Customer Reviews

Rush Visions: The Official Biography

5 star:		(14)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(5)
1 star:		(10)

 

 

If this is indeed "The Official Biography" Rush should be extremely upset for not proofreading this book before signing off on it. The grammar is so poor it becomes painful to read and the 6 & 7 word sentences are so sophomoric I can only read a few pages at a time.

The photographs are pretty neat, though. I'd like to read more about the band, but if this is how the words would come out, then just give me more photos! I don't care how happy the author was to receive a personal birthday greeting from Geddy Lee onstage. (A blessing! A blessing from the Lord!)

The book is so full of mutilated teenage dialect and selfish, self-centered authorship that most true, long-time Rush fans will be embarrassed on behalf of the band because this piece of literary excrement actually got itself published.

My 2 cents.

This book is just bad beyond belief. The author comes off as an infatuated band groupie who can't resist inserting himself into the "biography" when one of the band members actually talks to him or nicknames him. It's an effort to get past his atrocious writing skills to the few passages with interesting information about the band. The entire book reads like a C-minus high school book report on a real biography.

This book should not only be out of print, it should be removed from the planet. "B-Man", shame on you.

After reading more than 20 reviews, and finding that most of them considered this book to be absolutely worthless, I found the (chronologically) first review listed to be very interesting. I can't really make a reference to it, since the writer of the review chose to remain completely anonymous. But after reading POSITIVE reviews which still made a point to mention the B-man's total lack of grammatical ability, I couldn't help but think that the B-man himself must have written that first review. To rave on about the quality of the writing, when so much of the book is little more than poorly paraphrased Peart lyrics, mixed with 3rd grade level English, is rather incredible. I have not read this book in over 10 years, but I can still remember that as I read through it, I became embarrassed for the members of my favorite band. If that book had been written about me or my band, I'd be embarrassed! What a stinker! Interestingly, I have very little word-for-word recollection of any of the book's passages. My memory is good, but not that good. I tend to not WANT to remember such drivel. However, I DO remember the sentiment I felt while reading this book: "This B-man character is a self-important putz." Several years earlier, I read something else (I don't remember all the details) written by B-man. It was around the time GUP was released. I believe that the B-man had been given the opportunity to hear some of the GUP tunes before the final mix. I remember reading his account of his experience. I was amazed. I was so happy for this guy, and thought he was the luckiest guy in the world. It was 1984, I was only 15, and rather naive. Yet, not out of envy, but through some other innate sense, I got the impression that this guy was a putz then, too. Reading this book 5 years later confirmed it. Today, reading about his desperate attempts to maintain a spotlight on himself by starting flame wars on the Rush list UNDERSCORES it. I really do believe that the B-man wrote that first review. Who else would give him credit for such excellent writing skills? P.S. To all of you Canadians out there - please don't let the B-man's horrible grammar and lack of originality create the impression that people in the US are illiterate and uncreative. It's just that in this country, the cream is very often the LAST thing to rise to the top - or to write a book, for that matter! P.P.S What does the B-man do for a living, now that his one and only book is out of print? Does this guy work?

Up through Rush's first live album and fifth overall, 1977's All the World's a Stage, the book presents itself from the objective point of view. After that it might as well be My Life as a Rush Fan. It is written at an elementary school level, nevertheless an easy read that could be finished in one sitting in this sound-bite society. The author awkwardly juxtaposes the song lyrics into his writing, and his prose seems especially lame when compared to quotes by the autodidactic Neil Peart. I can't complain too much because I ordered it after a man was handing out fliers at my first Rush show. It has some cool pictures but is for the die-hard Rush fan.

So many differing opinions regarding this book! Ah well, what's one more!

The book is ideal for the new Rush fan, and even the veterans can learn SOMETHING (particularly in early chapters regarding their beginnings). I keep the book around as a Rush reference source along with interviews they've given to the various musicians magazines. For THAT, it gets it's 3 stars.

The author, Banasiewicz, DOES write on the poor side (as has been stated below). The most obnoxious thing about the book, however, is the author's self-important insistence on placing HIMSELF in the action. We learn about the author's experiences while in (drummer) Neil Peart's home, or while flying with (guitarist) Alex Lifeson. This gets tedious...if this is the biography of Rush, why am I learning so much about 'the B-man'? Furthermore, among one of the largest fan bases ever to follow a band, why does HE get to spend PERSONAL TIME with them?? Telling us his tales of 'my day with (bassist) Geddy Lee'

only serve in making us JEALOUS of the author! Was this his intent?

Annoying, too, is reading a simple-minded fellow's interpretation of songs written by an intellectual. We get paraphrased lyrics, or an OBVIOUS interpretation of the song...not a 'plumbing of the depths.' Thus, the song 'Tom Sawyer' is about "a modern day warrior with mean, mean stride" or 'Countdown' is a song about a space shuttle launch. Thank YOU, Dr. Insight!

Still, the book comes in handy as a reference source when debating matters Rush. The book and the Rush FAQ (found on-line) are two valuable resources, together with the album liner notes, band tourbooks, and magazine interviews.

I can't speak about the B-man's 'flaming' on Rush-related BBs. I know nothing about this. If it's true, shame on you Banasiewicz! I've seen your ilk, and people like this anger me! You wouldn't do that if you were REALLY their #1 fan!

Drummer/lyricist Neil Peart is OBVIOUSLY a good writer, and has expressed interest in writing MORE. Why doesn't HE write the band's definitive biography? And why does he trust Banasiewicz to do it for him?

A biography is one thing. Visions is something different. Slightly informative and obnoxiously written, Visions is much less a biography than it is a datebook of tours and backstage events the author has been to. Chalk this one up with the "I'm With the Band" groupie crowd and read the liner notes of Rush albums. If you want information on the band, that's one of the best places to go. Virtually anything is better than this work from a man who apparently considers himself quite important.

To be fair, this isn't such a bad book if you're a fan of Rush but don't know much about them. The writing is second-rate and the author tends to tell pointless stories about himself and make lame allusions to the bands lyrics, but you get a pretty good sense of Rush's history from the earliest days to the late eighties.

If you're already a long-time fan of Rush, there's no new information here.

"Visions" is the only official biography of Rush, but it reads more like "My Adventures With Rush" than it does a serious biography. The information is clouded in writing that resembles that of a lucky fan more than a journalistic effort. The author is also known to write inflammatory comments to and about anyone who disagrees with his views, making it impossible for me to recommend this book. If you feel you must read it, you might be better off borrowing a copy of it.

A a long-time Rush fan, I respect the fact that everyone has a right to their own opinion. I will say, however, that in a time when there is such a tabloid mentality when it comes to books or articles on bands(especially one of this caliber!), it is a nice change to every once in a good while find a book such as this. I can't speak much on proper grammar, syntax and the like, but I found it to be very informative and interesting to read. I didn't know what Alex and Geddy's real names were until I saw this book! Another nice thing about it is the great collection of photographs, many of which are from the band's own personal scrapbook. I grew so tired of reading magazines in the 80's that could only focus on someone's physical appearance or how strange they sounded. It seemed as though no one had anything decent or positive to say about a group or artist. Rush should be respected and admired for their longevity and integrity. There certainly aren't too many groups around these days that you can say that about. I will admit I envy Bill as far as the opportunities he's had to see this band and actually meet them and become friends with them. I've been going to their shows since 1981 and would give anything to be able to talk to them. They have been a major influence on me as a musician for a long time. I'd like to see more books like this.

The poor written quality of this work does no justice to the rare musical talents of the band members. The terms sophomoric and sychophantic characterize Banasiewitz' irrelevant ride on the groupie train. The best thing I can say about the book is that in the absence of a more comprehensive and professional work by the band members themselves (please!) it does fill a void. Of course, tossing 'Visions' into an empty trash can will accomplish the same thing.