Rush Beyond the Lighted StageBy: Skull
I have been eagerly awaiting the release of
Beyond the Lighted Stage, Sam Dunn’s Rush documentary for quite some time since I heard of its existence. It’s about damn time someone got around to chronicling the history of such an influential band on film. It’s been long overdue.
I had no solid plans to see the film on the big screen, but decided on a whim during dinner with friends to see if we could get into the 10:00pm showing. We arrived 15 minutes ahead of time to find a packed theater. We had to split the group up, and a friend and I ended up in the far corner of the last row up in the rafters. How appropriate.
I was entranced by
Beyond the Lighted Stage, which started out with a chronicling of the early lives of Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson as the children of poor, immigrant parents. Geddy’s parents were Holocaust survivors, and he suffered bullying and ridicule for being a part of the Jewish minority in town. Both Geddy and Alex had an early love for music, and finagled guitars out of their parents for good grades and good behavior.
Already good friends at the time, they joined forces with a drummer for a small gig earning them ten bucks total and the legend began. Clips ensue of other small performances in the pitiful local circuit, one at a secondary school (not even a high school) showing the 5-8th graders trying to clap along with confused looks on their faces. Other clips of small gigs were captured, and there was even footage of a meeting with Alex, his parents, and school authorities discussing his wish to drop out of high school. Where the Hell did Dunn dig this stuff up?
After covering the struggles over getting their first, self-titled album recorded and the difficulties involved in promoting the album, the film moves on to the expulsion (resignation?) of original drummer John Rutsey. Soon after, the recruitment of percussion wizard Neil Peart (who would soon take over lyric writing duties, as well) is covered with only two weeks to go before touring.
With all of the pieces now in place, the film continues with tales of rigorous touring in support of bands such as Uriah Heap and Kiss, as well as the releases of “Fly by Night” and “Caress of Steel.” The latter album was a huge sales disappointment for the record company, which almost spelled the end of Rush. “Caress of Steel” set Rush back, as they watched the crowds for shows slowly diminish. Deciding to go out with a bang, they spewed out “2112” with their last breath, throwing their hearts and souls into it. Frankly, the trio didn’t care who liked it, or whether or not it would achieve any success. Anyone who knows anything about Rush doesn’t need an explanation of what happened next.
Beyond the Lighted Stage enlists the help of musicians and entertainers such as Gene Simmons, Billy Corgan, Jack Black, Trent Reznor, Kirk Hammett, and others for praise and stories of how their careers and styles were influenced by Rush. All the while, the film continues with an album by album timeline with insights and memories from the trio along the way. Concert and music video footage abounds, as well, but, unfortunately, no songs are played in entirety. Changes in direction by the band, such as the shift between “Hemispheres” and “Permanent Waves,” are thoroughly explained.
The telling of their shifting of styles, music, and aesthetics throughout the ‘80s just glided effortlessly and enjoyably past my eyes. Depictions of inner struggles occur as keyboards and synthesizers began to overpower (“Moving Pictures” through “Hold Your Fire”) their sound. Alex, in particular, was angered by these events, causing him to redefine his place of importance within the trio as a guitarist. Limping through two lackluster, but more back to basics releases “Presto” and “Roll the Bones," Rush redefined themselves with “Counterparts,” turning back to the heavier, power trio mentality and style. One listen of the first track, “Animate,” leaves no room for doubt.
Neil Peart’s debilitating personal tragedies suffered after “Test for Echo” are also covered, as is his reaction of hitting the road on his motorcycle to escape and attempt to run from his pain. Geddy and Alex, considerately, put everything on hold, and even considered calling it quits, as they patiently waited for his return. After a 5-year hiatus, the band reunited and released “Vapor Trails” (a personal favorite of mine), and moved on to record and distribute “Snakes & Arrows."
All in all, this is a fantastic documentary and a true gift for anyone who “gets” Rush. The only disappointments were:
1) In all band interview segments, Alex and Geddy are together but Neil is separate; that is, until the very end when all three are together drinking wine. They are obviously shitfaced but teasing, laughing, and enjoying themselves. This really should have been no surprise, though, because Lee and Lifeson will always consider Peart to be the “New Guy.” There are clips of the three of them loosening up, joking around, and getting psyched up before shows in the dressing rooms, though.
2) The use of fat, drunk, and talentless hack Sebastian Bach for some of the artist commentary. It’s akin to watching Ashton Kutcher give insight on the work of Marlon Brando.
Nevertheless, I thoroughly enjoyed watching and the time passed way too quickly. Rush are without a doubt one of the most influential rock bands in history and, whether one wishes to admit it or not, had a huge impact on the development of and evolution of Heavy Metal.
One of their biggest road blocks as a growing band was a lack of mainstream popularity. This was caused because nobody knew how to define, or classify Rush as a band. This is, and will always be, impossible because Rush successfully and unknowingly created their own, one-band genre. No other band is, or can be like them. They are simply Rush and nothing else.
Dunn does an incredible job with this picture in encapsulating the fact that, although Neil, Alex, and Geddy are masters at their craft and true professionals, they are also just three regular guys doing the best they can. And although they are a very serious band, they never make the mistake of actually taking themselves too seriously. Laughs flourish throughout the film, stemming from stills of the band in various get ups, self admitted train wrecks of style experimentation, jokes amongst themselves, and good natured ribbing from their musical comrades regarding their nerdiness and inability to score with chicks on the road even when they were practically falling in their laps.
I highly recommend
Beyond the Lighted Stage to anyone from the casual listener to the devoted Rush fan such as myself. It’s a “can’t miss,” is well worth the two hours of time invested, and will make you think, reflect, and admire long after it’s finished.
