toymaker

I hope you had a good one!

Neil: Are ya sure about this, Bob?

Yeah, great point. It is already essentially an oral history, with long quotes strung together with a few transition pieces. It would be more honest to just go full "oral history." If the second one is like the first one, some more editing of redundant stories would be welcome, too. I'll read this, because I'll read them all, but my expectations are tempered. I agree - Popoff does have a certain enthusiastic style in his earlier books, and it still shows up from time to time, but he's gotten pretty lazy as a writer, mostly just stringing quotations together. I agree that there's some redundancy. I wouldn't mind knowing, also, when some of these interviews were conducted.

Thanks for the post. Very positive article.

Happy birthday! :rush:

...and many happy more!

Thanks! I took some time off from marking (thereby getting completely behind) and had a pretty good day listening to tunes and watching movies. I "accidentally" bought a bass recently on eBay (don't ask, because it's pretty embarrassing and boy am I dumb), so that's my birthday present to myself, I guess . . . I was away from the forum for a while, and have started to come on every so often now (it's a pretty addictive place to be). I hold you all in the highest regard - not just because you are Rush fans, but because you are just good people. Thanks for thinking of me!

Thanks for the advice, everyone. Going to crack it open soon.

Rush - Here Again (Working Man is amazing, but even though the Here Again solo is a bit simpler, it's more emotional) Fly By Night - By-Tor (the solo after the buzzroll on the snare) Caress Of Steel - The Necromancer (totally agree) 2112 - Soliloquy A Farewell To Kings - toss up between the wild wah solos in the title track and Cygnus X-1 Hemispheres - La Villa Strangiato Permanent Waves - Freewill (but a nod to the studio version of the Jacob's Ladder solo) Moving Pictures - Limelight, but I also love The Camera Eye Signals - Digital Man (love the squeals) Grace Under Pressure - Between the Wheels Power Windows - Emotion Detector Hold Your Fire - Turn the Page (because it's so weird) Presto - I'd probably say the lead stuff in the background of Scars. There are some interesting solos, but the lead tone is kind of cheesy Roll The Bones - I want to say Bravado, but the studio version doesn't have the extended solo that he does live. I don't listen to this record enough to pick one. Counterparts - Cut To The Chase Test For Echo - Time and Motion, because it's so nasty Vapor Trails - not too many actual solos on this, but I guess I'd go with Earthshine as well Snakes & Arrows - The Way the Wind Blows? Clockwork Angels - The Garden's solo is a bit like Limelight; Headlong Flight's solo is a bit like Anthem's. There's a lot of cool lead stuff on this album. I quite like the Clockwork Angels solo.

"The inhabitants refer to it as the planet . . . euhth." "How peaceful it looks . . ." "Ha ha ha ha ha . . . ha ha ha . . . most effective, your Majesty! Will you destroy this, er . . . euhth?" "Later. I like to play with things awhile . . . before annihilation." "Ha ha ha ha ha!

I like the tune, but I still think Lee sounds a bit constipated when he sings "Play of light / A photograph." I'm wondering what people think of the lyrics. Peart was pretty good at playing with concept phrases and finding the metaphorical potential.

slim pickings here... I think I'd be more apt to listen to this if it didn't have all the overdubbed dialogue.

These kinds of lists usually snub the proggy stuff. I was surprised by a couple of these choices, I guess. I'd also consider Donny Hathaway Live, Genesis Three Sides Live (the version with the fourth side live), John Hiatt Comes Alive at Budokan, and . . . maybe . . . Live Killers by Queen, although I haven't listened to it in a while. I'd consider Floyd at Pompeii, because I think that version of Echoes is pretty great.

Great tunes . . . seriously, though, every lyrical cliche in the book . . . Pretty corporate band, all around, but as a young listener in the late 70s and early 80s, I couldn't help but be drawn to the power trio thing (just like Rush!) big double-bass kit with a million toms (just like Peart!), the double-necks (just like Lee and Lifeson!), the crazy high voice (etc.). I don't warm to them as much as I once did, but every once in a while I'll hear a tune and it'll take me right back. Allied Forces for me, which would be perfect but for that "Hot Time in the City" turkey.

Are people deliberately not mentioning Star Wars ('77) because it's too obvious??

Another tough call - interesting comparison, given that both have nature themes, both start with the delicate "classical" sounding intros, pick up and then have the quieter interlude later. I think the groove in Roundabout is really cool, and I love the arrangement of the song. Having said that, I quite like the interlude in The Trees just before the solo.

Like, a deep conversation over a fine meal?

The Trees appeals to the 10-year-old boy in me trying to work my way through The Lord of the Rings because my teacher thought I could. Distant Early Warning sort of appeals to the slightly worried "what the f**k is happening to the world" adolescent in me. I really dig the music, though.

Please.

But who is more celestialer?

Isn't there a lawyer called Louis in Jacob Two-Two Meets the Hooded Fang?

Tough one for me, and I don't think I can choose. I certainly don't think Stevie Ray Vaughn is overhyped, and what a terrific showman - I prefer watching him play, which is mesmerizing. But then ZZ Top just has that groove, and the great lead playing as well.

I'd have to say May as well. Townshend is a brilliant writer; there's no doubt about that in my mind, and he's given us some incredible riffs, but my ear pretty much always drifts to Entwistle or Moon. Page is an innovator and an inspiration, and I love a lot of his riffs and solos, in spite of the occasional looseness in the playing. But he could never quite seem to pull it off live - he looked cool as hell, but the playing suffered a bit. May, on the other hand, just makes the guitar soar and sing in a way the other two don't, both in the studio and live. His playing has every bit as much emotion as the human voice in agony or sincerity or any other emotion. There's just a ton of range in his playing.

I feel very grateful and blessed (I use that in the non-religious sense) to have been allowed to accomplish what I have, in terms of relationships, music, and my vocation. But I would say that before I die I would like to - see more of the world - make more music with people - share more of my music - publish a story - see my kids get out of cyberspace, open their eyes and see what's around them - see my kids start their lives and be happy - retire early - find that elusive reasonably priced Gibson EB-2 bass

Mmmmmm.....no. Both 70s. Released: 1980 Natural Science is an 80's song cuz it was released in 1980. End of discussion! Rush started writing the songs in July 1979, recorded them in late September and October, and mixed the album in November . . . 1979.