Andrew MacNaughtan TriNet Chat
TriNet, December 15, 2002
[Webmaster note: originally a mix of random questions posed to Andrew through a moderator, the order of the questions as they originally appeared have been slightly revised here to provide a more concise Q&A.]
How did you get involved with Rush? Maybe you can tell us how you came to be Rush's photographer?
I became Rush's photographer in a round about way... I was working for Geddy as his assistant many, many years ago. I was a budding photographer and had several part time jobs. One day I asked him if I could do a portrait of him, which as it turned out became his portrait in the Presto album package. Once Geddy saw the picture, he suggested to Alex and Neil that I shoot their portraits as well... so those are the ones in Presto.
Historic too, the first real Geddy profile I think.
I love the Geddy profile... he has never really done a photo like that before, but since he was wearing those cool sunglasses, I really liked the idea of a profile... he has such a great face to photograph... lots of character! He's probably my favourite subject to photograph.
Have you ever worked with Hugh Syme on any album art, and if so which ones? How does your collaboration work with him in using your pictures with his art schemes?
Hugh and I have worked very closely on several packages. The one package that stands out the most is Different Stages... it was a total nightmare for me! Shooting all those Rush items took me weeks... I mean weeks!!! Plus, I had to shoot most of the Disc 3 cover. We had the original shot of the Hammersmith Odeon, but everything else had to be photographed. The road, Geddy, Alex, the ambulance... it was a big job, but I think it worked out great. Hugh is amazing designer! Jolly Teabag was Geddy's idea...
What was the most interesting moment, in your opinion, whilst following Rush?
Well, right off the top of my head I would have to say going to Brazil with the band... it was the most incredible thing I have ever seen... In Sao Paulo the band played to 60,000 fans... the biggest show of the bands career!... I felt so excited for the band... and you could tell that they were having a great time too...
What can you tell us about the filming that took place in Brazil for the upcoming DVD? Will there be backstage footage on the new DVD?
Yes, I think the plan is to have a second disc (but don't hold me to it!) which will have a short documentary film I did of the band's travels in Brazil... you will see very rare moments of the band doing a variety of daily "being on the road" type things like; sound check, Neil in his drum room warming up before the show, Alex eating his breakfast while make happy faces out of his eggs... stuff like that... it's going to be great! They filmed the Rio show with 20 cameras!!! It was an amazing concert... especially since the band wasn't able to do a sound check that night.... in fact the crew (who are amazing) were setting up the gear until 9:30pm... that's how crazy it was... but it's going to make a great story for my documentary, but also it was a great show for the band.
Will the DVD be a full show?
Yes, I believe it will be the full show, but I can't confirm that... it all depends on how much space is on the disc. But again, I don't know the details, sorry.
Did you go on the whole tour with them?
No, I only went out to certain shows to shoot still photos for potential future projects and tour books.
There was filming at each of the concerts that I attended. Can you tell us if the only footage being used in the DVD is from Brazil or will they be using any from the States?
Only footage from Rio will be used.
What are the guys' frame of mind after the tour... what was their reaction and what are their future plans in terms of timeframe for a new album and tour?
The guys felt that the tour could not have ended in a better way. Everyone was so excited how every aspect of this tour went so smoothly. They felt that they all played really well and delivered a great show for the fans. As for a new album, I have no idea... there are no plans at this time.
You could see the smiles on their faces throughout this tour... why did they seem to enjoy themselves so much more this time around even four months into the tour when it wasn't so new? They did seem fresh and excited even at the later dates.
I'm not sure, I think because they hadn't toured in so long and every aspect of the tour went so well for all of them.
Why are the guys so reluctant to vary the setlist on tour? I know they were set to play "Vapor Trails", "Nocturne" & "Bangkok" but didn't. They would increase attendance by 10-20% just by changing a couple songs every night and every month... I know for a fact that a lot of fans would attend another show or two if it was different...
They weren't set to play those songs... they were just possible songs that they thought they might play. They are all such perfectionists that they just aren't the type of band that want to keep changing the set around each night. In saying this, as you know in the last leg they did add "Trees" and "Freewill" for the cities that they went back to. They had to quickly learn "Closer to the Heart" when they went to Mexico, because it was such a huge song down and all the local press were constantly asking them if they were going to be playing the song. So the guys had to quickly learn it during the sound check the day of the show. I think they played it 4 times and were good to go! They played it in Brazil as well... as most of you all probably know. It was a little crazy for Neil... again, he is a perfectionist and likes to practice the songs a lot before playing them publicly... but hey... it's Neil, like we'd notice a mistake by him?
Knowing the band as you do, do you get the impression that they are aware of the extent that their music has made on the lives of Rush fans?
The guys definitely know that their music means a lot to the fans... websites like this do not go unnoticed!
The first thing that attracted me to your portrait and group photography was the saturated color and "flatness" of the scene sort of like a puppet show, or those old Russian labor posters, or a Japanese print... Have you looked to other arts for influence; painting or printmaking for example? Do you have any particular favorite works or artists?
Well I am a fan of vibrant colors and a lot of people do notice this about my work. I agree, there is an element of my work where it looks like my subjects are "cutout" characters like you'd see in those Russian labor posters... I think it's because I like to use strobe studio lighting outside, which gives the image a hyper crisp look.
In shooting the band live and otherwise, what format do you prefer and do you like to alter your images digitally after processing? Do you use large or medium format cameras?
I use medium format cameras... Hasselblad! When I shoot Rush live only use 35mm... I have Leica cameras for that. With technology nowadays being so easy to retouch and alter things, I have fallen victim to PhotoShop... but only for the past 3 years. Everything prior to that was all shot within the camera and my lighting. I really only use digital retouching to fix small things like a light stand that I missed when shooting the picture or the occasional face touchup for the ladies! Chicks always want to look good... ha ha. However, anything really difficult, like putting Alex's head onto a different person's body... I leave that to Hugh Syme!
How much input do you have in the crazy Alex shots that you've done of him (lawnmower, muscle beach guy)? are these collaborative, or does Alex come in with wild ideas?
I will suggest to him that we need to shoot a crazy photo for the tour book. I will make suggestions that sparks an idea in Alex's head... he's the one that comes up with most of them.
I know that the guys (especially Alex) are notorious pranksters... They ever get you with one?
We're all friends and I'm usually the brunt of their jokes... so all is good.
I love the composition in your photos... Do the guys have any input on the staging of the shots? And what was your favorite photo?
Well for the recent Vapor Trails photos, it was the band's idea to all sit down on the sofa and just hang out... they wanted something very natural. It was a crazy day, because I had only 2 hours to get enough photos to last for the whole year of publicity. The guys quite frankly aren't big fans of getting their pictures taken... so they came up with the idea of just taking some pictures that seemed very natural... like the one of them all sitting. By coincidence, a couple of days earlier before the day of the shoot, I gave Alex a Xmas present (this will explain why in almost every single shot the guys are laughing) a silly toy that when you push a button, it makes a rude noise. If you look closely in Alex's hand, you will see a small black "clicker"... I must say that it made for a very funny photo shoot, and I think it captured some great moments of how the guys really are big jokers! My favourite photo... is of the guys all sitting on the sofa in B&W, where Neil is covering his face... it says a lot about how Neil feels about his picture being taken and how much of a goof Alex is. I think it shows that everything is fine with Neil and all is well. It sends a positive message to the public that everything is fine and life goes on.
What is your all-time favourite picture of the guys?
My favourite shot... Hmmm/ Quite frankly, I really do love the b&w of them sitting on the sofa... the one that I have at my art store. I just love that Neil is hiding his face. I just printed that image and it's very "arty" when it's printed so large... I think I going to give the guys one... I'm very proud of it!
I noticed in the tourbook that the framed photo of "The Fool" tarot card was added.
Yes, Hugh added the framed pictures behind the band for the tour book.
Where did you first hear the new album, and what went through your mind?
Neil played me the album in his car... It was very loud!!! I couldn't figure out how he was able to play the opening drum part of the song "One Little Victory", so I had him show me on his knees. It's easy... easy for me to say!
Tell us about the first time you saw Neil play a solo again, I hear that was a pretty special moment for you? I had heard that you had gotten so used to working with them that it was a quite a moment for you to reconnect with the musical aspect, catching Neil practicing his solo for the first time etc.
I can tell you this... when I was up at the rehearsal space where the guys were getting ready for the tour, Neil asked me to come up and shoot all his drum kit photos for the tour book and Modern Drummer cover. I remember how overwhelmed I was when I first walked into the space. Neil was practicing his new drum solo. I felt like I was 16 again - not to mention it was very loud!!! Also... I remember when I was filming Geddy in the studio when he was laying down a vocal for his solo album. As most of you know, I was a big fan of Rush when I was a kid, so just for a moment when I was in the same room as him as he sang into the microphone, I experienced this surreal moment... I never would have thought that when I was a young kid I would be filming my hero! Now I see him as this big goof that I take pictures of... it's not really that same anymore, which I guess in many ways sucks. My dog Bob is my hero now!
How do the guys feel about their display at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame?
I think the guys are very pleased that they were able to contribute the display... however, I'm not sure if they have actually seen it.
Didn't you have something to do with that display, giving up a certain doubleneck bass for instance?
Yes, my black double-neck... well, Ged called me to see if I would be willing to trade guitars with him. He really wanted to include his black Rickenbacker in the display at the Hall of Fame along with Alex's white double-neck. I had the guitar for 16 years... but I felt that the fans really should be able to see it. So Geddy and I made a swap... I have his white double-neck now. Actually, it's a better sounding guitar so I am still very lucky.