Sabian - Because Sound Matters

Backstage on the RUSH Tour - Part Two

Jun 09, 2008

 Usually Neil races to the bus and is down the road before the lights are even up in the venue. But tonight he's waiting around for me to finish before taking off. We employ the subtle art of Scottish relaxation techniques and discuss the day� a difficult, exhilarating, exhausting day. Not being accustomed to sleeping in a bunk on top of a diesel engine, I wore ear plugs and awoke the next morning to a rattle of the bunk curtain. Then I quickly remembered we've got a full day of riding motorcycles through rural Illinois, Wisconsin and Iowa. Now this I was looking forward to! Neil and I had breakfast in the lounge while Michael and Dave (Neil's longtime bus driver) slept. We packed up the bikes and away we went.  Funny how it took about 10 minutes for the stress of yesterday to just fall away. I have ridden with Neil before and he boogies along at a pretty good clip, but he's taking it easy for me, knowing I'm on an unfamiliar bike - his BMW1200GS. That didn't last long though, and we got pulled over for speeding near the Mississippi River. I knew we were busted, so I back off from Neil hoping the trooper would only pull me over, but he just pulled along side and gave me 'the wave' to follow him. I knew exactly what he meant, so off we went in pursuit of Neil. I think to myself, "after all the nights I've spent on Sunset Blvd with rowdy rockstars when we could have attracted the attention of the boys in blue but never did- I'm going to jail with The Professor!" We got to meet a very professional trooper who was nice enough to knock the speed down a little so he didn't have to take us with him. This was the one time I was hoping someone would recognize Neil and that perhaps I would benefit from a little celebrity juice. No dice, but I've got nothing to complain about. I join a select group of Neil's riding buddies who have matching speeding tickets. We should get t-shirts made. Paradiddlin' Skooter Trash Scofflaws.

"Uh Bubba? Is that another trooper and what did that sign say we just passed?

We're not the types to let a little thing like that ruin the day, though. We've got 300 miles to go and the nice thing about bikes is you had better pay attention to what's ahead of you, not what's behind. The country roads in rural Iowa became flatter and straighter so we pass the time by taking photos and jokingly shaking our fists at all the John Deere dealerships as we went by. It was in different decades, but Neil and I both grew up working at our father's farm implement dealerships that happened to sell equipment competing with the mighty JD. We'll show them!

 

scenes in Iowa

 

After reaching Spirit Lake, Iowa, and finding there were no quaint hotel rooms left we checked into the Super 8. Neil got the Executive Suite, but I was too tired to come up with some sort of joke about the suite at the Super 8. We had a good ol' fashioned Iowa steak dinner and called it a night.

Neil gave me the crew knock (one solid bang) on the door the next morning, letting me know he was on his way down to breakfast. There was to be little scenic riding today because this was a show day. I had to get to the venue to set up the kit. Neil would normally never be caught dead on an Interstate, but tonight needed to be more comfortable than Moline and I was happy to get another chance with proper time to get it right. We hit the road and got pulled over again almost right away, just across the Minnesota border. Neil has a radar detector, but it has one fundamental flaw; he can't hear it go off when he's riding 80 mph! Only a warning this time, though.

We get to the venue in St. Paul with plenty of time to get things right. Neil changes the oil on both motorcycles while I work on the kit with the rest of the crew. Things just seem to come together today. As I thought, no one would be able to read my labels on the hardware, but I can and that's all that matters. Neil comes up early for soundcheck and we make sure to get him comfortable. Geddy stops by the drum riser for a bit of the old 'bassist vs. drummer'. "Will our pigeon be back tonight?" he asks. Hardy har harâ?¦

 

Geddy Lee & Neil

Gump usually sets up the practice kit in "Bubba Gump". That's what they call Neil's dressing room. Michael and George took care of that in case I fall behind. I find Neil warming up playing in 5/4. He counts aloud phrasing on top of a bass/hat ostinato in groups of 3. I'm humbled.

 

Neil in Bubba Gump warming up on the practice kit

The show is amazing and Neil is comfortable. Almost giddy! I give him the lighter in the air after an exceptional performance of Natural Science. He cracks up. With the pressure off I just soak it all in and realize that I'm watching one of the greats do his thing in the best seat in the house. Time to get out the camera.

 

Having a blast playing Spirit of Radio

We rip the kit down and hit the road. Neil wakes me the next morning for breakfast in Fargo, ND. I look out the window of the bus and there's a huge billboard that says "Be Grateful". I thought how appropriate that was and say, "I am!"

Neil Peart being grateful

North Dakota is the last state in the U.S. that Neil hasn't ridden his bike through. We change that with a big circle around the state, enduring some pretty hefty winds along the way and stopping at abandoned buildings that made for great photos.

 

away from it all in North Dakota

We settled in Minot, ND for the night at a Holiday Inn. We discover his room opens up to the indoor water park and arcade packed with screaming kids. Mine opens up to the hotel bar. I say, "Let me see if I got this right. You asked for a poolside room, didn't you, and you paid extra for it? Ha Ha! Should I leave the door open when I leave so you can truly enjoy the children at play? Shall I call room service and have your dinner served poolside? I'll be at the bar." This is where I get beaten by a motorcycle jacket on my way out the door.

We climb on the bikes and head to the arena in Winnipeg, central Canada, where Gump will be back to work and waiting for us. I'd like to say no one was happier to see him than me, but I'm pretty sure Neil was. Though aching and limping around from his surgery a few days ago he was large and in charge. "What did you do with the power cord to the Kat? What did you do to the 15" floor toms? Did you guys run over the power cable under the riser?" Welcome back buddy!

 

GUMP!

With everything back to normal they could return to their routine. As for me, I left with a once-in-a-lifetime experience and a 1414 mile motorcycle adventure with Neil Peart.

 

Neil & Chris

 
Without the help of George, John, Jim, Russ, Bucky, Brent, Anson and Michael the shows in Moline and St. Paul would have been canceled. Gump said that it was nice to know it took five people to replace him for a couple days. Wrong. It took about double that.

 

Check here for all the latest rush news & tour dates: www.rush.com

Check here for all the latest news on Neil Peart including his own accounts of traveling on tour: www.neilpeart.net

If you'd like to learn more about SABIAN's Paragon series of cymbals developed with Neil Peart please click here: http://www.sabian.com/EN/products/paragon.cfm

Story by Chris Stankee
Photography by Neil Peart, Chris Stankee & Rebecca Truszkowski