The National Midnight Star #37

Errors-To: rush@syrinx.umd.edu Reply-To: rush@syrinx.umd.edu Sender: rush@syrinx.umd.edu Precedence: bulk From: rush@syrinx.umd.edu To: rush-list-all Subject: RUSH Fans Digest of 08/23/90 (#37)
RUSH Fans Digest, Number 37 Thursday, 23 August 1990 Today's Topics: Books/magazines about Rush "Hear'n Aid" Trivia hear'n aid "Hear'n Aid" or Was Rush There? Hear'n aid Lerxst's Middle Name? Last tour (again), Presto (again) ... to be found within a song. Re: "Hear'n Aid" Hear-n-Aid Anagram and hidden meanings Hear'n'Aid ---------------------------------------------------------- From: telxon!teleng!dank@uunet.UU.NET (Dan Kelley) Subject: Books/magazines about Rush Date: Wed, 22 Aug 90 10:44:01 EDT I am also interested in "Success Under Pressure" and any other books/ magazines about Rush. I do have "Visions" (not with me so I can't post any info on it, sorry). Also, this is kinda embarrassing but where the heck can I find the "Modern Drummer" magazine ?!?!? I say it's enbarrassing cause I've been a drummer for years and have only read other people's copies of "Modern Drummer". I'd like to subscribe to it AND get back issues (particularly the ones with Neil featured). Like I said, I have read a few but would like to get my own personal copies. Also again, for those that go to magazines stands/book stores often, if you see a magazine that has Rush featured, can you please post the information (magazine name/issue etc)? I don't get any time to check these things out but am definately interested in these issues. Thanks. Dan... -- Dan Kelley <-> ...!uunet!telxon!dank <-> telxon!dank@uunet.uu.net Telxon Corporation <-> Akron, OH 44313 <-> "...I'm not one to believe in magic..." (216) 867-3700 x3123 <-> - N. Peart ---------------------------------------------------------- From: Adrian N Ogden <ano@csres.cs.reading.ac.uk> Date: Wed, 22 Aug 90 16:37:34 BST Subject: "Hear'n Aid" Keith E. Ford <ingr!fordke@uunet.UU.NET> writes: >A fellow here went to a local tape store to order "RUSH" and discovered >an entry titled "Hear'n Aid". He was looking for some information about >this, but I could not help him. Anybody? >[ This is a new one for me! PLEASE post if you have info!! Do you know > if it was an album, CD, etc.? :rush-mgr ] Sorry, this is NOT a hitherto-undiscovered Rush album! Back in '85, when Live-Aid was going on, Ronnie James Dio and his then-bassist Jimmy Bain decided to contribute to the cause and help the image of heavy metal at the same time. They wrote a song called "Stars", and assembled a star- studded Rock/Metal cast to record it. The extended version of the song features solos by various guitarists, one of whom may be Alex (but I haven't got it so I may be wrong.) The song - and later the charity compilation album - were released under the Hear'n Aid banner. I can't remember what track Rush contributed to the album, but it was something fairly common that I had already. It's probably not easy to find this album anymore, and you've probably got everything on it that was worth hearing anyway. Along the same lines is the recent charity album Rock Aid Armenia. This is in aid of victims of the Armenian earthquake in late '88. Alex plays a (brief) solo on the charity all-star re-recording of "Smoke on the Water" and Rush contributed "Spirit of Radio" for the album. (Studio version, but the video features the live version from ASOH.) << Adrian Ogden _ . _ _ _ . _ _ _ _ . . ano@uk.ac.rdg.cs.csres >> ---------------------------------------------------------- Subject: Trivia Date: Wed, 22 Aug 90 11:50:53 EDT From: David Arnold <davida@umd5.UMD.EDU> Here's a bit of trivia I unearthed in an interview segment done around '84. The interview was with Geddy, but the interviewer gave this information. What date (day, month, year) did Neil join RUSH, and why is it (day/month) significant? Have fun! David Arnold Keywords: Rush, Neville Brothers, Squeeze, Crack the Sky, Peter Gabriel, ELP, Jethro Tull, Pink Floyd, Inet: davida@umd5.umd.edu Talking Heads, Arc Of Ones (RIP), Stones, BOC, UUCP: uunet!umd5.umd.edu!davida King Crimson, Police, Grass Roots, Hollies ---------------------------------------------------------- Date: Wed, 22 Aug 90 12:50:47 EDT From: DSK@IBM.COM Subject: hear'n aid Hear'n Aid is any album that came out about 5 years ago. It is any album like Band Aid and it is for the same cause (hunger or something like that). It has a song called Hear'n Aid on it which was done by a bunch of people from various groups like: Dio, Dokken, Judius Prest, and other heavy metal groups. I don't think any of the guys from RUSH help in the song. But the rest of the album is made up of live songs from various groups. A live version of Distant Early Warning is on it, this is where RUSH was involved. It also includes live stuff from KISS, Moterhead, Dio, Scorpins, etc. The album as the brain child of Ronnie James Dio and was done by mostly heave metal groups. doug ---------------------------------------------------------- Date: Wed 22 Aug 90 09:58:11-PDT From: Tony Stark <I.IRONMAN@Macbeth.Stanford.EDU> Subject: "Hear'n Aid" or Was Rush There? In the Rush Digest, Keith E. Ford asked about the title "Hear'n Aid" and what connection RUSH might have with this. Well, I'm not really sure what RUSH has to do with this, but I will answer according to what I know. To the best of my knowledge, "Hear'n Aid" was a project started by a group of heavy-metal artists, to benefit the children in Africa. It happened around the same time as all the other -Aid projects, like "Band-Aid," "Live-Aid," etc. They recorded a song called "Stars." The collection of heavy metal artists was headed by Ronnie James Dio and included many famous heavy metal stars such as Judas Priest, and, unfortunately, Blackie Lawless of W.A.S.P. I did hear the song a while back, and it was a pretty good job, given that they were dealing with such a wide spectrum of musical ideas. One of the things that saved it, I think, was that not so much time was spent singing, as was spent on showcasing the talents of the various musicians. According to Ronnie James Dio, in an interview in a really old issue of "Guitar" magazine, which I no longer have, the whole thing went off pretty well, except for the fact that some artists were just there to plug their own bands. Now, I'm not sure what RUSH had to do with all of this, as I don't remember them being mentioned in the article as one of the groups present. I hope that they weren't. I can't see them in the same studio as Blackie Lawless. I would be interested to see if they were. Keith, I'd tell your friend to go and check out the tape and see if anyone from RUSH is mentioned in the credits. Who knows, maybe they needed someone to write the song. If anyone does know, I'd be interested to hear about it. Oh, I guess to add my two cents to the Anagram for Mongo mistake debate, I believe that the line is correct as stated in the song. I think it is just a classic case of Yoda-backspeak, or too much use of the passive structure (that may be wrong, but I'm not an English major.) The line reads, "An Image just an eye-less game." An image is just an "i", when you take away "game." I guess the meaning comes through when you pause correctly. Read it like "An Image just an eye (pause) less game." Like someone, said Image less game is an i. So much for now. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- "It's understood, Every single person would be elsewhere if they could." "So far so good, And life's not unpleasant in our little neighborhood." ---Peart. -Chacko Sonny (i.ironman@macbeth.stanford.edu) -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------- ---------------------------------------------------------- Date: Wed, 22 Aug 1990 9:54:20 PDT From: Anand Rangarajan <anand%ariel.usc.edu@usc.edu> Subject: Hear'n aid Wasn't ``Distant Early Warning'' or some other song off P/G on the Hear'n Aid Benefit album? I remember seeing this album (the hard rock equivalent of _We are the World_) in the stores in 1985-86. After having long e-mail debates with Erland Sommarskog (sp?) on the issue of Rush being dated and behind the times, I told him to get Power Windows and listen to ``Territories'' and ``Middletown Dreams''. I think this is as modern as Rush ever got. Any opinions out there? By the way, Erland is very knowledgable if somewhat pompous. There was an short-lived news prog. with Connie Chung and someone else on NBC in 1986 which used the first 10 or 15 seconds of ``Mystic Rhythms'' as the show opener. Is there a canonical list of Rush song bits being used for TV shows? Anand Rangarajan anand@ariel.usc.edu ---------------------------------------------------------- Date: Wed, 22 Aug 90 15:31:35 EDT From: gordon@Stars.Reston.Unisys.COM Subject: Lerxst's Middle Name? In the Digest of 8/22, Brad Armstrong wrote, and Mr. Rush-Mgr came to my rescue with: --| gordon@stars.reston.unisys.com [...] writes: --| > As mentioned in this list before (Digest #24), Lerxst is --| > an anagram for Alex. --| --| [ I believe the word intended is 'pseudonym' ? :rush-mgr ] --| --| Is this true? It doesn't fit my definition of an anagram. Okay, how do I get out of this one? I know! What if Alex's middle name was "Arthur"? Then "Lerxst" *could* be an anagram for "Alex Arthur Lifeson". Not Arthur, you say? How about Robert? So how about it, Rush-folks? What's Alex's middle name??? (While we're at it, since it's bound to come up, what's Neil's and Geddy's middle names, also?) Accepting the possibility that Alex's middle name has no 't' or 'r' in it, I'll agree with Mr. Rush-Mgr, I really meant to say "pseudonym." :) >From the Random Rush Generator: With insufficient tact A diamond in the waste In the dying days of a war Promise offered in the east Fools try to wish it away Is it ever gonna, ever gonna change again? Like some pilgrim, Del Gordon /\ /\ /\ 1-0-0-1-0-0-1, S.O.S. 1-0-0-1-0-0-1, in distress. / \ /\/ \ /\/ \ /------------------------------------------------------- \/ \/ \/ Del Gordon gordon@stars.reston.unisys.com |><- ---------------------------------------------------------- Date: Wed, 22 Aug 90 09:35:31 hst From: Hinano Akaka <bigtuna!hinano@uhccux.uhcc.Hawaii.Edu> Subject: Last tour (again), Presto (again) About the last tour--robin_m@apollo.com reminded me yesterday about something I forgot to mention in my previous posting. Odds are, we may not know that, when the time comes, that it will be their last tour. I'm sort-of gambling that perhaps they'll be "nice" and let us all know; like "The Police". However, since Rush's schedule is sort-of based on "well, whatever happens happens", it'll be hard to even organize *my own* trip to follow them. At any rate, it's going to *very* difficult to get this off the ground (gee, let's try being optimistic, shall we?). It really is hard to know if one can go, I mean how do you plan several years in advance? I don't even know what I'm doing next month! Not to mention, it *will* be expensive, which is part of the reason I thought it might be good going in a group or groups--it might be possible to get group rates on hotels, etc. (aside from the fact that it might be a lot more fun!) I realize I'm getting a little ahead of myself but I just wanted to give everyone some ideas of pros and cons in doing something so adventurous. Enough. Brad asked about the Boyz getting along through Presto--as far as I know, they got along just fine; the reason I mentioned them almost splitting up around Presto was Alex said in an interview concerning the band breaking up was, "I've been the most concerned I've ever been." Apparently, and you might already know this, the HYF tour was extrememly trying on the boyz and apparently, so was th mixing of ASOH. They were feeling really down and were very unsure about doing another album. They took a long break, came back and decided that they _did_ have the energy and drive to do another album. So...they did! Yeah, I realized I kind-of worded that strangely--I made it sound like they almost split up after the making of Presto; I read what happened after the HYF tour after Presto came out. Again, that was partly why I brought up the subject of the last tour (not that again!)--Alex is getting a little tired of touring--not *performing*, but being on the road, the waiting around, etc. I can understand his point (what do you mean you're getting tired of touring?!) so I'm really not sure how long he's going to tolerate being on the road much longer. Yes! Yes! I'm getting paranoid!!! 'nuff said... WORQ: "You feel there's something calling you You're wanting to return"... Puanani Akaka ---------------------------------------------------------- Date: 22 Aug 90 14:01:02 PDT (Wednesday) Subject: ... to be found within a song. From: "Brad_Armstrong.WBST129"@Xerox.COM Dave comments: > Cygnus X-1 series. Visions mentions that Rocinante was also the name of > the central character's motor home in Steinbeck's book "Travels with > Charlie". I never read this ... Seems pretty plain, though, that Steinbeck was alluding to Don Quixote. Keith Ford wrote about something called Hear'n Aid. What is this? Did he buy it? Was this a catalog entry or what? More info! (It does sound like a useful product for Rush overdose though. :) ) Time for a nice morning drive ... Electronic communication, making your life better; Magician. ---- Brad Armstrong Lion.Wbst129@Xerox.COM Xerox MB Lab, Webster, NY W: (716) 422-9688 ... everybody got to elevate from the norm. - N. Peart >None of these opinions has anything to do with anyone but me.< ---------------------------------------------------------- Date: Wed, 22 Aug 90 15:31:06 PDT From: redrockr@eb5ts2.EBay.Sun.COM (beep-beep-zip-bang!) Subject: Re: "Hear'n Aid" Keith E. Ford writes: >A fellow here went to a local tape store to order "RUSH" and discovered >an entry titled "Hear'n Aid". He was looking for some information about >this, but I could not help him. Anybody? Correction. The album is entitled "Hear'n Aid"--- it's a compilation album produced by Ronnie James Dio and friends to help raise $$ for the homeless/ hungry/deprived/poor/fill-your-own-in. The album is the heavy metal equivalent of "We Are The World". The title track is also entitled "Hear'n Aid" (oddly enough) with other "live" releases from the Scorpions, Jimmy Hendrix, Motorhead, etc., and of course.... Rush! The boyz' contribution to this album is a live release of "Distant Early Warning" recorded in (Toronto? Montreal?) Canada during the Grace tour in '84. I think this album was released sometime back in '86(???????). [ Could be the version from "Sailing Into Destiny"/Grace Under Pressure video? :rush-mgr ] Hope this helps! Ray Sato Sun Microsystems, Inc. Milpitas, California INTERNET: redrockr@eb5ts2.EBay.Sun.COM UUCP: ...!sun-barr!newstop!male!redrockr ---------------------------------------------------------- Date: Wed, 22 Aug 90 23:40:59 -0700 From: Ted Ives <tedi@apple.com> Subject: Hear-n-Aid This is a response to the recent question about Hear-n-Aid. Hear-n-Aid was a "charity" album with tracks by many of the major 70's heavy metal groups. Much of the stuff was custom made for the album but I think the Rush track was the studio version of Tom Sawyer. There was also a video entitled, "Hear-n-Aid: the sessions" which showed all the stupid antics of the heavy metal clowns who made the album. Rush is not shown and not even mentioned anywhere in the video, including the credits. The whole thing was a bomb. Don't bother buying the album or video. Speaking of albums and videos....Are you guys psyched for the Chronicles 2 CD set and video for the 2nd week in September? I can't wait for the video! It should have everything after P/G. I'm preying for some really early stuff but it doesn't seem likely. I'm also hoping for Presto stuff. About a Rush data base for tour dates as Eric Simon suggested.....I have been assembling info very slowly over the years, intending to put it all into a data base. I have loads of dates all the way back before the first tour, (if I can find it all, that is). As Eric pointed out, good sources of dates are ticket stubs, T-shirts, programs, newspaper and magazine ads and bootleg shows. Many of the original itenerary dates change, which makes it hard. I figure it would take up over 20 pages, (3000-4000 dates since '74). I think the many mailing list readers are the perfect resource for such a project. Of course, it will take many months to complete. If you guys want to start forwarding all the info you have to me, I will start filing it away. If everybody could just read off all their old ticket stubs, that would be great. List everything you know such as the warm-up band, exact venue, and anything unusual which may have happened. If anybody wants to help Eric and I, feel free. [ I've got ticket stubs for the Washington DC/Baltimore MD area for every tour since the '79 (Hemispheres) tour. Let me know if you want dates. :rush-mgr ] One more thing...I'm looking to buy "virgin vinyl" Rush LPs. That means original, sealed LPs or maybe played just once. I'll pay between $20 and $100 for sealed original pressings, depending on the album. I'll also pay $100 for the King Biscuit P/G CD. Take care, - Chris Michael (via tedi@apple.com) ---------------------------------------------------------- Date: Wed, 22 Aug 90 18:49:05 EST From: Snow Dog <spotter%eve.wright.edu@RELAY.CS.NET> Subject: Anagram and hidden meanings Contrary to what Puanini Akaka says, I believe there probably is some "deep, hidden, double-sided meaning" to Anagram (for Mongo) {the song that is, not me, well, me too, but that's a different story}. I'll try and quickly go through it, but not line by line. I think what Neil is trying to say in this song is that materialism has replaced real values in todays society, and that we are all heady for some very rough times. The first stanza speaks of the dark times coming. The snake coming out of the darkness. Snakes and darkness are both commonly associated with evil. End the need for Eden, speaks of the loss of 'love' for simpler things. Chase the dreamof merchandise (dreams, not dream, ran out of room) is definitely speaking of materialism. Everyone is always wanting (dreaming) of more stuff (merchandise), and everyone is always striving (chasing) more stuff. There is tic and toc in atomic: We are running out of time. Leaders make a deal: I think he is in very short terms talking about the c corruptness (is that a legal word) of the world's politicians. THe cosmic is largely comic: Even the cosmic (religion, spirituality, etc) has been corrupted, or defiled. A con they couldn't conceal: The public is really starting to notice what's happening, and isn't too happy about. skip large section of song....I haven't taken the time to figure it all out yet. Miracle will have their claimers: More on the corruptness of religion. More will bow to Rome: Because everything is so bad, more people will start l looking to Rome (the Church) for guidence. Rose is a rose of splendor: Simple beauty for what it is. Posed to respond in the end: In the end simple beauty is all that will be left, and all that will be worth anything. Lonely things like nights, I find end finer with a friend: Neil is talking about the simple pleasures some more. He still understands what they are, and is trying to get others to understand. The night turns thin: Value becomes valueless The saint turns to sin: More on the corruption of the church. And, as I was looking over the lyrics, and writing this, it hit me: Take heart from earth.... Shave the harvest from the earth: The simple pleasures again, are the only valuable ones, and in the end, all that will remain is the earth (hopefully). ---- I really don't think this song was written just as "fun". It has one of Neil's most recurring themes (anti-materialism) and has what I think is a very personal message, straight from Neil's heart, in it. And personally, I hope that someone will read (or listen) to this song, and understand it, and learn something from it, because we are slowly destroying not only ourselves, but every single thing on earth. And that is Neil's most basic underlying message to this whole song: We must protect the only thing that counts: The Earth, our Mother. Well, that was quite long enough, and I think I kinda pulled Ye Olde Soapbox out of the closet for that last paragraph, so now it's time for: ORQ: "And the men who hold high place, must be the one's to start, To mold a new reality closer to the heart." Anagram (for Mongo) ---------------------------------------------------------- Date: Thu, 23 Aug 90 09:43 EST From: Shane Faulkner <V127L2QZ@ubvmsc.cc.buffalo.edu> Subject: Hear'n'Aid A few years back and Live Aid and We Are the World happened, a group of Heavy Metal people got together and made a benefit song and put it on an album called "Hear'n'Aid". Although the Boyz didn't play on the song, they did contribute a song to the album....I believe it was Distant Early Warning.. That's all there is to that. Regarding recording time for Power Windows, I'm sure you could find out how long it took by reading Neil's intro to the Power Windows tour book... He usually gives explicit details on the recording process. I lost my Power Windows tour book so I can't help you on that one. Gedd and Alex will be (or already have) participating in a rock celebrity tennis tourney (this may be old news to you, I just got back on the LIST). Does anyone know if this will be broadcast on TV? I think it would be hilarious to watch Gedd and Alex playing tennis (although I guess they're quite good). Kim Mitchell (ex of Max Webster ) has a new live album entitled 'I am a Wild Party'. There is an excellent version of Battlescar on it. Those of you who love that song may want to pick it up, even though the Boyz don't appear it is still an excellent version.... You'll have to get it as an import though if you're not near Canada. I can tell you the album label is 'Alert Records', if any one wants a catalog number email me . Regarding 'Visions'.... definitley a must read for true fans.. Those with a passing interest in the band (or none at all), will find it to be a drooling fanatics acount with little or no room for objectivity (rightfully so). But I enjoyed if only for the insight into the boyz and a more thorough understanding of the earlier years. Plus if you can get a hold of the UK edition, there is a hilarious picture of Geddy and Alex at junior high. -Shane ----------------------------------------------------------
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