Cygnus Xanadu-1

http://www.blabbermouth.net/news/rush-to-embark-on-41st-anniversary-tour-in-2015/ It's happening people. Get ready for the awesome.

According to a recent interview Alex did for Classic Rock Magazine, Geddy is still collecting vintage basses and won't stop playing them, so he's hoping that it will shortly lead to another album sometime in the future, but not for at least four or five months before anything is even considered. He also stated that they hope to get back out on the road in early 2015, so we should definitely see them do a few more tours before they finish up. By then I'll be at university so I should finally get to see them live. What I'm hoping is that they'll do what they did for Time Machine Tour and go out with a few new songs and showcase the classics before heading back into the studio to finish up, but by then, it's anyones guess. But I can assure you, Clockwork Angels won't be their last. I'm personally hoping that they'll get to 22 albums/EP's before they retire.

Guitar: La Villa Strangiato Bass: YYZ Drums: By-Tor & The Snow Dog Lyrics: The Pass Vocals: Cygnus X-1 Book Two: Hemispheres Keyboards: Manhattan Project Overall: Cygnus X-1 Book Two: Hemispheres

The terrifying thing about the album is that it's the first time that any of the members of Rush have appeared on an album cover...

They'll have another album out eventually. Or possibly a series of EP's...

From what I have seen, read and heard of the band, I would much prefer to meet them over a five-pound pot of tea than for a thousand-pound five minutes. Geddy is certainly one who would be a far better person to talk to in a more relaxed environment, as I imagine Neil and Alex would be. You can meet your heroes. But you won't usually meet the heroes you wanted to meet.

Similar to my thoughts as well. Rush albums are ones that have the ability to tell a story, especially after "Signals", and each album could be set within the same universe, with Rush acting as historians to document it. My own idea was this: Album One: The Powers that Be 1. Manhattan Project (10 seconds of a recorded heartbeat to be played before the start of the song) - How the weapon that would destroy one day destroy us came to be. 2. Distant Early Warning - We tried to warn you, we tried to help you, but you ignored us. 3. The Weapon - How the bomb has affected our society. 4. A Farewell to Kings - Our society is beyond redemption, this is how it stands. 5. Bravado - Their egos blind them. We can not stop them. 6. The Big Money - They crave wealth. They want more. Only the bomb will give them what they want. 7. Territories - They want land. They will use it if they have to. 8. Between the Wheels - Surely you will not sacrifice so many for so little? Album Two: Tough Times Demand Tough Talk 1. Driven - A coup. War is now certain. 2. Force Ten - We will lead you to victory. We will give you what you want, as long as you listen to us and us alone. 3. Leave That Thing Alone - Don't touch that button! Don't turn that dial! 4. Countdown - All hope is lost. It is time for the war to begin. 5. La Villa Strangiato - The madness of war. 6. YYZ - The warbirds arrive, the bombs in tow. 7. Animate - A new type of soldier, for a new type of war. 8. Tom Sawyer - This modern day warrior has mean, mean pride. Album Three: And so it Came to Pass 1. Red Sector A - Is salvation at hand? 2. Bastille Day - All they have left is their fortress. Today, it shall be ours. 3. The Pass - To go quietly into the arms of my enemy is a fate worse than death. I would rather embrace death. 4. Red Barchetta - Just one of our many rules have now been implemented. Expression is not recommended. 5. Far Cry - We stood by them for years, but this is not what we expected. 6. Mystic Rhythms - I hear of a distant land, a mystic place, maybe I can save liberate my soul in those lands? 7. Xanadu - A map, a poem, a way to escape from the chains that bind me. Album Four: The Purge 1. Vital Signs - Deviate from the norm! We will lead you into the light! 2. Freewill - Choose Freewill, choose to follow us. 3. Closer to the Heart - Let us show you this new reality. 4. Anthem - To follow us, you must follow yourself. 5. The Enemy Within - Purge yourself of your fears. Embrace our concepts! 6. A Passage to Bangkok - We shall keep you satisfied. 7. By-Tor & The Snow Dog - A fable, a retelling, an account of the history we want you to believe in. 8. New World Man - You shall aspire to be this man. Album Five: Clockwork Angels - See the liner notes within the album. 1. Caravan 2. BU2B 3. Clockwork Angels 4. The Anarchist 5. Carnies 6. Halo Effect 7. Seven Cities of Gold 8. The Wreckers 9. Headlong Flight 10. BU2B2 11. Wish Them Well 12. The Garden Album 6: The Sign of Things to Come 1. The Analog Kid - Computers fill my world, there is no purity anymore, but I wish to one day break free. 2. Lessons - Did you not hear us when you were in school? Did you not know that your religion does not tolerate tomfoolery? 3. Digital Man - I have grown, I have seen the world change, but I still dream. 4. 2112 - I have seen what we could be, there is no point living on this earth anymore. Even now, as the temples collapse around me, I know that it will do no good. 5. Hope - One day, humanity will finally be at peace. Album 7: The End is the Beginning, as the Beginning is the End 1. Fly By Night - The destruction of the temples has brought me no solace. I must fly from here, I must start a new life in the stars. 2. Cygnus X-1 Book I: The Voyage - I begin my voyage, hoping that wherever the jaws of infinity shall take me is better than what awaits me should I return home. 3. Cygnus X-1 Book II: Hemispheres - And so begins the struggle between Gods, where man shall embark on his destiny, and where the beginning shall meet the end... 4. The same 10 seconds of the recorded heartbeat found at the start of the first album.

It was a product of the times. Between 1985 and 1987, almost every band with progressive roots released a poppy, and, for the most part, a synth-heavy album. Genesis had "Invisible Touch", Yes released "Big Generator", King Crimson in 1984 released "Three of a Perfect Pair" and Peter Gabriel released "So". The times were calling for shorter, poppier and more radio-friendly songs and Rush tried their hand at it. The results didn't give us another "2112", "Hemispheres" or "Moving Pictures" but, let's be honest, how could it of? This was, in many ways, their last hurrah for the synthesiser, which, from then on, played a far more diminished role for the band. Lifeson finally got to take centre-stage again, Neil's drumming began to change and Geddy went back to focusing on his bass, rather than sprawling synthesiser soundscapes. But for what it is, I'd say that it's a pretty good album, and definitely one of Neil's strongest, from a lyrical perspective.

I was thrown out of a disco for playing "La Villa Strangiato". Does that count as a Rush song moving you?

They'd do a few shows with the 3 hour set, maybe once every 3 shows, but most of the shows will most likely be 90 minutes, not 180. It'd still be awesome though.

Decades If you're playing in front of thousands of people for three hours and nearly every song requires you to sing a lyric, it would be a safe bet that you'll have something to help you along. It'd be foolish not to.

All good things must come to an end. Let's hope they make it a good one. Besides, we've still got seven years left...

Impact, accomplishments, songwriting, influence, legacy, sales etc., yes. Skill, musicianship, longevity, live performances, no. The Beatles are better than Rush if you look at what they achieved, but for the live performance, the musicianship and the all-round niceness, Rush trumps the Beatles. Mind you, Rush actually has a drummer...

There are not enough options on this poll...

There isn't any need to worry about the future of the forum. By the time Rush have retired, we'll have been able to clone them and will be getting ready to transplant their minds into adolescent versions of themselves so that they can continue playing for another 50 years...

Maybe Geddy will finally learn to love it...

Arguably their most underrated release. Lambasted by people who think that synths are a bad thing. They aren't. Just ask Tony Banks...

You have to ask me the day I start to reconsider my rankings. Damn you good sir/madam. But without further ado: 1. Hemispheres 2. Moving Pictures 3. A Farewell to Kings 4. Permanent Waves 5. Clockwork Angels 6. Power Windows 7. 2112 8. Grace Under Pressure 9. Hold Your Fire 10. Signals 11. Fly By Night 12. Counterparts 13. Caress of Steel 14. Roll the Bones 15. Snakes & Arrows 16. Vapor Trails 17. Rush 18. Test For Echo 19. Presto

Prime Mover. Now I can't stop listening to it. It's such an optimistic song.

Probably Power Windows, since it was slap-bang in the middle of their synth period and was discarded as "cheesy synth-rock" by a lot of people. To me it still sounds as fresh as it was in '85 (not that I know what WAS fresh in 1985, considering that I still had to wait another 11 years to be born. However, I personally feel that it was one of their best albums, with some exceptionally strong material that has stood the test of time. "Manhattan Project" is a top 10 Rush song for me for crying out loud.

I would be happy if they released something along the lines of a 12-track album but with an instrumental song representing every other track (2, 4, 6 etc.). What would be nice though is a development of their current sound but with a return to more epic works. Or possibly a series of songs focusing on various historical events, as shown in "Manhattan Project".

... Or is it? ;) If it is, then Rush sure know how to make a convoluted message...

If you want to know which one I voted for, I'll give you a hint... It has a number in the title ;)

La Guillotine claimed her bloody prize...

I decided to throw the Snow Dog a bone on this poll...