Memories of Rush on MTV

[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.

 

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.

 

I was in high school. Lots of people wore their Moving Pictures tour shirts with the clapperboard on the back the morning after they played the Garden. But the number of times I saw them on MTV is less than 20.

[invisible airwave]

I saw Limelight on Pop Up Video one time. I remember some stupid pop up saying that they lacked "humor." Yeah, they obviously haven't seen any interviews, heard Take Off from Strange Brew, or watched their South Park and Seinfeld intros to their concerts.

[Principled Man]

I saw Limelight on Pop Up Video one time. I remember some stupid pop up saying that they lacked "humor." Yeah, they obviously haven't seen any interviews, heard Take Off from Strange Brew, or watched their South Park and Seinfeld intros to their concerts.

 

I think Limelight is the first video I saw on MTV.

 

I remember seeing two Alex Lifesons at once - one playing the solo and the other playing the rhythm! :D

[Derek19]

I've been a huge Rush fan. When I was younger, I watched Much Music T.V. a lot. I remember watching, and seeing Rush music videos on t.v. Their videos I saw were "Tom Sawyer", "Limelight", "Vital Signs", "Countdown", "Subdivisions", "Distant Early Warning", "Afterimage", "the Enemy Within (Part III of "Fear"), "the Body Electric", "the Big Money", "Mystic Rhythms", "Lock and Key", "Time Stand Still", "Red Sector A (Live from Grace Under Pressure Tour)", "Marathon (Live from Hold Your Fire Tour)", "Show Don't Tell", "the Pass", "Superconductor", "Roll the Bones", "Stick It Out", "Nobody's Hero", "Half the World", "Driven", "Closer to the Heart (Live from Different Stages)". I've seen, and watched their earlier videos before from post Moving Pictures, and after Different Stages from Snakes & Arrows, and Clockwork Angels. Edited September 18, 2020 by Derek19

[Mosher]

I saw Distant Early Warning on whatever video show I watched when I was a kid. That video was on frequently. Subdivisions sometimes. Never saw the others until later.

[Babycat]

I never got to see MTV in the early days, I don't think it was syndicated to the UK at the time. The only time I did read about it (in the late 90s/early 00s) was when Beavis and Butthead "reviewed" a Rush song, though "lightly savaged it" seems more accurate. At least that's how I interpreted it. Though don't ask what song it was as I honestly can't remember. Either way, I never found it on YouTube, no matter how hard I tried. Copyright issues, perhaps?

[JohnnyBlaze]

I never got to see MTV in the early days, I don't think it was syndicated to the UK at the time. The only time I did read about it (in the late 90s/early 00s) was when Beavis and Butthead "reviewed" a Rush song, though "lightly savaged it" seems more accurate. At least that's how I interpreted it. Though don't ask what song it was as I honestly can't remember. Either way, I never found it on YouTube, no matter how hard I tried. Copyright issues, perhaps?

 

They were ripping on the Stick it Out video. I remember the episode

[JohnnyBlaze]

I never got to see MTV in the early days, I don't think it was syndicated to the UK at the time. The only time I did read about it (in the late 90s/early 00s) was when Beavis and Butthead "reviewed" a Rush song, though "lightly savaged it" seems more accurate. At least that's how I interpreted it. Though don't ask what song it was as I honestly can't remember. Either way, I never found it on YouTube, no matter how hard I tried. Copyright issues, perhaps?

 

They were ripping on the Stick it Out video. I remember the episode

 

http://youtu.be/5vQoMiedy08

[Rhyta]

I never got to see MTV in the early days, I don't think it was syndicated to the UK at the time. The only time I did read about it (in the late 90s/early 00s) was when Beavis and Butthead "reviewed" a Rush song, though "lightly savaged it" seems more accurate. At least that's how I interpreted it. Though don't ask what song it was as I honestly can't remember. Either way, I never found it on YouTube, no matter how hard I tried. Copyright issues, perhaps?

 

They were ripping on the Stick it Out video. I remember the episode

 

http://youtu.be/5vQoMiedy08

 

Oh my hell :laughing guy: those two will make you laugh in spite of yourself Thanks for finding that nugget..

[Babycat]

I never got to see MTV in the early days, I don't think it was syndicated to the UK at the time. The only time I did read about it (in the late 90s/early 00s) was when Beavis and Butthead "reviewed" a Rush song, though "lightly savaged it" seems more accurate. At least that's how I interpreted it. Though don't ask what song it was as I honestly can't remember. Either way, I never found it on YouTube, no matter how hard I tried. Copyright issues, perhaps?

 

They were ripping on the Stick it Out video. I remember the episode

 

http://youtu.be/5vQoMiedy08

 

Oh my hell :laughing guy: those two will make you laugh in spite of yourself Thanks for finding that nugget..

 

Omg...! Thank you for posting the video, JB! :D

[JohnnyBlaze]

I never got to see MTV in the early days, I don't think it was syndicated to the UK at the time. The only time I did read about it (in the late 90s/early 00s) was when Beavis and Butthead "reviewed" a Rush song, though "lightly savaged it" seems more accurate. At least that's how I interpreted it. Though don't ask what song it was as I honestly can't remember. Either way, I never found it on YouTube, no matter how hard I tried. Copyright issues, perhaps?

 

They were ripping on the Stick it Out video. I remember the episode

 

http://youtu.be/5vQoMiedy08

 

Oh my hell :laughing guy: those two will make you laugh in spite of yourself Thanks for finding that nugget..

 

Omg...! Thank you for posting the video, JB! :D

 

No problem :hail:

[Babycat]

There's loads on YouTube! :yay:

[Hunted Witch]

I saw Limelight on Pop Up Video one time. I remember some stupid pop up saying that they lacked "humor." Yeah, they obviously haven't seen any interviews, heard Take Off from Strange Brew, or watched their South Park and Seinfeld intros to their concerts.

 

I was really bummed out that there wasn't a video for Take Off.

[Rhyta]

There's loads on YouTube! :yay:

 

Yeah that's where I have seen them all, I just don't remember seeing them myself on MTV in the 80's.

Edited September 24, 2020 by Rhyta

[Derek19]

I haven't liked, and been able to get into "Beavis and Butt-Head", and even "Ren & Stimpy", too. I could say more, but I won't. Edited September 24, 2020 by Derek19

[Fridge]

I could go on, but I'll stop there.

 

Thank f**k for that ;-)

[invisible airwave]

I haven't liked, and been able to get into "Beavis and Butt-Head", and even "Ren & Stimpy", too. I could say more, but I won't.

 

“I think it’s Lenny Kravitz!”

“Oh, it’s Rush. Oh god.”

[JohnnyBlaze]

I haven't liked, and been able to get into "Beavis and Butt-Head", and even "Ren & Stimpy", too. I could say more, but I won't.

 

Very different types of comedy but I’d go like this:

 

Ren & Stimpy >............ Beavis & Butthead

 

 

[invisible airwave]

I haven't liked, and been able to get into "Beavis and Butt-Head", and even "Ren & Stimpy", too. I could say more, but I won't.

 

Very different types of comedy but I’d go like this:

 

Ren & Stimpy >............ Beavis & Butthead

 

I was obsessed with the former in 6th grade.

[J2112YYZ]

There's loads on YouTube! :yay:

 

Yeah that's where I have seen them all, I just don't remember seeing them myself on MTV in the 80's.

 

Are you talking about Beavis and Butt Head? You wouldn't have seen them on in the 80s since the show didn't come out until the 90s.

[JohnnyBlaze]

I haven't liked, and been able to get into "Beavis and Butt-Head", and even "Ren & Stimpy", too. I could say more, but I won't.

 

Very different types of comedy but I’d go like this:

 

Ren & Stimpy >............ Beavis & Butthead

 

I was obsessed with the former in 6th grade.

 

Right. I got a lot more laughs from Ren & Stimpy. Beavis & Butthead never really did much for me. Mike Judge did a better job with King of the Hill. But I still got a lot more laughs out of Ren & Stimpy. Can’t really think of a funnier cartoon that decade.

[Derek19]

There are other cartoons I haven't liked, but I didn't want to start naming a big list of them. I was maybe, going to say "King of the Hill", "Family Guy", and "Simpsons" earlier, too.

[BigMontanaSKY]

I haven't liked, and been able to get into "Beavis and Butt-Head", and even "Ren & Stimpy", too. I could say more, but I won't.

 

Ren N Stimpy was hilarious.

 

& The "Roll The Bones" video was my formal introduction to the awesomeness of the band. Great video, very interesting.

[tangy]

In the beginning if recall correctly, the first videos shown are from the exit stage left video. This was before ESL was shown in its entirety . Seems like limelight and Tom Sawyer mostly.

[Rhyta]

There's loads on YouTube! :yay:

 

Yeah that's where I have seen them all, I just don't remember seeing them myself on MTV in the 80's.

 

Are you talking about Beavis and Butt Head? You wouldn't have seen them on in the 80s since the show didn't come out until the 90s.

The thread was about videos on MTV, I was laughing at the Beavis and Butthead clip but referring to the 80's stuff.