80 pages published by Omnibus Press, 1982
"Rush, the Canadian heavy metal megastars. This is their complete story - from early days in the suburbs of Toronto to their present envied position as the number one hard rock band on earth. Brian Harrigan writes for Melody Maker and was previously press officer for Rush in the UK."
48 pages published by Cherry Lane Books, 1985
"Success Under Pressure is the definitive history of Rush - Canada's finest hard rock export. Written by top U.K. journalist Steve Gett, the book traces the trio's history from their early days on the Toronto bar and club circuit, to their current high-ranking status, and is packed with extensive interview material. The collective stories of Geddy Lee, Alex Lifeson and Neil Peart merge to form a detailed analysis of the band that will certainly satisfy the hungry appetites of their diehard supporters. Gett's highly illuminating text is accompanied by an outstanding series of exclusive pictures from the collection of Rush's official photographer Fin Costello."
96 pages published by Omnibus Press, April 4, 1988
"This first and only official biography follows the career of Geddy Lee, Alex Lifeson and Neil Peart from their earliest days as a Toronto bar band performing cover versions of sixties rock to their most recent LP 'Hold Your Fire'."
Rock & Roll comics #49, July 1992, published in Canada by Revolutionary Comics as "Canadian Rock & Roll Special #1", April 1994
"The Canadian power trio Rush is profiled in a comic which details the formation of the band and their rise to platinum superstars. Meticulously researched, this comic provides a rare inner view of the makining of classic albums like Fly By Night, 2112, Permanent Waves and others. Art by Terry Pallot (Adventures Of Superman), cover by Scott Jackson (Heavy Metal Monsters)."
160 pages published by Wildside Press, 1997
"Carol Selby Price & Robert M. Price have selected for discussion many of the best-known songs of Rush, organizing them into seven chapters based around general themes. The pieces lend themselves to such treatment quite naturally, since there is a consistent development in Rush from the very beginning of the group to modern times. Rush's lyrics are complex, and the ideas in them not always easily understood. Mystic Rhythms will provide the key to these lyrical puzzles, provoking as much thought as the songs themselves."
First edition June 2000, second edition 80 pages by Writers Club Press January 7, 2002
"In the world of popular music, the Canadian trio RUSH occupies a unique yet often overlooked niche. For more than 25 years, Alex Lifeson, Geddy Lee and Neil Peart have produced over 20 albums and have sold over 30 million copies worldwide. This work explores the band's vision lyrically and musically from 1980's Permanent Waves to 1996's Test for Echo. It is a fan's exploration only and does not attempt to be the definitive explanation of the band's vision. It will appeal to the core fan base of the band as well as the Rush newbie."
230 pages published by ECW Press, June 28, 2004
"Contents Under Pressure celebrates the 30th anniversary of Canada's beloved Rush, the hard-hitting, progressive rock band known for such classics as "Working Man," "Closer to the Heart," "The Spirit of Radio," "Tom Sawyer," "New World Man," "Roll the Bones" and "Ghost Rider." In original interviews with Geddy Lee, Alex Lifeson and Neil Peart, author Martin Popoff considers each of Rush's albums and tours. He elicits fresh insights on the writing and recording process, as well as musings on the grinds and glories of touring. Along the way, Popoff examines, with the band, nearly every song in the band's vast catalogue. This book also features 270 photos by official band photographer Andrew MacNaughtan and others - candid, rare, and of utmost quality, they help make Contents Under Pressure an essential piece of Rush history."
80 pages published by Rounder Books, December 16, 2004
"This photo book features intimate portraits of legendary Rush drummer Neil Peart at work in a Toronto recording studio, as captured by photographer Carrie Nuttall. A must have for Rush's extensive fan base, as well as enthusiasts of both drumming and photography. Carrie Nuttall is a professional photographer who has worked extensively in both the music and fashion industries."
272 pages published by Indiana University Press, October 28, 2009
"Canadian progressive rock band Rush was the voice of the suburban middle class. In this book, Chris McDonald assesses the band's impact on popular music and its legacy for legions of fans. McDonald explores the ways in which Rush's critique of suburban life -- and its strategies for escape -- reflected middle-class aspirations and anxieties, while its performances manifested the dialectic in prog rock between discipline and austerity, and the desire for spectacle and excess. The band's reception reflected the internal struggles of the middle class over cultural status. Critics cavalierly dismissed, or apologetically praised, Rush's music for its middlebrow leanings. McDonald's wide-ranging musical and cultural analysis sheds light on one of the most successful and enduring rock bands of the 1970s and 1980s."
272 pages published by Helter Skelter Books, January 15, 2006
"Against a background of disinterest from the media and a refusal to compromise their music, Rush's success was by no means guaranteed. Since the beginning, only the determined efforts and downright stamina of the band members and those around them were sufficient to counter the wall of silence. Sharing a single-minded determination to take on the system and win, Geddy, Alex and Neil have never rested on their laurels. Pushing themselves to achieve technical excellence, never avoiding the challenge of taking on new musical influences, through huge changes of fashion and major personal tragedy, the entity we know as Rush has endured. Thirty years on, the band is still creating new music and packing arenas and stadiums around the globe. Meticulously researched over three years, Chemistry draws on over 50 new interviews with those closest to the band. As the most detailed biography of Rush ever written, this book pulls together the threads and investigates the reasons that have enabled this band to succeed against the odds."
400 pages published by Showtech, November 28, 2005
"This is a 400 page coffee table book with all of Rush's tour books to date, a total of 15 books. The books have been reproduced and bound together in a black, cloth-wrapped 12" x 12" book. The front cover is debossed in black and silver foil with the starman logo. There is a two-page introduction written by Neil Peart, detailing his involvement in the design and content of every Rush tour book going back to 1977."
288 pages published by Open Court, May 10, 2011
"Rush and Philosophy is a fascinating look at the music and lyrics of the band, written by an assortment of philosophers and scholars with eclectic and diverse backgrounds who love Rush's music and who 'get' the meaning and importance of it. They discuss Rush with the enthusiasm of fans and the seriousness of college professors. The book will be a must-read for the many fans who have long known that Rush deserves as much respect as the ideas, concepts, and puzzles about human existence they write and compose music about."
53 pages published by Beets Working Inc, September 30, 2012
"Rush as Food: The cookbook documents the dinner series by Matt Kantor, who deconstructed nine rush songs into food for a charity event. This event was held in Toronto in July of 2012, proceeds of this dinner to benefit "Art Gives Hope", the WorldVision project started by Andrew MacNaughtan, long time Rush photographer who passed away earlier in the year. Each dish contains background, recipes, photographs and in some cases videos and interactive components, making this a must have cookbook for any home enthusiast or die-hard Rush fan."
53 pages published by Beets Working Inc, September 30, 2012
"Taking Center Stage is the definitive print retrospective and musical documentation of the career of one of the greatest rock drummers of all time, Neil Peart of Rush. Originally conceived as a companion to the groundbreaking 2011 3-disc DVD set of the same name, this book combines astonishingly detailed musical transcriptions, historical writing, instructional text, and a beautiful collection of photographs to create a book that every drummer and every fan of Neil and Rush will want to add to their collection. At the heart of the book are note-for-note musical transcriptions of 17 songs that are included on the Taking Center Stage DVD. These transcriptions are exclusive to this book, since they are taken from the performances on the DVD, documenting how Neil currently approaches the songs. But this is much more than a mere transcription book. The book is divided into chapters corresponding to each and every Rush tour from the time Neil joined the band in 1975, up to the present. Each of these chapters contains extensive text discussing the musical approach of the band at the time, the construction of the drum parts, and Neil's set up. Accompanying this are exquisitely detailed diagrams of each of Neil's drumsets, produced after extensive research into the exact instruments that were used on every tour. Tying everything together is a beautiful collection of dozens of photographs taken over the past 30 years, including exclusive shots from the archives of Fin Costello and Andrew McNauhgtan, which show Neil and his drums in vivid detail. The book also contains color reproductions of just about every drum company advertisement that featured Neil during his career. Written, transcribed, and researched by well-known drummer, author, and educator Joe Bergamini (who also co-produced and appeared in the DVD), and overseen and edited by Neil himself, Taking Center Stage: A Lifetime of Live Performance is the most complete, accurate, and definitive work on Neil Peart's career as a drummer."
192 pages published by Voyageur Press, May 15, 2013 (first edition), June 1, 2016 (updated edition)
"A chronological overview history written by noted music scribe and Rush authority Martin Popoff spans the band's entire career from 1968 to today. A complete Rush discography chronicles all their albums, from the debut album to 2112, Moving Pictures, and Signals to Grace Under Pressure, Vapor Trails, and more. The authoritative text is complemented by album reviews written by well-known music journalists from around the globe, commentary from fellow musicians, a discography, tour dates, and hundreds of photographs and pieces of memorabilia, including picture sleeves, gig posters, rare vinyl, handbills, ticket stubs, and much more."
272 pages published by Backbeat, May 1, 2014
"Rush FAQ documents the amazing story of the world's greatest Canadian prog rock power trio, from its origins in a church basement in Willowdale, Ontario, to its induction ceremony at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Covering 40 albums, 10 DVDs, thousands of mesmerizing live shows, and millions of rock's most loyal fans, the story of Rush is as epic and unique as its music. Rush has been maligned by the press for decades, and misunderstood by a legion of mainstream rock fans and rock glitterati. And yet only the Beatles and Rolling Stones have earned more gold and platinum records. Few artists, if any, have been as influential as Rush's three virtuoso bassist-keyboardist-vocalist Geddy Lee, guitarist Alex Lifeson, and drummer-lyricist Neil Peart. Rush's focus has always been about its muse and its music. As such, Rush FAQ studies the evolution of the band's sound, from the early days of Zeppelin-esque blues-rock to complex, synth-laden opuses to the return of concept-album bombast with the critically acclaimed Clockwork Angels. With wit, humor, and authority, music industry veteran and unabashed Rush geek Max Mobley examines the music, gear, personalities, and trials and tribulations of one of rock and roll's truly legendary acts. It is a story Rush fans will treasure and rock and roll fans will admire."
178 pages published by Algora Publishing, August 1, 2014
"Rush is often referred to as a libertarian rock band, but really what the band is channeling is an Aristotelian individualism, a philosophy that strongly resonates with today's 40-somethings. This helps explain the band's resurgence in popularity, culminating in its 2013 induction in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Rush: Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Excellence brings together the excitement of the band's progressive music, performed by three musicians whose mastery of their instruments has won them the admiration of their peers, and the surprising philosophical sophistication of their music's lyrics. The book is a systematic look at the Aristotelian philosophy embedded in the band's lyrics over its 40-year recording career. Although the topic of the book is academic, the writing is sharp, down-to-earth, and leavened with a dry wit. Anyone interested in the band's music, popular culture, and philosophical ideas simply explained will enjoy this entertaining and thought-provoking work."
194 pages published by Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, October 1, 2014
"In Experiencing Rush: A Listener's Companion, music scholar Durrell Bowman guides readers through Rush's long career, explaining through the artful combination of biography, history, and musical exegesis how to listen to this unique act. From Rush's emergence as an early blues-rock power trio of guitar, bass, and drums into the godfathers of progressive hard rock, Bowman marks the band's first breakthrough with its landmark, sci-fi/individualist album 2112. From there, readers explore Rush's movement from 'prog rock' extended compositions into shorter, potential-radio-play 'post-prog' songs, leading to Rush's most successful album Moving Pictures in 1981. In its later career, Rush adventurously mixed progressive hard rock and music technology, generating a new power trio sound that featured further stylistic evolutions. As Bowman makes clear, it is the band's stalwart path and many influences on fans, musicians, and others that resulted in Rush's induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2013."
272 pages, May 22, 2015
292 pages, Expanded and Updated Edition published by IDW, October 12, 2021
"Art of Rush is a 272 page coffee table book that delves into the 40 year relationship with Rush and their longtime artist and illustrator Hugh Syme. The stunning book begins with a foreword penned by Neil Peart, and contains original illustrations, paintings, photography, and the incredible stories behind each album that he has designed with the band since 1975.
"The book's narration was written by music journalist Stephen Humphries and includes in-depth interviews with each Rush band member, Geddy Lee, Alex Lifeson, Neil Peart and artist Hugh Syme. The Art of Rush also contains entertaining anecdotes and commentary from a wide array of notable musicians, actors, athletes, writers, radio personalities and Rush insiders about their favourite Rush album covers, which clearly reveals how vital and impactful the visual representation of their music has been through the years."
170 pages published by Fantoons, July 8, 2015
"A 170-page fantoons book packed with RUSH comic strips, parodies, art and illustrations about the mother of ALL power trios. Created by David Calcano and launched in 2012, FANTOONS is an on-going comic strip that brings you comedy and art based on the greatest rock bands on the planet. We've released two books so far, and for this book, we're exclusively going to cover the mighty RUSH! We've created comics, art, and parodies with their rich history, covers, and of course ourselves...the obsessive fans."
178 pages published by WordFire Press, September 15, 2015
"Though Neil Peart is universally acknowledged as one of the greatest living drummers, few studies have been devoted to his writings. Yet, Peart is very much a man of his words. He writes lyrics, travelogues, short stories, essays, and books of cultural criticism. In terms of his cultural impact, he is also one of North America's greatest living men of letters. The themes he offers in his writings are timeless: philosophy, journeys, growth, exploration, excellence, art, satisfaction, happiness, religion, politics, individualism, expression, natural history, cultural criticism, life, love, loss, redemption, and beauty. Peart wants every person to persevere through individual trials, and find his or her unique gifts and abilities and, ultimately, true happiness. Most tellingly, Peart does not just profess such things, he has lived them and continues to live them. Never satisfied with second best or any form of defeat, Peart challenges himself time and time again to live up to his own philosophy. And he has succeeded through great personal adversity and, at times, irrational professional jealousy of and hatred toward him, and he has always succeeded through grace. This book carefully examines the influence his life, his witness, and his words have had on others. Neil Peart has lived life to the fullest, and he has made us each better for it."
270 pages published by Across The Board Books, September 16, 2015
"The Rush Chronology is a comprehensive look at the recording and release history of Geddy Lee, Alex Lifeson, Neil Peart and John Rutsey, the past and present members of the Canadian rock band whose uncompromising career has spanned more than 40 years. This Chronology covers every aspect of the band members' recording careers. It looks at the band's singles, studio and live albums, rarities and collections. Pre-release live versions and works-in-progress, remixes and edits, side projects, solo albums and their many guest appearances on other artists' works are all explored. The information is presented date by date in chronological order, accompanied by detailed descriptions of each song version, guest appearance, the edits, remixes and works in progress. The book covers as well Rush's tours and live appearances. It's all here, in The Rush Chronology!"
200 pages published by CreateSpace Independent Publishing, October 2, 2015
"WHY IS RUSH HERE? BECAUSE THEY'RE HERE! As one well-known rocker put it in a recent documentary about the legendary Canadian band, "somebody has to explain." In Random Samples, writer Jude Joseph Lovell volunteers his services. What Rush has achieved is practically miraculous: over four decades of popular success without a single line-up change or public spat; 24 gold and 13 platinum records; over 40 million albums sold worldwide; appointment to the Order of Canada and induction into the Rock n' Roll Hall of Fame; incalculable influence over an entire generation of musicians and artists. This compelling book focuses mainly on three Rush albums from different eras - none of which are considered canonical - and explores how each record informed the writer as he developed from a bookish youth to a grown man with family responsibilities and wild literary ambitions. In the process, intriguing discoveries are made about the role of music and creativity; the arduous process of finding and then trusting in one's own voice; the necessity of ignoring detractors; and the enduring power of friendship - and even love. Random Samples will stand as both a tribute to a great rock n' roll band and a thoughtful examination of how art adds clarity and meaning to our complicated lives. "
518 pages, written in French, published in France by Camion Blanc, January 15, 2016
"R.U.S.H, four letters for three musicians: Alex Lifeson, Geddy Lee and Neil Peart. Considered by many to be the greatest Power Trio in rock history, Rush influenced a multitude of artists during his eventful career. In figures, the group has been certified 24 times gold record and 14 times platinum record in the US with worldwide sales amounting to 40 million units in 2004. This biography traces the amazing course of this atypical training, to through unpublished testimonies in France. The author researched, compiled and translated the group's archives from its origins to the Clockwork Angels tour, which marked its 40th anniversary. Friendship, independence, curiosity and passion are the terms that best reflect the Rush entity. This book attempts to transcribe as faithfully as possible the particular spirit that reigns within this mythical formation."
52 pages published by Fantoons, December 1, 2016
"Officially licensed 52 page RUSH coloring book packed with art and humor and about the greatest power trio that ever crossed the earth! The mighty RUSH! Everyone can have fun and relax with this oversize coloring book (19x12) inches!"
192 pages published by Voyageur Press, May 1, 2017
"Find out what 20 rock journalists and writers have to say about Rush's 20 studio albums... This new book from prolific rock journalist and acknowledged Rush authority Martin Popoff pays tribute to the band's discography by moderating in-depth, frank, and entertaining conversations about all 20 of Rush's studio albums. Inside, the author gathers 20 rock journalists and authors who offer insights, opinions, and anecdotes about every release. Together, the conversations comprise a unique historical overview of the band, as well as a handsome discography. Popoff also includes loads of sidebars that provide complete track listings, details on album personnel, information on where and when the albums were recorded, and sidebar facts about the albums, their songs, and the band."
38 pages published by Fantoons, December 10, 2017
"This hardcover RUSH illustrated book features scenarios inspired by ALL Rush albums (studio & live) from the Rush (1st LP) through until Hold Your Fire, packed with references and different levels of difficulty, for everyone to have fun finding the greatest power trio on earth. The book is 12.5 x 9.5 inches, 38 pages and 14 Rush worlds: Rush, Fly by Night, Caress of Steel, 2112, Permanent Waves, Moving Pictures, and many more! You'll be able to find Geddy Lee, Alex Lifeson and Neil Peart in their different 'fashions' through the crazy worlds we've created for everyone to enjoy. This book is an official RUSH publication."
First edition 167 pages, limited edition of 50 copies privately published by The Cumberland Press, 1990 (click for cover); second edition 286 pages published by Nimbus Publishing, Ltd., 1996 (click for cover); third edition 260 pages published by ECW Press, June 2004
"'Cycling is a good way to travel anywhere, but especially in Africa. You are independent and mobile, and yet travel at people speed--fast enough to travel on to another town in the cooler morning hours, but slow enough to meet people: the old farmer at the roadside who raises his hand and says, 'You are welcome,' the tireless women who offer a smile to a passing cyclist, the children whose laughter transcends the humblest home.' So begins the text of Neil Peart's extraordinary journal about riding a bicycle on the roads and off the beaten track in West Africa. The Masked Rider is about the bike trek and the people who travel along with the author, including literary sidekicks Aristotle and Vincent Van Gogh. Sometimes it's a story of a tour of hell-Dante on a bicycle-as he suffered the pains of dysentery and stares down the muzzle of a drunk soldier's machine gun. Other times it's a journey of exalted discovery and African adventure of the highest calibre."
406 pages published by ECW Press, June 1, 2002
"Within a ten-month period, Neil Peart suffered family losses so devastating that they left him a ghost - physically a man but with nothing. No hope, meaning, faith, or desire to keep living. One year after the first tragedy, Neil was choosing between life and his own death. Finally, all he could decide was motion. He got on his BMW R1100GS motorcycle, and over the next 14 months, rode 55,000 miles, in search of a reason to live. On a journey of escape, exile, and exploration, he travelled from Quebec to Alaska, down the Canadian and American coasts and western regions, to Mexico and Belize, and finally back to Quebec. While riding "the Healing Road," Neil recorded in his journals his progress and setbacks in the grieving/healing process, and the pain of constantly reliving his losses. He also recorded with dazzling, colourful, entertaining, and moving artistry, the enormous range of his travel adventures, from the mountains to the sea, from the deserts to Arctic ice, and the dozens of memorable people, characters, friends, and relatives he met along the way, and who increasingly contributed to his healing and sense of meaning and purpose. He begins the journey with nothing, "the Ghost Rider." What he finally attains is joy, love, and indelible memories of the most extraordinary journey of his life. Ghost Rider is a bold, brilliantly written, intense, exciting, and ultimately triumphant narrative memoir from a gifted writer and musician, who started out as a man reduced to trying to stay alive by staying on the move."
Nominated for the biography prize category of the second annual Great Literary Awards sponsored by the Writers' Trust of Canada, the award was given to Warren Cariou for Lake of the Prairies: A Story of Belonging.
440 pages published by ECW Press, June 2004
"Neil Peart decided to drive his BMW Z-8 automobile from L.A. to Big Bend National Park, in Southwest Texas. As he sped along "between the gas-gulping SUVs and asthmatic Japanese compacts clumping in the left lane, and the roaring, straining semis in the right," he acted as his own DJ, lining up the CDs chronologically and according to his possible moods. 'Not only did the music I listened to accompany my journey, but it also took me on sidetrips, through memory and fractals of associations, threads reaching back through my whole life in ways I had forgotten, or had never suspected...Sifting through those decades and those memories, I realized that I wasn't interested in recounting the facts of my life in purely autobiographical terms, but rather...in trying to unweave the fabric of my life and times. As one who was never much interested in looking back, because always too busy moving forward, I found that once I opened those doors to the past, I became fascinated with the times and their effect on me. The songs and the stories I had taken for granted suddenly had a resonance that had clearly echoed down the corridors of my entire life, and I felt a thrill of recognition, and the sense of a kind of adventure. A travel story, but not so much about places, but about music and memories. In my book Traveling Music, I wrote about all the music that had meant so much to me. In Bob Dylan's term: 'What music should do is inspire you.' But, of course, I had to have some bile in there - for all the stuff that I hated. And my editor said: 'Don't bother. Concentrate on the excellence.' So I cut it. And he was right. I needed to write it, to vent my spleen, but I didn't need to share that." - Neil Peart, Classic Rock, June 2013
380 pages published by Rounder Books, September 25, 2006
"In 2004, the veteran rock band Rush launched their Thirtieth-Anniversary Tour, performing fifty-seven shows in nine countries, in front of 544,525 people. Drummer and lyricist Neil Peart launched his own parallel tour, riding between those fifty-seven shows on his BMW motorcycle. From Los Angeles to Nashville, Salt Lake City to Key West, Prague to Berlin, Peart covered 21,000 miles, through nineteen countries. Along the way he kept a journal of his impressions, writing about those countries, and those fifty-seven shows, with the aim of documenting the tour as "the biggest journey of all in my restless existence: the life of a touring musician."
"This book works on different levels...On the one hand, it became the logical culmination of so many desires to try and explain what it is really like to be a touring musician and the kinds of personal and artistic conflicts that exist in trying to survive and make a living doing something creatively satisfying." - Neil Peart, ChartAttack.com, November 10, 2006
First announced by his publishers in 2007, Neil Peart had intended to release The Roadshow Illustrated Companion. However, plans for this companion book were later canceled.
296 pages published by ECW Press, April 1, 2011
"Following in the tradition of Ghost Rider and Traveling Music, Rush drummer Neil Peart relates nearly four years of band tours, road trips, and personal discoveries in this introspective travelogue. From the ups and downs of a professional artist to the birth of a child, this revealing narrative recounts 22 adventures from rock's foremost drummer, biker enthusiast, husband and father. Both playful and insightful, Peart's love of drumming and the open road weaves throughout the stories as Neil explores horizons that are both physical and spiritual, sharing his observations about nature, society, and the self. Full-color photos round-out this tour of the open road that will resonate with Rush fans and motorcycle enthusiasts alike."
296 pages published by ECW Press, October 14, 2014
"Whether navigating the backroads of Louisiana or Thuringia, exploring the snowy Quebec woods, or performing onstage at Rush concerts, Neil Peart has stories to tell. His first volume in this series, Far and Away, combined words and images to form an intimate, insightful narrative that won many readers. Now Far and Near brings together reflections from another three years of an artist?s life as he celebrates seasons, landscapes, and characters, travels roads and trails, receives honors, climbs mountains, composes and performs music. With passionate insight, wry humor, and an adventurous spirit, once again Peart offers a collection of open letters that take readers on the road, behind the scenes, and into the inner workings of an ever-inquisitive mind. These popular stories, originally posted on Peart's website, are now collected and contextualized with a new introduction and conclusion in this beautifully designed collector's volume."
304 pages published by ECW Press, September 13, 2016
"Thirty-five concerts. 17,000 motorcycle miles. Three months. One lifetime. In May 2015, the veteran Canadian rock trio RUSH embarked on their fortieth anniversary tour, 'R40'. For the band and their fans, 'R40' was a celebration and, perhaps, a farewell. But for Neil Peart, each tour is more than just a string of concerts, it's an opportunity to explore backroads near and far on his BMW motorcycle. So if this was to be the last tour and the last great adventure, he decided it would have to be the best one, onstage and off. This third volume in Peart's illustrated travel series shares all-new tales that transport the reader across North America and through memories of fifty years of playing drums. From the scenic grandeur of the American West to a peaceful lake in Quebec's Laurentian Mountains to the mean streets of Midtown Los Angeles, each story is shared in an intimate narrative voice that has won the hearts of many readers. Richly illustrated, thoughtful, and ever-engaging, Far and Wide is an elegant scrapbook of people and places, music and laughter, from a fascinating road - and a remarkable life."
96 pages published by Insight Editions, November 19, 2024
"For Neil Peart, legendary drummer for Rush, cars were a lifelong passion. Now, in Neil's final work-a never-before-seen piece completed before his untimely passing in 2020-he writes about his beloved Silver Surfers collection; the joy of collecting these exquisite, rare, and important sports cars, and the even bigger joy of driving them. He first traces the roots of his auto obsession, taking us back to where it all began, with a 1969 Lotus Europa; through the cars he bought when the band first made it big and even his first 'family car,' before taking us on a tour of the Silver Surfers themselves-a rare collection of the best sports cars from the 1960s. From a 1964 Aston Martin DB5 to a classic 1963 Chevrolet Corvette Sting Ray, each is a gorgeous silver (with the exception of one: a black 1964 Shelby Cobra whose patina Neil loved so much he wrote, 'I am not going to paint it'). Gorgeous images of the cars and photos curated by Neil himself accompany his warm, personal story of building the collection, the friends he made along the way, and what it was like to be behind the wheel of these classics. Neil’s final work is a love letter to these cars that meant so much to him, and to the passion of the road that fueled his life."
2 pages published by Road & Track, November 1973
As credited in the Moving Pictures linernotes, this short story was the inspiration for the song "Red Barchetta". This short story was included in the anthology 2113: Stories Inspired by the Music of Rush, edited by Kevin J. Anderson and John McFetridge, 2016
338 pages published by ECW Press; 25th Anniversary edition May 13, 2014
"It is the future - and the dead walk the streets, resurrected by technology to become servants to the living. Resurrection, Inc. found a profitable way to do it: a microprocessor brain, a synthetic heart, artificial blood - and anyone with money could buy a Servant with no mind of its own, trained to obey any command. But for every Servant created a living worker was out of a job, and suddenly the profits of Resurrection, Inc. became everyone else's loss. Some take to rioting in the streets, their rampages ruthlessly ended by heavily armed Enforcers, eager for the kill. Others join the ever-growing cult of Neo-Satanism, seeking Heaven in the depths of Hell. Only one man tries to save the world. His name is Danal, and he is the last hope of the living. He is dead, but he remembers everything."
"Resurrection, Inc. was inspired by the whole Grace Under Pressure album. 'Someone to talk to and someone to sweep the floor' - that's the Servants. The Enemy Within is all about the main character, 'are we the last ones left alive' is all about the Wakers. In the recent ECW reissue of Resurrection, Inc., I wrote an extensive foreword about how the book was influenced by Rush. I noted that in the acknowledgments of the original publication, and that's how Neil and I got in touch more than 25 years ago." - Kevin J. Anderson, 2112.net, June 18, 2015
Originally published by Pocket Books in the anthology Shock Rock II (January 1994), "Drumbeats" was reissued an an "Expanded Edition" ebook on July 20, 2010, and later as a "Special Illustrated Edition" on September 30, 2020. This final edition features a new introduction written by Anderson after Peart's death, as well as the original Afterword Peart wrote for the story.
"The theme of the anthology is 'horror stories about rock & roll.' I got the idea for 'Drumbeats,' about a rock drummer bicycling through Africa between concert tours, and some weird stuff that happens to him. I had the story, but I didn't have the details...neither the details about Africa nor the details about life as a rock star. But Neil did, so I asked if I could lift sections of description from his journals, and get some background from him. He thought it was a cool idea and gave me permission to do so. I drafted up the story, mailed him a disk, and he gave it a polish and added more details. I did a final polish and sent it off to the editor, who promptly accepted it. It's a genuine collaboration - I'd say about half the words in the story are Neil's, half mine, and the tale really works, I think. Neil likes it." - Kevin J. Anderson, via email to the National Midnight Star's Jimmy Lang, September 1993
"...Kevin did all the work; I just supplied some African background and French dialogue." - Neil Peart, "Neil's Picks for Quality Reading, Issue #3", Fall 2005
500 pages published by Writers Club Press, March 24, 2002
"Welcome to the year 2112. Enter the Temples of Syrinx. Hold the Red Star proudly high in hand. Surrender. Obey. The year is 2112. Religion and technology have been leveraged to control the lives and minds of humankind. Truth is a lie. Oppression is the rule. The Great CPU and His prophet have sought to do away with free will. But there remain a few righteous hearts. A boy who dares to question; a disillusioned Vigilance officer; an old man with a country-place that used to be a farm. The future of human destiny rests in the hands of these disparate few, and theirs is the anthem of freedom, of rebellion. A ground-breaking science fiction epic inspired by the works of Rush, Red Star: Sacred Cities is the first of a series sure to thrill hard-core Rush fans and sci-fi addicts alike."
Inspired by the works of Rush, this work has not been endorsed by Rush.
392 pages published by Writers Club Press, March 20, 2003
"Righteous hearts beware. Vice Chancellor Lifeson is dead. His son, David, is lost in the wilderness far beyond the wire. David's Uncle Robert, the last living hacker, is trapped within a hostile city where an artificial intelligence awakens to believe that it is the holy scion of God."
Inspired by the works of Rush, this work has not been endorsed by Rush.
340 pages published by iUniverse, Inc., September 30, 2003
"2112: The living spirit of Almighty Harold asserts its power in Megadon. The new Vice Chancellor, Thomas O. Ryan, races to save David Lifeson and Mal from the lethal Colonel-become-Bishop Compaq. Surgeon General Wang kidnaps David's mother, Magenta, without any idea who or what she truly is or the danger she represents. Uncle Robert delves into a mysterious file containing a journal describing his brother Billy's perilous journey through the black hole of Cygnus X-1.
2047: Michael Lifeson defends teenaged Harold from assassination attempts while Maggie and Robert strike out to unravel the true motives of the young religious leader and discover in New Imperial Japan the roots of a dark plot with earth-shattering implications."
Inspired by the works of Rush, this work has not been endorsed by Rush.
240 pages published by iUniverse, Inc., June 2004
"2112: The living spirit of Almighty Harold is alive in Megadon, but its evil is not unopposed. Thomas Ryan starts a daring rebellion, leading an impromptu army from the Lower Levels onward and upward through the city, while Maggie, Robert and Rosella Lifeson make a desperate bid to destroy the Great Computer at Syrinx. As these others make their attacks, young David and Mal carry out their own silent but insidious strike against the monster within the machine.
2049: Harold launches a nuclear holocaust and begins to rebuild the world in his own twisted image. Only Robert and Jimmy Lifeson, along with a handful of free-thinkers, dare to oppose him."
Inspired by the works of Rush, this work has not been endorsed by Rush.
491 pages, October 7, 2008
"Based on the 1980's hit song from the Canadian group Rush, The Red Barchetta takes place in the future where the internal combustion engine has been illegalized. Technology has made mind control possible and some in the government want to capitalize on this form of power. Matt Cummins is an average citizen who becomes the only one who can stop those who want to use the mind control technology, with the help of his uncle and a 1949 Ferrari."
This work has not been endorsed by Rush.
239 pages, March 28, 2013
"When a rock 'n roll legend loses everything of meaning, Ellison embarks on his motorcycle to find himself, but faces his greatest fear - the fan. Converging on the historic Dawson City, Yukon, Amos coincidentally comes to Ellison's rescue. But not until circumstances separate them does Ellison realize how much he has changed, and sets out to complete Amos' story."
320 pages with 14 illustrations by Hugh Syme published by ECW Press, September 4, 2012
"In an innovative combination of music and literature, bestselling science fiction author Kevin J. Anderson and Rush drummer and lyricist Neil Peart have collaborated to convert the legendary rock band's latest album, Clockwork Angels, into a full-lengh steampunk novel. The music throughout the Clockwork Angels - the band's 20th studio album - forms the backbone of a colorful adventure story, which is now fully realized in Clockwork Angels: The Novel (ECW Press, September 4, 2012). The story tells of a young man caught between the grandiose forces of order and chaos. On a quest to follow his dreams, he travels across a lavish and colorful world of steampunk and alchemy, with lost cities, pirates, anarchists, exotic carnivals, airships and steam engines, and a rigid Watchmaker who imposes precision on every aspect of daily life."
7 compact discs, run time: 8 hours, 38 minutes, includes 32-page booklet and Timeline Poster, unabridged, with illustrations by Hugh Syme
"Clockwork Angels: The Watchmaker's Edition features the unabridged audiobook edition of Clockwork Angels, a novel by bestselling science fiction author Kevin J. Anderson, based on the new concept album by the legendary rock band Rush. This compelling steampunk adventure is read by Rush drummer and lyricist Neil Peart, who first conceived the story for the band's latest release. This special edition features the complete, unabridged audiobook packaged in a unique, working upright clock tower designed by the band's album cover artist, Hugh Syme. Intricately themed and largely handmade, this is a beautiful and functional design piece that will be a must-have for Rush fans and steampunkers alike."
"The Watchmakers Edition is the audiobook version of the novel. Not your typical audio book. It is unabridged and read by Neil Peart (the drummer from Rush, with whom I cowrote the novel). Neil has a gorgeous voice and he wanted to do this. This novel is very close to him and me as well. And what could be better than having Neil Peart read it himself? The novel and the audiobook itself were released last September. 'The Watchmaker's Edition' is a very clockwater-watchmakersnazzy special edition, with a modeled clock tower with a working clock inside. It has beautiful artwork all around it by Hugh Syme, the cover and album artist. It also has a nice poster inside with a timeline for the 'Clockwork Angels' project for Rush and my work as well. Any die-hard Rush fan should have this." - Kevin J. Anderson, MediaMikes.com, March 28, 2013
"The seven CDs of the novel are specially packaged, and include a special booklet created by Hugh Syme and me, a Rush/KJA/Clockwork Angels timeline, a mini poster ('I can't stop thinking big'), and a full-color clocktower to hold it all. Neil just wrote today to say 'It really is a nice piece of work. Prettier than I could have hoped, from every side, and inside, too. Fine materials and finishes. The individual CD jackets are lovely, and the Timeline is a clever touch. I am proud of this piece of work. (And it does keep good time!)'"- Kevin J. Anderson, February 16, 2013
264 pages published by WordFire Press, December 2, 2014
"Clockwork Angels: The Comic Scripts pulls aside the creative curtain, showing the original scripts, panel by panel, interactions between author and artist, as well as all the secret "Easter eggs" intentionally planted throughout the images as a special treat for Rush fans. Clockwork Angels: The Comic Scripts is a fascinating book in its own right, to be studied by comic writers, Rush fans, Kevin J. Anderson fans-and anyone interested in a truly astonishing story of a young man's journey across a remarkable steampunk landscape with airships, pirates, alchemy, lost cities, a fabulous carnival, and a hero who insists on making his dreams come true."
144 pages published by BOOM! Studios/ECW Press. Published as a six issue comicbook series in 2014, compiled as a graphic novel September 15, 2015
"The graphic novel adaptation of the unprecedented concept album and novel from the multi-platinum, Rock & Roll Hall of Fame music legends RUSH and NY Times Bestselling author Kevin J. Anderson! Owen Hardy, like all the people of Albion, has lived his whole life under the rule of The Watchmaker. His entire life has been planned down to the exact second. But what happens when a young boy decides that things should not always goes as planned? Rush's Clockwork Angels is a testament to the band's creative versatility - it has been successful as a concept album, novel, and international tour. Now, Rush drummer and lyricist Neil Peart and New York Times bestselling author Kevin J. Anderson are bringing the story of Clockwork Angels to comics, where newcomer artist Nick Robles will bring the journey of Owen Hardy to visual life! Die-hard Rush fans have longed for Peart's narrative songwriting to be adapted into comic book form for decades, but fans of steampunk fantasy will enjoy journeying into the world of Albion thanks to Anderson's skilled storytelling. Collects the complete story originally published in Clockwork Angels #1-6."
Original six issue comic series release dates:
Issue 1: March 19, 2014
Issue 2: April 30, 2014
Issue 3: June 25, 2014
Issue 4: August 6, 2014
Issue 5: September 17, 2014
Issue 6: November 12, 2014
Graphic Novel: September 15, 2015
Here are the covers of the original six issues:
304 pages published by ECW Press, September 15, 2015
"Some lives can be summed up in a sentence or two. Other lives are epics. In Clockwork Angels, #1 bestselling author Kevin J. Anderson and legendary Rush drummer and lyricist Neil Peart created a fabulous, adventurous steampunk world in a novel to accompany the smash Rush concept album of the same name. It was a world of airships and alchemy, clockwork carnivals, pirates, lost cities, a rigid Watchmaker who controlled every aspect of life, and his nemesis, the ruthless and violent Anarchist who wanted to destroy it all. Anderson and Peart have returned to their colorful creation to explore the places and the characters that still have a hold on their imagination. Marinda Peake is a woman with a quiet, perfect life in a small village; she long ago gave up on her dreams and ambitions to take care of her ailing father, an alchemist and an inventor. When he dies, he gives Marinda a mysterious inheritance: a blank book that she must fill with other people's stories - and ultimately her own. Clockwork Lives is a steampunk Canterbury Tales, and much more, as Marinda strives to change her life from a mere 'sentence or two' to a true epic."
320 pages published by ECW Press, June 14, 2022
"The final volume in the New York Times–bestselling, award-winning steampunk trilogy by Kevin J. Anderson and legendary Rush drummer Neil Peart. In Clockwork Angels and Clockwork Lives, readers met the optimistic young hero Owen Hardy, as well as the more reluctant adventurer Marinda Peake, in an amazing world of airships and alchemy, fantastic carnivals and lost cities. Now Owen Hardy, retired and content in his quiet, perfect life with the beautiful Francesca, is pulled into one last adventure with his eager grandson Alain. This final mission for the Watchmaker will take them up to the frozen lands of Ultima Thule and the ends of the Earth. Marinda Peake must undertake a mission of her own, not only to compile the true life story of the mysterious Watchmaker, but also to stop a deadly new group of anarchists. The Clockwork trilogy is based on the story and lyrics from the last album of musical titans Rush, with Anderson and Peart expanding the world, stories, and characters. The two developed the final novel in the trilogy in the last years of Peart's life, and more than a year after his passing, Anderson returned to that unfinished project, with the full support of Peart's wife, bringing Owen and Marinda's stories to a satisfying and stirring conclusion. "
420 pages published by ECW Press, April 12, 2016
"The music of Rush, one of the most successful bands in music history, is filled with fantastic stories, evocative images, thought-provoking futures and pasts. In this anthology, notable, bestselling, and award-winning writers each chose a Rush song as the spark for a new story, drawing inspiration from the visionary trio Geddy Lee, Alex Lifeson, and Neil Peart. From stark dystopian struggles to uplifting triumphs of the human spirit, the characters populating 2113 find strength while searching for hope in a world that is repressive, dangerous, or just debilitatingly bland. Most of these tales are science fiction, but some are fantasies, thrillers, even edgy mainstream. Many of Rush's big hits are represented, as well as deeper cuts...with wonderful results. This anthology also includes the seminal stories that inspired the Rush classics 'Red Barchetta' and 'Roll the Bones,' as well as Kevin J. Anderson's novella sequel to the groundbreaking Rush album 2112. 2113 contains stories by New York Times bestselling authors Kevin J. Anderson, Michael Z. Williamson, David Alan Mack, David Farland, Dayton Ward, and Mercedes Lackey; award winners Fritz Leiber, John McFetridge, Steven Savile, Brad R. Torgersen, Ron Collins, David Niall Wilson, and Brian Hodge, as well as many other authors with their imaginations on fire."
176 pages published by Insight Comics, June 19, 2018
"Some lives can be summed up in a sentence or two. Other lives are epics. Marinda Peake is a woman with a quiet, perfect life in a small village; she long ago gave up on her dreams and ambitions to take care of her ailing father, an alchemist and an inventor. When he dies, he gives Marinda a mysterious inheritance: a blank book that she must fill with other people's stories - and ultimately her own. Clockwork Lives is a steampunk Canterbury Tales, and much more, as Marinda strives to change her life from a mere 'sentence or two' to a true epic. Based on the world they previously introduced in Clockwork Angels, Kevin J. Anderson and Neil Peart take the graphic novel to new heights with this adaptation of the best-selling book Clockwork Lives."
408 pages published by Harper Design, December 4, 2018
"Its not surprising that sooner or later I'd dive down the proverbial rabbit hole into the world of vintage bass guitars." - Geddy Lee
From Rush frontman Geddy Lee's personal collection of vintage electric bass guitars, dating from the 1950s to the 1980s, comes the definitive volume on the subject.
Geddys love of the bass has been nurtured over a lifetime spent in the limelight as one of the worlds premier rock bassists. For the past seven years, hes dedicated himself to studying the history of the instrument thats been so essential to his career, collecting hundreds of basses from around the globe, 250 of which are presented here in breathtaking detail with specially commissioned photography by Richard Sibbald.
Representing every tone in the bass palette, every nuance of the rock and roll genre as well as blues, jazz, pop, and country, this one-of-a-kind collection features so-called "beauty queens" - pristine instruments never lifted from their cases - as well as "road warriors" - well-worn, sweat-soaked basses that proudly show their age and use. Complete with personal commentary from Geddy that showcases his knowledge both as a musician and an aficionado, this luxuriously produced volume is a revelatory look at the heavy hitters in the world of bass - Fender, Gibson/Epiphone, Rickenbacker, Hofner, Ampeg - and lesser known but influential global luthiers such as Antonio Wandr Pioli, Dan Armstrong, and Tony Zemaitis.
The book also features interviews with John Paul Jones (Led Zeppelin); Adam Clayton (U2); Robert Trujillo (Metallica); Jeff Tweedy (Wilco); Bill Wyman (The Rolling Stones); Les Claypool (Primus); Bob Daisley (Rainbow); Fender expert and owner of the legendary Gibson Explorer, Bass Ken Collins; veteran guitar tech for The Who, Alan Rogan; plus comments from many other great players across three decades of rock and roll.
Written in Geddy's singular voice, this book reveals the stories, songs, and history behind the instruments of his inimitable collection. Complete with an index and a graphically designed timeline of the history of the bass, as well as an up-close look at Geddys basses on Rush's final R40 Tour, his stage and recording gear from 1968 to 2017, and forewords by author and respected vintage expert, Terry Foster, and Rush band member, Alex Lifeson, Geddy Lee's Big Book of Beautiful Bass is the ultimate compendium for the consummate collector, musician, Rush fan, and anyone who loves the bass guitar.
160 pages published by Fonthill Media, July 26, 2019
"The Canadian power trio Rush has been called the world's biggest cult band. Though critical favor eluded them for many years, the band has gained the admiration of legions of fans and sold over forty-million albums worldwide. In this unique book the reader is guided through each album, song by song, from the band's eponymous debut in 1974 right up to 2012's Clockwork Angels. Every album (both live and studio) is explored in detail with rare insight into the circumstances in which the band wrote and recorded each song . The book also carefully tracks the band's rise from a small suburb of Toronto to the arena filling giants they would become. This book explores every studio album, every live release as well as the solo projects of Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson. Each album is covered in unprecedented detail and the band's prolific output provides numerous milestones with which to chart the band's progress. From humble beginnings, near failure, critical disappointment, international success, and one of the most inspirational come-back stories in Rock; this is a must have book for any Rush fan."
144 pages published by Fantoons, September 10, 2019
"'We worked incredibly hard to create a graphic novel that celebrates the music of RUSH, and the creation of the album of A Farewell to Kings as a work of art' says Fantoons LA-based creative director, David Calcano. 'We think this book will be something for comics and music fans alike to cherish.'
"This epic, fully authorized graphic novel chronicles the birth of RUSH's classic album A Farewell to Kings. Relive the production trials and triumphs alongside Alex Lifeson, Geddy Lee & Neil Peart as they create the masterpiece of progressive rock that gave birth to such tracks as 'Closer to the Heart,' and the majestic 'Xanadu'. The book is co-written by Fantoons' David Calcano and Lindsay Lee, and features artwork by Juan Riera and Ittai Manero. The story was written with input from RUSH guitarist Alex Lifeson and album producer Terry Brown, who also penned the foreword."
472 pages published by Insight Editions, October 29, 2019
"Alex Lifeson, Geddy Lee, and Neil Peart performed together for the first time to an audience of 11,000 people in 1974. Forty years later, their last tour sold over 442,000 tickets. This is the story of everything in between. This is the story of Rush.
"Fondly known as the Holy Triumvirate, Rush is one of the top bands to shine through rock-and-roll history. Wandering the Face of the Earth covers Rush's storied touring career, from their humble beginnings as a Toronto-area bar band playing middle school gymnasiums to their rise as one of the world's most sought-after live acts, selling out massive arenas around the globe. This book includes every setlist, every opening act, and every noteworthy moment meticulously researched and vetted by the band themselves. Along with spectacular, never-before-seen imagery, this is THE must-have tour compendium for Rush fans.
"A thorough chronology covering Rush's impressive touring career, Rush: Wandering the Face of the Earth highlights every aspect of the band's performing evolution. Readers witness the group's rise from Canadian bar band to arena-rock staples, with every show along the way mapped out in meticulous detail. Every set list and opening act is provided, along with previously unreleased images from the band's extensive touring life." - UltimateClassicRock.com
375 pages published by ECW Press, May 12, 2020
"With extensive, first-hand reflections from Geddy Lee, Alex Lifeson, and Neil Peart, as well as from family, friends, and fellow musicians, Anthem: Rush in the '70s is a detailed portrait of Canada's greatest rock ambassadors. The first of three volumes, Anthem puts the band's catalog, from their self-titled debut to 1978's Hemispheres (the next volume resumes with the release of Permanent Waves) into both Canadian and general pop culture context, and presents the trio of quintessentially dependable, courteous Canucks as generators of incendiary, groundbreaking rock 'n' roll. Fighting complacency, provoking thought, and often enraging critics, Rush has been at war with the music industry since 1974, when they were first dismissed as the Led Zeppelin of the north. Anthem, like each volume in this series, celebrates the perseverance of Geddy, Alex, and Neil: three men who maintained their values while operating from a Canadian base, throughout lean years, personal tragedies, and the band's eventual worldwide success."
"My first biography on Rush, Contents Under Pressure, was authorized by the band and was pretty casual and short, and since it came out in 2004, it was in need of an update. After working with Sam Dunn and Scot McFadyen on their documentary Rush: Beyond the Lighted Stage, I realized that there were hours of interviews that I had transcribed, only a fraction of which were featured in the film. So I made an arrangement with the filmmakers to use that archive, as well as other interviews I'd done with the band over the years. I have had good relations with the band as well as the publisher, who worked on some of Neil Peart's books. We're all in Toronto. And Rush's management not only gave me its blessing to work on the book but also were supportive even after the band had retired in 2018. Their only request was to not ask for any more interviews with the band and to basically stay out of their hair, which was perfectly fine with me. It was so cool to have all this great material to use that I didn’t feel like I needed to-or wanted to-bother them anymore." - Martin Popoff, Publisher's Weekly, February 14, 2020
72 pages published by Showtech Merchandising, Inc., June 19, 2020
"Before the days of digital, Rush fans had to work hard to stay updated on current news for their favorite band. In 1980, The Rush Backstage Club was created to deliver, via regular mail service, band news, tour dates, fan Q&A's, merchandise catalogs, and a young Neil Peart's reflections. Over the years, there were over thirty newsletters released, some were full of timelines from Neil, some contained tentative upcoming tour dates, and some were merely merchandise catalogs. We have reprinted and bound the most meaningful of these newsletters in a 9" X 12", 72-page folio.
This folio is printed in Canada on heavy art paper, with open-stitch binding on the spine. Along with actual newsletters, there are a couple of other visual features, as well as a couple hand-typed notes from Neil to their management company SRO. There is an Introduction written by Ray Wawrzyniak, and Foreword written by Patrick McLoughlin."
112 pages published by Modern Drummer, September 15, 2020
"An anthology of all 9 of Neil Peart's Modern Drummer cover interviews. The special issue also includes the complete contents of his May 2020 Modern Drummer tribute issue, an analysis of Peart's performances on every Rush studio album, a survey of the evolution of his famous live drumkits, an in-depth look at his seven self-penned books, remembrances and impressions from dozens of leading drummers, transcriptions of deep Rush cuts, Neil discussing the Snakes & Arrows track 'Malignant Narcissism', and 'A Life Changed Forever': a super-fan's heartfelt story."
375 pages published by ECW Press, October 13, 2020
"In the follow-up to Anthem: Rush in the '70s, Martin Popoff brings together canon analysis, cultural context, and extensive firsthand interviews to celebrate Geddy Lee, Alex Lifeson, and Neil Peart at the peak of their persuasive power. Rush was one of the most celebrated hard rock acts of the '80s, and the second book of Popoff's staggeringly comprehensive three-part series takes readers from Permanent Waves to Presto, while bringing new insight to Moving Pictures, their crowning glory. Limelight: Rush in the '80s is a celebration of fame, of the pushback against that fame, of fortunes made - and spent ... In the latter half of the decade, as Rush adopts keyboard technology and gets pert and poppy, there's an uproar amongst diehards, but the band finds a whole new crop of listeners. Limelight charts a dizzying period in the band's career, built of explosive excitement but also exhaustion, a state that would lead, as the '90s dawned, to the band questioning everything they previously believed, and each member eying the oncoming decade with trepidation and suspicion."
108 pages published by Fantoons, January 19, 2020
"An officially authorized collection of illustrated quotes from the legendary Rush drummer and writer: Neil Peart. RUSH, the well-known rock n' roll hall of fame power trio, is one of the greatest rock bands of all-time, with more than 40 million records sold worldwide. Along with Ringo Starr, Dave Grohl, Buddy Rich and Keith Moon, Neil Peart is one of the most influential drummers that ever sat behind the kit. 'We have chosen some of our favorites quotes and created elegant single panel cartoons as a love letter to Neil Peart's written word.' The first and only authorized Neil Peart quotes collection."
378 pages published by This Day In Music Books, November 13, 2020
"When Rush concluded their R40 tour in 2015, fans of Geddy Lee, Alex Lifeson and Neil Peart knew extensive touring was off the agenda. But they hoped for a one off reunion gig or a festival appearance. With the untimely death of drummer Neil Peart in January 2020, those dreams were shattered. Across more than 40 years, the band that had sold over 40 million albums and played in excess of 2,400 shows around the world were no more.
With previously unseen photos and fan memorabilia, Rush - The Day I Was There brings together over 400 previously unpublished eye witness accounts to allow the reader to take a journey back in time and recapture the experience of seeing live the greatest ever power trio in rock."
106 pages, self published, January 4, 2021
"Neil Peart is one of the greatest drummers of all time, known as the beating heart and lyricist of the rock band Rush. His legacy to the music is legendary and endless. Through his biography, drum influences, interviews and a photo gallery the reader will be introduced to Neil Peart's life and drumming style.
The book analyzes and includes the drum sheet music for one of his most remarkable works: 'Cygnus X-1 Book II: Hemispheres' from the album Hemispheres (1978) by Rush. Every drum part analyzed is accompanied by an audio file.
This book is intended both for drummers and Rush fans: a guide for all who want to understand the basics of Neil Peart's drumming, a document to collect, and for the younger generations a way to approach the music of Rush."
368 pages published by ECW Press, April 27, 2021
"In this conclusion to his trilogy of authoritative books on Canada's most beloved and successful rock band, Martin Popoff takes us through three decades of "life at the top" for Rush's Geddy Lee, Alex Lifeson, and Neil Peart. Though this era begins with the brisk-selling Roll the Bones and sees throngs of fans sell out international tours, there is also unimaginable tragedy, with Peart losing his daughter and his wife within the space of ten months and, two decades later, succumbing to cancer himself. In between, however, there is a gorgeous and heartbreaking album of reflection and bereavement, as well as a triumphant trip to Brazil, a Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction, and - some say surprisingly - the band's first full-blown concept album to close an immense career marked by integrity and idealism."
208 pages published by Showtech/SRO/YYZ/RocHedz, December 1, 2021
"Over Rush's long 45+ year history, they played everywhere from 'drop-ins' in suburban Toronto to the largest stadiums across the world. Along the way, many bar owners, local newspapers, club designers, and large entertainment conglomerates advertised these shows, these 'gigs' - in magazines and marquees and myriad other places. Within these pages, you'll learn about the first time Neil Peart ever took the stage with Rush, how Santa Claus (!) opened for Rush, and just how extensive their touring really was. You'll see ads and gig posters promoting everything from Rush's first concert in America to the largest crowd they ever played (a benefit show in Toronto) to their final act, at the fabled Forum in Los Angeles. A must for fans of one of the most storied rock acts of all time, Rush."
782 pages published by Hal Leonard, July 24, 2022
"Few bands have built as dedicated following as Rush did in their over 40 years together. These Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductees were some of the most influential, innovative, and talented musicians this world has ever seen. Our deluxe set pays tribute to their legacy for all fans and musicians to treasure for years to come. This hardcover collection features full transcriptions of every instrument, every note, every lyric, and every nuance of 40 Rush classics. Beautifully packaged in a protective sturdy slip case. Songs include: Animate * Anthem * Bastille Day * The Big Money * Caravan * Circumstances * Closer to the Heart * Distant Early Warning * Driven * Entre Nous * A Farewell to Kings * Fly by Night * Force Ten * Freewill * The Garden * Jacob's Ladder * La Villa Strangiato * Lakeside Park * Leave That Thing Alone * Limelight * The Main Monkey Business * Malignant Narcissism * Natural Science * New World Man * One Little Victory * A Passage to Bangkok * Presto * Red Barchetta * Show Don't Tell * The Spirit of Radio * Subdivisions * Test for Echo * Time Stand Still * Tom Sawyer * The Trees * 2112-I Overture * 2112-II the Temples of Syrinx * Where's My Thing * Working Man * Xanadu * YYZ."
298 pages published by Backbeat, January 2, 2023
"There's nothing like it in the Rush catalog-or, indeed, in the entire prog-rock canon. Stylistically expansive and intellectually ambitious, 1981's Moving Pictures was a landmark release, one that helped define the progressive genre and that ensured Rush's place in the rock pantheon. In this definitive account of the album's creation and legacy, author Will Romano explores the rare alchemy behind a record that continues to inspire musicians and listeners even today.
"While Permanent Waves and Hemispheres were important releases in Rush's evolution as a band, Moving Pictures marked a turning point for the Canadian trio in more ways than one. It was not only a creative triumph but a commercial one, with sales and airplay that blasted them into the stratosphere of rock stardom. Beyond the individual power of its seven songs, however, the key to its lasting significance is the distinctive overarching vision that Geddy Lee, Alex Lifeson, and Neil Peart brought to the album. As Romano shows, Moving Pictures reconciled opposing creative sensibilities to a remarkable degree, giving the record real thematic depth while at the same time rendering it the very antithesis of a 'concept album.' Each track was carefully layered with cinematic and multisensory meaning, paradoxically using music to evoke experiences beyond the strictly aural.
"Consistently insightful and frequently surprising, this book is filled with behind-the-scenes details based on new research and interviews, and it guides readers through the album's dizzying array of allusions and inspirations. Newbies and fervent Rush fans alike will find this an illuminating exploration of one of the band's most enduring achievements."
176 pages published by Sonicbond, June 30, 2023
"Analysing both the musical and lyrical content of the band's considerable output, and providing a sprinkling of archival and new interviews, this On Track entry traces all the various sonic sojourns in the decades-long Rush saga. In the wake of the recent and devastating passing of legendary drummer Peart, we pay tribute as well as provide a useful guide to one of the most revered body of works of the rock musical form."
512 pages published by Harper, November 14, 2023
"The long-awaited memoir, generously illustrated with never-before-seen photos, from the iconic Rock and Roll Hall of Famer, Rush bassist, and bestselling author of Geddy Lee's Big Beautiful Book of Bass.
"Geddy Lee is one of rock and roll's most respected bassists. For nearly five decades, his playing and work as co-writer, vocalist and keyboardist has been an essential part of the success story of Canadian progressive rock trio Rush. Here for the first time is his account of life inside and outside the band.
"Long before Rush accumulated more consecutive gold and platinum records than any rock band after the Beatles and the Rolling Stones, before the seven Grammy nominations or the countless electrifying live performances across the globe, Geddy Lee was Gershon Eliezer Weinrib, after his grandfather murdered in the Holocaust.
"As he recounts the transformation, Lee looks back on his family, in particular his loving parents and their horrific experiences as teenagers during World War II.
"He talks candidly about his childhood and the pursuit of music that led him to drop out of high school.
"He tracks the history of Rush which, after early struggles, exploded into one of the most beloved bands of all time.
"He shares intimate stories of his lifelong friendships with bandmates Alex Lifeson and Neil Peart-deeply mourning Peart’s recent passing-and reveals his obsessions in music and beyond.
"This rich brew of honesty, humor, and loss makes for a uniquely poignant memoir."