Signals!

[Segue Myles]

. Edited April 22, 2016 by Segue Myles

[bluefox4000]

I think signals.....as much as i love the other 80's albums.........was the end of peak era Rush.

 

Mick

[Rick N. Backer]

Signals is the "worst" of all the synths albums.

 

And those who say it isn't synths must have a superior mix than the one I own.

 

But the album streak from Fly By Night to MP is one of the greatest in history.

 

Signals is more of a synth album than MP, true. I just don't think Alex had been relegated to the decidedly background role he was on the next several albums. PoW essentially ended my close relationship with the band for almost 20 years.

[bluefox4000]

Also i do think Ged needed a Synth intervention with Power Windows. while i love it.....ged went nuts, lol. they were better integrated on HYF, IMO.

 

Mick

[Blue J]

.

 

This is a riveting post!

[Blue J]

Also i do think Ged needed a Synth intervention with Power Windows. while i love it.....ged went nuts, lol. they were better integrated on HYF, IMO.

 

Mick

 

Agreed. I think Power Windows is a strong album in several ways- but yeah.

[bluefox4000]

.

 

This is a riveting post!

 

he's speechless because of Signals Beauty.

 

Mick

[Rick N. Backer]

Also i do think Ged needed a Synth intervention with Power Windows. while i love it.....ged went nuts, lol. they were better integrated on HYF, IMO.

 

Mick

 

It was fine as an experiment on GUP. They went overboard IMO, but it was interesting. PoW and HYF, and even Presto, are unfortunate continuations of that experiment. I didn't love GUP. When PoW came out, and was basically a continuation of what I didn't love, I really lost interest in Rush.

[bluefox4000]

Also i do think Ged needed a Synth intervention with Power Windows. while i love it.....ged went nuts, lol. they were better integrated on HYF, IMO.

 

Mick

 

It was fine as an experiment on GUP. They went overboard IMO, but it was interesting. PoW and HYF, and even Presto, are unfortunate continuations of that experiment. I didn't love GUP. When PoW came out, and was basically a continuation of what I didn't love, I really lost interest in Rush.

 

I'm an admitted synth era lover. But i really do not like GUP. it sounds far worse then Signals to my ears. And it crumbles under the weight of it's own heavy mood IMO. I love PoW. but it is overboard synth wise.

 

HYF is my fav Rush Album'

 

Mick

[EagleMoon]

Moving Pictures was the end of the "Golden" era in my opinion. Signals was the start of the slow descent into mediocrity from which they never fully recovered. I like the album, but I think that starting with Signals, their better days were behind them. I understand what they were trying to do with it. They had gone as far as they could in the current format and wanted to take things to a new level. It's just not a level that appeals to me as much as where they had been.

 

Don't get me wrong, I've enjoyed much of their work since Moving Pictures, it just doesn't have that magic. It all comes down to which era is preferred by the individual, and I think that Signals was clearly the start of a new direction.

 

Agree 100%.

[bluefox4000]

And also. some people may not like the production on Signals but i do. and it shows that Broon was the last key ingredient in Rush. While there was plenty of great tunes ahead. i do think the spark on albums since is quite a bit diminished.

 

Mick

[Lost In Xanadu]

I had Signals listed as my favorite album for years, until Hemispheres took over.

 

Every song is good, all but 2 (Chemistry, Countdown) I would call great

[Lorraine]

The Weapon is one of the most riveting songs Rush ever did. They never did another like that one. Alex and Neil make that song.

[Segue Myles]

.

 

This is a riveting post!

 

he's speechless because of Signals Beauty.

 

Mick

 

Let me tell ya...ignoring the songs I am cool towards...you nailed it!

 

Seriously great songs on this record.

[Lorraine]

It's a good day to gush over Signals. :)

 

Digital Man always, no matter how many times I listen to it, brings tears to my eyes during that one part of the song with just Geddy and his bass and Alex almost answering Geddy's chords with his own. There's something very touching about that part between the two of them to me.

[Wil1972]

The Weapon is one of the most riveting songs Rush ever did. They never did another like that one. Alex and Neil make that song.

 

If I am remembering correctly, the drums on The Weapon were conceived of after Ged and Al purposely programmed a drum machine to play the most difficult pattern they could muster and presented it to Neil as a joke, telling him that was how they wanted it to sound. After realizing the joke, Neil took on the challenge and attempted to replicate it just to show them up. :-)

Edited April 22, 2016 by Wil1972

[Lorraine]

The Weapon is one of the most riveting songs Rush ever did. They never did another like that one. Alex and Neil make that song.

 

If I am remembering correctly, the drums on The Weapon were conceived of after Ged and Al purposely programmed a drum machine to play the most difficult pattern they could muster and presented it to Neil as a joke, telling him that was how they wanted it to sound. After realizing the joke, Neil took on the challenge and attempted to replicate it just to show them up. :-)

 

I've been trying to get those drums down now for well over a year. Every time I think I've nailed it, I find out I didn't. I'll never understand how Neil did it. Sounds to me almost impossible because it is different beats at the same time.

[Wil1972]

The Weapon is one of the most riveting songs Rush ever did. They never did another like that one. Alex and Neil make that song.

 

If I am remembering correctly, the drums on The Weapon were conceived of after Ged and Al purposely programmed a drum machine to play the most difficult pattern they could muster and presented it to Neil as a joke, telling him that was how they wanted it to sound. After realizing the joke, Neil took on the challenge and attempted to replicate it just to show them up. :-)

 

I've been trying to get those drums down now for well over a year. Every time I think I've nailed it, I find out I didn't. I'll never understand how Neil did it. Sounds to me almost impossible because it is different beats at the same time.

 

Yes and knowing the backstory you can just see Ged and Al saying, "Watch this, we'll get him!"

[Rick N. Backer]

The Weapon is one of the most riveting songs Rush ever did. They never did another like that one. Alex and Neil make that song.

 

If I am remembering correctly, the drums on The Weapon were conceived of after Ged and Al purposely programmed a drum machine to play the most difficult pattern they could muster and presented it to Neil as a joke, telling him that was how they wanted it to sound. After realizing the joke, Neil took on the challenge and attempted to replicate it just to show them up. :-)

 

Like Subdivisions and Losing it, The Weapon is a great example of how synths didn't have to mean A Flock of Seagulls-type songs. The band seems to have forgotten that with PoW and HYF.

[J2112YYZ]

The Weapon is one of the most riveting songs Rush ever did. They never did another like that one. Alex and Neil make that song.

 

If I am remembering correctly, the drums on The Weapon were conceived of after Ged and Al purposely programmed a drum machine to play the most difficult pattern they could muster and presented it to Neil as a joke, telling him that was how they wanted it to sound. After realizing the joke, Neil took on the challenge and attempted to replicate it just to show them up. :-)

 

I've heard a similar story before. I wouldn't doubt that it's true. However the drums came about for the song, one thing is for sure, Neil is doing something really different and special on that song.

[Lorraine]

I think it was Narps that once told me he didn't appreciate The Weapon fully until he watched Rush do it on the Grace Under Pressure tour dvd. Whoever filmed that, and put it together, couldn't have done a better job.

[bluefox4000]

I think it was Narps that once told me he didn't appreciate The Weapon fully until he watched Rush do it on the Grace Under Pressure tour dvd. Whoever filmed that, and put it together, couldn't have done a better job.

 

i wasn't a fan of that tour. but that version of the Weapon is fantastic.

 

Mick

[Lorraine]

I think it was Narps that once told me he didn't appreciate The Weapon fully until he watched Rush do it on the Grace Under Pressure tour dvd. Whoever filmed that, and put it together, couldn't have done a better job.

 

i wasn't a fan of that tour. but that version of the Weapon is fantastic.

 

Mick

It captured so well the intensity during the song of each one of them - from Alex staring off to the side with sweat pouring down his face, to Geddy beating his hand against that little bass he used, to Neil just staring off into whoknowswhere concentrating.

 

All this talk about it makes to want to watch it. I'll go dig it out. :)

[bluefox4000]

I think it was Narps that once told me he didn't appreciate The Weapon fully until he watched Rush do it on the Grace Under Pressure tour dvd. Whoever filmed that, and put it together, couldn't have done a better job.

 

i wasn't a fan of that tour. but that version of the Weapon is fantastic.

 

Mick

It captured so well the intensity during the song of each one of them - from Alex staring off to the side with sweat pouring down his face, to Geddy beating his hand against that little bass he used, to Neil just staring off into whoknowswhere concentrating.

 

All this talk about it makes to want to watch it. I'll go dig it out. :)

 

Alex's solo is intense as hell.

 

Shame that song became obscure as far as live shows go.

 

Mick

[Your_Lion]

I love Signals...just not as much as anything they did before

 

Anything?

Maybe not every song, but all the albums

 

(I'm one of those weirdos who love the debut)

 

You like CoS in sum better than Signals?

CoS just make it into my top 5...so yeah, I do.

But I'll say again that I love Signals