# The Strange Magic of: Rush



## Strange Magic (Sep 14, 2015)

In 2013, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, that extraordinarily erratic "decider" about Who is Important Enough, finally ended years of disgrace and scandal by inducting Rush, some 12 to 20 years after the trio had established the irrefutable necessity of their inclusion in the minds of the millions of their devotees. Certainly since 1974, Rush has offered uniquely cogent lyrics, amazing musicianship, and an electrifying stage presence that, decade after decade and album after album, has mesmerized its enormous following, including me--they indeed wield a Strange Magic. Here they are, Neil Peart, Alex Lifeson, and wizard-in-chief Geddy Lee, at the summit of their powers before an adoring audience and performing their classic _Subdivisions_.


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## starthrower (Dec 11, 2010)

I'm glad Alex Lifeson let everybody know how seriously he takes the R&R Hall of Fame! Anyway, back in high school I used to listen to 2112, A Farewell To Kings, and Hemispheres. I lost interest after the early 80s, although their 1987 album Hold Your Fire contained many good songs. But that's the last one I listened to. The critics love to poke fun at them, but they are much better musicians than most rock bands could hope to be.


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## Guest (Jan 10, 2016)

starthrower said:


> I'm glad Alex Lifeson let everybody know how seriously he takes the R&R Hall of Fame! Anyway, back in high school I used to listen to 2112, A Farewell To Kings, and Hemispheres. I lost interest after the early 80s, although their 1987 album Hold Your Fire contained many good songs. But that's the last one I listened to. The critics love to poke fun at them, but they are much better musicians than most rock bands could hope to be.


We seem to be in agreement. I saw them on the Hemispheres tour. Lost interest after that. They seemed to attempt what Yes tried to do, change to a more "contemporary" style, and in doing so also discarded much of what I liked about them.


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## starthrower (Dec 11, 2010)

dogen said:


> They seemed to attempt what Yes tried to do, change to a more "contemporary" style, and in doing so also discarded much of what I liked about them.


I liked the sound that their old producer Tony Brown captured in the studio. A warm analog sound that breaths. In the 80s they went with that crappy freeze dried, bright crispy sound, which is very hard to sit and listen too. And like most bands that stay together too long, the music became less inspired and memorable.

I had a chance to go see them when they came to town about five years ago, but I passed on it. I never did like big arena rock concerts. And I can't stand video screens.


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## Strange Magic (Sep 14, 2015)

These responses again confirm my notion that I never grew up; I just got older. There is a wistful "lost youth" whiff of melancholia in such observations that I cannot discover in my own Peter Pan attitude toward the things I like. But I share in anyone's joy in such music, whether such pleasure is fresh and current or is a dying ember of nostalgia.


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## starthrower (Dec 11, 2010)

It's a matter of broader horizons and knowledge as one gets older. I still listen to many of these bands on occasion, but not as a regular diet. I just don't feel the urge to listen to a lot of rock music these days. I have other musical interests.


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## elgar's ghost (Aug 8, 2010)

After ditching the fantasy epics post-'Hemispheres' I thought Rush found an agreeable balance with 'Permanent Waves' and 'Moving Pictures', but from 'Signals' onwards they streamlined themselves for the 80s too much for my liking in the way that Yes and Genesis did. By the time of 'Grace Under Pressure' I knew I'd have to let the band go, but at least there was the comfort blanket of all the albums from 74-81, even the Led Zep-wannabe debut.


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## starthrower (Dec 11, 2010)

Signals has some great songs. New World Man, Digital Man, and Losing It are favorites. I didn't listen to it until '87, as I was into fusion in the early 80s.


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## Strange Magic (Sep 14, 2015)

elgars ghost said:


> By the time of 'Grace Under Pressure' I knew I'd have to let the band go, but at least there was the comfort blanket of all the albums from 74-81, even the Led Zep-wannabe debut.


Another example of the infinite variability of taste. _Grace Under Pressure_ is a particular favorite of mine, showing in Distant Early Warning, Afterimage, Red Sector A and Between the Wheels a growing involvement in the importance of personal relationships and a growing awareness of vulnerability. I also relished the vigorous fearlessness expressed in The Enemy Within.


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## elgar's ghost (Aug 8, 2010)

Strange Magic said:


> Another example of the infinite variability of taste. _Grace Under Pressure_ is a particular favorite of mine, showing in Distant Early Warning, Afterimage, Red Sector A and Between the Wheels a growing involvement in the importance of personal relationships and a growing awareness of vulnerability. I also relished the vigorous fearlessness expressed in The Enemy Within.


Yes, maybe I'd have been more receptive to their post-Moving Pictures output had I been exposed to it before the early stuff. I know they had to go down that road in order to carry on evolving but musically it sounded too clinical for me, unfortunately.


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## tdc (Jan 17, 2011)

Neil Peart is my favorite rock drummer, but aside from that they are not a band I'm that interested in. When I listen to their music I am mostly focused on listening to the drums. Moving Pictures is an excellent album though. My favorite Rush song is Red Barchetta.


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## Biwa (Aug 3, 2015)

Great band! Too bad Getty's voice is going these days. 
Like most, though...I lost interest in them after Moving Pictures. Fortunately, Thrash and other Metal came along in the 80s to save the day and keep the "magic" fire burning... 
Hey! And even Ozzy came back...All aboard!!! :lol: :lol: :lol:


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## Simon Moon (Oct 10, 2013)

I made substantial attempts to get into Rush at several points in their career, but to no avail. I have several friends with overlapping musical tastes, that did their best to get me into them on more than one occasion.

Their music was not complex enough to scratch that itch for me. They were not good enough musicians to scratch that itch. They were just too mainstream for me, even at their most "progressive".

I do have some respect for them for several reasons. Not least of which is, if not for Rush, there would most likely not be the very creative prog-metal scene, with all its varied sub-genres, going on today.


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## Itullian (Aug 27, 2011)

Just can't get past the voice.


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## Strange Magic (Sep 14, 2015)

Simon Moon said:


> They were just too mainstream for me, even at their most "progressive".


Rush, like anyone or anything, is not everybody's cup of tea. But could you amplify what your feelings are about the mainstream? If one likes or dislikes something, should its relationship to the mainstream be a factor? If so, to what extent? Itullian doesn't like Geddy Lee's voice; that I can understand immediately, but the mainstream thing--not clear to me.


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## brotagonist (Jul 11, 2013)

In the '70s, I had their eponymous debut album. It never caught on with me and I haven't heard anything by them since.


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## Strange Magic (Sep 14, 2015)

brotagonist said:


> In the '70s, I had their eponymous debut album. It never caught on with me and I haven't heard anything by them since.


And, therefore.......?


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## starthrower (Dec 11, 2010)

Simon Moon said:


> Their music was not complex enough to scratch that itch for me. They were not good enough musicians to scratch that itch.


Do you play any instruments? The guys in Rush are great musicians. What Geddy Lee does onstage playing bass, keyboards, and singing is very difficult to say the least. And they do all the odd time signature stuff as well. As far as liking the music? Of course that's a matter of taste.


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## elgar's ghost (Aug 8, 2010)

Oh, they could play - back in the 70s I'd almost go so far as to call them a power-trio which had the chops for prog. And Neil Peart is to this day the only bloke who's done a live drum solo which hasn't sent me to sleep.


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## guilhermeafonso (Jan 26, 2016)

Rush was my door to prog (mainly Yes and ELP). However, I managed to get around their stylistic changes through the course of time. I like their repertoire as a whole.

Nevertheless, I must admit that Hold Your Fire is a downer for me. It has some great tunes, like Time Stand Still and Force Ten, but I find the lyrical themes and its "musicality" (compositions and arrangements) a bit outside for them - even though, I think it was this album that renewed their views and moved them up to, some time later, get to Counterparts, which is a great work.

Moving Pictures is their finest for me. Everything is placed where it should be, the dynamics are balanced (allowing one to choose which part to listen to or even to listen the whole thing), the melodies and harmonies are quite clever (e.g. the vocal melody of The Camera Eye and the harmony of Witch Hunt), virtuosity (YYZ!!!), Peart at his best during "prog phase"...

The Cygnus X-1 Suite is also FANTASTIC, imo. But I do not like A Farewell to Kings and Hemispheres, as albums, as much as I like Moving Pictures.


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## Martyn Harper (Jan 27, 2016)

I am definitely a fan and have all of their albums. The band's sound has changed quite a bit over the years and Geddy's voice has lowered considerably (those helium induced vocals are often a stumbling block for casual listeners). However, the quality of their material has been remarkably consistent for the last 40 years. Some of their albums are better than others but they have never made a bad album. From the early masterpiece 2112 right up to the latest studio album Clockwork Angels their success rate has been very incredible. Although never considered a cool band, Rush should be recognised as one of the truly great rock bands of all time - up there with Zeppelin, Pink Floyd and the Who.


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## Strange Magic (Sep 14, 2015)

Martyn Harper said:


> I am definitely a fan and have all of their albums. The band's sound has changed quite a bit over the years and Geddy's voice has lowered considerably (those helium induced vocals are often a stumbling block for casual listeners). However, the quality of their material has been remarkably consistent for the last 40 years. Some of their albums are better than others but they have never made a bad album. From the early masterpiece 2112 right up to the latest studio album Clockwork Angels their success rate has been very incredible. Although never considered a cool band, Rush should be recognised as one of the truly great rock bands of all time - up there with Zeppelin, Pink Floyd and the Who.


Could not have said it better myself. Count me also as a huuuuuuge fan! Here is _The Spirit of Radio_....


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## Strange Magic (Sep 14, 2015)

One more for the road: _Time Stand Still_. Very evocative. Certain rock songs: the lyrics actually are quite moving, at least I find them so. Rush does that for me a bit more than most other groups. I once worked with someone who claimed Rush helped him get through a very bad time--make of that what you will.


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## chill782002 (Jan 12, 2017)

I like Rush a lot. I must admit I stop at "Moving Pictures" but I enjoy all the albums up to and including that one (OK, maybe not the first one so much). I saw them in London about 15 years ago and it was a great show. I was very impressed that they played a 3 hour set without a break, particularly as they would have all been around 50 at the time. I'd like to see younger rock bands display such a high level of stamina.


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## senza sordino (Oct 20, 2013)

Three very ordinary and down to Earth Canadian chaps.


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## elgar's ghost (Aug 8, 2010)

^
^

I'm so glad is wasn't Vince Neil steering...


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## starthrower (Dec 11, 2010)

I tried listening to some of their R40 live set but it's painful listening to Geddy Lee wail and strain to sing melodies he created in his 20s. It sounds pretty dreadful. So I'll stick to the old albums.


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## Roger Knox (Jul 19, 2017)

R.I.P. Neil Peart 1952-2020


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## senza sordino (Oct 20, 2013)

Analysis of Limelight





Analysis of Closer to the Heart


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## SONNET CLV (May 31, 2014)

I will continue to listen to _A Farewell to Kings_, a regular spin on my stereo equipment nearly since the album's release. (And on occasion, I will tap into one of the other twenty or so RUSH discs in my collection … but not that often.)









My long-time favorite RUSH album.


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## starthrower (Dec 11, 2010)

I read somewhere that the cover of A Farewell To Kings consists of two photographs. The demolished building was photographed in Buffalo, NY with Toronto in the background.






I love these beautiful drum kits that Neil played. It's sad to think he will never make music on them again.


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## senza sordino (Oct 20, 2013)

Alex Lifeson does indoor skydiving and plays Guitar Hero on The Rick Mercer Report. More Canadian television for you


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