Rush

[Operation:Queensrÿche]

Even though I don't consider Rush entirely "prog", I do think many fans are more than happy to refer to them as such. So I'll put it here since nobody else has yet. Personally, I prefer to call the music of Rush progressive hard rock.

Am I splitting hairs? Perhaps. However, that to me is what seperates Rush from the rest of the prog-rock pack. By and large, they NEVER forgot the ROCK, or the importance of the SONG. The same can't be said for most of the ( prog) bands that came before them, in my opinion.

What else can I say that hasn't been said before? In short order, there would be no Queensryche, Savatage, Dream Theater, or Fates Warning without Rush paving the way for them. Their influence and significance is undeniable. So without further ado, let's discuss all-things Rush, shall we? Pro AND con, by the way ( !

[NJFIREFIGHTER]

The whole prog thing is so subjective as is every other genre and sub genre in music. There are many bands that it is hard to define a spot for because they cross so many lines. Rush is an example of that, a lot of their early stuff was long musical compositions that drastically changed directions multiple times within the context of the same song or on the same album. Some of what Rush was doing from 1975-1978 especially was kind of right in that ball park of say a Close To The Edge, Tales Of Topographic Oceans, Tarkus, etc. With the long segmented arrangements and concepts. The later work not so much.

 The strange thing about Rush was they relied more on keyboards and synthesizers later in their career about the time they went in a more commercial radio friendly direction. Does that make them prog or not prog during the likes of Moving Pictures, Signals, Grace Under Pressure, and Power Windows, even Hold Your Fire. Roll The Bones I think was the last Rush album I purchased (and I passed on Presto). I'm one of those people that once a band's catalog has peaked and run it's course of the bands finest hour, and I then purchase a few mediocre albums It is hard to get me back into giving up my cash to continue buying. This happened over recent years with me with Deep Purple, with Yes, and it happened with Queensryche with Dedicated To Chaos. I viewed Hold Your Fire and Roll the Bones mediocre compared to the prior out put and stopped there.   

But I love the bands early pre say 1990 work and I have everything I think from 74 through Roll The Bones minus Presto including the live stuff. I've seen them live post 2000 still a great live band.

My favorites would be

Rush
2112
All The World's A Stage
Exit Stage Left
Permanent Waves
Moving Pictures
Signals
Grace Under Pressure

Favorite songs: Working Man, 2112, Entre Nous, The Spirit of Radio, YYZ, Tom Sawyer, Subdivisions, Finding my Way, New World Man, Distant Early Warning           

[Operation:Queensrÿche]

The whole prog thing is so subjective as is every other genre and sub genre in music. There are many bands that it is hard to define a spot for because they cross so many lines. Rush is an example of that, a lot of their early stuff was long musical compositions that drastically changed directions multiple times within the context of the same song or on the same album. Some of what Rush was doing from 1975-1978 especially was kind of right in that ball park of say a Close To The Edge, Tales Of Topographic Oceans, Tarkus, etc. With the long segmented arrangements and concepts. The later work not so much.

The strange thing about Rush was they relied more on keyboards and synthesizers later in their career about the time they went in a more commercial radio friendly direction. Does that make them prog or not prog during the likes of Moving Pictures, Signals, Grace Under Pressure, and Power Windows, even Hold Your Fire. Roll The Bones I think was the last Rush album I purchased (and I passed on Presto). I'm one of those people that once a band's catalog has peaked and run it's course of the bands finest hour, and I then purchase a few mediocre albums It is hard to get me back into giving up my cash to continue buying. This happened over recent years with me with Deep Purple, with Yes, and it happened with Queensryche with Dedicated To Chaos. I viewed Hold Your Fire and Roll the Bones mediocre compared to the prior out put and stopped there.   

But I love the bands early pre say 1990 work and I have everything I think from 74 through Roll The Bones minus Presto including the live stuff. I've seen them live post 2000 still a great live band.

My favorites would be

Rush
2112
All The World's A Stage
Exit Stage Left
Permanent Waves
Moving Pictures
Signals
Grace Under Pressure

Favorite songs: Working Man, 2112, Entre Nous, The Spirit of Radio, YYZ, Tom Sawyer, Subdivisions, Finding my Way, New World Man, Distant Early Warning           

Fair points 'NJF'. Personally, I have a SLIGHT preference overall for 80s Rush over 70's Rush, so to speak. Which really says a lot on how strong their catalog is as a whole. Having said that, I do think that a lot of fans would agree with you regarding "the best Rush", if you will. And truth be told, it isn't hard to understand why.

To your comment about Rush's more "radio friendly" music, I think it was still a natural progression for them, and in many ways they still took plenty of chances creatively. I would argue that they also became better songwriters during the 80s as well. In short, less can be more. Likewise, more isn't always better.

'Moving Pictures' remains my favorite Rush album for many reasons, HOWEVER, had it not been created, 'Power Windows' would arguably be the greatest Rush album ever recorded. A true masterpiece without question. Thanks for responding. Great comments ( ).


                                                                         

[TonyFlyingSquirrel]

I love RUSH, and I love all era's for their unique contributions to the catalog as a whole.

As a guitar player first, and a keyboard player second, the foot control of synths was something that was highly influential to me as a musician, which lead me to the purchase of a Roland PK5 and a quest to utilize the synths to fill space live as they did on record. 

From 77 to 85 in particular are my favorite synth era's, which I why I use the Arturia V-Collection almost exclusively.  I have a piano plugin in Pro Tools, but when it comes to synths, I defer to the V-Collection & grab the Moogs, Oberheims, ARP, Jupiter 8, & Prophet 5.

[NJFIREFIGHTER]

The whole prog thing is so subjective as is every other genre and sub genre in music. There are many bands that it is hard to define a spot for because they cross so many lines. Rush is an example of that, a lot of their early stuff was long musical compositions that drastically changed directions multiple times within the context of the same song or on the same album. Some of what Rush was doing from 1975-1978 especially was kind of right in that ball park of say a Close To The Edge, Tales Of Topographic Oceans, Tarkus, etc. With the long segmented arrangements and concepts. The later work not so much.

The strange thing about Rush was they relied more on keyboards and synthesizers later in their career about the time they went in a more commercial radio friendly direction. Does that make them prog or not prog during the likes of Moving Pictures, Signals, Grace Under Pressure, and Power Windows, even Hold Your Fire. Roll The Bones I think was the last Rush album I purchased (and I passed on Presto). I'm one of those people that once a band's catalog has peaked and run it's course of the bands finest hour, and I then purchase a few mediocre albums It is hard to get me back into giving up my cash to continue buying. This happened over recent years with me with Deep Purple, with Yes, and it happened with Queensryche with Dedicated To Chaos. I viewed Hold Your Fire and Roll the Bones mediocre compared to the prior out put and stopped there.   

But I love the bands early pre say 1990 work and I have everything I think from 74 through Roll The Bones minus Presto including the live stuff. I've seen them live post 2000 still a great live band.

My favorites would be

Rush
2112
All The World's A Stage
Exit Stage Left
Permanent Waves
Moving Pictures
Signals
Grace Under Pressure

Favorite songs: Working Man, 2112, Entre Nous, The Spirit of Radio, YYZ, Tom Sawyer, Subdivisions, Finding my Way, New World Man, Distant Early Warning           

Fair points 'NJF'. Personally, I have a SLIGHT preference overall for 80s Rush over 70's Rush, so to speak. Which really says a lot on how strong their catalog is as a whole. Having said that, I do think that a lot of fans would agree with you regarding "the best Rush", if you will. And truth be told, it isn't hard to understand why.

To your comment about Rush's more "radio friendly" music, I think it was still a natural progression for them, and in many ways they still took plenty of chances creatively. I would argue that they also became better songwriters during the 80s as well. In short, less can be more. Likewise, more isn't always better.

'Moving Pictures' remains my favorite Rush album for many reasons, HOWEVER, had it not been created, 'Power Windows' would arguably be the greatest Rush album ever recorded. A true masterpiece without question. Thanks for responding. Great comments ( ).


                                                                       

Oh I actually agree with you. I'd say I like their 80's stuff more than the 70's stuff. I love Permanent Waves, Moving Pictures, Signals, Grace Under Pressure, and liked Power Windows very much, and both live albums Exit Stage Left and Show of Hands. The 70's stuff that grabbed me most was the debut, All The Worlds a Stage, and 2112 the other 70's albums I rarely listen to except for a couple songs here and there. So I agree there

[NJFIREFIGHTER]

I love RUSH, and I love all era's for their unique contributions to the catalog as a whole.

As a guitar player first, and a keyboard player second, the foot control of synths was something that was highly influential to me as a musician, which lead me to the purchase of a Roland PK5 and a quest to utilize the synths to fill space live as they did on record. 

From 77 to 85 in particular are my favorite synth era's, which I why I use the Arturia V-Collection almost exclusively.  I have a piano plugin in Pro Tools, but when it comes to synths, I defer to the V-Collection & grab the Moogs, Oberheims, ARP, Jupiter 8, & Prophet 5.

Definitely on board with you on the 77-85 era synthesizers. I loved those mini moogs, poly moogs, ARP, Birotron, all that stuff Rush, YES, Eddie Jobson, Marillion, Genesis all those guys in late 70's early 80's were using. Loved those sounds and textures. I still love my Keith Emerson Moog excursions and that Deep Purple, Uriah Heep, Yes, hammond organ style as well, but I definitely dug the late 70's and early eighties synths bigtime. 

[NJFIREFIGHTER]

2112 live Capital Theatre NJ 1976
CLASSIC!!

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NJPAjiSX7Rk

[TonyFlyingSquirrel]

2112 live Capital Theatre NJ 1976
CLASSIC!!

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NJPAjiSX7Rk

OH Hell Yes!!!!

[Dream Evil]

Subdivisions- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EYYdQB0mkEU

Fly By Night- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nEVDZl5UvN4

YYZ-Exit Stage Left Live- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DmyiOoUAp98

[Operation:Queensrÿche]

I really enjoyed the new doc 'Time Stand Still'. It was filmed during last year's 'R40' tour. In the spirit of modern day Rush, it's a hybrid of their notorious dry humor with inevitable melancholy to go along with it.

I would argue it's geared more towards hardcore fans, which is what makes it an appropriate ending (?... ) to one of rock's GREATEST bands ever. Good stuff indeed!

I'll give it four out of five stars. The same I rate 2010's 'Beyond The Lighted Stage'.

 

[Dream Evil]

This was always one of my favorite Rush albums. Permanent Waves.
Especially these two.
Entre Nous https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AatUO5n7QE8
Entre Nous live 2007 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OJAYTtEKVRg

This one contains IMO one of Alex Lifeson's finest moments on guitar
Jacob's Ladder https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lBz8sDXewNQ
Jacob's Ladder live Exit...Stage Left  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LHSaK78d9b8

[Operation:Queensrÿche]

This was always one of my favorite Rush albums. Permanent Waves.
Especially these two.
Entre Nous https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AatUO5n7QE8
Entre Nous live 2007 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OJAYTtEKVRg

This one contains IMO one of Alex Lifeson's finest moments on guitar
Jacob's Ladder https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lBz8sDXewNQ
Jacob's Ladder live Exit...Stage Left  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LHSaK78d9b8

Agreed 'DE'. No question about it: 'Permanent Waves' is one of Rush's finest hours. Five stars! 

[Dream Evil]

I guess it is sadly pretty much the official end of Rush. What a long great career this band had.

http://www.blabbermouth.net/news/rush-guitarist-alex-lifeson-we-have-no-plans-to-tour-or-record-any-more-were-basically-done/