Rush: Chemistry: The Definitive Biography: Amazon.co.uk: Jon Collins: Books

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Product Description

Monster Magazine, December 2005
*****

Classic Rock, February, 2006
Meticulous attention to detail, archive interviews, fresh comment from members of the band's entourage... this authoritative book is engaging.

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3 Reviews

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4.7 out of 5 stars (3 customer reviews)

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39 of 41 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Closer To The Heart Of The Band, 14 Nov 2005

By	Tony R "(www.progarchives.com)" (Bolton,UK) - See all my reviews

Rush are like a best-kept secret. Even seasoned Prog-Rock fans seem to under-estimate the startling level of success achieved by the 3 Canadians over three decades.
In this new biography Jon Collins uses over 50 new interviews with band-related insiders to chart Rush’s hard-fought rise from playground entertainers to multi-million dollar grossing album and stadium phenomenon. Collin’s biography manages to bring new insight into the “chemistry” which binds the three quite different band members and provokes such high regard from everyone who has worked with or for them. The key to this book is the insight provided by those voices so rarely heard: ticket agency managers, sound technicians, photographers and even caterers!
Never one’s to court controversy, their most public trials; Peart’s family tragedies and Lifeson’s court case are surprisingly, but correctly in my opinion, treated as “old news” given the amount of copy already devoted to these subjects. Instead we get insights into the mechanics of Rush album writing and production, the tensions of meeting deadlines and the often futile search for the perfect “take.” We get glimpses of the Rush world as seen from those who are closest to the three and we are often rewarded with nuggets of “band gossip” that would normally kept within the inner sanctum of the band’s entourage. Lifeson’s almost pathological hatred for keyboards is discussed and we learn that he would often glare at them as if they really were an evil presence even when they remained boxed in their cases.. Geddy Lee occasionally gets a rough ride; often portrayed as domineering in the studio and undermining both Lifeson’s position within the band and his confidence in his playing. Neil Peart probably gets the best press, unilaterally praised for his professionalism and humanity, often belying his “difficult” public persona. Whilst Lifeson is the joker and Lee the organiser, it is Peart the thinker who often comes across as the personality that cements the trio.
Although we are presented with what is inevitably for a high profile rock band a story oft-told, it is in the telling of this story that Collins succeeds were others have fallen short. The attention to detail is impressive and everyone who has ever had a credit on a Rush product gets to tell his story in the neat “Personology” section at the end of the book. Collins writes with economy and flair, often just letting the facts speak for themselves, and in doing so manages to convey the genuine humanity and “ordinariness” of the three band members revered as musicians across the globe.
All in all an excellent piece of work doing justice to this great band over 200 + pages. Anyone who has already read Collins’ other rock biography on Marillion can expect more of the same high standards. Recommended.

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24 of 25 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Intelligent and stylish biography of a unique band, 28 Dec 2005

By	Tim Burness (Brighton, England) - See all my reviews (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)

Canadian progmetal band Rush are an extraordinary phenomenon in the world of rock music, having followed their own idiosyncratic path for 30 years while building a massive worldwide underground fan base. Jon Collins has written an excellent, comprehensive, nicely illustrated and often very funny(!) biography that does them justice. It is certainly the best book I have come across on Rush.

From early beginnings in Toronto where Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson first met at school, to the end of their thirtieth anniversary tour in 2004, the author takes the reader through the ups and downs of three unusually well-behaved rock stars and their uncompromising approach to the music business. The book is both accessible and intelligent, with the text broken up by black and white photos, short summaries of each album, and various miscellaneous snippets about the band. Collins draws on many interviews with the band and their extensive network of long-term close friends and allies in a business not often noted for its loyalty. Other recurring themes include the strong work ethic and exceptional musicianship that have both served them well throughout their career.

Rush fans tend to be more fanatical than most, and many may already be familiar with much of the story here. It is the in-depth, honest "warts and all" approach that makes this book interesting. As a mere part-time fan down the years myself, I found this book a fascinating and inspirational insight into the struggles and behind-the-scenes realities of a great band. They are obviously very nice people too!

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22 of 23 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A winning formula, 11 Jan 2006

By	The Red Menace (The seaside) - See all my reviews

There have been a few books written about Canadian rockers Rush, but nothing quite this detailed. Acclaimed British author Jon Collins has created a template for how books on rock bands should be written by drawing on first hand interviews with those who have worked with/for the band over their 30 year history, sifting through acres of contemporary interviews (which as he points out are sometimes contradictory) and sorting out fact from fiction.

What emerges is an inspiring story of a band at odds with fashion and the music world that struck a chord with successive generations to become one of the biggest bands of all time, and yet who remain essentially a "cult" band shunned by the mainstream (Rolling Stone especially). It also helps paint more rounded impressions of the men behind the band, Geddy Lee (bass & vocals), Alex Lifeson (guitars) and Neil Peart (drums), and highlights some of the tensions felt in the band, especially between Lee and Lifeson.

A fine book that, like the bands music, seems to get more detailed and layered with each reading.

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Rush: Chemistry: The Definitive Biography (Hardcover)

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