Recommended Reading

A New Book Inspired by the Music of Rush

Rush fans are a different breed. Once they latch on to the band, they never, ever let go, looking to always go deeper into the music, the lyrics and imagery and whatever (and wherever) else Rush offers.

The latest example of this is 2113: Stories Inspired by the Music of Rush, a 400 page anthology (ECW Press) edited by Kevin J. Anderson and John McFetridge. This is fan fiction on, shall we say, on a higher plane than the crap inspired by One Direction or the sexually-frustrated teen werewolves in Twilight.

2113 - Anderson and Fetridge

Like what? “Red Barchetta,” a song about a semi-obscure Italian sportscar finally gets a backstory entitled A Nice Morning Drive. There’s a tale called Gotta Roll Them Bones inspired by (obviously) “Roll the Bones.” And Anderson includes a sequel to his 2112 novella. What does the Elder Race do with the planets of the Solar Federation?

There are some clunkers in the bunch and some of the reviews have been less than kind (I’m looking at you, Toronto Star), but Rush fans won’t care. This is a chance to go with the band’s visions of heroic individualism and (maybe) Randian Objectivism. It’s sure as hell easier than reading Atlas Shrugged again.

Alan Cross

is an internationally known broadcaster, interviewer, writer, consultant, blogger and speaker. In his 40+ years in the music business, Alan has interviewed the biggest names in rock, from David Bowie and U2 to Pearl Jam and the Foo Fighters. He’s also known as a musicologist and documentarian through programs like The Ongoing History of New Music.

Alan Cross has 37893 posts and counting. See all posts by Alan Cross

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