Jump to content

An essay about 2112 that I wrote....


AstrosJake
 Share

Recommended Posts

i just feel like sharing an essay I wrote for one of my classes last year about Rush's earlier years through 2112! Let me know what you think. Thanks!!

 

We Have Assumed Control

Perhaps no band has been scrutinized and criticized more than Rush. Yet, 45 years after they initially formed, they still write more music and sell out stadiums to this day. Their followers are known to be some of the most faithful and intense fans out there, and their achievements are rivaled only by few bands. Some have even claimed Rush to be the biggest and greatest cult band of all time. But to find ultimate success, Rush had to make some difficult and gutsy decisions that came ever so close to ending their careers.

The earliest days of Rush took place in the Toronto area, where the initial members of the band grew up. With Geddy Lee on bass and vocals, Alex Lifeson on guitar, and John Rutsey on drums, their music was heavily influenced by Led Zeppelin. The energy of the music and the clear musical talent of all three band members drew quick local attention. Although the initial self-titled album did not display true musical depth instrumentally and the lyrics were rather poor, it was obvious that these kids could play incredibly well.

When a copy of their album, Rush, arrived at a radio station in Cleveland, they started to gain some attention in the United States. “Working Man,” a song about working from dusk to dawn every day, connected with the Cleveland area, which was primarily an industry-based town. Rush was noticed. Soon, they were signed to a deal with Mercury Records because of their potential to follow in the footsteps of bands similar to their biggest influence, Led Zeppelin.

It was apparent that they would be touring intensely soon, which was a problem for Rutsey, who was diabetic and growing sicker. This led to his release from the band. Perhaps the separation was beneficial for the band; Lifeson and Lee wanted to write more experimental and progressive music in future albums while Rutsey was the exact opposite. He wanted to write pure rock music similar to what their first album featured. With a tour coming up, a new drummer was needed.

Before long, they had found a new drummer: Neil Peart. The addition of Peart drastically changed their music. Peart was a bookworm who had a tremendous vocabulary in addition to an unparalleled ability to play the drums. For this reason, the band decided to let him try writing the lyrics. Like Lifeson and Lee, Peart’s preferred style of music was completely progressive. In Fly By Night, Rush’s first album with Peart, the music was different from Rush in every way. The music had a completely different feel and it was extremely progressive. Nobody else’s music sounded like Rush’s. The bass, guitar work, and drumming were incredibly complicated. For the most part, this part of their music was received well; the record company was impressed with the capabilities of each band member. However, Peart’s lyrics were not appreciated. Songs were complex, sometimes containing full stories with multiple layers. The lyrics and themes came across as weird. Because of this, they were not really radio friendly. Their music was labeled as nerdy and somewhat strange by many people.

In a time where popular bands like KISS were releasing songs called “Love Gun” and “Kissin’ Time,” Rush had “By-Tor And The Snow Dog” and “Beneath, Between, & Behind.” Peart wrote intelligent lyrics like “Beneath the noble birth, between the proudest words, behind the beauty, cracks appear” (Peart 3). Coupled with Geddy Lee’s unmistakable high singing voice, songs like this were not played on the radio because of how different it was in comparison to rock bands at the time. Thus, their record company was not very pleased with the music. They wanted them to be more direct, simple, and easy to listen to and understand. Although the band was steadily developing a devoted fan base, they were warned.

Their follow-up album, Caress of Steel, was almost the last straw. After being advised to change their style, they actually wrote music that was even more complicated lyrically and musically. The lengths of the songs were getting longer, too; two of the five songs on the album were more than ten minutes long. This album featured songs such as “The Fountain of Lamneth,” a 20-minute song that follows a man through his life as he dreams to climb a mountain to see the Fountain of Lamneth. Although the music connected with fans with lines like “Many journeys end here but the secret’s told the same, life is just a candle and a dream must give it flame,” the record company did not understand (Peart 2). They were ready to cut the band and move on. However, Rush’s manager convinced them to allow the band to release one more album.

While agreeing to give them one more chance, the record company made it clear that the style of music they were writing was not what they wanted. They demanded a more direct approach with songs that were easier to understand. Rush’s previous songs just could not get radio time; they were too complicated.

Rush was proud of the music they had written. Fly By Night and Caress of Steel were albums of utmost creativity to them. Many of the songs were about things Geddy, Alex, and Neil were experiencing at the time or looking back at in life. These songs defined who Rush was and their critics wanted them to be different. They had two choices: to give in to the pressure and write a different style of music or to ignore the demands and continue to write what they wanted to write.

Before long, 2112 was released. The front side of the album was a 20-minute, 7-part epic, titled “2112,” that contained movements with titles such as “The Temples of Syrinx,” “The Oracle,” and “The Dream.” This song was pure Rush. Inspired by Ayn Rand’s The Fountainhead, “2112” is set in a futuristic society that is ruled by priests, in the year 2112, where all outlets of creativity are banned. When the character uncovers the last guitar on earth, he discovers expression through music. While he is excited to share his treasure with the world, the priests feel differently. They destroy the guitar, claiming it is pointless. This leads to the character realizing that the world he lives in is void of meaning and purpose. He soon commits suicide. The song ends with the repeated line, “we have assumed control” (Peart 1).

The story of “2112” is actually about Rush. The character in the story represents the band and the guitar is their music. With lines such as “Listen to my music and hear what it can do. There’s something here as strong as life; I know that it will reach you” (Peart 1) and “Our world could use this beauty, just think what we might do” (Peart 1), Rush is speaking directly to the record company. Yet, the priests, meant to represent the record company, still destroy the guitar. The destruction of the guitar is Rush getting cut. After the character falls into a state of depression, the line “I don’t think I can carry on, carry on this cold and empty life” (Peart) is Rush’s way of saying that they are not going to write music if it is not what they want to write because there simply is no point. The character committing suicide represents the end of Rush, and the closing line “we have assumed control” means that the band has made their choice and they are controlling their fate. If they were going to be cut, they were going to go out while writing what they loved.

Fortunately, the record company did not cut Rush. This album, even though it was not like most mainstream music, brought the band to new levels simply because of how incredible it was. The idea of oppression spoke to many people and the instrumental work was second to none. They were gaining more popularity in addition to the already plethora of hardcore fans they had earned from previous albums. For this reason, no record company ever tried to bully Rush again. 16 albums and almost 40 years later, Rush is as popular as ever. Few bands have ever had such incredible, prolonged success.

No matter how many critics claim Rush to be weird and nerdy, their achievements cannot be denied. If they gave in to the pressure and changed, their music would likely not be as memorable and significant. They would have been just like every other band, likely fizzing away eventually due to lack of interest. However, the unmistakable sound that Rush has, paired with the connection that the band is able to make with fans through their music, is the reason they are still flourishing. That connection would have never been made if they did not stay true to themselves. Rush has proved, through their success, that the belief in individuality and creativity trumps conformity and submission.

  • Like 4
Link to comment
Share on other sites

2112 was based on the short novel Anthem by Ayn Rand, not The Fountainhead.

 

the overall theme in the song is very similar to both books. i think i made a mistake claiming which book it was inspired by because at the time, i was starting to read the fountainhead. if you read even the first 5 pages of that book, it's eerily parallel with the ideas in 2112. i think most of ayn rand's writing is like this.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

2112 was based on the short novel Anthem by Ayn Rand, not The Fountainhead.

 

the overall theme in the song is very similar to both books. i think i made a mistake claiming which book it was inspired by because at the time, i was starting to read the fountainhead. if you read even the first 5 pages of that book, it's eerily parallel with the ideas in 2112. i think most of ayn rand's writing is like this.

But 2112's plot is identical to Anthem's. A dystopian future where a lone worker discovers a forgotten relic of a prior age, then brings it to a group of elders only to have them reject it and have the protagonist flee. The Fountainhead is similar in it's strong themes of individuality and it's battle between the individual vs the collectivist authority but the plot is so different from 2112/Anthem

 

Though I'm not debating that Peart found The Fountainhead and really clicked with the ideas in it, influencing him to read more Rand and then write 2112.

Edited by Union 5-3992
  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

alright, then i made a mistake. it was for my class over a year ago, so i guess it isn't really a big deal.

 

what do you think of the essay, itself, though?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Well done, though I've always felt that The Fountain of Lamneth was about the cycle of life from birth to death(beginning to end), with each song about life's experience and journeys;infancy, drinking,falling in love,traveling,getting older and ending with a Garden like realization and discovery.
  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I agree about the meaning of TFOL being about the journey from being born to death, but overall you did a really nice job. Good recap of their career.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

As an English prof, I can say that your writing is very effective - if some of my students could write this kind of lucid prose, my job would be easier. I won't be presumptuous and comment further, except to say that I'd be happy to give you more constructive criticism regarding the structure and analytical content, if you'd like some.
  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

They've got 20 albums, not 16. Other than that it was a fantastic essay.

The 16 refers to the number of albums after 2112.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Good job!

 

Kinda gave me a flashback to writing essays for school (oh, so many years ago).

 

 

I find it interesting that you wrote "front" side as opposed to side 1, the first side or the first half.

 

I realize that it is the "front" side in a sense but I assume that most people who grew up with records and tapes probably wouldn't have referred to it as the "front" side.

 

Is front side common amongst your peers? Is or was the front side of an album commonly used by anyone else? Is it a generational or regional thing?

 

Not a criticism, just curious about how common it may be for other people.

 

 

 

 

Also, dawn ➙ dusk (you know, for future publication :LOL: )

Link to comment
Share on other sites

alright, then i made a mistake. it was for my class over a year ago, so i guess it isn't really a big deal.

 

what do you think of the essay, itself, though?

I doubt anyone noticed... :D
Link to comment
Share on other sites

As an English prof, I can say that your writing is very effective - if some of my students could write this kind of lucid prose, my job would be easier. I won't be presumptuous and comment further, except to say that I'd be happy to give you more constructive criticism regarding the structure and analytical content, if you'd like some.

 

the essay was for a class over a year ago (i got a 97 or 98% or something like that), so any changes wouldn't really do anything. but i posted it on here to see what people think, so if you have constructive criticism, shoot it at me!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Good job!

 

Kinda gave me a flashback to writing essays for school (oh, so many years ago).

 

 

I find it interesting that you wrote "front" side as opposed to side 1, the first side or the first half.

 

I realize that it is the "front" side in a sense but I assume that most people who grew up with records and tapes probably wouldn't have referred to it as the "front" side.

 

Is front side common amongst your peers? Is or was the front side of an album commonly used by anyone else? Is it a generational or regional thing?

 

Not a criticism, just curious about how common it may be for other people.

 

 

 

 

Also, dawn ➙ dusk (you know, for future publication :LOL: )

 

i'm 19, so i know basically nothing about how records work (although they do sound awesome). the "front" of the record is just the word that came to mind when describing the first half of it :LOL:. i think of a record as having two sides, a front and a back. half the record is on the front, half is on the back lol... it's just the word that comes to mind when i describe it

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

alright, then i made a mistake. it was for my class over a year ago, so i guess it isn't really a big deal.

 

what do you think of the essay, itself, though?

I doubt anyone noticed... :D

 

of course not hahaha... that class was full of the kind of kids that listen to Lil Wayne and dubstep. most of the class probably didn't even know who Rush is

Link to comment
Share on other sites

alright, then i made a mistake. it was for my class over a year ago, so i guess it isn't really a big deal.

 

what do you think of the essay, itself, though?

I doubt anyone noticed... :D

 

of course not hahaha... that class was full of the kind of kids that listen to Lil Wayne and dubstep. most of the class probably didn't even know who Rush is

 

Do you know if your teacher know or knew anything about RUSH prior to you writing your essay?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Good job!

 

Kinda gave me a flashback to writing essays for school (oh, so many years ago).

 

 

I find it interesting that you wrote "front" side as opposed to side 1, the first side or the first half.

 

I realize that it is the "front" side in a sense but I assume that most people who grew up with records and tapes probably wouldn't have referred to it as the "front" side.

 

Is front side common amongst your peers? Is or was the front side of an album commonly used by anyone else? Is it a generational or regional thing?

 

Not a criticism, just curious about how common it may be for other people.

 

 

 

 

Also, dawn ➙ dusk (you know, for future publication :LOL: )

 

i'm 19, so i know basically nothing about how records work (although they do sound awesome). the "front" of the record is just the word that came to mind when describing the first half of it :LOL:. i think of a record as having two sides, a front and a back. half the record is on the front, half is on the back lol... it's just the word that comes to mind when i describe it

 

This reminds of the time a friend and went into Best Buy to buy a device to record vinyl albums. There was a teen there 17-18 who had no clue what we were talking about explaining/describing what a vinyl album looked like. Finally, we had to get somebody else to help us. We told him later to goggle it.....you really should know what a vinyl album is.

 

On the way back to the car I said to my friend can you imagine if we had asked him something about 8-track tapes!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I like the essay a lot.

 

But seeing as you've asked for constructive criticism, I'll offer the following. When I read "Perhaps no band has been scrutinized and criticized more than Rush." I am immediately thinking that the author is biased or doesn't know what he's talking about. Rush is popular, but they are not nearly popular enough to be considered among the most scrutinized or criticized bands in history. Stay away from statements like this generally as it is lazy and untrue. But more specifically, there can be no argument that The Beatles, Stones, and Zeppelin have been far, far, far more scrutinized and criticized than Rush. When I see a topic sentence like this, which doesn't really explain anything, an alarm bell rings in my brain that the author is not to be trusted an an objective critic. Furthermore, it doesn't effectively work as a topic sentence as it doesn't explain or describe your essay very well.

 

I'm not saying that your essay is bad: in fact, I quite enjoyed it. But the first sentence immediately put me in the position of questioning everything you wrote and didn't effectively communicate to me the purpose of the essay.

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Well done, though I've always felt that The Fountain of Lamneth was about the cycle of life from birth to death(beginning to end), with each song about life's experience and journeys;infancy, drinking,falling in love,traveling,getting older and ending with a Garden like realization and discovery.

 

Whoa what? That makes so much sense! I always though thought it was about a guy going on some mystical journey or something. Gotta say Panacea and Bachess Platue are amaizing parts of that song. They should bring them back! ASPA

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Well done, though I've always felt that The Fountain of Lamneth was about the cycle of life from birth to death(beginning to end), with each song about life's experience and journeys;infancy, drinking,falling in love,traveling,getting older and ending with a Garden like realization and discovery.

 

Whoa what? That makes so much sense! I always though thought it was about a guy going on some mystical journey or something. Gotta say Panacea and Bachess Platue are amaizing parts of that song. They should bring them back! ASPA

 

This is why FoL remains one of my favorite songs. It works as a piece of literature better than anything else they've produced. It has several layers, very open to interpretation, but not incomprehensibly dense, either.

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
 Share

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...