7 reasons why I love Rush - part 5

Today's reason - nothing mainstream about them! 

I loathe conformity with a passion.  I find it so incredibly boring that it makes me nod off just talking about it.  *Head banging on desk wakes me back up*

So the fact that I have chosen a band (or have they chosen me?) full of non conformists as my favorite is really no big surprise. 

What IS surprising to me is how people think I WANT them to be mainstream.  Often when I tell someone who my favorite band is, they get this 'huh??' look on their faces.  I proceed to say something like - 'Canadian rock trio...you know, 'Tom Sawyer'? - at which point they act like they know who I mean (even if they really don't).  But when they DO really know who I mean, it's as if they feel bad for me that I had to explain it.  Like it's a bad thing that it wasn't like uttering 'Bon Jovi' or 'Nirvana' where everyone knows instantly what band you mean.

I also find it a HUGE badge of honor that the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame have not yet inducted them.  I mean in all seriousness, this is the body who thinks Madonna is somehow more rock and roll than Rush??  Erm, ok.  And I love me some Madonna too - but I think even she would laugh a snort filled laugh at that ridiculousness.  And John Mellencamp?  Nice guy, but did he REALLY contribute more to the influence of rock and roll than Rush????  Not to mention Run D.M.C., R.E.M. (kill me now) and freaking ABBA.  Oh and the Staple Singers.  I know, you're saying 'Who???'  So did I....which makes my point complete.  If they ever come to their senses one day, I truly will have mixed feelings about it.  Happy for Rush in a way for the acknowledgement but -- I like it out here on the fringe, thanks very much. 

Rush's songs aren't conventional - they're not 'single length'.  They have a lot of instrumentals.  They have weird themes and talk about things that seem alien at times and sometimes are (attention all planets of the Solar Federation....  :) 

And possibly best of all - they can do whatever the hell they want.  They don't have a studio dictating to them when they must record and tour - they got rid of that pressure YEARS ago.  When a record company tried to tell them that they had to start making singles, what did they do?  The exact OPPOSITE, thanks very much.  Their logic was if we're going out, we're going out on our terms.  And that is why they continue to speak to my non-conformist spirit.

7 reasons why I love Rush - part 4

One word - diversity.

No, no - I'm not talking about the fact that Geddy wears glasses :P  I'm talking about the diversity of their music catalog.  There is literally something for everyone.

You want something a little 'spacey' or techno?  Try '2112' or 'A Farewell to Kings' (you don't get much more techno than Cyngus X-1). You like some keyboards with your rock and roll?  How about 'Grace Under Pressure', 'Power Windows' or 'Hold your Fire.'    In the mood for classic 'hits' (or as close as Rush gets to that, anyway) - obviously you have to have 'Permanent Waves' and 'Moving Pictures.'   Want your prog rock to have a theme?  'Hemispheres' should do the trick.

And finally - want something a bit more modern and straight out kicking your ass?  There's always 'Snakes and Arrows' - and the new tracks - 'BU2B' and 'Caravan'.  I cannot WAIT to hear their upcoming 'Clockwork Angels'.  Should diversify their catalog even more if you can believe it.

I think this is why I never get tired of having Rush on repeat in my car.  Whatever I'm in the mood for, I can find it - and I know it will be high quality rock and roll.  The fact that my three favorite guys happen to produce it is just a bonus.

7 reasons why I love Rush - part 3

Today's reason:  the lyrics.

Don't get me wrong.  Rush has excellent songs that are all about musicianship and awkward time signatures.  But it was the lyrics that truly brought me to Rush.

I wasn't neilpeart_gal when Chas met me just for the drummer's looks, after all.  (Though he may tell you differently - erm, row boat scene??  ;-)

At any rate - I was first introduced to the trio in high school by a friend in the band (Paul Tramel, take a bow!).  He gave me a copy of 'Grace Under Pressure' on cassette, which I proceeded to wear out in my car.  'Grace' isn't really full of lyrical gems in the grand scheme of their career, but there was something about it I really dug.  Then one day on the way home from school, I heard 'Subdivisions' on the radio.  Had it not been for the DJ, I may not have realized this was Rush, so I kept the station on and turned it up.  To this day, it is something I will never forget.

It was as if someone was speaking for me, not TO me or AT me - which for a teenager was huge.  I mean, who can deny this universal truth:

In the high school halls

In the shopping malls

conform or be cast out

in the basement bars

in the backs of cars

be cool or be cast out...

The whole song was (and is) genius.  I never WANTED to be 'in' and hated conformity - and here was someone acknowledging that and saying 'screw it' at the same time.  He had done it and he had lived to tell about it.  From the perch of a rock band stage, no less -- but he still wasn't talking down to me.  Brilliant.  Fucking brilliant, in fact.

From there, I bought 'Signals' almost right away and began digging into it and 'Grace', listening intently to the lyrics on both.  That started what has since become a lifelong pattern.  First listen, I always tune in for what is being said.  Always.  I do not feel that I 'know' a Rush album until I can sing along to it, word for word.  I may not always agree with what I hear, but it will always, without fail, make me think.  Thinking (wo)man's band, indeed.  (^^Favorite picture of Neil - EVER!)

My favorite Rush lyrical moment to date, though,  still stands from 1980s 'Witch Hunt.'  The entire song, really - but mainly this:

Quick to judge, quick to anger

slow to understand

ignorance and prejudice 

and fear walk hand in hand

If everyone would apply that to their daily lives, even just a little bit - how much better off would we be?  

I know my husband and I will always see this band from opposite sides of the same coin.  That actually makes me like them even MORE. It proves Rush has something for everyone.  You can bang your head, you can listen to complicated rhythms and complex time changes, you can enjoy creative and virtuosic guitar solos and drum/bass riffs - or you can focus on the lyrics to learn, think and expand your mind.  What more can you ask for from a band?

7 Reasons why I love Rush - part 2(112)

Today's reason:  the guys are just so friggin awesome.

This band has been around with 'the new guy' (Neil, hahahaha) for over 30 years.  Same lineup.  That in and of itself is a milestone.  Why has this happened?  Because they are friends first and a band second.

When Neil lost his daughter and wife within a year of each other, no one knew if the band would be back - not even the guys themselves.  But Geddy and Alex's main concern was Neil, and making sure he was ok.  The band was secondary, and they agreed there would be no band without Neil if he had decided to quit.  I wonder how many other bands would have felt that way.

You should also watch the recent documentary 'Beyond the Lighted Stage' for more proof of their awesomeness.   It shows them touring their old haunts in Toronto, where they knew each other as boys and grew up together (namely Alex and Ged).  My favorite part, though,  is at the end where the three of them sit down for dinner.  You can tell they genuinely LIKE each other, and you'll find yourself wishing you could be a fly on that wall for a little longer.  Even if you're no fan of the music, you cannot deny the wisdom, wit and strength of these three personalities.

Not to mention - they have the most wicked senses of humor, about themselves and the wide world.  Don't believe me?  Watch any of their live DVDs and be entertained by the opening and intermission video segments (usually starring Jerry Stiller).  Or attend 'An Evening with Rush' with us on April 3rd and see for yourself.  It's a night of music, sure, but it's also a night of endless pisstaking.  And it keeps me in stitches.

This doesn't even TOUCH on what incredible musicians they are.  Many the bass player cite Geddy Lee as their hero - and I'll still never know how he can sing, play bass AND keyboards at the same time.  I can't even pat my head and rub my belly.  I'm no guitarist, but I do know that few guitarists out there have ever brought me to tears, as Alex has many times seeing him play 'Bravado' live.  Most drummers aspire to be Neil Peart at some point in their lives - if not always.  Clearly I'm no musician (saxophone in the high school band does not count!!), but most people who are - my husband included - often tell me that Rush has few equals in this category.  We're SO not worthy.

Dirk.  Lerxst.  Pratt.  Or Emily's uncles, whichever you prefer.  :)   I bow to your greatness, and appreciate very deeply who you are as men and musicians.

7 Reasons why I love Rush - part 1

Since the Rush gig in Nashville is now 7 days away (OMG!!!!!!!!!), I thought it appropriate to do 7 blogs about the various reasons that I love Rush.  Of course, that could easily stretch into a year's worth of reasons, but I thought 7 days was about as much as anyone could take.  :)

Today's reason:  the 'Family' of Rush

This one is nearest and dearest to my heart.  Rush has given me my little family - my dear husband and daughter would not be my husband and daughter without Rush.  Literally.   And how many people can really say that about a rock band?  See photo of Rush baby below.  :)  If she were a boy, she would have been Alexander Lee.  How 'bout them apples???

But it isn't just my family, either.  It's the extended family of Rush that I am a part of and have witnessed for years.  I have made and kept so many friends just because of this one rock band.  I've known of other couples besides Chas and me that have come together because of Rush.  I know of people with sick children or parents whose 'Rush family' have rallied around to help them with medical bills or whatever else they might need.  I've heard countless stories about someone who was a fan years ago and got back into them recently, only to reconnect with people they hadn't spoken to in years.

I'm sure other bands have similar stories, but I maintain there is some kind of kinship that is special to Rush fans.  I think it's something to do with the band always being a tad 'under the radar' or just on the fringe of what's 'popular' that helps us fans form a certain bond.  (Suck it, Rock and Roll Hall of Fame...)   Whenever I run into someone else who likes Rush, I understand them and they understand me. Because that's what families do.

The King of Stink

The dude who sits in the cubicle behind me has recently been dubbed "The King of Stink."  By me. That's KOS for short.

Thankfully, his stench is not rampant, mutant B.O. (a la Seinfeld) like I have smelled on random a coworker.  No, this is a sweet, Yuppie slash social climber cologne smell which makes me sneeze and blow my nose ALL.DAY.LONG.  Every day.  It's a thousand wonders I don't have to leave work early every freaking day with an 'omg your cologne is gross' headache. Why can't he be one of these managers who is heard on calls but never seen at the office?  It would spare me so much kleenex.

So what do ya do?  Leave him a 'please stop stinking' note on his desk?  Talk to his manager?  (In this revolving door IT shop, I don't even know who that could possibly be.)  Go to HR and complain?  Yeah, because I so want to out myself to them as the freaky allergy girl.  That's how you want to get on their radar!

I don't know him at all other than the awkward 'hi' in the hallway (more of a 'I know you because I sit near you so I have to say hi' than anything) so I can't exactly have a 'hey, could you tone down the stink ass cologne?' talk with him.  Oh and I have had that conversation in the past, in case you were wondering.  But that was with my friend Eddie, and now we kinda joke about it when he reeks.

So, I suffer in silence, sometimes with wads of kleenex shoved in each nostril so I can't smell.  People have come to my desk while this is going on.  Imagine the fast explanation required after someone sees you with a snot rag shoved up to your brain.  Just don't judge me until you've walked a mile in my kleenex.

(New) Nectar of the Gods

I must admit to an unhealthy habit - that of diet soda addiction.  Yeah, I have one and it's not pretty.  But it's the only vice I have, and something has to kill me so - judge me not. 

ANYhow - those who know me well know that I used to never go anywhere without a Diet Pepsi in tow.  Even if I'd go out with friends and they were boozing it up - 9 times out of 10, I preferred to have a Diet Pepsi (Gerianne will attest to this...!).  I called it the 'Nectar of the Gods' and it kinda stuck.

However, somehow, somewhere, that nectar now has a new flavor.  In the form of Diet Dr Pepper.

This happened at some point either during my pregnancy (caffeine free variety, thank you!) or right after.  Either way, I kind of have a small panic attack if my fridge isn't stocked.  Shameful, but true.  I now know which restaurant chains serve it (McDs, Sonic and Hardees in case you care) and which don't (Burger King, Wendy's, even my beloved Panera).  I tend towards those restaurants now if I am out and about somewhere.  I can do Diet Coke or Diet Pepsi, but nothing makes me as happy as the (new) Nectar. 

This little beauty, pictured below, is my new nirvana.  One that I don't get to partake in as much as I'd like.  That's right - Sonic's very own Route 44 sized Diet DP.  And if you to Sonic go between 2-4 pm, it's half price. Happy hour, indeed!!  (I received no financial compensation for this commercial.  :P  If I had, I probably would be drinking my earnings anyway.)

I know, I know.  It's bad for me - but so was staring at things with my eyes crossed when I was little and hey, guess what - they.didn't.stay.that.way.  So there.  Not to mention that scientists will soon discover that breathing air is bad for you, and you must stop it at once.  I'm gonna roll the dice and risk it.  :)

I'm flattered, really - but please learn how to read!

Every day, without fail - and sometimes more than once a day! - my cell phone rings and displays numbers I do not recognize.  Since it's famously hard to talk at work in 'cubicle land', I send them to voice mail.

Also without fail, they are ALWAYS from IT recruiters, wanting me for this job or that. Usually something I'm not even remotely qualified for -- like .Net development, or project management.  Did one of Sammy Hagar's aliens take over my body and write my resume to reflect something I have not even a shred of experience in??

I blame Monster.com for this, as if you have your resume out there and visible, any Tom, Dick or Harry headhunter can see it.  Despite having made clear on Monster that I can NOT consider 'contract to hire' jobs, or that my only IT experience is in QA, they still call me in droves anyway.

I would really REALLY like to take each of their calls and ask them if they actually READ what experience I have, let alone the fact that I cannot consider contract positions.  It's hard to really blow them off, though.  I mean, what if I become one of the 'statistics' and need them for a job in six months to a year?  It's nice to hear that your skill sets -- real or imagined -- are desired.  But flattery - even at it's highest form - does not a developer make.

Generally, all these calls make my face look like this:

Maybe I should just enjoy the misplaced flattery and turn that frown upside down?  LOL.

Where you go, I cannot follow

SIGH.

It breaks my heart to even write this, really, but I think I have to.  Sammy Hagar -  the author of one of my favorite pieces of prose ever ("Give To Live") - had me at hello.

So imagine my chagrin to read that he has possibly lost the plot.

Sammy Hagar abducted by aliens

Does this mean I have to credit E.T. for "Give To Live" instead???  Van Hagar's "Love Walks In" sort of hints at it.  And here I thought that was just a good piece of prose set to music.  Who knew it was likely a page out of Sammy's life?  Hmph.

Some likely see this as no big surprise, and I'm sure my husband finds great humor in this (my brother in law, too) because I always preferred Van Hagar.  Hell, I even drove the 'Red Rocker'-mobile in college -- never mind the fact that the car was BLACK, dammit.

I liked the fact that David Lee Roth - though a better showman than Sammy - was always too wacky to take quasi seriously.  The guy practically spoke ska, for heaven's sake!!!  Sammy being normal made him awesome-r.  

Screw it.  I still think he's awesome-r.  Because normal (and un-downloaded) is so highly overrated...!

It's come to my attention....

...that I've somehow, somewhere, become shitty at parking my car.  (Pause for husband's resounding 'HELL YES!!!!')

I have photographic evidence of this.  Recently, the hubster and babester followed me into a McDonald's parking lot.  I wanted us to have two spaces together, but the first two I saw weren't the lot's normal, diagonal lines - these were straight lines.  Well, for some reason, my mind could not process that in the few seconds I had to spot the spaces and maneuver the car into it.   So here's how we ended up:

To quote my favorite blog, "Whuck!!??!??" 

Two other notes on that photo.  A.) The color is bad because I, in my shame, moved before hubby could get things set right on his camera and B.) you can't really tell, but I'm gesturing to hubby.  In the way that only wives can gesture to their husbands and still live to tell about it.  :)

Then on my dear niece's birthday, St. Patty's day, I came back from lunch and found a juicy corner space at the office lot, and smiled grandly as I swiped it.  When I came back out that afternoon to leave, I noticed the car to my right was inexplicably close to me.  'Jackhole!'  I said to myself....until I realized I somehow had swung my ass-end perilously close to their space. I thereby condoned all cursing that my co-worker had likely bestowed upon my empty vessel and thanked them silently for not keying my car.  I seriously considered leaving them an 'I'm sorry :( ' note under their windshield wiper.  Oh, the shame!!

Then the very next morning, after getting out of the car and procuring my laptop from the trunk, I walked around the driver's side again and thought 'How the hell did I get THAT close to the car beside me??'

Granted, it could be worse - but I am clearly 'cheating' towards the other car.  Not to mention - there's even a curb on my passenger's side, so why didn't I cheat THAT way? AND --  I pulled into the space!  SIGH.  Epic fail.

The absolute worse part of this one was...the car that I was too close to in the above incident???  SAME DAMN CAR from my St. Paddy's day shame!!!!!!!  Thank god I left early that day so they don't think I'm a bad parker AND a stalker.  They would have every right at that point to key my car, or at least egg it.  Shame, part deux. 

I should add that I've NEVER been able to back into a space.  I mean let's be honest, if I had to rely on reverse for anything more than getting out of my garage each morning, there could be big time trouble.  And tons of insurance claims (boy wouldn't State Farm love me then??). Hubby gives me nightmares and cold sweats every time he tells me about the English driving test. I can safely say I'd be a pedestrian only in that country.  No question about it.  Here's hoping we never have to move there, or I'm in trouble. 

I can only really parallel park if there are no cars already in the line so all I have to do is pull to the curb and roll up to a line.  The aforementioned 'reverse rule' curses me here as well.  But between the lines, straight forward parking?  Never a problem.  Until recently.

Now, I could blame a lot of things on this recent development.  I could blame the fact that I'm turning 40 this May, and I just don't give a damn anymore (LOL).  I could blame that having a baby somehow shifted my center of gravity, causing the lines in parking lots to somehow become drastically askew in my field of vision.  Or that the leftover baby hormones and new mommy haze make even the most simple things difficult.  I could blame always being in a hurry when I park (which is sometimes the case).

Or I could just admit to sucking at it more recently, and go on with my life.   I think I'll stick with that.   

Vital Signs

Well here I am, finally becoming part of the new millennium (which is likely the old millennium by now!) - I have a blog!!  I started this because - quite frankly - I have no hobbies!  LOL.  But seriously - watching how much my dear husband enjoys playing his guitar, it dawned on me that aside from work, caring for our daughter and working out, I really don't DO anything.  Let alone something that I ENJOY doing.  And for me, that has always been writing.

Back in the day, I would spend hours upon hours writing the day away - hunched over a legal pad with a pen in my hand, coke can at the ready, and music playing softly (or sometimes not so softly!).  I wrote stories that took me places I'd never been and just enjoyed the process of being creative.  Even if no one else ever read them, that was never really the point for me.  I'd find great satisfaction in just putting the words on the page and playing with them.  Probably what lead me to become an English major in college, though my writing there tended away from the creative.

Of course, I had to name the blog something that would describe it's very nature  - random and (sometimes) short - but also wanted it to be Rush related.  :)  Probably the biggest 'thread' in my life, aside from my family and friends, is Rush.  So I stole from Neil Peart, and here's hoping he won't sue me.  LOL! 

I'm not sure I'll have time to post something EVERY day - I do have a full time job and an 8 month old, after all! - but I just like knowing that I have an outlet.  Even if it's crap on some days and/or no one ever reads it. 

And I find it apt to end with this:

Rush in Nashville - only 16 days!!!!!!!!!!

Whoo f'ing hoo!!!!!!!!