Colin takes a look back at the iconic drummer as we observe the the one-year anniversary of his passing.
Read MoreRUSH/Neil Peart and Nerd Fandom at Its Finest, Including a Homemade "Outdoor Drama" - by Kevin Montavon
Music fans worldwide were devastated this week to learn of the passing of a man who many consider not only the greatest rock drummer of all time, but also a lyricist par excellence as well; Neil Peart of Rush. For me, as I am sure it was for thousands, if not millions of Rush fans, it felt like I lost a dear friend.
Rush was the first band that I became a fan of after a stretch of 5 or 6 years of listening to nothing but Kiss. I still remember the day at Boy Scout summer camp when I heard the crazy long-haired older kid from down the street playing this amazing band on his jambox. There was this long thundering intro that built up to a driving metal soundscape before crashing out into a soft voice that was singing...a Bible quote? What was this? Some Christian band? But wait, then this thunderous roar began again and the most high-pitched voice I had ever heard started singing a song about priests (I was a Catholic, so these words intrigued me) of some Temple named Syrinx. Then there was this song about a guitar, and how these priests flipped out over the discovery of said guitar, and how it was going to ruin the world like it did the world of “ancient man,” then there was a song with this guy dying by a waterfall, and finally a song about an alien force conquering the planet. I was HOOKED. I couldn't believe what I was hearing. From that moment I became a fan.
Rush fans are notorious for being nerds and geeks, whatever those words actually mean in the year 2020. It seems they are a badge of honor today, but trust me, not so in the 1980's. Rush fans were the original fanboys. Hell, go watch the movie that is called Fanboys where Rush fandom is portrayed as nerd-culture chic alongside the main storyline of the movie, which deals with Star Wars worship. As I was reminiscing about my early love for Rush, I realized that I may indeed be a candidate for the ultimate Rush geek. Because let me tell you, at that young impressionable age, this whole storyline concept thing that I was hearing on 2112 really fascinated me. And the wheels in my head started to turn.
Here's where the story takes a side turn for a brief moment. Gotta set the stage here...pun intended. Growing up in Ohio, we have this thing here called an “outdoor drama” in Chillicothe, Ohio. It's called Tecumseh, and it's a play that is presented in an outdoor amphitheater in a gorgeous natural setting, that depicts the life of the legendary Shawnee leader. Around the time I first heard 2112, my older sister had taken me to see Tecumseh. Also around this same time, I had been on vacation with my Dad and brother in Cherokee, North Carolina, where the three of us had watched another outdoor drama called Unto These Hills. This one depicted the history of the Cherokee Indian Tribe. I was very much a fan of both of these presentations, and I had a great idea to do something similar in my own back yard…..literally.
I rounded up the neighborhood gang, consisting of my younger brother, and the three kids who lived across the street. All five of us were within just a few years of each other in age. At this time, I was the only real rock music fan in the group, but I was quite the ambassador already. Through my skills of persuasion I managed to talk the other kids into the acting out of 2112 as our own outdoor drama, in front of our parents. It was on. This was no small presentation either. We had stage sets – a stone barbecue with a Rubik's cube placed on top of it served as the “Great Computer” of our Temple Of Syrinx, and after a quick set change the same stone structure served as the cave where the protagonist dies.
We had choreographed battle scenes when the aliens attacked, complete with live ammunition in the form of firecrackers and smoke bombs (this was the early 80's...safety concerns not quite being what they are today). My brother and the neighbor boy were in charge of the effects. They went a little overboard, placing a couple of smoke bombs right under the chairs of a few parents. I even wrote a libretto (which I wish I still had today), explaining the storyline of the album. It was neighborhood Broadway theater at its...finest? Unfortunately, or fortunately as the case may be, no photos or any kind of permanent record exists of this performance. I don't think any of the parents snapped any Polaroids (and if they did, I've never seen any), and there was definitely no social media then. So you're just going to have to take my word for it that this display of nerdiness actually happened.
The outdoor drama wasn't the only way I overindulged on Rush as a youth. The live album All The World's A Stage, coincidentally recorded on the 2112 tour, became the soundtrack whenever I wanted to play “rock band.” At one point I actually had my entire room converted into a “stage” where I “performed” that album, along with selections from Kiss Alive I & II “in concert” on a daily basis. I even recruited my Dad's assistance in this endeavor, making use of his carpentry skills to help me create air-guitars of the highest quality. I had Les Paul copies, Stratocaster copies, and of course I had a Rickenbacker Geddy Lee-style bass. None of these guitars had actual strings on them, or actually worked. If only I had put as much effort into learning to play a real instrument as I did in posing and rocking out with my models, I might have actually accomplished something as an adult musician.
I was fortunate enough when I got older to actually see the real Rush in concert. I eventually saw them 18 times over the years. I never missed a show in whatever locality I was living. And every time I saw them, I became that same little kid, acting out his fantasies in front of a large mirror and dreaming of the day I could set foot on that stage myself.
I am deeply saddened over the death of Neil Peart, but I will choose to reflect on all of the joy that he brought to my life, beginning in those storied days of youth, when anything seemed possible. - Kevin M.
Top Ten Rock Vocalists: Part One - by Wal Ozello
I'm sure this list will bring on comments-a-plenty, but I'm also sure to surprise you on the way.
Let me set the ground rules for my list. Only those with vocal talent are on it. These aren't front men. Don't expect to see David Lee Roth, Mick Jagger, or Bruce Springsteen on my list. Just because they can shake their ass, dance around, or have a shitload of stage presence doesn't mean they can actually sing. And just because they are an amazing songwriter like John Lennon or Billy Joel doesn't mean they have a voice that transcends the ages.
These singers use their voice as an instrument. They know how to sing a phrase, turn a note, and add color. They know when to rip out lyric with power or suddenly add that magical breathiness. Most importantly, they are distinctive and instantly recognizable. You hear them and you know it. A band without them is just a bunch of musicians.
My runners-up for this list were (in no consecutive order): Jim Morrison, Axl Rose, Don Henley, Grace Slick, James LaBrie from Dream Theatre, Dio, Geoff Tate from Queensryche, and David Gilmour from Pink Floyd.
#10: P!nk. And right out of the chute I'm sure to get people to say WHAT???? Yeah, I said it. P!nk. There's got to be a woman on this list and it's not going to be Janis Joplin with her whiskey voice. Remove the fact that P!nk's a pop sensation. She's got shitload of talent, blues, power, range, and dynamic. She can cross many genres and pull all of them off. Yeah, she's known for her pop and I can't blame her for wanting the fame and fortune and everything that goes with it. You still think I'm crazy? Listen to her rendition of Somewhere Over The Rainbow at the Oscars. Sure, it's not rock... but it's bluesy as all hell.
#9 Eddie Vedder Eddie's voice reminds me of a string double bass that strums around in the lower range and every now and then works down the neck to surprise you with a higher note. He's able to bring emotion to a phrase without overdoing it - which is something most singers can't do. Listen to the opening notes of his song Release. At first, you'll mistake them for a low end note of a synthesizer.
#8 Roy Orbison I got to reach back to good ol' days of rock n' roll for at least one singer on my list. It's not going to be Elvis. It's not going to be one of The Beatles, either. Roy has an amazing voice and complete control of it. He has range like none other and that soft, gentle voice that makes you think everything is going to be okay. I fell in love with this song during my Blue Velvet days. Cue the candy colored clown they call the sandman.
#7 Bon Scott This guy is like an angry Bob Dylan with a range - sometimes you can't understand a word he's saying but that gravely bluesy angry voice makes you want to f'n rock. There's raw power in his voice but don't be fooled. He's not your ordinary angry hard rocker. The guy knows how to sing like a growling tenor saxophonist in a dive bar on Bourbon Street. Listen to the phrasing and rhythmic melodies he creates, entwining the lyrics in between the drum beats.
#6 Geddy Lee from Rush. Geddy doesn't have the panache like most of the singers on my list and ends up on more "best bassists" than vocalists lists. But after personally singing his stuff over the past 20 years of my life, I can attest that it's extremely challenging. Just try hitting the high notes in Temple of Syrinx or the baritone notes of Trees. Geddy makes it all look effortless while he's playing the most complicated bass licks and keyboard parts. There's a certain beauty and awe about his melodies - they are a bit odd and different but that adds to the magic that is Rush. Here's one of my favorites.
Check out Part Two - Vocalists #5 through #2
Wal Ozello is the author of Assignment 1989: The Time Travel Wars and was the lead singer of the Columbus hairband Armada. He's a resident of Upper Arlington, Ohio and a frequent customer at Colin's Coffee.
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Top Ten Awesome Things About 2013 by Wal Ozello
Top Ten Awesome Things About 2013
At the end of the year, people make lists. Lists of best Sporting Moments, Entertainment Moments, Songs, Movies, etc. I believe that 2013 was an awesome year, one of the most awesome in a long time.
So here, below, is my take on the most awesome things in 2013.
1) Catholic Church selects its first pope that actually talks and acts like Jesus. Pope Francis is definitely awesome. Not only does he say the most inspirational things and encourage us to be more human, kind, and loving to each other, the guy actually practices what he preaches. For example, instead of living in the Pope Palace, he’s decided to live in more humble apartment on the Vatican campus. Good things are in our future because of this guy.
2) Rush was inducted into the Rock N Roll Hall of Fame. Okay, they are Canadian but they are the three most amazing musicians ever, and they all play in the same band together! How they’ve been shunned by the Rock Hall for over 10 years is beyond the 10 millions of fans they attract. This induction showed that the fans opinion really matters, that musicianship and talent really matters, and that the people who pick the Hall of Famers do have an ounce of intelligence in their brains.
3) President Obama goes from our first black president to being just the president. Barack Obama being elected our first black president was an amazing historic event, but what’s even more amazing is that eventually we stopped talking about him being black and just talked about him being president. I don’t think the color of his skin is the most dominant thing about him anymore. Now he’s getting beaten up by the Republicans just like every other white Democratic president before him. That’s a step forward in equal rights.
4) Jennifer Lawrence becomes the first mega-celebrity of the century who is not an asshole. This was a huge year for Jennifer Lawrence. She’s a great actress and starred in just about every awesome movie that was released in 2013. We’d expect this to be followed with reports of her driving crazy drunk, shoplifting, naming her baby some bizarre name, etc., etc., etc. Instead she shunned all that and tried to stay as normal as could be. We haven’t had a celebrity like this since Michael J. Fox in the 1980s.
5) We found Iran’s phone number. We’ve gone decades not talking to Iran. They’ve hated us, we’ve hated them. But while Congress was complaining about Obamacare and the economy, the Executive Branch started opening up some dialogue with Iran and had some conversations that may lead to more conversations about them not using Nuclear Arms and us dissolving some economic sanctions. This is what a world power should do – reach out to the crazy little guy and build some bridges. Maybe they won’t be that crazy anymore.
6) Divorce rates may go down now that Gay Marriage is legal in over a third of the U.S. That’s right folks, 18 states have legalized gay marriage and few more recognize out-of- state gay marriages. Do the math, that’s 36% of the states in our union. Furthermore, the U.S. Supreme Court said the 1996 Defense of Marriage Act was illegal. This is awesome for civil rights, great for humanity, and frankly good for the economy.
7) Ohio State Buckeyes beat that team up North, again. Sure, we didn’t have an undefeated season and fell out of the National Championship, but we’re still going to the Orange Bowl and we beat the Wolverines. That’s awesome. Frankly, I’m one of those people that believe even if we have a 1-11 season, it’s still an awesome thing as long as that one win is against the whores from Ann Arbor.
8) Most unproductive Congress in modern history. The 113th Congress passed a total of 65 laws including measures like post-office renaming and commemorative-coin authorizations. Why is this awesome? Would you trust this Congress to do anything right? The less laws they passed the better off we are.
9) Casting begins for next Star Wars movie. If you don’t think this is Awesome than maybe you don’t understand what Awesome really is.
10) End of the year proves that 2014 will be better than 2013. We had a great last quarter in 2013. Repubs and Dems actually talked to each other and passed a budget to last two years. That’s awesome. We added a bunch of jobs in November and had the lowest unemployment rate in four years. That’s awesome. If we keep this momentum going into 2014, then things are only going to get better. And that’s truly awesome.
You may not agree with all the things on my list, or might find some of the things I said offensive, but it’s my list. Feel free to create your own. But what I think is inarguable is that 2013 was awesome, and we are positioned to make 2014 even better – if we all try to.
Wal Ozello is the author of Assignment 1989: The Time Travel Wars and is the lead singer of the Columbus hairband Armada. He's a resident of Upper Arlington, Ohio and a frequent customer at Colin's Coffee.