[ Taken from an unknown Portland paper, circa March 19th 1980 ]
One definition of the word "rush" is the initial quick, euphoric reaction produced by a drug.
Rush is also the name of a rock band, known for its fast, stimulating and electric sounds.
Neil Peart, drummer and chief lyricist for the Canadian group, said in a recent telephone interview that "excitement" is their byword.
"When it comes to writing a song, or trying a new idea, all of us have to be excited about it or it won't happen," he said. "We have one of the few working democracies around. Every decision we make is subject to unanimity. We deal in consensus, not majority rule.
"There has to be enough excitement in our music to make it fresh for us even after days and weeks of rehearsing. It is conceivable that one composition may be playing 300 or 400 times. If the music is exciting and alive to begin with, there is a better chance that it will still be alive for us and our audience after the 300th or 400th playing."
Rush, which will play the Memorial Coliseum at 8 p.m. Thursday, March 20, has been around for about eight years. Peart did not join the group until six years ago when bass-player Geddy Lee and guitarist Alex Lifeson needed a new drummer. The band's original percussionist had left as a result of disagreements, according to Peart.
Peart described Rush's music as very simple in the earlier days, as compared to the group's style now. At that time the instrumentation consisted only of bass, guitar and drums. Now the band makes heavy use of electronic synthesizers to produce a much more powerful, complex sound.
One other factor contributing to the increased complexity of Rush's music has been the heightened skill of the group's musicians. Peart said, "A lot of credit is due to other musicians, whom we've admired. As you progress, the standard within your grasp becomes higher and higher. Different influences, and often better influences, are constantly breaking into, and improving, your own eclecticism."
When the drummer first joined the group, bass-man Geddy lee was writing most of the lyrics. Peart's assignment as lyricist came about "as much by default as anything." Although he had only dabbled with words for his own relaxation and enjoyment before joining Rush, Peart now considers his writing serious work. His interest, he says, has been sufficiently sparked to tackle short stories and novels someday.
Peart's lyrics are more involved than a string of simple refrains strung together. Read apart from the music they are poems imbued wit ha sense of mysticism -- themes that probe beyond the simple concrete existence of man's life on earth, which this excerpt from "Free Will" demonstrates:
A planet of playthings
We dance on the strings
Of powers we cannot perceive
The stars aren't aligned
Or the gods are malign
Blame is better to give than receive
But such will not be the case as the group has put a moratorium on festival seating (in performance halls that will allow them the choice), since 11 young people were trampled to death Dec. 3 outside a concert scheduled by The Who, in Cincinnati.
"I have wanted to get rid of festival seating for several years now," said Peart, "but before the Cincinnati incident, no one would take that request seriously.
"Our audiences (like The Who's) have the tendency to get very fired up. I like an enthusiastic audience, but I do not like to watch people in physical pain. Occasionally fans would charge en masse to get to our stage during a performance. I saw people pressed against the stage, or picked up and dragged by their feet.
"The problems with festival seating and the high excitement level of rock concerts were brought home for everyone in Cincinnati."
Dick Reynolds, general manager of Memorial Coliseum, echoed Peart's concerns but said it is not the policy of the coliseum to require either reserve or festival seating. "Such a decision is up to the act," he said.
Reynolds said that, to date, he has only received two requests for reserve seating from bands who normally ask for festival seating: one from Rush, the other from The Who.