2112 was my intro to Rush. Then I bought all their records back from that point: Caress Of Steel; Fly By Night. I didn't get their debut until many decades later (of which I paid $3 for used and cleaned up very nicely sounding killer).
I grew up 90 miles south of the Montreal Forum. Where I saw Rush play several times in the mid to late'70's and it all started with 2112.
I gave up on Rush after MOVING PICTURES.
My favorite Rush album is CARESS OF STEEL. (let's hear it for multi-chapter songs)!
RUSH are still one of my all-time favorite rock bands. Their early music remaining vital after-all-these-years...
RUSH: Beyond the Lighted Stage" Great documentary highly recommended.
Irrespective of it's fine content, I would have to say that a good copy of Moving Pictures with RL Masterdisc stamped in the dead wax will be one of the best sonically of all their albums.
I love "Vapor Trails". Sure it sounds like crap, but there are some pretty awesome tunes on it. To come back like that after a 5-year hiatus, man that was a powerful statement to make.
I remember seeing that particular tour at two different venues and they rocked the house on both occasions. The Philly show was amazing, but the cheesesteak sandwiches are vastly overrated.
I have all their albums from "A Farewell to Kings" to the present with a few exceptions. While some of their later albums were flat in terms of material, as long as I get one song out of each one I feel fine making the purchase. They deserve my support.
The first time I heard them was when a friend recorded the "YYZ" drum solo from the radio. I couldn't believe what I was hearing. Then I purchased "Moving Pictures" and it was a wrap-Rush fan for life.
I was at the Madison Sq. Garden show last night. Once again the band performed beyond all expectations. This was my 17th time and left 100% satisfied. Spent pre-show at a favorite spot in Penn. Sta where they play the nights headliner right up until show time. 8th row center with my brother listening to Moving Pictures in its entirety was a special time that I will never forget....
Love everything RUSH until Signals. Do you ever think that we will ever have a rock/pop band doing 8-15 min songs again? Will we ever have albums like 2112 or Pink Floyd The Wall again? Very cool.
Permanent Waves was their first commercial album and it has been downhill ever since. Bytor, Xanadu, La Villa Stragnata....and then we get washing machines.
What a poor ending for them. Sales are at an all time high but creativity at a dismal, commercialized, LOW.
Oh c'mon, really. They are making and playing some of their most accomplished music ever these days. PW, while a fine classic Rush album, is not the end all, be all record they ever made.
Cerrot's post is harsh and actually mainly incorrect.
Yes I'd agree CA is overrated I though Snakes was probably just as good but both albums are decent. The main point though is they are not commercial records-elements of Rush's early 80's output had much more of a commercial influence-the new stuff hasn't indeed it's pretty much what the hardcore would want to hear.
I didn't like the last tour as much but they are doing very good shows and I have seen a lot of shows since '79.
But above all what were the band supposed to do? The stuff that is classic is still there in your collection probably nobody in the rock era has surpassed their earlier output when in their 50's or 60's....some great albums have been made by Dylan, Springsteen et al BUT they have not overshadowed their earlier output.
Oh and the washing machines were f&*king brilliant...:-)
To me, the band is not even close to what they were prior to Permanent Waves. To me, they have done nothing as good as their first few albums in the dozen or so since.
2112 is what I measure them by. Farewll to Kings is another bar I use and, again, to me, all later offerings are very distant to these GREAT works.
Ben, your comment "both albums are decent" is not something that was reflective of the band in its earlier days. Their albums were incredible, extraordinary, off the planet. They were never "decent". I have no interest to ever listen to anything "decent' by Rush. If three of the most incredible musicians in the world cannot come up with anything better than "decent", I will keep playing the old stuff.
To judge a 40-year band by an album made 33 years ago seems myopic at best. You may be stuck in the early years of the band, but the band has moved on.
Clockwork Angels represents a work as powerful and in-depth as 2112, only more mature and not as strident.
Cerrot you made the point part of their demise was commercialisation and I repeat the last two albums aren't in the slightest commercial.
Personally I think within the Rush canon they are decent and overrated by some fans but they are actually better than most of the material produced post 80's.
The big news for you is that I cannot think of a single artist who's output at age 50 plus has bettered their classic era......not one....can you name one?
It's a spiteful, petty and ill thought out stance.
I love Rush. Listened to them to death about 10 years ago. All rushed out now. Did go to one concert of theirs. None of their new stuff ever grabbed me to much however.
They are extremely talented (understatement). But I honestly think they need to ditch Geddy for vocals. His voice is just horrid these days. It's hard to listen to. I really think they could pull off a new renaissance if they got a new singer.
Always liked Rush since I was, oh, 10 years old (?). Used to hear my older brother listening to them.
Anyhow, I was at RMAF this year listening to Rush on the MBL system with a Reel to Reel. I sat in the sweet spot while listening to Tom Sawyer from start to finish. You were not prying me out of that seat for nothing and let me tell you, I have never heard anything like it. The dynamics, imaging and synths were downright incredible :-)
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