Let me add, I think the reason Caress of Steel gets bashed is because it has their worst song: I think I'm Going Bald. Not important, but the album also happens to have a wicked cover. Rush album covers tend to swing from horrible to WTF, but they hit a home run with that one.
first concert was rush at the summit. think it was about the moving pictures timeframe. will never forget neal peart solo performance of yyz .
I'm not a big fan, but I admire what they did. I do love 2112 though. I've listened to that CD at least a hundred times while driving.
Background is the Galveston seawall during hurricane Carla. Personally, I liked songs like Red Sector A & Mystic Rythyms during their synthesizer phase. One of my 18th birthday presents was a copy of Roll the Bones on cassette. Sadly, never got to to see them live until the Snakes and Arrows tour. Saw them twice at The Woodlands. It's nice that they have such a big body of work to choose from. And you know you'll get a good show.
Rush is a great band and they are musicians musicians. They also pioneered nerdrock in their lyrics and subject matter long before bands like They Might be Giants and Barenaked Ladies did it. Signals, Hemispheres and Permanent Waves are my favorite albums. Count me in too as one of those who haven't been impressed with the stuff they did in the 90's but I still admire that they continue to tour and like how they don't really take themselves too seriously and are happy to keep up Canada's quirky image. <iframe width="560" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/ZQv8yXDTU68" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
In college, there was an Irish pub we used to frequent on Thursday nights for their $3 pitchers. If it was too crowded to get a table, we'd go to the jukebox and play Overture from 2112 4 times in a row (for only $1!) and after about 5 minutes, the place would start to clear out and we'd get a table. Never failed. That's my 2112 memory.
Every single thing they've done, from Rush to Clockwork Angels. Honest to God, I own every one. Power Windows just sticks with me, for some reason. I know if I looked at it more objectively, 2112 or Farewell or Moving or Signals would be #1, but Power Windows is it, in spite of the overabundant keyboards. Not even an average track in the bunch, and I'd put Marathon, Territories, Mystic Rhythms, and Manhattan Project among the best they've ever done.
Good interview, some of it outdated. http://www.rollingstone.com/music/n...finally-taking-a-break-from-the-road-20130923
I saw this thing recently where there is a charity auction for Grapes of Humanity. Check this out: How cool would that be? I would be like...we have to jam together! I imagine Geddy would have Alex and I over in his studio to jam. The current bid is $21,000, though. LOL
Wow. Nice to see so many Rush fans! In the past when Rush has been brought up it was kind of a mixed thing... Anyways, here is a very long interview with Donna Halper who helped discover Rush way back in the day. If you are interested in a first-hand account of what it was like back then (getting discovered, getting signed, Rutsey departing, etc...) it's a great listen. http://youtu.be/LFCAhKNJnmA
Wish I could warp back to that time period 35+ years ago, would love to cruise with people that ACTUALLY listen to good music rather than garbage rap :grin:
In my top 10 of all time. First song I ever heard of theirs was "Free Will." Back on rock radio in NY in 1979, they actually had 3 songs in regular rotation from P.W.- Spirit of Radio, Free Will, and, yes, Entre Nous- I knew that as well as the other 2. Free Will hooked me, though. Saw them at the Texas Jam, dozens of other times. Own every studio CD they put out (I think)- my Windows Media Player reads: Rush 20 Albums, 177 Songs 16.1 Hours So, yeah, I kinda like em. All the early prog rock is great -Rush to Hemispheres- and of course, Permanent through Grace (even Grace has Red Sector A, Body Electric- c'mon, these are great songs), and Hold Your Fire through Clockwork- just think they are all very good and worth at least a few listens if not many. But I am going to say what I've said on this board before several times, to the chuckles of many- Power Windows is the best thing they did. Yes, I said it. Others have better musicianship (2112), others have more iconic songs (Moving Pictures)- and yes, to be fair, Lifeson is featured more on some of their others. But for the best songs they have written, in terms of lyrics, melodies, and just overall powerful- Power Windows has the best songs. You start with Marathon- if you don't get a chill when the choir kicks in at the end, well, then you're just not alive, IMHO. Then, you go to Manhattan Project- just starts out as a laid-back, mid-tempo song- and then it picks gradually, gradually, keeps building up- and then you have this middle section where it's this staccato violin thing, with Neil Peart doing his thing- and by the end, you've just got to play it again. Then, there's Territories- that's actually great guitar work from Lifeson, and it does the same- builds and builds - I think that's a signature for most of the songs on this album. Then, you have Middletown Dreams- OK, it's just a keyboard, but everytime that keyboard kicks in right in the middle, I blast that ****er as loud as I possibly can. Plus, love the lyrics of this one- actually used it once in a classroom. Throw in Mystic Rhythms, Grand Designs, Emotion Detector, and the Big Money (my least favorite), and- I don't know what the word, it's got a triumphant sound to it, or something. It's why I like Born to Run, and Achtung Baby, and London Calling, and Layla, and Highway 61 Revisited, and Cheap Trick at Budokan- there's this kind of triumphant, powerful, major-key feel to these that puts them over the top for me. Last time I went on a trip, I grabbed one CD from each of my favorites- I hadn't listened to Rush in over 6 months- and I didn't even think twice- grabbed Power Windows. But, it's more of a personal thing. If I had to pick what I feel is the best Rush album, I'd probably go with the standards- 2112, Farewell, Permanent, Moving. But, yes, all-time great, never put out a truly bad CD- they are all at least interesting, and some are great. Musicianship at the highest level, love their live shows, and have a special admiration for Mr. Peart considering what he's gone through in his personal life.
And a good sense of humor: <iframe width="420" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/btcvSWoQWV0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
Not sure how it's possible I missed a thread like this until now. What can I say other than I'm a huge fan. Used to make fun of a friend's brother when we were kids for having albums with naked dudes on them, then one day we heard it, actually LISTENED to it, and promptly shut the #$!# up. Caress of Steel may be my favorite as well... A Farewell to Kings, Hemispheres, and Permanent Waves top my list, but really it depends on the mood, so much great stuff. Fountain of Lamneth is beyond fantastic. Would make a list of others but it would be too long, trying not to leave equally great stuff out. They are one of the main reasons I got into playing music (guitar). Just great rock and roll music.