Subj : Rush switches record labels
To : All
From : Matt Munson
Date : Mon Sep 05 2011 12:57 am
ush is on the move. The prog rock legends behind "Tom Sawyer," "Fly By Night"
and "The Spirit of Radio" have partnered up with Roadrunner Records after being
doggedly pursued by the rock-heavy imprint.
"After years of Roadrunner pursuing the band, Tom Lipsky [President, Lipsky
Music LLC] presented a deal that worked and the timing was right," Rush manager
Ray Danniels said in an announcement. "We wanted to be at a label focused on
the rock genre -- and that's Roadrunner."
Since 1989, the Canadian trio -- Alex Lifeson, Geddy Lee and Neil Peart -- has
released six studio albums through Atlantic, beginning with "Presto" and most
recently, 2007's "Snakes & Arrows," which debuted at No. 3 on the Billboard
200. Before that, the band was at Mercury.
The group's next full-length studio album, a long-gestating work titled
"Clockwork Angels," will be released in 2012 on Roadrunner. The delay -- a lead
single, "Caravan," was released in June 2010 -- was due to the success of their
Time Machine Tour, which just wrapped.
A first Roadrunner release will actually be a live album culled from the
blockbuster tour. According to the label, details will be revealed in the
coming weeks. Anthem/Universal Music will continue to release their music in
Canada only.
Roadrunner is understandably excited to bag a band that has sold more than 40
million records and -- thanks to their doc "Rush: Beyond The Lighted Stage" and
the Rush-heavy comedy film "I Love You, Man" -- is enjoying heightened
attention and accolades across generations.
"In another life I worked with Rush and their great management team more than
30 years ago and to have Rush finally on the Roadrunner label is a dream come
true," said Cees Wessels, Roadrunner Records Chairman.
Lipsky, who brokered the deal, remarked that Rush has a "tradition of
excellence and independence, both in the studio and on the live stage, and they
remain as prolific today as at any point in their career. We are excited to be
their label partners."
Rush's new labelmates include fellow prog rockers Dream Theater, metal heavies
Megadeth and the indie rock band of the moment, Young the Giant, among others.
-billboard.com
