This past month I’ve covered a lot about Rush. To close out this month, and to usher in Christmas Day, I thought it would be a fitting conclusion to share some of my thoughts about Rush to me as a musician and to me as a bass player. Between the ages of 14 and 16 most of us become ‘musically aware’. It’s a once in a lifetime period were we start to separate, what we think … [Read more...] about 25 Days of Rush: Rush – An Introspective Look
25 days of rush
25 Days of Rush: Live Rush Albums
Rush's live albums are an anomaly in live recorded music. Few bands have live albums that perfectly capture the energy of the band performing and the crowd loving every moment of the performance. The live albums have also served as a valuable time stamp of sorts, capturing the band’s sound and ambitions at a particular point in their history onto a single disc. Rush live … [Read more...] about 25 Days of Rush: Live Rush Albums
25 Days of Rush: Solo Rush Projects
Though it doesn’t happen often, Rush’s members take on solo projects. In 1996 Alex Lifeson put out a solo album titled Victor. In 2000 Geddy Lee put out a solo album titled My Favorite Headache and in 2005 Neil Peart released his must-watch lesson in drum solo craft titled Anatomy of a Drum Solo. The Rush's solo projects have been few and far between and only really captured … [Read more...] about 25 Days of Rush: Solo Rush Projects
25 Days of Rush: Time Stands Still Music Video (1987)
The late 80s were not kind to Rush (depending who you ask). From 1985 to 1994 with the release of Counterparts, the band was neck deep in synthetic sounds, lush arrangements and veering far away from their rock roots and alienating fans in the process. While the band ultimately learned what they didn’t want to sound like and came back to their rock roots, it was a time of … [Read more...] about 25 Days of Rush: Time Stands Still Music Video (1987)
25 Days of Rush: Snakes and Arrows (2007)
What more does Rush have to prove with 2007’s Snakes and Arrows? Snakes and Arrows let the world know that Rush was back - for good. Vapor Trails let the world know that the band could overcome tremendous personal obstacles and come back as strong as ever, but Snakes and Arrows showed the world that not only is the band back in action, they’re pushing themselves again, … [Read more...] about 25 Days of Rush: Snakes and Arrows (2007)
25 Days of Rush: Vapor Trails Remixed (2013)
I mentioned before in my Vapor Trails review that Vapor Trails had 2 key problems with it. The first was a perceived sameness from song to song and the second was a mixing and mastering issue. The 2002 version was mixed by David Leonard, masterd by Howie Weinberg and David Lian and produced by Paul Northfield. The resulting mix that listeners were presented with in 2002 when … [Read more...] about 25 Days of Rush: Vapor Trails Remixed (2013)
25 Days of Rush: Vapor Trails (2002)
2002’s Vapor Trails: Rush’s answer to being faced with adversity. In the time between Test for Echo and Vapor Trails a lot happened in Neil Peart’s life. Soon after the conclusion of the band’s Test for Echo Tour in July 1997, Peart's first daughter, 19-year-old Selena, was killed in a single-car accident on Highway 401 near the town of Brighton, Ontario, on August 10, … [Read more...] about 25 Days of Rush: Vapor Trails (2002)
25 Days of Rush: Counterparts (1994)
Geddy Lee said that 1994’s Counterparts was significant in two ways. First, he was putting down the Wal and picking up the old Fender Jazz Bass again. Second, it was going to be the return to the band’s rock roots. No keyboards - all guitar, bass and drums. Both points are absolutely true, but with a handful of stitches. Unlike Roll the Bones, this is certainly Rush at their … [Read more...] about 25 Days of Rush: Counterparts (1994)
25 Days of Rush: Roll the Bones (1991)
Welcome to 90s Rush: a shmorgasborg or really, really forgettable songs. As a Rush fan, all I can ask is what happened in the 3 years between Presto and release of 1991’s Roll the Bones. Presto was a great listen, albeit not Rush’s best by any stretch, but an enjoyable, deep listen with some very high points periodically was an enjoyable listen. Presto told Rush fans that … [Read more...] about 25 Days of Rush: Roll the Bones (1991)
25 Days of Rush: Presto (1989)
The entrance of Presto marks the beginning of another phase in Rush’s musical maturation: slow inching back to returning to rock. While Hold Your Fire only 2 years prior took the epic synth arrangements of Power Windows and kicked it all the way up to 11 and received lackluster reception upon release. The band seemed to have gone full pop and completely away from their … [Read more...] about 25 Days of Rush: Presto (1989)