Rush v. Dirk, Pratt, & Lerxst

[King Postwhore]

Yes there was and If I remember, it's an easter egg on on of the DVD's

[Cedar redaC]

[senecadawg2]

I'm curious, are you guys brave enough to rank all the Rush albums? Having only gotten into them seriously a few months ago, I don't think I'm ready... Though I do know Moving Pictures, Permanent Waves, Hemispheres, and 2112 are all near the top for me.

[KevShmev]

I've done it before, but not since the release of Clockwork Angels.  If I had to do it right now, I'd probably go with this:

1. Permanent Waves
2. Moving Pictures
3. 2112
4. Counterparts
5. Power Windows
6. Hemispheres
7. A Farewell to Kings
8. Clockwork Angels
9. Grace Under Pressure
10. Roll the Bones
11. Signals
12. Snakes and Arrows
13. Hold Your Fire
14. Caress of Steel
15. Fly by Night
16. Vapor Trails
17. Presto
18. Rush
19. Test for Echo

1-7 are pretty much set in stone (although 3-5 sometimes move around; 1, 2 and 6 and 7 are always in those spots).
8-13 are subject to move around given my mood.
17-19 were easy to put there (though I like them all, and each have songs I either love or like a lot).

[Big Hath]

1. Moving Pictures
2. Permanent Waves
3. Hemispheres
4. Power Windows
5. Grace Under Pressure
6. 2112
7. Signals
8. Counterparts
9. Caress of Steel
10. A Farewell to Kings
11. Clockwork Angels
12. Roll The Bones
13. Presto
14. Hold Your Fire
15. Vapor Trails
16. Fly By Night
17. Rush
18. Test For Echo
19. Snakes And Arrows

Something like this.  4 - 16 could all move around at a moment's notice.

[The King in Crimson]

1. A Farewell To Kings
2. Moving Pictures
3. Permanent Waves
4. 2112
5. Grace Under Pressure
6. Counterparts
7. Power Windows
8. Signals
9. Clockwork Angels
10. Fly By Night
11. Roll The Bones
12. Presto
13. Hemispheres
14. Rush
15. Vapor Trails
16. Snakes and Arrows
17. Test For Echo
18. Caress of Steel
19. Hold Your Fire

1 - 4 I'm pretty positive on. 5 - 8 could move around a bit, but I'm sure they'd stay largely the same. 9+ is pretty muddy. What's interesting is how much my opinion of Power Windows has improved over time.

[Unlegit]

1. Hemispheres
2. Moving Pictures
3. A Farewell to Kings
4. Permanent Waves
5. Power Windows
6. Grace Under Pressure
7. 2112
8. Signals
9. Counterparts
10. Clockwork Angels
11. Presto
12. Hold Your Fire
13. Caress of Steel
14. Roll the Bones
15. Fly by Night
16. Snakes & Arrows
17. Vapor Trails
18. Rush
19. Test for Echo

1-6 and 15-19 are permanent.
7-11 and 12-14 are interchangeable.

[Zydar]

I haven't heard enough of them all to form an opinion so I'll just rank my Top 10:

1. Moving Pictures
2. A Farewell To Kings
3. Permanent Waves
4. 2112
5. Hemispheres
6. Clockwork Angels
7. Power Windows
8. Grace Under Pressure
9. Counterparts
10. Signals

[The Letter M]

This is going to be tooooough...but let's see...

1. A Farewell To Kings
2. Hemispheres
3. Permanent Waves
4. Moving Pictures
5. Power Windows
6. Signals
7. 2112
8. Clockwork Angels
9. Snakes & Arrows
10. Caress Of Steel
11. Vapor Trails
12. Counterparts
13. Grace Under Pressure
14. Hold Your Fire
15. Presto
16. Roll The Bones
17. Fly By Night
18. Rush
19. Test For Echo

The Bottom 5 are usually always there, while the top 5 are always my top 5, and 6-9 can shuffle around a bit as I really DO enjoy their last two albums. Places 10-14 can also shuffle around a bit, especially COS and VT.

-Marc.

[Mladen]

1. Permanent waves
2. Power windows
3. Grace under pressure
4. Signals
5. Vapor trails
6. Moving pictures
7. 2112
8. Hemispheres
9. Presto
10. Clockwork angels
11. Counterparts
12. Roll the bones
13. A Farewell to kings
14. Caress of steel
15. Test for echo
16. Hold your fire
17. Snakes & Arrows
18. Fly by night
19. Rush

Did this last summer and I still think the same. Not your usual Rush list probably...

[jammindude]

My list always stays fairly similar, but slightly changes every time I post it.

1. Hemispheres
2. Permanent Waves
3. Power Windows
4. Moving Pictures
5. Clockwork Angels
6. Test For Echo
7. Signals
8. Snakes and Arrows
9. A Farewell to Kings
10. Grace Under Pressure
11. Caress of Steel
12. 2112
13. Fly By Night
14. Rush
15. Presto
16. Counterparts
17. Hold Your Fire
18. Vapor Trails
19. Roll the Bones

My top 6 and bottom 4 are always pretty consistent.  Everything else pretty much plays "musical chairs" on a pretty consistent basis. 

[ColdFireYYZ]

1. Permanent Waves
2. Signals
3. Moving Pictures
4. Hemispheres
5. A Farewell to Kings
6. Grace Under Pressure
7. Clockwork Angels
8. 2112
9. Power Windows
10. Hold Your Fire
11. Counterparts
12. Fly By Night
13. Vapor Trails
14. Presto
15. Rush
16. Caress of Steel
17. Roll The Bones
18. Snakes & Arrows
19. Test For Echo

Mine's changed a lot over the last few years (I became a fan 3.5 years ago). S&A was way higher, Counterparts was top 5, and Hold Your Fire & Presto were a bit higher. Vapor Trails moved up and Permanent Waves became my favorite recently. I still love or at least like all of their albums except for Test For Echo (and Feedback, but that doesn't really count). That one will always be last place as I think half of its bad and the other half is just decent. Maybe its time to give it another listen.

[fadetoblackdude7]

1. Power Windows
2. Hemispheres
3. Moving Pictures
4. Permanent Waves
5. A Farewell To Kings
6. 2112
7. Signals
8. Grace Under Pressure
9. Clockwork Angels
10. Hold Your Fire
11. Presto
12. Counterparts
13. Roll The Bones
14. Fly By Night
15. Caress Of Steel
16. Rush
17. Snakes & Arrows
18. Test For Echo
19. Vapor Trails

The first 5 and last 5 were easy for me but filling in the middle was tricky.

[Ruba]

I do it later, obviously excluding the ones I haven't heard (COS, RTB, VT, CA).

E: Here it is:

1.Permanent Waves (near perfect)
2.Hemispheres (the same)
3.Snakes & Arrows (the more Rush, the better  )
4.Grace Under Pressure (a bit unconsistent, but the best songs are just incredible)
5.Hold Your Fire (no bad songs, but could have been a bit heavier)
6.Counterparts (STICK IT OOOOOUT!)
7.Signals (very good, The Weapon is probably the most "fun" Rush song
8.2112 (the title song is my favourite Rush song)
9.Moving Pictures (overrated, but not bad)
10.Test for Echo (very underrated!)
11.Rush (and so is this)
12.Power Windows (don't worry, I think it has potential)
13.A Farewell to Kings (can't really fight against albums 1-12, I love Xanadu and Cygnus X-1)
14.Presto (good songs/weak songs pretty much 50/50)
15.Fly By Night (didn't really impress me)

Looks controversial, eh? I love them all except the last two, which are just alright.

[Cedar redaC]

1. Power Windows, Moving Pictures, Clockwork Angels
2.2112, Hold Your Fire, Farewell to Kings
3. Hemispheres, Permanent Waves, Caress of Steel
4. Roll the Bones, Fly By Night

And the rest I don't have yet.

[jammindude]

I still love or at least like all of their albums except for Test For Echo (and Feedback, but that doesn't really count). That one will always be last place as I think half of its bad and the other half is just decent. Maybe its time to give it another listen.

I really don't get the hate for this album at all.   I really think TFE succeeds where CP was just "trying too hard"....   To my ears, CP came out at the height of the grunge movement, and CP just sounded like Rush saying..."OOOOO We can be heavy too!  SEE???  Watch and see how heavy we are!!  GRRRR!!!"    I especially think "Stick it Out" is pretty lame....although I do really like Alien Shore and Cut to the Chase....and maybe Cold Fire.   But the rest is just OK.

Test For Echo OTOH is just brilliant.   With the exception of Totem and Dog Years, every song on that album is absolutely amazing.  The first 5 tracks are probably one of the greatest 5 track openings of any Rush album in their catalog, and Limbo is a sorely under-rated instrumental.    Virtuality's lyrics are dated, but the riff is one of the best they've ever written and completely overshadows the lyrics.   (never could understand why people are perfectly willing to overlook the lame lyrics in Countdown, but then claim that the lyrics to Virtuality "ruin it"...whatever)

[KevShmev]

Rush saying, "OOOOO We can be heavy too!  SEE???  Watch and see how heavy we are!!" doesn't make sense since Rush had already done heavier music than grunge nearly 20 years earlier.   The heaviness of Counterparts harkened back to their 70s material.  I have no doubt that they were somewhat inspired by some grunge and that that made them want to go heavy a little bit again, but let's be serious.

As for Test for Echo, I will stand by what I have said for years: there is not a single truly great song on that record.  And Time and Motion is one of the worst songs they've ever put on record, mostly thanks to those ugly vocal melodies.  Musically, it ain't bad, but that chorus is so ugly and atrocious that it takes the song from pretty good to major blech. 

[ColdFireYYZ]

To me Test For Echo sounds like a bunch of songs that weren't good enough to make it onto Counterparts and a few songs they wrote to make it a full album. I doubt that's the case, but that's what it sounds like to me. Maybe I was being a bit harsh saying that half is bad and the other half is mediocre as I like Driven and Virtuality (god-awful lyrics aside) but it will probably always be my least favorite Rush album.

The only track on Counterparts that really sounds like they were trying to make a grungey song is Stick It Out. As much as I love that album, I will say that the lyrics are not so great (but not as bad as TFE), which seems like a common complaint. But the music is good and fresh, and that's all that matters to me.

[Big Hath]

T4E songs go like this for me

good
T4E
Driven
Half the World
Resist
Limbo

meh
The Color of Right
Totem
Carve Away the Stone

ugh
Time and Motion
Dog Years
Virtuality

[KevShmev]

To me Test For Echo sounds like a bunch of songs that weren't good enough to make it onto Counterparts and a few songs they wrote to make it a full album. I doubt that's the case, but that's what it sounds like to me. Maybe I was being a bit harsh saying that half is bad and the other half is mediocre as I like Driven and Virtuality (god-awful lyrics aside) but it will probably always be my least favorite Rush album.

The only track on Counterparts that really sounds like they were trying to make a grungey song is Stick It Out. As much as I love that album, I will say that the lyrics are not so great (but not as bad as TFE), which seems like a common complaint. But the music is good and fresh, and that's all that matters to me.

The problem with TFE, too, is it doesn't sound as good as Counterparts.  Where both have that rock power, CP has the clarity to where you can hear every instrument, while still maintaing the power and intensity.  TFE sounds like everything was mashed together far too often to make one big giant sound, instead of each instrument having the space to breathe.  Factor in that the songwriting on CP was just significantly better, and it is plain as day why fans like myself consider Counterparts better by a massive margin.

[The Letter M]

T4E songs go like this for me

good
T4E
Driven
Half the World
Resist
Limbo

meh
The Color of Right
Totem
Carve Away the Stone

ugh
Time and Motion
Dog Years
Virtuality

I mostly agree with that, except "Time And Motion" would be somewhere between 'meh' and 'good'. I actually really enjoy TAM! "Totem" isn't bad either.

I have a strange affinity for this album mostly because I got the double-VHS set of Neil Peart's "A Work In Progress", which discusses his drumming on this album, so I learned a few of the songs and his techniques/fills from this album, and so I've come to enjoy and appreciate it more than most fans. However, it is not as great as the three albums that preceded it, nor the three albums that came after it, especially the two albums it surrounded.

I do applaud Rush for doing something different, though, and not re-hash Counterparts or even Roll The Bones. I think they were trying to find the balance between both of those albums, and musically, it's almost there. Lyrically, however, there are a couple of stinkers like "Dog Years" and "Virtuality", but even MUSICALLY they're alright. I think Neil had some questionable lyrical choices in the 90's, and not just on this album. Actually, he had some questionable lyrical choices since Hold Your Fire.

-Marc.

[ytserush]

To me Test For Echo sounds like a bunch of songs that weren't good enough to make it onto Counterparts and a few songs they wrote to make it a full album. I doubt that's the case, but that's what it sounds like to me. Maybe I was being a bit harsh saying that half is bad and the other half is mediocre as I like Driven and Virtuality (god-awful lyrics aside) but it will probably always be my least favorite Rush album.

The only track on Counterparts that really sounds like they were trying to make a grungey song is Stick It Out. As much as I love that album, I will say that the lyrics are not so great (but not as bad as TFE), which seems like a common complaint. But the music is good and fresh, and that's all that matters to me.

The problem with TFE, too, is it doesn't sound as good as Counterparts.  Where both have that rock power, CP has the clarity to where you can hear every instrument, while still maintaing the power and intensity.  TFE sounds like everything was mashed together far too often to make one big giant sound, instead of each instrument having the space to breathe.  Factor in that the songwriting on CP was just significantly better, and it is plain as day why fans like myself consider Counterparts better by a massive margin.

Except for maybe Test for Echo and Carve Away The Stone, I don't think there's a bad song on that record. I feel the same about Counterparts (Save for Stick it Out and Speed Of Love.)

Half The World could have been a massively huge radio hit if radio cared about those things anymore. Resist has me in tears (in a good way) whenever I hear it live (full band version rather than acoustic) and I still long for the day when I heard totem live (That could have been a minor radio hit as well if the planets ever aligned)




An no, I'm never brave enough to rank Rush albums. MAYBE the self-titled goes on the bottom but that would be a huge disservice to Here Again and Before and After.

[Phoenix87x]

IMO

Incredible to damn good

1. 2112
2. Hemispheres
3. A farewell to kings
4. Moving Pictures
5. Permanent waves
6. Power Windows
7. Grace Under Pressure
8. Clockwork angels
9. Hold Your fire
10. Counterparts
11. signals

Pretty decent

12. Rush
13. Snakes and arrows
14. Caress of steel
15. Roll the bones

Good/ok that I rarely listen to

16. Fly by night (even though anthem is my favorite rush song)
17. Vapor Trails
18. Test for echo
19. Presto

[Ruba]

As I have stated, I find Test for Echo underrated. I like how it's heavy in the more modern way. Test for Echo and Time and Motion are among my favourite Rush songs. However, I don't really like Dog Years (that chorus is so out of place) or Half the World. The Color of Right isn't too memorable either.

The heavy main riff in Virtuality is great, and the song itself is pretty solid, with one of their catchiest choruses. I have to admit though, that I giggled when I heard the word "modem".

Totem is a gem for me. The Swing Low-teaser in the end is golden. Driven is a great, energetic song. Limbo is IMO even better than Leave That Thing Alone! Resist is one of the most beautiful things they have ever done, and the lyrics are great, I love the playing on words. And Carve Away the Stone is a good, positive sounding album closer.

[Orbert]

You could, but you'd have to post pics or be accused of being a dirty fibber, liar liar, pants on fire.

PM me your email addy and I'll get you pics that prove I'm only about a third dirty fibber, liar liar, pants on fire.

Thought I had both Exit... Stage Left and Through The Camera Eye on Laser Disc (I've got the videos but that doesn't count)

I still think I do, but I can't find them. Have the rest.

I did find Yessongs on 8 track in my search though.

Ladies and Gentlemen, ytserush sent me the pics.  I guess he's not a dirty fibber after all.


The laserdiscs (as well as part of a pretty impressive collection of boots (I love the Maxell XLII cassettes)):



Something upon which to play them:

[black_biff_stadler]

Cool post, guy My jerkoff friends clown on me just for still having a VCR. I have mad props for you. Unfortunately, my panasonic 50-disc changer I got in '98 no longer has a working dual cassette deck.

[ytserush]

Most of those tapes (now in the basement) existed before the Internet as we know it.

The left hand drawers are the Rush shows and the right drawers have the Rush interviews (The last draw on the right has the Dream Theater shows up to 1994 I think)

I photocopied generic back stage passes I had for the inserts and wrote in the date of the show on them.  Those are just the backup copies for use. I used to wear those out like crazy back then.  The originals are in another tape cabinet.


Glad you enjoyed my crazy indulgences.

[King Postwhore]

God i was  just like you Ytse.  I just tossed out all me old VCR and cassette tapes in a purge.  It hurt but really, I won't play VCR and cassettes anymore.

[wasteland]

Well, Geddy made his appearence in yesterday's episode of How I Met Your Mother. It was really brilliant 

[Mladen]

I hope we'll get a link soon, gotta see that. 

[wasteland]

I hope we'll get a link soon, gotta see that. 

He provided an extremely groundbreaking theory for the origins of grundge 

[black_biff_stadler]

Hey North Carolina folks, I'm thinking of doing the $300 VIP package for the May 3rd show at PNC arena but refuse to spend that much to end up by myself. Anyone else in? Here's a list of what it includes plus the link to that page:

Link: https://v2.iloveallaccess.com/tours/rush/clockwork-angels/db73ac16531b255b34b1d9fa533f5577VwV1AFV%3D/545263548260e48675bc78d64894b8efVwH3AQZv

 Each Clockwork Angels Tour Package includes:

    One reserved ticket within the first 15 rows of the stage

    New and Exclusive Rush 2013 Tour t-shirt

    Collectible Rush poster (limited, numbered)

    Exclusive surprise Rush gift

    Official tour program

    Commemorative concert ticket

    Commemorative tour laminate

Your gifts will be shipped to you. Please note, your shipping address may not be changed once it is entered. We do not ship to PO Boxes.


*Exact seat location available at show. Ticket allocated based on time and date of purchase.
You will be required to sign a waiver & release of liability.
Package details subject to change without notice.

Your gifts will be shipped to you. Please note, your shipping address may not be changed once it is entered. We do not ship to PO Boxes.

[ytserush]

God i was  just like you Ytse.  I just tossed out all me old VCR and cassette tapes in a purge.  It hurt but really, I won't play VCR and cassettes anymore.

Never bought pre-recorded cassettes. Always recorded my own.

I suppose I'd get rid of them when I know everything has been upgraded to CD. I know most of it has, but there's still some stuff that hasn't (mostly those old  interviews.)





Floyd, I'd be right there with you, but I'm not into the VIP experience and North Carolina is a bit too far a drive for me given the added expenses involved.

I've gone by myself to shows as many times as I've gone with friends and family. I wouldn't miss out just becuase you can't find anyone to go with. Also if you don't want to spend that kind of money, you can probably get a seat that's not much worse for less money.

[black_biff_stadler]

I cooked for 5 hours today and decided to spin the entire synth era. I didn't like it before. I like it pretty well now.

[DebraKadabra]

Hey North Carolina folks, I'm thinking of doing the $300 VIP package for the May 3rd show at PNC arena but refuse to spend that much to end up by myself. Anyone else in?

<--- grape jelly