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Subject: 12/20/90 - The National Midnight Star #137
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The National Midnight Star, Number 137
Thursday, 20 December 1990
Today's Topics:
Addition to ftp stuff
Rambling...
Cars and sex
(none)
Sort of off the subject, but...
'1986' and Rush music on TV
'Red Barchetta', and ESL on TV
Scientific Rush
Re: 12/18/90 - The National Midnight Star #133
Signals get crossed
Unrelated Rush Stuff
----------------------------------------------------------
Subject: Addition to ftp stuff
Date: Wed, 19 Dec 90 14:48:22 EST
From: RUSH Fans Digest Manager <rush-mgr>
I have dug up the old Rush Sun rasters (forgot I had 'em!) and put them
out in the anonymous ftp directory in rush/images. You need the program
"xloadimage" to display them (at least in Xwindows); I have the executable,
but have been unable to find the source. Anybody out there have a Makefile
with the source? If yes, could you please mail it to me at this address?
The images are compressed just like the digests and lyrics. You DON'T have
to uncompress them to display them with "xloadimage" - I checked that.
I have no other information on these; I can't help with conversions to other
formats. Please don't send mail here asking tough questions! :-)
Have a ball!
Editor,
The National Midnight Star
(RUSH fans mailing list)
----------------------------------------------------------
Date: Tue, 18 Dec 90 13:42:27 EST
From: Ronnie Peugh <rocker@eve.wright.edu>
Subject: Rambling...
*** WARNING --- The following contain little or no RUSH topics ***
I DID IT!!!! Just got caught up on TNMS, 18 issues worthh!!
'' '' Got my degree in CS on Dec 1st!!!!!!
(can you say "YIPPIEEEEE!!!!", I knew you could:)
A thank you for a while I was on the metal list, whata bunch of
babies, makes me appreciate all of you RUSHers
(hi, WYZ)
Year for albums I was just thing what a great year for albums 1980 was.
It was the year of two my favorite albums, MP and Back
in Black, oh yea!! anyone have that year's Billboard
year-end ranking??
A request Anyone on the list, stats major, willing to try to get
a statistical breakdown? I'd be very interested to know
what percent of us are fe/male, fres/soph/jr/sr/grad/work.
midwest/south/north.. married/single...
A plea PLEASE keep your line under 80 chars..
A question What's the cheapest you seen RUSH CDs? Why doesn't
CBS/BMG have them?
Salutation good bye, c u l8r, merry xmax, happy hun..
rock hard
ronnie
----------------------------------------------------------
Date: Wed, 19 Dec 90 12:25 CST
From: Blue Steel <UCSKRT@ucs.UWPLATT.EDU>
Subject: Cars and sex
From: dana@csl36h.csl.ncsu.edu (Dana Borger)
Subject: Did you say "Red Baracuda"?
Date: Fri, 14 Dec 90 11:42:53 EST
>Before they played Red Barchetta, Neil Peart made the comment that the song
>could be interpreted as a metaphor on human sexuality.
Actually, I think Neil was referring to the car as the metaphor, not
necessarily the song. The song was loosely based on an article in _Road and
Track_. I suppose the song could be thought of that way, considering it's focus
on cars, driving, freedom, etc.
Different subject entirely: To the bass players on the list... I'm considering
setting up a mail bouncer here to start a pseudo-list dedicated to bass
playing. This will all have to happen after the holidays, but I'll be sure to
pass the word once things work out. By the way, Cris Furman, I can't get
through to you (one other person had the same problem).
================================================================================
Kevin Tipple, aka Blue Steel, By-tor University of Wisconsin - Platteville
Bitnet: UCSKRT@UWPLATT.BITNET Platteville, Wisconsin USA
Internet: UCSKRT@UCS.UWPLATT.EDU
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Oh dear, the penguin's exploded." - Monty Python
================================================================================
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From: cfynx@epsl.umd.edu
Date: Wed, 19 Dec 90 14:25:56 EST
Ho...
I recently got the RUSH Chronicles Videotape from a local video store (for
sale). Here are the videos and brief descriptions:
Closer to the Heart - This video is a typical concert type thing with
afew sumperimposed images of political leaders in the begining. Note
the styles in clothing, hair, and Alex's weight.
The Trees - Much like Closer to the Heart with trees in the beginning fading
into the on stage Rush act. Ends with a trees at sunset image.
Limelight - Opens at a snowy cabin in the woods. Inside Le Studio are the
boyz playing limelight. Geddy is wearing an all dark blue jumpsuit like
outfit that makes him look female. Occaional split screens of band members
playing respective instruments etc...
Tom Sawyer - Begins with a psycadelic green "swirl" that fades into the band
on stage. The rest is just concert ... sounds much like the Exit...Stage Left
version.
Red Barchetta - Begins with an osciliscope trace that gets fuzzier and fuzzier
and eventually becomes a red Barchetta (looked alot different from what I
invisioned it to be). Then shifts to concert scenes and in the instrumentals
goes to an animated road scene (looks like Pole Position minus the red white
barriers). Triangles come zooming down the road (represent the Rush tri-
umvirate?) along with pictures of Geddy and Alex. The dash of the car then
appears and we look into the rear view mirror only to see an Alloy Car (note
four headlights...also I thought that "suddenly AHEAD of me" came the air
cars but they come from behind in the video).
Subdivisions - Excellent video. Begins with ariel views of a city (assume
somwhere in Canada). Show the complex that is drafted on the back of the
Signals cover quite a bit. Video is centered around a dreamer and "misfit
so alone" that walks through the halls of school alone and roams the city
at night alone. Occasional filling with band playing the tune. Ends with
the boy playing Tempest at an arcade. (What University is represented on
the boys shirt?).
Distant Early Warning - Centered around a little boy who gets taken aboard
some kindof ship in which they mount him atop a cruise missle and send
flying around the world. Has scenes of the band playing on a negotiating
table turned stage with a Dan Rather CBS news type world map in the back-
ground.
Red Sector A - Concert video with lasers and all. Not much to say...Neil
is wearing a Red baseball cap backwards...note Alex's weight.
The Big Money - Good video...however kinda MTVish...Opens with the boy in the
binoculars from the Power windows cover. Then goes to a VTOL owned by Mr. Big
floating to the top of a Skyscraper upon which is a Big Money gamebaord (note:
all of this is done with computer graphics with the exception of the boy).
Then dissloves into the band playing and singing the song (not graphics).
Has occasional computer graphic scenes during intrumentals. Enjoyable flick.
Mystic Ryhtyms - Weird video with floating molecule structures, animated
wooden toys, and odd mechanical structers doing things like sending spheres
down alternating metal paths. Opens with Neil's drumming...band doesnt appear
together during this video except at end when Geddy is floating atop of Alex
who is floating atop of Neil (all viewed from above the head).
Time Stand Still - Probably the best video on the album. Really interesting..
The boyz come floating into a studio type room in which Aimee Mann is trying
to film them... Aimme has great difficulty in doing this while the band floats
around and does twirls and circles and things (may not sound neat but itis..
you have to see this one). Goes to scenes where they are floating in a sunset
and floating on a creek and once in the woods (where Alex gets really into
the instrumental note his weight). Has one scene where multiple images of the
band come flating down toward you with Aimee Mann floating in a lounging
position above them (One of the images has Aimee with the band and two Alex'
s.) Good video.
Lock and Key - Final video...never knew what the song was entirely about until
i saw it. Band perfroming an a mock stage with scenes of prisoners and
convicts and madmen...occasional scene with a red ballon rolling about.
Overall i really enjoyed this tape however I wish there were a few more videos
on it. I do think that it would be neat to see a real video made to fit the
Red Barchetta storyline. Good tape....suggested viewing.
s
----------------------------------------------------------
Subject: Sort of off the subject, but...
Date: Wed, 19 Dec 90 12:33:49 -0800
From: Mitch Hendrickson <mitchh%sunofzippy.gvg.tek.com@RELAY.CS.NET>
For all you Sacto radio listeners out there:
>From: Doug Grumann <dougg@hpptc16.rose.hp.com>
Doug> Speaking of radio stations, is there some mega-conglomerate that controls
Doug> the playlist for all of them? We have two "competing" rock n' roll stations
Doug> here in Sacramento. They play virtually identical material. What really
Doug> gets to me is when they dig up some oldie tune (eg: Steppenwolf's "Magic
Doug> Carpet Ride") and play it OVER AND OVER for a few days straight. Both
Doug> stations seem to dig up the same stuff, play it for a few days, then let
Doug> it fall back into disuse.
I assume you mean KZAP and 93 Rock. Well, for a semi-refreshing
change, try 96.9 (The Eagle or some such). i say semi-refreshing
because while it's often the same old recycled "classic rock" stuff
(some of which I like very much), they usually seem to be playing
something other than what KZAP and 93 Rock are. They're the only
place around that'll play stuff from Animals (Floyd) in the middle of
the day, let alone at all. Especially check 'em out if you like CCR -
they seem to play a hell of a lot of that. they've become my radio
station of choice since they've been around. And almost no talk, just
music.
Also, try, ummm, what is it, 104.5? They do OK sometimes too. If you
have something with presets on it, you now have 4 choices, and can
usually find something worthwhile.
With the advent/discovery of these two other stations, I'd say Sacto
radio is doing the most for me that it has in my 13 years here since
KSFM went disco then whatever way back when...
we now return you to your regularly scheduled program...
-Mitch
----------------------------------------------------------
Date: Wed, 19 Dec 90 13:34:33 EST
From: vanth!jms@rutgers.edu (Jim Shaffer)
Subject: '1986' and Rush music on TV
>Date: Fri, 14 Dec 90 02:25:23 EST
>From: mike spiegel <H97SI@CUNYVM.CUNY.EDU>
>
>hello out there,
> I don't know how many of you remember, but Rush has had television credit
>On CBS-TV there was a show aptly called '1986'. Who out there knows the song
>that filled the opening and closing credits?...:) (Answer tomorrow)
>
> ...UNTIL LATER...
I remember being shocked when I heard this! I couldn't believe that I was
actually hearing Rush on network TV.
Some reviewer (I think it was in 'TV Guide') who obviously didn't know that
the theme music was an actual song said something like "'1986' has a really
bizarre theme. It sounds like someone's trying to break down your front
door. The other two shows [he was reviewing in the article] have much
more conventional drummers."
Another time, I was watching a TV documentary about drug abuse and the
producers were using bits of 'The Camera Eye' as background music for (what
else?) street scenes.
--
paper : James Shaffer Jr., 37 Brook Street, Montgomery, PA 17752
uucp : uunet!cbmvax!amix!vanth!jms (or) rutgers!cbmvax!amix!vanth!jms
domain: jms%vanth@amix.commodore.com CompuServe: 72750,2335
quote : ATTENTION ALL PLANETS OF THE SOLAR FEDERATION: WE HAVE ASSUMED CONTROL
----------------------------------------------------------
Date: Wed, 19 Dec 90 14:00:47 EST
From: vanth!jms@rutgers.edu (Jim Shaffer)
Subject: 'Red Barchetta', and ESL on TV
>From: dana@csl36h.csl.ncsu.edu (Dana Borger)
>Subject: Did you say "Red Baracuda"?
>Date: Fri, 14 Dec 90 11:42:53 EST
>
> I once watched the _Exit...Stage Left_ concert video on MTV (a long,
> long time ago). Anyway, between songs, there were comments from
> Rush about their music and the like. Before they played Red
> Barchetta, Neil Peart made the comment that the song could be
> interpreted as a metaphor on human sexuality.
I think I probably saw it at the same time, except I remember it being on
the USA Network rather than MTV. The thing that sticks in my mind is the
program's announcer saying "And now back to Rush -- Canada's three-man
power trio!" In my experience it's only necessary to say how many people
there are in a trio when the number *is not* three. :-)
Back to my point, I think the comment was that cars were a metaphor for
human sexuality. I think it definitely adds something to the song, though
I still consider the futuristic interpretation to be a major theme -- the
rebellion against government over-regulation.
Now if someone would only explain to me the logic behind concluding that
the song is about rebelling against Christianity... That argument sounds
to me to be at least as flimsy as the theory that various Beatles albums
prove that Paul McCartney is dead! These people should find something more
worthwhile to do with their lives, then they wouldn't have time to go off
on flights of fantasy. And in any case, they need to remember the
difference between fantasy and reality, or else they become raving
lunatics. Conspiracy theorists in general seem to suffer from this...
--
paper : James Shaffer Jr., 37 Brook Street, Montgomery, PA 17752
uucp : uunet!cbmvax!amix!vanth!jms (or) rutgers!cbmvax!amix!vanth!jms
domain: jms%vanth@amix.commodore.com CompuServe: 72750,2335
quote : ATTENTION ALL PLANETS OF THE SOLAR FEDERATION: WE HAVE ASSUMED CONTROL
----------------------------------------------------------
Date: Wed, 19 Dec 90 14:57:54 EST
From: vanth!jms@rutgers.edu (Jim Shaffer)
Subject: Scientific Rush
I noticed something surprising on 'Presto' a while ago. Namely, Rush seems
to be well-informed about astronomy and cosmology. The first thing I
noticed was in 'Presto'. The lines "I am made from the dust of the stars /
And the oceans flow in my veins" are more or less true. All elements
heavier than hydrogen were formed by fusion in large stars, which then
exploded and scattered them around. This enabled actual planetary systems
to coalesce out of nebulae, rather than just new stars. As for the second
line, the salt content of human blood is approximately equal to the salt
content of sea water.
But big deal, I said to myself, Carl Sagan and others have popularized
cosmology, and Rush is a literate band, so what? But then there was 'Chain
Lightning'. "Tides respond to lunar gravitation / Everything turns in
synchronous relation." Nothing new in the fact that tides are caused
partly by the moon's gravitational pull. But I didn't know, until someone
pointed it out on sci.space, that the Earth/Moon combination isn't a
special case with respect to synchronous rotation. (What that means is
that we only ever see one side of the moon.) It turns out that tidal
forces will tend to cause *most* planet/moon systems to eventually fall
into synchronous rotation! As I said, I didn't know that.
So are Rush into astronomy, or were they just waxing poetic and I'm reading
too much into it? <grin>
[ Actually, (to nitpick), when you discuss lyrics, it's probably Neil who
is interested in the specific areas... I suspect Geddy & Alex say "ok
that's cool", or "nahhh, that's too far out there." This would apply
in a good 90% of cases, I would think. :rush-mgr ]
--
paper : James Shaffer Jr., 37 Brook Street, Montgomery, PA 17752
uucp : uunet!cbmvax!amix!vanth!jms (or) rutgers!cbmvax!amix!vanth!jms
domain: jms%vanth@amix.commodore.com CompuServe: 72750,2335
quote : "Get a life." (Neil)
----------------------------------------------------------
Date: Wed, 19 Dec 90 14:36:45 EST
From: vanth!jms@rutgers.edu (Jim Shaffer)
Subject: Re: 12/18/90 - The National Midnight Star #133
comments on the last issue:
>Date: Mon, 17 Dec 90 16:18:06 EST
>From: Ralph R. Miller <rmiller@bingvaxu.cc.binghamton.edu>
>Subject: No no mom! Not the fish! (excuse me)
>
> Is it just me, or do other folks look at Analog Kid, Chemistry, and Digital
> Man and wonder if there is something more than is obvious? Too many breakfast
> bars? Should I stay away from watching David Letterman? Should I not persue
> my psychology degree? I have my ideas(hehehehehe). Anyone else?
'Analog Kid' and 'Chemistry' have always been pretty straightforward to me
(especially 'Chemistry'). But 'Digital Man' has always caused me some
interpretation problems. I don't have time to go into it right now, but
whenever I think I've figured out one part of it, I realize that that
interpretation doesn't fit other parts. Maybe I'm just trying too hard
(which I accused someone of doing a message or two ago...), but it still
bothers me.
>Date: Mon, 17 Dec 90 17:56:45 PST
>From: ronz@imager3.llnl.gov (Ron Zasadzinski)
>Subject: Station Identification apperances; *Is* Rush really different?
>
>There is a question that I've always wanted to hear someone else's
>thoughts on, and that is "How do you think about Rush?" That is,
>how are they classified in your mind? When I think of rock
>music, I think of everyone else, and Rush. There is a really big
>distinction. I have always thought that Rush sounds really
>different from "usual rock music" in a unique way.
One of the things that I like so much about Rush is that their songs lend
themselves to interpretation in so many different ways. Their music really
moves me more than 'average' pop or rock music. I agree it's a little hard
to pin down -- is it the literary allusions, the science-fiction plots, the
overall intelligent quality of the lyrics? Or is it the accomplished
musicianship? Or is it all of them?
Rush is the only group that *consistently* has that effect on me. There
are others that do from time to time (like Kansas, Triumph, and Styx,
to name a few) but none so much that I actually collect all their albums
without having heard even a single song on some of them!
--
paper : James Shaffer Jr., 37 Brook Street, Montgomery, PA 17752
uucp : uunet!cbmvax!amix!vanth!jms (or) rutgers!cbmvax!amix!vanth!jms
domain: jms%vanth@amix.commodore.com CompuServe: 72750,2335
quote : ATTENTION ALL PLANETS OF THE SOLAR FEDERATION: WE HAVE ASSUMED CONTROL
----------------------------------------------------------
From: atz@clmqt.marquette.Mi.US (dweezilbub)
Subject: Signals get crossed
Date: 20 Dec 90 00:43:35 EST (Thu)
Hi everyone! Hope everyone is enjoying the GIF's I have been
sending... (oh oh, more mail on the way :^)
Sorry about how long it takes me though... I think I have been
averaging one a week per reader. If you are one that sent me mail
a long time ago and have not gotten squat, let me know.
I felt kinda bummed when Signals came out too. I guess because
Moving Pictures was a totally primo sound to me, and I felt they
were heading toward the most awesome direction. Signals was SO
different, that at the time it was like "boooo".
It was the first RUSH album that took TIME to get to like. I did
not like it the first time I heard it. Well, I mean I liked it,
but I really didn't LOVE it until I listened to it for awhile.
GUP was kinda the same to me, but then HYF took me a REAL long
time to even memorize the lyrics... Some songs just didn't click
with my brain. The talent was there for sure, but the style (to
me) seemed like they were getting too mellow for my air-drum
playing, and my air-guitar saw less jamming all over the
living-room... Hahahahaha
Presto is fantastic though.
As far as CLASSIFYING them though as rock-n-roll, I think a lot of
people are on the right track when they say they really cant be.
I mean, to me there is ROCK music, with 2 extremes... PINK FLOYD
at one end, and RUSH at the other... Every other ROCK band falls
in between those two... Know what I mean? (sploink!)
I think David Sandberg said it best...
"Rush music".
I still haven't founded anything better than listening to THE PASS
at 100 watts, without getting too personal, :D
--
\____________________ /// ////// ///// _____________________/
\__ The Enterprise __/ // // // ,.-'~ \___space for rent ___/
\___-____BBS___-- //~~// // ////// --_____-___-____/
\ \ \/ atz@clmqt.marquette.mi.us \/ / /
----------------------------------------------------------
Date: Thu, 20 Dec 90 08:46 EDT
From: Douglas Schwabe - Forbes Quad Lab <CSCHWABE@vms.cis.pitt.edu>
Subject: Unrelated Rush Stuff
Hello,
First off, I would like to explain my comments about the Cure in Last
Thursday's Edition of the NMS. This comment came from many years of
anger with RS, as well as anxiety from finals week. However, this is no
excuse to take this anger thoughlessly on a particular band. When I was
making my comparison to Rush the Cure happened to pop into my mind. I had
a few letters sent to me explaining the irresponsiblity of my comments. At
this time I would like to own up to my mistakes and thank the people who
wrote to me to point out the error of my ways. The last thing I wanted
to do was to come off as one of RS's Pompus Fools.
I recently went to the hometown of the world's greatest rock band.
Toronto is one of the most beautiful cities in the world, and they are
proud of Rush. While in Toronto the two popular attractions are the
CN Tower and, of course, the SkyDome. I had the chance to visit both
of these places and was impressed to the hilt.
And for all you Kim Mitchell fans, Kim will headline a bash at the
Metro Toronto Convention Centre on New Year's Eve. I know that the Pursuit
of Happiness will be playing will Kim as well as three other bands from the
Toronto area. (That's with Kim, not will Kim).
That's all for now folks. I know this is getting a bit redundant but happy
holidays!!!!
Doug
(cschwabe@vms.cis.pitt.edu)
----------------------------------------------------------
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