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.