Begin the break with a ritual check
of the boxscores unobtrusive
See the homer that's so elusive
fantasy winning makes your morning good.

Goddam Rush is so serious. Def Leppard worked their ass off too. but still made time for intimate contact with their fans during intermission.

One of the all-time great Primer music threads came out of a news story discussing Geddy Lee's donation of a bunch of memorabilia to the Hall of Fame. He's a genuine baseball nut, which is great...even if I've never liked Rush.

A modern day hurler pitches inside
Today's Tom Seaver he comes high on you.

Geddy used to sit right behind home plate at Skydome. My GF would spend the entire Sox/Jays game watching him instead of the on field action-she's a Rush fan.

We can walk to first unhindered
If our count reaches four balls
We can run alone and free
If we can hit it past the walls
Let the OBP be lighted
Let the SLG shine clear
Stitched cow hide leather
Rubbed with mud from who knows where
With the cork and yarn united in a single
Perfect
Sphere

Despite reading this site for over a decade, this was my first time hearing a Pavement song, thanks to the video up at the top. I can't say that I'm impressed. It wasn't objectionable, but I don't feel compelled to listen to more of their music.

I spent my youth going to Rush concerts. I think i have a program from every concert from Moving Pictures to Roll the Bones. As a side not they had some nororiously awful openning bands...

This, however, is the first time ive read about Geddy in years. Are they still putting out albums?

Clockwork Angels is highly recommended

@6. Well done ending of hemispheres

This, however, is the first time ive read about Geddy in years. Are they still putting out albums?

They just released a new album last year ("Clockwork Angels") which is pretty good, and are pretty much on tour year-round.

If you didn't like their openers, you'll be happy to know they haven't had an opener is well over a decade.

The league even includes defense, assigning point values to double plays, outfield assists, errors and passed balls, and features – in Lee’s words – “an ongoing conversation about how the league should be run” that “can be very heated at times.”

Suggestion: use better defensive stats!

a system he jokingly compared to socialism wherein the worst teams are allowed to keep more players for the next season than the highest finishers

Now there's no more Geddy oppression, for they passed a noble law
And the teams are all kept equal by keepers... salary caps... and auctions

Goddam Rush is so serious.

Not as serious as most people think. They've always--OK, not always, but certainly in the last 20 years--poked A LOT of fun at themselves. In the best sense, they take their music seriously, but not themselves. Cartoons behind them during shows, a real down-to-"earthness" in their interactions with fans. Some of the perception may be because Neil Peart is intensely private, and does not do many interviews. (Though they all did appear on the Colbert Report; he dedicated nearly a whole show to them).

I'm not a fan of Rush or The Trailer Park Boys, but I seem to recall them appearing on that program.

I spent my youth going to Rush concerts. I think i have a program from every concert from Moving Pictures to Roll the Bones. As a side not they had some nororiously awful openning bands...

I dated a girl who's on the cover of Exit... Stage Left.
Not that girl, but still. What do I win?

You win being a Rush fan who dated a girl. Isn't that enough?

One of the all-time great Primer music threads came out of a news story discussing Geddy Lee's donation of a bunch of memorabilia to the Hall of Fame.

I think you're talking about this one, one of my favorite music threads as well.

Double post

You win being a Rush fan who dated a girl. Isn't that enough?

Actually, neither of us was. Double win!

Goddam Rush is so serious.

As others have said, they've certainly got a reputation for seriousness, but they've got a subtle goofy sense of humor. And Geddy is a huge baseball fan. This is from the Signals album art - it's both goofy and indicative of baseball obsession.

As others have said, they've certainly got a reputation for seriousness, but they've got a subtle goofy sense of humor.

Yes, they do laundry on stage. A roadie changes the load mid-set.

This is from the Signals album art - it's both goofy and indicative of baseball obsession.

Cro! You beat me to posting that.

I was just glancing over his numbers - what's with the comeback in '91 with KC? He was 37 and hadn't been in the bigs for 8 years! Was Cromartie a Senior League success story or some such?

Japan

Saw Rush in the fall of 1981. They opened with The Spirit of Radio (probably still my favorite track). They changed the lyrics slightly to say ..."one likes to believe in the freedom of baseball...", possibly in response to the strike.

15 was funny.

This thread got me listening to Exit Stage left. I just gotta say I absolutely love YYZ, how the rhythm beats out the Morse identifier for Pearson Intn'l Airport.

I don't remember the content of the cartoon at ALL, but when I saw Rush in New Hampshire several years back there was a South Park cartoon during the show. Not during intermission, during the show.

Also, I'm a Rush fan who is currently in a long-term relationship with a girl. And she knows about it! (Along with all my other quirks and nerdiness. Also, I'm listening to Blue Oyster Cult as I make this post.)

EDIT: I just checked the old Rush topic which was linked to earlier in this topic and my first post says "Rush is awesome. I get to see them in concert for the first time this summer." So that dates that concert!

And what about the voice of Geddy Lee?
How did it get so high?
I wonder if he speaks like an ordinary guy
(i know him, and he does)
Well you're my fact checking cuz!

26: you may be thinking of this:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Eh_9NY56Sxw

Not as serious as most people think. They've always--OK, not always, but certainly in the last 20 years--poked A LOT of fun at themselves. In the best sense, they take their music seriously, but not themselves. Cartoons behind them during shows, a real down-to-"earthness" in their interactions with fans. Some of the perception may be because Neil Peart is intensely private, and does not do many interviews. (Though they all did appear on the Colbert Report; he dedicated nearly a whole show to them).

The day I hear about them receiving intermission fellattio in a room undrer the stage from girls they plucked from the crowd, that's when they might finally deserve to be called a rock band.

Impeccable, if not amazing musicianship from every member?

Well crafted, meaningful and even moving lyrics?

Thematically consistent albums covering a wide range of musical influences?

Mature, thoughtful adult behavior?

Bah, they are just posers, really just a jazz/classical fusion trio who hide it behind distortion and volume.

When are they going to destroy a suite of hotel rooms, go to rehab with supermodel girlfriends,, or play drunk destruction derby with their ferraris and lamborginis on a public interstate?

When are the going to stop using so many goddam notes and chords? Three! That's all you need! Three chords, a bottle of jack, and a 17 year old groupie, that's rock n roll!!!

Every time I'm forced to listen to these guys as their songs come on my iPod I say, please, miss a note just by a little, come in late just once , just let me find a friggin mistake so I know you are human. But all I hear is an inhuman level of perfection, and I just can't stop listening on and on trying to find that point where they suck. It's been a life long quest, one that I probably won't ever quit...

Goddam Rush is so serious.

Obligatory video.

Edit: Repost 12 minutes later.

Edit: Repost 12 minutes later.

Aw, Neil Peart's drum solo was just getting started.

Despite reading this site for over a decade, this was my first time hearing a Pavement song, thanks to the video up at the top. I can't say that I'm impressed. It wasn't objectionable, but I don't feel compelled to listen to more of their music.

Yeah, me too. I got through 45 seconds of that before I killed it. I don't get bands that seemingly revel in their inability to play their instruments.

I like RUSH, I don't love them, but they could at least play their instruments - if they found a real singer they could be amazing. The only thing that annoys me with them is Geddy singing. The music and even lyric content is solid. But then Geddy opens his mouth....

Pavement? #### - that's awful. Sorry folks. Turrible.

I was just glancing over his numbers - what's with the comeback in '91 with KC? He was 37 and hadn't been in the bigs for 8 years! Was Cromartie a Senior League success story or some such?

Cromartie had one of the more successful careers for an American playing in Japan, initially being typecast as an "Ugly American" by the Japanese media, but gaining their respect by the end of his time there. In seven years with the Yomiuri Giants, he hit .321/.372/.558, with 171 home runs. In 1989, he won the Central League MVP award, after hitting a league-leading .378. He hit .346 in that year's Japan Series, which the Giants won in seven games, one of two championships they won in his time there.

Pavement? #### - that's awful. Sorry folks. Turrible.

I'm with Repoz.

I'm with Repoz.

Do you enjoy being wrong? ;-)

If anybody wants to hear the most wonderfully awful popular song ever written, click here. (It just goes to a Youtube video.)

My only RUSH story is that despite being fine with most of their stuff, Moving Pictures gives me a real headache.

I was a ping-pong nut at 11 years old or so, and while spending 10 days camping up at Wellesley Island and destroying all comers in the rec hall for hours every day, someone had that album on infinite repeat on the juke. I still never want to hear any of it it again.

Goddam Rush is so serious.

Uh, no. They've been showing the documentary/concert video Rush: Time Machine on the Movie Network lately, and its a must-see for anyone remotely into rock music. The funniest thing, and proof positive that they don't take themselves seriously, is towards the end of the film when they're doing a show onstage with a mechanical sausage maker behind them, and then Geddy and Alex go grab some sausages and start throwing them out into the (90% male) crowd. If that's not poking fun at yourself I don't know what is.

I really wanted to see their show in Halifax, NS this summer, because I've never seen them, but it sold out in 20 minutes. Hopefully they'll add an outdoor show in Moncton to the end of their tour.

I went out and bought a Pavement greatest hits album a couple of years ago after hearing Ray and others go on about them (I'd never heard them before) and its OK. I give it a listen every once in awhile. Unseen Power of the Picket Fence is by far my favourite song of theirs. And no, they can't play worth ####. Musicianship can be important, but its not the be-all and end-all. Mumford and Sons are excellent musicians, and I don't think any band has induced such utter disgust in me as them, the minute I heard them. To me, they are the definition of contrived and inauthentic. Can't ####### stand them.

Pavement is the band that has meant the most to me ever--I still remember listening to Slanted and Enchanted the first time and being sad I didn't know anyone else I could share it with. I instantly wanted a bunch of new friends who would also like Pavement but that was a tough find in Salinas, California in 1991. I had no idea they had a greatest hits album, though. I never even realized they had "hits". For me, they were the perfect rock band--low fi, smartass and yet transcendent of both those qualities.

Mumford and Sons are excellent musicians, and I don't think any band has induced such utter disgust in me as them, the minute I heard them. To me, they are the definition of contrived and inauthentic.

I totally don't get the M&S love. I am kind of a musical slut (I like many things), but to me they sound like a mediocre Irish Bar band. I like irish bar bands, but this is winning awards and fans everywhere, really?

And yes I like Rush. At some point I will listen to Pavement.

Shooty, its called Quarantine the Past: The Best of Pavement. It was released in 2010 and has 23 tracks.

From FTA:

Lee's dynasty keeper league assigns point values to nearly every event that happens on a baseball field, and employs a system he jokingly compared to socialism wherein the worst teams are allowed to keep more players for the next season than the highest finishers.

I wonder what Neil Peart's thoughts are on a socialist fantasy league?

Shooty, its called Quarantine the Past: The Best of Pavement. It was released in 2010 and has 23 tracks.

Thanks. I'll probably skip it as I'm sure I already own all the songs on one disc or another. I don't think they're a good greatest hits kind of band but I really am not sure which album I'd recommend for new listeners. Slanted and Enchanted is a good one but, over time, Westing by Musket and Sextant has become my favorite though I think it would scare first time listeners off. Maybe Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain is the best place to start?

I haven't listened to Quarantine, but that's probably not the worst place to begin, though I agree that they aren't a GH type of group.

Failing that, probably Crooker Rain. I actually used Terror Twilight with one friend, thinking the Godrich production (and Malkmus-centeredness) might make for a good gateway point - but I get why others might not do that. [I also like TT more than most.]

You know, this wasn't a band I "got" right away - I had copies of Wowee Zowie and S and E sitting in the closet for years, getting semi-annual token listens, before it finally clicked one day.

I like RUSH, I don't love them, but they could at least play their instruments - if they found a real singer they could be amazing. The only thing that annoys me with them is Geddy singing. The music and even lyric content is solid. But then Geddy opens his mouth....

It does make you wonder about the voice of Geddy Lee. How did it get so high?

Pavement? #### - that's awful. Sorry folks. Turrible.

Oh, maybe it doesn't.

Yeah, me too. I got through 45 seconds of that before I killed it. I don't get bands that seemingly revel in their inability to play their instruments.

Should've listened all the way through to the end. The guitar solo that winds up "Rattled By The Rush" just kills it. (EDIT: On second thought, this video version not only has terrible sound quality -- which hurts the song a lot, as it's based around finely calibrated dissonance -- it's also slightly out of tune. Bleah.)

But that's not the best entryway into the band anyway. "Gold Soundz," "Silence Kit," "Range Life," "Elevate Me Later" (hell, most of Crooked Rain)...that's where you begin. Pavement were always about songwriting and arranging first and foremost, and then experimentation second, and only finally instrumentation. And nobody wrote better songs during the 1990s than Pavement.

One other thing I like about them is how emotionally resonant their music can be despite the fact that it often, lyrically, makes very little literal sense. It's not an accident, I think, it's actually a truly clever trick of sideways lyric-writing.

Music question: Going to Dropkick Murphys with a friend who really likes them. I think they are stupid but occasionally stupidly brilliant.

My question: Are the fans violent? Raucous, I can handle. Getting sucker-punched, not so much.

#12 See for instance "Take off" (he very much plays up to the serious reputation while falling in with all of the Bob and Doug memes.) The bits that stick with me are: "Ten bucks is ten bucks" and "I'm a professional, eh"

Nothing exceptionally clever. Just a guy who's aware of his reputation and is willing to play a straight man for a few laughs.

Geddy and Alex go grab some sausages and start throwing them out into the (90% male) crowd. If that's not poking fun at yourself I don't know what is

A real rock band would be tossing their own sausages out if you get my drift, hopefully to a 90% female crowd.

Today i have an App submission to get ready for Apple. I think I will start with a Passage to Bangkok, and let Geddy/Neal/Alex help me through one more tough day.