+1 for headline.

Sad. I know he was diabetic, which is why he had to leave the band for health reasons.

/RIP, you Working Man

in other news people still listen to rush

Rush would not have lasted long with John still in the band. He probably wasn't as regretful as Pete Best was since Geddy and Alex could not write lyrics as well as Neil.

bongmiester: in other news people still listen to rush

They still tour, they sell out & they put on one hell of a show.

MatrixOutsider: Rush would not have lasted long with John still in the band. He probably wasn't as regretful as Pete Best was since Geddy and Alex could not write lyrics as well as Neil.

No, they just would have been another Zepplin clone. Peart has been the creative driving force that made them into one of the best bands of all time. Still, a sad day.

RIP, John. As brief as it was, you were a part of Rush history.

I am curious if Rush will do some sort of tribute at their next show.

GAT_00: No, they just would have been another Zepplin clone. Peart has been the creative driving force that made them into one of the best bands of all time. Still, a sad day.

If Rutsey had stayed in the band, Rush would have ended up about like Foghat.

So wait, he leaves the band due to health concerns...and went on to be a bodybuilder?

I expected him to become a teacher or something...

The Glass Dragon: RIP, John. As brief as it was, you were a part of Rush history.
I am curious if Rush will do some sort of tribute at their next show.

If I remember correctly, on the R30 anniversary tour, they had a montage of them thoughout the year in the opener & Rutsey was nowhere to be found.

He & Lifeson were still friends but eventually had a falling out a few years back ... if I remember my NATIONAL MIDNIGHT STAR faq correctly.

/misses the NMS

bongmiester: in other news people still listen to rush

You would too if you were truly a master of the bong.

rocinante721: /misses the NMS

Me too. :(

TSE: bongmiester: in other news people still listen to rush

You would too if you were truly a master of the bong.

Snnxxxxt! You made me cough and lose my hit on that one!

This is too bad. He had just come out of retirement, joining Spinal Tap.

TSE: bongmiester: in other news people still listen to rush

You would too if you were truly a master of the bong.

youre right, but a TRUE master of the bong will keep it at 'exit stage left' and below.

The Glass Dragon: rocinante721: /misses the NMS

Me too. :(

Unfortunately, in the end, the NMS degraded into a biatch-fest for the mailing list master (Meg). Any non-Rush discussions were deleted by her except when she wanted to discuss her other favorite band (Live).

I also noticed in the article that Paul McCartney was voted "most irritating pop star of all time". Even though I like his music, I really can't disagree with that.

Talk about trading up though....

bongmiester: in other news people still listen to rush

One of the best rock bands of all time? Still touring and playing like they're in their prime? You bet your sweet ass they do.

MatrixOutsider: The Glass Dragon: rocinante721: /misses the NMS

Me too. :(

Unfortunately, in the end, the NMS degraded into a biatch-fest for the mailing list master (Meg). Any non-Rush discussions were deleted by her except when she wanted to discuss her other favorite band (Live).

~~

Remember the RUSH DEEP THOUGHTS page? Hilarious.

"Neil should write I sequel to 'I think I'm Going Bald' and call it 'Whoa! I was right' "

Ahhh ... RUSH nerddom. Anything better-slash-pathetic???

Saw them less than 2 weeks ago here in Phoenix. I was impressed. Their age isn't showing in their performances.

The video show on stage is amusing too...but what's with the 3 cases of rotisserie chickens? Watching the concert was making me hungry...

purple helmet: ...but what's with the 3 cases of rotisserie chickens? Watching the concert was making me hungry...

Geddy stopped using amps on stage, goes direct to the sound board or something, not wanting to leave his side of the stage empty we get washing machines and chicken rotisseries.

Originally recorded w/ Rutsey...this might be Peart on the drums

Link

Great_Milenko: If Rutsey had stayed in the band, Rush would have ended up about like Foghat.

You mean they would have been AWESOME!

Just saw them for the first time a ten days ago and was blown away. Three of the best musicians I have ever heard. I did have a strange craving for chicken throughout the show as well...

karmachameleon: bongmiester: in other news people still listen to rush

One of the best rock bands of all time? Still touring and playing like they're in their prime? You bet your sweet ass they do.

THIS. I've been a Rush fan since I was a teenager but didn't get to see them live until the Vapor Trails tour (have a lot of boots though). Saw them on the 30th anniversary tour, seeing them in July.

/RIP Rutsey

Rutsey's brother came up with the name Rush, while the band was in the Rutsey family basement.

My favorite early Rush story, though, is Lindy Young kicking Geddy Lee out of the band. Then Geddy got back in, the band becomes an enormous success, AND Geddy marries Lindy's sister. One wonders what they discuss at family reunions.

purple helmet: Saw them less than 2 weeks ago here in Phoenix. I was impressed. Their age isn't showing in their performances.

Except Geddy's range. They drop-tuned 2112 a while ago.

Otherwise, they are firing on all cylinders!

Was Rutsey a pompous arrogant windbag like Peart?

Geddy endorses the SANSamp direct units. ("sans" as in French for without an amp)

Sans-amp is a small electronic unit that closely duplicates the sound of a vintage style tube amp close mic'd for live or recording.

Meg White

Sorry to hear it. Thats a shame.

good headline

larfed


i don't get why people diss old rock bands
when people clamor to see old jazz musicians

too many people from the video generation i guess
where the music is next to meaningless

old musicians usually don't get worse.
stones may be old but they put on a helluva show.
i'm sure rush do too.

mrEdude: Well Told

Does anyone else think that Paul McCartney looks like Phil Spector in that picture? The hair really makes them look similar.

I used to host the NMS on my desktop (syrinx.umd.edu) so I'm getting a kick out of this thread.

//no. really.

Not a Rush fan...but still....55...way too young

I had not thought about the National Midnight Star in a long, long time.

/and #p/g! on irc

If Rutsey did not join, then Rush would not have had a first album.

However, if Peart did not join, then Rush would not have had a long-lasting, legendary career.

/RIP John
// RIP NMS (but your spirit lives on in The Hemispheres Mailing List on Yahoo)

mrEdude: i don't get why people diss old rock bands
when people clamor to see old jazz musicians

because every single rock band that ever was good ended up sucking horribly. ALL of them. jazz guys tend to get better with age. ornette coleman is 1000 years old and just as good now as he was in 1971. yeah, 1971-i went there.

mrEdude: stones may be old but they put on a helluva show.

no they dont.

Dude, whether you like or hate Rush, you can't dismiss "Here Again" from the first album. That song kicks so much ass. As does "Working Man," of course.

Aha! Thought I'd eventually see a TNMS/THML- type on here!

Farking geek.

good god rush sucks.

this man died because even god was offended by the horrendous annoying shiat called 'music' that rush 'created'.

mrEdude:
i don't get why people diss old rock bands
when people clamor to see old jazz musicians

too many people from the video generation i guess
where the music is next to meaningless

old musicians usually don't get worse.
stones may be old but they put on a helluva show.
i'm sure rush do too.

I'm not sure if you're quoting something or whatever, but here's my gripe with your comment.

No, not all the good old bands still play well. The Stones do, in fact, suck nowadays. The few bands who haven't been ripped apart by egos, time, drugs and other projects are generally still pretty good, I'll grant you. The problem with a lot of rock bands is that as they get older, they can't play the same way. Geddy can't hit 2112 anymore, Plant doesn't sound anywhere NEAR as good anymore, even Steven Tyler has lost a step. And that's just vocalists. Slash still kicks ass, but don't think he hasn't lost a step.

If anything, my generation looks back TOO MUCH at the old stuff. I can't tell you how many kids in High School and College list Hendrix, The Beatles, Rush and Zepplin as their favorite bands (Hendrix isn't a band, but still). An appreciation for the old rock is nice, but not when everyone is wearing tee-shirts of bands that were 20+ years old when they were born.

There is plenty of great music being produced today, and to dismiss it all as "meaningless" is absolute bullshiat. If you want great social/political commentary, listen to Anti-Flag, Muse or Green Day. Both are fantastic bands. If you want to hear something experimental and different, listen to The Music, NIN or Muse (the things Matt Belamy does with a guitar astound me). Want to hear great acoustic guitar work, Andy McKee is probably one of the top 5 in the world.

Placebo, Muse (I love them, if you can't tell), Three Days Grace, Foo Fighters, Green Day, Black Stone Cherry, Anti-Flag and so many more great bands are playing right now. I know a few of these will be picked at by the resident music snobs here (probably all of them), just as most of the "legendary" bands from the 60s, 70s, and 80s were picked at. But there is great music out there for just about anyone. And no, it's not "meaningless".

lacydog: If anything, my generation looks back TOO MUCH at the old stuff. I can't tell you how many kids in High School and College list Hendrix, The Beatles, Rush and Zepplin as their favorite bands (Hendrix isn't a band, but still). An appreciation for the old rock is nice, but not when everyone is wearing tee-shirts of bands that were 20+ years old when they were born.

There's a reason why they're called records.

Stereolab: I had not thought about the National Midnight Star in a long, long time.

/and #p/g! on irc

Wow. Seconded. Freshman year of college '91....hehe.

oh i, i, i need somelove
oh i i need some love!

I cant remember the first song off their first recording,.

but will never forget, "there's no bread, let them eat cake!"

rush never went bald.