THE REVIEW CORNER: Rush kickstart a latter day rennaisance with Vapor Trails (original [2002, Anthem/Atlantic] & remixed [2013, Anthem/Atlantic])

For those who were following the Rush camp in the early 2000s, it was probably the most fascinating, if not the most trying time for fans of the band -- and for the band itself. 

In Rush, the focus has always been on the music -- where the band themselves write (Alex & Ged the music, Neil the lyrics), record, and perform all of their own material. It's never been about partying, drugs & sex (unless Kiss is touring with you, of course), or any of the sort of garbage that was more typical of Axl Rose and his camp. 

To function like the well-oiled machine Rush is, not only did it involve talent and discipline, but also the simple matter of just getting along -- probably the #1 reason bands don't stay together. In the case of Alex, Ged & Neil, by all accounts egos never got in the way, which was spearheaded by the fact that the drummer in this band also happened to be the lyricist -- a situation that forced a partnership with the band's singer, to edit the words and shape them into a final form with the vocal delivery. 

Rush are the example of positive band dynamics in the rock world....and one of the hardest working bands out there, essentially touring and putting out recordings nonstop since the early 70s. Writing, recording, rehearsing, tour, break. Rinse and repeat year after year. Winning over audiences one show at a time. Establishing themselves more like the Mt. Rushmore of rock than Rush -- the definition of a solid and enduring rock band that shines on record -- and even brighter live onstage.

For God's sake, Rush were indestructible. Literally. Nothing could stop them. Ever. They're immortal. 

Or so we thought.

Almost immediately following the band touring off Test for Echo in the summer of 1997, drummer Neil Peart tragically lost his daughter Salina in a car accident in Toronto that August....and if that wasn't enough heartbreak and tragedy to contend with, approximately one year later his wife Jackie succumbed to cancer. From a fan's perspective, stuff that was as strange and random as it was horrific and unimaginable. Sad times.

Having followed the band as an ardent fan since the early 1980s, I can still feel the emotions from these series of events to this day.

Needless to say, these tragedies put the band instantly on hiatus. The whole machine, in which everyone was like a large family, shut down. The thought of them continuing seemed like a far cry, and frankly it was more of an afterthought since everyone was more concerned about Neil in his recovery and how he was doing -- fans like myself included. 

As far as I was concerned, fuck the band -- our brother Neil needed our support, any way we could provide it -- be it posts to the band's website, emails, or care packages sent by parcel to the Anthem Records office in Toronto.

"No Neil, no Rush." Geddy Lee signaled to fans at some point during these events. He would later state: "I don't want to play in Rush with anyone else. It is the band, the three of us." 

As Neil's coping and way of sorting through all of it, he hopped on his motorcycle and zigzagged all over the North American continent, covering over 40,000 miles when all was said and done -- these journeys were later chronicled in his book Ghost Rider. Guitarist Alex Lifeson and singer/bassist/keyboardist Geddy Lee (after a long break themselves) eventually took on projects of their own. Alex engineered a recording for a band out of Mississippi called 3 Doors Down and dabbled into other projects. Ged put out his first solo project of his career in 2000, My Favorite Headache -- a good CD that's worth your time and money. Interestingly, it sounds very Rush-y, with Ben Mink sounding rather Alex-y on guitar. I can't speak for all Rush fans, but I have always thought of it as the "lost Rush recording" that probably would have been a Rush record under different circumstances.

Then, after a few years, someone we all know and love resurfaced, claiming he needed "gainful employment" again. 

Hello, Neil. Welcome back.

Around late 2000, grumblings in the Rush camp began to surface about the boys getting together to record a new project. Then sometime in 2001 the news came around that they were writing, then in the studio. Then, in early 2002, "One Little Victory" hit the airwaves, signaling Rush's return with an opening drumming fervor that sounded like an octopus spinning out of control.

Released in May, Vapor Trails was the miracle nobody thought they'd ever have the privilege to hear. It was followed by a world tour marking the band's glorious return, and ended with them performing in front of 50,000 fans in Rio de Janiero going completely mental -- check out Rush in Rio for that.

With all the circumstances leading up to and surrounding it, it's of no surprise that Vapor Trails is a very unique animal in the Rush canon -- not necessarily in a sonic sense as much as the theme and tone of the recording -- deeply raw and personal. 

Sonically, the band maintain the slow evolution of the heaviness and edge that began to evolve in earnest with 1993's Counterparts and continued on 1996's Test for Echo. VT is even heavier, to the effect that some of Alex's guitarwork takes on almost more of a punk rock attitude.

Indeed, this record is all about tone and 'tude. The music is driven by the themes Neil was grappling with at the time -- and while much of it focused on rebirth, self-examination and discovery through love -- there's absolutely no way the recording can NOT cross paths with the loss and sadness of what had taken place in recent years. In particular, "Ghost Rider," "Vapor Trail," and "Earthshine" grapple with the latter. In particular with "Ghost Rider," Ged's opening bass line sets a tone for the tune, singing on its own in a mournful sadness and highlighting the genius that Ged has become known for on that instrument. Like a knife through butter.

As would be expected, the musicianship on VT is second to none, however there were a few rules in place going into recording it. First off, Alex imposed a policy on himself that he would not solo on the record -- but this triggered a new idea -- there would be sections of songs where the whole band would solo together. This limitation turned to band jam by design is one of the more unique and endearing aspects of VT in the Rush catalog.

Alex and Geddy have always been genius when it came to "decorating" Neil's lyrics, as Peart has stated in the past....and certainly VT is all about the themes and the lyrics, which drive the record.

For all the beatings I've seen Peart take over the years for his obscure lyrics (most unfounded, a few not) from so-called music reviewers, I fail to see how he isn't brilliant with his words on VT. He takes deeply personal themes in which he's able to impart and echo sentiments and details from his tragedies and recovery -- yet frames them is such a way that makes them applicable not just to what was on his mind, but also relatable to a wide listening audience. He does it with all the hallmarks of the Peart voice; inventing his own metaphors, witty rhymes, and by taking ideas from other writers by repurposing their words into his own lyrical puzzle. Then it's channeled through Ged's beautifully unique vocal delivery, where he sings so convincingly that you'd think he'd written them himself.

Since VT marked the band's return to recording after a long hiatus, it also meant that they needed time to get back into a form that would meet their expectations and be worthy of the Rush brand. Plus, Alex and Ged simply wanted to give Neil all the time he needed, with no pressure. It was enough that he was back, and simply a contributing member of the band. With the extra time being part of the plan, it spanned over a year (if I recall correctly) in which they rented out a warehouse to jam together and reorient themselves, then booked studio time. 

While the circumstances dictated as such, the down side to taking the extra time was that when the recording of VT was finally complete, the band let loose the controls and handed the engineering and mixing over to other folks. Typically Alex was involved and supervised the engineering portion of the process, but in this case everyone took a much-needed break.

Unfortunately the result was a recording that sounds very dull and muddy, which is way below the standard that Rush is known for. When first released, I recall something to this effect but didn't initially have much of a complaint since I was more focused on the material and simply elated that they had even put something out in the first place. 

However, as time went on and the band put out other recordings, I found myself coming back to VT less often....and I have to admit this is due in part to the muddy production of the recording. Many fans in the Rush camp, who were used to the high standards of recording quality from the band, also called out the substandard production as well.

I know Rush enough to realize that they're a band who not only prides on high quality in recording and musicianship from themselves, but also listens to the pulse of their fan base.

So, in an effort to make things right, the band remixed Vapor Trails and released this version in 2013 to much higher reviews and acclaim. It's also available as part of the Atlantic era box set covering Presto (1989), Roll the Bones (1991), Counterparts (1993), Test for Echo (1996), Vapor Trails remixed (2002/2013), Feedback (2004), and Snakes & Arrows (2007). All of these recordings are also now available individually on vinyl in limited editions.

The remixed version is not perfect. There are added guitar solos to "One Little Victory" for example, which I personally didn't find necessary and sound a bit forced -- especially considering how adamant Alex was about not soloing in the original recording sessions in 2000-01.  

I'd been meaning to write a review of this record for years, as it marks the rebirth of this great band. From the pain and rebirth seeping out of Vapor Trails, Rush would go on to enjoy a historic renaissance over the next 15 years -- recording three more albums (two of original material, another EP of covers to celebrate their 30th anniversary), even more live recordings, perform live with strings, have a documentary filmed about them, enjoy an entry in to the Rock Hall in 2013 -- then capping it all off with a 40th anniversary tour in 2015 before seriously contemplating a well-earned retirement. 

To get a true feel for this recording, a completest would need to hear both versions. For someone new to it, I have to point them towards the remixed version....small differences or an extra guitar solo added here or there aside, the sound quality and production definitely trumps. 

However, there's something to be said about the original, despite the lackluster and muddy production. The rawness....the themes of sadness, anger, confusion, then rebirth that capture the essence of Vapor Trails....the unselfishness and exercised sensitivity with Alex's policy to not solo on the record, out of consideration for his drummer and brother....and that opening drum assault that brought a collective tear to the eye of all Rush fans -- the original version echoes all of this at its finest. To those fans who lived through this phase of the band and understood the story leading up to this recording, the original captures the mood and essence of what the band -- Neil especially -- was going through at the time.

Album highlights: One Little Victory, Ghost Rider, The Stars Look Down, How it Is, Vapor Trail, Secret Touch, Earthshine

THE STAGE HECKLER: Milan's Teatro La Scala was a fitting introduction to opera

2006 was a big year for travel, and part of it involved venturing across the pond to Italy.

While Milan, in northern Italy, represented the gateway in and out of the country; research and advisement revealed that it didn't provide much in the way of tourist attractions...at least not like the other places Italy is known for.

As a matter of fact, Milan was considered rather unfriendly to tourists, as experience would also reveal.

However, like everything else in life, there are exceptions to that notion. While there weren't many attractions in the nation's financial capital, there was still a beautiful Cathedral (the third largest in Europe), the Arcadia (touted as the world's first indoor mall), and a fresco many of you might have heard of called The Last Supper.

Then, last but not least, there was the La Scala opera house.

While I'd studied up on a small degree of opera, I had never witnessed one live...so why not start with one -- if not THE -- most revered opera house in the world?

Hey, why not. We're here, aren't we?

La Scala was more about the history and the facility than the opera of that evening; it was about admiring a classic locale that countless operas had been performed in for literally hundreds of years.

The performance that night had lots of variety -- although I couldn't tell you a single word that was sung, as it was all in Italian, of course. The choice that evening was Dido and Aeneas, which blended together a creative balance of singing, acting, and ballet. It had a little bit of everything, which provided a colorful smorgasbord for newbies (yes, my hand is raised).

Our tickets were at the top row, waaaaaaaaaaay in the back, and definitely NOT on the railing, as the view was a bit obstructed. This wasn't like the upper deck of Yankee Stadium, this was the view from the circling blimp above the ballpark (hey, at least we weren't in the HORRIFIC BLIMP SHADOW...uh, inside joke). Needless to say, the quality of sight lines didn't seem to be on the minds of opera house architects and designers hundreds of years ago; at least not for the pobrecitos in the upper deck.

Nevertheless, the opera was enjoyable despite the fact that the story was difficult to follow (I'm not exactly up on my Italian, let alone understanding it while sung at a high octave). The idea of the story was more or less followed through the dancing and acting, which was very interesting and a feast for the eyes.

When the final act ended and the actors/singers took their final bows, I snuck up to the balcony and got a few shots of the massive chandelier that hung down from the high ceiling (see photo above).

I'll leave you with a rather comprehesive history on La Scala, courtesy of wikipedia...come on, get cultured, peeps! You'll learn something new today...and if you're here already, do you really have anything better to do with your time?:

Teatro La Scala

The Teatro alla Scala (or La Scala, as it is known), in Milan, Italy, is one of the world's most famous opera houses. The theatre was inaugurated on 3 August 1778, under the name Nuovo Regio Ducal Teatro alla Scala with Salieri's Europa riconosciuta. La Scala's season traditionally opens on 7 December, Saint Ambrose's Day, the feast day of Milan's patron saint. All performances must end before midnight; long operas start earlier in the evening if need be. Ticketholders are not allowed to enter after the performance has begun.

The La Scala Museum (Museo Teatrale alla Scala), accessible from the theatre's foyer and a part of the house, contains an extraordinary collection of paintings, drafts, statues, costumes, and other documents regarding opera and La Scala's history.

La Scala also hosts the Accademia d’Arti e Mestieri dello Spettacolo (Academy for the Performing Arts). Its goal is to train a new generation of young musicians, technical staff, and dancers (at the Scuola di Ballo del Teatro alla Scala, one of the Academy's divisions).

History

A fire destroyed the previous theatre, the ancient Teatro Ducale, on 25 February 1776, after a carnival gala. A group of ninety wealthy Milanese, who owned palchi (private boxes) in the theatre, wrote to Archduke Ferdinand I of Austria asking for a new theatre and a provisional one to be used while completing the new one. The neoclassical architect Giuseppe Piermarini produced an initial design but it was rejected by Count Firmian (the governor of the then Austrian Lombardy).

A second plan was accepted in 1776 by Empress Maria Theresa. The new theatre was built on the former location of the church of Santa Maria della Scala, from which the theatre gets its name. The church was deconsecrated and demolished, and over a period of two years the theatre was completed by Pietro Marliani, Pietro Nosetti and Antonio and Giuseppe Fe. This theatre had a total over 3,000 seats organized into 678 pit-stalls, arranged in six tiers of boxes above which is the 'loggione' or two galleries. Now the stage is one of the largest in Italy (16.15m d x 20.4m w x 26m h).

Building expenses were covered by the sale of palchi, which were lavishly decorated by their owners, impressing observers such as Stendhal. La Scala (as it soon became to be known) soon became the preeminent meeting place for noble and wealthy Milanese people. In the tradition of the times, the platea (the main floor) had no chairs and spectators watched the shows standing up. The orchestra was in full sight, as the golfo mistico (orchestra pit) had not yet been built.

Above the boxes, La Scala has always had a gallery where the less wealthy can watch the performances. It is called the loggione. The loggione is typically crowded with the most critical opera aficionados, who can be ecstatic or merciless towards singers' perceived successes or failures. La Scala's loggione is considered a baptism of fire in the opera world, and fiascos are long remembered. (One recent incident occurred in 2006 when tenor Roberto Alagna was booed off the stage during a performance of Aïda, forcing an understudy to replace him mid-scene wearing street clothes.) As with most of the theaters at that time, La Scala was also a casino, with gamblers sitting in the foyer.

La Scala was originally illuminated with eighty-four oil lamps mounted on the palcoscenico and another thousand in the rest of theater. To prevent the risks of fire, several rooms were filled with hundreds of water buckets. In time, oil lamps were replaced by gas lamps, these in turn were replaced by electric lights in 1883.

The original structure was renovated in 1907, when it was given its current layout with 2,800 seats. In 1943, during WWII, La Scala was severely damaged by bombing. It was rebuilt and reopened on 11 May 1946, with a memorable concert conducted by Arturo Toscanini, with a soprano solo by Renata Tebaldi, which created a sensation.

La Scala hosted the prima (first production) of many famous operas, and had a special relationship with Giuseppe Verdi. For several years, however, Verdi did not allow his work to be played here, as some of his music had been modified (he said "corrupted") by the orchestra. This dispute originated in a disagreement over the production of his Giovanna d'Arco in 1845; however the composer later conducted his Requiem there on 25 May 1874, and in 1886 announced that La Scala would host the premiere of his opera Otello.^[1] The premiere of his last opera, Falstaff was also given in the theatre.

In 1982, the Filarmonica della Scala was established, drawing its members from the larger pool of musicians that comprise the Orchestra della Scala.

Major rennovation 2002-2004

Following the traditional 7 December 2001 season opening performances of Otello, which ran through December, the theatre was closed for renovation^[2] and, from 19 January 2002 to November 2004, the opera company was transferred to the new Teatro degli Arcimboldi, built in the Pirelli-Bicocca industrial area 4.5 miles from the city centre.

The renovation by the renowned architect Mario Botta proved controversial, as preservationists feared that historic details would be lost; however, the opera company was said to be impressed with improvements to the structure and the sound quality, which was enhanced when the heavy red carpets in the hall were removed. The stage was entirely re-constructed, and an enlarged backstage will allow more sets to be stored, permitting more productions, and the seats now include monitors for the electronic libretto system, allowing audiences to follow opera libretti in English and Italian in addition to the original language.

Conducted by Riccardo Muti, the opera house re-opened on 7 December 2004 with a production of Salieri's Europa riconosciuta, the opera which was performed at La Scala's inauguration in 1778. ^[3]. Tickets for the re-opening fetched up to €2,000. The renovations cost a reported €61 million, and left a budget shortfall that the opera house did not overcome until 2006.^[4]

This decade's biggest musical event: the 2005 Pink Floyd reunion

It happened on only one night in 2005...but, in my opinion, it was the single most significant musical event of this decade.

It was Pink Floyd's reunion for Live 8, which occurred in London.

I point to the significance of this event on several levels.

1. It was the first time since 1981's tour of The Wall that Roger Waters appeared onstage with the other 3 members.
2. A cause "worthy" of a reunion brought the band together...and I realize I'm sounding as if a rock band is more important than a cause to help the ailing and sick continent of Africa...IT ISN'T.
   
3. In a passionate call out onstage from Roger Waters, Syd Barrett was recognized through an embrace of brotherly love, and was alive to hear it. Those who know the band understand the significance of Syd and the unimaginable weight of Roger's words (see the video here).
   
4. The event almost never happened to begin with due to constant feuding between Gilmour and Waters over the years...I'm convinced we caught them in a rare moment when the waters were calm (pun intended)...but considering how often they are ridden with disagreements, for one moment the stars and (dark side) of the moon lined up and they came together.
5. They actually appeared happy to be together onstage...they "all were Pink" that night. Roger Waters looked elated to be there, like a kid in a candystore. I think they were all realizing the importance of what they were doing at the time, and that it meant everything to them.
6. The fans were finally served what they'd been so richly deserving for so many years...their band together again, even if it was for only one night.
7. And, for the foursome that hadn't performed together in nearly 25 years, they sounded pretty damn sharp. Amazingly sharp, actually.
   

The significance of the reunion event has since been further elevated with the passing of songwriter /guitarist Syd Barrett (the band's founding member) a year later in July 2006...and then more recently Rick Wright in September 2008 (their man on the keys).

With Wright now gone -- a co-founder of the band who played in every single live performance the band ever put on -- it's safe to say that the band is finished, and that their 2005 reunion was the final curtain call.

Again, the fact that these four men were onstage together for even one night, opposed to a prolonged tour, only adds to the enigma of the band and its legendary status...and it makes the Live 8 event that much bigger of a deal.

This, of course, is being stated with less than 12 months of this decade left to tick off the clock...but I'll take my chances.

Feel free to share any thoughts on this.

THE STAGE HECKLER: Cecil Taylor = Freeform Genius

When I glanced at the calendar to see who was passing through town for the Earshot Jazz Festival some time back, the one performer that caught my eye as a must-see was the legendary free jazz pianist Cecil Taylor.

Last week presented a rare opportunity to see him perform as a solo pianist at Seattle's Town Hall, and perform the free jazz magic ball of yarn he's spun throughout a career spanning over 50 years...that's right, 50.

I arrived about a half hour prior to show time, and caught myself a second row seat at stage right, so I'd be able to see what he was doing with his hands. Not long after 8PM, the director of the Earshot Jazz Festival gave his introduction.

To thunderous applause, a shorter man then shuffled onto the stage with a folder of papers, sporting a black button down dress shirt, blue pajama pants, and rainbow colored foot stockings. He gave a short nod of acknowledgment to the audience as he shuffled through some paperwork, standing over the side of the Steinway grand piano onstage.

He then proceeded to read...and my brain cells started to fry like sausage on a griddle.

Cecil Taylor started shouting what sounded like various numbers, and at first came across as someone with Teret's. He then morphed into a diatribe for about ten minutes about mathematical definitions, Western metaphysics, and other theories that were barely understandable through his machine gun rate of speech...somewhere in there he also spoke of the definition of velocity. This went on for about 10 minutes.

I soon figured out that he was framing the tone for the show, especially for those who weren't familiar with his work...he was explaining to the audience that his theory on the piano involved partly that of mathematics; a concept first brought out by jazz pianist Thelonius Monk in the 1940s, and furthered by Taylor and some of his peers in the avant garde free jazz movement of the 1960s.

One might say he brought all that magic out of the top hat last night.

For more than an hour and a half, Taylor led the audience through the most dynamic and dramatic free form piano improvisation that anyone could ever serve witness to.

It's hard to describe the piano work of this man...but the one concept that keeps coming back to me is this: unadultered freedom.

He did not speak to the audience, nor announce the titles to any of the songs; perhaps because they had no real titles. His work on the keys is all about improvisation; it spanned from blinding fast movements across the piano keyboard to light delicate textures emphasizing the space between notes...then back to dramatic pounding.

Taylor's style features an ebb and flow quality...he binds mayhem together with tonal passages and patterns. One can pick up on the different movements tying it all together...

...but it requires your undivided attention.

In all, Taylor put together a 40 minute passage, flanked with two passages of about 15 minutes apiece. He then came out for two encores spanning about 10 minutes apiece. At the end of the regular set and both encores, he bowed to the audience as they showed him the great appreciation this legend deserved.

Needless to say, my brain felt like mush by the end of all of this. It was -- hands down -- the most exhausting musical exercise on my senses that I've ever experienced.

Election countdown psyche-out: music defining the times

I don't usually like to get political on this blog, however with the election 11 days away, I can't help myself.

Music and politics do sometimes cross paths...more often than not, actually. There's lots of music out there that is political in nature, but there are only a handful of albums that can be deemed sharply topical enough to apply to the state of the country and the world over the course of this decade.

The music I have listed here is ranked in order of significance, so if you're interested in picking any of these up I'd work from the top down. A small hint: it's a bit left-leaning.

So here it goes.

1. Neil Young - Living with War (2005). The quintessential anti-Bush album; Neil Young's primal scream against the administration and its policies. Interestingly enough, Young comes across as more of a single voice in the crowd than some random complaining artist. That being said, Young has plenty to complain about, and he might actually have a point...Living with War involves mainly Iraq, and focuses on various aspects of war and its consequences. It also screams impeachment and the desire to look for a new leader. The most essential album of the times. Living with War is a very relevant and sympathizing with lots of the anger out there in the country.
2. Green Day - American Idiot (2005). The Gen X version of Living with War, with the punk edge. It's not quite as heady as Young's album, but has its moments. It's actually refreshing to hear Green Day getting more personal and behind societal issues. The album has much more substance to it than just its title track, and it focuses on a wide array of issues Americans are facing today; including war and illegal survellaince...but it's mainly about Iraq.
   
3. Roger Waters - Amused to Death (1992). Waters is totally amazing and prophetic...and one might conclude that the guy doesn't really like war. The subject matter of this project from the early 1990s calls out unrest and wars in the Middle East, as it came off the heels of the Gulf War...and Roger does it in a tone of sarcasm as only he knows how. It has a little bit of everything, including a musing on a cheering crowd-filled stadium and the voice of Marv Albert commentating on a sub torpedoing an oil tanker in sports play by play fashion, in addition to a skewering of Andrew Lloyd Weber. The subject matter, which involves war and how power and oil drives it, is as relevant today as it was 15 years ago.
   
4. Rush - Snakes & Arrows (2007). Lyrically very heady, but there may be no piece of work out there that's more relevant to the state of the world. This is what you get when you hear an atheist Libertarian Canadian drummer commentating on the state of the world through a falsetto singer. Had Rush been an American band, Peart's lyrics probably wouldn't be as couched in metaphor, as the band is careful about coming across as too specifically topical when it comes to the American-based politics Canadians are affected and understandably frustrated by. However, Snakes & Arrows is as political as the band has ever been since 1984's Grace Under Pressure. The use of lines like "The battle flags are flown at the feet of a God unknown," obviously deliver the point straight home, and there's many more weighty and interesting moments in this project. Snakes & Arrows is a fascinating and mature response to the far-right religious ideology and dogmatic shit sandwich that has been shoved down the throats of many Americans, Canadians, and the like over the last several years. For those who sit down with it and take it all in, Peart's lyrics will have you pondering the subject matter long after the listen.
   
5. Dixie Chicks - Taking the Long Way (2006). What can I say...I just couldn't help myself. There's no artist out there who's more relevant to what's been happening this decade than the Dixie Chicks...or more victimized. The subject matter in this album covers the issues they dealt with several years back when they took flack and were banned on many of the country airwaves after criticizing the Bush administration. Much about it involves their response to the criticism...so I had to throw a personal call out here to these brave women and all the unneccessary crap they put up with. Here's to free speech...Dixie Chicks, this one's for you!
   

So those are the recommendations...only 11 days until the election! Rock the vote, everyone! Happy voting!

Neil Peart performs at Buddy Rich memorial concert

A few posts back I mentioned Neil performing at the Buddy Rich Memorial Concert in NYC last Sunday...I believe I've found footage of it here...of course when he starts on the cowbells you can hear the Rush fans in the crowd.

I also have included footage of Rich as well, so you can have an idea of how skilled and unbelievable this guy was.

Neil Young clip from Everett show

Here's a quick clip of Neil's Everett show from last night...should give you a good idea. If you can make out a guy 4 rows back center stage in a black skully, that's me.

Neil Young road testing new material?

...or so I'm guessing. Here's a vid from this year's tour, a tune called "Sea Change." He performed this and another new tune called "When Worlds Collide" in Everett last night. The lyric in that song mentioning "money" and "it ain't funny" conjures up that old Kinks tune "Low Budget."

I'm not going to even try to speculate whether or not this new material is to be expected on an upcoming project, considering Young's history of shelving recorded projects and a handful of songs from as far back as the 70s that he performs live but has never released on any album.

Hey, it's all part of the Neil Young charm...right?

THE STAGE HECKLER: Neil Young inspires the Everett faithful

Neil Young is a GOD. It's that simple.

I don't think I've ever seen a performer more passionate about his music than Neil Young...and from all accounts, he bestows to his fans the same guts as a man approaching his mid-60s that he did 40 years ago.

This was my second Neil Young concert. I was four rows back from the stage last night at Comcast Arena in Everett, Washington....about 20 miles north of Seattle, the newer venue serves as a nice alternative for acts that come through town. I'd say it's a much better option than Key Arena in Seattle, which is traffic nightmare central.

Opening the night was a band called Everest, which I wasn't familiar with, and Death Cab for Cutie, an interesting alternative band from Seattle with a mosaic that echoes bands like U2 and The Stone Roses...however the singer has a unique style that I'm still getting used to...I'm not saying I don't like him, I'm just getting used to him.

Since my favorite band has a falsetto singer with a high-pitched shrill, I figure I'm the last one on the planet to be intolerant of other singers I might need to adapt to.

So back to Neil.

Unlike last year, when he split the show between acoustic and electric sets (see post on that show here), all songs were part of one set. Electric Neil sandwiched Acoustic Neil in the middle portion of the set.

I love how this guy mixes things up.

There was an indication that electric Neil was going to open up the show when his guitar tech Larry Cragg brought Old Black onstage...that's his prized guitar that he's used since the 1960s.

When the show began, he launched into "Love and Only Love," one of the classics from Ragged Glory, his grungy 1990 project and perhaps the best project to date with Crazy Horse.

He soon brought up one of my personal favorites, "Powderfinger," which originally appeared on 1979's Rust Never Sleeps. He was emotionally involves with his music as he sweat and sneered through many of the vocal passages.

One of the amazing qualities of a live Neil Young performance is how he seamlessly transitions from the beautiful electric sludge of tunes like "Hey Hey, My My," where his extended solos careen through the auditorium with sounds like a dinosaur moaning in pain from a leg amputation...to the acoustic grace and sentiments of a song like "Old Man."

He seemed to have a bit more energy onstage tonight than a year ago at WAMU Theater in Seattle...where at times he even seemed a bit disoriented onstage.

Not tonight.

The only ones who were disoriented were the audience, left fending for their lives as they took blows to the head from the dungeon of Neil's grungy extended jams.

How can I explain it...Neil Young's sludgy electric brand of rock & roll is the equivalent of a musical axe being swung at your head...and, elated, you can't wait for that blade to chop into your skull...only the blade hasn't been sharpened in awhile, and it has pits and gouges in it...so it just manages to knock off a chunk of your skull...get it? Sure you do.

Okay, we're getting carried away here...what did he play last night?

The set list:

1. Love and Only Love
2. Hey Hey, My My
3. Everybody Knows this is Nowhere
   
4. Powderfinger
   
5. Spirit Road
   
6. Cinnamon Girl (they goofed the opening and started it over...too funny.)
7. Oh, Lonesome Me
8. Mother Earth
9. The Needle and the Damage Done
10. Unknown Legend
11. Heart of Gold
12. Old Man
    
13. Get Back to the Country
14. Just Singing a Song
    
15. Sea Change (or is it "See" change?)
    
16. When Worlds Collide
    
17. Cowgirl in the Sand
18. Rockin' in the Free World
19. [encore 1] A Day in the Life (In his effort to make as much racket as possible at the end, he ends up ripping off the guitar strings from Old Black)
    
20. [encore 2] The Sultan (instrumental with a big gong being hit by a guy dressed in swami gear...very odd)

You can follow all the set lists from Neil Young's tour at SugarMountain.org.

So that's it...I'm hoping that Neil's next project involves Crazy Horse again...now THAT'S the show I'm waiting to see!

Neil Peart performing at Buddy Rich Memorial Concert

Neil will be the final drummer performing at the Buddy Rich Memorial Concert in New York City Sunday night...information on the event can be found HERE.

The event will be caught on digital stream via the drum channel...I'll look for the link and come back to post it.

Neil Peart honoured

It's always satisfying to see one of your favorite musicians HONOURED (in the true English spelling sense)...especially when they're essentially part of a nonmainstream band that doesn't get much recognition outside of their home country.

A team of St. Catherine, Ontario artists recently unveiled a project where they created a series of double-sided banners featuring famous St. Cathariners and hung them up at various locations downtown.

One of these banners is our favorite St. Catheriner, Neil Peart. You can check out a picture of Neil's banner, which is hanging outside police headquarters, at this link.

For those who don't know, St. Catharines, Ontario is about five minutes down the highway, west of the Canadian side of Niagra Falls.

Thanks to rushisaband.com for the heads up.

Congratulations, Neil! Cool stuff!

The guts and magic of Andrew Hill

Every October in Seattle, the Earshot Jazz Festival rears its head. It's the largest festival of its kind in the Pacific Northwest.

I usually catch two or three acts every year, depending on who's coming through. There have been some magical moments (in the case of acts like Jason Moran, Matthew Shipp and Bobby Hutcherson), and one questionable one too (if you look through posts from last fall, you can read about the John Zorn fiasco).

The most memorable event came during the 2006 festival, when pianist Andrew Hill came through town. The album covers shown throughout this post are his most recommended works.

At the Showbox in Seattle, we arrived early and grabbed a seat at the front of the stage...I wasn't going to sit in the back to watch my favorite jazz artist. On stage right (performer's perspective) sat a large Steinway piano, and a drumset adorned the middle of the stage.

A face soon peaked out from the behind the stage left curtain. Andrew Hill emerged, walking very, very slowly. It was obvious that something was off, but it was hard to place what was happening with him.

The drummer and bass player came out after Hill found his seat at the piano. For nearly 45 minutes, the band went through a set of new and old material, the latest of which came from an album released earlier that same year, Time Lines. Between every song, he would announce the titles, although he was very difficult to hear since he was speaking in a low whisper. The thanked the audience for being there.

Hill was in top form throughout the set...the ethereal sounds emerging from his fingers emitted a sort of magic...sounds audible on his records, which I'd collected over the last few years to my CD collection, but not quite the same as in the flesh.

While the set seemed a bit short, it was definitely not short on quality. One of the things I love about Hill's music is the way he can fly into a protracted off-the-wall jam session, but then bring things down into a light groove that bounces across the stage like a feather. His style is full of complexity and mystery.

After Andrew Hill left the stage and the performance ended, little did I know that at approximately 70 years young he was dying of lung cancer and playing through shortness of breath and unimaginable suffering.

He died in 2007, less than six months after the performance I attended. Once again, I had been blessed with the opportunity to see a legend live right before their passing. I'd had the same opportunity in 1994 when I saw the Grateful Dead right before Jerry Garcia passed away the following year...except Garcia wasn't suffering from a terminal illness.

What Hill pulled off was nothing short of miraculous. That guy had indescribable determination, along with tons and tons of guts...forget that the performance was as close to perfection as one could have it...anyone listening that night who didn't know about Hill's cancer or couldn't see how he was struggling to get across the stage would have thought that he was perfectly fine. What a stud.

That's the stuff of legend...and that's exactly what Andrew Hill is.

Here's a biographical overview from Amazon.com:

Andrew Hill was a great and even groundbreaking composer and pianist, yet the relatively circumscribed scale of his innovations might have originally caused him to get lost in the shuffle of the '60s free jazz revolution.

While many of his contemporaries were totally jettisoning the rhythmic and harmonic techniques of bop and hard bop, Hill worked to extend their possibilities; his was a revolution from within. Much of the most compelling '60s jazz was nearly aleatoric; Hill, on the other hand, exhibited a determined command of his materials, however abstract they might sometimes be.

His composed melodies were labyrinthine, and rhythmically and harmonically complex tunes like "New Monastery" from his Point of Departure album exhibit a sophistication born of mastery, not chance or contingency. As a pianist, Hill had a flowing melodicism and an elastic sense of time. Like his composing, Hill's playing had an ever-present air of spontaneity and was almost completely devoid of cliché.

He began playing the piano at about the age of 13. As a youngster in Chicago, Hill was encouraged by pianist Earl Hines. Jazz composer Bill Russo also took an interest, and introduced Hill to the renowned classical composer Paul Hindemith, with whom Hill studied from 1950-1952.

While in his teens, he gigged with prominent jazz musicians passing through the Midwest, Miles Davis and Charlie Parker among them. In 1955, he recorded So in Love with the Sound of Andrew Hill for the Warwick label. He moved to New York in 1961 to work with singer Dinah Washington. After a brief foray to Los Angeles with Rahsaan Roland Kirk's band in 1962, Hill moved back to New York, where he began his recording career in earnest.

He made several records for Blue Note from 1963-1969, both as leader and sideman. Hill's Blue Note work featured some of the best and brightest post-bop musicians of the day, including Eric Dolphy, Joe Henderson, Woody Shaw, Tony Williams, and Freddie Hubbard.

Like many jazz musicians, Hill eventually turned to academia to make a living. He received his doctorate from Colgate University and served as the school's composer in residence from 1970-1972. Hill relocated to the West Coast, teaching in public schools and prisons in California. He eventually landed a teaching position at Portland State University, where he established the school's Summer Jazz Intensive.

In addition to his teaching, Hill continued to perform and record in the '70s and '80s, making records for the Arista-Freedom and Black Saint/Soul Note labels. In 1989 and 1990, Hill recorded twice more for Blue Note, Eternal Spirit and But Not Farewell.

Hill moved back to the New York area in the '90s; a series of performances and new recordings helped place him back in the jazz spotlight. Hill formed a new Point of Departure Sextet for the Knitting Factory's 1998 Texaco Jazz Festival. The band included saxophonists Marty Ehrlich and Greg Tardy, trumpeter Ron Horton, bassist Scott Colley, and drummer Billy Drummond. The band went on to play New York club engagements to much acclaim.

In 2000, Palmetto Records released Dusk, which was named the best album of 2001 by Down Beat and Jazz Times magazines. It was followed by A Beautiful Day in 2002, Passing Ships in 2003, and Black Fire in 2004, as well as a solid series of Blue Note reissues of his '60s work that included bonus tracks and new liner notes. His 2006 album, Time Lines, reunited him with both trumpeter Charles Tolliver and the Blue Note label. Hill also participated in a 17-piece big band, and a January 2002 engagement at New York's Birdland was filmed and recorded by Palmetto for future broadcast.

After battling lung cancer for many years, Hill succumbed to the disease on April 20, 2007, leaving behind a stunning legacy of work.

~ Chris Kelsey, All Music Guide

"Far Cry" from upcoming live Rush package

Everybody's heroes

Here's yet another reason why Rush are my boys who NEVER disappoint. The cool factor with this band only lengthens over time. Here is a story by this cancer patient, who was approached by the Make a Wish Foundation:

Samantha is a 16-year-old Rush fan from Summerville, Georgia who was diagnosed with cancer back in August of 2007. 3 months into her treatment she was approached by the Make-A-Wish Foundation and asked how they could help to make her wish come true. The Make-A-Wish Foundation is a nonprofit organization that grants wishes to children with life-threatening medical conditions. They've granted wishes to 1000s of children since their inception in 1980 and are run entirely on donations. Samantha's wish was to meet her favorite band - Rush. This marked the first time Rush had ever been approached for a Make-A-Wish request. Here is Samantha's amazing story in her own words.

Wish Granted

I looked out to where, soon, 10,000 people would be standing to hear the band that I was about to meet. It was surreal. Ever since I was four, I had dreamed of meeting them. I had wanted to meet them for most of my life. As I grew, they became some of my heroes. Then when I was diagnosed with cancer in August of 2007, my world changed. The one thing that remained consistent was my family and their music. Three months into treatment, Make-a-Wish, a nonprofit organization, came to me and told me that I had a wish. I could do anything but get a car or a swimming pool. The things that I could do were numerous. I thought about it until the day they came to get my wish. Finally making my decision, I told them that I wanted to meet Rush.

The morning of July 20th, we went to the Verizon Wireless Amphitheater in Charlotte, North Carolina. We met with the head of security the band liaison, Kevin Ripa, who gave my family and I a tour of the stage, backstage and the dressing rooms. I got to meet the techs for the band: Bucky, the guitar tech, Gump, the drum tech, and Russ, the bass and keyboard tech. I even got to sit at Neil Peart's drum kit and hold Alex Lifeson's 1976 Gibson es355. After that we went to the back to wait for the bands arrival. I sat in on a security meeting and then I went back onto the stage to meet them. I first saw Geddy Lee. I was in awe. He smiled and gave me a hug. We started to talk a little when I saw a man in a white shirt and baseball cap come up. I did not notice who it was at first, thought he was just some guy, then I looked again. It was Neil Peart, one of my heroes. My emotions overcame me and I started to cry. At that point Neil gave me a hug. The last to arrive on stage was Alex Lifeson. He was a good natured person and a fun person to talk to. I told him that I listened to the song "Hope" over and over during my chemo treatments and the song meant a lot to me. That made him smile. After a little talking, the band went to their respective parts of the stage for the sound check. I went off the stage and to the rail at the front row. They played a few songs including Subdivisions, The Trees, and Ghost of a Chance. I then took a moment to take in where I was and what I was doing. I engraved everything on my mind, forgetting all else. It was like being in a perfect world filled with music. I went back on stage and Alex played the song Hope for me, which made me cry because of what it meant to me during my treatment. When the sound check was over, the band signed a few things including my copy of "Roadshow". Neil signed it "To Samantha, You can get back on! Neil Peart" I told him that my illness was like the lyrics in Farcry that go "some days I feel I'm ahead of the wheel and the next it's rolling over me". Neil also gave me the sticks he used for the sound check. Alex and Geddy gave me a bunch of picks. Geddy also gave me a "Henhouse" t-shirt. All generous gifts. I was also able to tell the band what their music has meant to me and my family, and also thank them for it. Then, the meet was over. It was an amazing 2 hours for me and my family. But the night was just beginning.

We went to the concert we had 5th row seats. During the first couple of songs, Kevin Ripa called me up on stage. After the song Ghost Of A Chance, Geddy walked up to the mic to talk to the crowd for the first time of the night. After saying hello, he mentioned that they had "a ton of material" for the crowd. He then said "but first, we would like to dedicate this next song to my friend Sam, this is from Hold Your Fire it's called Mission". Mission is one of my very favorite songs and Geddy told me while we were talking that it was his favorite song to play. For the third time that day, I cried. Watching the band play that song from on stage was overwhelming especially since they were playing it for me. The rest concert was phenomenal, and the day was one that I will never forget. My Dad and I also attended the Atlanta show 2 days later (THANKS PHILLIP!). I met many people there that were also at the Charlotte show that asked me about the song dedication. I was nice meeting everyone. I just told them that Make-A-Wish and Rush made it all possible. It was an unreal couple of days! Thank you Rush and thank you Make-A-Wish!

Make-a-Wish is an organization that grants once an a lifetime "wishes" to children with diseases like Cancer, Spina Abifida, Sickle Cell Animea, and other illnesses. It is an amazing organization. They made this such a special day for me and did everything in their power to make an awesome experience. The organization runs entirely on donations. If you would like to donate, see inspiring stories, or volunteer go to www.wish.org.

At last I would like to give a list of my favorite Rush songs

* Resist
* Mission
* Test for Echo
* Summertime Blues
* Working Them Angels
* Totem
* Hope
* Far Cry
* Malignant Narcissism
* Second Nature
* Marathon
* Force Ten
* Everyday Glory

My favorite albums are Test for Echo and Snakes and Arrows.

Thank you for letting me tell my story.

Samantha Dyar

I'm happy to say that Sam celebrated her 6th month of remission on August 16th and is doing great! Her father John also supplied some more details about the meeting which lasted for about 2 hours including sound check. They toured the dressing rooms and all around the stage and their family were the only people there during the sound check. Sam had an all access pass for the show and Rush's tour photographer John Arrowsmith followed her and her family around, taking several pictures many of which you can check out here. They also got to spend some time with Rush's lighting director Howard Ungerleider. Except for the few songs she was on stage, Sam watched the entire show from the rail (she liked the sound better out front). Sam's first Rush concert was during the Test for Echo tour when she was only 5 and she has seen Rush live a total of 10 times. Her very first concert was the Grateful Dead at age 4. Be sure to check out all the pictures from the meeting at this location. The expressions on Sam's face really speak for how magical of an experience this was for her. Many thanks to her, her family, Rush and the Make-A-Wish Foundation for allowing me to share this with everyone.

The Make-A-Wish Foundation is run entirely on donations. For information on how you can help, please visit this link.

Rick Wright of Pink Floyd passes

The sky was the limit: Pink Floyd in the heady Syd Barrett days

This has been a bizarre day, to say the least.

Richard Wright (the guy leaning over the railing, far right), the keyboardist and a founding member of Pink Floyd, apparently died of cancer today.

This comes just two years after the death of Syd Barrett, the co-founder of the band who gave Pink Floyd its name (standing next to Wright).

First, my condolences to Wright's family and friends, and those who love this band.

This is VERY HARSH news for Floyd fans, not only due to the loss of Wright in and of itself, but also to the fact that his death represents no chance anymore that there could be any reunion tour.

That being said, here's what makes the news of Wright's death today even more bizarre...this article that ALSO CAME OUT TODAY with David Gilmour, who was talking about the prospect (or no prospect, depending on how you read into it) of a Floyd reunion tour. The article must have been release hours before the news of Wright's passing.

Since the Live 8 reunion over three years ago, rumors had been swirling around about a reunion tour with this band...it wasn't likely, but it was always possible. I can now say that it's theoretically impossible that Floyd will ever form to tour without Wright. I simply can't see that happening.

Unfortunately, I guess it was never to be. Crap.

I guess we'll just have to live with what we had, and the final curtain call they gave us with the Live 8 show. If Live 8 is the perfect ending, I can accept that. I guess we'll have to.

That was a very happy day...but for right now this is a sad one. S


(AGI) - London, 15 Sept. - Richard Wright is dead, the co founder and keyboard player for legendary Pink Floyd: he was 65 years old and had cancer for a long time.

His death, which occurred today, was made public by his family, a spokesperson, who did not give particular details, asked for a respect of the family's privacy.

His full name was Richard William 'Rick' Wright, born in London, the only member of the original band to be from the city. As an adolescent, he briefly attended the "London College of Music" obtaining his jazz like style.

He left early, and signed up for Architecture before meeting his future band mates, Roger Waters and Nick Mason, with whom Pink Floyd was born along with Syd Barrett, later substituted by David Gilmour.

Wright played on all of the discs with the exception of 'The Final Cut' in 1983, when he was distanced from the band again by Waters, which also occurred in 1979 during recording of 'The Wall'. He returned in 1987 to complete "A Momentary Lapse of Reason', and was taken in completely a year after for 'The Delicate Sound of Thunder'.

Together with Mason, he participated in every concert for the group. Besides his instrumental contributions, Wright also composed many of the songs, alone or with the other band members: most importantly 'Sysyphus'. 'Summer '68', 'The Great Gig in the Sky', Us and Them' as well as in more recent times, 'Keep Talking' and 'Wearing the Inside Out'. In some cases he was lead vocalist, where he displayed his melodic talent.

He also released two solo albums, 'Wet Dream' in 1978, and 'Broken China' in 1996: he also participated in many collaborations, remakes of older songs, and his experience with the group Zee together with Dave Harris, with whom in 1984 he came out with 'Identity'.