AmirBagachelles Posted June 1, 2004 Report Share Posted June 1, 2004 If Rush was part of the "lowest common denominator" at that time in history...what perchance was the alternative? Disco? Mid-late 70's pop music? how about: Nick Lowe The Spinners Neil Young Earth Wind and Fire Marvin Gaye Talking Heads Hot Tuna Bob Marley Peter Gabriel Television Yes Pink Floyd The Roches James Gang, Joe Walsh Eagles Elvis Costello Lou Reed The Clash Richard Thompson The Pistons, almost anything Twin-Tone Springsteen Dylan Joni Mitchell Genesis Chicago, Cat Stevens, Black Oak Arkansas and America Man, Rush was really bad, is there any other way to put it? You should have killed your FM radio when you had the chance. When you hear it now on the radio, don't you just crack up or change the station? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Green Dolphin Posted June 1, 2004 Author Report Share Posted June 1, 2004 (edited) It's just come to me...on the first album Rush were a poor man's Budgie!!!! Edited June 1, 2004 by Green Dolphin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
take5 Posted June 1, 2004 Report Share Posted June 1, 2004 I still to this day am truly mystified at the venom spit at Rush in particular. - They had some corny lyrics Ok, yeah, some of them were pretty bad. I would submit that those were their early lyrics, when young kids tend to be precious and try to be too smart for their own good. That's part of the fun for some of us. More importantly, at least they tried to do something beyond the typical trying-to-fuck-an-underrage-girl or get-pissed-drunk lyrics of rock 'n' roll. I would also submit that as they got older and more mature, so did their music and lyrics. Frankly, I think all rock lyrics suck. I can cound on one hand the number of rock/pop songwriters who's lyrics I would consider worthy of attention. - Geddy's singing A matter of taste. Billie Holiday was very limited as a vocalist as well, but try criticising her on this board and you'd probably get crucified. Geddy hit the notes and, like it or not, as a distinct voice. I think he overdid it in his younger days, but after 2112 he started to take it down a notch and it became smoother and fit the music. - Neil's drumming Some of the technically obsessed drum students who don't know jazz get a little carried away, but that doesn't make him a "bad" drummer. Being a good musician is about doing what you need to do to play the music you want to play, and Neil is perfect. To say he has no swing is a daft criticism because they're not playing jazz. - They solo too much No they don't. Someone who says that obviously hasn't listened to the records. Does becoming a jazz fan mean you turn your nose up at rock music? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Green Dolphin Posted June 1, 2004 Author Report Share Posted June 1, 2004 (edited) Some nice objectivity there for a change,hear hear.Threads like these are all about nostalgia most of the time-I'd no sooner buy Rush's latest album than bin my Mosaics.When I was 11,frankly most of that list of alternatives weren't in my universe,apart from the Spinners(and they were a Christian vocal quartet-maybe quintet-who dressed in Star Trek suits,why we over here had to add The Detroit bit).Got there eventually with most of them....The Pistons?Twin-Tone??? Steps along the way........ Edited June 1, 2004 by Green Dolphin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Alfredson Posted June 1, 2004 Report Share Posted June 1, 2004 Rush were a radio-rock joke, just like so many other bad American bands selling records. Uh, aren't they Canadian? Reminds me of an article in the local rag here in Lansing (an "alternative" newspaper put out by the only major newspaper in town -- how alternative is that? -- called, appropriately enough, Noise) by the music critic that had the Top 5 Rock Albums of all time. One was Led Zepplin III and in the description the guy actually wrote, "Led Zepplin represented the pinnacle of American rock n' roll." Uh...... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Green Dolphin Posted June 1, 2004 Author Report Share Posted June 1, 2004 Sorry it's a Welsh thing... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AmirBagachelles Posted June 1, 2004 Report Share Posted June 1, 2004 My mistake. I didn't know Rush was Canadian. I wouldn't have cared. Somehow Seger, REO, BTO, Rush, it all sounds like a bad Midwest commercial sound. Of course, the worst of all was Boston... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
7/4 Posted June 1, 2004 Report Share Posted June 1, 2004 (edited) My mistake. I didn't know Rush was Canadian. I wouldn't have cared. Somehow Seger, REO, BTO, Rush, it all sounds like a bad Midwest commercial sound. Of course, the worst of all was Boston... who were not from the midwest, but from Boston. Edited June 1, 2004 by 7/4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Green Dolphin Posted June 1, 2004 Author Report Share Posted June 1, 2004 A break here:Wales,that's in the UK if you want to run down Budgie too! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shawn Posted June 2, 2004 Report Share Posted June 2, 2004 I guess my post came off as a little "bitchy", I was at work when I posted so it just goes with the territory. I guess the point I was trying to make was that as a young man (okay, I was a kid, I admit it) in the late 70's/early 80's who primarily listened to FM Rock radio...Rush sounded pretty darn good to me. But then in that time period I was always listening to music that the "critics" and "hip" people strayed away from like the plague. Lots of Rush, Queen, Pink Floyd, Kansas, Black Sabbath, ELO, Deep Purple, Led Zeppelin, Hendrix, CSN&Y, ZZ Top, Heart, AC/DC (Bon Scott era) etc. These were staples of FM radio at the time (well, not Black Sabbath obviously, even though they ended up being one of the most influential bands in history). The radio stations that I was tuned into didn't play much in the way of "alternative' (back when that meant something)...so you can't know if you'd dig it if you'd never heard it. But then again, let's look at the places that I lived during that period of time. From 1976-1978 I lived in southern Virginia, from 1980-1983 I lived in Kansas. So we're not exactly talking about areas where Joni Mitchell or Bob Marley are going to be heard ANYWHERE. You had to listen through HOURS of southern rock drek and "pop rock" bands like Foreigner & Styx before you'd get a chance to hear Money or Stone Free, etc. So to someone that was surrounded by the mediocre alot on the radio, bands like Rush were a breath of fresh air. Excellent musicians, interesting arrangements, a sound like no other band...and they still managed to kick ass. I remember feeling like an "intelligent" rock fan because of listening to bands like them and Queen. So it's a matter of perspective, where you came from and what you were exposed to. Even if I don't listen to alot of those bands anymore...I respect them, because they had an impact on my life and meant something to me at a time when my family life was such hell that I didn't know if I would get through each day without hanging myself from the nearest tree. So maybe songs like Free Will or The Analog Kid or whatever, helped me to get through those tough times. So when I hear them now...I still feel like I owe a debt of gratitude to Rush for making that music that kept me going. Sorry for the rant... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris olivarez Posted June 2, 2004 Report Share Posted June 2, 2004 A break here:Wales,that's in the UK if you want to run down Budgie too! Definitely for the birds. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris olivarez Posted June 2, 2004 Report Share Posted June 2, 2004 Shawn I don't think very many people on the board have a severe problem with Rush. You have a certain portion of them who don't like the band but part of the deal is that if you come out and say you like someone you run the risk of someone else bagging on you for it. Board members who don't like the group have their reasons just like you have yours for liking the group.It seems that this thread for the most part has mutated into posters amusing themselves and perhaps others bagging on all matter of groups. I share a certain amount of "guilt" in this. I wouldn't worry too much about it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
danasgoodstuff Posted June 2, 2004 Report Share Posted June 2, 2004 sjarrell, I certainly agree that the Kinks "Waterloo Sunset", "Autum Almanac", "Dead End Street" series of singles is superb, and so very British that it's no surprise they didn't do nearly as well here as there. I like Victoria best as a whole album, but the track I'm most fond of is "Last of the steam Powered Trains" (Village Green, mono version only?) where they take the Yardbirds' arrangement of "Smokestack Lightening" and turn it from a stomping jam that has nothing whatsoever to do with the performers actual lives (or trains either, except nominally) to a whimsical excursion that presumably does relate to actual lives and trains... A long way from Rush (the nominal subject of this thread), but that's kinda the point. Unless, of course, Geddy and the guys actually did witness a battle between the various species of trees... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sjarrell Posted June 2, 2004 Report Share Posted June 2, 2004 A long way from Rush (the nominal subject of this thread), but that's kinda the point. Unless, of course, Geddy and the guys actually did witness a battle between the various species of trees... The point indeed. I now have a tear in my eye, and sadly there's no emoticon for that. Good work! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aggie87 Posted June 8, 2004 Report Share Posted June 8, 2004 Due out June 29th, a Rush covers album: Tracks: 1. Summertime Blues 2. Heart Full Of Soul 3. The Seeker 4. For What It’s Worth 5. Shapes Of Things 6. Mr. Soul 7. Crossroads 8. Seven And Seven Is Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
7/4 Posted June 8, 2004 Report Share Posted June 8, 2004 Geddy Lee singing Crossroads? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
danasgoodstuff Posted June 8, 2004 Report Share Posted June 8, 2004 Good selection of tunes, but you could probably get the same effect as Rush playing 'em if you just took the originals on LP and played 'em back at 45rpm (cheap shot, but someone had to say it!). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
7/4 Posted June 8, 2004 Report Share Posted June 8, 2004 Good selection of tunes, but you could probably get the same effect as Rush playing 'em if you just took the originals on LP and played 'em back at 45rpm (cheap shot, but someone had to say it!). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joe Posted June 8, 2004 Report Share Posted June 8, 2004 Seven And Seven Is Boom bip-bip boom-bip-bip YEAH!!!! (...and my dog lies HIP-MO-TIZED...) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matthew Posted June 9, 2004 Report Share Posted June 9, 2004 I was recently at Amoeba Records on Sunset, and because of this thread, I took to the counter some Rush lps. The guy at the counter gives me a look, and says: "Dude! Rush?" I reply: "Yes, Rush, and I'm damn proud of it!" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alec Posted June 9, 2004 Report Share Posted June 9, 2004 No, Rush is not bad. What's bad is constantly talking about them. It's not necessary. I think we got it by now: "Rush is good. Rush is great. They can play. They changed everyone's life. Without them, the world wouldn't be the same. The drums are just AWE-some. They're old, but not as old as these other rock'n'roll geezers ... and they can still play. Wow. Great. Fantastic." Let's move on. Okay, I came to this thread late (I don't really have an interest in Rush, but I'll defend to the death anyone's right to love them) but deus' quote caught my interest. I changed it slightly to see what you all thought: No, Mosaics are not bad. What's bad is constantly talking about them. It's not necessary. I think we got it by now: "Mosaics are good. Mosaics are great. They can put a collection together. They changed everyone's life. Without them, the world wouldn't be the same. The remastering is just AWE-some. They're expensive, but not as expensive as Japanese imports ... and now they make Selects. Wow. Great. Fantastic." Let's move on. -_- Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Uncle Skid Posted June 9, 2004 Report Share Posted June 9, 2004 No, Mosaics are not bad. What's bad is constantly talking about them. It's not necessary. I think we got it by now: "Mosaics are good. Mosaics are great. They can put a collection together. They changed everyone's life. Without them, the world wouldn't be the same. The remastering is just AWE-some. They're expensive, but not as expensive as Japanese imports ... and now they make Selects. Wow. Great. Fantastic." Let's move on. Wow, talk about putting things in perspective!! Nice post! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gdogus Posted June 9, 2004 Report Share Posted June 9, 2004 Rush, you say? Heck yeah!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
take5 Posted June 9, 2004 Report Share Posted June 9, 2004 Crossroads was a tune the band played a lot when they started out, doing the Cream-like extended jam workout thing. The covers album is a little tribute to the music that got them interested in playing music when they were starting out. It's a nice way to bring their career full circle (especially if this is their last tour). They're also playing a couple of the tunes live on their current tour, which should make for a fun set list. Obviously only of interest to Rush fans. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sundog Posted June 22, 2004 Report Share Posted June 22, 2004 Crossroads was a tune the band played a lot when they started out, doing the Cream-like extended jam workout thing. The covers album is a little tribute to the music that got them interested in playing music when they were starting out. It's a nice way to bring their career full circle (especially if this is their last tour). They're also playing a couple of the tunes live on their current tour, which should make for a fun set list. Obviously only of interest to Rush fans. For Rush Fans Only. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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