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Had always wanted to look into the meaning of the Rush 'Starman' symbol which I first encountered when buying '2112' all those years ago (still owe Andy Hawkins a massive thanks for pointing me towards Rush and '2112' back then).
Well, from the hypothesising that I've just encountered on a few websites addressing the 'Starman' question, I think it's reasonable to agree that the symbol means something like: 'The primacy of individual genius; creativity and integrity over the restrictions of collectivist ideology' (think this can also be deduced from quite a lot of Neil Peart's early Rush lyrics being influenced by the Objectivist outlook of Ayn Rand).
Of course, Ayn Rand gets a credit on the cover of '2112', and last week I was on page 226 of 'The Fountainhead' and read the following description about the model of Stephen Mallory's 'Statue of Industry':
"It was the slender naked body of a man who looked as if he could break through the steel plate of a battleship and through any barrier whatever. It stood like a challenge. It left a strange stamp on one's eyes. It made people around it seem smaller and sadder than usual. For the first time in his life, looking at that statue, Keating thought he understood what was meant by the word 'heroic'"
Thus, I couldn't help but see some kind of thematic connection between this short excerpt from Rand and the Rush 'Starman' symbol.
Also think that the 'Starman' symbol (if you like, the Rand influence on Rush at this time) represents the artistic/musical strength; creativity; and integrity that (with their backs against the wall) the band had to draw together to produce the timeless and monumental '2112' after the lack of commercial success of the (daring and definitely interesting) 'Caress of Steel' album had somewhat threatened the band's existence. Think I saw Geddy Lee and/or Alex Lifeson (not Neil Peart) explaining this on a Rush documentary some time ago.
Satanic
ReplyDeleteDon't think it's that simple/straightforward, to be honest, but who knows.
DeleteRush are not Satanic. Corporate agreements/entanglements are though. When you get up into "the big leagues" you are dealing with entities and agencies that don't play by traditional morals/ethics. The entertainment industry is entwined with government/military complexes that have a lot of invested interest in controlling the masses.
DeleteI agree with you entirely, Laura.
DeleteAnton Szandor LaVey, author of the Satanic Bible, said that he was strongly influenced by Ayn Rand. In brief: Objectivism is basically Satanism minus spirituality and occultism. What is left is a pseudoscientific materialistic trash philosophy that serves very well as a blueprint for social disintegration.
ReplyDeleteTypical shallow collectivist answer.
DeleteWouldn't really of thought it was Ayn Rand's fault that LaVey chose to be strongly influenced by her. By the way, I'm not an Ayn Rand apologist, I'm just interested in the thematic connection between her ideas and early Neil Peart lyrics. One thing I do like about Ayn Rand is that just the mention of her seems to make cultural marxists feel very uncomfortable. However, I'm well aware that there are far more praiseworthy outlooks on life than the kind of functionalist sociological outlook of Rand. For example, I find pre-Vatican II Catholicism and Eastern Orthodoxy very appealing.
ReplyDeleteI think 2112, boiled into a simplistic narrative, is the creative freewill of man vs the powers that control society, the corporation, church or Government. Sometimes a blend of all 3, it felt like to me.
ReplyDeleteThe star represents the powers , as in, "we have assumed control!", the naked man, is the poor sap who stumbled onto the guitar, found beauty in music and dared to discuss it.
Just my opinion, not too deep though, lol.
Thanks for the comment, think that you're probably spot on.
DeleteRead 'Anthem' by Ayn Rand.
DeleteIt's set up to be known as the 5 star Trust..
ReplyDeleteInteresting view.
DeleteAnthem is available on YouTube in comic book art form.
ReplyDeleteRead Anthem a few years ago, mainly while on a flight somewhere. The main thing I remember from the novella is how the collectivist system forced everybody to say 'We' instead of 'I'. I passed the book on to a friend who found it unreadable.
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