I wonder if that was it. Like I said, I thought this was late 80s when I heard it, but it's distant enough now that I could just be shifting it around by a few years.
― Ned Raggett, Friday, 17 January 2020 18:22 (four years ago) link
In the late '80s or so, when he started wearing that little hat, rumors spread that he had cancer and had lost his hair. Not that, you know, he was just losing his hair. I'm pretty sure he addressed it once or twice. Sometimes a hat is just a hat.
― Josh in Chicago, Friday, 17 January 2020 19:04 (four years ago) link
The piece from his book publisher friend upthread suggests that the whole “He was sick as far back as 2015” thing isn’t true. It does seem a little distasteful to be saying that stuff. Great posts here since he passed – very much in keeping with the warmth these guys always conveyed. I’m spending time listening to all these pieces I never had much time for (the Cygnus X-1 epics) or songs I haven’t heard in 30 years. Man, the title track to Roll the Bones – pretty sure no other song in history married the kind wistfulness of the “Why are we here/Because we’re here/Roll the bones” section with the sheer dorkiness of the rap section (which has two verses!). It kind of makes me love them more.
― Naive Teen Idol, Saturday, 18 January 2020 02:02 (four years ago) link
Also, yeah – the “Neil is sick” rumors have been around for over thirty years. And I agree, they probably did have something to do with that hat.
― Naive Teen Idol, Saturday, 18 January 2020 02:04 (four years ago) link
That rollThe bones rap is shitty but the rest of the song is really good
― akm, Saturday, 18 January 2020 02:40 (four years ago) link
I mean, he literally wrote a song called "I Think I'm Going Bald"
― Blues Guitar Solo Heatmap (Free Download) (upper mississippi sh@kedown), Saturday, 18 January 2020 02:40 (four years ago) link
I honestly don't see a major gap in quality between the spoken/'rap' break and the rest of "Roll the Bones". It's as goofy as the reggae break in "The Spirit of Radio". Even the 'funky' riff seems pretty goofy to me.
― One must put up barriers to keep oneself intact (Sund4r), Saturday, 18 January 2020 03:09 (four years ago) link
the thing i loved/hated about the rap is that the band comes in after the first bit is over and I thought, phew, bit of a breather, then the rap returns....
― Master of Treacle, Saturday, 18 January 2020 03:12 (four years ago) link
I really like "Ghost of a Chance" from that album. Sort of a materialist, atheist love song (although idk why he doesn't believe in the stars and planets)? Lifeson's solo reminds me a bit of Clapton at his most lyrical.
― One must put up barriers to keep oneself intact (Sund4r), Saturday, 18 January 2020 03:21 (four years ago) link
I'm a sucker for "Bravado", "The Big Wheel" and "You Bet Your Life", I do think there's a melodic undercurrent to that album that is maybe slightly underrated
― Master of Treacle, Saturday, 18 January 2020 03:37 (four years ago) link
"although idk why he doesn't believe in the stars and planets"
It means he doesn't believe in astrology. He doesn’t believe lovers are fated to be together because of astrological signs.
― Melomane, Saturday, 18 January 2020 03:40 (four years ago) link
Yeah, no, I get what he meant. I was just being a smartass about the way he phrased it.
― One must put up barriers to keep oneself intact (Sund4r), Saturday, 18 January 2020 03:40 (four years ago) link
Related, do you think "Christ, what have you done?" in "The Pass" just means "OMG what have you done?" or is it a comment on Christianity and the glorification of martyrdom (or both)? I heard it the first way as a kid but, later, I thought the second meaning might make more sense for Peart.
― One must put up barriers to keep oneself intact (Sund4r), Saturday, 18 January 2020 03:42 (four years ago) link
Oh yeah, "Bravado", I do like this one.
― One must put up barriers to keep oneself intact (Sund4r), Saturday, 18 January 2020 04:20 (four years ago) link
I always thought the "Christ, what have you done!?" was just an angry, shocked exclamation. Kind of a misplaced blasphemous profanity from an atheist. (See also: fellow atheist Ged, in that interview I posted a while back, admitting that being the child of holocaust survivors is his "cross to bear.")
― Josh in Chicago, Saturday, 18 January 2020 04:36 (four years ago) link
That song was quite the cheeky poke at two bands Rush knew. The title is a riff on Kiss's "Goin' Blind", while the lyrics referenced Kim Mitchell of Max Webster, who of course at the time, was developing quite the epic skullet.
Neil could be really, really funny in his songs, but his dryness was often lost on casual listeners.
― A. Begrand, Saturday, 18 January 2020 14:20 (four years ago) link
That Neil Peart has cancer story goes back to the late 80s at least. I first heard it from crusty older Rush fans while waiting in line at Ticketron (lol) for Presto tour tickets.
― The Traveling Wilkes-Barre's (PBKR), Saturday, 18 January 2020 14:32 (four years ago) link
Now that sends me back. I totally waited at Ticketron for Presto tour tickets!!!
― Josh in Chicago, Saturday, 18 January 2020 14:46 (four years ago) link
Old-Timer here! I camped out at the box office for both Hemispheres and Permanent Waves tickets, and I recall around the time of the latter there was a rumor going through the line that Neil had leukemia.
― henry s, Saturday, 18 January 2020 15:50 (four years ago) link
And of course I studied the Neil photos in the Permanent Waves tour program very carefully, and convinced myself that he looked tired and had a bit of a pallor.
― henry s, Saturday, 18 January 2020 15:53 (four years ago) link
I love that we have dated the source of the original cancer rumors to Caress of Steel.
― Naive Teen Idol, Saturday, 18 January 2020 16:31 (four years ago) link
feel like Sully enjoyed the attention more he got from the article more than he actually cared about being sensitive to Peart and his family
― papa stank (Neanderthal), Saturday, 18 January 2020 16:32 (four years ago) link
get Ja Rule's thoughts while you're at it
This is literally the most I have thought or heard about Godsmack since I interviewed that dude maybe 13 years ago, and I still have no idea what they sound like, other than I can guess I won't like them.
― Josh in Chicago, Saturday, 18 January 2020 17:13 (four years ago) link
“going blind” is an underrated kiss song
― brimstead, Saturday, 18 January 2020 21:16 (four years ago) link
"feel like Sully enjoyed the attention more he got from the article more than he actually cared about being sensitive to Peart and his family"
Reminds me how one very close friend of Jeff Buckley (and their closeness has been conclusively proven) said that after Buckley’s death, all these people calling themselves "friends of Jeff" came out of the woodwork and made claims to the press even though she had never heard of these people.
― Melomane, Saturday, 18 January 2020 21:30 (four years ago) link
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qQmbozw6_H4
― Josh in Chicago, Wednesday, 22 January 2020 02:23 (four years ago) link
We are not worthy.
― The Traveling Wilkes-Barre's (PBKR), Wednesday, 22 January 2020 02:30 (four years ago) link
My 10 year old is listening to “The Trees” downstairs while I get ready to walk her to school. I will report back on her impressions.
― Naive Teen Idol, Wednesday, 22 January 2020 12:59 (four years ago) link
IMO you should give her a Rush day off from school. 8 hours of education from Neil, Geddy, and Alex
― Rhoda from Steubenville (Neanderthal), Wednesday, 22 January 2020 14:58 (four years ago) link
I hope your 10 year old doesn't come back from downstairs as a union buster
― akm, Wednesday, 22 January 2020 15:32 (four years ago) link
https://youtu.be/Ed2KRddgv-4?t=95xp
― One must put up barriers to keep oneself intact (Sund4r), Wednesday, 22 January 2020 15:33 (four years ago) link
enjoying Power Windows this morning at work
― the girl from spirea x (f. hazel), Wednesday, 22 January 2020 16:42 (four years ago) link
Better the pride that residesIn a citizen of the worldThan the pride that dividesWhen a colorful rag is unfurled
― the body of a spider... (scampering alpaca), Wednesday, 22 January 2020 18:38 (four years ago) link
Have mostly listened to Permanent Waves thru Signals, but after browsing this thread earlier today, decided to listen to GUP, Power Windows, Presto, and Clockwork Angels. Recognized a few from the first two, but none from Presto or Clockwork. Overall I found the 80s stuff enjoyable. Need more time to listen and digest, though.
― beard papa, Thursday, 23 January 2020 01:54 (four years ago) link
Couple of fresh thoughts:
1) I started reading "Ghost Rider." It's often really beautiful and brutally honest. You can really hear his voice, in both sense, which lends it another layer of heartbreak.
2) Listening to "Ghost of a Chance," I was really struck by the nuance of its sentiment, the view of an atheist who believes only in the randomness of the universe, and yet who holds out just a glimmer of faith in the idea that two random people can cross paths and fall in love, "and make it last." Just a lovely, romantic idea.
3) Speaking of Peart the humanist, "Witch Hunt" is a particularly apropos song.
The righteous riseWith burning eyesOf hatred and ill-willMadmen fed on fear and liesTo beat and burn and killThey say there are strangers who threaten usOur immigrants and infidelsThey say there is strangeness to danger usIn our theaters and bookstore shelvesThat those who know what's best for usMust rise and save us from ourselvesQuick to judgeQuick to angerSlow to understandIgnorance and prejudiceAnd fear walk hand in hand
They say there are strangers who threaten usOur immigrants and infidelsThey say there is strangeness to danger usIn our theaters and bookstore shelvesThat those who know what's best for usMust rise and save us from ourselves
Quick to judgeQuick to angerSlow to understandIgnorance and prejudiceAnd fear walk hand in hand
― Josh in Chicago, Friday, 24 January 2020 18:45 (four years ago) link
Yeah, and a little early for his humanist stuff as well. Good find.
― Naive Teen Idol, Monday, 27 January 2020 00:08 (four years ago) link
I was watching that R40 video, and the full clips of Alex miming smoking a joint in the middle of "Tom Sawyer" is followed by him shaking his finger and mouthing the words "don't do drugs," and then he bobbles his head and mouths "well, maybe a little."
― Josh in Chicago, Tuesday, 28 January 2020 02:52 (four years ago) link
"Geddy Lee: Music was changing, and radio was changing. Our access to great music – the way we were getting it on FM radio, for example – was dying and becoming more commercialised. The Spirit Of Radio carries that feeling, and I think that people related to that song because of the way the music industry was going. It wasn’t about love and getting laid, the typical rock stuff. So it was fresh. And there’s a very positive sound to that song as well. There’s a life to it.Alex Lifeson: The opening riff in that song was based on the movement of radio waves. At least that was the idea!Geddy Lee: The way that song changes from one style of music to another is to replicate an FM dial turning. Maybe it was too subtle. It makes me wonder if we should have been more obvious about it. Alex’s riff set the tone for that song. And while that riff was steadily blasting through, Neil (Peart) and I wrote these counterpoint punctuations all around it, started playing with the time signatures. We thought it was quite innovative. We recorded it live, using a sequencer, which in those days you had to manually program with switches, to get it to work that one time. So you couldn’t screw up."
Alex Lifeson: The opening riff in that song was based on the movement of radio waves. At least that was the idea!
Geddy Lee: The way that song changes from one style of music to another is to replicate an FM dial turning. Maybe it was too subtle. It makes me wonder if we should have been more obvious about it. Alex’s riff set the tone for that song. And while that riff was steadily blasting through, Neil (Peart) and I wrote these counterpoint punctuations all around it, started playing with the time signatures. We thought it was quite innovative. We recorded it live, using a sequencer, which in those days you had to manually program with switches, to get it to work that one time. So you couldn’t screw up."
― Josh in Chicago, Wednesday, 29 January 2020 23:59 (four years ago) link
I've got to admit, Peart's death has really made me reassess how much this band has meant to me. I've never not been a fan, but thinking back, and getting older, I recognize what that means.
― Josh in Chicago, Thursday, 30 January 2020 00:04 (four years ago) link
otm
― terminators of endearment (VegemiteGrrl), Thursday, 30 January 2020 02:21 (four years ago) link
They were truly a lifer band in the best way. And honestly, I don't think any other band would have been able to write "Time Stand Still."
― Ned Raggett, Thursday, 30 January 2020 03:40 (four years ago) link
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CHyihY7TJsM
― Josh in Chicago, Friday, 31 January 2020 05:17 (four years ago) link
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WOVh_C7XTHA
― Josh in Chicago, Sunday, 2 February 2020 14:31 (four years ago) link
Ha
― With considerable charm, you still have made a choice (Sund4r), Sunday, 2 February 2020 15:26 (four years ago) link
Neil Peart used to race in the nutty 24 Hours of Lemons ("An endurance car racing series on dedicated road courses for $500 cars") under the name Bamm-Bamm Rubble:
http://www.neilpeart.net/news/september_2014/thumbs/b_belted_in.jpg
― Josh in Chicago, Tuesday, 4 February 2020 23:48 (four years ago) link
https://www.rushisaband.com/blog/2020/02/10/5395/Rush-Permanent-Waves-40th-anniversary-box-set-details-and-bonus-content-tracklist
― reggie (qualmsley), Tuesday, 11 February 2020 21:16 (four years ago) link
Thought this was interesting:
http://www.2112.net/powerwindows/transcripts/19840800guitarplayer.htm
― Josh in Chicago, Tuesday, 11 February 2020 22:05 (four years ago) link
Has anyone posted this yet?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aAPSK_cV5n0&feature=youtu.be
― Josh in Chicago, Monday, 17 February 2020 23:42 (four years ago) link
LOL. Here's one that works.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aAPSK_cV5n0
― Josh in Chicago, Monday, 17 February 2020 23:43 (four years ago) link