1980s-era Canadian rockers and former Rush label mates Coney Hatch will be performing a live, streaming benefit show tomorrow evening at 8PM from the stage at the legendary El Mocambo club in downtown Toronto (thanks RushFanForever). The band's bassist/vocalist Andy Curran spent several years working at Rush's Anthem record label after Coney Hatch called it quits. In more recent years he moved on to Ole Music, a publishing house that took over the Anthem back catalog, including everything by Rush. He ended his tenure there last year and is now out on his own as a music industry gun-for-hire. Tickets for the webcast can be purchased at nugs.tv for $9.99 (HD) or $14.99 (4K), with all proceeds going to benefit the Unison Benevolent Fund - an organization that provides counseling and emergency relief services to the Canadian music community. Rush donated a portion of their ticket sales to the Fund during the Clockwork Angels Tour as described in this post. Curran was a recent guest on The Metal Voice and spoke with hosts Jimmy Kay and Alan Dixon about the benefit show, along with many other subjects, including working with Rush and the loss of Neil Peart:
"It was quite a riot being involved with the label and being the AR guy for one of the best bands (Rush). With Rush you don't AR them you just let them do what they do and I would never think I can come in and contribute anyway to make their records better. But what I pride myself in is introducing them to (producer) Nick Raskulinecz. They (Rush) came to me one day and said they have a list of producers and asked me who do you think should produce us? So I brought a couple of names forth and one of them was Nick Raskulinecz and he hit it off with them and they made two records with him arguable their best music on the last couple of records they made. I was fortunate to be with them at the Rock And Roll Hall of Fame when Rush were inducted. I was constantly pinching myself on a daily basis. How did I get here? How am I working with these guys? I used to idolize these guys. I grew up listening to Rush, i was at Massey Hall when All the World's A Stage show (where live album was recorded). I loved every minute of it. I'm still involved with Rush helping them out." ... "Neil [Peart] was a very private man, it took a while to break the ice with Neil but we became fast friends over Ice Hockey. With Neil we worked with the Hockey Hall of Fame, TSN we did that theme song for Hockey Night In Canada and I had a very special relationship with him he was a very quiet private guy but easily of the most kindest person I ever met in my life. Just the tragic loss for all of us, even though we were prepared in the Rush camp for it and we knew about it. That was a tough loss for sure."
Curran also appeared on Eddie Trunk's Sirius XM radio program yesterday afternoon to help promote the show, and second hand reports indicate that he spoke a bit about Rush. There's no recording available online, but apparently he mentioned that he's been playing golf with Alex and having dinner with Geddy, and both are looking to make new music at some point, but it's still too soon after Neil's passing (thanks John at Cygnus-X1.net).
