Talk:Rush (band)/History of Rush (archive)
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The history of the rock band Rush spans over forty years. The group progressed from a fluctuating early lineup between the summer of 1968 and May 1971, to Geddy Lee, Alex Lifeson and John Rutsey at the release of their first album in March 1974, to the replacement of Rutsey with Neil Peart in July of that same year. This resulted in the final definitive form of the band and the incarnation of Lee, Peart and Lifeson has lasted for more than 40 years to the present.
Over time, Rush has changed their style of music dramatically; evolving from a sound derivative of Led Zeppelin on their eponymous debut album to styles encompassing hard rock, progressive rock, and a period dominated by synthesizers; their music today can best be described as modern rock.
Formation and first album (1968–1974)
The original line-up of Rush formed in August 1968, in Toronto, Ontario, consisting of Jeff Jones (bass and lead vocals), John Rutsey (drums, percussion and backing vocals) and Alex Lifeson (guitars, keyboards and backing vocals). It was Rutsey's older brother who suggested the name Rush immediately before the band's first gig at The Coff-In, a local coffee shop in the basement of St. Theodore's of Canterbury Anglican Church. This was a play on words alluding to the frantic scrambling of the band members as they tried to come up with a title. That same summer, Jones was replaced as bassist and lead vocalist by Lifeson's schoolmate Gary Lee Weinrib, who went by the name of Geddy Lee. The name Geddy was inspired by the heavily accented pronunciation of his first name by his Polish mother.
After this point, Rush experienced rapid personnel changes and lineup reformations before finally settling on its officially recognized incarnation. This began in January 1969 when Lindy Young came on board at the request of Lifeson to play keyboards, guitars and vocals. Lee was asked to leave Rush that May, and he went on to form his own band which he first called Ogilvie, but later opted for the name Judd. Rush and Judd were both managed by local friend Ray Danniels. Lee was replaced in Rush by bassist and vocalist Joe Perna, and at this point the name of the band was changed to Hadrian. Lee had such terrific success with his newly formed band that Young made the decision to leave and join Judd, resulting in the final dissolution of Hadrian. However, in September, the members of Judd also disbanded allowing Lee, Lifeson, and Rutsey to reconvene as Rush once again. In February 1971, Mitchel Bossi was recruited as rhythm and lead guitarist, however, his tenure was extremely short-lived and he quit in May of the same year leaving behind the three members to carry on as a trio. During these early years, Rush would cover bands that would influence their future sound: The Who, Led Zeppelin, The Rolling Stones, Cream, Jimi Hendrix, and Eric Clapton. They also began writing original compositions; initial songs would include "Keep in Line", "Garden Road", "Slaughterhouse", and "Feel So Good".[1][2][3]
After experiencing some stability in their line-up and honing their skills on the local bar/high school dance circuit, Rush decided to release their first single in 1973 before attempting work on a full album. Side A contained "Not Fade Away", a cover of the Buddy Holly song, while on side B there was an original composition titled "You Can't Fight It" credited to Rutsey and Lee. To the chagrin of the band, the single did not generate the desired commercial reaction. Because numerous record companies refused to produce and distribute Rush's music, the band was forced to form their own record label, Moon Records. However, despite these early setbacks, Lee, Lifeson, and Rutsey, with the aid of Danniels and newly enlisted engineer Terry Brown, released their first album in March 1974, the self-titled Rush. Highly derivative of Led Zeppelin, Rush had limited local popularity until the original release, distributed by Moon Records, was picked up by WMMS, a radio station in Cleveland, Ohio. Donna Halper, a DJ and station manager working at the time, selected the seven-minute "Working Man" to be part of the regular play cycle. This song was the band's first release to garner commercial feedback. It resonated with hard rock fans in North America; being reminiscent of Led Zeppelin, with Lee sounding similar to Robert Plant, and Lifeson's guitar riffs modeled partly after Jimmy Page's style. This popularity led the album to be redistributed by Mercury Records.[4][5]
Early days (1974–1976)
The same year, Rutsey resigned because of his affliction with diabetes and a distaste for touring. Rush held auditions for a replacement drummer before finally selecting Neil Peart on July 29, 1974 (consequently ending his tenure in his previous band, Hush).[1] Before joining the band, Peart had recently traveled to London, England to further his musical career. He became increasingly disillusioned with the music scene and emigrated back to Canada where he auditioned for Rush. Incidentally, Lifeson has remarked in interviews that his immediate impression of Peart was actually less than favorable (in terms of personality), while Lee was much more accepting. In the end, Lee managed to convince Lifeson to accept Peart. Peart's inclusion led the band to more progressive ethos over the course of its next few albums, Fly by Night, Caress of Steel, and 2112. He also became the band's principal lyricist since Lee and Lifeson had very little interest in writing lyrics, contributing to only a few songs over the rest of the band's career. Instead, the two of them focused solely on the musical aspects of Rush. Although these early albums were still heavily entrenched in the blues-inspired hard rock that dominated their eponymous debut,[6] more complex song structures and progressive rock arrangements became apparent. Fly By Night (1975), Rush's first album after recruiting Peart, saw the inclusion of the band's first mini-epic tale "By-Tor and the Snow Dog", replete with complex arrangements and multi-section format. Lyrical themes also underwent dramatic changes after the addition of Peart because of his love for fantasy and science-fiction literature.
Following quickly on the heels of Fly By Night, the band released Caress of Steel (1975), a five track hard rock album featuring two extended multi-chapter songs, "The Necromancer" and "The Fountain of Lamneth". The latter was Rush's first full-fledged epic, with side two of the album entirely devoted to the song, while the former, a nod to J. R. R. Tolkien, was a more compact "mini-epic". Caress of Steel was considered an audacious move for the band because of the placement of two protracted numbers back-to-back, as well as a heavier reliance on atmospherics and science fiction/fantasy based story-telling. Still, the lead-off track "Bastille Day" hearkened back to the previous album and became a fan favourite "rocker". The song was consistently used as the opener for many of their live shows in the late 1970s. Intended to be the band's first "break-through" album, Caress of Steel sold quite poorly, and the promotional tour consisted of small lackluster venues, which led to the moniker the "Down the Tubes Tour". In light of these events, Rush's record label pressured them into molding their next album in a more commercially friendly and accessible fashion. However, in spite of such urges, the band ignored these requests, and their next album, 1976's 2112, was the band's first taste of commercial success and their first Canadian gold and platinum album.[7] After the success of 2112, the band released a double live album entitled All the World's a Stage in 1976 to separate Rush's early work from their upcoming music.
Mainstream success (1977–1981)
After 2112, Rush followed up with 1977's
Beyond instrument additions, the band kept in stride with the progressive rock movement by continuing to compose long atmospheric songs, usually conceptual in nature with science fiction and fantasy overtones. The two albums that followed after 2112 were linked by a two-part interconnected storyline. Hemispheres contains a sequel to A Farewell to King's "
During an interview in 1978, Lee stated that Rush felt they had taken the long-song format as far as they could or wanted. Many of their early songs received limited airplay and commercial recognition because of their extended length (in some cases exceeding ten minutes). This partially contributed to the band's apparent change in direction while recording Permanent Waves in 1979. Here, Rush began to opt for shorter songs that still retained their trademark musicianship and complexity. The album began the incorporation of styles such as
Lyrical
Rush's popularity hit its zenith with the release of
Following the success of Moving Pictures, Rush released their second live recording,
Synthesizer period (1982–1989)
While Geddy Lee's synthesizers had been featured instruments ever since the late 1970s, Signals (1982) arguably represented Rush's most drastic stylistic transformation up to that point. Keyboards were suddenly shifted from a contrapuntal background to the melodic front-lines, while traditional guitar solos also became less of a focal point as seen in both "Countdown" and the lead-off track "Subdivisions". Both songs feature nimble lead synthesizer lines with minimalistic guitar chords and solos. Another song, "Losing It," features Ben Mink on electric violin, while Lifeson's guitar chords were less audible in the mix. Many Rush fans were disappointed with Lifeson's subdued guitar tone and overall diminished presence, but others enjoyed the adventurous musical territory. While the band members consciously decided to move in this overall direction, they felt dissatisfied with long-time producer Terry Brown's studio treatment of Signals and parted ways with him in 1983.
Signals contained Rush's only US top-40 pop hit, "
The style and production of Signals were augmented and taken to new heights on
Peart began to address previously unexplored motifs in his writing such as
Power Windows (1985) and Hold Your Fire (1987) could be considered the peak of this musical chapter of Rush. Produced by Peter Collins, the music on these two albums give far more emphasis and prominence to Geddy Lee's multi-layered synthesizer work. However, Power Windows still builds somewhat upon the momentum from Grace Under Pressure, even as it involves more sophisticated usage of sequencers and guitar minimalism. However, Alex Lifeson's presence is still palpable on "The Big Money", (the album's modest-charting single) with spotlights on "Grand Designs," "Middletown Dreams," and "Marathon."
Hold Your Fire (1987) represents both a modest extension of the guitar stylings found on Power Windows, and the culmination of this era of Rush. Lifeson, like many guitarists in the late 1980s, began experimenting with processors that reduced his instrument to echoey chord colorings and razor-thin leads. Most Rush fans now agree that Lifeson's contributions on these two albums were secondary to Geddy Lee's bass playing and keyboard-sequencer arrangements. Whereas the previous five Rush albums sold platinum or better, Hold Your Fire only went gold in 1987. This would convince the group to change record labels from Mercury Records to
Return to guitar-oriented sound (1989–1997)
Rush started to deviate from their 1980s style with the albums
Peart's lyrics continued to exhibit humanitarian and socially conscious themes during this time. While the band had long since shed their propensity for conceptual pieces, generalized (and almost conceptual) album themes became evident in Peart's writing. Many of the songs off of Roll the Bones, for instance, deal with the premises of chance and fortune, while several songs from Presto speak about the environment, emotion and human relations using
After Roll the Bones, the band largely dropped synthesizer-style keyboard sounds from their studio recordings in favor of a heavier, guitar-driven style and adapted the remaining keyboard sounds to more organic voices such as strings and organ. This transition began with the 1993 album
Many of the elements found on Counterparts were preserved on the follow-up Test For Echo. Again, while the music in general did not meet the criteria for "progressive rock", some of the songs could be considered more adventurous than what one might expect from a standard modern rock band. "Time and Motion" possesses several odd time signature changes and heavy organ, and another instrumental track, titled "Limbo", consists of several distinct, and relatively complex, musical passages repeated throughout. Musically, the album still retained much of the hard rock/alternative stylings already chartered on the previous record. Lifeson and Lee's playing remained more or less unchanged; however, a distinct modification in technique became apparent in Peart's playing.
During the interim between the release of Counterparts and Test for Echo, Peart sought out long time jazz instructor
Hiatus and comeback (1997–present)
After wrapping up the tour promoting Test for Echo in 1997, the band decidedly receded from the public eye and entered a five-year hiatus mainly because of personal tragedies in Peart's life. Peart's daughter Selena died in a car accident in August 1997, followed by his wife Jacqueline's death from
After sufficient time to grieve and reassemble the pieces of his life, Peart married photographer
The band was one of a number of hometown favourites to play Molson Canadian Rocks for Toronto, also dubbed SARStock, at Downsview Park in Toronto in August 2003, with an attendance of over half a million people.
A triple CD
To celebrate their 30th anniversary, in June 2004, Rush released
Rush's 18th full-length studio album, Snakes & Arrows, was released on May 1, 2007, followed by the intercontinental tour. The second leg began in San Juan, Puerto Rico on April 11, and ended on July 24, 2008 in Indianapolis, USA. The live release, Snakes & Arrows Live, is a two disc recording of performances in the Netherlands during the first leg of the tour.[13]
Following the band's tour, the band announced that they would be taking a break, with the possibility of getting together in the Fall of 2009.
The R40 6-Blu-ray/10-DVD box set was released Nov. 11, 2014.[16] The R40 - 40th Anniversary Tour began May 8, 2015 and ran through August 1, 2015.[17]
Band members
Current members
- Alex Lifeson – guitars (lead, rhythm, slide, six string, twelve string, acoustic, electric and classical), mandolin, mandola, bouzouki, backing vocals, bass and synthesizer pedals, additional keyboards (September 1968–May 1969, September 1969-present)[2][3]
- Geddy Lee – bass (acoustic and electric), lead vocals, keyboards, synthesizers, mellotron, bass and synthesizer pedals (September 1968–May 1969, September 1969–present)
- Neil Peart – drums, electronic and acoustic percussion (July 1974–present)
Former members {{Portal|Rush}}
- John Rutsey – drums, cymbals, acoustic percussion, backing vocals (August 1968–July 1974; died 2008)
- Jeff Jones – bass, lead vocals (August 1968–September 1968)
- Lindy Young – keyboards, rhythm guitar, backing and lead vocals, percussion, harmonica (January 1969–July 1969)[18]
- Joe Perna – bass, lead and backing vocals (May 1969–July 1969)
- Mitchel Bossi – rhythm and lead guitar, backing vocals (February 1971–May 1971)[19][20]
- Gerry Fielding – drums (July 1974)[21]
Timeline
External links
- "Rush Official Website". Retrieved 15 January 2017.
References
- ^ ISBN 1550226789.
- ^ a b "Rush Members in Hadrian - Early Photos Found". Bravewords.com. Retrieved August 22, 2017.
- ^ a b "Rush - Biography". Metal Storm. Retrieved August 22, 2017.
- ^ "Donna Halper, and The Rush Discovery Story". 2005. Retrieved 15 January 2017.
- ^ "History of Rush". 2006. Retrieved 15 January 2017.
- ISBN 978-0711911628.
- ^ Prato, Greg. "Rush 2112". All Music. Retrieved 15 January 2017.
- ^ "About 2112 and Ayn Rand". Rush - Frequently Asked Questions. Retrieved 15 January 2017.
- ^ "RIAA's Gold & Platinum Program / Search for "Moving Pictures"". Retrieved 15 January 2017.
- ^ "Neil Peart's Official Website / Ghost Rider". neilpeart.net. Retrieved 15 January 2017.
- ^ "Vapor Trails". Power Windows. Anthem Entertainment. Retrieved 15 January 2017.
- ^ "Feedback". Power Windows. Anthem Entertainment. Retrieved 15 January 2017.
- ^ Romano, Will (2007). "Rush and producer Nick Raskulinecz reveal how they recorded Snakes & Arrows". EQ (September). Music Player: 22–34. Retrieved 6 October 2013.
- ^ Prato, Greg (2008). "New Alex Lifeson interview at UGO.com". RUSH IS A BAND. Retrieved 15 January 2017.
- ^ "Rush Time Machine North American Tour 2010". PR Newswire. 2010. Retrieved 15 January 2017.
- ^ "R40 - Rush - User Reviews - AllMusic".
- ^ Patuto, John. "Rush Concert Tour Dates - courtesy of Cygnus-X1.Net: A Tribute to Rush".
- ^ "Rush With Lindy Young/Hadrian with Lindy Young & Joe Perna". www.2112.net!. 2010. Retrieved 15 January 2017.
- ^ "Rock chronicles: Rock Chronicles. 1980s: Alex Lifeson - Music News @ Ultimate-Guitar.Com".
- ^ Hansen, Eric. "Rush With Mitch Bossi, Spring 1971".
- ^ Daly, Skip (2011). "Guitar Magazine / Alex Lifeson Interview: Rush's Axeman Looks Back and Moves Forward". Guitar International. Retrieved 15 January 2017.