Interview with Geddy Lee re: Hemispheres

[Nearfest2]

I would love to hear a twenty minute Rush instrumental epic.

Same here! It was mentioned (in an interview with Geddy, I believe) that during the recording of "Snakes & Arrows" that there was an 18-minute version of "The Main Monkey Business." I'd love to believe that it's true and certainly would love to hear it!

But I think the real reason you don't see long-form pieces after 1982 is because were no longer interested in them..

That plus the "been there, done that" sentiment.

I understand your question about the repeated, more formulaic aspect of the later albums with respect to song patterns. They really did seem to settle into that after "Moving Pictures" and right up to "Clockwork Angels." "Headlong Flight" is one of the few songs from the post-MP era that doesn't fit the pattern.

[gearHed289]

Q. Has that been much of an issue in the past where you have to change keys to accommodate your voice?

A. Oh, yeah, we do that all the time now. That’s the way you’re supposed to do it! [Laughs]

Now? They haven't played in three years. I'd be curious what a new album would be like even if they don't tour.

I think he meant during the writing/recording process, not live.

That "overture" thing is something they picked up from Genesis.

And/or the Who.

[yesstiles]

I think the song "Hemispheres" actually sounds like one whole cohesive song, where "2112" sounds like a collection of stitched together ideas (like a suite). "Hemispheres" is their high-water mark to these ears.

"Then all at once the chaos ceased....."

p.s. I agree that Permanent Waves sounds closer in style to Hemispheres than it does to Moving Pictures.

[Garden Dreamer]

I think the song "Hemispheres" actually sounds like one whole cohesive song, where "2112" sounds like a collection of stitched together ideas (like a suite). "Hemispheres" is their high-water mark to these ears.

Agreed, Hemispheres flows better as a continuous piece, to my ears.

Yeah, I accept the "tired of it" reason for not wanting to do 20-minute epics anymore, but like others I don't get the "we don't want to repeat ourselves" reason.

It's funny how Rush has the reputation, from those who aren't hardcore music or prog fans, as a band that does long songs, (thinking of that one interview - Colbert? - where he asks if they ever wrote a song so long that they forgot where they were by the end of it... or something like that).

Yet they only did 3 side-long epics in their first 6 albums... which were the only side-long epics in their 40-YEAR CAREER! And since the 70's, Rush only ever plays ONE of those epics in concert in a full or nearly-full version!

Transatlantic, Neal Morse, The Flower Kings and Yes have done that many epics IN ONE ALBUM!

[Soc Prof]

IIRC, Colbert asked them, "Have you ever written a song so epic that, by the end of it, you were influenced by yourselves at the beginning of it?"

And yes, I want to write a song like that!

[profusion]

I understand your question about the repeated, more formulaic aspect of the later albums with respect to song patterns. They really did seem to settle into that after "Moving Pictures" and right up to "Clockwork Angels." "Headlong Flight" is one of the few songs from the post-MP era that doesn't fit the pattern.

I don't know that I would date Rush's settling into predictable patterns that early. Signals still has a lot of unusual songwriting ideas going on, even if the playing itself was less complex. I suppose Grace Under Pressure is where that began, to my ears, but it really didn't become objectionable until Presto, where a lot of the songs started to resemble each other too much.

[Paulrus]

...but it really didn't become objectionable until Presto, where a lot of the songs started to resemble each other too much.

And then came Roll the Bones, which was a close copy in many ways of Presto. Counterparts took their sound back toward the power-trio format, but the songwriting didn't change that much. Neither did the next few albums. It took grabbing onto a strong conceptual thread with Clockwork Angels for them to break the cycle. In the end, returning to their prog rock roots let them go out on a high note IMO.

[kid_runningfox]

And then came Roll the Bones, which was a close copy in many ways of Presto. Counterparts took their sound back toward the power-trio format, but the songwriting didn't change that much. Neither did the next few albums. It took grabbing onto a strong conceptual thread with Clockwork Angels for them to break the cycle. In the end, returning to their prog rock roots let them go out on a high note IMO.

I think what surprises me about those latter-day albums is just how monumentally dull their music became as Rush seemed to almost-desperately chase 'respectable, mature songwriters' status. It's not as if the world was crying out for a second Crowded House with slightly heavier guitars at that point. A classic example, to me, of forgetting what you're good at. Agreed that it was Clockwork Angels that broke Rush out of that particular malaise. Kind of a shame it was their last album, really, but a great high to go out on (awful production notwithstanding).

[yamishogun]

Agreed that it was Clockwork Angels that broke Rush out of that particular malaise. Kind of a shame it was their last album, really, but a great high to go out on (awful production notwithstanding).

VT>>>C"MF"A>>SA

[Skullhead]

While 2112 was a breakthrough album for Rush, I think they made an even bigger leap musically when they recorded "A Farewell to Kings". Cygnus and Xanadu were songs that really opened up the ears of progressive rock fans. Complex, sure, but very musical and artsy as well. The production was better and this continued into Hemispheres.

To me Rush made 4 exceptionable albums. A Farewell to Kings through Moving Pictures. If I am going to listen to Rush, I am going to pull out one of those 4 albums. Outside of that, there are just too many other great bands and albums to listen to. Once a band peaks and starts releasing music that was clearly not as inspired as what they did before... you might as well pack it in. A band might release a dud on occasion but they had better come back and kill it on the next album or they will lose me as a fan quickly. I would rather they break up and splinter into a few new fresh things like The Beatles did as solo artists.
Zeppelin was over with In Through the Out Door. Really glad I never heard another album from them... or 1980's Zep.

Rush continued making mediocre records up until recently, but they somehow succeeded with constant touring. They were pretty generous with playing material from the 4 great albums... so they would still stay in touch with that core fanbase.

This Rolling Stone article with Geddy is exactly why Rush was a great band. The didn't do an interview about how they made "Power Windows" History has a way of sorting things out, and the great works of a band will eventually rise to the top of the discussion.

I am thankful they made those great 4 albums. Very few bands rattle off 4 truly great albums consecutively.

I feel Permanent Waves was their finest work cohesively and artistically. Everything led up to that point, and Moving Pictures could have been sides 3 and 4 of Permanent Waves as a double Album as clearly Farwell and Hemispheres could have been grouped together as well.

[yamishogun]

To me Rush made 4 exceptionable albums. A Farewell to Kings through Moving Pictures. If I am going to listen to Rush, I am going to pull out one of those 4 albums. Outside of that, there are just too many other great bands and albums to listen to. Once a band peaks and starts releasing music that was clearly not as inspired as what they did before... you might as well pack it in.

This is a good point. Yes should have quit after their peak: Drama and 90125.

[gearHed289]

I don't know that I would date Rush's settling into predictable patterns that early. Signals still has a lot of unusual songwriting ideas going on, even if the playing itself was less complex. I suppose Grace Under Pressure is where that began, to my ears, but it really didn't become objectionable until Presto, where a lot of the songs started to resemble each other too much.

I started to feel that way with HYF. Felt a bit like PoW outtakes. That trend continued all through the 90s. The melodies just weren't that compelling anymore. They started stacking vocal harmonies like crazy, which I think made it even worse. The songs just weren't as memorable as the older stuff.

I think what surprises me about those latter-day albums is just how monumentally dull their music became as Rush seemed to almost-desperately chase 'respectable, mature songwriters' status. It's not as if the world was crying out for a second Crowded House with slightly heavier guitars at that point. A classic example, to me, of forgetting what you're good at.

Yes, they started using much more "stock" riffs and chord changes.

To me Rush made 4 exceptionable albums. A Farewell to Kings through Moving Pictures.

Yup! I go as far back as COS and as far forward as HYF, then jump ahead to CMFA. That's the Rush I love.

[Garden Dreamer]

I've always maintained that I would like any of the post-Broon albums better if Broon had been at the board....although I don't know if even Broon could salvage some of the standard verse/chorus tunes from their unfortunate singer-songwriter era.

I use A Farewell to Kings as a standard to measure other albums, in this way - AFTK was the album that pinned my ears back, blew my doors off, and made me an instant fan. Saw those videos of the title track, Xanadu and Closer to the Heart on the In Concert TV show and was floored. Using this criteria, I say, "if I had never heard Rush before, would I become a fan from hearing this album?"

Of course, the first album and any of the Broon albums would have made me an instant fan if they were my first exposure to Rush.

I would never have become a Rush fan if my first listen was Hold Your Fire, Presto, Roll the Bones, Counterparts or Vapor Trails. Distant Early Warning might have prompted me to check out GUP but the rest of the album wouldn't have had the same impact. Far Cry or the instrumentals would have prompted me to get Snakes & Arrows but the rest of the album would get one listen and no more.

Maybe surprising to some, but Power Windows and Test for Echo are my favorite of the non-Broon albums and I like both of them. Both would have made me a Rush fan. And Clockwork Angels would have peeled my ears back too, great stuff... but ughh that clangorous production!!

[Supersonic Scientist]

Rush continued making mediocre records up until recently, but they somehow succeeded with constant touring. They were pretty generous with playing material from the 4 great albums... so they would still stay in touch with that core fanbase.

OK, now replace the word RUSH with the word YES....

[chalkpie]

[profusion]

I've always maintained that I would like any of the post-Broon albums better if Broon had been at the board....although I don't know if even Broon could salvage some of the standard verse/chorus tunes from their unfortunate singer-songwriter era.

This interview with Geddy makes it clear that they felt like they had gone as far as they could with Terry Brown. Even though I like it, Signals is some evidence of that. Both Grace Under Pressure and Power Windows sound fresher and more engaged than Signals.

From Hold Your Fire on, it's obvious that their approach was just to decorate the lyrics with the bare minimum of music necessary. Alex and Geddy weren't delivering as many interesting hooks and riffs as before.

[JJ88]

I've never been the biggest fan of the Cygnus X-1 suite as a complete entity. There are moments which are just great but others which don't do it for me...not sure it flows that well.

From Hold Your Fire on, it's obvious that their approach was just to decorate the lyrics with the bare minimum of music necessary. Alex and Geddy weren't delivering as many interesting hooks and riffs as before.

I like some of HYF, but yes I agree. What followed is pretty samey to me.

[moecurlythanu]

I think the songs on HYF are of a high standard, generally speaking, and as such it slots in the upper level of Rush albums.

[Jerjo]

I think by Counterparts the band were beginning to find their way back, especially regarding guitar riffs. I can find songs I like in that era after GUP, but they did seem a little lost in the studio at that time.

[BravadoNJ]

Counterparts was the last substantial Rush album.
Lee & Lifeson are procrastinating what to do next.
i don't know why Geddy doesn't do another solo album.
if nothing comes out of that camp i'm ok with it.
40 years was a good run.

[yamishogun]

Counterparts was the last substantial Rush album.

Apart from Vapor Trails, which is much more interesting. The last to albums had good moments.

[moecurlythanu]

Counterparts was awful, and among their worst albums. Grunge Rush is a fail, imo.

[Garden Dreamer]

Counterparts was awful, and among their worst albums. Grunge Rush is a fail, imo.

Yup, short on proggy bits, long on repeating verses and choruses. Flamenco bass, multi-tracked guitars, Geddy choirs, cluttered songs with few dynamic shifts and no breathing room between instruments all spell FAIL to my ears.

[chalkpie]

What are the 10 best Rush tunes from Counterparts thru Clockwork Angels? This is a real question....I basically know very little to nothing on those later records.

[yesstiles]

Yup, short on proggy bits, long on repeating verses and choruses. Flamenco bass, multi-tracked guitars, Geddy choirs, cluttered songs with few dynamic shifts and no breathing room between instruments all spell FAIL to my ears.

This