Neil Peart - Dead at 67

[Lethean]

While I'd say that Rush certainly has better albums, I still like Roll the Bones.  Agree with those who prefer the first half, but I still listen to the whole thing and enjoy it.  Bravado is pretty awesome though.

[SoundscapeMN]

"Tough Break" Demo?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x-EMfV3aA-U

We were getting a little bored with inactivity. During the mixing
of "Exit... Stage Left" there was really not much for us to do except
say "it sounds good" or "it doesn't sound good".
I had been working down in the little studio, cleaning and renovating
an old set of Hayman drums that were kicking around, and had started working on a "Jack Secret" song with Jack and Skip from the crew. Geddy and Alex soon joined in on keyboards and rhythm guitar, and we later recorded the song ("Tough Break") up in the studio. ...
- Neil Peart
This song is the bonus track by "the fab pros" on the bootleg Power Run.

[HOF]

"Tough Break" Demo?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x-EMfV3aA-U

We were getting a little bored with inactivity. During the mixing
of "Exit... Stage Left" there was really not much for us to do except
say "it sounds good" or "it doesn't sound good".
I had been working down in the little studio, cleaning and renovating
an old set of Hayman drums that were kicking around, and had started working on a "Jack Secret" song with Jack and Skip from the crew. Geddy and Alex soon joined in on keyboards and rhythm guitar, and we later recorded the song ("Tough Break") up in the studio. ...
- Neil Peart
This song is the bonus track by "the fab pros" on the bootleg Power Run.

Who is that singing?

[King Postwhore]

Tony Geranios  - AKA Jack Secret.  Roadie for Rush for decades.

[pg1067]

Anyone list of the worst 5 Rush songs that doesn't include Time and Motion and Rivendell is invalid.

I wouldn't put T&M on a "worst" list, but neither will I argue with you.  As for Rivendell...welll...they meant well, I suppose.  Every time I listen to FBN, I just can't bring myself to listen to Rivendell.

Rush’s all time top 5 worst songs are ALL on Roll the Bones.

But Bravado is not one of them. That song is bloody brilliant!

Wait, last I checked Stupidconductor isn't on Roll the Bones. 

Yep.  That too.  That's the thing about Presto:  it has Scars, Hand over Fist and Stupidconductor but still manages to be light years better than the albums on either side of it.

[Snow Dog]

That’d be an interesting topic for discussion - Bottom 5 Rush songs. I’d expect a lot of disagreement in opinions, really. My list would probably include in no particular order:

I Think I’m Going Bald
Madrigal
Chemistry
Spindrift
The Necromancer

Honorable mentions to Tai Shan, The Big Wheel, Fountain of Lamneth, and Workin’ Them Angels. I know I left out any debut album song, but I’m considering the massive improvement that took place on Fly By Night once Peart joined. I do appreciate the debut for what it is, but it’s just not really “Rush” to me.

[RodrigoAltaf]

Good game. For me:

Rivendell
Madrigal
Face Up
Spindrift
Halo Effect

[hunnus2000]

That’d be an interesting topic for discussion - Bottom 5 Rush songs. I’d expect a lot of disagreement in opinions, really. My list would probably include in no particular order:

I Think I’m Going Bald
Madrigal
Chemistry
Spindrift
The Necromancer

Honorable mentions to Tai Shan, The Big Wheel, Fountain of Lamneth, and Workin’ Them Angels. I know I left out any debut album song, but I’m considering the massive improvement that took place on Fly By Night once Peart joined. I do appreciate the debut for what it is, but it’s just not really “Rush” to me.

OK - we gonna fight over Chemistry. 

I love the intro and the guitar riff right before he comes in with "signal transmitted, message received". That's just brilliant call and response from the guitar and lyrics. 

[King Postwhore]

The Speed Of Love has to be in that list.

[Stadler]

I'll play:

Rush: Greatest Shits:
I Think I'm Going Bald
Lakeside Park
Red Lenses
Kid Gloves
Virtuality

Bonus Tracks/B-Sides:
Neurotica
Nobody's Hero
Vital Signs

[HOF]

That’d be an interesting topic for discussion - Bottom 5 Rush songs. I’d expect a lot of disagreement in opinions, really. My list would probably include in no particular order:

I Think I’m Going Bald
Madrigal
Chemistry
Spindrift
The Necromancer

Honorable mentions to Tai Shan, The Big Wheel, Fountain of Lamneth, and Workin’ Them Angels. I know I left out any debut album song, but I’m considering the massive improvement that took place on Fly By Night once Peart joined. I do appreciate the debut for what it is, but it’s just not really “Rush” to me.

OK - we gonna fight over Chemistry. 

I love the intro and the guitar riff right before he comes in with "signal transmitted, message received". That's just brilliant call and response from the guitar and lyrics. 

Yeah, I love Chemistry.

[King Postwhore]

I'll play:

Rush: Greatest Shits:
I Think I'm Going Bald
Lakeside Park
Red Lenses
Kid Gloves
Virtuality

Bonus Tracks/B-Sides:
Neurotica
Nobody's Hero
Vital Signs

Whatcha talkin' about Willis?

[pg1067]

Hmmm...

It would be something from this list:

Need Some Love
Take a Friend
Rivendell
I Think I'm Going Bald
The Body Electric
Red Lenses
Mystic Rhythms
Tai Shan
Scars
Hand over Fist
Roll the Bones
Neurotica
You Bet Your Life
Between Sun & Moon
Dog Years
Carve Away the Stone
Secret Touch

There are probably a couple from S&A and CA, but I only really know the songs I like on those albums.

Songs like Madrigal, Chemistry and Vital Signs belong nowhere near this list.  While Madrigal is nothing special and gets dwarfed by the other songs on masterful album, it's not a bad song by any means (sort of like Different Strings).

[HOF]

Second Nature is the most obvious candidate for worst Rush song in my book. Tai Shan is also probably on that worst 5 list.

Cygnus X-1 might be on the list. Spindrift is a good candidate. Face Up or Heresy maybe.  I’ve never heard the self-titled album so those might all be on the list I guess.

[romdrums]

Playing along:

Roll the Bones
Workin' Them Angels
Tai Shan
High Water
Earthshine

[HOF]

Seriously, why don’t more people hate Second Nature?

[RodrigoAltaf]

Seriously, why don’t more people hate Second Nature?

It ALMOST made my list. Sappy!!!

[King Postwhore]

If I see anyone put Open Secrets on their list, all hell is gonna break loose!

[Stadler]

Second Nature is the most obvious candidate for worst Rush song in my book. Tai Shan is also probably on that worst 5 list.

Cygnus X-1 might be on the list. Spindrift is a good candidate. Face Up or Heresy maybe.  I’ve never heard the self-titled album so those might all be on the list I guess.

Second Nature would make my... top 20, 25 BEST songs.  I love that chorus... 'It ought to be second nature... at least that's what I feel".  Love it; I think it's a beautiful, beautiful song.

I don't get the hate for Tai Shan.   It's just not that bad.   I can't escape the idea that "Well, Geddy and Alex don't like it, so I guess I have to not like it...."   I know that's not fair, but it's how I feel.   It's certainly not out of place on Hold Your Fire (and I happen to love Hold Your Fire; I love that keyboard sound Geddy got on that record, and there are REAL DRUMS.)

[pg1067]

Second Nature is the most obvious candidate for worst Rush song in my book. Tai Shan is also probably on that worst 5 list.

Cygnus X-1 might be on the list. Spindrift is a good candidate. Face Up or Heresy maybe.  I’ve never heard the self-titled album so those might all be on the list I guess.

Ummmm...WHAT?  Not sure which Book you're talking about, but both are far more likely to show up in a TOP 10 list than a bottom anything list.

As far as Second Nature and Open Secrets, they're both pretty blah (as is most of HYF outside of Time Stand Still and Mission), but they're not really "bad" and certainly not hate-worthy.

[Stadler]

Nobody's Hero
Vital Signs

Whatcha talkin' about Willis?

I think the lyrics for Nobody's Hero sound... forced.  One of the great things about Rush is how they so deftly integrated Neil's words into the song.   There are almost no examples of cramming words in, or oddly phrased meters to make the lyrics work.  Except here; it feels like some of the lyrics are shoe-horned in, and because some of the lyrics are a bit... treacly, it just makes that more obvious.


Vital Signs isn't that bad, but it sticks out on what is otherwise a stellar album.  It's sort of a sore thumb.

[Snow Dog]

OK - we gonna fight over Chemistry. 

I love the intro and the guitar riff right before he comes in with "signal transmitted, message received". That's just brilliant call and response from the guitar and lyrics. 

I figured that this would gather someone’s ire as it seems to be a more liked song than others. And while that riff you speak of is a good display of some guitar skills, it’s not nearly enough to save the song for me from its lackluster verses, boring chorus, subpar lyrics, and mediocre solo. The abrupt end also doesn’t do it any favors as it feels like they couldn’t find any other way to close it out. It’s just a song that fails to connect with me on just about every level. But that’s also coming from someone who, aside from Subdivisions, Losing It, and Analog Kid, considers Signals as a whole to be a very tepid album. So take that for what it’s worth.

Not surprised to see Hold Your Fire songs come into play. Tai Shan isn’t a bad song, but it’s just so out of place for Rush that it doesn’t feel like it came from them. High Water is one I do like, but it’s just so mellow that closing the album with those two tracks feels quite anticlimactic. Other than that, I do like Hold Your Fire a lot, though it really took me a looooooooonnnnnng time to get it to click.

Putting Earthshine and Cygnus X-1 on this list though? I think I felt my blood pressure rise a little, though I’m not one to get too worked up on things like this. It’s all just a matter of taste in the end.

[ThatOneGuy2112]

Seriously, why don’t more people hate Second Nature?

It's for sure in my bottom 5 Rush songs. The bridge section is its only redeeming factor, but the rest of the track is just a heaping helping of bland cheese that you'd hear in a medications commercial.

So my bottom 5 might shake out something like this:

Second Nature
Heresy
Dog Years
The Stars Look Down
Faithless

The inclusion of Red Lenses on some people's lists is enough to relegate said lists to the "Bottom 5 'Bottom 5 Rush Songs' Lists".

[King Postwhore]

Nobody's Hero
Vital Signs

Whatcha talkin' about Willis?

I think the lyrics for Nobody's Hero sound... forced.  One of the great things about Rush is how they so deftly integrated Neil's words into the song.   There are almost no examples of cramming words in, or oddly phrased meters to make the lyrics work.  Except here; it feels like some of the lyrics are shoe-horned in, and because some of the lyrics are a bit... treacly, it just makes that more obvious.


Vital Signs isn't that bad, but it sticks out on what is otherwise a stellar album.  It's sort of a sore thumb.

The music is so emotional though for Nobody's Hero.  I think Neil came off too human for you.  You like your Peart Lyrics like Spock, not from Captain Kirk. 

[HOF]

Second Nature is the most obvious candidate for worst Rush song in my book. Tai Shan is also probably on that worst 5 list.

Cygnus X-1 might be on the list. Spindrift is a good candidate. Face Up or Heresy maybe.  I’ve never heard the self-titled album so those might all be on the list I guess.

Ummmm...WHAT?  Not sure which Book you're talking about, but both are far more likely to show up in a TOP 10 list than a bottom anything list.

As far as Second Nature and Open Secrets, they're both pretty blah (as is most of HYF outside of Time Stand Still and Mission), but they're not really "bad" and certainly not hate-worthy.

The one on A Farewell to Kings. It just drones on without anything really interesting happening.

[Stadler]

May I say that I have not thoroughly enjoyed serving with Humans? I find their illogic and foolish emotions a constant irritant.

[King Postwhore]

May I say that I have not thoroughly enjoyed serving with Humans? I find their illogic and foolish emotions a constant irritant.

 

[KevShmev]

Yes, yes, if anyone puts Open Secrets on their bottom 5 list, asses will be kicked.

I guess I get why some would say Chemistry, as the vocal melodies can be a bit lacking, but the music is pretty dynamite in that one, and I have grown to like it quite a bit.

[Orbert]

So is this now the Rush thread, instead of the Rush thread?

Okay then.

[Mladen]

I am considering doing a bottom 10 list, but I'm afraid that just a bunch of songs from the first two albums would end up on it. And there is no clear order on how much I dislike them. 

[DTA]

I’d say if there’s one Rush song I’d put absolutely dead last it would be The Stars Look Down. I would rather listen to any other Rush song than this one.

Glad to see Chemistry getting some love too. The song flows quite awkwardly (I think each member contributed a different musical theme if I remember correctly) but it’s so Rush-esque that it’s hard not to love. Easily my favorite track on Signals after the equally nerdy Countdown.

[Snow Dog]

So is this now the Rush thread, instead of the Rush thread?

Okay then.

 

[Mladen]

Also, fans of Chemistry are finally gathering? Count me in. 

[Lupton]

"Net boy. Net girl."   

That's all I have 

[King Postwhore]