RUSH - Cygnus-X1.Net

BILL.B: Neil, its kinda funny how the three songs in the Fear Trilogyevolved isn't it?NEIL.P: I know. Its really kinda strange how it turned out. Its not mean'tto be as mysterious and clever as it looks. It was more accidental.At the time of Moving Pictures I had actually sketched out each ofthe three songs in my note book, and talked to the other guys aboutthem, you know, what I was going to go for . But the easiest one forme to clarify in my mind and to put into words, was Witch Hunt,because it was the simplest concept to deal with, and then theWeapon came next because my thinking led up to that point. BUt infact, a couple of snatches of lyrics and even both of the versesfor The Enemy Within, were written as long ago as that, and all thetitles and everything were fixed on and I knew what I wanted towrite about. But The Enemy Within, was the most difficult one todeal with, so it ended up being the last one done, so they happenedto go in the order of 3- 2- 1, which is why it was so desirable toplay Witch Hunt live, so that we could present them all in theorder in which they were intended. Which of course, unless somebodydoes it at home for themselves, will never have happened .BILL.B: When Moving Pictures came out, Witch Hunt was originally the studioproduction piece on the record. Is there any problems inre-creating the recorded sound live?NEIL .P: Big problems. It was a great challenge for us and its funny how inlove with the song we got playing it that way, because even the newsongs of course, we'ed played a lot of times, and listened to evena lot of times more, so they don't have the freshness that a songlike that, thats been on the shelf for four years has, you know.Its a song we really liked at the time and have continued to havea good relationship with, and I know a lot of my own friends reallylike that song a lot. BUt as far as reproducing it, there were somany sound effects on it and things we recorded specially for it inthe introduction, that its just impossible to get a mob yelling,and, you know, all the chaos that thats made up of. So we use tapesfor the sound effects as opposed to the music, and then with the ...really with what Geddy's equipment has evolved into in the last fewyears, keyboard wise, he can reproduce what was done on the album.C.K: Toucson,Arizona, midday, enough time to have some fun before ·soundcheck at 3 O'Clock. Rush guitarist Alex Lifeson, is a licensedpilot and has rented a single engine plane for him and Bill to fly.We're on the runway requesting clearance for take off.BILL.B: ~~atis our number?ALEX.L: We're November 6 7 9'er 2 . ..BILL.B: Ok ... (Bill sounds decieded1y nervous and maybe thinking that maybethis isn't such a good idea after all!)ALEX.L: So, were just taxing along here, going out to the active runway,which today, for us, is runway 2 1 which is 2 1 Odegrees. Its veryhot here, its about 101 degrees, the winds are light, variable.Don't we have a stewardess to come on and say, in the event of awater landing we're suppose to use the bottom of our seat backs.