Hemispheres in my brain

[Blue J]

Every time I hear "Then all at once the chaos ceased... " it hits me hard. Builds so perfectly to that line.

 

For me, it's the music that follows that line that hits me so hard: after "The warriors felt my silent cry, and stayed their struggle, mystified"- and crescendos into the huge climax of the whole piece- "Apollo was astonished; Dionysus thought me mad"...that passage that lasts maybe two and a half minutes or so until the perfect coda that is The Sphere...from roughly the 14:30 to 17:00 mark- is my favorite passage of music in the entire Rush canon. It never ceases to thrill me; it sets me on fire! (In a good way).

[Pale Facsimile]

I think that for some people, one needs something to TRIGGER a pivotal listen to Hemispheres which changes their life forever. Take me, for instance. I've been a huge RUSH fan since May 2005, when a friend from college got me into them. Over the next nine years, I'd gotten to like lots of songs from lots of different albums. I'd already liked The Trees and LVS, and the S&A Live disc helped me enjoy Circumstances...but I still wasn't really into "Side 1". Then last June, after having two relationships end abruptly within 5 months of each other (the second of which was especially bad; the girl had a LOT of issues), I happened to listen to the live 1994 version of Prelude on Youtube...which was awesome, and I decided to give the full studio track another fair listen. I had lyrics open in another tab, and was following along with the whole "struggle between heart and mind" theme, and was like "THIS SONG IS ME!!!" (you know, except for the whole traveling through time and space and ending up with a bunch of warring gods).

 

So, instantly, Hemispheres became my favorite album, and Cygnus X-1 Book II became tied for my favorite RUSH song with Natural Science.

[HemiBeers]

Agree with everyone that Hemi is their best expecially with Cygnus Book II. So I guess I'll say something that will ruffle some feathers. :D

 

The difference between Cygnus Book I and II is night and day for me. Book I is an incoherant indulgent mess while Book II is seemless prog epic. The structure of Book II makes total sense from beginning to end where Book I is a 'kitchen sink' approach of throwing things into a song without making sure it fits. Book I sounds like they were trying to top 2112 and it's just sloppy and goofy.

Edited April 15, 2015 by 2112FirstStreet

[Blue J]

I don't know about that...I think the music in Book I fits really well. I love both of them.

[Stormtron]

Every time I hear "Then all at once the chaos ceased... " it hits me hard. Builds so perfectly to that line.

 

For me, it's the music that follows that line that hits me so hard: after "The warriors felt my silent cry, and stayed their struggle, mystified"- and crescendos into the huge climax of the whole piece- "Apollo was astonished; Dionysus thought me mad"...that passage that lasts maybe two and a half minutes or so until the perfect coda that is The Sphere...from roughly the 14:30 to 17:00 mark- is my favorite passage of music in the entire Rush canon. It never ceases to thrill me; it sets me on fire! (In a good way).

 

This is exactly the part that was playing when I realized this is my favorite song ever.

[EagleMoon]

In Jr. High I was transfixed/obsessed with Hemispheres like no other record before or since. The feeling's not as intense these days but it will always be the most magical lp ever to me.

What was it about the album that transfixed you?

 

 

Much of the album, esp the middle part of La Villa, but the single best example would be from below, 2:18 to 3:50, my favorite minute and a half of music by anyone. Thanks for asking! :ebert:

 

p.s. I really love the ESL version of this part as well. Same of Xanadu, love the ESL version.

 

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

 

That was always one of my favorite parts of song as well. :)

[HemiBeers]

Hemispheres is a curse for them in a way because we now expect everything to meet or exceed that album. That's when I hear total garbage like Hold Your Fire and wonder if this is actually the same band that did Hemi?

[KennyLee]

I knew it! Rutle, I fast-forwarded to your favorite La Villa part knowing it would be my favorite part as well. I especially love the part that begins at 5:15.

 

If Alex never wrote another thing in his life, this song would have been enough to forever brand him as a master of the guitar.

 

I'd love to ask him how he wrote it, and what inspired the notes.

 

I think you'd be surprised by his answer. Haha

 

Where Alex's genius lies is that nothing is preconceived. It is just emotion pouring out of him through his guitar... or... well it used to be. Geddy would cut and paste a lot of his stuff later but that's why they started recording everything.

 

Lerxst would play this unbelievable solo and they'd ask, "What was that you just played" and he's reply, "I have no idea".

 

Love Lerxst!

[Blue J]

Hemispheres is a curse for them in a way because we now expect everything to meet or exceed that album. That's when I hear total garbage like Hold Your Fire and wonder if this is actually the same band that did Hemi?

 

Hey, now! :tsk:

 

Don't go picking on Hold Your Fire. I may be in slim company, but Hemispheres and Hold Your Fire are my favorite Rush albums.

 

I think of Hemispheres more along the lines of a crowning achievement- and not necessarily that we would expect them do keep doing that (or topping it).

 

To your point, though, it certainly is a benchmark, yes.

[Rutlefan]

I knew it! Rutle, I fast-forwarded to your favorite La Villa part knowing it would be my favorite part as well. I especially love the part that begins at 5:15.

 

If Alex never wrote another thing in his life, this song would have been enough to forever brand him as a master of the guitar.

 

I'd love to ask him how he wrote it, and what inspired the notes.

 

If you haven't seen it already, check this out. Love this so much.

 

[Segue Myles]

Guys I give up having an opinion.

 

Today I played it and it sounded amazing.

 

Is there a goblin that swaps ober my disc for white noise between plays? I hate it...i love it...i hate it...i love it.

 

I never like it.

 

NO OTHER ALBUM CONFUSES ME AS MUCH AS THIS STUPID ALBUM

 

I don' believet anything you say.......ANYMORE.

 

Eat MY poo

 

lol

 

Mick

 

I'm not a liar Mick.

 

Anyway, gotta go. Going out with Jennifer Lawrence tonight, I am picking her up on my pet unicorn.

[bluefox4000]

Guys I give up having an opinion.

 

Today I played it and it sounded amazing.

 

Is there a goblin that swaps ober my disc for white noise between plays? I hate it...i love it...i hate it...i love it.

 

I never like it.

 

NO OTHER ALBUM CONFUSES ME AS MUCH AS THIS STUPID ALBUM

 

I don' believet anything you say.......ANYMORE.

 

Eat MY poo

 

lol

 

Mick

 

I'm not a liar Mick.

 

Anyway, gotta go. Going out with Jennifer Lawrence tonight, I am picking her up on my pet unicorn.

 

Say hi.

 

Mick

[Segue Myles]

Guys I give up having an opinion.

 

Today I played it and it sounded amazing.

 

Is there a goblin that swaps ober my disc for white noise between plays? I hate it...i love it...i hate it...i love it.

 

I never like it.

 

NO OTHER ALBUM CONFUSES ME AS MUCH AS THIS STUPID ALBUM

 

I don' believet anything you say.......ANYMORE.

 

Eat MY poo

 

lol

 

Mick

 

I'm not a liar Mick.

 

Anyway, gotta go. Going out with Jennifer Lawrence tonight, I am picking her up on my pet unicorn.

 

Say hi.

 

Mick

 

My unicorn says hi back.

 

Elvis.

[Lorraine]

I knew it! Rutle, I fast-forwarded to your favorite La Villa part knowing it would be my favorite part as well. I especially love the part that begins at 5:15.

 

If Alex never wrote another thing in his life, this song would have been enough to forever brand him as a master of the guitar.

 

I'd love to ask him how he wrote it, and what inspired the notes.

 

If you haven't seen it already, check this out. Love this so much.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=78D00dYOBrM

 

Is this an actual video of him playing it there? I can't watch it, but I have the audio bootleg on my USB stick of Rush gems and assorted other goodies.

[Lorraine]

Guys I give up having an opinion.

 

Today I played it and it sounded amazing.

 

Is there a goblin that swaps ober my disc for white noise between plays? I hate it...i love it...i hate it...i love it.

 

I never like it.

 

NO OTHER ALBUM CONFUSES ME AS MUCH AS THIS STUPID ALBUM

 

I don' believet anything you say.......ANYMORE.

 

Eat MY poo

 

lol

 

Mick

 

I'm not a liar Mick.

 

Anyway, gotta go. Going out with Jennifer Lawrence tonight, I am picking her up on my pet unicorn.

Make sure she doesn't sit on the wrong end of the unicorn.

[Rutlefan]

I knew it! Rutle, I fast-forwarded to your favorite La Villa part knowing it would be my favorite part as well. I especially love the part that begins at 5:15.

 

If Alex never wrote another thing in his life, this song would have been enough to forever brand him as a master of the guitar.

 

I'd love to ask him how he wrote it, and what inspired the notes.

 

If you haven't seen it already, check this out. Love this so much.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=78D00dYOBrM

 

Is this an actual video of him playing it there? I can't watch it, but I have the audio bootleg on my USB stick of Rush gems and assorted other goodies.

 

Yeah, actual video. My favorite live performance of anything (along with Radiohead '97).

[Lorraine]

I knew it! Rutle, I fast-forwarded to your favorite La Villa part knowing it would be my favorite part as well. I especially love the part that begins at 5:15.

 

If Alex never wrote another thing in his life, this song would have been enough to forever brand him as a master of the guitar.

 

I'd love to ask him how he wrote it, and what inspired the notes.

 

If you haven't seen it already, check this out. Love this so much.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=78D00dYOBrM

 

Is this an actual video of him playing it there? I can't watch it, but I have the audio bootleg on my USB stick of Rush gems and assorted other goodies.

 

Yeah, actual video. My favorite live performance of anything (along with Radiohead '97).

In that case, I am very sorry I can't watch it. I do so love to watch the "old" Rush in action!

[Lorraine]

Wait a minute. I have Chronicles on DVD. I think that's the same La Villa on that as the one you posted here.

 

No. Just checked. Alex is wearing a different top. But whatever the one I have is from, it is old. Poor quality, but wonderful to watch just the same.

Edited April 15, 2015 by Lorraine

[Segue Myles]

Guys I give up having an opinion.

 

Today I played it and it sounded amazing.

 

Is there a goblin that swaps ober my disc for white noise between plays? I hate it...i love it...i hate it...i love it.

 

I never like it.

 

NO OTHER ALBUM CONFUSES ME AS MUCH AS THIS STUPID ALBUM

 

I don' believet anything you say.......ANYMORE.

 

Eat MY poo

 

lol

 

Mick

 

I'm not a liar Mick.

 

Anyway, gotta go. Going out with Jennifer Lawrence tonight, I am picking her up on my pet unicorn.

Make sure she doesn't sit on the wrong end of the unicorn.

 

http://cdn.alltheragefaces.com/img/faces/large/happy-oh-stop-it-you-l.png

[Lorraine]

Success, Rutlefan.

 

Perseverance always wins the days.

 

there is a Special Features section that I thought to check out, and there it was "Live At Pinkpop - La Villa Strangiato".

[Lorraine]

Success, Rutlefan.

 

Perseverance always wins the days.

 

there is a Special Features section that I thought to check out, and there it was "Live At Pinkpop - La Villa Strangiato".

 

That was a real treat. Alex's fingers flew over those guitar strings!

 

Thanks, Rutlefan.

[troutman]

Hemispheres is a curse for them in a way because we now expect everything to meet or exceed that album. That's when I hear total garbage like Hold Your Fire and wonder if this is actually the same band that did Hemi?

 

 

:smoke: :smoke: :smoke:

[jefeltner11]

If The Trees was left out or swapped with a better Rush song (although it wouldn't necessarily flow as well) I'd call this album literally flawless. Hemispheres is my 2nd favorite song, and La Villa my all-time favorite of anything ever, and Circumstances is somewhere around 5th or 6th favorite song that isn't an epic, but those dang trees. I never really liked just how silly the song sounds. Just like Jacob's Laddee, I'll never understand why it's so loved.

[toymaker]

If The Trees was left out or swapped with a better Rush song (although it wouldn't necessarily flow as well) I'd call this album literally flawless. Hemispheres is my 2nd favorite song, and La Villa my all-time favorite of anything ever, and Circumstances is somewhere around 5th or 6th favorite song that isn't an epic, but those dang trees. I never really liked just how silly the song sounds. Just like Jacob's Laddee, I'll never understand why it's so loved.

 

Love is a great mystery. I'm happy to be part of the mystery.

[Narps]

If The Trees was left out or swapped with a better Rush song (although it wouldn't necessarily flow as well) I'd call this album literally flawless. Hemispheres is my 2nd favorite song, and La Villa my all-time favorite of anything ever, and Circumstances is somewhere around 5th or 6th favorite song that isn't an epic, but those dang trees. I never really liked just how silly the song sounds. Just like Jacob's Laddee, I'll never understand why it's so loved.

 

Love is a great mystery. I'm happy to be part of the mystery.

Me too... :cheers: