Rush v. Dirk, Pratt, & Lerxst

[Stadler]

I did some searching and you can buy the episode for $2 bucks

https://www.axs.tv/buy-axs-tv-programming-online/buy-the-big-interview-online/

Seems like it's downloadable and in full HD resolution.

I'm assuming the requestor doesn't get AXS TV?  Because they rerun these things over and over and over... 

[goo-goo]

Yeah, I don't have AXS. Unless it's available for free on Roku. Need to check that out first.

[Stadler]

Yeah, I don't have AXS. Unless it's available for free on Roku. Need to check that out first.

Sorry, goo-goo; I didn't go back and look to see who it was.   I don't think it's a subscribed channel, so it may be available in other places.

Your call, of course, but for anyone, I'd advise you to watch ANY of his interviews. I have made it a point to watch every one, whether I like the person or not.   There were some people I disliked going in (Aaron Sorkin, Simon Cowell) and I found something to like - or if not "like", then that fleshed out my understanding of that person - from the discussion.  Even Sheryl Crowe.   The only two that I could barely get through were Jane Lynch (couldn't possibly be more full of herself) and Rascal Flatts (the epitome of what's wrong with the music business today).  Some of what you hear is fascinating: 

Excellent ones:   Neil Young, Alan Alda, Jack White (blown away by that one), Keith Urban (filmed after soundcheck at a show I went to see at Mohegan Sun), Daryl Hall (guy is no bullshit), Carlos Santana (the dude is incomprehensible with the new age jibber jabber), Gregg Allman (his past was amazing to me), Bob Weir (the story of meeting his real father was fascinating).  Even the country ones are fascinating.   
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[goo-goo]

Yeah, I don't have AXS. Unless it's available for free on Roku. Need to check that out first.

Sorry, goo-goo; I didn't go back and look to see who it was.   I don't think it's a subscribed channel, so it may be available in other places.

Your call, of course, but for anyone, I'd advise you to watch ANY of his interviews. I have made it a point to watch every one, whether I like the person or not.   There were some people I disliked going in (Aaron Sorkin, Simon Cowell) and I found something to like - or if not "like", then that fleshed out my understanding of that person - from the discussion.  Even Sheryl Crowe.   The only two that I could barely get through were Jane Lynch (couldn't possibly be more full of herself) and Rascal Flatts (the epitome of what's wrong with the music business today).  Some of what you hear is fascinating: 

Excellent ones:   Neil Young, Alan Alda, Jack White (blown away by that one), Keith Urban (filmed after soundcheck at a show I went to see at Mohegan Sun), Daryl Hall (guy is no bullshit), Carlos Santana (the dude is incomprehensible with the new age jibber jabber), Gregg Allman (his past was amazing to me), Bob Weir (the story of meeting his real father was fascinating).  Even the country ones are fascinating.   
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Thanks for the recommendations Stads. I laughed out loud at your Santana comment. I am (or was) a big fan of him and I totally agree on what you said about him.

[goo-goo]

Roku doesn't carry AXS so I bit the bullet and bought the interview.

Best two bucks ever spent! Liked how Mr Rather presented the interview. Was amazed at Geddy's baseball collection (would love to see that in person). Interesting to hear that Geddy will be back writing, recording and touring with new music later in life. Also, kind of amazed of how Geddy has lived his life because of his dad's short life. Very admirable.

[KevShmev]

Put Moody Blues on my to-listen list, because I can never have too much backlog 

Feel free to start on a thread on it when you are ready and I will be armed with recommendations. 

I spent 2 days with 2112 and honestly I think I like Caress of Steel more. That might be heresy amongst the Rush fans but that's where I'm at right now.

Hey, you like what you like. Even though it is not one of my favorites, I like Caress of Steel a lot.  Bastille Day and The Necromancer are both great.

[The Walrus]

A Farewell to Kings isn't connecting with me much. I like Xanadu and Cygnus is weird (in a good way), but Closer to the Heart is still annoying me from hearing it my whole life and the others I don't care for much. After a few listens it's probably my least favorite but maybe it's a grower? I'm more interested in hearing Hemispheres now so I'm going to check that out later today.

[The Walrus]

Whoa. WHOA. Can we talk about Hemispheres now?!

This album RULES. Blows A Farewell to Kings right out the water and is easily my favorite Rush album so far, more than Moving Pictures even because it's just a solid 4 songs with nothing more, they captured magic on this one. Hemispheres (the song) destroys 2112 (the song) and The Trees and La Villa Strangiato had me grinning ear to ear with how cool they were. Circumstances is probably the weak link of the four but it's still really strong and man I just love that title track. I wasn't expecting too much after Cygnus Book 1 but they took that concept and ran with it. Jaw, meet floor.

Been looking into a box set of as many Rush albums as I can get but I only see collections from 1989-2007, and there are only 2 Sectors box sets available on Rush's website (2 and 3, can't seem to find 1 for some reason, and 3 only seems to go through the 80s). I was hoping there'd be something out there with everything from the debut to at least Snakes and Arrows since they even have skateboard decks and all sorts of other crazy stuff on their website. But I suppose I can just buy everything individually...

[Podaar]

Whoa. WHOA. Can we talk about Hemispheres now?!

This album RULES. Blows A Farewell to Kings right out the water and is easily my favorite Rush album so far, more than Moving Pictures even because it's just a solid 4 songs with nothing more, they captured magic on this one. Hemispheres (the song) destroys 2112 (the song) and The Trees and La Villa Strangiato had me grinning ear to ear with how cool they were. Circumstances is probably the weak link of the four but it's still really strong and man I just love that title track. I wasn't expecting too much after Cygnus Book 1 but they took that concept and ran with it. Jaw, meet floor.

 

[Stadler]

Hemispheres, one of my top five albums of all time by any band.
La Villa Strangiato, my favorite Rush song of all time.

[Lethean]

I'm tempted to say that my work here is done.

[Ben_Jamin]

You mean to say you've never heard The Trees. Its in my top 5 Rush songs. Well, it'll make it that high if I did do a Top Rush songs.

[The Walrus]

I've heard Trees once. I think I played it on drums (once) in the video game Rock Band 2. When I heard it today though I couldn't recall any of it, so this was effectively the first time really listening to it. I went into music backwards. I listened to power metal as a kid before I even listened to Metallica or much classic rock. Heard every Stratovarius album before I listened to The Black Album; was listening to obscure symphonic metal before I even heard a Queensryche song that wasn't Silent Lucidity. I'm weird, I know.

I'm tempted to say that my work here is done.

I do owe you for introducing me to several bands after having a big dry spell with finding new interesting music. Although, when you first told me to listen to Rush, I was very skeptical since I had tried for many years to like them but this was a really good decision, even if I don't like Rush's later stuff (unlikely at this point), I'm grateful for Hemispheres alone, so thank you

[Stadler]

Here's me eagerly anticipating the late 80's.    

[Lethean]

I'm tempted to say that my work here is done.

I do owe you for introducing me to several bands after having a big dry spell with finding new interesting music. Although, when you first told me to listen to Rush, I was very skeptical since I had tried for many years to like them but this was a really good decision, even if I don't like Rush's later stuff (unlikely at this point), I'm grateful for Hemispheres alone, so thank you

Any time.  The Rush catalog is a very interesting one. You have people who don't really like anything after a certain point, say Moving Pictures or for some an album or two later. Then you have people who don't like any of the older stuff - what you're listening to now, but like what came after. People who like it all, and people who like a weird mix of albums.  After a few more albums on your adventure they drop the long songs for good,  The music however, is still great.

[Architeuthis]

Circumstances is a great song. Ohhh that riff going into the chorus!!!

[Stadler]

Yes!

[KevShmev]

Not sure the gap is extremely wide, but I agree that Hemispheres is quite a bit better than A Farewell to Kings. 

La Villa Strangiato is my 2nd favorite Rush song and my favorite instrumental by anyone.

[TAC]

Hemispheres, one of my top five albums of all time by any band.

When I did The TAC Top 50 Albums Thread a few years ago, Hemispheres came in at 29. Moving Pictures came in at 14.

[The Walrus]

I think I've listened to all of Hemispheres 7 or 8 times today... can't stop... so good...

[KevShmev]

I think I've listened to all of Hemispheres 7 or 8 times today... can't stop... so good...

That's the advantage of those 70s albums: they are so short, you can listen to them three times in less than two hours.

[Lethean]

Hemispheres is an incredible album. So glad you're enjoying it this much.

La Villa is definitely my favorite instrumental. One of those songs that just doesn't feel as long as it is.

[The Walrus]

The title track is very quickly becoming one of my favorite super long epics ever. La Villa just flies by, in a good way.

I just came back from a friend's house and asked him if I could borrow some Rush, and without mentioning what I've heard or own, he comes out of the back room and lays Hemispheres and Permanent Waves down next to me.  I'll be blasting both on the way to DT this Saturday  

[IDontNotDoThings]

While this thread's on the topic of Hemispheres, I don't care AS much for the album as most do (though I still do enjoy it), but I've been trying to re-arrange the best tracks from Hemispheres & Farewell To Kings into one album & along the way, I found a really cool way to arrange a Cygnus X-1 concept album. Basically it's Cygnus X-1 as the first track, then the second track is the first half of the Hemispheres title track (up to 12:12), then the third track is La Villa Strangiato (which transitions nicely from that part in Hemispheres, & can also be justified in the story as the character's actual journey into Cygnus before finally getting to Olympus), then the final track is the rest of Hemispheres. The total length of this is 38:08, which is about the right length for a Rush album of this era, & I think it flows really well from each track. Especially with La Villa Strangiato breaking up the (in my opinion excessive) repetition of all the Hemispheres material & I think it makes it a more solid work overall. It especially elevates it to concept-album status if you take all the sections as separate tracks. Strangely enough, breaking it up makes it feel more like one whole experience rather than four parts.

Cygnus X-1
1. Prologue [5:01]
2. Cygnus X-1 [0:44] (Cygnus X-1 Part I)
3. Rascinante [1:28] (Cygnus X-1 Part II)
4. The Voyage [3:12] (Cygnus X-1 Part III)

Hemispheres Pt. 1
5. Hemispheres [4:29] (Prelude)
6. Apollo (Bringer Of Wisdom) [2:30]
7. Dionysus (Bringer Of Love) [2:06]
8. Armageddon (The Battle Of The Heart And Mind) [3:07] (includes a little bit of Cygnus (Bringer Of Balance) at the end)

---flip sides---

La Villa Strangiato (this part has a lot of tiny sections that don't work as separate tracks, but I like structuring it this way because it feels like you're flying through the album, & I think that adds to the faster pace of the song)
9. Buenos Nochas, Mein Froinds! [0:27]
10. To Sleep, Perchance To Dream... [1:33]
11. Strangiato Theme [1:16]
12. A Lerxst In Wonderland [2:33]
13. Monsters! [0:20]
14. The Ghost Of The Aragon [0:36]
15. Danforth And Pape [0:41]
16. The Waltz Of The Shreves [0:23]
17. Never Turn Your Back On A Monster! [0:13]
18. Monsters! (Reprise) [0:15]
19. Strangiato Theme (Reprise) [1:03]
20. A Farewell To Things [0:15]

Hemispheres Pt. 2
21. La Villa Oplympo [2:23] (the slow part of Cygnus (Bringer Of Balance), I figured since we're splitting everything else up already, we may as well do it with this as well)
22. Cygnus (Bringer Of Balance) [2:27] (the part that reprises the verses, adds a nice sense of resolution)
23. The Sphere (A Kind Of Dream) [1:06]

Total length: 38:08

I may upload it in this order later so it's easier to access. Anyway, take a listen & let me know what you think. 

[Polarbear]

Biggest problem with Hemispheres is the title track.

It is way too long. It recycles a lot of the same ideas that they already did previously, and is just plain boring.

Other songs on Hemispheres are great! They could have written 3 shorter songs in place of Hemispheres, and it would have been a better album

Watching Neil's and Geddy's comments about Hemispheres on Beyond the Lighted Stage, it's no wonder why they went in a different direction with Permanent Waves. And managed to make a much better album.

[IDontNotDoThings]

Biggest problem with Hemispheres is the title track.

It is way too long. It recycles a lot of the same ideas that they already did previously, and is just plain boring.

Other songs on Hemispheres are great! They could have written 3 shorter songs in place of Hemispheres, and it would have been a better album

Watching Neil's and Geddy's comments about Hemispheres on Beyond the Lighted Stage, it's no wonder why they went in a different direction with Permanent Waves. And managed to make a much better album.

I agree with this honestly

[Mladen]

I've personally always liked the title track. It gets only occasionally boring, in spots here and there. But overall it's very consistent and interesting. The middle two songs on the album are the ones that aren't as exciting to me.

[Architeuthis]

Hemispheres is an incredible album. So glad you're enjoying it this much.

La Villa is definitely my favorite instrumental. One of those songs that just doesn't feel as long as it is.

Agreed. My favorite version of La Villa is on the live album Exit Stage Left, Alex's solo in the middle section absolutely rips and slays the studio version!

[Mosh]

Title track is good but like all other Rush long songs, the short songs are so good (and often better arranged) that it doesn’t seem particularly special. The three songs on side 2 have just as much, if not more, musical content than all of the title track.

[Architeuthis]

I dunno, the title track is one of my personal favs!  After that album, Permanent Waves showed up at the right time with shorter fun yet very musical songs. Good change in direction for the band, and they were glad to be recording back in their hometown..

[Lethean]

I absolutely love the title track.

[The Walrus]

Yeah, I gotta say, the title track of Hemispheres is easily the best thing I've heard from these guys, and not relative just to their catalogue, it's simply a mindbendingly good piece of music, really re-energized my eagerness to keep listening after A Farewell to Kings. Permanent Waves is all right but no Hemi

[TAC]

It's amazing!!

[KevShmev]

Honestly, considering Cygnus X-1 and Hemispheres one song seems goofy to me, especially since a) they don't sound alike really at all (in style, plus the sound of AFTK is pretty different from Hemispheres), and b) they weren't written at the same time. 

[jammindude]

The music perfectly fits each part of the story, and to me, the “callback” during the soft part of Hemispheres ties the whole thing together beautifully!