Rush news update

[Angiekay]

A lawsuit filed by Rush singer-bassist Geddy Lee and drummer Neil Peart in Florida has been thrown out of court. Peart and Lee had made a civil claim against the Collier County police and the Ritz-Carlton Hotel in Naples over guitarist Alex Lifeson's arrest on New Year's Eve 2003. Lifeson suffered a broken nose during a scuffle with sheriff's deputies, and Lee and Peart claimed the incident had cost the band tens of millions of dollars in lost revenue from recording and touring opportunities. But last week, U.S. District Judge John E. Steele ruled against Peart and Lee and said they had no basis to file a claim, according to the Naples Daily News.

The judge's ruling doesn't affect the civil case Lifeson and his son Justin have brought against the hotel and the police. That case is expected to go to trial in early February 2007.

Lifeson, his son Justin, and Justin's wife Michelle were attending a New Year's Eve Party at the hotel, when Justin allegedly climbed onto the bandstand and wouldn't get down. Hotel staff called the police, and officers responding to the scene got into a brawl with the Lifeson party that saw a stun gun used on Justin, while Alex got his nose broken and was also hit with the stun gun. The guitarist and his son settled their criminal case earlier this year.
The deputies have countersued the Lifesons, claiming their own injuries. Alex Lifeson is alleged to have thrown one deputy down a flight of stairs, and he also reportedly spit his blood onto another officer.


Lifeson, Peart and Lee have laid down about eight songs for a new Rush album, and they'll get together again in September for more sessions.

[Angiekay]

BTW...today is the ninth anniversary of Neil's daughter Selena dying in a car accident at the age of 19. ((((HUGS)))) for Neil.