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Site Updates and News - 7/4/08
As of this writing, Rush is currently on the final leg of their 2008 Snakes & Arrows tour. From what I've gathered, the tour has been successful, even though ticket sales are down. On the Snakes & Arrows page, I've added a few links: In my personal blog, I've added reviews of all the shows I attended: - Rush at Clark County Amphitheater - 6/1/08
- Rush at the Gorge - 5/31/08
- Rush at GM Place - Vancouver, B.C. - 5/29/08
- Phoenix - Day 2 - Rush at Cricket (5/1/08)
Some of the more interesting stuff I'm come across in the news department: Neil Peart has won DRUM! magazine's Drummer of the Year award for the second year in a row. The results are on newsstands in the August 2008 issue. To read last year's article, go to the digital version of DRUM! November 2007. Also, check out the article in the same issue entitled Neil Peart and Gary McCracken: A Two Prog Approach about the making of Battlescar. You can also read the article on Gary McCracken's site Rush Never Sleeps: Rolling Stone -- If you haven't read this yet, check out the surprisingly positive article on Rush in Rolling Stone. For most Rush fans, this article appearing in RS is not unlike the fall of the Berlin Wall. However, this is not the first article that has appeared in Rolling Stone about Rush. An article about Rush by David Fricke, a longtime RS reporter, appeared in the May 28, 1981 issue: Rush: Power From the People. Like the current article, this one tries to decipher the Rush riddle that has eluded the popular media and rock critics. Neil Peart's favorite cookie is the Pepperidge Farms' Nantucket (regular, not double chocolate). Neil's tour bus driver, Dave, recently posted a blog entry on his MySpace page about the elusive cookie -- and how they sometimes catch fire. Finally, my friend's Rush Auctions are back. This week, you can get some great Neil Peart posters. Labels: awards, drum sticks, drums, pictures, Site updates
posted by AndyO @ 4:51 PM
Chris Stankee fills as Neil's drum tech
Chris Stankee, Neil's artist rep for Sabian Cymbals, was asked to fill in for Lorne Wheaton (Gump), Neil's drum tech, for the Moline and St. Paul shows. Gump was having an emergency appendectomy. 
Chris wrote an article about the experience on Sabian.com, including some great pictures. Here are the two parts of the story. Part 1 Part 2 You can read more about this event (and what it's like to be sick on the road) on ThisGigSucks.com. Thanks to Rushisaband and MonicaZ for the head's up about this story. Labels: drums, NEP motorcycling, pictures, Sabian, web article
posted by AndyO @ 1:35 PM
Updated Neil Peart artist page on Sabian.com
The artist page for Neil Peart on Sabian.com has been updated to include: - Photos from the first leg of the Snakes & Arrows tour
- A new artist set-up diagram, which includes drums and cymbals with interactive features and links
- A set builder page where you can open Neil's setup
- New wallpaper of Neil Peart, Chad Smith (Red Hot Chili Peppers), and Jose Pasillas (Incubus):
- A new page for the Paragon Diamondback Chinese 20" cymbal
 Labels: cymbals, drums, pictures
posted by AndyO @ 12:53 AM
Site updates and news - 2/12/08
Here are some updates and news: Rare Neil Peart drum kit photo Michael, of NeilPeartDrumsticks.com, recently sent me a very rare photo of Neil's drumkit from 1974. You can see the photo in the 1970s gallery. Thanks, Michael! 
More pictures of Neil Peart's Fort Wayne drum clinic Michael also forwarded to me two additional pictures from Neil's drum clinic at Fort Wayne. You can see these two pictures in the 1990s-1990s Gallery starting in the second row. Tough Break As most of you have probably heard by now, a Rush-related song called "Tough Break" has surfaced on the Internet. In a nutshell, Rush recorded a song with Jack Secret (an alias for Tony Geranios, a longtime Rush crew member) and Skip Gildersleeve (another Rush crew member). Here's more information about this song: Neil Peart-Drums
Jack Secret-Voice, Bass
Alex Lifeson-Guitar
Skip Gildersleeve-Guitar
Geddy Lee-Keys, Backing Voice In September, at Le Studio, Quebec, Peart jammed with the road crew on a song, and was joined by Lee and Lifeson. The song was recorded later by Rush and temporarily titled "Tough Break." From the Signals Tourbook: "We were getting a little bored with inactivity. During the mixing of "Exit... Stage Left" there was really not much for us to do except say "it sounds good" or "it doesn't sound good." "I had been working down in the little studio, cleaning and renovating an old set of Hayman drums that were kicking around, and had started working on a "Jack Secret" song with Jack and Skip from the crew. Geddy and Alex soon joined in on keyboards and rhythm guitar, and we later recorded the song ("Tough Break") up in the studio." Rushisaband has a nice post about the history of this track, too. I've listened to this song a bunch of times, and I think it's really interesting. It's a musical snapshot of the band between "Moving Pictures" and "Signals," and you can definitely hear the keyboard ideas of "Subdivisions" and "Countdown" starting to form. Also, you can hear how Neil's drumming changes a song that could be very ordinary. For example, listen to the hi-hat work in the second verse, as well as the snare placement. You can download the song here. Thanks to MonicaZ for sending this to me. 30th Anniversary kits sold out If you were itching to spend $30K on a Neil Peart 30th Anniversary kit, the kits have now sold out. Here's the announcement on the Guitar Center web page. If you want to see a few happy owners, you can see them on my Replicas page (listed as "Commemorative" kits). Related News Alex Lifeson's guitar lessons Thanks to a new website called iVideosongs, you can learn to play "Limelight," "The Spirit of Radio," and "Tom Sawyer" from Big Al himself. The lessons cost $9.99 each, and you can download them right onto your computer. I download "Limelight" and "The Spirit of "Radio," and thought they were both really cool (and I don't even play guitar). It's especially interesting to listen to Alex talk about why he plays what he plays. Here's a link to all of Alex's lessons. Labels: drums, pictures, Site updates
posted by AndyO @ 9:32 AM
Site updates - 1/26/08
posted by AndyO @ 3:03 PM
Site updates - 1/10/08
Happy New Year to everyone! Looks like we should have some new Rush tour news soon, according to Rushisaband. Here are a few updates from the site from the past few weeks: - I updated the right menu on the Neil Peart home page. With this menu, you can now go directly to Neil Peart articles, news, and quality reading issues directly from the menu. Also, you can hover over most of the menu items for more information -- for example if you hover over March 2007 NEP News, "The Count of Words" pops up.)
- One new postcard posted to the Postcards from Neil section.
- One new drum kit posted to the Replicas page. Alessandro Bianchini has refinished his Slingerland kit to match Neil's drums from A Farewell to Kings and Hemispheres albums and tours. Very cool!
- A Snakes & Arrows bass drum head replica from Alan Walker.
- New photos posted to the Snakes & Arrows gallery from MonicaZ, Roman Dino, and Ross Halfin.
Labels: drum kit replicas, pictures, postcards, Site updates
posted by AndyO @ 7:55 PM
New Andrew MacNaughtan NEP and Rush prints (2007)
Today, I got an e-mail from Andrew MacNaughtan about some new Rush and Neil Peart prints he has available. I've ordered a bunch of prints from Andrew in the past, and my expectations have always been exceeded. 
Copy of e-mail: Every year around the first of October I start receiving requests from many of you asking if I'll be adding new prints for the Holiday Season and this year was no exception. So by popular demand I've added the two most requested items another Snakes and Arrows Studio Print and Rush Live At Red Rocks! I think you're going to love the new forest shot of the boys being boys and Neil has signed two new prints that are just to die for. The address is the same, so come by and visit us at: http://www.andrewmacnaughtan.net And as always if you're no longer interested in getting my newsletters drop by the art store and change your contact preferences at: http://www.andrewmacnaughtan.net/catalog/ Cheers, Andrew MacNaughtan. Andrew MacNaughtan Photographic Arts New prints: 1. Neil Peart V with Snakes drum kit - Numbered and dated from a limited edition of 250
- Signed by Andrew MacNaughtan
- $75.00
2. Neil Peart Live (Snakes & Arrows) - Autographed by Neil Peart
- Numbered and dated from a limited edition of 30
- $375.00
3. Neil Peart under bridge - Autographed by Neil Peart
- Numbered and dated from a limited edition of 50
- $475.00
4. Snakes & Arrows studio recording session - Numbered and dated from a limited edition of 250
- Signed by Andrew MacNaughtan
- $95.00
5. Red Rocks 2007 - Numbered and dated from a limited edition of 100
- Signed by Andrew MacNaughtan
- $75.00
6. Rush Standing in Forest - Numbered and dated from a limited edition of 100
- Signed by Andrew MacNaughtan
- $45.00
------------------------------------------------------------------------- Previous prints If you're looking for a Neil Peart autographed photo for a little less than $475, see the Retrospective 2006 print. I own this one, and it looks great. (See the entire Andrew MacNaughtan Rush catalog.) Neil Peart (Retrospective 2006) - Autographed by Neil Peart.
- Numbered and dated from a limited edition of 500
- $95.00
Neil Peart autographed prints for over $200.00: Neil Peart (African Drum) - Autographed by Neil Peart
- Numbered and dated from a limited edition of 25
- $275.00
Neil Peart (Snakes & Arrows Recording Session) - Autographed by Neil Peart
- Numbered and dated from a limited edition of 50
- $325.00
Neil Peart (Vapor Trails) - Autographed by Neil Peart
- Numbered and dated from a limited edition of 25
- $475.00
Labels: Andrew MacNaughtan, pictures
posted by AndyO @ 4:15 PM
Photos of Neil Peart and Rush by Ross Halfin
 Ross Halfin, a UK freelance photographer, shot Rush many times during the European leg of the Snakes & Arrows tour. He's posted many of his photos up on his website, and I think he's really captured some unique moments and images -- even some of Neil backstage. You can see the photos at this link:
Ross Halfin - Rush Labels: pictures, Rush SnakesArrows
posted by AndyO @ 10:59 PM
Various site updates and news bullets
Here are a few items I've been meaning to send out the past two weeks. Postcards from Neil  I've created a new section called Postcards from Neil. This section highlights postcards that Neil Peart sent to people who wrote to him through Modern Drummer. I've seen a few of these postcards, but had never seen one that was handwritten like what Neil Peart had sent to Neal Scanapico. (Thanks for letting me post this, Neal.)
If you received a postcard from Neil and want to share it with other fans on this website, please send me an e-mail. New photos in the 1980s gallery  I've posted five amazing photos that M. Hayden sent to me from the Hold Your Fire tour. (Thanks to M. for letting me post these to my site.)
Snakes & Arrows updates As of this writing, Rush has performed 39 shows on this tour. The tour has been extremely successful so far, both financially and critically, and many fans have said this is the best tour they've ever seen. I would have to agree. Here are a few links you might be interested in: - I've posted two stories about the Rush shows I attended on my personal blog. You can read them here:
- I've continued to update the Snakes & Arrows section of my site.
- I've continued to track and tag information about this tour using del.icio.us, a social-bookmarking site. I've turned a few of these tags (or categories) into feeds that are now available on this page.
New auctions My friend has posted more Rush items to eBay. You can check these out at the Featured Rush Auction Items page. This week there are a few rare items. Paragon Diamondback cymbal now available I found the new Paragon Diamondback cymbal at one online music store location. The list price for this cymbal is $449, but you can buy it for $269. If anyone knows when this cymbal will be available in other locations, let me know. Only four 30th Anniversary Commemorative kits remain I saw on Guitar Center's website that there are only four of the 30th Anniversary kits left. According to the site, these kits are in the  following Guitar Center stores: - Manhattan, NY
- Phoenix, AZ
- San Jose, CA
- San Antonio, TX
Here's a happy owner of one of these kits. Browser compatibility update For those of you using Firefox or Safari, you might have had problems reading The Latest News in HTML format. A few weeks ago I updated this blog so that it will now work with these browsers. If you have any other problems, please e-mail me. Labels: auctions, cymbals, drums, pictures, Rush SnakesArrows
posted by AndyO @ 7:15 PM
NEP News Update - 8/21/07
posted by AndyO @ 11:24 PM
White River and Clark County photos
posted by AndyO @ 12:51 AM
Rush - White River Show - 7/20/07
Last night I attended the show at White River Amphitheater near Seattle, WA. The miserable, rainy night didn't stop the 9,000-10,000 other excited fans (there were probably more people there, as I heard it was sold out). It was an amazing show and the band seemed to be having a lot of fun. The new songs sounded incredible. I'll be writing up a more detailed review of this show and the Clark County show I'm going to today (near Portland, Oregon). A friend of mine got front row tickets and took some amazing photos. Here are a few samples (I'll post many more soon). 
Labels: pictures, Rush SnakesArrows
posted by AndyO @ 1:20 PM
NEP news bits
Here are a few things that have come in recently that you might be interested in: - The Snakes & Arrows MVI DVD released this week. This DVD includes a 5.1 mix of Snakes & Arrows, and a 45-minute documentary about the making of this album.
- For you collectors out there, Lewis has created a NEP Snakes & Arrows replica kit -- Lego style! You can see it here.
- Michael at NeilPeartDrumsticks.com has posted pics of Neil's new drumsticks for the Snakes & Arrows tour. (Oh, and he also worked with Pro-Mark to design the version of these sticks Neil is using.)
- As the tour progresses, Ed over at Rushisaband is tracking each show (along with readers of his site). This is a great place to find out the latest info.
- If you can't wait to buy a tour book, John at Cygnus-X1.net has added the tour book to his site. You can check it out here.
Labels: drum sticks, pictures, Rush SnakesArrows
posted by AndyO @ 10:51 AM
Snakes & Arrows section updated
posted by AndyO @ 11:13 PM
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