The strong possibility of no new album

**AVman9** · February 3, 2010

If they come to Summerfest again, I will be ecstatic. They've already released 3 times as many albums as most bands. Cut them a break, man. Seriously. Playing live is also a LOT more fun than recording in a studio from what I've experienced, so maybe they just want to have some fun after a very long career.

**metaldad** · February 3, 2010

I am all for the "Whole Package" but it really seems to me that is Not the way they are going . In that interview Neil said what i think we all knew . No one really bought V.T. and S&A and they did not make a dime . It cost a LOT of Money to make an album and the sales now just cover the cost of making the album . Where did the 1 or 2 million "Fans" go that bought all the older albums when they came out ? They know it's never going to happen agian and We know it's never going to happen agian . I am at the point now where i want some Great songs , E.P. or not . If they gave us a truly Great E.P. and a kick ass tour with a much different set-list than they have done and called it a day,

too them . I am o.k. with that

**Mandalorian Hunter** · February 3, 2010

QUOTE (rushgoober @ Feb 3 2010, 03:28 PM)

QUOTE (Mandalorian Hunter @ Feb 3 2010, 08:21 AM)

The infuriating part is the older fans don't seem to realise if we get 8 tracks as downloads, say, one a week, it's exactly the same as having an album except the fans don't have to wait months for the printing, pressing and advertising. We get the same amount music, just even quicker if they record, master, mix and release. If the touring schedule isn't as heavy we could new material in between legs if they did it that way.

I don't want to use the term 'Stuck in their ways', but it's ridiculous to dismiss a model that's advantageous to the band and the fans so quickly without it being tried.

Being one of the "older fans" you're referring to ( ), if they did it that way, it would be a LOT better than nothing at all for sure.

I am stuck in the old ways though when an album was an album, meaning it was a statement and a work of art as a whole, as opposed to just a collection of songs. In this world of MP3's, iTunes and shuffle, often the idea of an album as a cohesive work is lost.

For example, I recently lent 4 of my favorite Rush albums to a friend who then ripped them to his computer. I asked him later on what he thought of 2112 and Permanent Waves, and he had no idea what I was talking about. He likes a lot of the songs that he listens to when they came up on shuffle, but he had no context for the songs. If that's the way he chooses to listen, that's fine, but I think something is truly lost that can never be regained.

And in terms of waiting months for them to do "the printing, pressing and advertising," as opposed to getting the songs one at a time via download, I would much rather wait and get the whole package for the reasons I described above.

I've had discussions about this with people my own age and of different ages. I'd have to say, if it isn't a concept album or the music doesn't link together I can go with seperate releases because the album as a format will die if it's just a collection of songs thrown onto a disc. For example, I don't think a Rush records structure has particularly mattered since Hold Your Fire. S&A certainly wasn't conceptual, and that bollocks about it being thematically linked is just that, bollocks. It could have been released as standalone tracks, as could Vapor Trails, Test For Echo, Counterparts and maybe Roll The Bones and Presto. To go back to your use of context, the aforementioned albums have got nothing on Fly By Night through to Hold Your Fire where you really did need to listen to the album as a whole. And this is the problem; bands are no longer seeing the album as a cohesive work of art but still sticking to the old model.

That being said, Rush could still release a song a week, and all those songs would make up an album. It would just be like watching a TV show. And throughout that they could announce tour details, tickets while still building up to the last few songs which would increase exposure, thus making the recording more than pay for itself, giving them mroe money to spend on the boxset with making-of dvd's which would inevitably come. Nevermind the possibilties of the itunes LP, and the other format I can't remember, which has interactive artwork, videos, extras etc etc.

My point is, if they're going to record to something that is a cohesive work, that is conceptually, thematically or musically linked then they should take their time with it. If it isn't, and the idea of giving us tracks every so often excites the band to the point the music is better (which it should be if they're devoting their time to one song as a standalone i.e. it has to carry itself) then give us the tracks as and when! We'll get 13 awesome songs and a great tour.

**rushgoober** · February 3, 2010

QUOTE (Mandalorian Hunter @ Feb 3 2010, 08:59 AM)