite CD's with me that day, in case of such an emergency, this would be my selection: Tori Amos-Under the Pink (because we were separated at birth) Rush-Roll the Bones (because it was my 1st Rush album) (and it ROCKS!) They Might Be Giants-Lincoln (because I love the song Purple Toupee) The first Rush song I ever heard was Distant Early Warning. I remember hearing it because I remember the video-they played it all the time on MTV. Those were the days of Legs and Let's Go Crazy. I remember also that I hated it. I thought the little kid riding around on the rocket was stupid (yeah, I know, ZZ Top's video was *so much better*. Hey, I was only 10. Give me a break!). I did think Geddy's bass was cool-that black trapeziod-shaped one. Needless to say, I aquired better taste in my maturity. I recently saw Through the Camera Eye, and it was a HOOT! I jumped up and screamed when DEW came on. I have to say, 80's videos are entertaining-cheesy, bad effects, cute little storyline! Well this is much too long as it is, so I'll quit now. Bye! kara Will Don Knotts be there? I LOVE Don Knotts! -Wakko Warner ---------------------------------------------------------- From: CHRISVOSS@aol.com Date: Sat, 27 Aug 94 20:32:27 EDT Subject: VIDEOS OF RUSH SINGLES Has anyone had any luck at obtaining Rush Video Singles that have not been released on compilation videos? I mean, the individual vids in whatever format they are given to the Video DJs? The rush discography lists them but says they are hard to get. I just got my Chronicles LaserD and man is Geddy about scarry looking in Closer to the Fart! Halloween mask potential. Please respond directly to CHRISVOSS@AOL.COM ---------------------------------------------------------- From: manint matthew james <manint@ux5.cso.uiuc.edu> Subject: Meaning of GUP songs... Date: Sat, 27 Aug 1994 21:33:57 -0500 (CDT) >because it was one of the last Rush albums on vinyl that I upgraded to >CD. I >love the music especially the guitar by Alex on Kid Gloves, but its one of >the few albums that I couldn't draw a conclusion on some of Neil's lyrics. >What's the message in Red Sector A, Between the Weels and the other >songs on the CD? Anyone care to comment with their opinion? Sure! GUP is my absolutely favorite album, because of the meaning of the songs you have listed (it always gives me the chills)... 1.) Red Sector A (named after a site at Kennedy Space Center) is about a futuristic (I think of a Nazi) concentration camp. The main character has lived through hell, but his hell is not over, as he has no idea what the fray at the gate is. I have thought of some wider-reality meanings to the song, but can't recall them :) 2.) Between the Wheels (awesome) is about life and the feeling of being just shuffled through at an uncomfortable pace. People who just can't seem to adjust to the pressures of life with grace (pun)...check these lines (chilling!) - Frozen in the fatal climb- But the wheels of time- Just pass you by... (my fav.) Hiding beneath the sheets- Got to try and fill the void... I hope this helps you out (this is my first posting to NMS...hope it gets there OK :) -- // Matt J. Manint (aka Marconi) *** "Life redirected in ways unexpected \\ // Computer Science *** Sometimes the odd number wins... \\ // manint@ux5.cso.uiuc.edu *** The way the Big Wheel spins" - Rush \\ ---------------------------------------------------------- Subject: First RUSH experience Date: Sat, 27 Aug 1994 23:56:25 EDT From: "James H. Falkner" <jhf@cis.ufl.edu> First Rush exposure: I was sitting in 10th grade English class listening to an N.W.A. album (Straight Outta Compton) on my walkman, and my friend Daryl who was a big Aerosmith fan had Exit... Stage Left in his walkman. (we didn't get much English done in there). Anyhow, he wanted to hear N.W.A. so I took his tape and listened to "Xanadu" (that's where he stopped listening to it) I thought the beginning was alright, but not great. I took the tape home and listened from the beginning and it changed everything. The transitions and Geddy's little comments were really neat. Needless to say Daryl didn't get his tape back (it was near the end of the school year) and I went out and bought it along with a few other albums (namely GUP and Signals). Now everytime I get a chance to buy Rush stuff I get it (Just got my Rush Keychain in the mail from BMG!) except that velvety-black Rush cap from the CP concert. I think it's too 'pretty'. But hey, to each his (or her) own... The Albums on the island: 1. Exit... Stage Left (it 'deflowered' me) 2. The soundtrack to "The Seventh Guest" CD-ROM game (Really cool) 3. Jane's Addiction - Ritual De Lo Habitual (Just plain groovy) Dinner Guests: (assuming dead or alive) 1. Leonardo Da Vinci - An all-around awesome guy 2. Chuck Yeager - Has balls the size of the sun 3. Alex Lifeson - Really good sense of humor (and great guitarist) (ok, so I'd invite all three, but who wouldn't?) 4. Purple Motion (Jonne Valtonen) - Makes incredible music on the computer 5. Traci Lords (the porno star) - For reasons I cannot detail (NO, I know what you are thinking, and the answer is NO!) 6. Any TV cook 7. Conan O'Brian - Very funny guy (I'd probably allow Andy to come along too) ---James "the weasel" ---------------------------------------------------------- From: Michael Bahr <garion@indirect.com> Subject: First Rush Epiphany Date: Sat, 27 Aug 1994 21:37:37 -0700 (MST) Boy, this is great... a lot of your First Rush experience stories are really something. Mostly because I wish mine could have been like those, instead, it was really STRANGE! I was 10 and the current Rush album was p/g, though I could not have known that. I had heard NO Rush, ever. It came to pass that I was to go on a camping trip, and next thing we knew, I was hiking along with some friends and our families along a trail in northeastern Arizona, near the Mogollon rim. A friend my age, Tom, was there and his older brother had brought a boombox and tunes. So this older bro, Mike, throws on "Moving Pictures". I could not believe how damn AWESOME Tom Sawyer sounded. We began jumping around and having a whale of a good time, and the album played through. Red Barchetta was incredible. YYZ was mind-blowing. I didn't even understand Limelight, TCE, WH, and VS until later that night when the shock of those first three songs wore down. Later, with a fire crackling and the stars above us, the music was cranked, and The Camera Eye was particularly emotional... the "Are they oblivious? To this soft spring rain, like an English rain, so light yet endless in a leaden sky... YEAH!" just as the clouds gathered and the rainy mist began to descend. It was my first RushMoment(Tm). Then, with the lightning blaring around our tentlike pavilion (hey, we were youngsters, okay?) and the deck of cards out and the lantern lit, Vital Signs cranked a tight, powerful strain of rock music into the forest night. We were having a blast. The next day (after having heard all of MP about 8 times) Mike threw in A Farewell to Kings, and the title track, Xanadu, and especially Closer to the Heart were almost too much to handle. I was drinking the milk of paradise, mentally. After the trip ended they let me borrow Exit... Stage Left, which was the only Rush album I had for over a year. (hey, I was ten, okay? I had no money and no clue.) The first album that came out while I was a fan was Power Windows, and by the time Hold Your Fire came out, I was a diehard, pounding on the Tower Records doors. :) Another camping trip with the same families ensued when HYF was new. This time we spent two weeks on the Highline Trail in n.AZ. Rain was plentiful, and "High Water" and "Second Nature" became the group favourites. They still stand as my two highlights off HYF. It was great to see Tom and Mike again, this time with me armed with a cassette carry-along full of Rush albums! :) WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE TO HEAR RUSH PLAY ON THEIR NEXT TOUR??? I know about 6-7 new songs, probably. I'd say also count on Dreamline, Animate, Stick It Out, Cold Fire, The Pass (possibly), Force Ten (maybe), YYZ, Limelight, The Trees, and La Villa. I would like to see them give Sawyer, Spirit, and CTTH a REST. I would be in ecstasy to see included in the setlist: Making Memories, No One At The Bridge (yeah like they'd play it!), Something for Nothing, Cinderella Man, a bit of Natural Science, Vital Signs, Losing It, Grand Designs, Second Nature, High Water, Red Tide, The Big Wheel, and/or CTTC. Mike Bahr, Feel The Rush! Music - garion@indirect.com ---------------------------------------------------------- Date: Sun, 28 Aug 1994 00:45:28 -0400 From: "Kurt Sunn" <yku02443@YorkU.CA> Subject: Lakeside Park Adventure After having read Peart's article "A Port Boy's Story" in NMS#1007, I jumped at an invitation to find Lakeside Park in St.Catherine's, Ontario. With the sad story of the Southern Californian whose Lakeside Park adventure was aborted at the border, I wondered why I hadn't thought of the trip before. I jumped into my freshly waxed Miata, my own little Red Barchetta. I stuffed the trunk with my camera bag, loaded up the CD player with Chronicles and I was off. "Finding My Way!" I picked up a fellow Rush fan, and the instigator of this journey and hit the 401 West, picked up the Queen Elizabeth Way and headed south towards Niagra. The lack of St. Catherine's distance signs caused some anxiety, but in about half an hour there were signs for St.Catherine's, 40km! Since we didn't exactly know where the park was, we headed to downtown St.Kit's and picked up a map at what seemed to be the only gas station in town. I guess the cheaper gas across the border in Buffalo, kept gas stations from proliferating there. The map showed it all... Lakeport Avenue, Peart's home in St. Catherine's was just minutes away from Lakeside Park. Surprisingly, there was some night life around the park. The parking lot was even full! When we finally parked across the street and made it to the park, it was satisfying to find all the landmarks mentioned in the song. To the west there is a merry-go-round for only 5 cents, a lighthouse to the east, a pier and one prominent willow tree. We had a few beer at a bar that overlooks the park. Luckily, Chronicles was in the jukebox, so I couldn't resist playing LSP... I'm sure they've probably heard it thousands of times, but I had to satisfy myself. My selections ended with La Villa Strangiato; the somewhat older crowd on the patio didn't seem to appreciate the ten odd minutes of their time that I took up. Of course, Peart was right, the magic had faded. What's left of Lakeside Park appeared to me to be nothing more than a yuppy hangout. (Someone was having wedding pictures taken there!) There's no more midway, no games, not even a sign to consider stealing. I tried to imagine a young Peart, operating one of the games at the midway, wondering of the greatness that he would come into. There really is nothing else to do in St.Catherine's. I almost felt sorry for Peart, who had to grow up in this sleepy town. I can't imagine what they do for fun here! (I guess we all know, hey beer stores were open past 9:00 on a Saturday there!) I guess that's why he took up drumming, and I guess we can all be thankful for that. I hope that didn't take up too much of your time. ---------------------------------------------------------- Date: Sun, 28 Aug 1994 06:05:47 -0700 (PDT) From: "Janss L. Adams" <ubeads@mcl.mcl.ucsb.edu> Subject: Guitarparts Hey hey Rushfns....any guitarists out there? I play drums(I love trying to keep up with Neil), but I also dabble in guitar. I got into guitar because of Rush and I love playing along with Alex. Counterparts is filled with heavy distortion and power chords(Yes!!!). I was wondering if anyone has figured out the riff for Between Sun & Moon. It's really killer and I haven't been able to duplicate it. I don't know if it's in an alternate tuning or what. Can anyone help me out? In one of last weeks issues, someone was asking people(other drummers) what they like about Neil's style etc. Precision is the first thing that stands out to me. He's able to perform complex patterns and such with such exactness that it's truly frightening. I'm really blown away by his drumming on early albums such as FlyBN/FareTK/Hem. He throwns in awesome fills just when I think he has settled into a pattern. I love how his drumming had enhanced Alex's solos(LaVilla,Losing It{the electric violin solo by BM}) "I will chose a path that's clear I will chose freewill" Later- Janss. ---------------------------------------------------------- From: WilCollier@aol.com Date: Sun, 28 Aug 94 12:37:25 EDT Subject: Back on line . . . and paying for it. An NMS fan returns . . . Hi, everybody, I finally broke down (after 8 months off the net) and got an AOL account. Which leads me naturally to the recent dial-up vs. free service griping . . . (rush-mgr, please feel free to lose this stuff if you think it's not 'Rush specific' enough. I've sent copies via Email to the pertinent parties.) [ I think it's relevant enough, but it's also been hashed one way and the other. I have the interesting pleasure of working for an Internet provider, and believe me if you ain't in school, you will pay for your access... : rush-mgr ] >From: Nicholas Marx <nmarx@mermaid.micro.umn.edu> >Subject: Thomas Lockwood is getting ripped off >Anyone out there who is paying for E-Mail through the nose, is, for the >most part, getting ripped off. Have to agree there--anybody paying Prodigy or Compuserve or eWorld prices is taking it in the chute--AOL is the cheapest and easiest, and doesn't have sneaky extra fees like Delphi. >It would probably be cheaper to get a good internet account through a >university, and then all you would have to pay is a monthly/yearly fee >plus long distance if it wasn't local. Long distance charges are pretty >low if you call at the right time. It can be as low as 11 cents a minute, >but all in all it is probably going to wind up being cheaper if you use the >net a lot. This is obviously coming from somebody who hasn't priced out dial-up university sites lately. I got the InterNIC list, and the cheapest rates I saw were in the $20-$30/month range, plus long distance fees. In addition, the software requirements for a PC or Mac are a royal pain in the ass. >TNMS hasn't changed its content much, as far as I can tell, over time, >thus, you pretty much know what you are going to get. If you don't want >what you know you are going to get, don't waste your time and money. Couldn't agree more--the main reason I got my AOL account was so I could get the NMS again. It was much more painless to get it free when I was working for that fruit company (Apple), though. Which leads me to . . . >Geoff N. Hiten >Tuscaloosa Steel Corporation >Geoff@TSteel.com >This is specifically addressed to the contingent that is whining about the >sometimes rambling and occasionally irrelevant posts. If you don't like the >contents or feel that you are paying too much, STOP DOWNLOADING. The >'rules of nettiquete' are about wasting readers TIME, not MONEY. You know, it's _real_ easy to say something like that when you don't have to pay for your service. I ought to know, I was either in college or on a .com account for the last several years, and I _did_ say things like that. And I was just as wrong as you are now. The Internet is no longer a college-and-computer-geek playground, it's for everybody, even us poor bastards who are unlucky enough to have to pay for service. I'm sick and tired of net-vet prejudice towards those without a free line (even when it comes from me). A little more courtesy from BOTH sides would make things easier on everybody. Special thanks to Tom Lockwood for sticking up for us (among other things--hi, Tom.) >Asking a group to drop all topics but to narrow one you want to hear is >equally poor manners, especially when the sole reason is it increases the >cost of a service that YOU choose to pay for. Sorry, I missed the post that started all this. I don't know what 'narrow' topic you're talking about, but I think I speak for all the dial-up types when I say, follow the rush-mgr's rules (i.e. get to the point, namely Rush), and we'll have no complaints. >The manager of this list puts in a great deal of time and has quite a bit of >money tied up in hardware. I haven't heard one whine from him about this. >Heck, he even apologizes when his JOB interferes with the management of >this list. And I don't know of anybody who'd disagree. The rush-mgr, as I said once in the past, is a god among men, and we all worship the ground upon which his tireless feet tread. He's got a great sense of humor, too. By the way, Geoff, if that Tuscaloosa Steel Co. is the one in Alabama . . . ****WAR EAGLE!!!!! 22-14!!!! 11-0!!!!! 22-0 coming up!!!!!**** . . . and I expect nothing less than a post like yours from those snobs in T-Town. If it's somewhere else, never mind. And just to (retroactively) set a good example, I hereby promise Rush content and Rush content only for the next post.... --Will Collier WilCollier@aol.com "If it's not Scottish, it's CRAP!!!!!" ---------------------------------------------------------- Date: Sun, 28 Aug 1994 12:16:15 +0000 From: krostenk@uclink.berkeley.edu (Brian A. Krostenko) Subject: Apollo and Dionysus Hail Rushmates, In response to Gary Barnette's question (NMS 1009), I think that in composing "Hemispheres" Neil had in mind not only the ancient gods themselves, but those gods as they are used by Friedrich Nietzsche in "The Birth of Tragedy". Nietzsche developed the opposition between Apollo and Dionysus that does appear in Greek culture into metaphors for various psychological forces and realms, -- such as (respectively) vision vs. music, dream vs. intoxication, poise vs. revel, the individual vs. the collective-- that spur each other to greater heights, specifically artistic or creative heights, by their 'constant conflicts and periodic acts of reconciliation'. Nietzsche sees the splendor of classical Greek tragedy as the result of the union between these opposing forces. I don't know Nietzsche enough to know if he also saw this opposition as the driving force for the creation of *all* human culture (any help out there?), but that certainly is the use to which Neil has put it, each opposing force driving incipient human culture into extreme situations that it can only remedy by appealing to the other force (with disaster eventually ensuing, until Cygnus fixes things, ideally at least). The image of hemispheres might then be Peart's combination of Nietzsche's opposition with more recent thinking about left brain-right brain differences (or maybe it's just Hugh Syme's [he did that one, no?] interpretation of Neil's interpretation of Nietzsche's interpretation of the Greek gods. Mmm. I have a headache.). I imagine that the emphasis on balance is also Peart's addition, the 'love of truth' being Apollonian and the 'truth of love' Dionysian, and both being necessary for a well-rounded, dare I say spherical, life. I've always enjoyed how the music at the end fits into such a vision, becoming so gentle and soothing after the tension, energy, and drive of the preceding parts. Oh, one more thing, if I recall from FAQ rightly, Alex's original last name was 'Zijonovic' or the like. I thought you might like to know that 'Lifeson' must be his sly translation thereof. The '-ovic' (pronounced -oh-vitch) suffix in the Slavic languages is a patronymic, indicating the father (hence good old Gorby was Mikhail Sergeyevich "Mike, son of Serge"). One might reasonably turn this in English as "-son", as in "Johnson" etc. As for the "life" part, the Slavic languages share a similar word for 'life', Pol. zycie, Russ. zizn, Serbo-Cr. zivot, etc. Hence 'Zijonovic' could, quite literally, be "Life's son". Sly bugger, ain't he? AH-OOGA AH-OOGA AH-OOGA! Zounds! Sorry, gang, that's my optional 'Rambling-on-Line Alert Horn' feature, which I installed to protect my friends and readers like you! I have to go now. -- BAK ---------------------------------------------------------- From: Stephen A Jankowiak <jankowia@student.msu.edu> Subject: etc Date: Sun, 28 Aug 1994 16:31:55 -0400 (EDT) Hi All. I assume you all know this already, but Stick It Out is transcribed in the latest issue of modern drummer. I thought this was the Rush Network, not the Yes Network. I heard ENTRE NOUS on Big Daddy's 4-play the other day on 101.1 WRIF in Detroit and almost drove off the road because of the shock. I thought the RED STAR represented communism, not satanism. Do any drummers out there know what size or different sizes of drum sticks NP uses? (I've never seen him use non ProMark wood tip) My 3 desert island CD's: The 3 live ones. SEEYA The Amazing WonderSteve ----------------------------------------------------------
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 129.2.8.114 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. Gopher access is now available on syrinx! Use this command to access the gopher: gopher syrinx.umd.edu 2112 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 (C) 1994 by The Rush Fans Mailing List Editor, The National Midnight Star (Rush Fans Mailing List) ********************************************* End of The National Midnight Star Number 1011 *********************************************