Rush – Beyond The Lighted Stage DVD

Rush have been around for all of my lifetime thus far. I didn’t grow up with them, but was introduced at a much later date with a vinyl copy of “2112” thrust into my mits. From the moment I heard the Led Zeppelin sound alike vocals with a slightly more “interesting” take on the lyrics I was hooked. But Rush have had fierce critics, none more so then some serious savaging from elements of the “popular” music press, but time and time again, they still play to sell out stadium sized crowds.

The Canadian rock band trio of Geddy Lee, Alex Lifeson and Neil Peart, hail from the Willowdale neighbourhood of Toronto, and released their first self titled album in 1974. Since then it’s been an incredible journey of brilliant musicianship admired by the likes of Mike Portnoy (Dreamtheater), Kirk Hammet (Metallica) and Trent Reznor (Nine Inch Nails). Now on their 19^th full studio album, Rush have released on DVD, “Beyond The Lighted Stage”, an incredibly candid look at all three members.

The documentary film chronicles the bands transformation from the original two members, Lee and Lifeson and their being bullied at school, to the successful trio (with the “new guy” Peart) and some of the personal tragedies they have faced. Unwittingly, their music encapsulates the band perfectly, not really fitting wholly into a category, fighting against the odds, growing and evolving, and that’s probably why so many flock to their sound. Somewhere in their extensive back catalogue you will no doubt find a song that connects with you on a personal level, or a song that makes you sit down as a musician and ask the question “What the? Just how did they do that?”.

The film itself misses out some key elements though, like their early influences, but does catalogue quite succinctly the progression of the band. More importantly it answered a few questions I had about their enigmatic drummer, Peart. Lee and Lifeson have always been regarded as very approachable and affable guys, who never really got involved with the ridiculous excess of sex drugs and rock and roll (much to the shock of Kiss’s Gene Simmons!). They’ve always taken time out for their fans, and their charity work is well known. Peart however for a few years didn’t have such a great reputation, and now I know why. It’s so stupidly understandable! As it turns out Peart is just an extremely private guy, he doesn’t feel comfortable being put on a pedestal and idolised, but being appreciated is just fine. And this is one of the reasons why this DVD must have been so hard for Peart, having his grief aired over the tragic loss of his daughter and wife so publicly, and why Rush fell silent as he hit the road on his motorbike trying to find himself once again.

Even if you’re not a Rush fan this is well worth a watch. A story of how it should be. 3 goofy friends having fun, doing it for the love of music, being straight down the line and working hard, pushing the boundaries of their own abilities and expectations, writing the music for themselves and their fans, refusing to bend to the will of the overly self important critics, for being 3 thoroughly decent guys who had immensely tough breaks as kids and in spite of it all stood up with fist clenched…wearing dodgy kimonos just for the sheer hell of it and believed in what they were doing.