Not as defunct as we were led to believe....

[The Picnic Wasp]

That's probably about $25 million each already. I look at it differently - there must be a maximum amount of shows they feel they can (or want, or need) to do and if they do that without crossing the Atlantic, they will.

Well, this is a true test of integrity for them then. They made a lot of noise about being SO disappointed about letting us down last time.

[Thenop]

adding all those 2nd dates are the money makers. Venues were reserved in advance with an early cancellation fee option for those 2nd or 3rd bookings. That is how production costs are kept low and they increase profit margin.

I highly doubt they have such pull in Europe.

[The Picnic Wasp]

When I saw that their final date is 17th December it made me think, a month off for Christmas, a couple of warm-up gigs somewhere in continental Europe, then half a dozen between Germany, the Netherlands and maybe Italy, culminating in London x 3, Birmingham x 2, Manchester x 2, Glasgow x 2. Maybe even Dublin and Belfast. I think these would sell, but they might have to scale back the ticket costs. Who knows?

I think alas it might all be down to Old Father Time in the end. Geddy's vocal cords might explode along with a couple of Alex's tendons. Worse still, complete and irreversible wig glue failure.

I suppose a Minimoog would look ok atop a zimmer.

[Nick]

If one had to drop out could we live with another replacement?

[Thenop]

If one had to drop out could we live with another replacement?

No, but neither could they.

[Slim]

Alex is the heart and soul of Rush for me, there's no replacing that even if Neil was still alive. Geddy - possible, but still a stretch.

[The Picnic Wasp]

Alex is the heart and soul of Rush for me, there's no replacing that even if Neil was still alive. Geddy - possible, but still a stretch.

No, no, no! Geddy really is Rush. Neil sparked his melodic approach to writing with his magnificent lyrics, but Hemispheres without Geddy's voice, unthinkable. Alex is a great guitarist, but Geddy is a unique performer.

An incredible, unmistakable vocal style, a master of creative bass lead lines and who is also able to expand the sound of a trio to something orchestral using keyboards, pedals and triggers.

 His book also reveals just how driven he was in the studio, never settling for anything substandard but rather, pushing, pushing, pushing. He also built a lot of Alex's famous solos, cobbling them together from bits and pieces into something magnificent. Buy hey, just my opinion.

[Slim]

Well - he does have an unmistakable vocal style, but not in a good way. He does play bass very well. I think Alex wrote the sharpest material and his approach to guitar - so articulate and chordy - is really what makes Rush Rush.

That juggling Geddy did with Taurus pedals and keyboards never amounted to anything of great musical merit. He's not a good keyboard player. An impressive skill at best. Doesn't make any of the records sound any better.

He manifestly, obviously, did settle for substandard dross in the studio and although he may have been dominant and overbearing there I'm yet to be convinced that it was a good thing.

I found Victor very telling - creatively performatively and certainly in production terms, on a completely different level from My Favourite Headache. The unpalatable truth is that Geddy's domineering probably held back the band as much as his voice.

[The Picnic Wasp]

Peart, Lifeson, Deacon, (Hagar, Coverdale, Dio, Dickinson, Plant, Bonnet, Gillan, Daltrey - take your pick!)

Oh, and a Lord, Emerson, Wakeman or Airey would come in useful.

Nah! No thanks.

Lee, Lifeson and Peart for me.

[The Picnic Wasp]

There's a Rush knowledge quiz on Musicradar today. 10 questions. I had to guess one answer but got 10/10. The questions aren't difficult.

[Thenop]

There's a Rush knowledge quiz on Musicradar today. 10 questions. I had to guess one answer but got 10/10. The questions aren't difficult.

Give yourself some credit, that last sentence was unneccessary 

[Slim]

Geddy talks about the tour 4:28 in.

[Slim]

I don't know. It's hard to think of them performing at that age, honestly. Both of them were 23 the first time I saw them, feels like that was in an alternate universe now.

[The Picnic Wasp]

I don't know. It's hard to think of them performing at that age, honestly. Both of them were 23 the first time I saw them, feels like that was in an alternate universe now.

I concur. I began the dreaded task of a massive de-clutter today. I immediately found letters from relatives who had visited from abroad in the early eighties. I could only very vaguely remember a tiny shred about it. It made me think that very same thing. Fifty years almost wipes the hard drive of everything other than snapshots of the very important. I got that impression from My Effin' Life a lot, that between Geddy and Alex they barely managed to knit together a few scenes of their early lives. Thank goodness for muscle memory.

[Matt2112]

So, just happened to notice this next September in Montreal:

Weds 2nd - Rush
Thurs 3rd - Iron Maiden
Fri 4th - Rush

Al and Adrian Smith are pally aren't they so I bet they'll be at each other's shows with AAA passes.

And no, I won't be going.  Probably.