RUSH – a Canadian rock trio who have been around for over 30 years. They started out as Led Zeppelin clones – so much so, that when their first single, "Working Man", came out, listeners called the radio station asking about the "new Led Zeppelin song" – but quickly developed their own style, with impressively intellectual lyrics inspired partly by Ayn Rand. By the 80s, they cast aside their swords & sorcery for the slick, skinny tie quasi-techno stuff guaranteed to get more airtime and sell more records. The newer material is all well-produced and technically proficient, but lacks the energy and force of the earlier material.
By now the drummer, Neil Peart, has established a reputation as one of the top drummers on the planet, though it’s a distinction which he’d challenge out of sheer modesty. Given that drummers (as he notes) are basically guys who "hit things with sticks", i.e. the least intelligent and sophisticated member of any band (Exhibit A, John Bonham; Exhibit B, Keith Moon) it’s remarkable that he writes the band’s lyrics.
But he also writes books. I suppose it’s common sense that a lyricist – who makes his money by writing words for public consumption in the form of lyrics – should also write, but it didn’t occur to Peart until fairly late in his career. Here, as of 2007, is his "library". It’s all non-fiction, quasi-autobiographical, and written in the first person.
1. The Masked Rider: Cycling In West Africa. He took a bicycle tour in Africa, through Cameroon, with a group of similarly inane (but non-celebrity) riders. As you can imagine, cycling through a Third World country is quite an adventure. His commentary is extremely interesting. I have zero desire to bicycle through Africa, and after reading this book, I have even less (if that’s possible). But reading this book I got the sensation of being along with him, vicariously. Neil went there so I didn’t have to. Thanks!
2. Ghost Rider: Travels Along the Healing Road. In 1997, his daughter Selena died in a car accident on her way to college for the first year – a complete shock and surprise. One moment they’re waving goodbye to her, the next, a policeman is at their doorstep with the terrible news. His wife, Jackie, took it particularly hard; she never overcame the grief and sorrow, lost the will to live, and within a year she was dead too, leaving Neil all alone.
To deal with this without likewise withering away or going insane, he took a break from the band and travelled across the United States on motorcycle, losing himself like a ghost among the roads and towns of America. He describes his travels, his feelings, his anger and grief. As with Masked Rider, he succeeds at "bringing us along" with him in spirit, so we share in his grief and heal with him. An excellent book.
3. Travelling Music: The Soundtrack Of My Life And Times. This book focuses more on music, per se, and not on his travels, but the source is the music which he listens to as he travels (by car, motorcycle or bicycle). He describes his childhood in St Catherine’s, Ontario (on Lake Ontario’s southern shore, due west of Buffalo); his early musical development and influences; and the circumstances of his joining Rush in 1974. Rush itself doesn’t occupy much space in this book in terms of pages or importance. We do get a good glimpse into the music he likes – notably Jeff Buckley and Frank Sinatra. He also loves The Who, the Rolling Stones (big fan of Charlie Watts), and the Grateful Dead. I always find it interesting to hear musicians go into detail about other musicians, even if it’s music I don’t care about or if I don’t agree with their opinions.
4. Roadshow: Landscape With Drums, A Concert Tour By Motorcycle. By 2004 they had been together for 30 years, so they put out an album of covers, called Feedback, and toured – the so-called R30 tour (we saw them at the Nissan Pavilion on this tour, a show he mentions...without mentioning us! What’s the deal, man?). Finally, with book #4 we get a book which focuses on his work in Rush, and Alex Lifeson and Geddy Lee, who are incidental characters in the prior three books, take their rightful roles as major characters here. He decided to go from city to city by motorcycle (in the US, Canada and Europe), travelling separately from Alex and Geddy and scheduling his independent trips so as to arrive at each venue in time for the show – and didn’t miss ANY concerts. None of this business like Ace Frehley missing his flights!
If you’re a Rush fan, you owe it to yourself to read these books. Even if you’re not, they’re great stories. He has alot to say and an interesting way of saying it. If they ever decided to make these into "books on tape", I strongly recommend that they get John O’Hurley, aka "J. Peterman" from "Seinfeld", to read them. I don’t even listen to Rush that much anymore (certainly not the ZZZ newer material) but still found his books impossible to put down.
