Back in the summer of 2021, Neil Peart's extensive classic car collection - dubbed the Silver Surfers by Neil himself - was sold at Gooding & Company's 17th annual Pebble Beach Auctions. Just before the auction, it was revealed via an announcement at Rush.com that this collection of classic cars was the subject of a coffee table book that Neil Peart was working on prior to his untimely passing nearly 5 years ago. Since that initial announcement very little additional information had surfaced until this past January when the book's May 2024 release date and cover were revealed. After a couple of further delays, the 96-page coffee table book finally saw the light of day this past week, and is now available for purchase via Amazon and other retailers. From the book description:

For Neil Peart, legendary drummer for Rush, cars were a lifelong passion. Now, in Neil's final work-a never-before-seen piece completed before his untimely passing in 2020-he writes about his beloved Silver Surfers collection; the joy of collecting these exquisite, rare, and important sports cars, and the even bigger joy of driving them. He first traces the roots of his auto obsession, taking us back to where it all began, with a 1969 Lotus Europa; through the cars he bought when the band first made it big and even his first "family car," before taking us on a tour of the Silver Surfers themselves-a rare collection of the best sports cars from the 1960s. From a 1964 Aston Martin DB5 to a classic 1963 Chevrolet Corvette Sting Ray, each is a gorgeous silver (with the exception of one: a black 1964 Shelby Cobra whose patina Neil loved so much he wrote, "I am not going to paint it").

Gorgeous images of the cars and photos curated by Neil himself accompany his warm, personal story of building the collection, the friends he made along the way, and what it was like to be behind the wheel of these classics. Neil's final work is a love letter to these cars that meant so much to him, and to the passion of the road that fueled his life.

IK Multimedia and Alex Lifeson have partnered up to release a Legacy Signature Collection for TONEX, including an introductory video featuring Rush producer Nick Raskulinecz and Lerxst himself which you can watch below or on YouTube. From the press release:

Ready for live performance with TONEX Pedal or TONEX ONE or studio work with AmpliTube 5 and TONEX Mac/PC, the Alex Lifeson Legacy Signature Collection delivers inspiring tones while allowing players to adapt these Tone Models to create their own signature sounds.

Alex Lifeson Legacy features four amplifiers never before captured in TONEX, handpicked by Alex as key landmarks from his 50+ year tone journey. From coveted vintage treasures to his LERXST signature amplifier, these guitar tones have shaped iconic Rush albums like "Moving Pictures" and "Clockwork Angels" while powering the band's legendary live performances. The Alex Lifeson Legacy spans over five decades of one artist's relentless pursuit of tone perfection.

Collection Overview

* 25 Tone Models from four amplifiers hand-picked by Alex Lifeson
* A wide variety of Tone Models charting the evolution of Alex's guitar sounds
* Using AI Machine Modeling technology with advanced training
* Use across the entire TONEX ecosystem, including the free TONEX CS
* Play inside AmpliTube 5 X, the TONEX app, your favorite DAW or TONEX Pedal and TONEX ONE live on-stage ...

Geddy Lee will be releasing a new baseball book in 2025 titled 72 Stories from the Collection of Geddy Lee, and the book is now availble for pre-order via Amazon and other retailers, with a slated release date of May 13, 2025. There's also an autographed, limited-edition version of the book that's being released in time for Christmas exclusively from the Rush Backstage Club. The 160-page special edition comes encased in a red cloth-bound slipcase and includes an exclusive, custom-made Geddy Lee baseball, created specifically for this project. The special edition costs $249.98 and can be pre-ordered now with an expected ship date of early December. Geddy had written the book itself over a year ago and presented it as part of a package given to the winning bidders in a baseball auction that included much of Ged's extensive collection. Geddy also addressed the book in an interview with the Illinois Entertainer in the lead-up to the auction last year:

... It's a collection of stories from some of my favorite items in my collection. Maybe I'll release it on opening day next year, I don't know. I'm going to include a copy of the book to the winning bidders of those particular items in my sale that are also featured in this book. I'll give them a signed copy. [The book] came together in a relatively painless way. I wrote it with my co-writer, Daniel Richler. Richard Sibbald, who shot the Big Beautiful Book of Bass, took the photographs. They're absolutely stunning. ... So, there is a book, and I'm really pleased with it. I'm trying to get it printed now, in time for the auction. It's called 72 Stories from the Collection of Geddy Lee....

American Songwriter posted an article this past week on the story and meaning behind Rush's Closer to the Heart, which you can check out online here.

On the latest episode of Rush Roundtable (#252) on the Rushfans YouTube channel, the panel continues their Snakes & Arrows song discussions with Armor & Sword:

That's all for this week. Have a great weekend everybody!