Second half of Rush

[Vic2012]

I disagree but it's an interesting point to compare the 70's & 80's output of say Yes, Genesis & Rush. I loathed what happened to Yes & Genesis but quite happily stayed on board the Rush bus. Why? For me Rush's change was more organic and gradual whereas perhaps the other two were more like a 'handbrake turn' suddenly heading in an altogether different direction.

I really didn't get into Rush until late 90s. But I was going back and forth in their discography. I gravitated toward their 70s output. I'm in my 60s, I like the old hard rock Rush. So when I bought Hold Your Fire I was disappointed to say the least.

[JJ88]

I wouldn't now listen to their post-Hold Your Fire output (and even that album is borderline, really). I started to find it all a bit of a sludge compared to their older stuff. The production sometimes didn't help.

For the record I listen to 80s/90s Genesis a lot and some later Yes too. So it's not a 'prog snob' thing at all.

I don't think I ever did own Test For Echo. Maybe I should give Clockwork Angels a go.

[Progatron]

As an avid fan for 35+ years, I can honestly say I love their entire career, and there's maybe five tracks in their catalogue I don't care much for. But my favourite run of albums will always be from Signals through Presto. A lot of those songs hit me on a deeper level than the more overt heavy prog they made in the 70s (again, as much as I love that too).

I have nothing but the fondest possible memories of listening to (and wearing out) the cassettes of Hold Your Fire and A Show Of Hands in my Sony Walkman. By the time Presto was released, I had my first CD player. That was also my first time seeing them live. Maple Leaf Gardens in May '90, with Voivod opening. So while I can understand some people's lesser view of that album, I can only ever consider it a beloved part of my life.

Counterparts is an album that I liked well enough at the time, but it grew on me even more in later years, while other albums maybe took more of a back seat. I completely agree with the love expressed earlier for Available Light, too.

[Finch Platte]

I have a fairly noisy picture disc of PW....once you get past the quiet sections where it sounds like a Canadian campfire, then its stunningly wonderful.

I would pay extra for the Canadian campfire version!

[EBES]

I'm probably in a small minority, but I find it easier to get into late 80s Rush than classic 70s / early 80s Rush, just because of the vocals. To my ears Geddy Lee was first an annoying singer and became a really good singer once he found the kind of voice he has on Hold Your Fire for instance.
I guess many people like or love Geddy's voice on the classic albums as a part of their sound, and it's fine. To me it almost ruins the experience.

I had that same feeling for a long time. I bought 2112 when I was seventeen, heard the vocals and took it back to the store the next day. Bought Permanent Waves & Moving Pictures a few years later and really liked them but it wasn't until years later that I started going backward & forward from there.

[gearHed289]

It's cool to read all these different opinions on the different eras. Some people like everything they did. Some only like a certain era. And some like a hodge-podge of songs from different eras. They were a band that was always evolving and never completely became a "heritage act". As a result, they spanned generations and genres over 4 decades.

I get the aversion to the earlier vocals. When I became a fan 43 years ago, that was the #1 complaint people had about them. But I think the early stuff contained his most passionate singing. Wild vibrato and all, especially live!

[IMWeasel]

It's cool to read all these different opinions on the different eras. Some people like everything they did. Some only like a certain era. And some like a hodge-podge of songs from different eras. They were a band that was always evolving and never completely became a "heritage act". As a result, they spanned generations and genres over 4 decades.

I get the aversion to the earlier vocals. When I became a fan 43 years ago, that was the #1 complaint people had about them. But I think the early stuff contained his most passionate singing. Wild vibrato and all, especially live!

Heh my husband hated Rush and it was mainly because of the vocals, which he said were like a dead cat screeching . He did admit that when they had instrumental parts they were OK though, lol.

[gearHed289]

Heh my husband hated Rush and it was mainly because of the vocals, which he said were like a dead cat screeching . He did admit that when they had instrumental parts they were OK though, lol.

Yeah, that was the usual - "Great players, but that guy's VOICE."

[Progatron]

The response I've heard the most from people over the years (beginning in high school) is "I respect Rush", which 100% of the time means "I don't like or listen to them and never will".

[Plasmatopia]

Also recently got a copy of Power Windows on vinyl and I never realized how freaking *amazing* that album really sounds.

And the kick drum was still displaying some significant balls on that album. Pretty much neutered on Hold Your Fire, but I still like a lot of that material as well.

[dropforge]

Grace Under Pressure and Power Windows sound awesome to this guy. I don't care if Broon wasn't there. His absence doesn't automatically translate to subpar production/mix.

[Jerjo]

I wish there was someone to fill the void, an act with an insane amount of muscle playing complex loud rock. DT spawned a lot of wannabes but other than Tiles, I can't think of anyone doing Rush-type rock.

[Finch Platte]

I wish there was someone to fill the void, an act with an insane amount of muscle playing complex loud rock. DT spawned a lot of wannabes but other than Tiles, I can't think of anyone doing Rush-type rock.

Haken?

[moecurlythanu]

The recent Glass Hammer has a fair whiff of Rush to it. The mini-album by 80s American band Red Shift was very influenced by Rush, as I recall.

https://www.discogs.com/release/6067...ithout-A-Frame

[Steve983]

I wish there was someone to fill the void, an act with an insane amount of muscle playing complex loud rock. DT spawned a lot of wannabes but other than Tiles, I can't think of anyone doing Rush-type rock.

I know they are on hiatus again now, but have you ever listened to Enchant? Like 80's Rush instrumentally combined with the soaring vocals of Ted Leonard.

[Garden Dreamer]

I wish there was someone to fill the void, an act with an insane amount of muscle playing complex loud rock. DT spawned a lot of wannabes but other than Tiles, I can't think of anyone doing Rush-type rock.

Myriad from NY are very Rush-like. They have 2 albums; I've only heard their first, "Natural Elements."

Instrumental band Magic Elf are like Rush mixed with Dixie Dregs and Steve Vai.

[Progatron]

I can't think of anyone doing Rush-type rock.

Crown Lands do. They have a kind of Zeppelin/Wolfmother thing going on too, but often drift into the Rush universe, as here:

[dropforge]

Instrumental band Magic Elf are like Rush mixed with Dixie Dregs and Steve Vai.

Those guys were really good! They made only two albums, and those came out in '98 & '03!

[Bytor]

Crown Lands do. They have a kind of Zeppelin/Wolfmother thing going on too, but often drift into the Rush universe, as here:

I have a hard time with duo band Can you imagine them with a full time bassist. They would slay haha. Saw them opened for Rival Sons, never heard of them before that day. They were really good.

[vmartell]

Regarding Rush - I have recently had a realization - and I know people might disagree - but here it goes. First of all, one declaration: I loved 80s Rush. In fact it was with Presto that I started to drift a bit - I love those 90s records... is just love them much much less than the 80s one.

Another statement is that it boggles the mind whenever someone calls 80s Rush "New Wave" or even "Pop" - sure the guys liked those artists, and it shows a little bit. BUT it is a stretch from detecting influences to saying they moved to the style. A bit of reggae doesn't turn Rush (or any band) into The Police!

One more - it was very Electronic! - The thing is, Geddy never actually played "keyboards" - meaning is the Geddy plays Synthesizers ( he later added Samplers and other Electronics). Geddy never played Piano, Organ, Mellotron in Rush. Sure Synths are keyboard instruments, but pls, catch my meaning, no nitpicking ! - That Electronic hi-tech sheen (you have to add Neil's electronic percussion) definitely put people in the mindspace of calling it New Wave (or Pop) too.

With all of that in mind, I will say that in the 80s, actually succeeded in modernizing Progressive Rock. By making the songs more concise - BUT NOT MORE SIMPLE - and adding the latest gear and production, in their own way they stumbled into a model for what modern Prog should have been in the 80s. A true new progressive rock for its age. A true neo-prog, if you will !

Of course, people will disagree, but I do think is a good way to look a that body of work. Signals to Hold Your Fire, is a period that I return constantly. Personally, while I love basic rock'n'roll, in reality, I prefer it when bands get further from that and Rush is no exception for me - sure not REALLY basic rock'n'roll, but definitely you can detect the move and that affects me anyway...

peace.

v

[gearHed289]

I have a hard time with duo band

I'm weird like that too! But I do like Crown Lands. But, yeah, a full time bass player would make me like them even more.

The latest album by the Cyberiam has some Rush-like moments.

[Tom]

Also recently got a copy of Power Windows on vinyl and I never realized how freaking *amazing* that album really sounds.

All this love has got me listening to PW, first time in a long while. It is much better than I remembered — I had mentally lumped it in with the lastingly lame GuP.

Thanks for lending your Ears, so to speak.

[dropforge]

the lastingly lame GuP.

Them's fightin' words!

[moecurlythanu]

Them's fightin' words!

Yeah, bizarrely baffling.

[UnephenStephen]

of the 80's stuff (Moving Pictures - Presto), MP was the best (with HYF a close second) and Presto the worst imo. i remember how disappointed i was in Presto when i heard it for the first time. too thin and weak sounding. always liked HYF so not sure why it gets knocked so much. their sound was at least consistent from Signals to HYF and i for the most part liked all of them.
so i say their downfall started with Presto and didn't get any better with RTB which i hated.