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Neil Peart, Geddy Lee & Alex Lifeson

Thu, Nov 21, 2024

Rush signs with Roadrunner Records

Wed, Aug 31, 2011@10:59AM | comments removed/disabled

[Rush Signs With Roadrunner, Preps New Album for 2012: Exclusive]

UPDATE - 9/1@9:45AM: Just to clarify my comment that this is simply a lateral move for Rush; I meant lateral in an organizational sense, in that the band is simply moving to another label under the Warner Music Group parent company. Indeed, Rush had been under contract with Atlantic to release one more studio album, and Rush's deal with Roadrunner likely would not have been able to happen if Roadrunner and Atlantic had not been with the same parent company. From a marketing standpoint this is probably a good move for Rush, as Atlantic had been doing a poor job promoting the band in recent years. Roadrunner's focus on hard rock and heavy metal bands makes them a much better fit for Rush. Other prog-rock bands currently with Roadrunner Records include Porcupine Tree, Dream Theater and Opeth.

UPDATE - 8/31@2:47PM: Here's the official press release from Roadrunner (thanks RushFanForever).

UPDATE - 8/31@11:15AM: It should be noted that Roadrunner Records has actually been owned by Warner Music Group since 2006, who also happens to own Rush's previous label - Atlantic Records. And Atlantic Records Group is Roadrunner's US distributor. So in reality this is not as big of a shake-up as it may seem, and is more of a lateral move than anything else.

Billboard.com reported this morning that Rush has signed with Roadrunner Records. From Billboard.com:

... "After years of Roadrunner pursuing the band, Tom Lipsky [President, Lipsky Music LLC] presented a deal that worked and the timing was right," Rush manager Ray Danniels said in an announcement. "We wanted to be at a label focused on the rock genre -- and that's Roadrunner."

Since 1989, the Canadian trio -- Alex Lifeson, Geddy Lee and Neil Peart -- has released six studio albums through Atlantic, beginning with "Presto" and most recently, 2007's "Snakes & Arrows," which debuted at No. 3 on the Billboard 200. Before that, the band was at Mercury.

The group's next full-length studio album, a long-gestating work titled "Clockwork Angels," will be released in 2012 on Roadrunner. The delay -- a lead single, "Caravan," was released in June 2010 -- was due to the success of their Time Machine Tour, which just wrapped.

A first Roadrunner release will actually be a live album culled from the blockbuster tour. According to the label, details will be revealed in the coming weeks. Anthem/Universal Music will continue to release their music in Canada only. ...

... "In another life I worked with Rush and their great management team more than 30 years ago and to have Rush finally on the Roadrunner label is a dream come true," said Cees Wessels, Roadrunner Records Chairman.

Lipsky, who brokered the deal, remarked that Rush has a "tradition of excellence and independence, both in the studio and on the live stage, and they remain as prolific today as at any point in their career. We are excited to be their label partners."...

The above mention that the first Roadrunner release will actually be a live album culled from the blockbuster tour seems to confirm that a live CD will be accompanying the release of the band's upcoming live concert DVD Time Machine 2011: Live in Cleveland. Although it's still not clear whether the CD release will be included with the DVD or released separately. Thanks to John at Cygnus-X1.net for the heads up.