treeduck Posted September 16, 2006 Share Posted September 16, 2006 I was reading over at Counterparts a thread about Alex doing about 10 takes for a guitar solo then going off while Geddy chooses the best bits and constructs a new solo. About two hours later Alex comes back and if he likes the new solo and can play it they record it. If not they go with some older takes or he has another 10 takes and so on... In view of this who is really at the centre of Rush's music? Is it Geddy the cut and paste guitar solo engineer or Alex the go-for-it improv artist? And a further related question: who do you think comes up with the bulk of the musical ideas? Now no one can know but those three guys and a few producers and engineers, but I'm asking you make a gut-instinct guess here. So who do you think in your opinion "based on the evidence" is the main music man in Rush? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PuppetKing2112 Posted September 16, 2006 Share Posted September 16, 2006 John Rutsey. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
treeduck Posted September 16, 2006 Author Share Posted September 16, 2006 QUOTE (PuppetKing2112 @ Sep 15 2006, 10:23 PM) John Rutsey. So that's 1 abstension... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
strangiatoman Posted September 16, 2006 Share Posted September 16, 2006 I'll go with Big Al. Whereas Geddy seems the type to work on something until perfection, Alex seems like the laid back type who would just play what he feels, and that to me is what heart and soul is all about... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hemispheric Waves Posted September 16, 2006 Share Posted September 16, 2006 From what I've read over the years it seems that Ged's opinions are the driving force for the end product. Perhaps Alex comes up with the bulk and Geddy guides the direction the music goes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Earthshine Posted September 16, 2006 Share Posted September 16, 2006 Geddy, no doubt. Just listen to My Favorite Headache. The man's a songwriter's songwriter. I just think he really drives things on the whole. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
treeduck Posted September 16, 2006 Author Share Posted September 16, 2006 I wonder who spliced Alex's solos on Victor? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ghost of a Rider Posted September 16, 2006 Share Posted September 16, 2006 QUOTE (Earthshine @ Sep 16 2006, 01:03 AM) Geddy, no doubt. Just listen to My Favorite Headache. The man's a songwriter's songwriter. I just think he really drives things on the whole. I agree It's clear after listening to MFH that Geddy's influence is greater. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ancient Ways Posted September 16, 2006 Share Posted September 16, 2006 Somehow this thread has focused on guitar solos. Geddy's role in this is one of a producer. Alex writes all of the solo and Geddy just arranges it. However, regarding actual songwriting, Geddy is superior based on what I have read. In the keyboard-heavy albums it has been said that there is less guitar on them because the guitar parts were written and recorded last. That insinuates that Geddy wrote most of the rest of them on keyboard/bass/guitar and Al added his layers later. Alex can definitely write great guitar parts but it seems that Geddy si the force that puts it all together to make a song. I'm already on the record in saying that if Al and Neil went into the studio without Geddy we would get a bunch of unfinished riffs and a book about Al writing riffs and the food they ate. Of course, we would still buy both of them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
strangiatoman Posted September 16, 2006 Share Posted September 16, 2006 QUOTE (Ancient Ways @ Sep 16 2006, 12:14 PM) Somehow this thread has focused on guitar solos. Geddy's role in this is one of a producer. Alex writes all of the solo and Geddy just arranges it. However, regarding actual songwriting, Geddy is superior based on what I have read. In the keyboard-heavy albums it has been said that there is less guitar on them because the guitar parts were written and recorded last. That insinuates that Geddy wrote most of the rest of them on keyboard/bass/guitar and Al added his layers later. Alex can definitely write great guitar parts but it seems that Geddy si the force that puts it all together to make a song. I'm already on the record in saying that if Al and Neil went into the studio without Geddy we would get a bunch of unfinished riffs and a book about Al writing riffs and the food they ate. Of course, we would still buy both of them. That part about Alex and Neil in the studio is priceless! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
treeduck Posted September 16, 2006 Author Share Posted September 16, 2006 QUOTE (Ancient Ways @ Sep 16 2006, 12:14 PM) Somehow this thread has focused on guitar solos. The first question is focused on guitar solos yes, as I explained I saw this on counterparts...that's how it happened... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steelcaressed Posted September 16, 2006 Share Posted September 16, 2006 Heart and soul? Couldn't one argue easily that they are two different roles filled by each of the guys. Geddy is a bassist, and by definition, part of the rhythym section. That would be the soul. Alex is a guitarist, and according to Geddy, "one of the greatest instinctive players ever." That would be the heart. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ru5h F@n Posted September 16, 2006 Share Posted September 16, 2006 I think Alex is better than Geddy is. Alex wrote a totally different style of music on his solo album where as Geddy just repeated himself on his solo album from the Rush albums. I mean come on. He could have been a little more original than that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nebbish Posted September 16, 2006 Share Posted September 16, 2006 On what I've heard ....I'll go for Geddy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ancient Ways Posted September 16, 2006 Share Posted September 16, 2006 QUOTE (treeduck @ Sep 16 2006, 04:29 PM) QUOTE (Ancient Ways @ Sep 16 2006, 12:14 PM) Somehow this thread has focused on guitar solos. The first question is focused on guitar solos yes, as I explained I saw this on counterparts...that's how it happened... I saw the same thread. I just wanted to point out that, in my opinion, there is a difference in songwriting and arranging guitar solos. It takes talent to do both, of course. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
madra sneachta Posted September 16, 2006 Share Posted September 16, 2006 Problem here is there are two different questions being asked? Who is the strongest writer? Geddy!! Who is the heart and soul of the band? Different question altogether IMO. To me, the heart and soul of the band is the fact that they gel together as a unit, Steelcaressed is spot on. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cygnalschick Posted September 17, 2006 Share Posted September 17, 2006 It's hard to put one over the other, but I think Geddy is it. He is the voice, and puts a lot of emotion into lyrics that Neil has written, making them even better. Plus, the man is practically doing 4 things at once while onstage --> playing bass, singing, playing keyboards, and playing keyboard pedals. Not to mention probably setting off certain samples in different parts of different songs. I know Alex helps with some of this stuff too, but Ged still has the duty of singing, and Neil's lyrics don't seem that easy to sing! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KenJennings Posted September 17, 2006 Share Posted September 17, 2006 GEDDY. My Favorite Headache proves it. Possibly my favorite album ever. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
treeduck Posted September 17, 2006 Author Share Posted September 17, 2006 You realise Alex is gonna see this poll and his eyes will pop out in disbelief... He'll say to himself: "WTF? I'm responsible for ALL of it!! Those other two guys are just there to make me look good and they can't even do that right half the time!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vicious Posted September 17, 2006 Share Posted September 17, 2006 QUOTE (Ancient Ways @ Sep 16 2006, 08:14 PM) I'm already on the record in saying that if Al and Neil went into the studio without Geddy we would get a bunch of unfinished riffs and a book about Al writing riffs and the food they ate. Remember though that Alex is a producer and arranger too, so he can do better than just inventing riffs. It's just that Geddy's style of arranging is more applicable to Rush music. Here's how I would describe all of the members: Neil = body Geddy = brain Alex = heart So, answering the question of this thread I would say: Alex. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ru5h F@n Posted September 17, 2006 Share Posted September 17, 2006 Woohoo! Alright man. Someone who sees my analogy finally. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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