There are already threads about the new Rush album, but this thread is about non-Rush projects of the individuals that make up Rush.
In particular, I read an article preceding Vapor Trails (by a day or so) indicating that both Lee and Lifeson had done solo albums. Huh?! I know about Lee’s, but not Lifeson’s! I did a search on Amazon and came up with a 1996 album (only available used – I can buy it for only $99!) and that he apparently played on the Andromeda TV show’s soundtrack. Is that the one the article is talking about? Or is there another one floating around out there somewhere?
As far as Peart, he apparently has a book coming out called Ghost Rider. According to Amazon, it will be released in paperback June 1. Or maybe it’s in September, when a book with the same name but with an added subtitle will be released in both hardcover and paperback. Or… Unfortunately, the publisher (Pottersfield Press – who did his earlier book about riding in West Africa) doesn’t even have info on it. And Barnes & Noble online doesn’t list ANY of 'em. So I thought I’d call on the powers of the Teeming Millions to see if anybody has heard anything else.
I remember Lifeson doing a solo album back in '95, I believe. Someone in the dorms had a tape of it and I listened to most of it. It was actually pretty good. He found someone really close to Peart’s voice who accompanied him on most of the songs.
I’ve never seen another copy though and, for the life of me, I cannot tell you the name of the album.
I remember Lifeson doing a solo album back in '95, I believe. Someone in the dorms had a tape of it and I listened to most of it. It was actually pretty good. He found someone really close to Peart’s voice who accompanied him on most of the songs.
I’ve never seen another copy though and, for the life of me, I cannot tell you the name of the album.
What Ender said. IIRC, Lifeson did the album with one of the guys from I Mother Earth, a largely forgettable band from the early 90s. Never actually heard it, but remember reading about it in a guitar magazine.
Lifeson’s solo album was called Victor, and there’s an auction on Ebay for two more days that is currently at $10.00 US. The Geddy Lee-esque vocalist is a woman named Dalbello, and she is on (I believe) two songs. Alex himself does vocals on a couple (although they are more spoken than sung), and plays bass on every track but one (done by Les Claypool of Primus). Not a bad album, four instrumentals (including one called “Strip and Go Naked”, gotta love it). The title is inspired by a work by W. H. Auden.
Found another Lifeson album (which I’ve never heard of) on Ebay: Gowan. It also sports Tony Levin. No bids yet, starts at $3.00, buy it now for $7.00. Haven’t heard this one, though.
I might mention (since I’m here again) a few things about Victor. It sells on Ebay fairly regularly, and the highest sale they have showing is around $12.00.
The one song that Dalbello sings on is like the Lost Track of 2112: very oddly-rhythmed LOUD bass opening (I almost like Alex better than Geddy on bass sometimes), alternating sections of 12-string acoustic strumming and mellow, quiet singing sequeing into blistering electric passages and shrieking vocals. Quite reminescent of “Lessons” from 2112, and Dalbello sounds uncannily like Geddy.
The title, as I said, was taken from a work by W.H. Auden, and in fact (I so smugly have found due to a bit of research) the title track’s lyrics are actually a poem by Mr. A. Knock yerself out.
Peart also did a sort of video documentary about drumming - though I can’t remember the name, it’s quite rare. He also participated in a Buddy Guy tribute, Burning for Buddy.
I think Dalbello IS Geddy, BTW. One of those funny name/unbilled cameo type of things.
If the video you mentioned is the one I stumbled upon on Amazon, it’s not all that rare anymore – though it is expensive. It’s called Neil Peart – A Work in Progress .
Thanks for letting me know about Victor being on eBay. I was thinking of checking Half.com, but when I saw it for 100 bucks used on Amazon, I figured it must be ultra-rare or something. Guess not – just somebody trying to fleece the public.
Hey, I came across this thread while doing a search to see if anyone’s posted about this (yeah, sorry, that was me slowing things down…)
David B says:
Anyone out there have this book? What do you think of it? I picked it up at the Vapor Trails concert in July, started reading it during the intermission and finished it over the next two days.
As a motorcyclist and a Rush fan I found the book to be pretty enjoyable, while at the same time, somewhat painful to read what Mr. Peart was going through…if that makes any sense.
Anyone else out there? Thoughts?
Oh…and I also bought Victor back when it came out and loved it! From dark, to violent (who would have thought a member of rush would write the lyric “I’m gonna fuck you night and day”) to funny! (There’s an “instrumental” that has Alex’s wife talking to a friend making fun of their husbands through the whole song)
I still pop it in every once in awhile as a change of pace, I recommend it!
I just got it for my birthday, but am already reading another book, so it will have to get in line.
As an update to the thread, I did end up getting Victor (used, at Half.com) and, frankly, don’t like it one bit. I listened several times, but will probably never open it up again.
I think the book was only available in paperback at shows over the summer… You couldn’t buy it anywhere else until recently.
Just as a warning, don’t go into it expecting a rush bio or anything like that… in fact, it’s written almost as if Peart expects the reader doesn’t know or care who rush is. Not that there isn’t anything there for the fan, but you read far more about Peart’s neighbor and friend Brutus than anything related to the band.
The only reason I mention it is because I saw a nasty review on Amazon from someone who was sorely dissapointed, saying there are better books about Rush out there, while I feel he missed the point as it’s not supposed to be about Rush.
I’ve read most of the book, haven’t finished it yet though. I found it ok. I wasn’t looking for a Rush book, but I was looking for a motorcycle book. I found it funny though that he was very anal about his motorcycle, more so then he really needed to be.
Most of the book he’s on a BMW R1100GS. For one part of the book the GS is in storage in Mexico City and he rides a different BMW, a K something I think…and he has a Ducati 916, although he only mentions it in the book, doesn’t ride it.
Peart has two books out (through a vanity press firm).
I’ve got ‘The Masked Rider’ about a bike tour of Cameroon. It’s actually entertaining to read. He avoids mentioning the band almost completely. It’s more about coming to grips with the other people on the tour and the sensation of being a white man in parts of Africa where that’s a pretty rare thing.