November 21
-
Hi-resolution
pictures of Neil's drum kit from Los Angeles S.S. Professor tour stop
- New (old) article on NeilPeart.net:
McLean's
article: "Into Africa"
- New picture of Neil Peart in tent (I've never seen this one before). This pic is from the McLean's article, "Into Africa."
November 17
- New interview with Neil Peart on the R30 DVD release on Rush.com.
From Rush.com: "Neil Peart, one of the most proficient drummers and articulate lyricists in Rock history, generally prefers to let his bandmates - and more significantly, his music - do all the talking. For the release of the historic, double DVD/CD Rush-R30 which is already slated to ship at double platinum status, Peart has taken some time to look back at what he, vocalist and bassist Geddy Lee and guitarist Alex Lifeson, have accomplished over the past 30 years."
- Neil Peart's "Anatomy of a Drum Solo" moved up to December 7 (was December 15)
According to Hudson Music, Neil's upcoming DVD has been moved up a week to December 7.
- R30 DVD sneak previews on Yahoo! Music
If you can't wait until Tuesday, you can now watch the following videos (in their entirety) on Yahoo! Music.
- R30 Overture
- Limelight
Related News: New Andrew McNaughton prints of Alex Lifeson now available
Details:
Andrew MacNaughtan, photographer to Rush, has created a new autographed print series. This is the final print in the Photographing Rush series and features everyone's favorite guitarist, Alex Lifeson.
Alex has graciously agreed to sign 500 prints of “Alex Lifeson, 30th Anniversary”. Proceeds from this print will be donated to several of Andrew's favorite charitable organizations, including the Red Cross.
In addition, Andrew and Alex have cooked up two special, extremely rare prints. The first is a montage of 16 images of Alex on stage at Radio City Music Hall during the 30th Anniversary Tour. The second is a portrait of Alex taken with his white Gibson ES-355. Only 25 each of these prints were created and hand signed by Alex last week.
Visit http://www.andrewmacnaughtan.net to purchase one of these rare and limited prints now and receive it in time for the holiday season! We anticipate that the first shipments will go out the first week of December.
-
"Anatomy of a Drum Solo" set for December 15 release
- New updates on NeilPeart.net by Neil Peart
It's not clear yet whether Lorne Wheaton will be present at these tour stops.
Monday, November 14th
Just Drums
5431 Yonge Street
Willowdale ON M2N 5S1
416.226.1211
Time: 4:00 pm - 7:00 pm
Venue: next door warehouse
Contact: Dave or drum dept.
Tuesday, November 15th
Steves Music Store
51 St. Antoine St. West
Montreal QU H2Z 1G9
514.878.2216
Time: 3:00 pm - 6:00 pm (store closes at 6pm)
Venue: In store
Wednesday, November 16th
Gagne & Frere
302 Durocher
Quebec QU G1K 4W9
418.525.8601
Time: 7:30
Venue: 284 Durocher St (2 doors from the store)
October 16
-
Details of Neil Peart's "Anatomy of a Drum Solo."
-
More details on A Show of Hands, Grace Under Pressure, and Exit... Stage
Left DVDs
-
Geddy Lee interview in Billboard.com
- Updates on S.S. Professor tour report by Andyo
October 9
- Upcoming Releases page now on available on this site contains all new Neil Peart and Rush release information
Go to this page for all the latest information about new releases. Additional news items will remain on The Latest News page.
New book containing all tour book information announced
- Updates on S.S. Professor tour report by Andyo
September 28
According to Lorne Wheaton on the S.S. Professor tour in LA, Neil's book is now titled "Roadworks." It's due out at the beginning of January.
According to All Headline News, Rush is expected to release R30 Live in Frankfurt on November 15, 2005.
According to All Headline News, "Drummer Neil Peart will release an instructional DVD titled "Anatomy of A Drum Solo" to be released through Hudson Music on December 13. The DVD will contain over two hours of Peart playing through numerous versions of drum solos he has performed for the better part of thirty years."
From Sabian.com: "Neil will ... make an appearance on the Cartoon Network/Adult Swim animated show Aqua Teen Hungerforce.." No date announced.
September 27
-
S.S. Professor tour
report by Andyo
I attended the S.S. Professor tour stop in Hollywood, CA. I've put together a page that has the information discussed in the clinic, as well as pictures.
- The
S.S. Professor tour is currently underway. Yours truly will be attending the
Los Angeles clinic. We'll have a full write up by next week with pictures
(if pictures are allowed).
-
Power
Windows has some initial reports from the S.S. Professor clinics.
-
Drum! Magazine
features Neil Peart on the cover of the October 2005 issue. This issue
should be available on September 10.
- New content on NeilPeart.net. Issue 2 of "Neil's Picks for Quality Reading" is now available, including reviews on David Gutterson's Our Lady of the Woods, Walter Kaufmann's Critique of Religion and Philosophy, Saul Bellow's More Die of Heartbreak, and Nick Hornby's A Long Way Down.
Rush will be releasing the highly anticipated R30 DVD in late fall 2005. R30 will feature the sold out concert that Rush played in Frankfurt, Germany, in October 2004 during their 30th Anniversary tour.
- Neil Peart will also be releasing his new instructional DVD, Anatomy of a Drum Solo. From Rush.com:
Neil Peart is currently working on the follow up to his instructional drum video "A Work In Progress." The follow up will be released as a DVD and is set for release in late fall 2005. The new DVD is produced by Hudson Music and is entitled "Anatomy of Drum Solo."
Pro-mark
announced limited edition collectible sticks for the Neil Peart drum set tour.
From Rush.com:
"Houston-based Pro-Mark Corporation has created a limited-edition version of the
legendary 747 Neil Peart model drumstick.
Sporting a unique red imprint,
these collectible drumsticks have been created especially for the S.S. Professor
Drum Set Tour. They will be available ONLY at the retail stores that are
participating in the tour, and come with a Certificate of Authenticity."
- New interview with Carrie Nuttall (thanks for sending Monica Z!) in Ink 19.
In this excellent interview, Carrie (aka Mrs. Neil Peart) discusses her book Rhythm and Light, going to her first Rush concert, and life with Neil.
Excerpt:
Q: You must have been familiar with Rush at the time you met Neil.
A: I knew what Rush was, but honestly didn't know the individual band member's names. I knew the hits back in high school, but I wasn't a fan.
Q: Rush has some of the most loyal fans in the world...
A: Yes, that's true!
Q: But your husband has a sort of sub-sect all his own. For a lot of people, he's a kind of mystery figure, a living legend. When did you first become aware of Neil's sort of unique place in rock 'n' roll?
A: After we got together, from all the comments from people around me. He's a very private person, and probably less comfortable with the limelight than the other two. That probably contributes to the image that he has.
August 10
Rush.com and NeilPeart.net announced that Neil's 30th Anniversary drum kit will be touring around the United States with drum tech Lorne Wheaton:
Neil Peart 30th Anniversary Drum Set Tour
For Immediate Release:
SABIAN CYMBALS AND DW DRUMS ARE PROUD TO PRESENT NEIL PEART’S 30TH ANNIVERSARY DRUM SET ON TOUR ACROSS AMERICA FEATURING NEIL’S LONG TIME DRUM TECHNICIAN LORNE WHEATON.
The Voyage of the ‘S.S. Professor’ begins in Boston on September 8th, crosses the country and ends in Las Vegas on September 22nd.
Lorne Wheaton will conduct a clinic at each event on equipment maintenance, offer tuning tips and discuss Neil’s equipment and sound preferences. He will also answer customers’ questions about life on the road, working with RUSH, and of course musician and lyricist Neil Peart, affectionately known as ‘The Professor.’
Neil says of Lorne, “Lorne Wheaton is a complete master of the drum-tech trade, and there is no one I would rather have working behind, around, and beside me. He takes great pride and meticulous care in his work, but what sets him apart is his rare, discerning ear for sound and tuning. He is the best!”
On the road in the mid 1970’s Lorne was working for a band called Max Webster who shared the same management as RUSH. The two bands toured North America and Europe together and Lorne got to know Neil Peart. Lorne went on to tech for Loverboy, Journey, Robert Palmer, Kim Mitchell, Van Halen, Bryan Adams, Elton John and Steely Dan. Finally, in 2000 Lorne was asked to work for Neil on the road and in the studio with the band recording Vapor Trails. He says, “Working with Neil is absolutely the best gig in the live music business!”
Lorne is one of the most experienced techs in the business and an authority on recording, tuning and gear selection for many situations. SABIAN & DW with Pro Mark and Remo are sponsoring a tour where Lorne can share his perspective and experience with drummers across the United States.
SABIAN product managers who worked closely with Neil in developing the Signature Paragon series of cymbals will be on hand to answer questions, offer advice and assistance in cymbal selection. SABIAN Artist Relations Manager and Product Specialist Chris Stankee says, “Working with Neil to create these cymbals was a real joy. He is very discerning and would never compromise on the sound and feel of the cymbals. He wanted to retain certain tonal properties that he liked and alter some others that resulted in a very dynamic cymbal. It’s anything but typical. The bottom of the cymbal features a wide tonal groove for high end cut and precision. The top features a pin point tonal groove that allows the vibrations to flow over the surface making the cymbal respond at lower dynamics with less fundamental pitch that can be very distracting. The bell was hand hammered to further lower the fundamental pitch and fine tune the bells and overall tone to Neil’s taste. Paragon is the first collection of cymbals in a rock weight that have all the desirable qualities offered by a much thinner cymbal.”
On display will be the actual drum set that Neil used with RUSH on last summer’s 30th anniversary tour.
Neil Peart's "30th Anniversary Drumkit" combines many of DW's most recent drum making breakthroughs with a truly unique finish that was personally designed by Neil and DW. The result is a drumkit that is both sonically and visually tailored to Neil's specifications.
When Neil first met with DW Vice President and Drum Designer John Good, the two discussed every aspect of what would become his ultimate set. The idea was to create a kit with the dynamic intensity that is synonymous with Neil's playing. To accomplish this, two proprietary features were utilized. DW's new VLT (Vertical Low Timbre) and ESE (Enhanced Sound Edge) technologies are unique features of Neil’s set. The finish is an extremely custom lacquer process that involves hologram appliqués of icons representing many of Rush's most famous recording and tours. Each Black Mirra Flake panel is lined with gold pin striping and the entire kit including hardware and pedals are custom plated in rich 24 carat gold.
Good reflects, "Neil's kit is special because it possesses our most cutting edge drum making technology that has since benefited so many players."
There will be giveaways and special deals on SABIAN cymbals, Drum Workshop, Pro Mark and Remo product at all these events.
The S.S. Professor will be on display at these fine shops. DATE CITY STORE
9/8 Boston, MA Daddy’s Junky Music
9/10 Pittsburgh, PA Drum World
9/12 Chicago, IL Guitar Center
9/13 St. Louis, MO Drum Headquarters
9/14 Kansas City, MO Musician’s Friend
9/16 Denver, CO City/Guitar Land
9/19 San Jose, CA San Jose Pro Drum
9/20 Hollywood, CA Guitar Center
9/21 San Diego, CA Guitar Center
9/22 Las Vegas, NV Guitar Center
August 5
On the Sabian website, you can buy a Neil Peart Paragon cymbal poster ($9.95) or banner ($89.95).
- New Neil Peart book and instructional video announced
On Neil Peart's official website, Neil announced both a new book and instructional video are in the works:
"As of July 1st, 2005, I have just finished the first draft of a book about the R30 tour, with the unwieldy title of ROADSHOW: Landscape With Drums, A Concert Tour By Motorcycle.
"In mid-July, I will start the filming of a new instructional DVD, this one to focus on the subject of drum soloing. The working title is Anatomy of a Drum Solo."
To read Neil's "News, Weather, and Sports" page for July 2005, click here.
- New sections added to NeilPeart.net
In addition to the "News" section of Neil's official website, he's added three additional sections, including:
- Articles (with reprints of the Cycling World article and the BMW article)
- Bubba's Book 'N' Music Club, including sections on Neil's book and music picks.
- In the latest Rolling Stone, Dave Grohl is described as having practiced to Rush's 2112 on a unique drum kit:
"His family could never afford a drum kit, so pillows acted as drums and record sleeves were cymbals while he studied and played along to Minor Threat's Out of Step, Bad Brains' Rock for Light and Rush's 2112." Click here to read the full article on RollingStone.com.
July 8
- Neil Peart raises $60,000 for Houston-based Child Advocates charity
From Rush.com: "Pro-Mark Corporation, the world’s largest manufacturer dedicated exclusively to the design, production, and distribution of drumsticks, mallets, and percussion accessories and legendary “RUSH” drummer, Neil Peart, joined forces and recently completed a promotion that raised $60,000.00 for a Houston-based charity." Click here to read the official press release on Rush.com.
- Neil Peart "Hold Your Fire" bass drum heads in eBay charity auction
From the Andrew MacNaughtan auction site: "Original bass drum heads used on Neil Peart’s drum kit from the Hold Your Fire 1987 Tour. This item was given to Andrew MacNaughtan in 1989. Extremely RARE!" There are some other incredible auction items on this page as well, including original artwork for Alex Lifeson's solo album Victor, a Signals and Roll the Bones collection of memorabilia (including used Neil Peart drumsticks), and Presto photos. Click here to go to Andrew MacNaughtan's eBay page. Also, note the picture of Neil coming up for auction with the African drum.
- Neil Peart YYZ 3-D animation on bobbysbrane.com (sent by Adrian Mongeli)
Quite simply, this video unbelievable. While it takes a while to download (43.5 MB Windows Media file), it's definitely worth it. Click here to go to the download page on bobbysbrane.com.
- New R30 Tour DVD (and other DVDs) Coming Soon
As reported by Power Windows: "An advertisement for Fogo (http://www.fogolabs.com), a Canadian duplication company), found on the back cover of the new Fogo http://www.fogolabs.com a Canadian Entertainment Network magazine, includes its list of their upcoming 2005 DVD releases including: RUSH - R-30; RUSH - EXIT STAGE LEFT; RUSH - GRACE UNDER PRESSURE; and RUSH - A SHOW OF HANDS." Click here to see the ad on Power Windows.
June 14
- Neil Peart (unsigned) prints at AndrewMacNaughtan.net
There are some cool Neil prints available at Andrew MacNaughtan's website. They are slightly different than other pictures that have appeared in tour books and other places.
- Related news: Alex Lifeson speaks about the Ritz incident
- Alex's statement to fans (on Rush.com)
- Alex's official statement (on Rush.com)
- Related news: New (signed) Geddy Lee prints for sale on AndrewMacNaughtan.net.
June 5
Related news: Lifeson sues the Ritz
Associated Press
Friday, June 03, 2005
FORT MYERS, Fla. -- The lead guitarist for the Canadian rock group Rush, his son and daughter-in-law are suing the Ritz-Carlton, its security director and three sheriff's deputies stemming from a New Year's Eve 2003 altercation at the Naples hotel.
Alex Zivojinovich, known on stage as Alex Lifeson, his son Justin and daughter-in-law Michelle filed suit Thursday in U.S. District Court in Fort Myers seeking an unspecified amount of monetary damages for injuries, pain and suffering, mental anguish and the costs of their defence.
The Zivojinoviches were ringing in 2004 at the Ritz-Carlton hotel when the altercation occurred.
Justin Zivojinovich and his friends agitated hotel security when they got up on a platform where the house band was taking a break.
The suit alleges that the deputies whom hotel security called to escort Justin out of the hotel "applied illegal and unjustified force, and such force was excessive, causing plaintiff Justin severe discomfort and pain."
Michelle Zivojinovich was illegally arrested when she complained about the force used to subdue her husband, including being repeatedly hit with a Taser stun gun, according to the suit.
Deputies said Alex Zivojinovich pushed a female deputy down a stairwell and spit in another deputy's face when he tried to intervene.
Rush's founding member suffered a broken nose and other injuries in the scuffle.
Hotel spokeswoman Suzanne Willis declined comment Friday.
Messages left early Friday for the lawyers who represented the Zivojinoviches in their criminal cases were not immediately returned. Messages left early Friday at the Collier County Sheriff's Office were also not immediately returned.
In April, Alex Zivojinovich and his son accepted plea agreements to serve 12 months' probation and pay court costs. The agreement called for each to plead to a single misdemeanour charge of resisting arrest without violence. Adjudication was withheld, meaning there will be no formal conviction if they successfully complete probation.
Rush's hits have included Tom Sawyer, Limelight and The Spirit of Radio since the trio's first album debuted in 1974.
© The Canadian Press 2005
May 29
- Related news: Vapor Trails remaster cancelled?
I received the following e-mail from Amazon.com recently. Other people have reported a similar mail from Atlantic Records. At any rate, I don't think we'll be seeing a remastered VT any time soon.
Hello from Amazon.com.
We are sorry to report that we will not be able to obtain the following
item from your order:
Rush "Vapor Trails [ORIGINAL RECORDING REMASTERED]"
Though we had expected to be able to send this item to you, we've since
found that it is not available from any of our sources at this time. We
realize this is disappointing news to hear, and we apologize for the
inconvenience we have caused you.
- No new content added to NeilPeart.net yet
I've been monitoring neilpeart.net, and there have been no updates since it launched around one month ago.
April 26
Neil Peart's official website is now live!
After over a year of development, the official Neil Peart website is now live. You can visit the site at the following link: http://neilpeart.net
As Neil writes on the site:
Hello, and welcome.
Right off the top, I must confess that when Michael, my on-tour riding partner and a professional computer maven, first suggested this idea, I hadn't envisioned anything nearly so GRAND - maybe just a page showing my books, the instructional video, the Buddy Rich tributes, that kind of thing, and linking back to rush.com.
However, just like those projects themselves, and so many others I seem to get involved in, the idea kind of grew with the telling.
Michael contacted Greg Russell, who had registered the domain name a few years previously. A fellow motorcyclist, fellow drummer, and longtime Rush fan from New Jersey, now living in California, Greg had been inspired to register the name by my book Ghost Rider, wanting to reach out somehow in a sympathetic tribute, and give me what he described as a "cyber-hug."
Greg's burgeoning career as a TV and film graphic designer kept him too busy to develop the site on his own, and although our paths almost crossed a few times, through mutual friends, he was content to leave it up to "natural forces." It turned out that Michael contacting Greg was what I described in Ghost Rider as,
"...'the principle of serendipitous confluence.' Or more simply, finding the right person at the right time."
Michael and Greg put their heads together, and once they started "cooking," I realized this site was going to be a lot more elaborate than a "page."
Still, I wanted it to remain a kind of satellite to the official Rush site, focused on stuff that was more-or-less separate from the band. Stuff that was "all about me."
I'm not sure yet how it will develop in the future, but we'll try a few things, and see what works. For now, apart from the above-named solo projects, I will start a list of other people's CDs and books that have caught my attention lately, and I'll try to keep up with that (no promises!).
Thanks for dropping by, and I hope you enjoy the site.
(And sincere thanks to Michael and Greg for working so hard to make it happen.)
- Neil Peart
April 21
Related News: Alex Lifeson and son accept plea agreements
By accepting a plea agreement, Alex Lifeson avoids jail time and a felony charge.
Rush guitarist avoids jail in SW Fla. incident
ASSOCIATED PRESS STORY
NAPLES, Fla. - The lead guitarist for the rock group Rush and his son accepted plea agreements today and will not go to jail for a New Year's Eve 2003 altercation with Collier County sheriff's deputies.
Alex Zivojinovich, known on stage as Alex Lifeson, and his 34-year-old son, Justin, will serve 12 months probation and pay court costs as part of the agreement. The charges against them were reduced to misdemeanors from felonies that could have resulted in the men going to prison.
The agreement calls for each to plead to a single misdemeanor charge of resisting arrest without violence. Adjudication is being withheld, meaning there will not be a formal conviction on their records if probation is successfully completed.
- Neil Peart is on the cover of BMW Motorcycles of America Owners News
I stopped by the BMW store in Seattle (Neil had his cycle serviced here once) this evening to see if they had any copies of this magazine, and they told me BMW ON is only available through membership in the BMW Motorcycles of America. Interestingly, you don't have to own a BMW to join. Fortunately, this is story is available online.
http://www.improvingcommunications.com/neilpeart/index.html
From the magazine:
April 2005
On the Cover: Neil Peart, our cover man this month, is what Coca-Cola would call, "the real thing." As the drummer for the rock band Rush, you might assume his BMW motorcycle is for show only… a prop suiting his celebrity status. But Neil is a fellow rider, BMW MOA member and motorcycle enthusiast who forgoes riding his band's big rig while on tour for his BMW GS. And although music is his career, his greatest talent may be in his ability to connect with other riders in his writings. Neil is the author of Ghost Rider, a book that speaks to the spiritual aspects of motorcycling. The cover photo was taken onstage at Radio City Music Hall, NYC, 2004, by Andrew MacNaughtan. Read our full interview with Neil, starting on page 36.
I've also posted the pictures from the story in the photo gallery.
March 11
From Rush.com: Limited-Edition Box Set of Neil's Books:
"The Rush Backstage Club has an autographed limited-edition box set of Neil Peart’s books! Hardcover editions of The Masked Rider, Ghost Rider, and Traveling Music come in a beautifully handcrafted slipcase, autographed and numbered by Neil. The offering is limited to 150 box sets only and is on a first-come, first-serve basis."
The
Rush Backstage club has posted a note that they are sold out:
"Whooaaaaa!! We are completely sold out of this item. All 150 sets were purchased in the first 2 hours. Congratulations to everyone who managed to grab a set. This is a set of Neil's three novels, all in hardcover, in a beautifully handcrafted slipcase. The slipcase shows the titles of all three books, as well as being individually signed and numbered by Neil himself! This is a limited-edition offering of 150 box sets only, so its 1/150, 2/150, etc. These are offered on a first-come, first-serve basis. Please excuse the wording of the notice below that says "Temporarily Out Of Stock". We are PERMANENTLY out of stock on this item."
February 16
The April 2005 Modern Drummer issue has an article about the making of Paragon cymbals, "A Paragon Is Born: Master Drummer Meets Master Cymbalsmith" by T. Bruce Wittet.
"It's been two years since Neil Peart, iconic drummer with the Canadian rock trio Rush, boarded a flight from Los Angeles to Montreal and started a journey that is the stuff of urban legend. Upon arriving in Canada, Neil dusted off his motorcycle and headed south. His destination was the Sabian cymbal factory in the province of New Brunswick. His goal was to design a new set of cymbals to replace his aging collection."
Rush in Rolling Stone - Top Money Makers of 2004
Rush is number 39 in the February 24, 2005 (issue 968) Rolling Stone article "Music's Top Fifty Money Makers" (of 2004) with $13.3 million:
On the Road The Canadian power trio grossed $21 million on its latest U.S. tour―more than Kiss or Ozzfest.
On the Side Sales were strong for the 2003 Rush in Rio DVD.
Last year's rank: NA
February 13
"47th Grammy Awards: O Baterista" loses to "Mrs. O'Leary's Cow"
For the 47th Grammy Awards on 2/13/05, Rush was nominated for "O Baterista" from Rush in Rio in the Category 19 "Best Rock Instrumental Performance."
The winner for this Category was Brian Wilson for "Mrs. O'Leary's Cow" from Brian Wilson Presents Smile.
Closer to the Heart video available
Rush's video performance at the CBC Benefit for Tsunami Relief is now available on Rush.com. Click here to check it out. The performance will only be available until March 2, 2005. You must have Windows Media Player 10 on a PC to view this performance.
January 25
Rhythm & Light contest on Rush.com
Win an autographed copy of Rhythm & Light. From Rush.com: "There are two ways to play the game. You can guess the eight song titles by deciphering the seven anagrams below or you can listen to the sound puzzle by clicking on the play button. You could also do both if you like, but only enter your guesses once, as the answers are the same for both puzzles. ...Once you think you have them all figured out, use the entry form below to submit your guesses."
January 14
Canada for Asia: New version of Closer to the Heart
Rush
appeared in a pre-recorded segment on January 13 for the Canada for Asia charity
event. Rush played "Closer to the Heart," along with Ed Robertson of Barenaked
Ladies and Bubbles of Trailer Park Boys fame.
Neil
played his full kit (minus the back electronics). Alex Lifeson stated that this
segment will appear on Rush.com in the near future.
Click any of the images for a larger picture.
All pictures by Richard Beland.
January 10
More autographed "Rhythm & Light" copies available
The first 100 orders of Rhythm & Light on the Rush Backstage Club will receive autographs from Neil Peart and Carrie Nuttall. Click here for more details and to order.
Neil has written an open letter to "anyone who bought The Masked Rider" in Milwaukee on the 30th Anniversary tour (received by rush.com mailing of 1/10/05):
A MESSAGE FROM NEIL PEART REGARDING THE MASKED RIDER
To anyone who bought a copy of The Masked Rider in Milwaukee on the 30th Anniversary Tour.
“A new trade paperback edition of my first book, The Masked Rider, was put on sale for the first time at the Marcus Amphitheatre in Milwaukee on June 7th, 2004. After the show, when I had a chance to look over the book carefully, I realized it had been produced with serious flaws (no photos, wrong maps, various typographical and design errors, missing portions of text).
I immediately stopped its sale and had the rest of the printing destroyed, but I feel bad for the unfortunate few who bought copies that night. A corrected second edition has now been produced and put on sale, and I would like to replace those first defective paperbacks with an autographed hardcover copy of the proper new second edition.Please send your defective copy to the address below, and we will make it right.”
With apologies,
Neil Peart
Showtech Merchandising Inc.
1011 Upper Middle Road East, Suite C3
Oakville, Ontario, Canada
L6H 5Z9
Win an autographed copy of "Rhythm & Light"
From the Rush.com mailing of 1/10/05:
Visit rush.com later this week for your chance to win an autographed copy of Rhythm and Light!
No details yet on whether the book is signed by Neil Peart and Carrie Nuttall, as was the case with the first batch from Rounder Press. (See December 25 Latest Neil Peart News for a picture of Neil and Carrie's signatures.)
January 9
Rush will participate in a charity telethon to benefit the Tsunami Relief Fund. The show will air on Thursday, January 13 and will be broadcast on Canadian television on CBC. The telethon will be broadcast from a studio in Toronto. No word yet on whether this will be an acoustic set from Rush ("Resist" or "Heart Full of Soul") or songs that include Neil behind the kit.
From Rush.com:
World Vision, Red Cross and UNICEF are engaged in a joint partnership with the Canadian Broadcasting Cooperation (CBC) to air a National TV Broadcast on Thursday January 13th from 7:00 - 10:00 PM in an attempt to raise millions of dollars for victims of the Tsunami Relief.
At present there are commitments from many of Canada's top entertainers: Celine Dion, Tom Cochrane, Barenaked Ladies, Rush, Blue Rodeo, Jann Arden, Oscar Peterson, Daniel Lanois, Bruce Cockburn and many more. As this is a disaster that touches many countries, races, religions, ages et al- virtually every element of humanity - our hopes are that this CBC event will be a metaphor for us as Canadians to evidence a heartfelt response from all walks of life. To that end, the 3 hour broadcast will also feature personalities from all artistic and cultural communities. Margaret Atwood is helping to outreach to the literary world, Chief Mecredi has pledged to contact artists from the First Nations communities etc. From hockey to Olympians, from dancers to comics, the event will be a star-studded coalition of caring Canadians.More details:
http://www.cbc.ca/story/arts/national/2005/01/07/Arts/canadaforasia050107.html
Story about Neil and The MaCallan in Scotsman.com:
Rush rock on for a fine drop of Macallan
WHISKY on the rocks all round this Christmas for the employees of the Edrington group, quite literally as in go "heavy on the rocks".
Heavy rocker Neil Peart, below left, writer/lyricist and drummer for Rush, the Canadian rock band, sent them stocking-filling goodies as a sign of appreciation for his visit to Glasgow earlier this year.
The band played a sell-out concert in Glasgow a few months ago and Edrington presented a bottle of The Macallan Fine Oak 15-year-old single malt to Neil to celebrate his birthday.
Neil, or "the Professor" as he is referred to, is a fan of The Macallan and makes regular references to it in his book Ghost Rider and the more recently-released Travelling Music and thousands of RUSH fans have become devotees of the brand.
The Professor was much taken with the warm gesture in Glasgow and, on his return to North America, sent a package of "goodies" to the company, including signed CDs, pictures and other memorabilia.
These have now been distributed amongst RUSH fans who work for the distiller. Whether they will now play Rush over the Tannoy in the bottling plant remains to be seen. It could increase production or then again break a few bottles.