Studio work declined, but live performance improved: any other bands?

[Weatherman]

I wish I could have seen Eric Johnson or Primus on that tour. We got stuck with Vinnie Moore and Mr. Big over 4 shows. Not exactly my idea of fun.

 

Well, the next tour I had to sit through Candlebox, so there's that.

Anyways, I've read Alex saying somewhere that he used to stand on the side of the stage to watch Eric Johnson play, every night.

No harm in admitting that the opening act is better than you. Eric Clapton refused to go on after Stevie Ray Vaughn once.

[driventotheedge]

I wish I could have seen Eric Johnson or Primus on that tour. We got stuck with Vinnie Moore and Mr. Big over 4 shows. Not exactly my idea of fun.

 

Well, the next tour I had to sit through Candlebox, so there's that.

Anyways, I've read Alex saying somewhere that he used to stand on the side of the stage to watch Eric Johnson play, every night.

No harm in admitting that the opening act is better than you. Eric Clapton refused to go on after Stevie Ray Vaughn once.

He was very intimidated by Hendrix in London back in '66. He wasn't alone.

[jnoble]

TFE had a fuzziness to the sound I didn't like. Alex's choice of guitar distortion was a big culprit

[goose]

Every album onwards starting with Test till the end of the road Clockwork was highly flawed and only contained a handful of songs each that were either great or very good. A ton of mediocre to poor songs on each of those last four studio albums along with dodgy producing and sound

 

The way I see it:

 

T4E - great sound and too much filler

VT - bad sound but great songs

Snakes - great sound and too much filler

CA - little too loud and maybe one or two songs that don't need to be there, but otherwise a total return to form and perfect swan song.

Pretty good assessment, I'd say.

[ytserush]

I wish I could have seen Eric Johnson or Primus on that tour. We got stuck with Vinnie Moore and Mr. Big over 4 shows. Not exactly my idea of fun.

 

Well, the next tour I had to sit through Candlebox, so there's that.

Anyways, I've read Alex saying somewhere that he used to stand on the side of the stage to watch Eric Johnson play, every night.

No harm in admitting that the opening act is better than you. Eric Clapton refused to go on after Stevie Ray Vaughn once.

 

So did I. Slightly better with Candlebox although I thought the Fly By Night riffs were kind of gratuitous.

[shabadoo25]

I enjoyed Tommy Shaw solo opening for them.

[Fridge]

I wholeheartedly disagree. Presto-Vapor Trails are my most listened to Rush albums by far. I appreciate all eras, and I don't think Rush have a bad album. But I'll listen to Fly by Night-Hemispheres maybe twice a year, but the 90's-00's are on a monthly, sometimes weekly basis.

 

My comment said starting with Test For Echo.

Most people agree that Presto, half of Roll the Bones, and Counterparts are terrific records.

 

I'd totally disagree

 

Presto is half a decent album with a couple of great songs, RTB and Counterparts are dogshit and T4E is a partial return to form though still has far too much filler.

 

Live, they were at their best on the MP tour for me, and were great up to possibly 1996 then a gradual decline to where Geddys voice became unlistenable due to the yodelling and loss of diction, Alex (as has been mentioned) became hampered with his psoriatic arthritis, and Neil had to start simplifying his parts.

 

If they had called it a day in 1987 they would have had a practically unblemished career.

[RushFanForever]

If they had called it a day in 1987 they would have had a practically unblemished career.

 

 

It probably would've been 1988 that they could've called it a day.

 

1. Geddy Lee admitted in The Big Interview with Dan Rather that on one of the tours he was at the 'fed-up' stage and anticipated going on vacation, once it was done.

 

He also mentioned after a concert in Germany, where a team of fans came out to show support and appreciation and he turned the car around and drove away.

 

The above scenarios are noted below.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GBVya4G8uNQ

 

For the record, this was the Hold Your Fire Tour. They had to promote the album, although that 1987-88 Tour really impacted the band health wise.

 

2. Working on the A Show of Hands live album as a band wasn't an enjoyable experience either, which their heart wasn't in it.

 

3. Neil mentioned wanting to retire from performing live in 1989.

 

4. The contract with Mercury Records would've been complete after the release of A Show of Hands, where then the Chronicles 'best of' album would've been the 'send-off' once it was released.

 

Geddy, Alex, and Neil were free of deadlines and obligations from recording and touring after 15 years, noted here.

 

The band instead took six months off from one another and re-grouped with carrying on instead.

Edited June 9, 2020 by RushFanForever

[Lurkst]

I'd totally disagree

 

Presto is half a decent album with a couple of great songs, RTB and Counterparts are dogshit and T4E is a partial return to form though still has far too much filler.

 

Live, they were at their best on the MP tour for me, and were great up to possibly 1996 then a gradual decline to where Geddys voice became unlistenable due to the yodelling and loss of diction, Alex (as has been mentioned) became hampered with his psoriatic arthritis, and Neil had to start simplifying his parts.

 

If they had called it a day in 1987 they would have had a practically unblemished career.

 

Dreamline and Bravado are great songs, but the worst of RTB makes a Titanic sized iceberg which sinks any attempt by me to listen to it all.

 

I prefer Counterparts over T4E, mainly for the sound. Both suffer from some uninspired songwriting.

 

I was fortunate enough to see the 1997 T4E tour though. Without doubt the performing peak of my years watching them live.

I read a review from a gig in Quebec titled "Le Rock Maître" (Rock Mastered) which was totally apt.

The introduction of a 3 hour set plus all of 2112 was the icing on the cake :)

 

 

Edited June 9, 2020 by Lurkst