Rush: Classic or Dud?

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I am proud to say that I once voted Rush the greatest band of the 80's. They had a lot of good moments, 'Xanadu' appeared in Tommy Vance's poll for the top ten rock tracks of all time throughout most of the 1980s. I think they peaked with 'The Weapon' on Signals (1982). They differed from their contemporaries in being more interested in playing around with the time-signature of their tracks. But ultimately, in an oft repeated pattern, instrumental virtuosity ceased to be musically interesting and just became self-indulgent.

Conor Kostick, Friday, 22 June 2001 00:00 (11 years ago) Permalink

But ultimately, in an oft repeated pattern, instrumental virtuosity ceased to be musically interesting and just became self-indulgent.

Are you describing your personal development or that of the band? Because, if anything, the band got less and less showy as the years went on. "Counterparts" (the last one I heard) was even "grunge" influenced, allegedly. Rush was my favorite band all throughout high school.

Kris, Friday, 22 June 2001 00:00 (11 years ago) Permalink

Hey, it's supposed to be a HAIKU, people !

Guitar mag gruel
Less smart than it wants to be
Pretty harmless now

Hey, gimme a break, I've never written a haiku before.

Patrick, Friday, 22 June 2001 00:00 (11 years ago) Permalink

Stoner's favourite

'Tom Sawyer' plays through art class

Turn that shit off now!

suzy, Saturday, 23 June 2001 00:00 (11 years ago) Permalink

Geddy Lee = King of the Mullet People

Kim, Sunday, 24 June 2001 00:00 (11 years ago) Permalink

I'm in Canada I like said prog band less Than I did before

Dave M., Sunday, 24 June 2001 00:00 (11 years ago) Permalink

Truly dreadful, they Give "chops", prog-rock a bad name. Two good songs* -- rest's dud.

*( I reluctantly but freely admit that both Tom Sawyer and YYZ are both decent songs.)

Phil, Sunday, 24 June 2001 00:00 (11 years ago) Permalink

Oh dear, where did my line breaks go...

Phil, Sunday, 24 June 2001 00:00 (11 years ago) Permalink

Childhood memories
Older brother worships them
Despite this, they ROCK

Dan Perry, Monday, 25 June 2001 00:00 (11 years ago) Permalink

Repeated listens
Render it annoying, eh
Still, sentimental

Sean Carruthers, Monday, 25 June 2001 00:00 (11 years ago) Permalink

1 year passes...
I'm so bored tonight that I'm reading vintage "classic or dud"'s, and I have to say that the stipulation of submitting answers in haiku format is pure, unhomogenized genius. More please!

Alex in NYC, Friday, 2 August 2002 00:00 (10 years ago) Permalink

Objectivist Rock a la Ayn Rand = DUD!

Jack Cole, Friday, 2 August 2002 00:00 (10 years ago) Permalink

"Unhomogenised
Gen-i-us?" You would say that,
Since you started it!

Jeff W, Friday, 2 August 2002 00:00 (10 years ago) Permalink

BA da BA BA BA

da BA BA BA BA da-da

BA da BA BA BA...

Joe, Friday, 2 August 2002 00:00 (10 years ago) Permalink

Neil Peart squeals, righteous in his Objectivist zeal but all their songs suck

Shaky Mo Collier, Friday, 2 August 2002 00:00 (10 years ago) Permalink

Drummers Who Write songs
Didn't make Hüsker Dü suck
it was Geddy's voice.

Mr Noodles, Friday, 2 August 2002 00:00 (10 years ago) Permalink

2 years pass...
They may be cheesy
But add rocking conviction
Who else but Rush eh?

piers (piers), Friday, 8 October 2004 04:13 (8 years ago) Permalink

Rush sucks my big dick
Geddy lee is a scourge on Earth
prog rock motherfucks

The TAO that can be Posted is not the TAO! (The Tao that can be Posted is), Friday, 8 October 2004 04:42 (8 years ago) Permalink

more rush haikus please

kyle (akmonday), Friday, 8 October 2004 04:48 (8 years ago) Permalink

Andrew L missed the whole point of "Spirit of Radio"! TAO: Your second line would actually fit haiku conventions if you made it "Geddy is a scourge on Earth".

sundar subramanian (sundar), Friday, 8 October 2004 04:57 (8 years ago) Permalink

Fly by night limelight
Too many notes played at once
Blame's on Toronto

Pleasant Plains (Pleasant Plains), Friday, 8 October 2004 05:26 (8 years ago) Permalink

thank you sweet sundar, you are correct. that is what i meant to do. *tries to awkwardly plant a kiss on sundar's cheek and is promptly slapped on the face* ouch.

The TAO that can be Posted is not the TAO! (The Tao that can be Posted is), Friday, 8 October 2004 05:47 (8 years ago) Permalink

Ayn Rand prog rockin'
Canadian eunuch squeals
You people so dumb!

Confucius, Friday, 8 October 2004 06:13 (8 years ago) Permalink

moving pictures has
the very worst cover art
which is such a shame

subdivisions rocks
which counters all that i've been
told about this band

the lyrics are too
obvious but what can you
expect from hosers?

derrick (derrick), Friday, 8 October 2004 06:38 (8 years ago) Permalink

'Limelight' licks are great
'Signals' is a true classic
The rest smells like wee

Rob Bolton (Rob Bolton), Friday, 8 October 2004 07:31 (8 years ago) Permalink

Once I crossed the street
Geddy Lee almost hit me
In his Land Rover

Rob Bolton (Rob Bolton), Friday, 8 October 2004 07:32 (8 years ago) Permalink

CLASSIC as long as this man was Prime Minister:

DUD thereafter

Myonga Von Bontee (Myonga Von Bontee), Friday, 8 October 2004 09:45 (8 years ago) Permalink

[...wish I coulda found a picture of him riding on a train & flipping off protesters thru the window!]

Myonga Von Bontee (Myonga Von Bontee), Friday, 8 October 2004 09:51 (8 years ago) Permalink

Rush is good
for opening up my pooper
so other men can do me

Good Dog, Friday, 8 October 2004 10:45 (8 years ago) Permalink

. . . Or maybe not

Space-jazz-rock-tronic
If rednecks didn't like them
They'd be Kraftwerk-hip

Geddyvox

Less boy or girl than
Alien; Precise
Enunciation

sundar subramanian (sundar), Friday, 8 October 2004 15:44 (8 years ago) Permalink

fact checkin cuz to thread

sleep (sleep), Friday, 8 October 2004 16:02 (8 years ago) Permalink

Songs(works) and arrangements: Classic
Lyrics and vocals: Dud

Geir Hongro (GeirHong), Friday, 8 October 2004 22:33 (8 years ago) Permalink

I love Rush probably more than any other band....I don't think there BETTER than alot of bands, but they were a big part of my childhood....

Great band, I think.

M@tt He1geson (Matt Helgeson), Friday, 8 October 2004 22:50 (8 years ago) Permalink

Young Black Teenagers
Seeking the phattest of shit
Sample Tom Sawyer

dlp9001, Saturday, 9 October 2004 00:01 (8 years ago) Permalink

has anyone seen the episode of "trailer park boys" where they kidnap alex liefson?
i gained new respect for the man after watching that.

m0stly clean (m0stly clean), Saturday, 9 October 2004 13:44 (8 years ago) Permalink

I have no haiku to offer which I why I didn't say anything before. But great, of course.

Ned Raggett (Ned), Saturday, 9 October 2004 13:46 (8 years ago) Permalink

i was at a party with some guys who were really entranced with some kind of video of stevie ray vaughn stranglin' the blues back in the '80s. doo-rags. these guys were such geeks, glued to the tube while there were girls to hit on and barbecue to scarf. then they got into "moving pictures," talking about the "production values" and saying things like "you can't deny the musicianship," while trying to be "ironic" about the whole stinkin' thing. typical night with people in nashville trying to be hip about not being hip or whatever that convolution is. then, everyone got drunk the host attempted to explain the shaggs to these geeks and everyone *listened hard and they got it*!! ahh. so, rush sucks and that's it, that's just like being "ironic" about kiss or worryin' about montgomery gentry, i think (as in the video where that goober takes off his cowboy hat to reveal an expensive-looking doo-rag/headwrap of some kind), and only the man upstairs can say whether rush is great or not...yes, rush did a record of covers i understand includes a version of eddie cochran's summertime blues done like blue cheer! so, they have roots like the rest of us, cuz.

eddie hurt (ddduncan), Saturday, 9 October 2004 15:40 (8 years ago) Permalink

worst. voice. ever.

oops (Oops), Sunday, 10 October 2004 00:00 (8 years ago) Permalink

No, that is Brian Johnson, Robert Plant or Bruce Dickinson. But Geddy Lee's voice is not far behind.

Geir Hongro (GeirHong), Sunday, 10 October 2004 00:19 (8 years ago) Permalink

As a band: dud. As a rite of passage: classic.
-- scott p (scot...), June 21st, 2001.

the wisdom in this succinct observation is humid. i loved rush until i discovered indie and punk rock in high school. hearing that particularly melodramatic cut "the trees" (i think that's the title) is still powerfully evocative of my 13-15 years, playing D&D, obsessing about securing issue # 202 of Spiderman, and committing to memory SNL lines. so i'll grant my meaningless benediction upon Rush in the same manner as the astute scott p.

j.m. lockery (j.m. lockery), Sunday, 10 October 2004 02:25 (8 years ago) Permalink

Rush: Sophomore Lit.
texts become some deep and
meaningful lyrics.

Edward Bax, Tuesday, 19 October 2004 19:10 (8 years ago) Permalink

"Red Barchetta" plays
on radio, Rush fan gets
a speeding ticket.

Edward Bax, Tuesday, 19 October 2004 19:10 (8 years ago) Permalink

Fans debate how to
say Peart. Does it sound like "pert"?
No, it rhymes with "near".

Edward Bax, Tuesday, 19 October 2004 19:11 (8 years ago) Permalink

Here: Rush's real names
Alex Zivojinovic
Gary Lee Weinrib

Edward Bax, Tuesday, 19 October 2004 19:11 (8 years ago) Permalink

hahaha

Alex in NYC (vassifer), Tuesday, 19 October 2004 19:11 (8 years ago) Permalink

Classic.

NEER-neer-neener-neener
NEE nee nerr
NEER-neer-neener-neener...

That's my "Tom Sawyer" tribute. They should have collaborated with Gary Numan. Maybe there's still time.

Thea (Thea), Tuesday, 19 October 2004 19:19 (8 years ago) Permalink

They sort of define dud, don't they?

Burr (Burr), Tuesday, 19 October 2004 22:19 (8 years ago) Permalink

They define "dude," as in, one kid goes, "Dude, check out Neil's drum solo." Other kid nods in appreciation: "Duuuuuuude." I guess with each passing year I like them less than I did when I was 15, but I still wonder what people who dislike them aren't hearing. Maybe they haven't heard "Natural Science," or "Hemispheres," or "The Camera Eye." I guess Geddy's voice can be annoying but so can Neil Young's and Johnny Rotten's.

clark, Tuesday, 19 October 2004 22:35 (8 years ago) Permalink

Canadian crap
You hosers should have stayed home
why why oh god why?

The TAO that can be Posted is not the TAO! (The Tao that can be Posted is), Tuesday, 19 October 2004 23:09 (8 years ago) Permalink

Rush shall be absolved
of all sonic crimes because
"Working Man" kicks ass

Will (will), Wednesday, 20 October 2004 00:03 (8 years ago) Permalink

"I work hard for the money/They call me the working man"

Faster than food (Myonga Vön Bontee), Wednesday, 12 December 2012 19:26 (5 months ago) Permalink

hah, both of those songs were on my labor day playlist this year!

Moodles, Wednesday, 12 December 2012 19:27 (5 months ago) Permalink

"Uncle Tom Sawyer/Mean mean pride"

EZ Snappin, Wednesday, 12 December 2012 19:28 (5 months ago) Permalink

On the (Spirit of the) Radio would be kinda pleasantly weird

passion it person (La Lechera), Wednesday, 12 December 2012 19:28 (5 months ago) Permalink

oh man: Chuck D rapping the "Roll The Bones" part.

the little prince of inane false binary hype (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Wednesday, 12 December 2012 19:29 (5 months ago) Permalink

i could kinda hear it in chuck's post-terrordome type flow

Jack, relax.
Get busy with the facts.
No zodiacs or almanacs,
No maniacs in polyester slacks.
Just the facts.
Gonna kick some gluteus max.
It's a paralax, you dig? (Flavor does this line)
You move around
The small gets big. It's a rig
It's action -- reaction
Random interaction.
So who's afraid
Of little abstraction
Can't get no satisfaction
From the facts?
You'd better run, homeboy (Flavor does this line)
A fact's a fact
From Nome to Rome, boy.

Andrew WKRP (upper mississippi sh@kedown), Wednesday, 12 December 2012 19:35 (5 months ago) Permalink

It's a paralax, you dig? (Flavor does this line)

laughed so hard at this

emo canon in twee major (BradNelson), Wednesday, 12 December 2012 19:49 (5 months ago) Permalink

LOL

the little prince of inane false binary hype (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Wednesday, 12 December 2012 19:52 (5 months ago) Permalink

It must happen!

grandavis, Wednesday, 12 December 2012 20:12 (5 months ago) Permalink

1 month passes...

Intriguingly, the Rush installment of the "Rockabye Baby!" series credits the guys with their given names: N. Peart, G. Weinrib, A. Zivojinovich.

Josh in Chicago, Thursday, 7 February 2013 01:22 (3 months ago) Permalink

2 months pass...

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/04/20/arts/music/rock-hall-of-fame-embraces-randy-newman-public-enemy-and-others.html?hpw

As the night went on, the mood continued to lighten. Flavor Flav of Public Enemy no doubt assumed he had given the longest, most haphazard speech when he went on about his children and the clock he wears around his neck (among other subjects) until even his band mate, Chuck D, was giving him wrap-it-up signals on the stage.

“I only get to be in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame one time in my life,” Flavor Flav said. “I’m enjoying this.”

Not to be outdone, Alex Lifeson, Rush’s singer and guitarist, then gave an acceptance speech in which he repeated “blah blah” over and over for several minutes while aggressively gesticulating, leaving the crowd in hysterics.

j., Saturday, 20 April 2013 16:36 (1 month ago) Permalink

I'm so psyched for this collab:

Moodles, Saturday, 20 April 2013 17:19 (1 month ago) Permalink

apparently Rush fans behaved boorishly?

the little prince of inane false binary hype (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Saturday, 20 April 2013 17:22 (1 month ago) Permalink

who are all those old men standing next to geddy lee

j., Saturday, 20 April 2013 17:42 (1 month ago) Permalink

the universal dream, for those who wish to seem

reggie (qualmsley), Saturday, 20 April 2013 19:25 (1 month ago) Permalink

tom hanks accepted on behalf of the band

https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=7M7AEi68a20#!

reggie (qualmsley), Saturday, 20 April 2013 19:39 (1 month ago) Permalink

apparently Rush fans behaved boorishly?

― the little prince of inane false binary hype (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Saturday, April 20, 2013 1:22 PM (2 hours ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

i imagine many of them were socialized at hockey games

some dude, Saturday, 20 April 2013 19:49 (1 month ago) Permalink

Josh in Chicago, Saturday, 20 April 2013 22:17 (1 month ago) Permalink

i imagine many of them were socialized at hockey games

you meant subdivisions

the little prince of inane false binary hype (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Saturday, 20 April 2013 22:18 (1 month ago) Permalink

any escape might help to mellow the unattractive truth

reggie (qualmsley), Saturday, 20 April 2013 22:21 (1 month ago) Permalink

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QLOUgvsfDtg

Josh in Chicago, Sunday, 21 April 2013 01:09 (1 month ago) Permalink

This so should have been a roast of Rush.

Josh in Chicago, Sunday, 21 April 2013 01:10 (1 month ago) Permalink

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x-xEr489gHY

Josh in Chicago, Sunday, 21 April 2013 01:12 (1 month ago) Permalink

miles of smiles

I have many lovely lacy nightgowns (contenderizer), Sunday, 21 April 2013 03:10 (1 month ago) Permalink

1 month passes...

UK tour starts today,
I'll see them on Friday - first
time since '81!

Jeff W, Wednesday, 22 May 2013 09:44 (2 days ago) Permalink

How well do they go over there? How many people, etc.? There's something almost defiantly North American about Rush.

Josh in Chicago, Wednesday, 22 May 2013 11:55 (2 days ago) Permalink

Back in the late 70s/early 80s, they were adored here: could sell out five nights straight at the Hammersmith Odeon. But in those days, I think their appeal was more international. This tour they're doing five arena-sized shows across the UK and I think a few tickets are still available for most of them.

Jeff W, Wednesday, 22 May 2013 12:41 (2 days ago) Permalink

Aren't they huge in South America? The biggest shows they ever played were in Brazil, right?

What's interesting is that I also feel like there's something North American about Rush. Yet, their major influences are pretty much all British: Zep, Cream, the Who, Yes, other classic prog (Geddy's a Genesis and Tull fan iirc), the Police and new wave. I think what makes them seem North American is that they started playing a progressive/hard rock synthesis at a time when those styles were becoming unfashionable in the UK but were retaining their popularity in North America.

EveningStar (Sund4r), Wednesday, 22 May 2013 12:51 (2 days ago) Permalink

it's so hard to say, sometimes it seems like any hard rock-ish band that released more than 3 major label records in the 70s and 80s can play soccer stadiums in brazil

unfinest DN (upper mississippi sh@kedown), Wednesday, 22 May 2013 15:40 (2 days ago) Permalink

I've never got a strictly 'North American' vibe from Rush, ever, and I'm from the UK. Maybe some elements have felt 'North American', but they don't come across to me as being 'North American' in the same way that, say, ZZ Top do. Rush were quite popular here for a spell: Permanent Waves, Moving Pictures, Signals and Grace Under Pressure went Top 5, and Power Windows and Hold Your Fire went Top 10. Not to mention A Farewell To Kings and Hemispheres were recorded here (Rockfield Studios in South Wales), as well as most of Power Windows and Hold Your Fire (in Oxford, Surrey and London).

The Jupiter 8 (Turrican), Wednesday, 22 May 2013 15:50 (2 days ago) Permalink

i dunno rush seems sooo suburban & north american to me

unfinest DN (upper mississippi sh@kedown), Wednesday, 22 May 2013 16:04 (2 days ago) Permalink

Well, first things first. Rush has been a round a long time and is probably popular everywhere. Second, I believe that Brazil show they played may have been their first ever Brazilian, or even South American, show, which combined with the general Brazilian draw for any rock band made for a real event. But third, yeah, there's a real suburban vibe to Rush, probably particular to North America. (And for the record, I would say a band like ZZ Top is distinctly American, which is a different animal). Like, what would be some good examples of music with a suburban UK vibe? It seems to me from this vantage that British music that expresses a similar sense of anomie and isolation to prime Rush largely stems from the cities and less from cookie-cutter neighborhoods of big houses with big yards and sidewalks and SUVs in the driveway and stuff, which seems a mostly American/Canadian thing.

Josh in Chicago, Wednesday, 22 May 2013 16:17 (2 days ago) Permalink

Yeah, I don't know exactly what "North American" really means. I will say Rush seem very individualist, in an us-against-the-world kind of way, and that could perhaps be construed as North American, or even just US-American. And despite Peart's often pretentious lyrics, they have always seemed "of the people" to me, almost blue collar in a weird way -- this IMO isn't North American, it's pretty universal, and I think accounts for a lot of their popularity. They're good-natured, inquisitive white dudes, who happen to get off practicing their instruments, being a tight band and musing about various life themes. It's funny, nothing about the vibe I get from Rush suggests to me that they HAD to be a prog-ish band, but the fact they are is kind of fascinating.

I think "suburban" is a valid descriptor, because even when they sing about modern life and technology or whatever, it always seems from the point of view of an outsider, someone who's not comfortable with the hustle-bustle of a big city. In contrast, ZZ Top is not "North American" or necessarily suburban -- tho they're def some sub-sect of US-American. Essentially, ZZ Top don't give a shit about anything except playing rock music, getting high and girls' legs. Couldn't be further from Rush's point of view.

Dominique, Wednesday, 22 May 2013 16:21 (2 days ago) Permalink

They also like butts.

Josh in Chicago, Wednesday, 22 May 2013 16:29 (2 days ago) Permalink

Josh in Chicago, Wednesday, 22 May 2013 16:29 (2 days ago) Permalink

so funny when gene is all perplexed about how rush didn't want to party and get with chicks on those tours, he sounds mystified

unfinest DN (upper mississippi sh@kedown), Wednesday, 22 May 2013 16:43 (2 days ago) Permalink

Be cool or be cast out.

Josh in Chicago, Wednesday, 22 May 2013 17:09 (2 days ago) Permalink


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