I remember my first exposure to Rush. My parents had gotten one of those gigantic console stereos from my sister. It had everything all in one big box with speakers on each end and it would play quite loud. My older brother had bought All The Worlds A Stage and he was at home blasting Rush on the stereo as I walked home from school. I could hear it from down and across the street.
I walked in the front door and there he was rockin out. I sat and listened with him and I was instantly and permanently hooked. I will never forget the words of Geddy Lee, "Ladies and gentlemen, the Professor on the drum kit" and I heard that incredible drum solo. I shared that with every friend who would listen.
I bought All The Worlds a Stage first and then started adding albums and CD's.
Years later I was at a record store and they had re-released the entire Rush catalog to date remixed and on CD. I damn near re-bought the entire catalog right there and then.
Cant even begin to state what a fan of this band I am.
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It is terribly sad to see him go, but we weren't going to hear anything new from him regardless of when he died. He was done when he quit Rush.
I am right there with you brother!!! Have seen Rush many, many times and have all their CD's. I will need to watch a few concerts this weekend in his honor......
I turn my back to the wind
To catch my breath,
Before I start off again
Driven on,
Without a moment to spend
To pass an evening
With a drink and a friend
Time Stand Still.........
I've been listening to a lot of Rush since Neil's passing. Clockwork Angels was an album I never really listened to until now. What a mistake and what a fitting final album. It is in heavy rotation at the moment.
I also spent a lot of time watching youtube videos of interviews with Neil and the other band members, as well as music videos and clips from various concerts. I need to sit down and watch some of the Rush concerts I own. One of my great regrets is that I only saw them live once and I am deeply grateful that they were so prolific with live recordings and concert videos.
I feel the same way about Frank Zappa. To each his own as they say.I really, really, really like Rush - but I can only count one hand the number of tunes I could claim to "love". I get bored listening to most of their music, but their musicianship is stunning. Generally, when I listen their music, be it live or studio recorded, I am appreciating the skill and creativity of their playing - not the emotion or creativity in the music itself.
That said, they did what most musicians want to do as they aged. When they returned to writing, recording and performing, they came back STRONG as hell and produced some of their best work at the end of their career - which is very rare. They ended on a high and we didn't watch clips of their last tour with feeling of pity and sorrow for what they used to be. Instead, they blew us away with their energy, drive, and brilliance.
I wish I liked the tunes more than I do, because I respect them, am amazed by their musicianship, and cannot ignore how amazing they are in general.