The National Midnight Star #175

Errors-To: rush-request@syrinx.umd.edu Reply-To: rush@syrinx.umd.edu Sender: rush@syrinx.umd.edu Precedence: bulk From: rush@syrinx.umd.edu To: rush_mailing_list@syrinx.umd.edu Subject: 02/20/91 - The National Midnight Star #175
** ____ __ ___ ____ ___ ___ ** ** / /_/ /_ /\ / /__/ / / / / /\ / /__/ / ** ** / / / /__ / \/ / / / / /__/ / \/ / / /___ ** ** ** ** __ ___ ____ ** ** /\ /\ / / \ /\ / / / _ /__/ / ** ** / \/ \ / /___/ / \/ / /___/ / / / ** ** ** ** ____ ____ ___ ___ ** ** /__ / /__/ /__/ ** ** ____/ / / / / \ ** The National Midnight Star, Number 175 Wednesday, 20 February 1991 Today's Topics: A Show of Hands Rumor Hiss on Hemispheres Analysis of "The Pass" take 2. Opening acts, my $0.02 worth Re: Rush and Sinead O'Connor Kim Mitchell, Freewill (the band) CUSTOM PLATES DDD AND QUALITY OF CDS Re: xloadimage problem New Song Released? (none) Neil's Drumming and Aesthetics ---------------------------------------------------------- Date: Tue, 19 Feb 91 12:40:33 EDT From: "Paul Kroculick (tjw3220@bingtjw.bitnet)" <TJW3220%BINGTJW.BITNET@CORNELLC.cit.cornell.edu> Subject: A Show of Hands Rumor Howdy, I know this is a rumor, but it's funny. ASOH didn't come out on it's original release date (what else is new). According to a friend, the courier lost the masters somewhere between the studio and the record company. They had to RUSH back into the studio to re-mix (like they'd send the only copy they had). That's why it was late and didn't sound as clean as E..SL. Later, PDK ---------------------------------------------------------- From: Dan Dickerman <dickermn@hpcugsya.cup.hp.com> Subject: Hiss on Hemispheres Date: Tue, 19 Feb 91 10:12:59 PST Bill Barry writes: > Also, this may be an isolated case, but for those who have the > Hemispheres CD, (as I am sure most do) does there seem to be > a large amount of hiss? This bothers me very much. I can get > rid of it by fooling around with an equalizer or setting the > treble down to zero, which incidentally destroys most of the highs. Well you're not alone. I've always attributed it to bad analog mastering, as even the album version had noticeable hiss (along with the surface noise). Remeber that the entire album was made during a hectic touring schedule, and they may not have had time to worry about tape noise. It's both my favorite Rush album, and the worst mastering job I own -- a shame, really, considering the number or quiet passages. ---------------------------------------------------------- Date: Tue, 19 Feb 91 14:37 EST From: Broonsey <ORION@DESIRE.WRIGHT.EDU> Subject: Analysis of "The Pass" take 2. Greetings RUSHans-- There's been a lot of regurgitation (gross word, but it fits) about "The Pass". Just recently, I noticed someone (forgive me, I didn't write down the name) posted that the Christ was a noun, not an interjection. I disagree emphatically. In the past, Neil has stayed away from the religious aspect of life (i.e. Christianity specifically). Why would he start now? It seems to me that he put that in there to show the pain and suffering that the survivors are feeling (I mean, just listen to the way Ged sings it!). I did an analysis a little over a year ago, but I don't know what issue it's in (anyone want to help?). To get a FULL idea of where I'm coming from, take a gander at that. Rush on tour in the fall? "And there was much rejoicing." Anyone in the Dayton, Ohio area (Cincinnatti, Columbus, etc.) to meet for the next tour (hey, maybe at WSU's fabulous new Nutter Center!)? Besides you, Steve... -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Adam Dickson | "HARRY SULLIVAN IS Wright State University | AN IMBECILE!!!!!!!!!" Dayton, Ohio | - The Doctor orion@wsu.bitnet | =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- ---------------------------------------------------------- Date: Tue, 19 Feb 91 14:44:50 -0500 From: danmcd@zip.eecs.umich.edu Subject: Opening acts, my $0.02 worth I saw Marillion open for Rush on the Power Windows tour. The audience reaction was very subdued, but I enjoyed Marillion, and I felt they were a perfect opener for Rush. As for redistribution, if there is anyone who is not graduating U. of Michigan on the list, you may want to set up an MTS "group." I know this is one way the info-mac digest is distributed to non-Usenet people. Mr. Manager, is this alright with you?!? [ Proably, but send mail to the administrative address to explain it more fully, please. :rush-mgr ] ______________________________________________________________________ |Daniel L. McDonald | Internet: danmcd@eecs.umich.edu | |University of Michigan| Bitnet: danmcd%eecs.umich.edu@umich.BITNET| |Computer Science, '91 | USnail: 1705 Hill St. Ann Arbor, MI 48104| |______________________|_____________________________________________| |"rising falling at force ten | THIS MAY, I'M OUT | | we twist the world and ride the wind..." - Rush| OF HERE, FOLKS! | ---------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------------------------------------------------- Date: Tue, 19 Feb 1991 11:43:11 PST From: crenshaw.osbu_north@xerox.com Subject: Re: Rush and Sinead O'Connor I realize that Rush and Sinead O'Connor don't have much in common, but do we have to bash someone to make Rush look good? I think Rush is good enough to stand on its own merit. I also think Sinead O'Connor is good enough to stand on her own merit (even if her politics do seem a little schizoid and overdone at times). So let's drop the other-artist-bashing and get back to the real stuff this mailing list is about...please? I think the NMS readership listens to a *very* wide variety of music (goes along with Rush not fitting into a category, IMHO). So the chances that you'd be bashing someone else's second :-) favorite group/artist are pretty high. I don't want to hurt someone like that. Ok, I'm off my soapbox...sorry, I just read too many "Redd Kross/Sinead O'Connor/etc. suck" messages (and I've never even heard Redd Kross...). [ Thanks, couldn't have said it better myself. :rush-mgr ] Cheryl "I swear- by my life, and love of it- that I will never live for the sake of another man, nor ask another man to live for mine." - John Galt (I haven't read this, but it sure sounds like something Howard Roark from "The Fountainhead" would say, too...did Ayn Rand just have one plot for all her books?) ---------------------------------------------------------- Date: Tue, 19 Feb 91 13:59 EST From: Shane Faulkner <V127L2QZ@ubvmsc.cc.buffalo.edu> Subject: Kim Mitchell, Freewill (the band) Yes, Mr. Mitchell did perform at the 'Q Year's Eve' show... along with Gowan... the show was broadcast live on Q-107, and I recorded the Mitchell portion.... I think 'Shakin like a Human Being' is his best effort to date, with Rockland a close second... 'In My Shoes' from Shakin simply MAKES the album, along with Hitting the Ground and That's the Hold. Freewill- They are from Toronto, and far as I know, they ONLY play in Toronto, Buffalo and Cleveland. Don't get your hopes up TOO high before going to see them... they do have several shortcomings, the guy tries to sing too much like Geddy...sometimes it ends up sounding funny, and his bass playing is very much sub-par (especially in comparison to Geddy's). The guitar player alters Alex's solos very often (I wouldn't mind if he could somehow ADD to them, but he doesn't). The drummer is VERY good though and he has ALL the toys!!! This isn't to say you shouldn't go see them... I go everytime they come here (Sinbad's in Cheektowaga, NY).. they have an independently released cassette with several very good tunes on it, and some total garbage (IMO)... -Shane ---------------------------------------------------------- Date: 19 February 1991 16:33:39 CST Subject: CUSTOM PLATES From: U24129@UICVM.uic.edu! hello, RUSH HEADS. just out of curiosity, i have custom plates and i was wondering how many others out there in RUSH LAND have them as well. so how about if we take a poll? email to my address directly and i'll print out the results next week in NMS. ok? to start us off: RUSH 55 IL RUSH FAN IL (MY BUDDY'S) RUSH FN IL (TRUCK PLATES) SO, IF YOU HAVE SOME SPARE TIME, JUST EMAIL THE NAME OF YOUR PLATES ALONG WITH THE STATE ITS IN. UNTIL LATER . CIAO THE PATSTER ---------------------------------------------------------- Date: 19 February 1991 16:50:07 CST Subject: DDD AND QUALITY OF CDS From: U24129@UICVM.uic.edu! HEY! i'm sure everyone is anxiously awaiting the arrival of the next album. since a lot of people are talking about the ADD and DDD process of RUSH cds i thought i would put my 2 cents in, since being an audiophile and a RUSH fanatic has its advantages. If you listen closely to Mov. Pics. especially to the beginning of Red Bar. and Limelight (after the 2 or 3 power chords Alex does) you can hear a bit of tape hiss. You can also hear a little tape hiss in the beginning of the Weapon and on Losing it. It is very difficult to hear tape hiss on P/g , that album was recorded rather well for a analog source. But it is a little "brittle" and "bright" for my tastes. And obviously Everything after that, it was all DDD with the exception of ASOH. For a live album, ASOH is phenominal. the other DDD albums are just flawless. for those of you who are "esoterics" you may wish to try and find the RUSH cds on Japanese Import. I have signals and H.Y.F. as of now and you can notice a nice improvement on the SIGNALS album as an import. There is less hiss the cymbols and Neil's hi-hat are much cleaner sounding. The drums are also tighter and deeper sounding too. Ged's keyboards have a more transparent quality to them as well. As far as H.Y.F. goes, well i really couldn't find the difference since the album was a masterpiece to begin with. I'll have to listen to it a few more Million times. thats about it. l8r the patster "he won't need a bed cause he's the digital man" ---------------------------------------------------------- Date: Tue, 19 Feb 91 16:43:32 -0700 From: lrackl@cadesm3.eng.utah.edu (Les Rackl) Subject: Re: xloadimage problem I am posting this here in case anybody else has any problems such as Dan Kelley had - displaying images with xloadimage. The error message comes when you already have an image on your screen. (I have my login files display one automatically every time I logon.) Let me give a short explanation of colormap: A colormap (as far as my understanding goes) is basically a "table" which assigns numbers to colors you can display on the screen. The colors are usually combinations of red, blue, and green. I believe all the colormaps that I use have numbers (three of them) which specify the intensity of the red, blue, and green. Since there are millions upon millions of possible intensities of colors (as well as kinds of colors), but you can only display 256 on the screen (if you're lucky like me :-) ), a lot of times the numbers are picked arbitrarily. Also, I don't think that there is a standard regarding this sort of thing. The end result is that practically every picture has a different colormap. That is, each picture tells the computer a different set of numbers (and thinks each number is a different color than everybody else). When you display a picture on the screen, that picture gives the machine a colormap. I believe there is also a default colormap loaded into memory on bootup (depending on machine, etc.). If you are still looking at that picture, and try to tell the computer to install another colormap that isn't compatible, you will probably get that message. Try using the -force option. There is another possibility, since you are loading in onto your root window, that picture will definitely be interfering with your default machine colormap. You may not be able to load that particular picture onto your root window. Try displaying it without putting it in your root window. Try another picture for your root window. I think you will find (I have) that a lot of pictures are not compatible with your default colormap. I don't think you can change the default colormap, since it is in charge of all of your windows and stuff. If you know of some way to safely change the default colormap, tell me, please! [ On the DECstation 3100, it's included in the window manager. Ed? :rush-mgr ] Les ---------------------------------------------------------- Date: Tue, 19 Feb 91 21:29 EDT From: IDBST@vms.cis.pitt.edu Subject: New Song Released? Howdy all Rush Lovers -- Today one of my friends told me that he heard THE new Rush song on the radio yesterday. He didn't know the name of it, be he said it sounded REALLY good. I have also heard this from one other friend. Does anyone know anything about this? Or has anyone heard the song? What's it called? Info, please -- Ian Bjorhovde idbst@vms.cis.pitt.edu University of Pittsburgh ---------------------------------------------------------- Date: Wed, 20 Feb 91 02:08:31 CST From: axelrod@mcc2.sws.uiuc.edu (Sinistar) Here's a paper I'm turning in to English this morning. Hope you guys like it. Superconductor -------------- Packaged like a rebel or a hero Target mass appeal To make an audience feel He really means it Package the illusion of persona Careful to conceal The fact that she's only too real She's got to screen it Hit you in a soft place A melody so sweet A strong and simple beat That you can dance to Watch his every move SUPERCONDUCTOR Orchestrate illusions SUPERCONDUCTOR Watch his every move SUPERCONDUCTOR Hoping you'll believe Designing to deceive That's entertainment He can put a target on the market Bask in your applause Reality withdraws Now he believes it The role becomes the actor She's addicted to applause The stage a world because She never leaves it Hit you in a soft place With sentimental ease They know the fantasies That you romance to Watch her every move SUPERCONDUCTOR She can manipulate reactions SUPERCONDUCTOR Watch her every move SUPERCONDUCTOR Pin the donkeys on her tail Fantasy for sale That's entertainment... Thousands of glassy-eyed teenie-boppers fill the crowded arena to catch a glimpse of their famed idol. Stepping out on the stage in a sold-out city, gazing out at the rows of screaming sixteen-year-old spectators squeezed into the stadium. She sells her heart to the audience like a whore sells her body, except her record is cheaper. She sings carefully engineered lyrics about love or talking on the telephone, designed to deceive the fan into believing their object of fantasy cares about what she is writing, when her ulterior motive is really to push as many of her recordings up the charts. Turn on the radio, and listen to the drum track on any pop song. One, two, three, four, one, two, three, four, where the snares hit two and four. Simple to dance to, a familiar rhythm and melody is a sure way to strike the key in any unsuspecting listener's heart. Creativity is stifled and energy is channeled into finding ideas that will drive the public to their record stores. She will hire a recording engineer whose only job is to implement and explain popular musical and lyrical formulas to her. "That's entertainment?" Making popular music does not necessarily imply deception. It is when the performer tries to appear as if he is speaking from his own heart, and when he takes himself so seriously that he steps into the arena of immorality. He packages himself carefully to hide his money-making motives and to appear sincere. When he calls his agent to have an interview arranged with MTV at just the right time of the year projected by his financial advisors, and talks about how introspective his new album is, and how he really cares about his fans, "that's entertainment." Sadder still is when the artist becomes so involved in her sheltered existence of stardom that she begins to fall into her own trap, and "the stage becomes her world." Then she can follow up her previous efforts and forget she is even deceiving her audience, because she herself believes in what she writes. She won't need her recording engineer because she can write from her shallow heart what she has learned from her previous successes. She has learned to deceive without her fans or herself even realizing it. She has learned to create a reaction in her audience, to sell a popular fantasy. "Pin the donkeys on her tail." "That's entertainment..." Jeff Axelrod ---------------------------------------------------------- Date: Tue, 19 Feb 91 22:12:44 EST From: chuckles@egrlab (Charles L. Hamilton) Subject: Neil's Drumming and Aesthetics Hello all... In my Philosophy of Music course this semester, I have to complete some sort of final project/paper, so I thought I could do some sort of analysis of Neil's drumming. So, if anyone could give me a hand with the following: 1) sending me tapes of solos [not ATWAS, ESL and ASOH :-) ] 2) titles and issue numbers of magazines in which he discusses the musicality or aesthetics of his playing [ Check the FAQL for back issues dealing with this. :rush-mgr ] 3) anything else you feel might be helpful. If you have an idea, drop me a note at chuckles@egrlab.ac.duke.edu All responses will be appreciated! Chuck Hamilton ----------------------------------------------------------
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