Between The Wheels

(https://i.ibb.co/yNN1p53/20230407-143416.jpg)

Out November 14, announced on Twitter of all places.
OK clearly no clue how to include the image even though I tried...
EDIT: finally managed.

Oh well, still quite a while to wait but I'm looking forward to it. Odd title choice. Might be the kind of thing that gets him on The Graham Norton Show on his promotional stint. 😁

Just saw that on Twitter myself and yes, that was my thought. Odd choice. I don't get it. Unless it refers to his fondness for swearing, as documented here:

https://blabbermouth.net/news/rush-bassist-vocalist-geddy-lees-memoir-my-effin-life-now-due-in-november-2023

I'd rather read Alex' memoirs anyway. Nonetheless this is very welcome.

Odd choice of cover photo as well...don't think there'll be many gussets soaked with that one...

Whatever he looks like on the cover* or what the book is called, I'm really looking forward to getting this.  ;D

*I may store it face down though.

I think it would have been wiser to choose a dramatic live pic with a bit more energy, to appeal to the casual rock fan book shop browser.

I wondered if it should be "My Elfin Life" referencing back to the Tolkein days of Rivendell

That release date is starting to get quite close all of a sudden.

Pre orders are up.
If Amazon is your thing..

https://www.amazon.co.uk/My-Effin-Life-Geddy-Lee/dp/0063159414/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?crid=32VL7CP4YMCO7&keywords=geddy+lee+autobiography&qid=1691767745&sprefix=Geddy+%2Caps%2C95&sr=8-1

Seems a bit steep at £15 for the Kindle edition but I expect I'll fork out.

I'm hoping Santa will get me this...

I've never owned a Kindle but might invest in one before this release. I don't have a clue which are good or bad. Any suggestions welcome.

The hard cover will be on my Christmas wish list.

Quote from: The Picnic Wasp on August 11, 2023, 10:19:46 PMI've never owned a Kindle but might invest in one before this release. I don't have a clue which are good or bad. Any suggestions welcome.

There are no bad ones .. I have the old non-touchscreen version from about 2011 and a newer touchscreen model (about 2018 I think) and I honestly don't prefer either over the other. Would look for a second hand one on eBay. Can't go wrong really.

Here's an effin' review. Because the forum constrains the size of images as displayed you may wish to right-click and do 'open image in new tab' or similar.

(https://i.ibb.co/gmWNL9L/effinreview.jpg)

I like the way he describes himself as a "human neural net". Not to be pedantic or anything but that's literally true for everyone.

Sounds great - wonder whether the error above is actually in the book?

A motherfucker that bears a grudge and overdid on coke in the 80s. Sounds like any other rock bio to be honest.
The Holocaust part is what has set the tone of his life. Makes sense. Wonder whether he ever spoke with Simmons about that, whose mother is also a Holocaust survivor?

Of course I will read this, but a part of me thinks maybe I shouldn't.

Can't find a reference online to explain Geddy's animosity toward Billy Preston. Will be interested to find out about that one.

Relieved to see that "Slim from TNMS" isn't on the grudge list.

I didn't know he'd fallen out with Gene Simmons. I've seen Gene fairly recently talking in quite fond terms about Rush, didn't seem to be any animosity from his side

Surprised too to read of a fallout with Gene, who only ever seems to have good words for the band...there was that photo of them as well when their paths crossed on tour in Europe a decade or so ago...seemed all very friendly...

It's possible I suppose that Geddy's comments in the book about Gene are a bit more tongue-in-cheek than the reviewer has inferred .. will be interesting to see.

Probably just about lack of sound checks back in the day and not a biggie any longer.

Ah, I read something recently, I think on facebook, where Gene recounted showing Geddy something on bass and he stated (I'm parahrasing here)
"the guy didn't even know a basic blues scale"

That might be it

Oh yes, I remember a story like that now. Geddy said Gene was prattling on about a certain way to play something on bass and Geddy replied that he didn't know what the notes were called, he just played them. Worked out quite well that method.

Seems a weird thing to bear a grudge about 50 years later...

Quote from: captainkurtz on October 06, 2023, 05:16:48 PMSeems a weird thing to bear a grudge about 50 years later...

Yes,it would be. I fully understand the Steve Lillywhite one though

I have one for Chrissie Hynde on Geddy's behalf

By chance I came across this, hardly something you'd hold a grudge for.
https://faroutmagazine.co.uk/gene-simmons-geddy-lee-didnt-understand-bass/

My copy arrived today but won't be opened until Dec 25th.

I think I might be being pathetically petty here. I haven't ordered it yet, which I find sadly incomprehensible considering my years of devotion. I think it's due to the growing list of recent news. The book tour ticket prices, the TV documentary series, the baseball memorabilia sale, the Rush themed beer bar at Toronto airport, mustard etc. It's all becoming a bit lame, so my sad reaction is to hopefully pick the book up cheaper in a wee while. A small protest against this Kiss-esque behaviour. Reading it at Christmas seems a good idea though. Bah humbug!😁

What TV documentary series?

Quote from: R6GYY on November 11, 2023, 07:01:21 PMWhat TV documentary series?

Are Bass Players Human Too? On Paramount Plus I believe which means I won't get to see it for a while. The trailer looks quite good, if a bit corny. Four parter where he visits, Krist Novoselic, Rob Trujillo, Les Claypool and Melissa Auf der Maur. Starts on December 5th. I don't know if that's a UK airing date.

(https://i.ibb.co/LJhs3xv/effinvid.png)

Nice interview ...👍

Watched the start yesterday morning. Looks good. Saving it for later.

Enjoyed that

Well I've just bought the Kindle edition + Audible narration (the audiobook version, in other words). Will have a listen to the first half hour or so later, probably. Just downloaded it onto a phone, there's 230MB of it.

Actually I've just listened to the first minute: "read by Geddy Lee, Alex Lifeson and Cliff Burnstein".

Quote from: Slim on November 15, 2023, 01:59:05 PMWell I've just bought the Kindle edition + Audible narration (the audiobook version, in other words). Will have a listen to the first half hour or so later, probably. Just downloaded it onto a phone, there's 230MB of it.

Actually I've just listened to the first minute: "read by Geddy Lee, Alex Lifeson and Cliff Burnstein".

Have you listened to the two previously unreleased tracks included in the audiobook yet? I'm looking forward to hearing them.

Very good interview ^^^^^^

Ordered the book yesterday, should arrive on Friday at the latest.

Well I listened to the first three hours or so - what a joy this book is. Geddy has a lovely warm, storyteller's delivery, sometimes with an engaging laughter in his voice - it's like being a kid again and watching Jackanory. He's really written about his early years in a way that brings them to life.

Geddy suggests that you may wish to skip the chapters in which he describes his familly's experience of the Holocaust, but I suggest you don't - they might make you emotional or angry, but there's nothing horrific in a graphic sense. And in the end it's quite a life-affirming story for Mr and Mrs Weinrib.

Currently I'm up to 1969 and the time Geddy gets fired from Rush for not being hip enough.

I strongly recommend the audiobook version, Geddy's own narration really makes it special.

Quote from: The Picnic Wasp on November 15, 2023, 07:14:50 PMHave you listened to the two previously unreleased tracks included in the audiobook yet? I'm looking forward to hearing them.

Not yet, didn't know about that actually.

Quote from: Slim on November 13, 2023, 10:56:42 PM

(https://i.ibb.co/LJhs3xv/effinvid.png)

Enjoyed this until the question about seeing a fan in a Rush t-shirt. Quite disappointed with the response, however understandable.

Quote from: R6GYY on November 11, 2023, 03:11:59 PMMy copy arrived today but won't be opened until Dec 25th.

Mine has come too, and wrapped already lol.

Don't know if my copy has come yet, but it better be wrapped for Xmas day - alongside a pair of slippers - OR ELSE!!!

I'm most of the way through this now, up to 1989 and Presto.

I can't overstate what a joy this audiobook has been. It works as a heartfelt, warm, personal memoir but it's also a goldmine of experiences and anecodotes from the Rush touring and recording years. Like others here I was an enthusiastic consumer of those records and tours so to hear these insights, all these years later has been amazing. Geddy covers the whole spectrum, from the consequences of the amount of time he spent on the band to his marriage and how he tried to fix it, to nerd details like why the mixing desk at Trident is better than the one at Advision.

No spoilers here but there's a very humble and sincere reminiscence from Alex, voiced by the man himself on the audiobook, about the recording of Power Windows that's touchingly personal.

Not that he owed it to us, but - this is something like the book we wished Neil had written, though we knew he never would have wanted to. He could have written a brilliant Rush memoir, at least covering 1974 onwards. It would have been massive.

Still - we got one anyway.

Couldn't resist, ordered the book.

I'm loving the book.  Will listen to the audiobook once I'm done reading...

Here's one of my favourite little snippets of fun facts from the book. Nothing hugely interesting or insightful but it made me laugh.

Book is in!. Now onto more serious matters: finding time to read it. I see I have a spot open in my agenda around 2AM... days fly by like crazy.

I finished it a couple of hours ago. Clockwork Angels, the last tour, Neil's intention to retire, his illness, his death. There are 16 hours, 20 mins of it including the two MFH outtakes tacked on at the end. I started it nine days ago, and I think that must be the quickest I've got through any audiobook, in terms of hours of listening per day.

I didn't enjoy the two previously unreleased tunes personally but then I don't like MFH at all.

I'll start a spoiler thread in a bit unless someone wants to beat me to it. There are a few interesting revelations.

Quote from: Slim on November 24, 2023, 06:08:11 PMI'll start a spoiler thread in a bit unless someone wants to beat me to it. There are a few interesting revelations.

thanks for giving me an incentive to place it at the top my to-read list.

Quote from: Slim on November 24, 2023, 06:08:11 PMI finished it a couple of hours ago. Clockwork Angels, the last tour, Neil's intention to retire, his illness, his death. There are 16 hours, 20 mins of it including the two MFH outtakes tacked on at the end. I started it nine days ago, and I think that must be the quickest I've got through any audiobook, in terms of hous of listening per day.

I didn't enjoy the two previously unreleased tunes personally but then I don't like MFH at all.

I'll start a spoiler thread in a bit unless someone wants to beat me to it. There are a few interesting revelations.

Only about 150 pages in and there's quite a few things that have been revelatory to me...

Audiobook listeners (at this point only Slim I think): even though in print it says 'effin', it that carried through to the audio portion, or is the actual 'F' word used?

Quote from: Thenop on November 25, 2023, 01:26:38 PMAudiobook listeners (at this point only Slim I think): even though in print it says 'effin', it that carried through to the audio portion, or is the actual 'F' word used?

He does use the actual F word quite a bit, but he also says "effin'" a lot as well. Just did a search through the online Kindle reader and there are 73 instances of "fuck" and 71 of "effin'" in the text. I'm sure the audiobook is exactly the same.

No spoilers:
I read the first chapter quickly and I have to say I enjoy his writing style very much. No doubt it is edited, shaved and polished by a  professional editor, but still, his voice shines though. It has a warmth and kind of 'soul' to it. It feels alive.
I have always had difficulty reading Pearts' dense writing, there's no room to breathe when reading those books. It feels a bit forced and (con)strained, but this is abreath of frsh air.
The pace, the natural way of telling things. It might be one of the easiest biographies I have (started) read(ing).
Also: I have the tendency of 'reading' it in his voice. The only other biography I have had that with was Miles Davis'.

Looking forward to the rest of the book.

Just saw this on Instagram a few minutes ago. I assume the spelling mistake isn't interntional.

(https://i.ibb.co/ZcLBknS/interntional.png)

I'm three chapters in.  I'm completely engrossed already and excited for what's to come.  I suppose I'll have a lot more to say in the spoilers thread once I've finished the book.

Just found I have this "free" on Spotify premium.

Double-page exclusive today in the Daily Express  (what a great paper!  :) )

(**discussion of some content**)

https://www.express.co.uk/entertainment/theatre/1843449/geddy-lee-my-effin-life-tale-personal-evolution

Had a fantastic bit of luck today! The wife of one of my best mates works in the Oxfam bookshop in Witney and spotted Geddy's book had been brought in yesterday. She must have read the jacket and recognised the band name. She told Pete and as he's not a big fan, his immediate thought was me. He texted me last night (although I didn't see it until this morning) to say Susan has seen the book and it was on sale for £12.99. I told him I'd have it if it was still available so his lovely wife rang the shop to get it put by for me (she doesn't work on a Thursday).
I rushed(!) back from work to pick it up before they closed at 4:30pm. It looks unread and appears to be a US copy. I've no idea how it came to be donated to the shop, I can only speculate. Was it a second copy, gifted in error? Was a pious recipient offended by the title? Was it left in an overhead locker after a return transatlantic flight? Who knows? I'm happy  ;D

Geddy appeared on Adrian Chiles' show on 5 Live today; a nice surprise while I was out on a bike. I'm not overly found of Adrian's interview style usually; he has a sort of exasperated sycophancy thing going on that I find a little irritating. But he'd clearly read at least the first half of the book and fair play, he was genuinely enthusiastic and interested here. This was a really good interview.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m001t86k

[EDIT: dead link now, so see #65 below if interested, where the interview is captured for posterity]

Starts at 1:36 in.

Quote from: David L on December 14, 2023, 07:52:17 PMHad a fantastic bit of luck today! The wife of one of my best mates works in the Oxfam bookshop in Witney and spotted Geddy's book had been brought in yesterday. She must have read the jacket and recognised the band name. She told Pete and as he's not a big fan, his immediate thought was me. He texted me last night (although I didn't see it until this morning) to say Susan has seen the book and it was on sale for £12.99. I told him I'd have it if it was still available so his lovely wife rang the shop to get it put by for me (she doesn't work on a Thursday).
I rushed(!) back from work to pick it up before they closed at 4:30pm. It looks unread and appears to be a US copy. I've no idea how it came to be donated to the shop, I can only speculate. Was it a second copy, gifted in error? Was a pious recipient offended by the title? Was it left in an overhead locker after a return transatlantic flight? Who knows? I'm happy  ;D

Are they handing out the book to all attendees at the UK shows too? If so it could have been donated as a copy had already been purchased. Good bit of luck anyway!

Quote from: Slim on December 14, 2023, 08:15:56 PMGeddy appeared on Adrian Chiles' show on 5 Live today; a nice surprise while I was out on a bike. I'm not overly found of Adrian's interview style usually; he has a sort of exasperated sycophancy thing going on that I find a little irritating. But he'd clearly read at least the first half of the book and fair play, he was genuinely enthusiastic and interested here. This was a really good interview.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m001t86k

Starts at 1:36 in.

That was great. Geddy has the most wonderfully relaxed style of speaking, he's become the member of the band that I most enjoy listening to. So talented but still so humble. I could listen to him all day (perhaps I should've gone for the audio book!)

Quote from: Slim on December 14, 2023, 08:15:56 PMGeddy appeared on Adrian Chiles' show on 5 Live today; a nice surprise while I was out on a bike. I'm not overly found of Adrian's interview style usually; he has a sort of exasperated sycophancy thing going on that I find a little irritating. But he'd clearly read at least the first half of the book and fair play, he was genuinely enthusiastic and interested here. This was a really good interview.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m001t86k

Starts at 1:36 in.

Since the BBC Sounds page will expire in a month, I've preserved the interview for posterity here:

Finally got round to starting it!

Made it through the Prologue.

I got it at Christmas.. still to make a start on it..

Also got it for Christmas. Deliberately reading it slowly to make it last. About halfway through. Enjoying it, good read so far.

I got it too for Xmas. Not started yet as I'm still ploughing through a GoT book - Fire and Blood, which is basically a history of the Targaryen's Westeros rule from Aegon I onward.