It's 2012. I spent the first morning of the year wrapping up an inter-cosmological exchange with a hyper-state propagandist who goes by the handle "The Angry Bureacrat". In the blog post I referenced Neil Peart, drummer for one of my favorite rock bands, "Rush". ( While I appreciate and enjoy their music, I am what one would probably call an "anti-fan".)
Biography forNeil Peart
Neil has served as both drummer and lyricist for the rock band Rush since 1975, joining bassist/vocalist Geddy Lee and guitarist Alex Lifeson.
On February 26, 1997, he and his bandmates Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson became the first rock musicians to be inducted into the prestigious position of Officers of the Order of Canada. This is the highest honor bestowed upon a civilian by the Canadian government. According to the Ottawa Sun, "The award was given as much for their community service as for their contribution to the arts. They have raised over $1 million for food banks and the United Way."
Beginning on August 10, 1997, immediately following Rush's "Test For Echo" tour, Neil Peart endured concurrent, seemingly unendurable tragedies when his daughter (and only child) died in a car accident, and his wife died from cancer 10 months later.
After completing the cyber-session in question, I proceeded to watch some programs recorded on our satellite DVR. Among them was "The Hal Lindsey Report". His entire program was devoted to the account of Stephen in the Book of Acts with reference to the promise of Jesus about being empowered by the Holy Spirit to be His witnesses in this world. Here is the body of the message:
(This promo segment aired just after "The Hal Lindsey Report":
Talk about confirming the word of His servants. The IMDb bio goes on to report Neil Peart's recovery from the personal tragedies in his life thus:
This put Rush on indefinite hiatus for the first time, and prompted Neil to write "Ghost Rider: Travels on the Healing Road", his second book. In September 2000, Neil married Los Angeles photographer Carrie Nuttall. Following Neil's recovery, Rush returned victoriously to the studio and the stage in 2002 with "Vapor Trails", their 17th studio album. A highly successful 2002 tour brought about the band's long-awaited return to the United States, Canada, and Mexico. Rush ended their tour with their first-ever shows in Brazil, where they played to 125,000 fans in three nights. The final performance of the 2002 tour was captured on DVD as Rush in Rio (2003) (V), which was certified double-platinum within weeks of its release. Since the Vapor Trails album and tour, Neil's writing has become more personal. His live performances too, including his trademark percussion solos which showcase his superlative adroitness as a drummer, have been regarded as his best to date.
(I allude to aircraft vapor trails in this post:
(To paraphrase Jesus when He wanted to emphasize a truth: I shit you not.) Please do not let the significance of this escape your notice. Here are some lyrics penned by Mr. Peart himself (to borrow a line from Pacino's "Scarface", say h-k-ello to my Omnipoten' Frien'):
Freewill lyrics
Songwriters: Lee, Geddy; Lifeson, Alex; Peart, Neil;
[ From: http://www.elyrics.net/read/r/rush-lyrics/freewill-lyrics.html ]
There are those who think
That life has nothing left to chance
A host of holy horrors
To direct our aimless dance
A planet of playthings
We dance on the strings of powers we cannot perceive
The stars aren't aligned or the gods are malign
Blame is better to give than receive
You can choose a ready guide in some celestial voice
If you choose not to decide, you still have made a choice
You can choose from phantom fears and kindness that can kill
I will choose a path that's clear, I will choose freewill
There are those who think
That they were dealt a losing hand
The cards were stacked against them
They weren't born in Lotus Land
All preordained, a prisoner in chains
A victim of venomous fate
Kicked in the face, you can pray for a place
In heaven's unearthly estate
You can choose a ready guide in some celestial voice
If you choose not to decide, you still have made a choice
You can choose from phantom fears and kindness that can kill
I will choose a path that's clear, I will choose freewill
Each of us, a cell of awareness
Imperfect and incomplete
Genetic blends with uncertain ends
On a fortune hunt that's far too fleet
You can choose a ready guide in some celestial voice
If you choose not to decide, you still have made a choice
You can choose from phantom fears and kindness that can kill
I will choose a path that's clear, I will choose freewill
Pack up all those phantoms
Shoulder that invisible load
Keep on riding North and West
Haunting that wilderness road
Like a ghost rider
Carry all those phantoms
Through bitter wind and stormy skies
From the desert to the mountain
From the lowest low to the highest high
Like a ghost rider
Keep on riding North and West
Then circle South and East
Show me beauty but there is no peace
For the ghost rider
Shadows on the road behind
Shadows on the road ahead
Nothing can stop you now
There's a shadow on the road behind
There's a shadow on the road ahead
Nothing can stop you now
Sunrise in the mirror
Lightens that invisible load
Riding on a nameless quest
Haunting that wilderness road
Like a ghost rider
Just an escape artist
Racing against the night
A wandering hermit
Racing toward the light
From the white sands
To the canyon lands
To the redwood stands
To the barren lands
Sunrise on the road behind
Sunset on the road ahead
There's nothing to stop you now
Nothing can stop you now
Ghost Rider - RUSH Song Lyrics
Pack up all those phantoms
Shoulder that invisible load
Keep on riding North and West
Haunting that wilderness road
Like a ghost rider
Carry all those phantoms
Through bitter wind and stormy skies
From the desert to the mountain
From the lowest low to the highest high
Like a ghost rider
Keep on riding North and West
Then circle South and East
Show me beauty but there is no peace
For the ghost rider
Shadows on the road behind
Shadows on the road ahead
Nothing can stop you now
There's a shadow on the road behind
There's a shadow on the road ahead
Nothing can stop you now
Sunrise in the mirror
Lightens that invisible load
Riding on a nameless quest
Haunting that wilderness road
Like a ghost rider
Just an escape artist
Racing against the night
A wandering hermit
Racing toward the light
From the white sands
To the canyon lands
To the redwood stands
To the barren lands
Sunrise on the road behind
Sunset on the road ahead
There's nothing to stop you now
Nothing can stop you now
"Sunset Grill"
Let's go down to the Sunset Grill
We can watch the working girls go by
Watch the "basket people" walk around and mumble
And stare out at the auburn sky
There's an old man there from the Old World
To him, it's all the same
Calls all his customers by name
Down at the Sunset Grill
Down at the Sunset Grill
Down at the Sunset Grill
Down at the Sunset Grill
You see a lot more meanness in the city
It's the kind that eats you up inside
Hard to come away with anything that feels like dignity
Hard to get home with any pride
These days a man makes you somethin'
And you never see his face
But there is no hiding place
Down at the Sunset Grill
Down at the Sunset Grill
Down at the Sunset Grill
Down at the Sunset Grill
Respectable little murders pay
They get more respectable every day
Don't worry girl, I'm gonna stick by you
And someday soon we're gonna get in that car and get outa here
Let's go down to the Sunset Grill
Watch the working girls go by
Watch the "basket people" walk around and mumble
And gaze out at the auburn sky
Maybe we'll leave come springtime
Meanwhile, have another beer
What would we do without all these jerks anyway?
Besides, all our friends are here
Down at the Sunset Grill
Down at the Sunset Grill
Down at the Sunset Grill
Down at the Sunset Grill
A common response to Christian evangelical appeals to people to receive the Gift of eternal life in Jesus Christ and avoid the everlasting fire of Hell is the argument that "all my friends will be there". Do you really want to go "down to the Sunset Grill", Mr. Peart? People there have no friends.
Ecclesiastes 9
3 This is an evil among all things that are done under the sun, that there is one event unto all: yea, also the heart of the sons of men is full of evil, and madness is in their heart while they live, and after that they go to the dead.
4 For to him that is joined to all the living there is hope: for a living dog is better than a dead lion.
5 For the living know that they shall die: but the dead know not any thing, neither have they any more a reward; for the memory of them is forgotten.
6 Also their love, and their hatred, and their envy, is now perished; neither have they any more a portion for ever in any thing that is done under the sun.
4 For to him that is joined to all the living there is hope: for a living dog is better than a dead lion.
5 For the living know that they shall die: but the dead know not any thing, neither have they any more a reward; for the memory of them is forgotten.
6 Also their love, and their hatred, and their envy, is now perished; neither have they any more a portion for ever in any thing that is done under the sun.
Excerpt from "Two Shakes: Detonation Broken Arrow":
Don Henley › Sunset Grill (excerpted)
Theres an old man there from the old world
To him, its all the sameCalls all his customers by name
Down at the sunset grill
To him, its all the sameCalls all his customers by name
Down at the sunset grill
(The old world man calls his customers by name. The new world man communicates with with his customers numerically.)
Digital Man - Rush Song Lyrics
The Analog Kid - Rush Song Lyrics
Don Henley › A Month Of Sundays(excerpted)
I quit the plant in 57
Had some time for farmin then
Had some time for farmin then
The big boys, they all got computers:Got incorporated, too
Me, I just know how to raise things
That was all I ever knew
Me, I just know how to raise things
That was all I ever knew
Now, it all comes down to numbers
Now Im glad that I have quit
Folks these days just dont do nothin
Simply for the love of it
I went into town of the fourth of july
Watched em parade past the union jack
Watched em break out the brass and beat
On the drum
One step forward and two steps back
And I saw a sign on easy street,
Said be prepared to stop.
Pray for the independent , little man
I dont see next years crop)
Now Im glad that I have quit
Folks these days just dont do nothin
Simply for the love of it
I went into town of the fourth of july
Watched em parade past the union jack
Watched em break out the brass and beat
On the drum
One step forward and two steps back
And I saw a sign on easy street,
Said be prepared to stop.
Pray for the independent , little man
I dont see next years crop)
An entropic world forged "closer to the hearts" of despotic "Übermenschen" is preferable to a home in the New Heavens and New Earth made with the Eternal Hands that were pierced for our transgressions? You seem smarter than that. Here's a different sign and a different song, little drummer boy:
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