The Rand-Rush Connection

[spaceplayer]

I've started a series of posts at my personal blog, Objectivish, dealing with the Rand-Rush connection that I thought some here might find of interest. Three, so far:

The first one discusses my first exposure to Rand, via the Rush edition of Rock'N'Roll Comics.

The second deals with the "ominous parallels" of the smears of fascism against both Rand and Rush, by Whittaker Chambers and Barry Miles of the New Music Express.

The latest discusses the recently release (9/28) of the Classic Albums series edition of 2112/Moving Pictures, which discusses the Randian influence (and included a brief appearance by ARI's John Ridpath, summarizing Anthem).

Enjoy.

Edited September 29, 2010 by spaceplayer

[spaceplayer]

A couple more entries in The Rand-Rush Connection series, concerning the album Hold Your Fire: "Hold Your Fire", which discusses Neil Peart's drifting from reason in favor of "instinct," and "No, Neil, Hold YOUR Fire", a rebuttal of the accusations made by Peart towards Objectivism and Ayn Rand.

Lyrics from Hold Your Fire is often quoted by Objectivists for its optimistic, seemingly individualistic approach. Those Objectivists may be surprised at the full context...

Edited October 25, 2010 by spaceplayer

[spaceplayer]

The last (planned) installment of my Rand-Rush Connection series: my review of Rush, Rock Music and the Middle Class: Dreaming in Middletown by Chris McDonald.

Synopsis of the review:

The thesis of McDonald's book is not about Rush and Rand per se, so this will not be a comprehensive book review; there are other topics discussed, such as musical analysis, that I found interesting, that are simply beyond the scope of this post. Rather, this will just serve to introduce the book into the discussion started by "Rand, Rush and Rock”. There is significant space dedicated to the topic, in the discussion of differing kinds of individualism, the comparison of "2112" and Rand’s novella Anthem, (upon which "2112" was based), heroism, maturity and civility, the “self-made” man, and public reaction towards the band as it relates to Objectivism.

As for McDonald’s thesis? If his agenda was neither to discredit individualism and Rush's uses of it, nor to defend or glorify them,” it doesn’t mean that his own opinion doesn’t come through (though I credit him for a better separation than what was achieved by Jennifer Burns, who made a similar claim in her Rand bio Goddess of the Market: Ayn Rand and the American Right.) Regarding his intent to “uncover the social and historical backgrounds that make individualism important to Rush and many of its audience members...to see how it fits into the story of rock music and the middle class”: While my criticisms aren't aimed at the book as a whole, I can’t grant McDonald my agreement on his interpretations and conclusions. Where I can grant him unequivocal success is in the documentation of Rand as a band whose connection with Rand was tenuous at best, and for providing, in microcosm, a document of the philosophical and cultural divide of our world today.

Edited January 18, 2011 by spaceplayer