Rush v. Dirk, Pratt, & Lerxst

[KevShmev]

Random topic change: how annoying are some of those FB pages? A friend sent me an invite for an Alex Lifeson once a few months ago. Was a cool page and seemed to have some cool discussions. However, now it seems like the only goal of the Admins is to get more people on the page and then brag about it.  And of course everyone new feels the need to post a status thanking them for the add, so the vast majority of the topics near the top are always "thanks for adding me" statuses and the admins constant "we are at 4,533 members now!"-like statuses.  Stupid.

[The Walrus]

Presto is weird. I'm still listening to it trying to find the songs I enjoy most, but it's nice to hear the synthesizers finally beginning to step aside. After a few listens I really like Chain Lightning, The Pass (my favorite), Scars, and Superconductor. I can see this one ranking higher for me in the long run, but right now - just right now - I think it's on the lower end of the 80s albums in my opinion. But, I will say, 80s Rush definitely destroys 70s Rush. It's a whole other beast, and I love it. I don't miss the long songs after all!

Roll the Bones coming up today... so we'll see how that goes... the title track, oh boy. 

And yeah, Kev, I've seen lots of pages like those, and it's so annoying.

[KevShmev]

Roll the Bones is a damn good song, rap and all!

Presto is good for what it is, but definitely one of the least best records. There is a charm about it, though, and I get why a small minority love it so much. '

As for the keys, even though I am a huge fan of the synth era, I agree that it was good to see them scale back the keys.  Those albums feel even more special because they didn't feel the need to keep making synth-heavy records.

[The Walrus]

I bet the rest of the album is great, but that music video is one of the reasons why I laughed off Rush for so many years. One of the most hilariously bad music videos I've ever seen, the title track just... well, it sucks, I'm sorry 

[TAC]

I remember when Presto came out. Obviously I had no idea Rush would last almost another 30 years, but I considered Presto "Adult Contemporary" Rush. I really enjoy the laid back nature of it.

[jingle.boy]

Presto was the album on the shelves when I got fully in to Rush.  Still have a soft spot for it.  I fully recognize that several  songs are mediocre (by Rush standards), but still enjoy the hell out of them.  I don't get the hate for Superconductor... sure, it sure was geared to have commercial appeal, but I dig the tune ... bigly.

[King Postwhore]

When it came out I thought Presto was a very different album for them. I was totally into it. I still spin it once in awhile.

[DTA]

Sometimes I feel like the only Rush fan to actually love Hand Over Fist. I'd rank it as probably my 4th favorite on the album after Chain Lightning, Available Light, and Show Don't Tell. It's got such a cool, laid-back vibe to it.

[Lethean]

Sometimes I feel like the only Rush fan to actually love Hand Over Fist. I'd rank it as probably my 4th favorite on the album after Chain Lightning, Available Light, and Show Don't Tell. It's got such a cool, laid-back vibe to it.

Not the only one. Hand Over Fist is a great song.

Available Light for me is one of the best songs in their catalogue.  The title track is a great underrated song. I do think Superconductor is a little weak, but don't hate it.

[Mladen]

Yep, it's a fantastic song. Among my favorites on the album as well.

[Architeuthis]

I also really like Hand over Fist. Catchy song,  "humming your favorite song, you know I've hated that song for so long".  Lyrics we can relate to, lol.

[King Postwhore]

Hand Over Fist, originally was going to be an instrumental but they loved lyrics by Neil that was unused.

[ytserush]

Signals is quite a departure from Moving Pictures but in a good way. Analog Kid being my favorite on the album. Countdown is a fun song about the space shuttle launch! New World Man is the weak link on that album for me, yet it still gets a lot of radio airplay to this day.. Shrugs !

New World Man (or Project 3:57 though it's actually 3:42) was the last song written for the album because they didn't think the album was long enough. It's also their highest sharting single.

I like it. Used to get played a lot when Signals came out but radio seems to have gone to Subdivisions and The Analog Kid instead possibly because those are from "hits" compilations.

[ytserush]

Alex rolling around on the stage during that intro (The Weapon on Grace Under Pressure Live, for those unaware) and kicking his feet (which you see for like two seconds in the wide stage shot) is one of my favorite Rush live DVD moments ever.

Just had this CD on in the car this week.  The Fear Trilogy live is one of the highlights of that show for me.

This was the first time I discovered that Rush had a sense of humor.

[ytserush]

Signals was the first Rush studio album I bought as a new fan. I was so disappointed.

Apparently Signals did what it was designed to do then. (Be the antithesis of Moving Pictures.)

[ytserush]

Power Windows...  wow wow WOW. I think Hemispheres may have to step aside. What's the best track here? 3 spins in and I would say Marathon. What a freaking beautiful song. Makes me wish I still had my synths...

Listen to it live and then come back....

[ytserush]

I want to say that Geddy and Alex are wrong for hating Tai Shan. It's a good song. Kind of odd in the context of HYF but a good song. I like it...

Never had a problem with it either.

Not sure how it would have translated live though. That would be a tough one to pull off.

[ytserush]

That was a spectacular sit-down between Ged and Dan. Highly recommend that any fan seek that out and watch it.

I have to admit that, as a Chicagoan, I geeked out when Ged specifically attributed his love of baseball to watching my Cubbies on WGN while traveling the US.

Little hints of, maybe, an album and tour at some point down the road. He made it pretty clear that it would not be Rush. Says he is constantly writing and laying down riffs and ideas.

Interview was OK. Nice to see Ged enjoying life. Wish I could see the raw unedited footage. No surprises for me other than to see Ged get a bit defensive at the end.  That usually doesn't happen.

It's great people are liking the interview.

What do you mean by him getting defensive?  I didn't get that from him at all.  I took it for him being a little emotional that Rush won't be touring again.

Perhaps, but he sure wasn't as relaxed as we was during the rest of the interview. Maybe the question sand bagged him.

[Lowdz]

Signals was the first Rush studio album I bought as a new fan. I was so disappointed.

Apparently Signals did what it was designed to do then. (Be the antithesis of Moving Pictures.)

I love half of Signals and totally hate the other half 😀

[ytserush]

That was a spectacular sit-down between Ged and Dan. Highly recommend that any fan seek that out and watch it.

I have to admit that, as a Chicagoan, I geeked out when Ged specifically attributed his love of baseball to watching my Cubbies on WGN while traveling the US.

Little hints of, maybe, an album and tour at some point down the road. He made it pretty clear that it would not be Rush. Says he is constantly writing and laying down riffs and ideas.

Interview was OK. Nice to see Ged enjoying life. Wish I could see the raw unedited footage. No surprises for me other than to see Ged get a bit defensive at the end.  That usually doesn't happen.

It's great people are liking the interview.

What do you mean by him getting defensive?  I didn't get that from him at all.  I took it for him being a little emotional that Rush won't be touring again.

I didn't at all get "defensive" from him at any point in the interview.   He was open, honest, and answered every single question - to the extent that it was HIS to answer (and that's important) - with thought and insight.   Look, I get that the impression is "Dan Rather doesn't know dick about Rush", but I would argue that.  Rather is a HUGE music fan, and while his tastes run "country", he is very aware of what's going on, plus he has a gaggle of researchers.  He - and Geddy - both know he has to ask the future plans question, both for journalistic integrity and to throw a bone to Geddy and let him promote what he needs to promote (in this case, his coffee table book, it seems).

The end is the only point where I got that from. Perhaps Geddy still does not like to think about it (the end of Rush as a going concern. Can't say that I would blame him if he doesn't either.)

[Lowdz]

I want to say that Geddy and Alex are wrong for hating Tai Shan. It's a good song. Kind of odd in the context of HYF but a good song. I like it...

Never had a problem with it either.

Not sure how it would have translated live though. That would be a tough one to pull off.

I’ve always liked it. It works with the lyrics

[ytserush]

I'd recommend Replay X3
https://www.amazon.com/Rush-Replay-DVD-Box-Set/dp/B000FDFOX0/ref=sr_1_6?s=movies-tv&ie=UTF8&qid=1510320147&sr=1-6&keywords=Rush

It has the Exit Stage Left DVD, a Grace Under Pressure show, and A Show Of Hands DVD.

Sadly, none of those is a complete show given the format limitation of the time.

[jingle.boy]

New World Man (or Project 3:57 though it's actually 3:42) was the last song written for the album because they didn't think the album was long enough. It's also their highest sharting single.

Typo, or freudian slip?   

[ytserush]

Random topic change: how annoying are some of those FB pages? A friend sent me an invite for an Alex Lifeson once a few months ago. Was a cool page and seemed to have some cool discussions. However, now it seems like the only goal of the Admins is to get more people on the page and then brag about it.  And of course everyone new feels the need to post a status thanking them for the add, so the vast majority of the topics near the top are always "thanks for adding me" statuses and the admins constant "we are at 4,533 members now!"-like statuses.  Stupid.

No clue. Don't live it that world.  Maybe it's where discourse goes to die?

[The Walrus]

I picked up Signals, P/g, Presto and Roll the Bones at the record store today, no remasters either. They had Counterparts, Test for Echo, Vapor Trails, and Snakes & Arrows (plus a ton of live and compilation albums), also not remastered, so I'm definitely picking those up next weekend. Now I'm a proud owner of 8 Rush albums  AND Fates Warning X!

[ytserush]

New World Man (or Project 3:57 though it's actually 3:42) was the last song written for the album because they didn't think the album was long enough. It's also their highest sharting single.

Typo, or freudian slip?   

That's for YOU to decide!

[Snow Dog]

New World Man (or Project 3:57 though it's actually 3:42) was the last song written for the album because they didn't think the album was long enough. It's also their highest sharting single.

Typo, or freudian slip?   

That's for YOU to decide!

Considering it’s probably my least favorite of their singles regularly radio played, I’m on the shart side of things...

Presto. Ah, Presto. My very first Rush album, and still a sentimental favorite. Another lyrical giant by Peart. My only beef, and it’s a common one, is that the production is tinny and lifeless with the bass punched out of it. But this album is where it all started for me, not just my love for Rush, but developing my love and own tastes in music. I didn’t love the record immediately, and it did take quite a while to click. Available Light remains my favorite of their album closers (they’ve had great ending songs - La Villa, Natural Science, etc., but this one best closes out an album in the sense of finishing an artist’s vision, if that makes sense), and add me to the Hand Over Fist fan club as well!


(Side note: Ran a 5k race this morning, official time 21:12. Of course the Rush nerd in me took notice...)

[KevShmev]

I like New World Man, but it is definitely not a standout by any means.

Hand over Fist is similar in that I like it, but it doesn't stand out at all.

And people can say what they want about Roll the Bones (the album or the song), but Dreamline, Bravado, Where's My Thing and Ghost of a Chance are all great songs.  This album appealed, at the time, to a lot of non-diehard fans.  Dreamline and Roll the Bones being major rock radio staples that year sure helped.

[TAC]

Bravado blows.

But I love Dreamline and Ghost Of A Chance. I actually like You Bet Your Life. But it's a poor album.

[KevShmev]

You are a poor poster.

The beginning of Bravado has some of Alex's loveliest playing ever (which is a GOOD thing, wise guy ).

[King Postwhore]

I love The Big Wheel.

[KevShmev]

I like Heresy and The Big Wheel both quite a bit.

[King Postwhore]

Alex does a finger picking part in the song that I wish I could have seen live. 

[TAC]

I have always considered Bravado..The Pass Pt.2.

And Heresy is terrible.

I distinctly remember this time. I basically ignored Rush after Signals, even though I saw the PW ( ) and HYF ( ) tours. Between the great HYF show, and then Presto, I became a Rush fan again. And then they released RTB. I was SO disappointed. While they redeemed themselves mightily with Counterparts, RTB is one of my most disappointing albums.

[Lowdz]

I never liked Presto much. Not sure why. There are some good songs on it but I never play it. I prefer RtB.