127 replies to this topic

[Red3angel]

From signal to echo is all top shelf. Pre signals is a different band but still top shelf. Cp to ca is to me a mix of those two rush bands and even better!!!!

[tangy]

ytserush, on 25 February 2018 - 02:24 PM, said:

fraroc, on 25 February 2018 - 11:24 AM, said:

Every single Rush documentary, or brief written history of the band glosses over the best period of the band like "meh, it happened. Subdivisions was the big radio hit in the early to mid 80s after Tom Sawyer. Geddy's hair looked like a Davy Crockett hat, Whatever. Now let's talk about how great Counterparts is and how it's superior to every record that came out from 82 to 92."

Hell, even most Rush tribute bands do a very 90s and 70s heavy show and only do like 2-3 synth era songs at the max.

You know what? f**k that. It's time the synth era got the love it deserves from Rush fans. Geddy's bass playing and singing were at it's peak around that period, Geddy was multitasking between two different instruments effortlessly, Alex's chord structure became even more unorthodox and interesting. The music was very similar to the new wave groups of that era, but elevated to a much higher level. It was intricate, palatable, the songs weren't too long or drawn out, it was the perfect era for Rush.

I would rather hear all of Grace Under Pressure or Power Windows in it's entirety than Hemispheres.

Nearly all tribute bands won't touch anything before Signals and many of those stop at Moving Pictures. so as a rule I won't bother with them because that's not exactly my idea of a good time..

I think you mean after signals?

You raise an interesting point about tribute bands. Their reluctance to play the snyth years says something.

Not sure what it is though....

[Red3angel]

I found even hyf has outstanding lyrics. All their albums do. Love it all. Recently blown away by how good asoh is

Edited by Red3angel, 25 February 2018 - 02:38 PM.

[J2112YYZ]

ReRushed, on 25 February 2018 - 12:05 PM, said:

The Clockwork Angels set list was synth heavy. The love is there.

I was going to mention that. The band certainly never shied away from playing the stuff. It was always represented in the setlist and they gave the era a ton of love on the Clockwork tour. As for documentaries not mentioning it, that has more to do with who made it. If they don't ask the band anything about that then they're not going to say anything themselves. More people like the synth era than history wants us to remember.

[ytserush]

Day of Light, on 25 February 2018 - 02:16 PM, said:

Love synth era Rush. While earlier Rush sound is starting to sound more interesting to me than it once was, I do think it's a shame that the band doesn't really talk about it. I think there's a lot of stuff that has gotten any mention. I find enjoyment in the fact that they made a lot of money in the 80s.

The documentary was funny. They glossed over almost all of the juicy trivia mentioned about almost disbanding, family drama, etc and went straight to "We started using guitars again on Presto. Now Roll The Bones was..."

One reason it got glossed over in the doc was that Sam Dunn was not a fan of that period so it got the short straw.

[ytserush]

tangy, on 25 February 2018 - 02:34 PM, said:

ytserush, on 25 February 2018 - 02:24 PM, said:

fraroc, on 25 February 2018 - 11:24 AM, said:

Every single Rush documentary, or brief written history of the band glosses over the best period of the band like "meh, it happened. Subdivisions was the big radio hit in the early to mid 80s after Tom Sawyer. Geddy's hair looked like a Davy Crockett hat, Whatever. Now let's talk about how great Counterparts is and how it's superior to every record that came out from 82 to 92."

Hell, even most Rush tribute bands do a very 90s and 70s heavy show and only do like 2-3 synth era songs at the max.

You know what? f**k that. It's time the synth era got the love it deserves from Rush fans. Geddy's bass playing and singing were at it's peak around that period, Geddy was multitasking between two different instruments effortlessly, Alex's chord structure became even more unorthodox and interesting. The music was very similar to the new wave groups of that era, but elevated to a much higher level. It was intricate, palatable, the songs weren't too long or drawn out, it was the perfect era for Rush.

I would rather hear all of Grace Under Pressure or Power Windows in it's entirety than Hemispheres.

Nearly all tribute bands won't touch anything before Signals and many of those stop at Moving Pictures. so as a rule I won't bother with them because that's not exactly my idea of a good time..

I think you mean after signals?

You raise an interesting point about tribute bands. Their reluctance to play the snyth years says something.

Not sure what it is though....

Thanks. That's exactly what I mean.(Not a lot after Signals gets played.)

[goose]

ytserush, on 25 February 2018 - 02:42 PM, said:

Day of Light, on 25 February 2018 - 02:16 PM, said:

Love synth era Rush. While earlier Rush sound is starting to sound more interesting to me than it once was, I do think it's a shame that the band doesn't really talk about it. I think there's a lot of stuff that has gotten any mention. I find enjoyment in the fact that they made a lot of money in the 80s.

The documentary was funny. They glossed over almost all of the juicy trivia mentioned about almost disbanding, family drama, etc and went straight to "We started using guitars again on Presto. Now Roll The Bones was..."

One reason it got glossed over in the doc was that Sam Dunn was not a fan of that period so it got the short straw.

The narrative was very much "they lost me with the keyboards...", with most pro musician fans echoing that sentiment.  Personally, I liked the synth era, although some songs/albums have aged better for me than others.

[Lucas]

Geddy's hair looked like a Davy Crockett hat, Whatever.

I'm not sure why, we've heard this a millions times before, but reading it just now struck me as very funny

My dog is looking like "WTF is wrong with you ?"

[tangy]

goose, on 25 February 2018 - 03:30 PM, said:

ytserush, on 25 February 2018 - 02:42 PM, said:

Day of Light, on 25 February 2018 - 02:16 PM, said:

Love synth era Rush. While earlier Rush sound is starting to sound more interesting to me than it once was, I do think it's a shame that the band doesn't really talk about it. I think there's a lot of stuff that has gotten any mention. I find enjoyment in the fact that they made a lot of money in the 80s.

The documentary was funny. They glossed over almost all of the juicy trivia mentioned about almost disbanding, family drama, etc and went straight to "We started using guitars again on Presto. Now Roll The Bones was..."

One reason it got glossed over in the doc was that Sam Dunn was not a fan of that period so it got the short straw.

The narrative was very much "they lost me with the keyboards...", with most pro musician fans echoing that sentiment.  Personally, I liked the synth era, although some songs/albums have aged better for me than others.

And i am along those lines. Too much ged and keys. Not enough alex.

Perhaps it was no terry brown.

I tolerated the synth years but they left a musical void that was filled by other bands. The first of which was megadeth.

Edited by tangy, 25 February 2018 - 04:22 PM.

[RUSHHEAD666]

prolix, on 25 February 2018 - 11:47 AM, said:

I completely agree.

Growing up as a teen in the "Permanent Waves" and "Moving Pictures" era I must confess and I have told this story many times,  i hated "Signals" when it came out on it's original street date!  I hopped on my bike after school and raced to Rainbow Records to buy the cassette!  I was counting down the second while I sat at my desk all day in school!  I couldn't wait!!
So when I got home and put the cassette on my Pioneer stereo in my bedroom I remember gazing into my speakers with shock and awe.  "Where the hell is the guitar???"  I was so upset and disappointed then.


So that being said of course I did accept and evolve with Rush into their synth period and heck yes I LOVE THOSE ALBUMS!!!!!

[J2112YYZ]

It was a good thing Rush went with the times and stayed relevant in the 80s by keeping a modern day sound. If they didn't they would have faded into obscurity in the mid 80s like so many other bands from the 70s. This would be a forum dedicated to another band and over in the music of the spheres section Earl would have made a thread saying "Who remembers Rush? Awesome 70s rock! Working Man is my jam!" And the thread would get three responses.

Some may have not liked that era but it kept Rush alive and helped grow their fan base.

[Rick N. Backer]

I think the synth-era began with GUP; that’s when they overwhelmed the songs.  It would have been fine as an experiment.  PoW, HYF and Presto don’t get enough derision.

The real problem is that even after the synth-era, they didn’t release any truly great albums for almost 20 years.

[JohnnyBlaze]

tangy, on 25 February 2018 - 12:39 PM, said:

goose, on 25 February 2018 - 12:25 PM, said:

bluefox4000, on 25 February 2018 - 12:20 PM, said:

goose, on 25 February 2018 - 12:17 PM, said:

bluefox4000, on 25 February 2018 - 11:53 AM, said:

Hey Fraroc mark this day down.  We agree!!!!!!

Oh my god.  the world IS ending, lol

LOVE the synth era.

Mick

Don;t get too excited.  The threads not over yet.

yea your right.  he WILL work hair metal into this somehow.

lol

Mick

Did someone say "hair"...?

The middle-aged gedonna!

Except for Christie Brinkley, we all looked like crap in 1985!
Geddy has ripped this hairstyle himself so even he knows its absurdity.

Doesn’t matter. Synth Rush isn’t my favorite but I like it plenty. And I’ll easily take every one of those albums before any 21st century Rush album.

[fraroc]

goose, on 25 February 2018 - 03:30 PM, said:

ytserush, on 25 February 2018 - 02:42 PM, said:

Day of Light, on 25 February 2018 - 02:16 PM, said:

Love synth era Rush. While earlier Rush sound is starting to sound more interesting to me than it once was, I do think it's a shame that the band doesn't really talk about it. I think there's a lot of stuff that has gotten any mention. I find enjoyment in the fact that they made a lot of money in the 80s.

The documentary was funny. They glossed over almost all of the juicy trivia mentioned about almost disbanding, family drama, etc and went straight to "We started using guitars again on Presto. Now Roll The Bones was..."

One reason it got glossed over in the doc was that Sam Dunn was not a fan of that period so it got the short straw.

The narrative was very much "they lost me with the keyboards...", with most pro musician fans echoing that sentiment.  Personally, I liked the synth era, although some songs/albums have aged better for me than others.

Well those fans can f**k right off.

[tangy]

fraroc, on 25 February 2018 - 08:16 PM, said:

goose, on 25 February 2018 - 03:30 PM, said:

ytserush, on 25 February 2018 - 02:42 PM, said:

Day of Light, on 25 February 2018 - 02:16 PM, said:

Love synth era Rush. While earlier Rush sound is starting to sound more interesting to me than it once was, I do think it's a shame that the band doesn't really talk about it. I think there's a lot of stuff that has gotten any mention. I find enjoyment in the fact that they made a lot of money in the 80s.

The documentary was funny. They glossed over almost all of the juicy trivia mentioned about almost disbanding, family drama, etc and went straight to "We started using guitars again on Presto. Now Roll The Bones was..."

One reason it got glossed over in the doc was that Sam Dunn was not a fan of that period so it got the short straw.

The narrative was very much "they lost me with the keyboards...", with most pro musician fans echoing that sentiment.  Personally, I liked the synth era, although some songs/albums have aged better for me than others.

Well those fans can f**k right off.

Do we really have to? And right now?

Quite honestly the synth years gets half the love because its half as good...

[JohnnyBlaze]

fraroc, on 25 February 2018 - 08:16 PM, said:

goose, on 25 February 2018 - 03:30 PM, said:

ytserush, on 25 February 2018 - 02:42 PM, said:

Day of Light, on 25 February 2018 - 02:16 PM, said:

Love synth era Rush. While earlier Rush sound is starting to sound more interesting to me than it once was, I do think it's a shame that the band doesn't really talk about it. I think there's a lot of stuff that has gotten any mention. I find enjoyment in the fact that they made a lot of money in the 80s.

The documentary was funny. They glossed over almost all of the juicy trivia mentioned about almost disbanding, family drama, etc and went straight to "We started using guitars again on Presto. Now Roll The Bones was..."

One reason it got glossed over in the doc was that Sam Dunn was not a fan of that period so it got the short straw.

The narrative was very much "they lost me with the keyboards...", with most pro musician fans echoing that sentiment.  Personally, I liked the synth era, although some songs/albums have aged better for me than others.

Well those fans can f**k right off.

And many of those fans did! ...and then some of them came back when the synths subsided.

And all of that happened before baby fraroc’s birth.

Boils down to this: the synth years weren’t satisfying enough for RUSH so THEY stopped using them as much.

[RUSHHEAD666]

tangy, on 25 February 2018 - 08:32 PM, said:

fraroc, on 25 February 2018 - 08:16 PM, said:

goose, on 25 February 2018 - 03:30 PM, said:

ytserush, on 25 February 2018 - 02:42 PM, said:

Day of Light, on 25 February 2018 - 02:16 PM, said:

Love synth era Rush. While earlier Rush sound is starting to sound more interesting to me than it once was, I do think it's a shame that the band doesn't really talk about it. I think there's a lot of stuff that has gotten any mention. I find enjoyment in the fact that they made a lot of money in the 80s.

The documentary was funny. They glossed over almost all of the juicy trivia mentioned about almost disbanding, family drama, etc and went straight to "We started using guitars again on Presto. Now Roll The Bones was..."

One reason it got glossed over in the doc was that Sam Dunn was not a fan of that period so it got the short straw.

The narrative was very much "they lost me with the keyboards...", with most pro musician fans echoing that sentiment.  Personally, I liked the synth era, although some songs/albums have aged better for me than others.

Well those fans can f**k right off.

Do we really have to? And right now?

Quite honestly the synth years gets half the love because its half as good...

Like the terrible tune "Half The World" baby!

[RUSHHEAD666]

Don't forget about the excellence of Jim Burgess and Anthony Richards on synth arrangements on "Middletown Dreams" and "Emotion Detector."  Two songs I will cherish until I die.

[HemiBeers]

That was the period when Geddy required Al to check his balls at the door. The results were similar to mall background musak.

Sit quietly and politely kids, I promise they'll start to rock very soon.

[RUSHHEAD666]

HemiBeers, on 25 February 2018 - 09:36 PM, said:

That was the period when Geddy required Al to check his balls at the door. The results were similar to mall background musak.

Sit quietly and politely kids, I promise they'll start to rock very soon.

Would you consider "Presto" a Rush rock record with more Alex or still a synth heavy record?

I think it's more balanced.  I love "Presto."