Note: I am taking a look at my Rush scrapbooks, album by album (studio only). This is the final one, Part Twelve, Counterparts.
In some of the previous parts, I have pointed out some luck that came my way in seeing Rush in concert. This occurred when the Air Force sent me to either training or a new assignment. It happened once again in the spring of 1993, when they sent me from Tunisia to Luke Air Force Base in Phoenix, Arizona. Rush, who only played 54 shows for this tour, rolled into the Valley of the Sun on February 1, 1994.
If I recall correctly, the local radio station was KUPD, a really good one I listened to in the car. I remember they played Cold Fire. Rush was certainly never known for love songs, but this one hit on something, as it peaked at No. 2 on the U.S. mainstream rock charts.
Compared to my other scrapbooks, this one is rather thin. Fortunately, there is a terrific article on all three.
William F. Miller, who I have come to admire a lot by looking at the scrapbooks, landed another sit down with Neil (Modern Drummer, February 1994, “In Search of the Right Feel”). I also have gained a great appreciation for Andrew MacNaughton, who, as we noted in a previous part, left us in 2012.
Fans of Neil know that in 2004, he wrote the first of seven non-fiction books, “The Masked Rider: Cycling in West Africa.” In this interview with Miller, readers got a taste of what was to come out of Neil’s travels there.
As he writes, Neil was in Gambia and was watching a drum master trying to teach some rudimentary basics to a Catholic missionary.
Neil:
After a time the drum master, frustrated by the missionary's lack of ability, noticed the other man who had come into the room. The master had no idea who this person was, but he thought to himself, "Why not see if he can play?" According to Peart, what happened next was fascinating. "The drum master gestured to me to try and play a rhythm. So we began playing together, and he started smiling because he could tell I had a rhythm - maybe not his rhythm, but a rhythm of some kind. We were playing and playing, building the intensity, and little kids started coming in, laughing at the white man playing drums. Then a few women came into the room, and everybody began dancing to our beat! The master and I even started trading fours. It wasn't a spoken thing, but he could tell that I would lay out and listen to what he was doing for a certain amount of time, and then he would do the same. It was just a magical moment." When they finished, a confused and startled missionary ran up to Peart and asked, "How can you do that?" Chuckling to himself, Neil politely responded, "I'm in the business."
Miller noted that Counterparts was the heaviest Rush album in years. The basics were back.
Neil touched on a number of things:
"We decided to use two different engineers, something we'd never done before.”
"I used some different snare drums, but for the majority of the record I used my Solid Percussion deep-shelled drum. In the past I used their piccolo drum, and of course my old standard Slingerland.
"With out newer material, though, I recognize that I don't like it sounding over-rehearsed.So in preparing to record the songs, I started leaving gaps in certain transitions or sections.
For me, playing drums is the ultimate involvement. It's as involving to an athletic degree as a marathon run is, but at the same time your mind is as busy as an engineer's is, with all the calculations a drummer has to make.
I honestly feel this is a very exciting time for drumming. It's so gratifying to hear it come back, and come back with such a vengeance. Just a few of the newer guys I've been enjoying include Dave Abbruzzese of Pearl Jam, Matt Cameron from Soundgarden and Temple Of The Dog-I love his playing-and Chad Gracey from the band Live, who plays just what you want to hear.”
After appearing in Creem and Circus, Neil, Alex, and Geddy emerged in the 80s as steady go-to’s in magazines such as Modern Drummer, Guitar Player, and Bass Player. In the December, 1993 issue, the editor for Bass Player, Jim Roberts, wrote a nice tribute to Geddy.
We’ll be celebrating our fifth anniversary more formally as 1994 rolls around, but I’m pleased, at this point, we were able to get together with Geddy once again. If Bass Player can prove to be as enduring, and as meaningful to so many people, as his music has been — then we will have accomplished something indeed.
In the cover piece, Karl Coryat spoke with him. Coryat made a good summary point about Rush, leading with:
How many bands have made 19 records in 19 years, have a huge following that almost ensures platinum sales for each new album, and sell out the biggest arenas whenever they come through town?
Even better came next:
But if you think Geddy Lee, guitarist Alex Lifeson, and drummer Neil Peart have merely learned to cash in on a tried-and-true multimillion-dollar formula year after year, you're dead wrong. Although they're as heavy as a locomotive, Rush changes direction like a hummingbird; each record explores new territories and redirects the band's sonic and musical focuses, without compromising the distinctive Rush style. Even though it's been a while since their envelope-pushing epics of the '70s, it's nice to see a veteran band alive and well rather than decaying into nostalgia and nothingness.
As usual, Geddy made it easy to cull succinct points.
But it seems no matter how hard we try, we can't leave the music uncomplicated. Somehow, the "player" sides of our personalities always sneak into the crafting of our records, and I think that's what appeals to a lot of young musicians.
The recording engineer ended up being a South African named Kevin "The Caveman" Shirley.His name says it all; we were after bold and organic sounds, and he was the man for the job-he has brilliant miking technique and a great ear for natural recording.
Les Claypool's playing really turns me on; I think he's got a great sense of rhythm. I also like Dean Garcia, who plays in Curve. he's got these zooming bass parts that fly around and are very interesting melodically, and there's a lot of passion to his playing.
What do you do in your off time?
All kinds of stuff. I travel, I play tennis, I go to art galleries, and I go to ball games. And I spend a lot of time with my family. My wife and I have taken up cycling; we try to stay active.
Guitar for the Practicing Musician called on Alex once again ("Alex Lifeson’s Attitude Adjustment," February, 1994 by Jon Chappell).
Chappell had this to say:
Guitarists and Rush aficionados will be delighted to find that Alex Lifeson's guitar is out in front and all over the place, running the sonic gamut from lovely atmospheric shimmers to blazing, Hendrix-like solos. The results are spontaneous, immediate, and inspired. Alex's liberated playing was a pleasant surprise not only to nostalgic fans but to Alex himself.
Alex drew a comparison between the making of Counterparts and Moving Pictures.
It was fun to make, everything just happened, there were no real hurdles that we had to go through, and it just feels right, y'know? The results are very apparent on this one. I think probably Moving Pictures is the album for us that's very similar to this one; made the same sort of way. I remember that being a lot of fun and everything really happening on that record.
Conclusion
My wife and I have lived here in Alexandria, Virginia since 1995. We bought our first computer that year. My scrapbook keeping stopped around that time.
Anyway, I hope you have enjoyed this 12-part series. It is ever so bittersweet in the knowing that Neil is no longer with us. But along with Geddy and Alex, they left a legacy that is so deep and rich. These scrapbooks are dear to my heart and hold such wonderful and cherished memories. Those lads from Toronto no longer draw applause from the stage, but we continue to say thanks...
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