About Roll The Bones
Roll The Bones, the band’s 14th studio record, was recorded once again at Le Studio in Morin-Heights, Quebec and McClear Place in Toronto, Ontario. Rupert Hine returned as co-producer, after previously producing Presto.
Roll the Bones has a taste of rap, a bit of funk, and a bigger “groove” than fans expected from Rush at the time. Neil chose to be more straight-ahead, leaving room for Geddy bass playing to be more aggressive.
Geddy, after the recording of the album, said:
“I’m pleased with the way the band has been able to streamline the sound over the past couple of records. I think it’s a positive change. I’m also pleased with the way we’ve been able to utilize a stronger sense of melody and vocal harmony.”
Credits
Produced by
Rupert Hine and Rush
Engineer
Arrangements by
Rush and Rupert Hine
Additional keyboards and background vocals
Rupert Hine
Mastering
Bob Ludwig
Masterdisk NYC
Management
Ray Danniels
SRO Management Inc.
Toronto
Executive Production
Anthem Records
Liam Birt
Art Direction and Design
Portraits
Andrew MacNaughtan
Photography
Scarpati
Digitals
Joe Berndt
Liner Notes
Alex Lifeson – Electric and acoustic guitars, backing vocals
Neil Peart – Drums and cymbals
Geddy Lee – Bass guitar, vocals, synthesizers
Recorded at Le Studio
Morin Heights, Quebec
February-May, 1991
Assisted by Simon Pressey
and
McClear Place
Toronto
Assisted by Paul Seeley
Mixed at Nomis Studios
London
Assisted by Ben Darlow
Preproduction work at Chalet Studio by Lerxst Sound
Assisted by Everett Ravestein
Special thanks to those who keep us “rolling”
At Shallow Studio: The Koopster, David, Röb, Caroline, Logger, the War Room, Chester Sight & Sound, CNN, The Psychedelic Shack, The Sugar Shack, Johnny Abdul, the birds.
At Le Studio: Richard, Simon, Linda, Francine, Benoît d’Arleaux, Steve, Dave, Anne-Marie, New England Digital (Nick how-about-a-credit?), and a belated thank you to Pippa.
At SRO: Ray, Pegi, Sheila, Kim, Evelyn, Laura.
On the road: Tour manager and lighting director: Howard Ungerleider, President and stage manager: Liam Birt, Production manager: Nick Kotos, Concert sound engineer: Robert Scovill, Stage left tech: Skip Gildersleeve, Center stage tech: Larry Allen, Stage right tech: Jim Johnson, Keyboard Tech: Tony Geranios, Monitor engineer: Bill Chrysler
And also some of the other “old campaigners”: Billy Collins, Matt Druzbik, Jack Funk, Tom Hartman, Ted Leamy, Brad Madix, Mac MacLear, Mike McLoughlin, George Steinert, Mike Weiss, Tom Whittaker, and Mr. Big (band and crew).
At home: perpetual thanks and appreciation to our families, who are always there to catch us when we stop rolling…
Brought to you buy the letter “B.”
We appreciate continuing technical assistance from Saved By Technology, Wal basses, Paul Reed Smith guitars, Gallien-Krueger, Ludwig drums, Avedis Zildjian cymbals, and–The Omega Concern.
“Now it’s dark.”
© 1991 Atlantic Records
© 1991 Anthem Entertainment
Awards
Billboard 200
#3UK Albums Chart
#10Certified Gold by RIAA
October 25, 1991Certified Platinum by RIAA
August 31, 2001Dreamline
Music: Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson
Lyrics: Neil Peart
He’s got a road map of Jupiter
A radar fix on the stars
All along the highway
She’s got a liquid-crystal compass
A picture book of the rivers
Under the Sahara
They travel in the time of the prophets
On a desert highway straight to the heart of the sun
Like lovers and heroes, and the restless part of everyone
We’re only at home when we’re on the run
On the run
He’s got a star map of Hollywood
A list of cheap motels
All along the freeway
She’s got a sister out in Vegas
The promise of a decent job
Far away from her hometown
They travel on the road to redemption
A highway out of yesterday — that tomorrow will bring
Like lovers and heroes, birds in the last days of spring
We’re only at home when we’re on the wing
On the wing
WHEN WE ARE YOUNG
WANDERING THE FACE OF THE EARTH
WONDERING WHAT OUR DREAMS MIGHT BE WORTH
LEARNING THAT WE’RE ONLY IMMORTAL —
FOR A LIMITED TIME
Time is a gypsy caravan
Steals away in the night
To leave you stranded in Dreamland
Distance is a long-range filter
Memory a flickering light
Left behind in the heartland
We travel in the dark of the new moon
A starry highway traced on the map of the sky
Like lovers and heroes, lonely as the eagle’s cry
We’re only at home when we’re on the fly
On the fly
We travel on the road to adventure
On a desert highway straight to the heart of the sun
Like lovers and hereos, and the restless part of everyone
We’re only at home when we’re on the run
On the run…