Weatherman

Please reread the name of this thread. It's about the times when Rush disappointed us, as fans.

I liked it better in the original French. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Candide

That's fine. I picked her up on the rebound, and she told me all the terrible shit you pulled. You better appreciate the next one more.

Hey, don't hold back. Let us know how you really feel. lol

This needs explaining?

If you're a big fan of any artist, you go through up times -- the ones when you feel in love. Then there are the other times -- the ones when you drift away, disappointed. These are the breakups. I've broken up with Rush twice. THE FIRST BREAKUP 1) The release of Vapor Trails in 2003. Unlike others, I didn't forget about them during Neil's hiatus -- I was listening to Different Stages, and holding my nose and listening to TFE (which I missed when it was released). When Vapor Trails was announced, I was geeked. It was recapturing my teenage years in my late twenties. Man was I disappointed. No need to get into why, since you've all heard that album. It ranks as their very worst, for me, by a loooong shot. I'd rather listen to CoS or the debut before that thing. I didn't even bother to see them live. Then Snakes and Arrows came along, which I enjoyed somewhat, and we got back together briefly. THE SECOND BREAKUP 2) After seeing Snakes and Arrows Tour in 2007. The band was good. Really good. Neil's drum kit wasn't to my liking, but he really did well. Geddy sounded good. Alex rocked. Zero complaints about the performance. I took a friend of mine to the show, his first, and afterwards he said, "Man they really earned their money tonight." Problem was, that was all they did. I didn't feel excited. I felt let down. I'd been plunging deep into electronic music for a few years, and to my ears Rush now sounded really outdated. For the first time. That's when I broke up with them a second time. I didn't follow them for the next 8 years. I ignored all the subsequent tours, Time Machine, Clockwork Angels, R40, etc. I could barely stand to listen to Clockwork Angels. When Neil died this year, I rediscovered them. So it's a happy ending. The breakup is over, we're back together again, and I appreciate them a lot more than before, especially the synth era. What about you?

Haha, that's a great point. Maybe that's what Peart admired in Watts because HE (Neil) couldn't have tolerated the bickering twins for more than a week, that's for sure.

Watts doesn't have the respect of his peers? maybe I should've said "if you want the adulation of your peers". Happy? Oh, so now Watts doesn't have the adulation of his peers? He's a damn timekeeper, man. Let's say you're a professional drummer. You really gonna cheer for someone who spent 50 years doing a style of drumming you learned in 6 months? No, you're gonna roll your eyes and say, "Yeah, hey, what can I say, he's a perfect fit for the band he's in." That's not adulation.

Watts doesn't have the respect of his peers? maybe I should've said "if you want the adulation of your peers". Happy?

This is like being asked to name your 10 favorite internal organs. I can't possibly do it. I only know these for sure: 2112: Overture/Syrinx Subdivisions Bravado Animate I never get tired of those. All the others change a lot.

If you enjoy the physical activity of drumming, yeah, it's better to play an easier, more relaxed timekeeper style. You can do it more years. If you want respect of your peers, then it's better to challenge yourself. We guitarists don't have to make that choice.

Side B is more consistent -- I actually listen to it more often -- but Side A hits greater heights. Ain't nuthin that can compare with Overture/Syrinx. IMO you have to wait until Counterparts to hear them rock that hard again.

Welllll.... you COULD replace Neil with a drum machine, but it would take you YEARS to program it... lol

I remember reading Ged saying that they wrote Vital Signs goofing around and pretending to be a New Wave band. They even gave themselves a name, which escapes me.

you should take a listen to it. definitely worth it in the end ;) IMO, as a recording unit, Rush BEGAN in 1976, and ENDED in 1993. No reason to explore stuff before or after. (I'm only exaggerating slightly.)

Red Lenses would fit on Test For Echo. Consolidate the trash.

I've never heard any of it. Can't vote. (ducks head in shame)

A friend of mine works in interior design. He and his boss were hired by Steve Howe to decorate his home and home studio. They went over there for a consultation and Steve picked up his electric guitar to show them what he does in the room. The second he started playing, my friend said that every single hair on his body stood on end. Full-body goosebumps. It's got to be shocking to be standing two meters from someone that talented. BTW my friend wasn't a Yes fan, didn't know their music at all.

Recently, it occurred to me that some Rush songs are simply misplaced. They're on the wrong albums. Here's my short list: 1) "Lock and Key" (a personal favorite) would've fit perfectly on Presto. It's simple, strong, traditionally melodic songwriting, like most of that album. 2) "Show Don't Tell" belongs on Moving Pictures. It's the closest they ever came to recreating Tom Sawyer + YYZ. 3) "The Camera Eye" belongs on Permanent Waves. It's pop prog at its best. Any others?

Why the Between the Wheels love, everybody? Good chorus, but those two-chord keys during the lyrics are WAY too harsh. Ged evidently didn't bother writing a melody for the lyrics either.

Too bad most of the material in that era was unsalvagable. As usual, you are wrong. I agree. There was a lot of good stuff in that time frame, and I don`t think any album beats Power Windows as a vocal performance from Geddy. Hold Your Fire is better. He really developed his sense of melody. It's why I go back to that album. He maintained it, more or less, thru the next three albums, by staying down in chest voice. It's my favorite Geddy vocal era.

Signals: Subdivisions (duh) Analog Kid (half-time feel in chorus is killer) The Weapon (love the odd solo, esp when Neil kicks into gear) GuP: Afterimage Red Sector A (that solo!!) Distant Early Warning PW: Mystic Rhythms (that drum pattern + guitar arpeggio!) HYF: Time Stand Still (gets better with age) Lock and Key (criminally overlooked) Open Secrets

Unpopular answer but I think Eddie was better than almost everybody on earth. Too bad he's a wanker who spent his career in a wanker band. They had a few years of maturity with Sammy. That was my favorite VH era. I go back to those songs sometimes, both for Sammy's voice and for Eddie's rhythm work. Mannnn was he powerful. This is from 2015. Check out 6:45 onwards, where Eddie's classical training really shines:

That whole album is so terrific. It sounds awesome to my 2020 electronic music ears. Especially The Weapon. Listen to Neil on Subdivisions. He changes his pattern constantly through the song. I don't know any other pop/rock song (in the last 40 years) whose drummer does anything remotely like it.

FUN FACT That 1991 Auburn Hills show on the ROTB tour -- the one in the docu -- was my first Rush concert. I only went to four shows total, and that's where I popped my cherry. It was great. I remember Geddy's vest because I was wearing a similar one.