Posted on 09/12/2006 11:51:45 AM PDT by My Favorite Headache
Rush Wrestling With Faith On New Album
Neil Peart
September 11, 2006, 3:50 PM ET
Jonathan Cohen, N.Y. Rush has penned eight songs for its next studio album, which should be out in early 2007, according to drummer Neil Peart. The artist tells Billboard.com his lyrics for the as-yet-untitled set were greatly influenced by his motorcycle journeys throughout the United States, chronicled in the new book "Roadshow: Landscape With Drums."
Peart says he was struck by the ubiquity of religious billboards that have sprung up on America's highways, which got him thinking about some weighty topics. "Just seeing the power of evangelical Christianity and contrasting that with the power of fundamentalist religion all over the world in its different forms had a big effect on me," he says.
"You try to put your own way of seeing the world into some kind of congruence with other peoples, and that's difficult for me," he admits. "I mean, I see the world in what I think to be a perfectly obvious and rational way, but when you go out into it and see the way other people think and behave, and express themselves on church signs, you realize, 'Well, I'm not really part of this club.'"
"I looked for the good side of faith," Peart says. "To me it ought to be your armor, something to protect you and something to console you in dark times. But it's more often being turned into a sword, and that's one big theme I'm messing with."
Musically, the new album is continuing in much the same vein as 2002's "Vapor Trails," which returned Rush to a more guitar/bass/drums-driven sound. But Peart is quick to add that the music is "remarkably organic in a way that I haven't heard [from Rush] before. We spent a month together in May working on those songs and developing our individual instrument parts for them. It's early to characterize it, but it's definitely fresh and different and that's certainly satisfying."
Peart, bassist/vocalist Geddy Lee and guitarist Alex Lifeson will regroup next month to finish pre-production and will begin recording in November. However, as Peart writes at the conclusion of "Roadshow," he is ambivalent about putting himself through yet another massive world tour.
"It is true that in 1989 I announced that I wasn't going to tour anymore, and have said that every time since and have gone back and decided [to do it] for all good reasons," he says. "One of the main ones to me is that a band plays live, so if I want to consider our band as a living, working thing then that's the case. I haven't in my own mind committed to [another tour] yet, but of course I haven't ruled it out, either."
Peart needs to read Ephesians 6 about the armor of God.
Eph 6: 11 Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes. 12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. 13 Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. 14 Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, 15 and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. 16 In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. 17 Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. 18 And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints.
Those are "spiritual" weapons, though. The "Sword of the Spirit"...the Word of God...is the spiritual force unleashed by sharing God's very words with others.
He should also realize that it is impossible for New Testament Christianity to be reconciled with forced conversions. The only legitimate conversion is that of a willing individual....one person at a time.
Yet, somehow, we've all heard of him, not you. How's that working out for you?
Peart started touching on the current state of world affairs in 2002 with these:
Rush - Peaceable Kingdom Lyrics
A wave toward the clearing the sky
All this time we're talking and sharing our rational view
A billion other voices are spreading other news
All this time we're living and trying to understand
Why a billion other choices are making their demands
Talk of a peaceable kingdom
Talk of a time without fear
The ones we wish would listen
Are never going to hear
Justice against the hanged man
Knight of Wands against the hour
Swords against the kingdom
Time against the tower
All this time we're shuffling and laying out all our cards
While a billion other dealers are slipping past our guards
All this time we're hoping and praying we all might learn
While a billion other teachers are teaching them how to burn
Dream of a peaceable kingdom
Dream of a time without war
The ones we wish would hear us
Have heard it all before
A wave toward the clearing sky
A wave toward the clearing sky
The hermit against the lovers
Or the devil against the fool
Swords against the kingdom
The wheel against the rules
All this time we're burning like bonfires in the dark
A billion other blazes are shooting off their sparks
Every spark a drifting ember of desire
To fall upon the earth and spark another fire
A homeward angel on the fly
A wave toward the clearing sky
Rush - Ceiling Unlimited Lyrics
It's not the heat
It's the inhumanity
Plugged into the sweat of a summer street
Machine gun images pass
Like malice through a looking glass
The slackjaw gaze
Of true profanity
Feels more like surrender than defeat
If culture is the curse of the thinking class
If culture is the curse of the thinking class
Ceiling unlimited
World so wide
Turn and turn again
Feeling unlimited
Still unsatisfied
Changes never end
The vacant laugh
Of true insanity
Dressed up in the mask of Tragedy
Programmed for the guts and glands
Of idle minds and idle hands
I rest my case...
Or at least my vanity
Dressed up in the mask of Comedy
If laughter is a straw for a drowning man
If laughter is a straw for a drowning man
Ceiling unlimited
Windows open wide
Look and look again
Feeling unlimited
Eyes on the prize
Changes never end
Winding like an ancient river
The time is now again
Hope is like an ancient river
The time is now again
Really? I thought he taught music in Canada...?
No. His nickname was one given by the band who called him "The Professor on the drumkit"...Neil is a drop out. He just has read a lot of books...thousands for that matter.
Peart is a major Ayn Rand fan. 2112 is Anthem put to music.
I'm one of those guys who's terrible with poetry. I'm not sure if I read too much or too little into it.
In any case, the songs you posted seem to deal with concerns troubling the writer. I guess more than anything, I'd like to sit and talk with the writer.
That'd be the only way to be fair with what he's written.
I didn't know that you need to be a profound religious and philosophic thinker in order to get a doctorate in music.
You're right...I stand corrected....LOL. Frankly it makes his accomplishments all the more impressive...in my book.
Yeah, but having to listen to "Mr. Roboto" will make one riot.
Words by neil peart, music by geddy lee and alex lifeson
There is unrest in the forest
There is trouble with the trees
For the maples want more sunligh
And the oaks ignore their pleas
The trouble with the maples
(and theyre quite convinced theyre right)
They say the oaks are just too lofty
And they grab up all the light
But the oaks cant help their feelings
If they like the way theyre made
And they wonder why the maples
Cant be happy in their shade?
There is trouble in the forest
And the creatures all have fled
As the maples scream `oppression!`
And the oaks, just shake their heads
So the maples formed a union
And demanded equal rights
the oaks are just too greedy
We will make them give us light
Now theres no more oak oppression
For they passed a noble law
And the trees are all kept equal
By hatchet,
Axe,
And saw ...
Rush is one of the greatest bands of all time. And, I believe Neil to be the best Lyricist ever. Aside from expounding Randsian/ Libertarian ideas in most of their music, they have a positive message - of the triumph of the individual and personal responsibility in most of their songs. In addition, how many folks that you know can work "microcosmic", "supplication" and "maelstrom" into their lyrics.
In addition, he is about the greatest drummer ever.
Sure, they "were more popular" back in the 90's - when "Tom Sawyer" was a big hit. Unfortunately, for you losers who can only ID Rush by that song, it is about their worst song ever (well...after "I think I'm going bald" and "Virtuality" anyway). In fact, although I probably still prefer the "pre Moving Pictures" albums the most, both "PResto" and "Roll the Bones" - much more recent albums are probably 2 of the best they have done.
And, for all of you "caring Christians" out there denigrating him, Neil lost his wife to Cancer and his 18-year old daughter to a Drunk driver within the same year a few years ago.
I'm sure you'll all understand his pain (NOT).
In fact, those of you who posted nasty little jabs above "who consider themselves Christians" - are exactly why many others consider you hypocritcal a bunch of jerks.
As long as they think "just like you"...you like them. DEviate from "the Bible" - and your a Godless jerk...much like every Imam preaches.
If Peart really believes there's little difference in practice between Christianity and Islam, I'd happily remind him, given the chance, of what Frisco D'Anconia said about the rotter who sees no difference between the power of the dollar and the power of the whip...except I genuinely hope he learns the difference before his own hide comes into play.
Are you kidding?
Everybody's too busy making robot movements throughout the entire song.
Rush is one of my all time favorites - have seen them about 12 times in concert.
Peart is one of the best drummers out there...no question. When most people play air guitar at concerts you'll see most people playing air drums at Rush's concerts.
Rarely do you see the drums as such a force in a rock band. Alex and Geddy - love 'em...way underrated. One may not like their music - but their talents are impressive.
Rush...31 years and counting. Can't wait to see them again.
RUSH BUMP!!!
Chris
How can you be so damned attached to a rock band that you become upset when the band is criticized? Its a ROCK BAND, for Pete's sake. Lighten up.
I used to listen to Rush. They sound pretty good musically. Its their pseudo-profundity that I can't handle.
"It seems so. But Canadians, at least the lefties in power and those they influence, have been appeasing the Muzzies for some time, even those who speak out against their non-Muslim countrymen."
Actually, their last album "Vapour Trails" (2003) contained a song which I can't recall the title of right now that indicated to me that Neil understands quite well the mindset of the Islamafascists and the fact that their world view in inexorably opposed to ours. I'm thinking the song might have been "Half the World".
Neil might not be a "conservative" in the pro-Bush, family values, etc type vein, but he is clearly not a "liberal" (in quotes to distinguish from classical liberalism) or socialist, either. And while he was certainly enamored of Randian Objectivism back in the late 70's and early 80's, I don't believe that to be a neat representation of his views, either. Who among us didn't believe some things 20 or 30 years ago that maybe turned out to be a little silly down the road?
Ah, that was the one I was thinking of - "Peaceable Kingdom".
BWAHAHAHAHA!
I knew that post would get a 'Rush' out of you! *LOL*
To each his own. Just my opinion. And if you disagree, well.....
EXCUUUUUUSE MEEEEE!!!
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.