Rush’s Neil Peart Expresses Opinion, Right-Wing ‘Fans’ Throw Him Under The Bus

[KamaAina]

http://www.addictinginfo.org/2015/06/19/rushs-neil-peart-expresses-opinion-right-wing-fans-throw-him-under-the-bus/

This week pigs flew and Hell needed parkas as Rush, the Canadian power trio, graced the cover of Rolling Stone magazine. Fans (like myself) are unsure how to react, having given up on RS long ago as far as this band was concerned. But, as Neil Peart would say, “it is what it is.”

Despite an good, balanced article, some fans focused on a few comments made by drummer and lyricist Neil Peart as he spoke to RS writer Brian Hiatt. The comments dealt with politics and, as is usual with Peart, he spoke his mind:...

The reaction from a subset of Rush fans has been swift and vehement. Some of them never grew past the brief flirtation Peart and his bandmates — Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson — had with Ayn Rand in the 1970s. These fans describe themselves as libertarian by lifestyle, not politics, but they can’t seem to grasp the fact that the band has left Rand in the past. Peart currently describes himself as a “bleeding heart libertarian.” See, he grew up.

One of the most interesting, though decidedly Bush-loving, reactions came from Sonny Bunch, editor of the website, The Washington Free Beacon. He takes a great exception to the idea that Bush was “evil,” pointing out all of the good that was done under Bush in Africa, quoting Eugene Robinson (who he strangely calls a “neocon”):

[hifiguy]

1. Peart abandoned Randism about the same time he lost his first wife and his daughter

in a matter of months. IIRC he spent most of a year just riding his motorcycle and thinking. He came back a changed man.

[Maedhros]

2. The Rolling Stone article is worth a read.

http://www.rollingstone.com/music/features/from-rush-with-love-cover-story-20150616#ixzz3dFnrYksx

Peart outgrew his Ayn Rand phase years ago, and now describes himself as a "bleeding-heart libertarian," citing his trips to Africa as transformative. He claims to stand by the message of "The Trees," but other than that, his bleeding-heart side seems dominant. Peart just became a U.S. citizen, and he is unlikely to vote for Rand Paul, or any Republican. Peart says that it's "very obvious" that Paul "hates women and brown people" — and Rush sent a cease-and-desist order to get Paul to stop quoting "The Trees" in his speeches.

"For a person of my sensibility, you're only left with the Democratic party," says Peart, who also calls George W. Bush "an instrument of evil." "If you're a compassionate person at all. The whole health-care thing — denying mercy to suffering people? What? This is Christian?"

I can see why conservatives are angry with him.

[underpants]

3. Thanks for link

RS is still a really great magazine

[Maedhros]

4. Here's another, if you're interested.

It's a blog post by Neil describing a recent visit to Le Studio in Quebec, where the band recorded from 1979 - 1995.

http://www.neilpeart.net/index.php?cID=275

Not political, but Neil is an interesting writer.