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The Soapbox: Rants and Commentary:
From Colonade to First Row: Ageless Rockers Catch Heat From the BeatBy Jordan W. Finkelstein(jman@znet.com), Reprinted with permission.This essay was originally posted on THE NATIONAL MIDNIGHT STAR, an e-mail-list of Rush fans. As someone who's heard heard comments myself about my approaching "30"-ness, it was nice to know that other people don't let those around them dictate what is "appropriate" or "immature." You know, this tour has been one of the most exciting ones for me and a lot of other people for a whole lot of reasons. I've met so many new people, bought tickets for 20 people, had people from three states stay with, visit and party with me that I only knew from the NMS...sat in the first three rows for three shows and had 16th row seats for another show...I bought $100 worth of stuff at the shows...bought the new CD, got the Working Man tribute, made a special vest covered with Rush pins and patches...it's just been an all-out effort, really. Met the rush-mgr and saw his awesome collection of stuff...it's been a really killer experience the whole time. And you know what? People criticized me before and after the shows. Like months before, when I was buying tickets two months ahead of time and standing in line at 6 a.m. They questioned why I was doing all this stuff and wondered why I was always excited and talked about the new CD and the upcoming tour. Then when I would tell people I was doing the shows in San Diego, two in Los Angeles and then driving to Phoenix, they said I was fucking crazy, in most cases. Obsessed. Possessed. Wasting my time. Wasting my money. Wasting my energy. Going too far. Asking me what the purpose of it was. Telling me I was out of control. Asking me if I had a real life and a real job. EXAMPLE: Tonight I got a phone call from a friend who has heard Rush, but who isn't subscribed to the NMS, or much less has a Rush t-shirt or nothing. Maybe she has Moving Pictures. We play tennis. She's female. I'm male. She called to ask how the concerts were, and to see if we should get together to play tennis. She knew I was going to the San Diego and LA showsbut when I told her I also went to the Phoenix show and scored second row seats face value, she freaked and said something like, "God Jordan, why on earth did you do that? I think that's going a little too far." Well, fucking excuse the hell out of me. Bosses. Friends. Family. Co-workers. I have not been immune from other people's crazy, half-assed, uninformed, uninvolved and clueless, rude comments about having fun seeing the band I've loved for like 15 years. It's really been bugging the hell out of me, and I figure if it's bugging me, it might be happening to others out there. EXAMPLE II - So my boss likes to play roller hockey every Monday night. When he said I was nuts for seeing so many shows, I said to him just before he left the office for one of his games, "Well, what do you like to do the most outside of the office?" He told me about the roller hockey thingy. I said, yeah, that sounds really cool. You do it every week because you like it, right? "Right," he says. So that means you play it something like 50 times per year, right? I said back. "Yeah, so what?" he says. So what? I say back. That means you do what you like once per week on your own time, just about every week of the year, and you like it. It costs money. You have to buy equipment, pay a league fee and buy your uniform, right? "Right," he says. I said, Rush goes on tour once every 2 to four YEARS and I see them four times and buy for tickets for $160 and you make some condecending remarks about my lifestyle away from work and call me crazy? "That's different," he said to me, boldly. Bullshit it's different. And you know what? That night at his roller hockey game he broke his ankle, and I'm not kidding. Shattered it in like 6 pieces. He was in surgery getting a couple of plates and about 50 pins in his ankle two days later to hold everything together! He's been out of work for three weeks. And in total agony. And I catch four shows and am in totaly extacy. Go figure. I shit you not. So you tell me, what was more a waste of money and effort? Hmmmmmmmmmm, Mr. Bossy? It's the same thing. Everyone on this list, whether they see a show or not, is into the band. It's a lifestyle. It's a preference. It's pleasurable. It's exciting. It's fun. It's emotionally, intellectually, physically and aurally stimulating. Albums are few and far between, as are tours. This may be the last tour. Who knows. Take advantage of it at all costs. Be committed to something. Enjoy it. That's what I told all my hypocrites. Including Mr. Broken Bones Boss. I guess he rolled 'em a little to hard, eh? You know, my checking account went down to about $1.23 after all four shows, with no paycheck in sight and a stack of bills high enough to choke a pig. But I don't particularly care. I saw the shows. I used every resource I could to see and experience the band as best as I could. And here I have to listen to people talking crap about me and about the band and how much of a waste this and that is. I almost feel sorry for these people. Why? Because they are the ones who don't have a friggin life. They go to work in their tin cans, sit on the freeway entombed in traffic like tuna fish in a can, do their work, go home, have dinner, and don't feel much passion in life, for all I know. Watch the early news and go to bed, creeps. My life sure is fuller than that. And I bet those reading this know why. There's more to life than work, and there certainly is no reason in today's world to be hypocritical of someone else's preferences or lifestyle on their own free time, and there's absolutely no reason for people to be friggin rude to someone when they get excited about something they like to do...quite frankly, you'd think family, friends and bosses would enjoy seeing someone excited and energized...after all, we come back to work or we come back home after a show and are more happy, more productive and pumped and refreshed. Fuck 'em if they don't like it, I say! Sure, I'm 31 years old. People think I shouldn't be so "boyish" or "irresponsible" or going to "concerts" anymore. Oh yeah, well, I got some news for them...it 'aint going away anytime soon. I only saw four shows. I say "only" because I know people who've seen over a dozen on this tour alone. I met people who have seen the band over 50 times. Met one woman in LA who has sat in the first three rows for 21 consecutive shows over the last 10 tours or so... When I tell people that, they don't really seem to be phased. It's all the same to them. A bunch of bungleheaded fans trippin out on Rush. Yeah, right, give me a break. It's them that's trippin'. I was just wondering if anyone else catches such flak for their committment and the time, money and effort for the shows and the music? My bet is that everyone does, to some extent. Quite frankly, I'm tired of hearing the crap. So during the spring/summer leg, I'm just not going to say jack-squat to anyone. I'll just keep it to myself, enjoy it with others that enjoy it, and just show up and work or school or home with this huge grin on my face and not say a damn thing about my experiences. Because those hypocrites don't know what it's all about, and it's a waste of time to even try to convey to them the meaning behind the music and what the power and excitement of it is all about...not all non-fans are like this, please don't think I'm being grossly generalized. But most people have been pretty specific about me being certifiably insane for catching four shows. You know, I think about the Grateful Deadheads, and you know, I never heard anyone being condecending about Deadheads. So what gives with that? I have not a clue. Sometimes, I am just soooooooooo confused by other people!!!! Polorize me Reproduction, duplication or any unauthorized re-use or publication without permission from the publisher/author is strictly prohibited. Copyright 1996, Jordan W. Finkelstein. |
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