JARG

Q: Do you believe in God? Alex: No.When I was younger I did. My mother is not super-religious, but she has a belief. My father was the total opposite. He though religion was a crock. In my early teens I started to question it all. I had friends who were Jesus freaks, others were just very spiritual, and we had these great long discussions about these things. But as I get older it just becomes a less and less sensible thing to think about.

My first Rush moment was in 1976 when I heard the intro to 2112 coming from my older brother's friend's car. It did nothing for me. But about a year later I walked into the house after school when my brother was blasting By-Tor, and I walked in right during the massive drum fill that comes near the end of the battle section, and I was hooked.

On first listen? PeW, for sure. I so wasn't ready for that change in style.

:laughing guy: (You mean right before? ) Yeah...pretty much...there are some good lyrics on TFE and some horrendous ones. Mostly I'm thinking in terms of his ability to (or at least interest in) to write singable lyrics, rather than the shoehorned crap he forces Ged to deal with these days.

Who knew he had souls of the damned trapped in his guitars?

Alex peaked around PeW. Neil peaked around HFY drum-wise and around TFE lyrically. Vocally, I think Ged peaked around AFTK. Bass-wise, that's a tough call -- he seems to still be getting better as astonishing as that seems.

Why the desperation to get it up on youtube?

I think a click would come through the phones better than the synth and also notice the synth comes in on the mains after the four count, when Geddy actually presses the key on the keyboard.

http://youtu.be/8ivnvKIu4mg

Just because that's been said, doesn't make it true. ;) For shorter samples like you're talking about, I think Neil is a good enough time keeper to get the tempos pretty close to what's needed and then can make on-the-fly adjustments if the band is noticeably out of sync with the samples.

It almost looks like an answer to an email from some fan.

My verdict is that the remix is a vast improvement over the original mix. My opinion of the songs as compositions hasn't changed.

Depending on the frequency, I think distortion could be described as static. We can't hear whatever the OP is hearing the way it sounds in his ears (cuz we ain't got his ears), so you have to be somewhat flexible with your definitions. To my ears it sounds like there's an additional bass track during those sections that is pounding along with the kick drum and that that is the source of what I'm hearing, distortion-wise (the guitar is distorted too, but this is lower in pitch than the guitar), but it could also be the kick drum itself that is the source of the noise.

I hear it on the RS feed (the only souce I've listened to). I think it may be one of Geddy's bass tracks that was either recorded too hot during those sections, or was intentionally overdriven. My hunch is that you'll hear it no matter what source you listen to.

That's a damn cool arrangement. He's a very accomplished player, too.

Yes, the mixes are vastly improved. The material is still the material.

That it is. Mixing is very much an editorial process. I personally like the decisions Botrill for the most part. The album was in desperate need of someone who wasn't afraid to say, "it's OK to bury certain parts". I think Rush albums from the last 20 or so years have been in need of the kind clarity that VT received. I'd like to see what Botrill could do with CP, TFE, S&A, and CA as well. You almost had it right but CP is Perfect as it is. One of the best sounding Rush records and drum sounds. I think it's a bit muddy sounding...not as bad as those that came after, but still...

That it is. Mixing is very much an editorial process. I personally like the decisions Botrill for the most part. The album was in desperate need of someone who wasn't afraid to say, "it's OK to bury certain parts". I think Rush albums from the last 20 or so years have been in need of the kind clarity that VT received. I'd like to see what Botrill could do with CP, TFE, S&A, and CA as well.

A little harsh but a good post. Um, no. The post itself is infantile, myopic, deluded, and musically ignorant to the point of being painful. But, hey - at least the internet exists for this person to rant to, right? Um, ambiguity? Is this positive? Negative? Yes. What the goodly Mr. Jarg is trying to say is that Bravado is as emotional as a bowling ball is square, which is to say not at all. ;) The both of you are as emotional as a bowling ball. Fascinating. ;)

A little harsh but a good post. Um, no. The post itself is infantile, myopic, deluded, and musically ignorant to the point of being painful. But, hey - at least the internet exists for this person to rant to, right? Um, ambiguity? Is this positive? Negative? Yes.

Same here. AFTK was the "new album" when I first got into Rush. My friends and I would check the record bin at least once a week in the hopes that the next album would be out. I remember he called me one day, all breathless, and said, "I saw the new Rush album at the store today -- it's called Styx!"

It used to be my least favorite album, but about the time Signals came out, it started moving up...now it's easily in my top 10.

I especially love the version of What You're Doing on ATWAS. Geddy's vocal delivery oozes attitude and "toughness".

Easily my favorite of their live albums. It was the only live album available at the time I got into Rush and played the hell out of it.

Asking which version of Bravado is most emotional is akin to asking which bowling ball is the most square.