About Different Stages
Different Stages was largely recorded at the World Amphitheater on June 14th, 1997 in suburban Chicago during the 1997 Test for Echo tour, the first tour the band did “An Evening with Rush” without a supporting act. “Everything worked well that night: our playing, the audience, and the venue’s acoustics” Alex said in 1999. Three songs from the 1994 Counterparts tour were also included.
The third disc is taken from a performance at the Hammersmith Odeon in London during the A Farewell to Kings tour in 1978.
“We came across it when we were clearing out a tape storage room. Geddy had a bit of a cold when we did that gig and after hearing the tapes initially, didn’t feel that great about his singing. So the tapes were put away and we basically forgot about them. But when we came across them again, we knew we had something that was very cool.” – Alex Lifeson, 1999.
Credits
Produced by
Geddy Lee
Paul Northfield
Engineered by
Paul Northfield
Hammersmith Recording Engineer
Terry Brown
Mastered by
Bob Ludwig
Gateway Mastering
Portland, Maine
Executive Production
Liam Birt
Pegi Cecconi
Art Direction, Illustration and Design
Photography
Andrew MacNaughtan
Additional Photography
Dimo Safari
Tony Frederick
Fin Costello
Management
Ray Danniels
SRO Productions
Toronto
Liner Notes
Mixed at McLear Pathé
Toronto
Assisted by Denis Tougas and John Biondich
Live Recordings and Invaluable Pre-Mixing Organisation by Robert Scovill
Assisted by Eric Kugler at Eldon Boy Studios – Phoenix, Arizona
Sequencing and Invaluable Assistance by Simon Pressey
CREW MEMBERS ON T4E TOUR
Boss: Liam Birt
Lighting: Howard Herns Ungerleider
Live Sound Engineer: Robert Scovill
Guitar Tech: Jim Johnson
Keyboard Tech: Tony ‘Jack Secret’ Geranios
Drum Tech: Larry Allen
Bass Techs: Russ Ryan & Steve Cohen
Stage Manager: Craig Blazier
Office Production: Skip Gildersleeve, Karin Blazier
Monitors: Brain Keefe, George (Barney) Barnes
Band Assistant: Peter Rollo
Bike Wrangler: Phil (Brutus) McMullen
Moving Lights: Matt (Sniffy) Druzbik
Stage Technicians: George Steinert, Lorne (Hey Gump) Wheaton, Rick Munroe
Firm of Drysdale and Drysdale Acct.: John Whitehead and Scotty McBirt
See Factor Lighting: Ed Duda, Don Lodico, Andy Preston, Phil Karatz, Bob Chaize
Electrotec Sound Crew: Charles Lawson, Jason Alt, Mike Humble
BCC Video Crew: Jeff Claire, Keith Marrero, Kraig Boyd, Jim Malone
Laserlite Crew: Charlie Passerelli, John Popowycz
Drivers: Arthur MacLear, Dan Johnson, Dave Cook, Aline Jones, Mickey Miller, Danny Powers, Melanie Posey
Riggers: Billy Collins, Brian Collins, Richard Acebo
Bus Drivers: David Burnette, Paul Hortop, Davis Smith, Steve Huddleston
Management Staff: Sheila Posner, Pegi Cecconi, Cynthia Barry, Shelley Nott, Anna LeCoche, Karen Jones, Steve Hoffman, Randy Rolfe
Booking Agents: Phil Ernst for ICM Agency / Neil Warnock for The Agency Group
Merchandising: Mike McLoughlin & Rob Flynn
Hello you,
This collection was recorded over a span of 20 years, primarily during 3 tours. Our desire was to record many shows hoping to capture some “magic” performances as naturally as possible. But, as Murphy’s Law would dictate, with well over 60 shows to choose from, we found ourselves being drawn to a mere handful. We have tried not to “mess” with these tapes very much and to present something that we think represents a fairly definitive retrospective of our live work and changing sound over that period of time.
Of course, no band is an island, and so we thank our various crew members, management staff and drivers throughout the years who have been the unfailing support system that has kept us rolling, stage to stage, with great dedication and professionalism, and good humour.
But most significantly, we would like to thank our many fans around the world for their long-standing support which, to our continuing amazement, has enabled us to hang around for so damn long – despite the inherent weirdness of our music!
Best wishes to all
Geddy
“suddenly…you were gone…from all the lives you left your mark upon”
In loving memory of Jackie and Selena
© 1998 Atlantic Records
© 1998 Anthem Entertainment
Dreamline
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…