The Rush Thread v. Clockwork Angels

[Orbert]

People who say Rush sucks or that they're great musicians making shitty music or whatever really confuse me.  If a band has sold that many albums for so many years and has that many fans, how can you say they suck?  Is it possible that that's just your opinion, and there's just something about them that you don't get?

The usual response is something like "Yeah, well xxxxx has sold a million records, and you and I both know they suck."  Yes, someone can get lucky or just happen to strike at the right time, and come up with a big hit despite having no real talent.  But not dozens of songs, millions of albums, for more than 30 years.  That's not a flash in the pan, that's genuine staying power.  These guys have been writing gold albums for longer than most pop stars today have been alive.  To say that they suck, just because you don't like them, is just naive.

Technically, there's no such thing as a wrong opinion, but if someone is that successful for that long, you're just plain wrong to say that they suck.  They don't suck; you just don't like them.  Hey, I don't like Elvis Presley, but he sold more albums than any other solo artist and was The King for many, many years.  There's no way I'm stupid enough to say he sucked; I just don't like him.

[theseoafs]

[lol]

https://blogs.laweekly.com/westcoastsound/2012/02/top_20_worst_bands_ever_complete_list.php?page=4

9. Rush
You realize that Jason Segel's character's obsession with Rush in I Love You Man is tongue in cheek, right? It's often said that people either love Rush or hate them, but a more accurate statement is that most people hate Rush, while a scattered few really love them. Sort of like anchovies; in fact, it's quite fair to call Rush the anchovies of rock music. Then there's the fact that "drummer Neil Peart generally consents only to speak to the drum press," a pantheon that includes in its entirety Modern Drummer and Not So Modern Drummer, if we're not mistaken. -Kai Flanders

[/lol]

Why would Rush have consented to appear in a film where enjoyment of their music is tongue-in-cheek?

[Orbert]

Because any exposure is good exposure.  Even if most people who saw the movie don't like Rush, people will talk about it, and the ones who do like Rush will get a chance to defend them.  There will be a few converts to the Rush camp.  Maybe not a lot, but a few people will at least give them another try, and some of them will like it.  The opposite will not occur.  Have you ever liked a band, and then stopped liking them because some of your friends didn't?  I mean, since junior high.

[theseoafs]

Well, no, you misunderstood me. What I'm saying is that Jason Segel's character's love for Rush was NOT tongue-in-cheek. From Wikipedia:

Rush was approached by Hamburg [the director], who is a fan, to appear in the film. Even though the band does not normally perform in movies, they decided to do it. The shooting schedule was tough because there was a one day window between two of their concerts on tour. The band later said the whole experience was fun.[16] Hamburg felt that "once Rush got that I wasn't poking fun at them, that I'm genuinely a fan and the main characters of the movie are fans and it's kind of a loving tribute to them, I think that's when they came on board."

If anything, it was supposed to make Jason Segel's and Paul Rudd's friendship a bit more nerdy and tight-knit. It wasn't like the director was saying "OMG they're so lame they like Rush LOL"

[Orbert]

But my point still stands.  Even if the whole point of appearing in a movie is for people to mock you, you should do it anyway for the exposure.  Granted, most people wouldn't do that, but I still think that ultimately it's a good business decision.

[KevShmev]

I don't give a crap what Rush critics say about them.  Rush's highly successful career trumps anything those clowns can say about them. #winning

And I am pretty sure I remember hearing that both Jason Segel and Paul Rudd are big fans of Rush.

[King Postwhore]

That movie was mocking us rabid, male Rush fans who sing to each other and hug and play air drums and guitar at a Rush concert.  I admit it.

[ReaperKK]

[lol]

https://blogs.laweekly.com/westcoastsound/2012/02/top_20_worst_bands_ever_complete_list.php?page=4

9. Rush
You realize that Jason Segel's character's obsession with Rush in I Love You Man is tongue in cheek, right? It's often said that people either love Rush or hate them, but a more accurate statement is that most people hate Rush, while a scattered few really love them. Sort of like anchovies; in fact, it's quite fair to call Rush the anchovies of rock music. Then there's the fact that "drummer Neil Peart generally consents only to speak to the drum press," a pantheon that includes in its entirety Modern Drummer and Not So Modern Drummer, if we're not mistaken. -Kai Flanders

[/lol]

lol great top 20 trolling on that site.

[dbrooks22]

Not to mention that Neil talks to all of the press these days.  Probably more non-drumming publications than drumming ones.

[TL]

Every so often, some shithead writes an article where they list 'terrible' bands, with about half actually being terrible, and half being bands with devoted fanbases. They do this, because fans of the good bands listed will flock to the article to defend the band they like, and call the author an idiot. They do this as a cheap and pathetic ploy to get page views, and it usually works. Flocking to their article just helps their ad revenue. Don't let yourselves be manipulated like that.

I mean, the person starts the entry on Rush by pulling a 'fact' out of his ass, that can be proven false in 10 seconds with Google. Why waste energy or time on this idiot?

[jjrock88]

I just re-watched Beyond the Lighted Stage a couple of days.  Just a great movie and awesome to see people show a true appreciation for this band.  I always hear people slag them; the way I look at it is that if people don't like Rush, so be it.  It's their loss and for the most part there is no point in arguing with somebody who dislikes them.  Off topic, does anybody know if Rush has any unreleased b-sides or rarities in the vault?

[theseoafs]

Off topic, does anybody know if Rush has any unreleased b-sides or rarities in the vault?

All things Rush are on-topic.

I don't think it was ever really Rush's thing to record stuff that wouldn't be put on an album. I'd say the most obscure stuff would be their early pre-debut songs, like Not Fade Away and Garden Road.

[Nick]

Rush have stated that they don't have B-sides. They record enough for the album and that's it. It's why they have the most boring singles of all time. It's usually just a track and a live b-side, or in some cases just another album track.

[Orbert]

Yeah, that's what I've heard as well.  They don't record ten songs and then pick seven to go on the album or anything like that.  So unlike many bands, they don't have a bunch of unreleased material.  The release everything they record.

[The Letter M]

Yeah, that's what I've heard as well.  They don't record ten songs and then pick seven to go on the album or anything like that.  So unlike many bands, they don't have a bunch of unreleased material.  The release everything they record.

This and all of the above about the topic are pretty true. They seem to take their time refining their songs to include parts they do want, and taking out the parts that don't work, THEN recording them. And they always seem to record no more than 70 minutes of music, as if they keep track of how long all their songs are as they go along.

The only non-album tracks are their first single ("Not Fade Away"/"You Can't Fight It"), and a few tracks from an old '74 show ("Garden Road", "Fancy Dancer" and "Bad Boy"). Then there are Rush-related solo/side-project things, like "Battle Scar", "Take Off" (with Geddy), and "Pieces Of Eight" (solo piece by Neil that influenced his Rush tour drum solos).

-Marc.

[King Postwhore]

So this is what the guy from the David Barrett Trio who worked with Alex on a EP said online about that double neck guitar post I added here.

"Big Al needs the Gibson double neck back for summer rehearsals and the upcoming Rush tour in September, anyone else want to give me one, maybe Gibson? ... kicker is he's using it for a new Rush song, not Xanadu!"

All I can say is awesome.

[Metro]

I'm looking to get into the Synth era of Rush. I already have Moving Pictures, so where should I go now?

[KevShmev]

Moving forward in chronological order would probably be your best bet, that way you can hear the progression and evolvement in each record.  Signals, then Grace Under Pressure, Power Windows and, finally, Hold Your Fire.  Power Windows is the best of the four, but going from MP to that might be too much of a shock to the system, so I'd go in order.

[Nick]

And let me say that MP really isn't a synth era album, so don't be expecting anything that sounds like MP with those next albums.

[Mosh]

I think Grace Under Pressure is the best synth album.

Honestly, Signals is one of my least favorite Rush albums. Dunno why it is so popular here.

[TL]

I think Grace Under Pressure is the best synth album.

If we're talking Signals to Hold Your Fire era, then I definitely agree.
Peoples love of Power Windows will probably always be just one of those things I'll never get.

[PlaysLikeMyung]

I'm looking to get into the Synth era of Rush. I already have Moving Pictures, so where should I go now?

Power Windows > Signals > P/G > Hold Your Fire

[dbrooks22]

Moving forward in chronological order would probably be your best bet, that way you can hear the progression and evolvement in each record.  Signals, then Grace Under Pressure, Power Windows and, finally, Hold Your Fire.  Power Windows is the best of the four, but going from MP to that might be too much of a shock to the system, so I'd go in order.

Agreed.  If you're coming from MP, move to Signals next.  It's the next logical step.  From there, either Power Windows or P/G, but realize that PW is much more upbeat and poppy while P/G is much darker and thicker.

[The Letter M]

So this is what the guy from the David Barrett Trio who worked with Alex on a EP said online about that double neck guitar post I added here.

"Big Al needs the Gibson double neck back for summer rehearsals and the upcoming Rush tour in September, anyone else want to give me one, maybe Gibson? ... kicker is he's using it for a new Rush song, not Xanadu!"

All I can say is awesome.

Called it!

-Marc.

[King Postwhore]

Great call Marc.

Power Windows is an unreal Rush album with keys.  I love how it's so upbeat, and full of emotion.

[Nekov]

Great news. Has the release date been announced yet?

[The Letter M]

Great news. Has the release date been announced yet?

Geddy has said in a recent magazine interview that the album is set for a MAY release (Surprise surprise!). I'm hoping for the 8th, as the last two studio albums were released on May 1st and May 14th.

-Marc.

[ReaperKK]

Great news. Has the release date been announced yet?

Geddy has said in a recent magazine interview that the album is set for a MAY release (Surprise surprise!). I'm hoping for the 8th, as the last two studio albums were released on May 1st and May 14th.

-Marc.

May 2014?

[MasterShakezula]

Careful; Rush could be reading this.

We wouldn't be wanting to give them any ideas.

[ReaperKK]

I wonder how many more albums Rush has in them, especially if they start releasing albums with almost Tool sized intervals in between.

[MasterShakezula]

Hopefully a multiple of 4.  Most likely 20, but my my optimistic side's pushing for 24. 

[King Postwhore]

Well for Rush, they don't have to have an album out every few years to keep them in the public eye.  They can put an album out whenever they want to.  Plus, how many bands like them release any albums.

[The Letter M]

Hopefully a multiple of 4.  Most likely 20, but my my optimistic side's pushing for 24.

This. I'm hoping we get at LEAST one more album out of them, to make it an even 20 (with the last group/phase of albums being four albums - VT, S&A, CA and their 20th album).

Well for Rush, they don't have to have an album out every few years to keep them in the public eye.  They can put an album out whenever they want to.  Plus, how many bands like them release any albums.

This is pretty much true. A lot of their peer-bands have broken up, suffered many damaging line-up changes, haven't released a new album in over a decade, and a few have reunited with original/famous/altered line-ups to not much success. Say what you will about the music, but the band has stayed together since their first US tour and haven't really broken up (technically they were on hiatus in 1997).

-Marc.

[KevShmev]

Yeah, the only bands that can compete with them when it comes to longevity AND consistency as far as not having lineup changes are ZZ Top and U2 (ZZ Top's got them by a few years, and U2 is a few years behind).

[The Letter M]

Yeah, the only bands that can compete with them when it comes to longevity AND consistency as far as not having lineup changes are ZZ Top and U2 (ZZ Top's got them by a few years, and U2 is a few years behind).

And yet, I'm pretty sure Rush has sold more albums and has more gold/platinum albums than either ZZ Top and U2. However, U2 definitely play to much larger audiences and are more widely recognized, but knowledge doesn't get you money - album sales do.

-Marc.