Memories of Rush on MTV

[Rhyta]

Thought I would put this up and see what others remember. I wasn't a Rush fan in the 80's (my loss) and I was talking with my sister last weekend about their videos. I honestly don't remember seeing them much on MTV but since I wasn't a fan that's not surprising.

 

Anyone remember seeing Rush often on MTV or other video shows like Night Flight or VH1?

I have watched a bunch of them on YouTube now that I am a fan but didn't think they got much airplay. So what do you all remember?

[invisible airwave]

Roll The Bones was my intro to them on MTV when I was in 5th grade. They played Driven quite a bit when it came out as well.

[Nova Carmina]

I absolutely remember being at the house of friends of my parents when the debut of "The Big Money" was played. That must have been, what, September or October of 1985? I remember standing in front of the TV, just so happy to be seeing what I was seeing.

 

I also remember learning that Presto had been released when I saw the video for "Show, Don't Tell" in my dorm room; I drove straight to the mall (Musicland) and bought the cassette.

 

Other than those two moments, I have more vague recollections of seeing "Distant Early Warning" several times, but that's about it. Oh, and "Subdivisions" a lot (relatively) in the mid-80s.

[driventotheedge]

Big Money and Time Stand Still videos for me.

[JohnnyBlaze]

Easily remember. I have a memory that Subdivisions was MTV’s first “World Premiere Video”. Not THE first shown video on MTV (that was The Buggies’ Video Killed the Radio Star). But that it was the first one under that title. Could be wrong but I somehow remember that.

 

Before then, they played the live videos for Tom, Barchetta, and Limelight often. Subdivisions, DEW, The Enemy Within, The Body Electric, Big Money, and Mystic Rhythms also got plenty of air time when they were new. The concert vid Exit...Stage Left was shown multiple times, as was the one for Grace Under Pressure. Show Don’t Tell and The Pass also got a healthy amount of MTV attention. I started to slowly tune out after that because of the number of dumb reality shows and game shows started gaining in popularity.

[JohnnyBlaze]

I also remember some short interviews with Geddy and Alex. There were two in particular that I remember from Signals.

 

1. Alex was talking about the numerous of videos they had planned. Ended up they only made Subdivisions and Countdown. Both vids got a lot of air time at least.

 

2. Some high school or college (can’t remember) had a short several week course in Peart lyrics. This was either during Signals or GUP. As a then 10-12 year old fan, I couldn’t have wanted a class more.

[apetersvt]

Don't recall seeing too many Rush videos, but they did one time play the GUP video one night. I still have this recording - VHS tape. Still plays and has the MTV logo in the bottom corner. Never have upgraded to getting it on DVD.

[J2112YYZ]

I was a kid back in the 80s and watched MTV all the time. Don't recall ever seeing them get played a lot.

[Principled Man]

I remember staying up past midnight, watching hours of junk videos, in hopes of seeing one Rush video..... :D

[Rick N. Backer]

Easily remember. I have a memory that Subdivisions was MTV’s first “World Premiere Video”. Not THE first shown video on MTV (that was The Buggies’ Video Killed the Radio Star). But that it was the first one under that title. Could be wrong but I somehow remember that.

 

I’d be very surprised if that’s true. Not sure how to find out though.

[_hi_water._]

idc what anybody says, Time Stand Still has an awesome music video

[Rick N. Backer]

I was a kid back in the 80s and watched MTV all the time. Don't recall ever seeing them get played a lot.

 

Me either. The Le Studio Tom Sawyer and, very rarely, Subdivisions.

[goose]

I absolutely remember being at the house of friends of my parents when the debut of "The Big Money" was played. That must have been, what, September or October of 1985? I remember standing in front of the TV, just so happy to be seeing what I was seeing.

 

The Big Money and Mystic Rhythms got lots and lots of airtime in their day. Those two were pretty inventive. Before that, Subdivisions and Limelight were played fairly regularly, and the GUP videos every so often. Time Stand Still got into the regular rotation on its release, with the featuring of Aimee Mann helping it cross over a bit. I remember Superconductor, The Pass, Stick It Out and My Turn To Drive getting played, but they were pretty cringey vids.

[goose]

idc what anybody says, Time Stand Still has an awesome music video

You leave me no choice...

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Trw5Dd8l2Gc

[_hi_water._]

idc what anybody says, Time Stand Still has an awesome music video

You leave me no choice...

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Trw5Dd8l2Gc

:LMAO: I'm done

[JohnnyBlaze]

Easily remember. I have a memory that Subdivisions was MTV’s first “World Premiere Video”. Not THE first shown video on MTV (that was The Buggies’ Video Killed the Radio Star). But that it was the first one under that title. Could be wrong but I somehow remember that.

 

I’d be very surprised if that’s true. Not sure how to find out though.

 

Why surprised? MTV started in summer ‘81. Signals came out in ‘82.

 

But yeah, not sure. And not sure how to find out either.

[JohnnyBlaze]

Easily remember. I have a memory that Subdivisions was MTV’s first “World Premiere Video”. Not THE first shown video on MTV (that was The Buggies’ Video Killed the Radio Star). But that it was the first one under that title. Could be wrong but I somehow remember that.

 

I’d be very surprised if that’s true. Not sure how to find out though.

 

Why surprised? MTV started in summer ‘81. Signals came out in ‘82.

 

But yeah, not sure. And not sure how to find out either.

 

Just found an article which said it was Thriller in ‘83. That seems...incorrect. But that’s just my memory vs their whatever. Ah well, memory can distort things.

[Nova Carmina]

Easily remember. I have a memory that Subdivisions was MTV’s first “World Premiere Video”. Not THE first shown video on MTV (that was The Buggies’ Video Killed the Radio Star). But that it was the first one under that title. Could be wrong but I somehow remember that.

 

I’d be very surprised if that’s true. Not sure how to find out though.

 

Why surprised? MTV started in summer ‘81. Signals came out in ‘82.

 

But yeah, not sure. And not sure how to find out either.

 

Just found an article which said it was Thriller in ‘83. That seems...incorrect. But that’s just my memory vs their whatever. Ah well, memory can distort things.

 

Just searched my eBook version of "I Want My MTV," but it doesn't turn up any relevant results, so that's no help.

[JohnnyBlaze]

Easily remember. I have a memory that Subdivisions was MTV’s first “World Premiere Video”. Not THE first shown video on MTV (that was The Buggies’ Video Killed the Radio Star). But that it was the first one under that title. Could be wrong but I somehow remember that.

 

I’d be very surprised if that’s true. Not sure how to find out though.

 

Why surprised? MTV started in summer ‘81. Signals came out in ‘82.

 

But yeah, not sure. And not sure how to find out either.

 

Just found an article which said it was Thriller in ‘83. That seems...incorrect. But that’s just my memory vs their whatever. Ah well, memory can distort things.

 

Just searched my eBook version of "I Want My MTV," but it doesn't turn up any relevant results, so that's no help.

 

Here's an example of why Thriller in '83 as MTV's first "World Premiere Video" is incorrect...Cheap Trick World Premiere video in '82:

 

http://youtu.be/LdttMxTSy9U

[Rick N. Backer]

Easily remember. I have a memory that Subdivisions was MTV’s first “World Premiere Video”. Not THE first shown video on MTV (that was The Buggies’ Video Killed the Radio Star). But that it was the first one under that title. Could be wrong but I somehow remember that.

 

I’d be very surprised if that’s true. Not sure how to find out though.

 

Why surprised? MTV started in summer ‘81. Signals came out in ‘82.

 

But yeah, not sure. And not sure how to find out either.

 

Because Rush fans, IMO, tend to overestimate how popular they were, even in the post-Moving Pictures era. I was a pretty regular MTV viewer at that time. Not every video that came out got the World Premier treatment. That was generally artists with much, much, much greater crossover appeal. Subdivisions seems like an unlikely candidate. And I can remember watching for hours for certain videos to get played.

[goose]

Easily remember. I have a memory that Subdivisions was MTV’s first “World Premiere Video”. Not THE first shown video on MTV (that was The Buggies’ Video Killed the Radio Star). But that it was the first one under that title. Could be wrong but I somehow remember that.

 

I’d be very surprised if that’s true. Not sure how to find out though.

 

Why surprised? MTV started in summer ‘81. Signals came out in ‘82.

 

But yeah, not sure. And not sure how to find out either.

 

Because Rush fans, IMO, tend to overestimate how popular they were, even in the post-Moving Pictures era. I was a pretty regular MTV viewer at that time. Not every video that came out got the World Premier treatment. That was generally artists with much, much, much greater crossover appeal. Subdivisions seems like an unlikely candidate. And I can remember watching for hours for certain videos to get played.

Here's a bit from the debut of Distant Early Warning.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=scxjXzsP0kk

[goose]

Here's JJ Jackson hyping the first-ever airing of Exit Stage Left...

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X_WIgMGBQ3s&list=PLYDWs6Furlg6J2CvV0HlVCSApOn5fZSwiDWs6Furlg6J2CvV0HlVCSApOn5fZSwi

[Rhyta]

Thanks for all those recollections. I wish I could remember seeing Rush on MTV but I just don't. I figured they did get played, just had to catch it at the right moment. Those were fun times.

[JohnnyBlaze]

I was a kid back in the 80s and watched MTV all the time. Don't recall ever seeing them get played a lot.

 

Me either. The Le Studio Tom Sawyer and, very rarely, Subdivisions.

 

All I can say is, they did play them a lot. I remember all of those original VJs (Blackwood, Quinn, Jackson, Hunter, and that Welcome Back Epstein looking guy) announcing that Rush would be played within the hour. The background pic they used was black and white and, based on their hairstyles, I think was from Permanent Waves.

 

It’s not like i conjured up the pretty cheesy Grace Under Pressure videos all by myself. Although at the time, I did think it was pretty cool when the dude escaped from the underground labyrinth by the end of The Body Electric.

[JohnnyBlaze]

Easily remember. I have a memory that Subdivisions was MTV’s first “World Premiere Video”. Not THE first shown video on MTV (that was The Buggies’ Video Killed the Radio Star). But that it was the first one under that title. Could be wrong but I somehow remember that.

 

I’d be very surprised if that’s true. Not sure how to find out though.

 

Why surprised? MTV started in summer ‘81. Signals came out in ‘82.

 

But yeah, not sure. And not sure how to find out either.

 

Because Rush fans, IMO, tend to overestimate how popular they were, even in the post-Moving Pictures era. I was a pretty regular MTV viewer at that time. Not every video that came out got the World Premier treatment. That was generally artists with much, much, much greater crossover appeal. Subdivisions seems like an unlikely candidate. And I can remember watching for hours for certain videos to get played.

 

At that time, I don’t think so. I was a 5th grader when I saw the Signals tour. And when my classmates heard I did, I got my 15 minutes of classroom fame. “Did they play Tom Sawyer?” “Duran Duran is better.” “He (Geddy) looks like a girl.”

 

But yeah, the 5th graders in my homeroom knew Rush. 5th graders! I’m not saying they were well received in my class but I am saying they were known...and mainly because of the then-new MTV.

 

Oh, and I wasn’t the only kid who had “Rush” scribbled somewhere on his texts and notebooks.