I'd mentioned in a recent Friday updates post that Rush was featured in the November 6th issue of Billboard Magazine in celebration of their being named the Legend of Live at the 7th annual Billboard Touring Awards Thursday night. The Billboard Magazine feature was posted online yesterday and consists of an interview with Geddy Lee, a short article by Neil Peart and an article feature titled Rush: Steady as they Go which contains interview snippets with Geddy Lee and manager Ray Danniels, including this quote which I had mentioned in my earlier Friday updates post:
... At press time, Rush had just wrapped four sellout shows in South American stadiums and found itself in the sweet spot of needing to decide whether to resume its Time Machine tour or finish work on its 20th studio album, "Clockwork Angels." "There's a lot of pressure to continue the tour because it's been so successful," says longtime manager Ray Danniels of SRO Entertainment. "But there's also that
artistic drive to finish the record." ...... More touring is inevitable, according to Danniels. He predicts that "Clockwork Angels" will arrive either at the end of 2011 or in first-quarter 2012. And as far as the long-term future is concerned, Rush is fit to keep logging plenty more career miles. "I think they will go for a long time," Danniels says when asked how long Rush
will remain active. "They talk about 10 years. I think as long as they remain healthy, I don't see them not doing this. They're enjoying it." ...
In the Geddy Lee interview Geddy summarizes the history of the band, reflects on Rush's longevity and has the following to say regarding the Legend of Live award and being honored for Rush's success with touring:
... That stands out for us because so much of what we are we owe to playing live. Here we are over 40 years later and the next few nights we're playing in two new countries to new audiences that have never seen us before. I would say in all candor I believe that as players and bandmates together, we're probably playing as well as we ever have in our history, and that makes me incredibly proud to take this show to new countries and new audiences.
It kind of drives the whole thing, in a way. Even though writing and creating is something you need to have to stay a band, the fact that we were kind of born on the road and are still out there says a lot about what made us what we are.
In the article written by Neil Peart, Neil reflects on his feelings towards touring:
... However, then as now, live performance is the ultimate test of a musician, and of a band. The price, of course, is the nomadic, exhausting, potentially alienating alternate reality of touring life-and it can take a heavy toll (witness so many lost individuals and wrecked relationships, romantic and musical).
As long ago as 1989, I decided that such a life was just too much for me-the grind of traveling, the tedium, the repetition, the separation from home and loved ones and the constant whirl of strangers around my nucleus of self-contained, reflective peace. Following the recording of our "Presto" album that year, I made the announcement to my bandmates and manager that I didn't want to tour anymore.
Yet 21 years later, here I am, doing it all over again. Again and again.
And no end in sight.
The simple explanation is that all those years ago, in 1989, after much soul searching, I decided that the question came down to one basic belief: "A real band plays live." If I was going to call myself a musician, I would have to accept the burden that goes with that vocation. So, in the years since then, I have found ways to make that burden tolerable-even enjoyable. And, ultimately, inspiring. ...
Rush was presented the Legend of Live award at the 7th annual Billboard Touring Awards in New York City Thursday night. CNN's John Roberts introduced the band and Alex Lifeson accepted the award on the band's behalf. John DeNobile was in attendance and shot video of the event which you can check out here (John Roberts introduction) and here (Alex's speech). There's also this gallery of photos from Getty Images. Thanks to RushFanForever for the heads up.
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