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The Synth Era dosen't get half the love it deserves from Rush fans and the band itself


fraroc
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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.

Edited by fraroc
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Every single Rush documentary, or brief written history of the band glosses over the best period of the band like "meh, it happened...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.

AYE-AYE! Truth!

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Gets all the love from me, Ged did beautiful work on the synths that Al could fill in and around the spaces with.

 

Even on the last album Ged's subtle keyboards on BU2B were exquisite

Edited by lifeson90
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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.

 

I dont consider gup to be synth era. In my eyes it started with power windows.

 

Secondly sudivisions was not the big hit. I can see why you would think that but new world man is highest charting single iirc.

 

Either way if gup or pow windows was their first record it likely would of been their last.

 

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

That was my first thought. They dedicated a large part of their CA setlist to synth-era revival.

 

:huh:

 

What I hear from the band is that HYF went as far as their use of synths could really go (to the point of over-use, maybe). Is that inaccurate in any way?

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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.

 

 

 

:P

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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.

 

 

 

:P

 

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

 

lol

 

Mick

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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.

 

 

 

:P

 

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

 

lol

 

Mick

Did someone say "hair"...?

 

http://archives.rickresource.com/oldattachments/69082.jpg

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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.

 

 

 

:P

 

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

 

lol

 

Mick

Did someone say "hair"...?

 

http://archives.rickresource.com/oldattachments/69082.jpg

 

oh yea Ged's Racoon head look, lol

l

sexy.

 

Mick

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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.

 

 

 

:P

 

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

 

lol

 

Mick

Did someone say "hair"...?

 

http://archives.rickresource.com/oldattachments/69082.jpg

 

 

The middle-aged gedonna!

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I love the synth era. I'm not crazy about most of Power Windows, but I wouldn't trade Permanent Waves, MP, and Signals for anything.

 

Its funny how far apart we are in regards to when the "synth" era began.

 

Of course any opinion is as valid as another so its all good.

 

To me the synth era began with power windows when they brought in additional keyboard players.

 

Secondly it seemed they shifted musically with pow windows in that it no longer was reggae flavored like perm waves to gup.

 

Imo

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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..."

Edited by Day of Light
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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..

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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....

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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.

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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.

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