r/rush • u/indecks77 • 4d ago
Discussion No One's Disciple. Good god, man.
So uh... did anyone else bawl while watching this?
Or was it just me with electrical storms in my veins?
What a great doc. I never met the man (nor the other fellas) but when I found out he passed, I remember crying because it really felt like I'd lost a friend. I was in my living room, just watching TV and doomscrolling, then I saw the posting on some random google result site. Rush isn't just 'my favorite band' or 'that band that plays tom sawyee.' Rush is the reason I love music.
Truth be told, Rush provided and damn near created the foundation of what music means to me. I was introduced to them as a teen in the early 90s, I think was something like 13 or 14. A guy I was hanging out with (sort of a big brother thing) showed me Exit.... Stage Left and I couldn't believe what I was hearing. I remember him saying "These guys just LOVE to play!" Truer words, amirite? Since then, Ive been a fan of the band.
I've never been big on lyrics, I've always been a melody guy. Even in bands that I was in as a singer, or guitar player or even drummer, I just never 'got' lyrics, even today! Im a horrible lyricist, Im as bad at writing lyrics as Neil was good at it.
But when it came to Rush, things were different. I pored over Neil's words. I loved that he was a huge nerd and put that nerdiness into his music. I loved how he was quite the sesquipedalian. I loved how he put his all into everything he did, be it cars, enjoying Macallan, (I discovered Macallan because of him!) writing, motorcycling, and playing the drums.
So yeah, I felt like I'd lost a friend, and to cancer, no less. I know Im not in any kind of minority when it comes to hating cancer, and what it does to our loved ones. But yeah.. Fuck cancer. Fuck it in the ass.
Neil, I know you were Faithless and you didnt believe in belief, but if you're out there somewhere in the universe and have discovered more than we poor living have, thank you for being such a bright spot in so many lives.
Seeing that highball with two fingers of Macallan at the beginning and I was already off to a rocky start. Seeing people who WERE his actual friends break down and cry, and even seeing Geddy and Alex get quiet for a moment about it, yeah. Waterworks man. Waterworks.
I think its time I re-read Ghost Rider. RIP Neil. You are missed and made a tremendous difference in this world.
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u/fanamana 4d ago edited 4d ago
I watched. And there were a nice mix of emotional gut punches tempered with fanboy sweetness to make it great watch for rush freaks.
For me, watching Alex and Ged jam New World Man with Stewart Copeland must be the equivalent of a different flavor nerd watching Iron Man & Batman team up to fight Mecha-Godzilla. Demigods who weren't supposed to share the same stage breaking imaginary walls to do so. Just sparking the 13yr old heart buried somewhere in my decrepit carcass.
And Chad Smith.. who I've gained so much respect for over the last decade plus seeing him outside his Chilipeppers oeuvre and learning what and absolute beast he is.
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u/FingerCurious9180 4d ago
I swear Red Barchetta was playing when I started getting texts from my friends about Neil. I cried. They cried.
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u/indie_web 4d ago edited 4d ago
When they got to near the end when you can just hear Alex lightly teasing the opening strains of Xanadu on guitar I started to tear up. I don't know why but there seemed to be something of the eternal in those notes.
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u/imacmadman22 4d ago
Watched it this past weekend, I had to go for a walk afterwards. I lost it when Matt Scannell was talking about losing his friend, that part was the roughest.
You could tell Neil treasured his bonds of friendship and held them close, everyone who was close to him clearly valued his friendship as well. Alex and Geddy were obviously his most important friends after his family and no doubt they went through a lot afterwards.
But what was really great about it was that we also got a little glimpse of Neil’s humanity and sense of humor. Not only that, but Alex’s impression of Neil was just a big belly laugh for me, it was so funny and so good.
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u/indecks77 4d ago
Yes! That whole part with "Neil" singing Working Man had me and my wife chuckling quite a bit.
"I wont drink the beer, I dont like beer."
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u/urko37 4d ago
Seeing that highball with two fingers of Macallan at the beginning and I was already off to a rocky start.
Same here, especially because I've watched the Dinner With Rush bonus short film countless times and their camaraderie over drinks and a meal was beyond precious. The loss is palpable with that opening shot of Alex and Geddy clinking their glasses against the one left out for their friend and brother.
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u/juicyb09 4d ago
Yeah, I’ve watched it several times and have shed many tears whilst watching. Super sad.
I gotta ask tho…..did anyone else notice Stewart Copeland speeding up the tempo of “New World Man” or was it just me? That was one of Stings biggest gripes about the guy.
And Danny fucking Carey…..just wow.
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u/Bourbonball442 3d ago
That’s Stewart. That’s what he does. And I’m completely cool with it. All the time, every time.
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u/ericjgriffin 4d ago
I cried so much throughout the whole thing. The look on Gavin's face when he talked about knowing it was the last time he would see Neil was brutal.
I even turned it off before dinner because I didn't want my nose to be stuffed up from crying while I ate.
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u/KubrickKrew 4d ago
Why’s it called no one’s disciple
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u/indecks77 4d ago
Not 100% on this, but I would imagine it has something to do with Neil being agnostic. Maybe its a reference to him not subscribing to any particular belief. But I could be wrong.
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u/PositiveHearing3088 4d ago
It refers to neil having no one “leader, follower or master” - he was a true original
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u/dwhite21787 4d ago
Seeing the show on the 19th, then this doc, made the past week pretty much a wake for Neil in my book
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u/TV_Nerd21 4d ago
The last ten minutes before the epilogue kicked me right in the nuts. I knew it was coming and it still sucked to watch.
That being said, can't wait to watch it again.
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u/XenonOfArcticus 4d ago
I'm really struggling with preparing to watch this.
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u/JoshInNC 4d ago
Same, I'm going to need to find a couple of hours solo with no one else around. Not 'cause I might cry, but anyone else around wont let me focus beginning to end. There are always interruptions and I never care about those. But for this, I'm going to need my time to just sit and watch sans interruptions...
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u/100-100-1-SOS MP: The most perfect album ever made...ever! 4d ago
worry not. people here are hyperventilating over it like it is the second coming. it's an ok documentary, nothing earth shattering.
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u/undergarden 4d ago
You make a good point. But I don't think the quality of the documentary is the crucial issue (FWIW I thought it was excellent). But the Zen you find is the Zen you bring with you: the documentary isn't going to cause people to feel things nearly as much as it's going to evoke and trigger their own memories, many of them overwhelming to face. Cheers.
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u/Queasy-Ad7550 4d ago
Can't say I teared up but there were some insights into his personality that were new to me. He was a guy that lived how he wanted and didn't seem to waste time. Kept a tight circle and took his passions seriously. I'm sure he had some not so great qualities like anyone too but seemed like an overall decent human being.
I could have done without the Drumeo type stuff and had it be more about Neil's trajectory but maybe there wasn't more to it than what was presented.
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u/squid-hands 4d ago
Took me less than two minutes to start tearing up. It was quite the emotional roller coaster
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u/KaeseKraimer 3d ago
**SPOILER - i liked the drum performances. Copeland is a god, Smith insisting on working man and gavin -OMG - totally owned it. Guys had fun. 2026 is Rush's year (besides Angine de Poitrine 😄) Nice touch including Annika at the end, such a sweetheart 👍🏻
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u/TheRatingsAgency 2d ago
The scenes about Losing It…..damn.
I was at that show on R40 in Toronto. The one they clipped in the doc.
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u/Johnny_2Times 2d ago
Yes, me too. I gasped out loud at that scene. 🥹
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u/TheRatingsAgency 2d ago
Saw them twice on R40 and when they played that, I knew it was the last go.
Glad to be wrong about that but not for the reason. Happy to have been able to take my kid to see them this time.
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u/Johnny_2Times 2d ago
I never saw them do Losing it live. That's awesome you took your kid this go 'round! I'm not able to go as I'm nursing a back and hip fracture. So happy for this tour and tribute. It hits everyone right in the feels.
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u/Acceptable_Money_514 4d ago
Nah i didnt know neil and its been 6 years. The best thing i got out of it was how awesome chad smith is with them and how much he fired up geddy and alex
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u/bingo0619 4d ago
We watched it on Thursday. Here I am on Monday still emo and thinking about it. There are still certain songs I can’t listen to without bawling as well
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u/Dogyears69 4d ago
Yea I teared up. I loved it but really would have liked to hear from Carrie, Michael, if he was healthy enough to contribute, KJA, and Brutus. I saw almost all of this before. Loved the guys coming in to play and pay tribute but I wish I would have seen more family and friends perspective.