Epic song on Clockwork Angels

[losingit2k]

Well we've heard two of the songs from Clockwork Angels and they are both on the short side of Rush songs. I always liked that about Genesis. Even though they went commercial they still gave us at least one if not two Epic songs per album. What do you think are the chances Rush might unleash an Epic song on this album? I'm sure Nick wants to wrap his production fingers around one and might influence the guys to do so. Any Thoughts?

 

We want another EPIC song!

 

[rugen]

1/10

 

The guys don't want spend too much time in the studios like they did when they were young...

 

But we can still dream about it...

[rushgoober]

I just want some great songs, regardless of the length. An epic-length great song would be awesome, but I'm not holding my breath. So far I'm not crazy about the two songs from CA, so honestly I'm just hoping some of the other material is better.

[Gompers]

Word is that if you lay tracks 4, 2, 9, and 7 back to back it makes one long song.

[GeddyRulz]

I normally would've said no way, but have you read Neil's essay in the tourbook? Here's the relevant part:

 

QUOTE

... Geddy brought up a project that has long appealed to him-collecting all of our instrumentals into one album, and perhaps writing a new one to go with them. "Maybe something a little more extended," he said, and my ears pricked up. Years back, we had done our share of long works, lyrical concepts and instrumentals (always remembering the subtitle of "La Villa Strangiato" from 1978, "An Exercise in Self Indulgence"), but lately we had tended to make our songs, if not concise, at least more compressed. So that, for example, an instrumental like "The Main Monkey Business" on Snakes and Arrows was enormously complex, but worked through its movements in six minutes, instead of nine or ten. At that suggestion, wheels started turning in my head. Now that we were talking about doing something a little more ambitious musically, I wondered if it wasn't time to think that way in terms of lyrics and concepts, too. The chorus line in "Caravan" seems apt: "I can't stop thinking big."

 

He goes on to say he began writing a story/lyrics for a "Steampunk" concept album, which is Clockwork Angels.

[losingit2k]

QUOTE

So far I'm not crazy about the two songs from CA, so honestly I'm just hoping some of the other material is better.

 

Well, IMO, the two new songs are pretty damn good. Caravan is an awesome song. It was good to see their musicianship upfront once again. Both Songs are also pretty heavy! Which was another great indication of where they are going. I just hope they go all out and add at least one epic song.

 

rules!

[ReRushed]

[losingit2k]

QUOTE

Word is that if you lay tracks 4, 2, 9, and 7 back to back it makes one long song.

 

That's funny!

 

[rugen]

QUOTE (GeddyRulz @ Jul 14 2010, 03:32 PM)

I normally would've said no way, but have you read Neil's essay in the tourbook? Here's the relevant part: QUOTE ... Geddy brought up a project that has long appealed to him-collecting all of our instrumentals into one album, and perhaps writing a new one to go with them. "Maybe something a little more extended," he said, and my ears pricked up. Years back, we had done our share of long works, lyrical concepts and instrumentals (always remembering the subtitle of "La Villa Strangiato" from 1978, "An Exercise in Self Indulgence"), but lately we had tended to make our songs, if not concise, at least more compressed. So that, for example, an instrumental like "The Main Monkey Business" on Snakes and Arrows was enormously complex, but worked through its movements in six minutes, instead of nine or ten. At that suggestion, wheels started turning in my head. Now that we were talking about doing something a little more ambitious musically, I wondered if it wasn't time to think that way in terms of lyrics and concepts, too. The chorus line in "Caravan" seems apt: "I can't stop thinking big."   He goes on to say he began writing a story/lyrics for a "Steampunk" concept album, which is Clockwork Angels. Here again i am starting again to dream about the good times of Hemispheres...

[losingit2k]

QUOTE

Here again i am starting again to dream about the good times of Hemispheres...

 

Unfortunately, I feel the whole Steampunk concept is going to be more like the Grace Under Pressure Album instead of Hemispheres or 2112!

 

[LeaveMyThingAlone]

QUOTE (RUDT @ Jul 14 2010, 03:53 PM)

QUOTE (GeddyRulz @ Jul 14 2010, 03:32 PM) I normally would've said no way, but have you read Neil's essay in the tourbook?  Here's the relevant part: QUOTE ... Geddy brought up a project that has long appealed to him-collecting all of our instrumentals into one album, and perhaps writing a new one to go with them. "Maybe something a little more extended," he said, and my ears pricked up. Years back, we had done our share of long works, lyrical concepts and instrumentals (always remembering the subtitle of "La Villa Strangiato" from 1978, "An Exercise in Self Indulgence"), but lately we had tended to make our songs, if not concise, at least more compressed. So that, for example, an instrumental like "The Main Monkey Business" on Snakes and Arrows was enormously complex, but worked through its movements in six minutes, instead of nine or ten. At that suggestion, wheels started turning in my head. Now that we were talking about doing something a little more ambitious musically, I wondered if it wasn't time to think that way in terms of lyrics and concepts, too. The chorus line in "Caravan" seems apt: "I can't stop thinking big."   He goes on to say he began writing a story/lyrics for a "Steampunk" concept album, which is Clockwork Angels. Here again i am starting again to dream about the good times of Hemispheres... My hunch would be that this doesn't mean we're going to get any 10-20 minute epic songs per se, but I think the album, Clockwork Angels, might be a concept album of sorts...an extended story...but who knows

[losingit2k]

QUOTE

My hunch would be that this doesn't mean we're going to get any 10-20 minute epic songs per se, but I think the album, Clockwork Angels, might be a concept album of sorts...an extended story...but who knows

 

What are you saying something along the lines of "Six degress of Inner Turbulance" by Dream Theater, "A pleasant Shage of Grey" by Fatewarning or "Grace Under Pressure" by The boys?

 

[LeaveMyThingAlone]

Was GUP really a concept album?

[In A Tidewater Surge]

QUOTE (losingit2k @ Jul 14 2010, 02:14 PM)

QUOTE My hunch would be that this doesn't mean we're going to get any 10-20 minute epic songs per se, but I think the album, Clockwork Angels, might be a concept album of sorts...an extended story...but who knows   What are you saying something along the lines of "Six degress of Inner Turbulance" by Dream Theater, "A pleasant Shage of Grey" by Fatewarning or "Grace Under Pressure" by The boys?   How about The Incident by Porcupine Tree?

[Sussossus]

QUOTE (LeaveMyThingAlone @ Jul 14 2010, 02:19 PM)

Was GUP really a concept album?

It wasn't. Rush has never done a concept album, so this will be something new if it happens.

[losingit2k]

QUOTE

Was GUP really a concept album?

 

Absolutely, all songs had to do with the topic of a Post Apocolyptic World!

 

[LeaveMyThingAlone]

That's like saying Counterparts is a concept album because all the songs had to do with relationships

 

 

And I think it's a reach to say Afterimage and Kid Gloves were about post acopalytic war

Edited July 14, 2010 by LeaveMyThingAlone

[GeddyRulz]

QUOTE (losingit2k @ Jul 14 2010, 04:40 PM)

QUOTE Was GUP really a concept album?   Absolutely, all songs had to do with the topic of a Post Apocolyptic World!   Afterimage? Kid Gloves? Enemy Within? Those were post-apocalyptic songs?   Grace Under Pressure wasn't exactly a "concept album," but it and many of the others since then have had an overall "theme" of sorts, along with a few tracks which fell outside of the theme.

[TullSkull]

[losingit2k]

QUOTE

Afterimage? Kid Gloves? Enemy Within? Those were post-apocalyptic songs? Grace Under Pressure wasn't exactly a "concept album," but it and many of the others since then have had an overall "theme" of sorts, along with a few tracks which fell outside of the theme.

 

Ok I sit corrected! 'cause I'm too old to stand!

 

[briremo]

I read that tourbook post yesterday and it sure as hell sounds to me like we might get some epic stuff! I was shocked at the lengtth of Caravan! What? 7 Minutes?

 

But if this is a concept album writen by Peart, I hope we don't get 40 minutes about how stoopid spiritual people are.

[grimachi]

I would really love for the guys to sit down and consciously write an epic piece. I just don't think their writing style leads to that type of product any longer.

 

Over the years (I do not know when it started) they have developed into this multi-jam piecemeal writing style. The first I ever remember them referencing this style was Vapor Trails. Ged and Al get together and just start jamming until that particular idea runs its course. then they will go onto another and then another. Then Ged will go and sit at Pro Tools and piece together different jams that go together or rearrange "this with that" until you have a rough draft for the demos.

 

While not epic pieces in and of themselves, I cannot picture Limelight, Tom Sawyer, or epics like La Villa, Xanadu, or Jacob's Ladder written that way. Even songs like Territories, MHP, and on through to songs on Counterparts all seemed, to me anyway, like thought was actually placed in developing ideas and direction for each song.

 

Now that I think about it, I started really noticing a difference in Test for Echo.

[marblesmike]

QUOTE (grimachi @ Jul 14 2010, 06:51 PM)

I would really love for the guys to sit down and consciously write an epic piece. I just don't think their writing style leads to that type of product any longer. Over the years (I do not know when it started) they have developed into this multi-jam piecemeal writing style. The first I ever remember them referencing this style was Vapor Trails. Ged and Al get together and just start jamming until that particular idea runs its course. then they will go onto another and then another. Then Ged will go and sit at Pro Tools and piece together different jams that go together or rearrange "this with that" until you have a rough draft for the demos. While not epic pieces in and of themselves, I cannot picture Limelight, Tom Sawyer, or epics like La Villa, Xanadu, or Jacob's Ladder written that way. Even songs like Territories, MHP, and on through to songs on Counterparts all seemed, to me anyway, like thought was actually placed in developing ideas and direction for each song. Now that I think about it, I started really noticing a difference in Test for Echo.

Great observation, although I think a few songs off Snakes harken back to the PeW/MP era, even if just a little bit. This new producer (Nick Raskulienczxxxxxxx or whatever) is s self-confessed fan and seems to be pushing them in the right direction. I agree with everything you've said about VT and T4E. Man I'm listening to really hifi rip of the Dutch pressing of Signals at this very moment and would probably go nuts for a new album sounding anything like this.

[Gompers]

QUOTE (marblesmike @ Jul 14 2010, 08:57 PM)

QUOTE (grimachi @ Jul 14 2010, 06:51 PM) I would really love for the guys to sit down and consciously write an epic piece. I just don't think their writing style leads to that type of product any longer. Over the years (I do not know when it started) they have developed into this multi-jam piecemeal writing style. The first I ever remember them referencing this style was Vapor Trails. Ged and Al get together and just start jamming until that particular idea runs its course. then they will go onto another and then another. Then Ged will go and sit at Pro Tools and piece together different jams that go together or rearrange "this with that" until you have a rough draft for the demos. While not epic pieces in and of themselves, I cannot picture Limelight, Tom Sawyer,  or epics like La Villa, Xanadu, or Jacob's Ladder written that way. Even songs like Territories, MHP, and on through to songs on Counterparts all seemed, to me anyway, like thought was actually placed in developing ideas and direction for each song. Now that I think about it, I started really noticing a difference in Test for Echo. Great observation, although I think a few songs off Snakes harken back to the PeW/MP era, even if just a little bit. This new producer (Nick Raskulienczxxxxxxx or whatever) is s self-confessed fan and seems to be pushing them in the right direction. I agree with everything you've said about VT and T4E.....

[Pause Rewind Replay]

QUOTE (losingit2k @ Jul 14 2010, 03:09 PM)

We want another EPIC song!

"we"?

 

I only see one of you

 

I don't care if a song is "epic" in length or not, just whether or not it's good.

 

Caravan at 5:40 is not on the "short side"... it is in fact longer than 5 of 7 MP songs, 6 of 8 Signals songs, 7 of 8 p/g songs, etc...

 

Rush hasn't written a song over 7 minutes long for 29 years... don't expect them to start now.