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kRush - Tribute (one of our members)


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I normally dislike tribute bands because they’re normally terrible. But, this one, K Rush, is REALLY good. I just watched part of their promo video on the YouTube. One of our members (Kenny Lee) is the… wait for it… bass player, singer and keyboardist.

 

And, no I don’t know the guy, nor did he ask me to do this… just giving credit when due.

 

 

 

kRUSH - A Tribute To Rush.

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Normally I don't like tribute bands either, just like you said, they can be terrible. Although my mom and I saw a tribute band back in October called Caress of Steel and they blew our minds. Hopefully I can see them again soon.
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I normally dislike tribute bands because they’re normally terrible. But, this one, K Rush, is REALLY good. I just watched part of their promo video on the YouTube. One of our members (Kenny Lee) is the… wait for it… bass player, singer and keyboardist.

 

And, no I don’t know the guy, nor did he ask me to do this… just giving credit when due.

 

 

 

kRUSH - A Tribute To Rush.

 

Thank you very much TBR! My heart sores like a hawk!

 

You made my day. ;)

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the make or break of any Rush tribute band is the singer. They either sound pretty decent or sound like someone doing a poor imitation of Geddy Lee instead of using their natural voice. Mostly the latter from all that I've gone to see

 

I agree it's the toughest thing to cover. It's not like guitar where you can just go buy a pedal and sound like Alex. I personally don't like the people who try to sound like Geddy cause they always miss. He has the most unique voice and I love him for it! I personally just sing like me and go for the notes and the feel of the song. Just doin' the Best I Can.

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I remember when I was living in Toronto and trying to “make it” in the music biz (I got nowhere of course) there was a really good Rush cover band called Tom Sawyer. This would have been 1982. They were SO good it was almost scary. The guy playing Geddy’s parts looked exactly like him only he played his bass left handed… it was weird seeing that, but man, was he a clone to the Geddster.
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I remember when I was living in Toronto and trying to “make it” in the music biz (I got nowhere of course) there was a really good Rush cover band called Tom Sawyer. This would have been 1982. They were SO good it was almost scary. The guy playing Geddy’s parts looked exactly like him only he played his bass left handed… it was weird seeing that, but man, was he a clone to the Geddster.

 

Would be cool to see video of them! I wonder how long they were around..

 

I actually checked YouTube. Nothing of course but I did end up watching this little guy again! Lol.

 

Off topic I know but I love his enthusiasm and if you watch you can tell he actually knows the song very well.. All the drums parts? No. but the song, yes lol

 

 

Ok back to our regularly scheduled thread already in progress.. ;)

Edited by MMCXII
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I don’t think Tom Sawyer played for long… the guitar player went back school if I remember right. I only saw them once, at the old Knob Hill Hotel in Scarborough. They were really good… played ALL of side one, 2112. All of Moving Pictures too.
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the make or break of any Rush tribute band is the singer. They either sound pretty decent or sound like someone doing a poor imitation of Geddy Lee instead of using their natural voice. Mostly the latter from all that I've gone to see

 

I agree it's the toughest thing to cover. It's not like guitar where you can just go buy a pedal and sound like Alex. I personally don't like the people who try to sound like Geddy cause they always miss. He has the most unique voice and I love him for it! I personally just sing like me and go for the notes and the feel of the song. Just doin' the Best I Can.

 

I played in a Rush cover band for awhile and we had a woman singer. She could hit all the notes just fine and sounded pretty good while at the same time sounding like herself and not someone trying to imitate a voice. Huge difference.

I also get uncomfortable when the bassist/singer is obviously trying to look and act like Geddy Lee. It comes across as contrived and douchey. Some tribute bands you have no choice but to get someone to pretend to be someone else iconic....Rolling Stones with Mick Jagger, Aerosmith/Stephen Tyler etc etc. But Rush never really had a gimmick or legendary look....just three normal guys who happen to be fantastic musicians....so doing the dark glasses and long dark hair etc just looks forced to me. Never liked that.

 

The best Rush tribute band I ever saw was Power Windows in the NJ area. They broke up around 2007 after many years. I have good memories of seeing them at the old Wreck Room in Wallington NJ and coming home at 2am half deaf because of the terrible acoustics in that place with it's concrete walls.

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I'm on the fence about the glasses. A little touch of look I don't think is too much. It is a tribute after all, not just a cover band. I like wearing the RASH shirt and actually the Chuck Taylors are nice because they're thin and flat and it makes playing the bass pedals easier.

 

I personally don't like when there are more than 3 guys in a Rush tribute. Power Windows did have a separate keyboard player. It's not wrong, I just disagree with it. Of course it would be easier if I had a keyboard player but it's just not staying true to the Rush idea in my opinion.

 

And I am growing my hair out again. :blush:

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I remember when I was living in Toronto and trying to “make it” in the music biz (I got nowhere of course) there was a really good Rush cover band called Tom Sawyer. This would have been 1982. They were SO good it was almost scary. The guy playing Geddy’s parts looked exactly like him only he played his bass left handed… it was weird seeing that, but man, was he a clone to the Geddster.

 

Funny, as I was reading through this thread I was thinking about a Toronto area tribute band that was bang on. I don't remember the bass player being left handed though. Was there a band call yyz back around that time? I remember seeing them at Humber College in 82 or 83?

 

Anyway, if I were doing a Rush tribute band I would totally go the long wig route and wear the Kimonos. That would sell the illusion visually, which I find to be the most distracting thing about cover bands.

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I like the music, but he sang the wrong words! :LOL:

 

Anyway, if I were doing a Rush tribute band I would totally go the long wig route and wear the Kimonos. That would sell the illusion visually, which I find to be the most distracting thing about cover bands.

:D I like the kimono idea!

 

But I find the whole impersonation thing quite unsettling; if a band is musically proficient enough to play Rush songs, surely it would be better for them to write their own stuff and play that? Maybe cover some Rush, but do it in their own style? I find watching people dressing up as Geddy Lee a bit disturbing- it's like watching an Elvis impersonator. Am I the only one who feels that way? :blink:

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I like the music, but he sang the wrong words! :LOL:

 

Anyway, if I were doing a Rush tribute band I would totally go the long wig route and wear the Kimonos. That would sell the illusion visually, which I find to be the most distracting thing about cover bands.

:D I like the kimono idea!

 

But I find the whole impersonation thing quite unsettling; if a band is musically proficient enough to play Rush songs, surely it would be better for them to write their own stuff and play that? Maybe cover some Rush, but do it in their own style? I find watching people dressing up as Geddy Lee a bit disturbing- it's like watching an Elvis impersonator. Am I the only one who feels that way? :blink:

 

Obviously I disagree.

 

To address your first question... I'm not going to "make it" in the music business. My parents squashed that dream a long time ago. Like almost everyone here, I love Rush. The music reaches me on a deep level. The musicianship, the subtleties that no one who doesn't play an instrument will ever understand.

 

My guitar player and I were practicing with our drummer last night. After the drummer left (he always leaves first) we sat around and played quietly a little. We did acoustic versions of Red Barchetta, Hemispheres prelude, Closer To The Heart, Xanadu... unbelievable. It was the first time we ever did it (just for kicks) and the first time I ever heard the guitar and bass played so cleanly so all of the notes rang true... it was gorgeous! Hard to imagine Hemispheres done acoustic. If you have the means I suggest it. Beauty incarnate.

 

OK, that was a long explanation. Basically I love playing Rush more than anything else and my own material. I play and sing well. I am not a composer... well a good one anyway.

 

I don't "dress up" like Geddy exactly. I wear similar shirts and shoes. Would I do the Kimono thing at some point? Absolutely! I think people who are paying to see us would appreciate that and enjoy it. It's all about having a good time.

 

Just my thoughts.

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I like the music, but he sang the wrong words! :LOL:

 

Anyway, if I were doing a Rush tribute band I would totally go the long wig route and wear the Kimonos. That would sell the illusion visually, which I find to be the most distracting thing about cover bands.

:D I like the kimono idea!

 

But I find the whole impersonation thing quite unsettling; if a band is musically proficient enough to play Rush songs, surely it would be better for them to write their own stuff and play that? Maybe cover some Rush, but do it in their own style? I find watching people dressing up as Geddy Lee a bit disturbing- it's like watching an Elvis impersonator. Am I the only one who feels that way? :blink:

 

Obviously I disagree.

 

To address your first question... I'm not going to "make it" in the music business. My parents squashed that dream a long time ago. Like almost everyone here, I love Rush. The music reaches me on a deep level. The musicianship, the subtleties that no one who doesn't play an instrument will ever understand.

 

My guitar player and I were practicing with our drummer last night. After the drummer left (he always leaves first) we sat around and played quietly a little. We did acoustic versions of Red Barchetta, Hemispheres prelude, Closer To The Heart, Xanadu... unbelievable. It was the first time we ever did it (just for kicks) and the first time I ever heard the guitar and bass played so cleanly so all of the notes rang true... it was gorgeous! Hard to imagine Hemispheres done acoustic. If you have the means I suggest it. Beauty incarnate.

 

OK, that was a long explanation. Basically I love playing Rush more than anything else and my own material. I play and sing well. I am not a composer... well a good one anyway.

 

I don't "dress up" like Geddy exactly. I wear similar shirts and shoes. Would I do the Kimono thing at some point? Absolutely! I think people who are paying to see us would appreciate that and enjoy it. It's all about having a good time.

 

Just my thoughts.

Well, I wasn't meaning your band so much, KennyLee, as the band that andreww linked to. I like to listen to cover versions of Rush songs, and I enjoy playing them myself. But to see a band dressed as Rush, even down to the haircuts, it becomes less of a tribute and more of a parody. I admire the musicianship, but would personally rather see them dressed as themselves, and encourage them to try composing. After all, Neil Peart expressed that he would rather inspire musicians to carve their own path, rather than have them emulate Rush.

 

However, each to his own- there are a lot of Elvis impersonators making more money than I ever will! And if they have fun doing it, then all power to them. I'd pay to see you in a kimono, though! ;)

 

Your parents squashed your dream of making it in the music business? Phooey to them! You are a good musician in my opinion (although I admit I'm not that qualified to comment), and if you want something you don't need anyone's approval. :)

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I like the music, but he sang the wrong words! :LOL:

 

Anyway, if I were doing a Rush tribute band I would totally go the long wig route and wear the Kimonos. That would sell the illusion visually, which I find to be the most distracting thing about cover bands.

:D I like the kimono idea!

 

But I find the whole impersonation thing quite unsettling; if a band is musically proficient enough to play Rush songs, surely it would be better for them to write their own stuff and play that? Maybe cover some Rush, but do it in their own style? I find watching people dressing up as Geddy Lee a bit disturbing- it's like watching an Elvis impersonator. Am I the only one who feels that way? :blink:

 

This is where I'm at now. Years ago in the late '90s before Youtube and while the band themselves were in hiatus, going to see a Rush cover band was really cool and exciting. Now, 17 years later and having seen about a million of them as well as playing in one myself for a long time off and on (we never played paying gigs, just the occcasional backyard party) I find them (no offense to anyone please) mostly predictable, sometimes cringe worthy, and a sense of been there-done that. There's a ton of Rush tribute bands out there all promising to be THE ULTIMATE tribute, but all sounding and looking more or less the same to me. It's boring.

 

If I was in a band now that played a Rush song, I'd totally be open to reinterpreting it or reworking it to keep it interesting. Again, hearing (or performing myself) yet another note-for-note rendition of Tom Sawyer or Limelight or 2112 or Spirit is very stale.

Edited by jnoble
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Ugh. That singer is not very good and the song sounds...off. Like "Alex" is slightly out of tune or playing the wrong chords. And did "Geddy" really have to do the "how you all doing out there tonight?" with the hand over the eye routine? This is the type of thing I was describing before as douche-y

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