Rare and unseen Rush photograph outtakes surface in new charity collection

Rush in 1980 — (Image credit: Fin Costello / Getty Images)

A new collection of rare and unseen Rush photographs is up for sale to raise money for the Grapes For Humanity Gift of Sight Campaign and the Himalayan Cataract Project.

The new set, from photographer Deborah Samuel, who worked on the now-iconic album cover images for the Rush albums Permanent Waves, Moving Pictures, Exit…Stage Left, and Signals, features three alternate front album covers, three alternate back album covers, and twelve alternate interior album art photographs of both Alex Lifeson and Geddy Lee taken from the original Moving Pictures photo shoot.

“I clearly remember the day Deborah set up for this cover, and especially the interior series of the Moving Pictures photographs,” recalls Alex Lifeson. “I was jumping around in the dark with a bright strobe flashing away, which was disorienting to say the least, but the results fit so well with the album concept, and I loved the final photos she produced. I’m thrilled to revisit them and make the covers and these interior photos available in support of Grapes For Humanity.”

Grapes for Humanity is supporting the Genius 100 Foundation's (G100) Gift of Sight Campaign and the Himalayan Cataract Project (HCP). Proceeds from the sale of this special anniversary collection of photographs will provide the funds necessary to perform as many sight restoring surgeries ($125USD per) as possible for those in need in various under-resourced regions around the global where HCP has operations. These groups are working to eradicate preventable and curable blindness in low to middle income countries.

“I’m very thankful to Deborah for generously making these rare photographs available to our fans, the proceeds of which will help bring sight to the sightless,” adds Geddy Lee.

View or purchase the collection.

Writer and broadcaster Jerry Ewing is the Editor of Prog Magazine which he founded for Future Publishing in 2009. He grew up in Sydney and began his writing career in London for Metal Forces magazine in 1989. He has since written for Metal Hammer, Maxim, Vox, Stuff and Bizarre magazines, among others. He created and edited Classic Rock Magazine for Dennis Publishing in 1998 and is the author of a variety of books on both music and sport, including Wonderous Stories; A Journey Through The Landscape Of Progressive Rock.