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Thread: FEATURED CD - Geddy Lee : My Favorite Headache

  1. #1
    Moderator Duncan Glenday's Avatar
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    FEATURED CD - Geddy Lee : My Favorite Headache



    Per Allmusic
    Aside from the 1998 live set Different Stages, not much was heard from Rush after their tour wrapped up in support of their last studio album two years prior, Test for Echo. But in 2000, Rush fans starving for some new material got their wish when bassist/singer Geddy Lee issued his first-ever solo album, My Favorite Headache. Lee is joined by ex-Soundgarden drummer Matt Cameron (who sounds almost identical to Rush drummer Neal Peart) and ex-FM guitarist/violinist Ben Mink, and both help Lee craft a record that resembles what a new Rush album would've sounded like. The album-opening title track is unquestionably the best cut here -- a cacophonic Primus-ish hard rock section switches with a laid-back, symphonic piece -- while such rockers as "The Present Tense," "Working at Perfekt," "Home of the Strange," and the ballad "Slipping" could've easily fit on such '90s Rush albums as Counterparts and Test for Echo. My Favorite Headache will help hold over longtime fans of the Canadian prog trio.
    http://www.allmusic.com/album/my-fav...e-mw0000099689




    Regards,

    Duncan

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    Member Paulrus's Avatar
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    I can remember the excitement when this came out. It got a fair amount of FM radio coverage, and did well enough chart-wise that there was even hope of a tour. But in hindsight it's about as good as Rush's efforts from the same period (which is to say "middling"). I was hoping that Ben Mink would have a more interesting presence, and Geddy's lyrics were surprisingly... Peart-ish.

    Oh well. I guess MFH served an important role to help everyone get through Rush' hiatus, and for that I'm glad it happened. But it's not something I reach for often.
    I'm holding out for the Wilson-mixed 5.1 super-duper walletbuster special anniversary extra adjectives edition.

  3. #3
    Quote Originally Posted by Paulrus View Post
    But it's not something I reach for often.

    After a while, I'd only listen to the last song, "Grace to Grace", the only Rush type song on the album.

    Then in 2002, Rush came back with a vengeance with Vapor Trails and thank God for that. I was worried about a My Favorite Headache II

  4. #4
    Oh No! Bass Solo! klothos's Avatar
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    Sure, its "meh", but I really did appreciate the fact that Geddy was exercising a lot of things (particularly with vocals) that he wouldn't normally do within the Rush-framework.....and, for the record, I liked this album better than both "Test For Echo" and "Snakes and Arrows"

  5. #5
    Highly Evolved Orangutan JKL2000's Avatar
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    I'd have to pull it out to check, but as I recall there's one song that sounds a lot like some other well known song. I forget what it is but its not Rush.

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    Wow! I haven't played this is ages. Have to put it on and see how's it's aged.

  7. #7
    Haven't heard this since it was new, but I seem to recall being disappointed. Kinda like a shitty Test For Echo (which was already a shitty Rush record). Victor was a much more interesting Rush-solo record (though still very flawed).

    [Disclaimer .. IMO, of course. I know TFE and MFH and V have their fans, and this isn't meant to denigrate their tastes, just to illustrate mine.]
    flute juice

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    I always liked it. Not a ton of variation on it, but I thought the songs were all pretty good and Geddy did a nice job overall. I liked it a lot better than Liefson's album "Victor", although will admit that Lee's was the safer of the two.

  9. #9
    Quote Originally Posted by arise_shine View Post
    Haven't heard this since it was new, but I seem to recall being disappointed. Kinda like a shitty Test For Echo (which was already a shitty Rush record). Victor was a much more interesting Rush-solo record (though still very flawed).

    [Disclaimer .. IMO, of course. I know TFE and MFH and V have their fans, and this isn't meant to denigrate their tastes, just to illustrate mine.]
    I havent listened to Victor in almost 20 years but thought it was more creative. Lesson learned: when they record again, they have to record together.

    Right before Vapor Trails I think it was Lee who told the story of getting back together saying something like "No way that Victor stuff is going on the new album."

  10. #10
    Meh for me as well. Not remotely as daring as Victor.

  11. #11
    Member Steve F.'s Avatar
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    "The guys in Rush released solo albums?", he was surprised in all sincerity to learn...
    Steve F.

    www.waysidemusic.com
    www.cuneiformrecords.com

    - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

    “Remember, if it doesn't say "Cuneiform," it's not prog!” - THE Jed Levin

    Any time any one speaks to me about any musical project, the one absolute given is "it will not make big money". [tip of the hat to HK]

    "Death to false 'support the scene' prog!"

    please add 'imo' wherever you like, to avoid offending those easily offended.

  12. #12
    Quote Originally Posted by Steve F. View Post
    "The guys in Rush released solo albums?"
    Some of us like to pretend it didn't happen.

  13. #13
    Member Jerjo's Avatar
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    Played the hell outa this back in the day. Matt Cameron turned in a particularly inspiring performance. Still a pretty good album but nothing like the full band.
    I don't like country music, but I don't mean to denigrate those who do. And for the people who like country music, denigrate means 'put down.'- Bob Newhart

  14. #14
    To my untrained Rush ear, sounds just like Rush after my first listen.

  15. #15
    I'm a huge Rush fan but there are 4 albums in their catalog I can't stand... and make it 5 if we include MFH. This has too much of the same whimpering vocals, mid-tempo tunes and awkward melodies that make Snakes & Arrows such a grievous album for me. And not even one ripping bass instrumental? Wow.

    And I actually like the two Rush albums that sandwich this - Test for Echo and Vapor Trails, while acknowledging they are still a "far cry" from their best material.
    You say Mega Ultra Deluxe Special Limited Edition Extended Autographed 5-LP, 3-CD, 4-DVD, 2-BlueRay, 4-Cassette, five 8-Track, MP4 Download plus Demos, Outtakes, Booklet, T-Shirt and Guitar Pick Gold-Leafed Box Set Version like it's a bad thing...

  16. #16
    Member gearHed289's Avatar
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    I liked this when it first came out, and after it sat for a few years and I went back to it, I still liked it. For me, it's the best thing he did between HYF and CA. I get a kick when people say "it sounds like Rush". He IS the lead singer, bass player, keyboardist, and writer of at least half the music in Rush, so I think he'd have to try really hard to have it NOT sound like Rush. I'm hoping him and Mink get together again soon.

  17. #17
    NEARfest Officer Emeritus Nearfest2's Avatar
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    Geddy concentrated on songwriting for MFH, not chops. There is plenty of playing on it, but nothing like a Rush album. It's a good album, not a great album, but "Grace to Grace" is pretty damn great. I would have loved to have seen Rush play "Grace to Grace" and Victor's "Promise" on the R40 tour.
    Chad

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    Wow. Guess I have totally different tastes than this board. To me, My Favorite Headache is the last great Rush album. Yeah, I'll get slack for that, but I don't care. This album continued great songwriting as some of the 80's albums, the playing is outstanding, I find where the musicians go to be much more interesting than the subsequent Rush albums. The songs on the Rush albums that followed don't have nearly as much melodic sense as this album...maybe Rush fans aren't looking for melodic songs from this band, but personally I loved the approach. And Geddy still had a decent voice then. Ben Mink rules.

  19. #19
    Got this and Victor on the day they came out. I gave both of them a couple of cursory listens and filed them away as neither did a whole lot for me. I thought Victor was awful, while MFH passable. Anyway, for whatever reason about a month ago I dug out MFH and actually found it to be better than I remembered. The title track and Moving to Bohemia have already made it on to my running ipod, high praise indeed. I concede one's opinion of MFH probably hinges on one's opinion of the last few Rush albums, which I also like. Yeah, Alex and Neil are missed, but this gives a good idea just how much Geddy brings to Rush's sound.

  20. #20
    Quote Originally Posted by Nearfest2 View Post
    I would have loved to have seen Rush play "Grace to Grace" and Victor's "Promise" on the R40 tour.
    oh yeah

    Funny. I thought of that when it came out: They should play "Grace to Grace" live. One of my favorite Rush songs even if it isn't.

    Those who are reading this thread probably already know this album. But if not, ignore the review. First, this would not have been the Rush album of 2000 unless Alex quit. Second, I can't see how any of these songs, except the awesomeness of "Grace to Grace" would have fit on any 90s Rush album.

    Anyway, check out the final song for the missing Rush song.
    Last edited by yamishogun; 08-04-2015 at 05:54 PM.

  21. #21
    Different strokes as they say... for me Victor is the only really good Rush related album of the 90s and beyond. It's got a couple misfires but I like the synth/poetry ambient pieces a lot and when it rocks- IT RAWKS. And the songs Linda Perry sings (that's right, isn't it?) sound more like classic era Rush than anything since the 70s. Which I do not find a bad thing.

  22. #22
    Member hFx's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by trurl View Post
    Different strokes as they say... for me Victor is the only really good Rush related album of the 90s and beyond. It's got a couple misfires but I like the synth/poetry ambient pieces a lot and when it rocks- IT RAWKS. And the songs Linda Perry sings (that's right, isn't it?) sound more like classic era Rush than anything since the 70s. Which I do not find a bad thing.
    You mean Lisa Dal Bello? She impersonates Geddy's original vocal style better than Geddy himself after MP
    My Progressive Workshop at http://soundcloud.com/hfxx

  23. #23
    Quote Originally Posted by hFx View Post
    You mean Lisa Dal Bello? She impersonates Geddy's original vocal style better than Geddy himself after MP
    Yes! My bad, I knew I should have Googled that.

  24. #24
    Oh No! Bass Solo! klothos's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by hFx View Post
    You mean Lisa Dal Bello? She impersonates Geddy's original vocal style better than Geddy himself after MP
    Want to hear something scary? Next time you hear an early song by the band No Doubt, check out how much Gwen Stefani sounds a little bit like Geddy Lee back then....its scary...and funny, too, if its a song like "Im Just A Girl" lol

    and Claudio Sanchez from Coheed and Cambria almost sounds exactly like him

  25. #25
    Quote Originally Posted by hFx View Post
    You mean Lisa Dal Bello? She impersonates Geddy's original vocal style better than Geddy himself after MP
    And Alex impersonates Led Zep's "Four Sticks" quite well on the riff...
    You say Mega Ultra Deluxe Special Limited Edition Extended Autographed 5-LP, 3-CD, 4-DVD, 2-BlueRay, 4-Cassette, five 8-Track, MP4 Download plus Demos, Outtakes, Booklet, T-Shirt and Guitar Pick Gold-Leafed Box Set Version like it's a bad thing...

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