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Subject: 06/19/91 - The National Midnight Star #268
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The National Midnight Star, Number 268
Wednesday, 19 June 1991
Today's Topics:
Administrivia
MySciTheater3K
Longevity and Dreams...
Re: a bad album?
Here's your big chance for air time...
Re: 06/18/91 - The National Midnight Star #267
Tour date question
Re: Subdivisions on ASOH
DEW: Canada between a rock and a hard place!
Re: 06/18/91 - The National Midnight Star #267
Re: Subdivisions on ASOH
ASOH and Subdivisions
Subdivision on ASOH.
Thing on Alex's guitar
3 balls in HYF tour
RUSH on TV
Rush GIF's
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From: Editor, The National Midnight Star <rush-mgr@syrinx.umd.edu>
Subject: Administrivia
Well, for what it's worth, the new drive for Syrinx has finally arrived.
This just means it's sitting in a box in somebody's office, but at least
it's in the same building! This means that with any luck, there will be
a bunch more room on Syrinx soon. Stay tuned for details as they develop.
rush-mgr
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Date: Tue, 18 Jun 91 15:08:28 CDT
From: Ydnir Giarc <MV012791@VM1.NoDak.EDU>
Subject: MySciTheater3K
G'day.
This has very little to do with Rush, but Mark Adam had mentioned Rush
being mentioned on Mystery Science Theater 3000. I just wanted to add
(for those of you who are confused about what he was talking about)
that MST3000 can be found on Comedy Central (Have you seen the Victoria
Jackson ads on MTV?) which was recently CTV:the Comedy Network and
two weeks before that it was The Comedy Channel. Check around for
the channel because MST3K really is a great show. It's on Saturdays
at 6:00 pm Central time--you figure it out. :) I believe that it
might be on in the morning and latenight of the same day.
[ It runs at 10:00 AM EST Fridays and 10:00 and 19:00 EST on Saturdays.
Adjust your schedule accordingly. :rush-mgr ]
One time I saw some people in one of the movies walking down a corridor
with brick walls. I think Joel then said, "Hello, Cleveland!" God, I
almost DIED!
Craig Rindy mv012791@ndsuvm1
ORQ: ...take you back to our first album...and do something... -- Ged
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Date: Tue, 18 Jun 91 10:18:42 hst
From: Hinano Akaka <bigtuna!hinano@uhccux.uhcc.Hawaii.Edu>
Subject: Longevity and Dreams...
Good evening -- Ha ha ha...!
I've been thinking about the longevity of Rush myself for the past few
years. I'm hoping they'll be like what Genesis is like now -- doing
projects with other people for a few years and then getting together
when they have the time/enthusiasm and doing a project and then
touring. Altho they have been doing that to an extent for awhile,
it's been a little more compressed than Genesis. Perhaps if they keep
doing what they have been doing, but spread it out a little, they'll
be around for a long time.
It seems, at this point, that the only thing that would prevent them
from being around is the touring (is there anything else I'm
missing?). We all know how tired they are of the "hurry up and wait"
routines and how much Alex especially feels like he's missing of life
when the band is on tour. Which is why I hope they 'follow Genesis'
example' (not necessarily on a conscious level) in spreading things
out a little more. Maybe, just maybe, they can pace things out a
little more, spend more time with their families, etc. and be around
until they're 107!
I have to admit, tho, that I feel a little guilty hoping all of this
comes true, in a way. It starts coming across as being really selfish
-- "who cares what they want to do, as long as they remain Rush forever
and do an endless plethora of albums and tours." I'm not saying that
this is what the rest of you are thinking, but, to me anyway, it starts
sounding that way and I hope no one TAKES it that way. However, I'm
sure WE wouldn't mind if they DID stick around until they were 107!
But, I think, as painful as it would be, I would be happy if they
disbanded because THEY weren't happy doing it anymore. If they aren't
happy doing Rush, I wouldn't be very happy, either. I think the one
thing I would be 'devasted' about, tho, is never seeing them live on
stage together again. THAT would just kill me. I apologize if it
sounds so sappy, but that's just how I feel.
Well. ANYWAY...! On to more "up, up, up" subjects. Someone
mentioned a dream they had about the "Neil" contest (I like that
one!). I've had countless number of "Rush Dreams" (no, I'm not going
to bore all of you with all of them...just one...). I had one about
the award they got for "Band of the Decade". I don't recall at the
moment the whole thing, but it basically was that President Bush had a
ceremony at the White House honoring them (I'm going to leave off the
political remarks I could think of...). Then they were playing tennis
with him on the steps of the White House. They were about to leave in
a blue sedan (I was incensed in my dream that the Pres didn't think
enough of them to give them a limo...) when Neil noticed that Alex was
missing. So after searching for a while, they finally found him and
then they left. I think there was a BBQ party in there somewhere and
I was hanging around somewhere, too. But that was the basic gist of
it. Anyone else got any "Rush Dreams"? (Yes, I know, another summer
lull topic to keep everyone from falling asleep at their
terminals...).
Damn -- these things keep getting long. H*ll. Toodle-ooo, Caribou!
puanani akaka
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From: drubin@prism.poly.edu (Dave Rubin)
Subject: Re: a bad album?
Date: Tue, 18 Jun 91 17:10:06 -0400
>From: Doug Grumann <dougg@hpptc16.rose.hp.com>
>The speed with which they cut the latest album amazes and worries me. Do
>they really have so much material built up that they can lay down the tracks
>within a month of the end of the last tour? Seems strange. Once the music
>making gets to be "automatic", its time to stop.
It's not necessarily a bad thing to record an album quickly .. sometimes it is
impossible to reproduce the feel of a spontaneous recording session. No
matter how hard you work on producing a song, you can never recover the
feeling of that magical first take. I look forward to a RUSH album that is
more loose and spontaneous. With the level of musicianship and teamwork that
RUSH has achieved, I seriously doubt they are capable of recording a bad album.
--
Dave
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From: edsall@iastate.edu
Subject: Here's your big chance for air time...
Date: Tue, 18 Jun 91 18:32:21 CDT
Hey Rush fans,
I've recently become a DJ here on the campus radio station in Ames. It's
only 200 watts but it reaches people within about a 10 or 15 mile radius. I
have been trying to play a Rush song or two every time I am on the air. So
far I've played "the Trees", "Red Barchetta", "Big Money" and yes, believe it
or not all of the 2112 side of 2112. I would like you to give me suggestions
as to what you think are the songs by Rush that are never played that should
be played. This is your chance to influence an impressionable college listening
audience and to end that constant nagging pain of "why don't they ever play..."
You can either e-mail your ideas to me or post them in NMS.
- dave
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From: The Spanish Penguin <cook@donald.cs.umn.edu>
Subject: Re: 06/18/91 - The National Midnight Star #267
Date: Tue, 18 Jun 91 19:00:06 CDT
Yes indeedy folks...it's your good ol' friend El Loco Pinguino here.
I saw a comment in yesterday's NMS about the ASOH version of "Subdivisions"
not containing the voice saying "Subdivisions" in it. Well, Herschel
my friend, I did a little bit of listening, and found it in there.
But, as you pointed out, it isn't digitized or anything. It sounds as
if Alex was gonna say it and got muffled half way through it. I know
at the Presto show I went to in Richmond, VA...the "Subdivisions" part
they had digitized was about a half-beat behind where it should have been.
Although it was the exact same voice from off the album, albeit a little
louder. Heh.
Hope that helped Herschel!!!
Now a question from me:
Does anyone know why RUSH is still put in the METAL section in most
record stores??? (At least the ones I shop at anyway...)
Well, gotta be headin' back to Margarita-land....
P.S. Rush-mgr...the Yes concert in Raleigh is July 10. If I can get
my hands on another ticket pack like mine...it's yours.
Jay Cook (El Loco Pinguino)
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Date: Tue, 18 Jun 91 17:28:27 -0700
From: ddelany@polyslo.CalPoly.EDU (Dan Delany)
Subject: Tour date question
According to the most recent (nice job, Jimmy!) tour dates listing, Rush
only played 1 night in Montreal on the Signals tour, which is listed as
April 9, 1983. I recently acquired a recording of a Signals show from
Montreal (Geddy says it's in Montreal, so I'm sure about that.). The problem
is that he says that "It's good to be back here for the second night at the
Forum." Does anybody know the date of this show?
Dan
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From: Patrick Quairoli <quairoli@cs.widener.edu>
Subject: Re: Subdivisions on ASOH
Date: Tue, 18 Jun 91 20:35:19 EDT
HAG2@vms.cis.pitt.edu writes:
>
>I haven't seen this mentioned before, so:
>Does anyone know why in the ASOH version of "Subdivisions," that voice that
>says "subdivisions" for the chorus isn't there? Considering all of the other
>things they digitized for that tour, why wasn't that one of them? The song
>just doesn't seem the same without that voice...
i'm not too sure about the video but if you listen to ASOH on cd
you can bearly hear the digital 'subdivisions' on the first verse
then by the next verse alex comes in with 'look!'. i assume that
there was some kind of problem with the sampler. you might have to
listen to the song a few times to hear the near inaudible
'subdivisions' but hey it's worth it!
______________________________________________________________________________
patrick j. quairoli | "I know perfect's not for real" - Rush
widener!quairoli | "I am the assassin" - Marillion
quairoli@cs.widener.edu | "What me worry" Alfred E. Newman
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Date: Tue, 18 Jun 91 20:46:10 EDT
From: jaeger@buphy.bu.edu (Gregg Jaeger)
Subject: DEW: Canada between a rock and a hard place!
Back in digest #198, Ron Zasadzinski gave a nice interpretation of
the lyrics to D.E.W. and asked for some feedback. First, though
let me point out a small mistake in Ron's very nice interpretation:
he writes misspells `rites' as `rights' in his explanation, missing
the fact that `rights of passage' is a actually a _pun_ on `rites of
passage' rather than an _explicit_ mention of rites of passage --
this being a reference to Neil's often-repeated theme of the
disillusionment of youth faced with the harsh realities of life).
I think that Ron only picked up on part of the meaning of the song.
He interpreted the song as being primarily about the psychological
effect of our `koyaanisqatsi' (cf. the album of Philip Glass), or
`crazy life,' -- no doubt feeling that it was somehow a more explicit
treatment of the theme of `Vital Signs'; he neglects the clear dualism
to the lyrics of D.E.W., which incorporates both the _general_ human
psychology of our technological age and the actual relationships
between pairs of human beings in that age, and IMHO overemphasizes
the relevance of mental illness to the song. The identity of the pair,
the `I' and the `you,' in the lyrics is nicely reduntant so as to
be equally plausible as being Kennedy(U.S.)/Krushchev(U.S.S.R.)
(thus appealing for a recognition of the value of life over-and-above
ideology -- note also the sarcasm in `Red Lenses' toward irrational
fear of the Russians), Rush/The Listener (thus sympathizing with the
listener's anxiety about the possibility of nuclear war and other
environmental calamities), or a pair of friends or lovers (thus
recognizing the general anxiety which pervades many --if not all--
modern lives). There is a recognition by one of the value of the
other and an empathy between the two in all of these pairings.
Ron also expresses the opinion that `blacks and whites of youth'
refers to racial differences, while in my opinion there is little
reason to believe this, as there is no other line in the
song which has anything to do with race -- rather, it is more
plausible to take it to be a reference to the simplistic
explanations/understandings we are given and sustain during our
youth (at least, longer if you believe what is printed in the
`national midnight star' of ``Red Lenses') for/of the problems of
modern life. This is corroborated by the lines `Who can face the
knowledge/That the truth is not the truth/Obsolete /Absolute' and
ties in with the theme of disillusionment as well. IMO this song
marks a major shift in Neil's world view from a _purely_ objectivist
outlook (remember that `Cinderella Man' was written by Geddy!) to
a more `realistic' (DAU) perspective along the lines of John Dos
Passos' and some of the other `lost generation' writers, like Faulkner
who wrote the novel _Absalom, Absalom_.
In fact it is very illuminating to look at the following excerpt from
a speech of Faulkner (one of the `hopeful' referred to in _Manhattan
Project_):
from William Faulkner's _Address upon Receiving the Nobel Prize for
Literature_ -- Stockholm, December 10, 1950.
Our tragedy today is a general and universal physical fear so long
sustained by now that we can even bear it. There are no longer problems
of the spirit. There is only the question: When will I be blown up?
Because of this, the young man or woman writing today has forgotten
the problems of the human heart in conflict with itself which alone can
make good writing because only that is worth writing about, worth the
agony and the sweat.
He must learn them again. He must teach himself that the basest of all
things is to be afraid; and, teaching himself that, forget it forever,
leaving no room in his workshop for anything but the old verities and
truths of the heart, the old universal truths lacking which any story
is ephemeral and doomed -- love and honor and pity and pride and
compassion and sacrifice. Until he does so, he labors under a curse.
He writes not of love but of lust, of defeats in which nobody loses
anything of value, of victories without hope and, worst of all, without
pity or compassion. His griefs grieve on no universal bones, leaving
no scars. He writes not of the heart but of the glands.
Until he relearns these things, he will write as though he stood among
and watched the end of man. I decline to accept the end of man. It is
easy enough to say that man is immortal simply because he will endure:
that when the last ding-dong of doom has clanged and faded from the
last worthless rock hanging tideless in the last red and dying evening,
that even then there will still be one more sound: that of his puny
inexhaustible voice, still talking. I refuse to accept this. I believe
that man will not merely endure: he will prevail. He is immortal, not
because he alone among creatures has an inexhaustible voice, but
because he has a soul, a spirit capable of compassion and sacrifice
and endurance. The poet's, the writer's, duty is to write about these
things. It is his privelege to help man endure by lifting his heart,
by reminding him of the courage and honor and hope and pride and
compassion and pity and sacrifice which have been the glory of his
past. The poet's voice need not merely be the record of man, it can
be one of the props, the pillars to help him endure and prevail.
-- end of excerpt.
Notice also that Faulkner's concern with fear ties in with the theme
of ``The Weapon.''
Gregg
-----------------------------------
Gregg Jaeger (jaeger@buphy.bu.edu) ``Truth is after all a moving target''
Dept(s). of Physics (and Philosophy)
Boston University, Boston MA 02215 ->>READ DOS PASSOS!(his books, i.e.)<<-
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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Date: Tue, 18 Jun 91 20:17:09 HST
From: deane@galileo.IFA.Hawaii.Edu (Rebel Without A Clue)
Subject: Re: 06/18/91 - The National Midnight Star #267
Aloha, all.
Wanted to second the motion for interest to be taken in the
Vampire Chronicles by Anne Rice. While I wouldn't take too much of what she
says in the novels too close to heart (the emotions and outlooks of vampires
are by nature extremely distinct from those of mortals, and none too healthy
for the latter), when taken in their artistic context they create an
extremely rich environment to explore. I'm already absorbing some of her
concepts into a gaming campaign.
I ran into a debate team in college that ran as a resolved; you
should say yes to Lestat if he offers you the Dark Gift. Has anyone else
encountered references to the V.S. in music or literature?
Sorry if this is too far off-track. Email if prefered.
(that's, "email if you prefer")
ObRush; Were any of the band into wargaming, and do they do any of it
these days? It'd be a kick to be at a convention and run a game with
Geddy or Neil.
At Mauna Kea without my CDs,
[ Hey, maybe Puanani can help you out... :-) :rush-mgr ]
Jim Deane
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Date: Wed, 19 Jun 91 08:46:00 EST
Subject: Re: Subdivisions on ASOH
From: DSchmidt.311@postman.gsfc.nasa.gov!Doug
I think the word "Subdivisions" is there on ASOH, but it is bearly
audible (I'd have to listen to be sure). Alex says that word in
concert (Neil says it on the record).
I've noticed that at all the Rush shows I've been to, Alex's mike
seems to be almost turned off, although he is singing into it quite
a bit! I can recall distinctly trying to hear "Subdivisions" at one
concert, and being dissapointed.
Maybe Alex's voice is terrible, and the sound crew just turns him
way down! Maybe at the soundcheck the crew is like "Yeah Alex, your
mike level is fine" as the turn and chuckle to their buddies! Maybe
Alex hears himself in his monitors, and thinks that the whole
concert hall hears him, but all this time his mike was off....
I also have never heard Alex say anything between songs, like "Thank
You!" or something- has anyone every heard him say anything on
stage?
Dave Schmidt
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Date: Wed, 19 Jun 1991 10:04:16 CDT
From: SRF6200@ZEUS.TAMU.EDU (Hactar)
Subject: ASOH and Subdivisions
Herschel Gelman writes:
>Does anyone know why in the ASOH version of "Subdivisions," that voice that
>says "subdivisions" for the chorus isn't there? Considering all of the other
>things they digitized for that tour, why wasn't that one of them? The song
>just doesn't seem the same without that voice...
That is extremely odd...as I recall, they have used the "subdivisions" chorus
ever since Signals came out (9 years - how time flies!) I saw the last four
shows in (order) Phoenix, San Antonio, Austin, and Houston, and they all had
the chorus. Just not the UK it seems. How about it folks...did they use it
in any other concert? (I'm only limiting myself to the SW United States)
Steve Fennell
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Date: Wed, 19 Jun 1991 10:27:25 -0500
From: Eric Linden <linden@osiris.cso.uiuc.edu>
Subject: Subdivision on ASOH.
The voice that says "Subdivisions" for the chorus comes through loud and
clear on my ASOH disc. As a matter of fact, I almost prefer the live
version because to me, it is clearer than on the studio. Maybe you have a
bad copy, try listening to someone else's and see it your copy is the
problem.
Eric Linden
----------------------------------------------------------
Date: Wed, 19 Jun 91 12:43 CST
From: BSUTESCH@wsuiar.wsu.ukans.edu
Subject: Thing on Alex's guitar
While watching "A show of hands" I noticed this circular "thing" on Alex's
white electric guitar. Anyone know what it is?
Thanx,
-bRi-
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Date: Wed, 19 Jun 91 12:47 CST
From: BSUTESCH@wsuiar.wsu.ukans.edu
Subject: 3 balls in HYF tour
When I saw Rush's HYF tour the 3 balls appeared to descend one at a time
denoting 1/3 of the concert had been completed each time a ball descended.
Am I making too much out of this or was this how it happened?
Later,
-bRi-
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Date: Wed, 19 Jun 91 13:23:07 -0500
From: toronto@ccwf.cc.utexas.edu (James Moseley)
Subject: RUSH on TV
For those of you who keep track of when RUSH has been on TV:
Just last night, Tuesday, June 18, part of "Force Ten" was played on a
documentary by Bill Moyers about the aftermath of "Operation Desert Storm."
It was the background music while they showed black and white video of
bombing runs. BTW, the documentary was aired on PBS.
James Moseley
(toronto@ccwf.cc.utexas.edu)
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Subject: Rush GIF's
From: c-wizard@darkside.com (The Crystal Wizard)
Date: Wed, 19 Jun 91 10:13:39 PDT
Since I don't have "FTP" access anywhere, could someone tell me a BBS where
I can get the Rush GIF's available on Syrinx? I'd like to upload them to
CIS, PC-Link/AOL, and GEnie so everyone who wants them can get them.
Thanks...
c-wizard@darkside.com
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To submit material to The National Midnight Star, send mail to:
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Once you've successfully logged on, change directory (cd) to 'rush'.
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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 The Rush Fans Mailing List, 1991.
Editor, The National Midnight Star
(Rush Fans Mailing List)
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End of The National Midnight Star Number 268
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