Musicians and the law don't seem to mix well. Michael Jackson's facing pedophile claims, Meat Puppets bassist Cris Kirkwood faces assault with a deadly weapon charges, White Stripes singer/guitarist Jack White's up on battery charges and now Rush guitarist Alex Lifeson may just join him.Alex Zivojinovich, better known by his stage name Alex Lifeson, was arrested for what deputies described as drunken, violent behavior at the Naples Ritz-Carlton hotel.…
Article comments
76 - Courtney
Ever hear the Rolling Stones song that says "all the cops are criminals" or Bruce's song "41 Shots"? I currently have a suit in local superior court in my hometown against a corrupt judge and private attorney - they tried to falsify court documents in a criminal proceeding. This crap happens alot more often then the average dumb American would probably want to admit. Ever hear of the saying "Power corrupts, absolute power corrupts absolutely?" You don't have to look very far in the United States of Sheep anymore to find untamed, corrupt authority - after all, Daddy Bush cashed in his chips with the Supreme Court to get his son in the White House. I'll tell you, from my perspective, the country I was once proud to call my own is now looking more like a third world country. Neil needs to do a rewrite of Third World Man - sort of bring it up to date - now that Canada borders a third world country. Maybe Iraq wouldn't be a bad place to live after all. Attention all residents of the State of Florida, WE HAVE RESUMED CONTROL, WE HAVE RESUMED CONTROL, WE HAVE RESUMED CONTROL......
77 - Nate
Look, excrement for brains, the U.S. Supreme Court said that if some of the votes were to be recounted, then ALL the votes had to be recounted. Bush wasn't "selected." After every recount, he still won. If those dumbass south Florida bluehaired democrats could follow directions...
If Alex had been sober, this probably wouldn't have happened. But, hey, everybody screws up once in a while. Messing with a fat-assed, black, female rent-a-cop?
78 - JohnnyLunchBox
I like pinatas. Pinatas are fun. Pinatas is a fun word. Nobody should be treated like a pinata.
79 - Colten
WHO CARES IF THIS GUY GOT IN A LITTLE BAR FIGHT HE IS A GUITAR GENIOUS!!!!!!!!
80 - Pain_Main
I just don't believe the Charges against Alex.
Thanks to Eric Whitehead for the translation. I know "Geddy" comes from Gary Weinrib's Auschwitz survivor mother (I think I'm right on his parents being survivors) being unable to say "Gary." Like many immigrants, Ged's parents apparently gave him a name so he'd fit in better. Growing up in San Diego I had many friends--mostly Asian--with two names. E.g. one friend had a Vietnamese name Ngoc and an English one.
As for the charges, balderdash. The cops were obviously out of line. This is clearly a preemptive "strike" to stop Alex from suing for a violation of his rights. Which I hope he does. A felony conviction would essentially vitiate (gravely weaken) any civil tort against Naples cops.
But I know. Last year my wife and I had a loud argument. We were too loud, I do admit. But it's NOT a regular occurence.
SEVEN cops came to my door despite: no violence in the house by either of us; I never resisted; I only demanded a warrant; they threatened to injure me unless I opened the door.
Now I'm 5/11 and 175 pounds. I have no record. I have no gun. I offered no resistance.
I was still cuffed, with the cuffs painfully too tight, and my requests to have them loosened were ignored for at least 1/2 an hour.
Then one of the dumbasses actually started questioning me BEFORE reading me my rights. I could have confessed to murder and it would have been utterly useless.
So, not only were my hometown cops punks with badges and guns, they were idiots.
Tell you the truth it scares me. They were so frightened, they sent seven guys to the house of an unarmed couple, with no records, no previous police calls, no hint of danger whatsoever.
What's gonna happen if a real bas a** ever rolls into my Southwestern town? He's going to eat these gutless cops alive. They'll never stand a chance.
Cause if you're 6'2" and forty pounds heavier than a disabled unarmed man and you're still so frightened you call six of your buddies?
Not just brutal punks; gutless cowards as well.
And the bad part is, cops like this are the marjority, not the minority. I've lived in three states and two major cities. And the cops are the same everywhere; even in France.
Something about the cop mentality ruins most people who become one. Alex, I believe, alone with another Rush, is clearly the victim of publicity hound opportunist DAs who want to run for state senate or Congress.
If we realized how many prosecutions are motivated by politics alone, we'd question severely our "greatest" justice system. The only bad part is, the rest of the world is worse.
81 - Pain_Main
I was planning on seeing them when they hit Vegas. My wife works with a Canadian from Toronto. He's a huge fan; my wife hates Rush (like everyone else who does, she hates Ged's voice). So I'd rather go with a fan than have my wife endure two to three hours of music she hates.
Now, who knows if they'll make it.
My guess is these felony charges are simply bargaining chips to get Alex & family to agree not to sue Naples City and PD for the obvious abuse they've suffered.
My guess is that he'll never see trial. A deal will be worked out, he'll plead to a couple of misdemeanours, pay the fine, do a PSA, and sign a piece of paper waving his rights to his rights.
Lawyers: they are literally destroying this country and we simply don't care.
"...the passed a noble law
And the trees are all kept equal
By hatchet, axe and saw..."
And don't hand me this "Bush" (either one) is "responsible." If you make that statement you're either twelve or a Democratic flack. The police have used the "War" on Drugs to increase, vastly the power of the state over us.
Were you aware that there are 115 Federal statutes underwhich law enforcement can seize your property without a warrant, without an arrest, without a conviction?
Contemplate that. The brothers Bush weren't running any governments when those laws were passed. And they were passed with "bi-partisan" enthusiasm. Politicians always rush to the podium to out denounce the latest "scourge" in our society and to pronounce the most draconian penalties.
Nevada was, two years ago, the last state to make marijuana possession no longer a felony! That's right. A seed could have gotten your 1-4 in the state pen. Now it's a civil fine of $600. Still sucks, but better.
War on terrorism is about survival. Temporary attenuations of traditional procedure are necessary (e.g. Lincoln's unilateral suspension of habeus corpus and due process; consult Charles Valandingham's case for an example). The "war" on drugs is simply about making the government money.
And the cops have gotten the message: connect it to drugs or "resisting" (here in Nevada simply refusing to identify yourself no matter how legal your activities is "resisting arrest"; the case was argued in SCOTUS Monday) arrest and you can do whatever you want to people.
In short, cops treat us not as their wards but as their enemies. Talking to a retired Chicago homicide detective, he told me so many cops were good people but they fall into the cop mentality and become impossible for anyone but other cops to be around. The cop divorce rate is 85%.
Should probably tell them something. But they aren't listening.
82 - JD
Reading all of these comments I did not realize how badly Americans felt about police officers. I have become a fierce Rush fan over the last few years. I have also been a law enforcement officer for the past 6 and one half year. I will be the first to admit to the system is far from perfect, but one of the first things I worry about is how not to get into a fight at work due to a civil lawsuit or something. I have worked with some good individuals over the years who just want to go home at the end of the night and be with our family. However I know there is cop corruption out there too. Anyway, getting to my point, I hope that things work out for Alex and his family. We all know how the papers are, so in truth and reality none of us (I'm skeptical of this Judy character also) knew what the real story was from that night.
83 - John
Does stunning Alex and busting his nose fall under the "Geneva Convention?"
84 - Brian
This is a rebuttal for "ARP MAN" for comments he made about Alex Lifeson and Rush overall on January 11, 2004.
I don't know what rock you crawled out from under but it seems like you're one of those "Right-Wing, Religious, Protestant Extremists" who think that Rush's material is satanic or something. You want to attack someone's lyrics for promoting satanism, violence, etc., try Tool or Marilyn Manson. Don't criticize Neil Peart's lyrics by saying "... according to Rush lyrics, there is no God, life has no ultimate purpose ..." Otherwise, shut your damn piehole. If that's one thing that ticks me off about most American culture is its Right-Wing Extremist Protestant foundation. As a result many Americans (especially with any kind of authority such as the incompetant Florida police) are so damn hypocritical. There could also be some racial implications here where Alex Lifeson is of Serbian descent.
Two thumbs up to Alex and Rush!
85 - JohnnyLunchBox
Oh.. he's Serbian? That changes everything. You're giving those police officers way too much credit, man. Do you think they know what Serbian is, let alone know how to spell it.
Florida Cop: He wasn't bein' sub-serbiant so I knocks him over the head with my stun gun. Wow, what a nice salad bar they got in this place.
86 - RUSH
RUSH TURNS UP THE “FEEDBACK”;
BAND MARKS 30TH ANNIVERSARY WITH FIRST COVERS COLLECTION,
FEATURING VERSIONS OF SIXTIES CLASSICS BY
CREAM, THE WHO, BUFFALO SPRINGFIELD, YARDBIRDS & MORE;
“ AN EVENING WITH RUSH” TOUR TAKES OFF MAY 26TH
Anthem/Atlantic recording group Rush has unveiled details of their upcoming new collection, dubbed “FEEDBACK.” This unique set sees the renowned trio " Geddy Lee, Alex Lifeson, and Neil Peart " celebrating the band’s 30th anniversary by performing cover versions of eight rock classics from the Sixties. “FEEDBACK” is slated to arrive in stores on June 29.
“Geddy, Alex, and I were channeling back to 1966 and 1967, when we were thirteen- and fourteen-year-old beginners,” writes Peart in the liner notes to “FEEDBACK.” “We thought it would be a fitting symbol to commemorate our thirty years together if we returned to our roots and paid tribute to those we had learned from and were inspired by. We thought we might record some of the songs we used to listen to, the ones we painstakingly learned the chords, notes, and drum parts for, and even played in our earliest bands.”
“ FEEDBACK” marks the first time that Rush has recorded songs by other artists and writers. Included are such groundbreaking staples as Buffalo Springfield’s “For What It’s Worth” and “Mr. Soul,” the Yardbirds’ “Heart Full of Soul” and “Shapes of Things,” and the Who’s “The Seeker.” “FEEDBACK” also features versions of two songs which defined the heavy rock power trio tradition that gave birth to Rush " Cream’s explosive take on Robert Johnson’s “Crossroads” and Blue Cheer’s still-extreme rendition of Eddie Cochran’s “Summertime Blues.”
As previously announced, Rush will commemorate their 30th anniversary year by playing dates across North America, as well as in Europe, where they have not performed live in more than a decade. The first leg of the 2004 “An Evening With Rush” tour will kick off on Wednesday, May 26th at the AmSouth Amphitheatre in Nashville, Tennessee, wrapping up with an August 22nd homecoming concert at Toronto’s Molson Amphitheatre. Following the conclusion of the North American trek, Rush will begin their European journey with a series of sold-out shows in the U.K., starting with a September 8th date at London’s Wembley Arena.
Since releasing their self-titled debut album in 1974, Rush has been universally regarded as one of the most inventive and dynamic groups in rock, famed for their virtuoso musicianship, epic soundscapes, and dramatic lyricism. Each of the band’s 24 albums to date " including such acclaimed works as 1976’s “2112,” 1981’s “MOVING PICTURES,” 1996’s “TEST FOR ECHO,” and 2002’s “VAPOR TRAILS” " have been certified gold-or-better by the RIAA. To date, Rush has achieved worldwide sales exceeding 35 million units.
Track Listing of “FEEDBACK”
1. “Summertime Blues”
2. “Heart Full of Soul”
3. “The Seeker”
4. “For What It’s Worth”
5. “Shapes of Things”
6. “Mr. Soul”
7. “Crossroads”
8. “Seven and Seven Is”
87 - doug looney
People should learn not to get in "Big Al's way; especially female pigs; moreover, not to mess with 6' 350 lbs Pollocks!
88 - Mike
Does anybody know what hes getting and when the next tour is if he gets long term?
89 - crig
dont get drunk and brave around cops- he will not win the lawsuit simply becasue he was drunk---drunk people are pretty well known to make bad decisions- guitar genius or not
90 - mickey
Crig: Were you there? How do you know he was drunk? I have found no hard evidence of his being drunk. No breathalizer and no blood alcohol samples. None were ever taken although he did give a blood sample in the jail before release. I have found evidence of one of the deputies busted for dui and one of the other deputies lying on his polygraph application though. Twice, actually, but wait a second, cops don't lie!
91 - Suethembigtime Makethempay
I thought I'd add this since I had to look for the outcome (why is it the media loves to shout about the charges but fails to mention when they were dropped or found without merit...) - ah, thank goodness for freedom to blog, and people like Judy!
rush.com
rushfansandproud
-----------------------------------------------------
Rush founder suing Ritz, three sheriff's deputies
Article from Naples News
By CHRIS W. COLBY,
and JOHN HENDERSON
June 3, 2005
UPDATE -- A founder of the band Rush, his son and daughter-in-law filed a lawsuit Thursday against the Ritz-Carlton, its security director and three sheriff's deputies stemming from a New Year's Eve 2003 altercation at the Naples hotel.
Alex, Justin and Michelle Zivojinovich allege the defendants violated their civil rights, battered and falsely imprisoned them before their arrests on criminal charges that were either later dropped or reduced in court.
Alex Zivojinovich suffered a broken nose during a scrape with the deputies, one of whom he was accused of pushing down a stairwell.
Justin Zivojinovich was roughly subdued and hit with a high-voltage Taser gun repeatedly before his arrest. His father also suffered several Taser hits.
The suit, filed in U.S. District Court in Fort Myers, seeks an unspecified amount of monetary damages for injuries, pain and suffering, mental anguish and the costs of their defense to the charges, filed in Collier County Circuit Court.
Michael R.N. McDonnell, a Naples attorney who represented Michelle and Justin Zivojinovich in their criminal cases, said the trio had no comment Thursday. A Canadian production company representing Alex Zivojinovich, known onstage as Alex Lifeson, may later issue a press release.
The suit names as defendants HMC BN Ltd. Partnership, doing business as The Ritz-Carlton in Naples; Frank Barner, the hotel security director; and Collier County sheriff's deputies Christopher Knott, Scott Russell and Amy Stanford.
The altercation that led to the Zivojinoviches' arrest began when Justin twice went onstage where musicians were performing. According to the suit, Barner told Justin to not get back on stage or he would be required to leave the hotel.
"Plaintiff Justin strictly complied with that request and never set foot on the stage again, and in fact began peacefully eating his dinner," according to the suit.
Barner then told hotel staff to call 911 and evict Justin. However, Barner never told Justin that, according to the suit.
"Employees of defendant Ritz falsely advised the Collier County Sheriff's Office that plaintiff Justin was engaged in dangerous and destructive behavior, when in truth and in fact that was not true," according to the suit.
The deputies arrived and ordered Justin to gather his belongings so he could be escorted away. But the deputies never gave Justin the chance to leave on his own accord, according to the suit. Instead, they physically restrained him and forced him to walk through a back hallway toward a stairwell leading to a rear entrance.
"During that time, defendants Knott and Stanford applied illegal and unjustified force, and such force was excessive, causing plaintiff Justin severe discomfort and pain," according to the suit.
As he was led away, Justin yanked his right arm from Stanford's grasp to alleviate his discomfort. Stanford and Knott then forced Justin to the floor "with excessive force."
"Defendant Knott then, again without legal authority or justification, applied the effects of a Taser gun consisting of some 50,000 volts of electricity on plaintiff Justin's body with excessive force, causing further discomfort and pain," according to the suit. Knott and Russell then hit Justin with the Taser again multiple times.
He was then handcuffed by Barner with assistance from the three deputies.
"Plaintiff Michelle, in fear for the safety of her husband plaintiff Justin, verbally complained about the illegal and excessive force used against her husband and was arrested by defendant Russell without probable cause or any legal authority," according to the suit.
Alex Zivojinovich rushed to his son's aid but "was battered by defendants Stanford, Knott and/or Russell and Tased multiple times by one or more of the defendants."
All three Zivojinoviches then illegally were arrested, handcuffed and taken to the Collier County jail, according to the suit.
The 33-count federal suit alleges that the defendants "acted in unlawful conspiracy with each other to injure plaintiffs."
It alleges civil rights violations through illegal detainment and excessive and unnecessary force on each plaintiff.
The suit also alleges negligence, false imprisonment and battery by the Ritz-Carlton, through Barner's actions, on Alex and Justin. And it alleges malicious prosecution of Justin and Michelle.
Naples prosecutors charged Alex with two felony charges of battery on a law enforcement officer. Justin was facing a resisting arrest with violence charge. Each charge was punishable by up to five years in prison upon conviction.
In April, Alex and his son pleaded no contest to a misdemeanor charge and received a year of probation. Michelle's charges were dropped earlier by state prosecutors.
Alex Zivojinovich and his son were guests at the $650-a-couple, black-tie bash when the altercation occurred.
Justin agitated hotel security when he got onto a platform where the house band had been performing and started speaking into the microphone, according to courtroom testimony.
That platform was open temporarily as a band led by William Noll was taking a break. Noll was playing alternating sets with Freddy Cole, the brother of the late Nat King Cole.
Cole said he tried to tune out Justin Zivojinovich's remarks after he grabbed the microphone. But he said he clearly remembered Justin Zivojinovich was extremely intoxicated.
Employees of the hotel testified at Justin's trial that he was verbally abusive and taunted them when he was asked to leave the platform.
When reached at home on Thursday, Barner hesitated to comment on the suit after being read the allegations relating to him.
"This is the first I heard about this," he said. "Without the company lawyer hearing about it, I don't dare speak."
Ritz officials could not be reached for comment Thursday.
Sheri Mausen, a Sheriff's Office spokeswoman, said she had not seen the lawsuit. Asked what the office felt about the police brutality allegations, she said, "We stand by the deputies and their sworn testimony."
Knott testified he and Stanford were escorting Justin away when he made a move perceived as threatening. Knott said he had a grip on one of Justin's arms behind his back, and Stanford had the other. Knott testified Justin wrenched his arm free.
But Senior Circuit Judge Charles T. Carlton wasn't convinced that his actions constituted violence and reduced the charge to a misdemeanor.
Witnesses gave conflicting statements about what happened in the stairwell. The Ritz has security cameras, but none captured the altercation.
Alex suffered the broken nose as he rushed to Justin's defense when deputies hit him with the Taser guns. Alex was accused of pushing Stanford down the stairwell, injuring her, and spitting blood on another deputy.
However, John Cannivet, a former Ritz assistant manager, said the deputies were the aggressors.
"It was extreme police brutality," Cannivet said in a recent interview. "The whole time all this was going down, I'm thinking, 'God, what did these people do? It must have been something really bad.' It just bothered me."
-----------------------------------------------------
92 - Suethembigtime Makethempay
and Alex's statement... [THANKS RAY!!] rush.com
In like a lion, out like a lamb. These words appeared in a Naples Daily News editorial on April 27, describing the outcome of the criminal charges against my family and myself. After fifteen months of living in fear and anxiety, and the enormous physical and emotional toll that it took from all of us, the prosecution's case began to crumble as the truth emerged and witnesses came forward to expose the behavior of these Collier County Sheriff's Deputies and certain employees of the Ritz Carlton, a resort hotel reputed to be one of the finest in the world.
As that part of this ordeal came to a close, I thought to myself that more than anything, I wanted to get my life back on track. I thought I could accept the fact that I was punched in the face so hard it ripped the cartilage from my nose, fracturing the bone and shattering my septum. I thought I could accept the incredibly painful nasal surgery and weeks of recovery, and the discomfort I feel every night when I go to sleep. I thought I could accept the fact that I was Tasered six times, twice while lying face down in a growing pool of my own blood, and so severely that it burned bloody holes in my back. I thought I could accept watching my son get electrocuted numerous times as well, and erase the memory of his screams of pain and terror. I thought I could accept being imprisoned for two days without a phone call for over fourteen hours. I thought I could accept the innuendo of those who don't know me and believed I was just some spoiled, drunken rock star. I thought I could accept watching my daughter-in-law, through a crack in the prison door, as tears streamed down her face because she was unlawfully jailed and separated from her two months old son. I thought I could accept the deep depression my wife, the woman I love without measure and who shares my soul, struggled through for months, fearing for her husband and son...what was I thinking?
Out like a lamb. All of that for nothing. All because of the bitterness of a few Ritz Carlton hotel employees on the most festive night of the year and their incredibly discourteous, arrogant and aggressive behavior of which I had never experienced in thirty years of travel. All because of three confrontational, intimidating, enraged deputies who wouldn't even consider dialogue, who were so quick to reach for their Tasers and handcuffs when no crime was committed. All because of a prosecutors' office blind to the reality of instances of excessive force by police and the horrendous destruction of innocent lives forever changed...what were they thinking?
In like a lion. The legal action we are embarking on now will hopefully bring attention to the fact that people cannot and should not be treated this way. I was fortunate to have the resources and will to fight to the end, but there are many who don't and they will forever suffer from the forced compromise of an unfair plea bargain or the threat of sentencing guidelines that demand imprisonment, that hang over one's head like the sword of Damocles. If some good is to come of this, then let it be that the actions of a tiny minority of aggressive, Taser wielding police officers don't tarnish the reputation of the vast majority of officers who proudly serve their communities with honor and sacrifice. I sincerely believe they deserve our utmost respect, but respect is something that must be earned and not demanded with a closed fist or an electrifying weapon...that's what I'm thinking.
93 - Another Long Time Rush Fan
Thanks for posting the above info - I heard about this when it happened and have been wondering what the outcome was " from the look of it the police and hotel want to forget about it (and probably most of the public already has).
It’s difficult to find any current information on whether the law suit is continuing or being dropped. If you find more information please post it.
I know this happened a long time ago, but still the whole charged for aggravated battery - HE BLED ON ME! thing makes my eyes roll - It does appear the police used excessive force in this case.
94 - Robert
Alex, love your music, but this rendition of what happned occording to you is so full of shit you can't believe it now yourself.
Rush the best band ever, don't screw it up again. You're too good for that.
95 - morgan rothe
As a huge Rush fan since 1981 or so I was very concerned about this whole thing since it happened and have been hoping to hear of some good fallout from the event. I was impressed with Alex's statement and am now inclined to believe that he and his family werre indeed treated very unfairly and abusively by our public SERVANTS.I hope these cops and the others get whats coming soon...I think Alex and family already paid for whatever they did that night...these cops and prosecutors are a disgrace to the law enforcement community. and I think they'll be getting theirs..any news on such developments would be appreciated.