Alex Lifeson

RUSH plans to bring a string ensemble out on tour with the band for the first time ever in its career, according to The Pulse Of Radio. Orchestrations provided by well-known arranger David Campbell are used on several tracks from the band’s new album, “Clockwork Angels”, and guitarist Alex Lifeson told The Pulse Of Radio that the trio intends to recreate that sound on the road. “We can’t take a symphony. We’ll take a group of musicians — let’s say an efficient ensemble of strings,” he said. “We’ll probably have about eight, somewhere between eight and 10 musicians. A couple of cellos and the rest will be violins.”

Lifeson told Billboard.com that the band may have the string section perform during older numbers in the setlist as well.

RUSH begins its North American tour on September 7 in Manchester, New Hampshire, and Lifeson suggested that Campbell, who is also the father of alternative artist Beck, may join them for a few shows.

“Clockwork Angels”, RUSH‘s first new studio set in five years, sold 103,000 copies in the United States in its first week of release to land at position No. 2 on The Billboard 200 chart.

Source: Blabbermouth.net

Jeff Woods of ExploreMusic recently conducted an interview with Alex Lifeson and Geddy Lee of Canadian rock legends RUSH. You can now watch the chat below.

RUSH‘s first new collection of original material in over five years and their first studio release via Anthem/Roadrunner Records, “Clockwork Angels”, is likely to sell between 85,000 and 95,000 copies in the United States in its first week of release, according to industry web site Hits Daily Double. The estimate was based on one-day sales reports compiled after the record arrived in stores on June 12.

RUSH‘s 18th studio album, “Snakes & Arrows”, debuted at No. 3 on the Billboard album chart in May 2007 with sales of 93,000 copies. The disc was the first collection of all-new RUSH material since 2002’s “Vapor Trails” and the 27th RUSH release to make the Billboard album chart. The band’s chart peak was in 1993, when “Counterparts” debuted at No. 2.

The recording of “Clockwork Angels” began in April 2010 with Grammy Award-winning producer Nick Raskulinecz (FOO FIGHTERS, DEFTONES) — who also collaborated with the band on their last studio album, 2007’s “Snakes & Arrows”.

Lyrically, “Clockwork Angels” chronicles a young man’s quest across a lavish and colorful world of steampunk and alchemy as he attempts to follow his dreams. The story features lost cities, pirates, anarchists, an exotic carnival, and a rigid Watchmaker who imposes precision on every aspect of daily life. The novelization of “Clockwork Angels” is being written by science fiction writer Kevin J. Anderson in collaboration with RUSH drummer and lyricist Neil Peart.

“Clockwork Angels” track listing:

01. Caravan
02. BU2B
03. Clockwork Angels
04. The Anarchist
05. Carnies
06. Halo Effect
07. Seven Cities Of Gold
08. The Wreckers
09. Headlong Flight
10. BU2B2
11. Wish Them Well
12. The Garden