When you first heard Rush

[SeaTurtle]

I really can't remember the first time I heard them, but it was probably when I was fairly young because of my mom. I do have one memory (which could have taken place anywhere from ages 5-8, I really have no idea) of my mom playing music in the car and telling my brother and me to listen to what a funny voice the singer had! I didn't know it at the time, but looking back I think the odds are pretty good that that band was

 

I wasn't hooked or anything though, since I wouldn't start to really like music at all for while, and even then it was kind of gradual thing. I don't remember a certain song or album that really got me hooked.

[greg45]

I was in Arizona at cousins house, summer of '81. He had a made a cassette with different songs on it. One of them was "Overture-Temples of Syrinx". Couldnt believe what I was hearing, been hooked ever since.

 

[Mr. JD]

1974. I was 14. I was hanging out with my friend Matt listening to WMMS out of Cleveland and they played Working Man. Been hooked ever since.

[Noisy Bastard]

I remember hearing a radio station that weekly played a new release from some band. They aired this at about 11:30 or midnight. I was in my room, doing something, not paying much attention to what was being played. I'm sure he announced something like, "this is the latest from Rush, and the name of it is _____". But I don't recall hearing the DJ's intro, so when he started playing it, I had no idea who it was ...

 

They started playing the first song -- and after a few minutes into it -- I stopped whatever it was I was doing, and listened pretty intently. I was intrigued by the interplay between the bass and guitar, and between the bass and drums. The bass was played much more aggressively, yet melodically, than most other bands. The drumming was ear-catching, and the guitar work was way more than interesting, too. I had to wait until the end of side one to actually find out who it was.

 

Anyway, that album was 2112. It was late spring/early summer of 1976 and I was 16. And I went out and bought it. I'm sure I'd heard other Rush songs on the radio before that, but evidently didn't pay enough attention to them or they really didn't "do" much for me, I guess. I had to go backwards in time from there since 2112 was their latest release. I then got Rush, FBN, and COS in some order that I don't exactly recall. Then starting with ATWAS (which was released late summer that same year), I got every album as it was released, in order.

[SpiritOfRush]

Spring of 1976. I was 13 and was at an older cousins house when his friend came over with the "new Rush album...2112". (His friend had the previous 3 albums). I couldn't believe what I was hearing. I kept asking, "this is only 3 guys?" Anyway, I went with my cousin and bought 2112 (and the other 3). Also, he took me to see them live for the first time ever in December 1976 opening for Foghat at the Palladium in NYC!!! I have been an avid RUSHIAN ever since!!!

[summer_sky]

Remember the first time I heard ?... erhmmm, nope, I cannot... it was the early '70's... and I was there...

 

I do clearly remember, however, that 'Working Man' was on repeat play on the record player & 8-track deck.

It is still my fav RUSH song to this day.

And, I really dig the current contemporary Reggae intro... it's like the song grew up, mellowed out somewhat, and evolved through life with me or sumthin'

[Bastille Dave]

I can't pinpoint the day but it was summer 1976 and I was 8 almost 9 and I heard either the albums Fly By Night or 2112. We also had Caress Of Steel but I don't think it played alot so I'm guessing my first Rush songs I ever heard were either "Anthem" or "2112 Overture/Temples Of Syrinx".

[MusicHead]

I was at my friend Craig's home, jamming to this vinyl spinning on his 'rents' turntable. We were borrowing his sister Jolene's copy of 2112. The rest, like they say, is history.

[nappy2112]

Summer of '76 at a buddy's brothers house smokin' weed , he played 2112 and thought WOW ! that drummers great and that dude sings like a chick .

 

Later that year at another friends house I heard 2112 the live version and thought OK ..I gotta get a album by this Rush band.

[Chrysalii]

probably Tom Sawyer on the radio, but as a band that I would consider wanting to listen to.

 

at work I had the radio I listen to on one of the local rock stations. they used to play Rush a lot, really going 2 hours without a rush song was rare (now they're a mainstream rock station, so no more rush...but tons of Saving Abel...). I was in the middle of a huge Pink Floyd fix, so nothing was going to break that wall.

Until Distant Early Warning got stuck in my head, to the point where I googled the lyric, and got the whole album (good thing it was Grace Under Pressure)

But the moment they became "the" band was when I was flipping through the tv and Rush in Rio was playing, and Natural Science had just started. I sat and watched and listened to that song, and it completely blew me away. I instantly starting running through the catalog...and here I am on TRF with the documentary playing on the tv (on the same channel)

this was about 2 years ago.

[alexlifeson66]

I was in a Rabinical School in New York back in 1980

[nobodys hero]

I too have the documentary playing as I type this

1976, I was in 6th grade at a friend's house when her brother came flying through the door with the brand new Rush album two-thousand one-hundred twelve? Yes, I really did say those words!

 

I listened to that album and was hooked! Saw them in March of 1976. The first of many shows in my future.

[Steve_888]

I was a kid who grew up with parents listening to Q107, Rock95 and Y108 in the Toronto/Barrie area so I probably herd alot of Rush before I can even remember.

 

That being said the first song I remember digging alot was Limelight probably around the time i was 12 or so. But too be honest I didnt get into Rush big time until i was about 19 just before S&A came out. I herd a new Rush album was coming out and when i herd Far Cry i was blown away so naturally i started discovering their back catologe and got tickets to the show that year. Slowly but surely I started listening to most of the stuff and gotten to the point now where Rush is probably my #1 band now (was Metallica from the time i was 8 until 2008 when i was 20)

[tkdryan]

Marathon on Pandora. DT was my favorite band so I typed in Pull me under and Marathon came through. To this day it is still my fav song of Rush

[The Gorsk]

I was sitting in my room in Wilmington DE in the fall of 1978. I was listening to WIOQ 102 out of Philly. They played the entire Hemispheres album. I taped it and I was hooked. The Trees is still one of my all-time favorite Rush tunes.

 

[KW84]

The first time I heard Rush I was 12. (I'm 26 now)

 

I was in my dad's car and the song Test For Echo was playing

on the radio.

 

Flash forward to 2002 and the VT tour.

I went to what I consider my first "real" concert.

I was BLOWN AWAY!

 

The next day I went out and bought Vapor Trails and

the back catalog and I haven't looked back since.

 

I am a fan till I die!

[Infinite Cactus]

I was probably 15 or 16 and my friends dad was taking us to an amusement park. He played Exit Stage Left the whole way up there(about an hour drive). I was like. WHAT IS THIS. I HAVE NEVER I DON'T EVEN? I really couldn't figure out what type of music sounded like that. When he told me who it was I was like cool and didn't think anything else about it. About a year later I heard Tom Sawyer on the radio and the DJ announced it was Rush. I bought Moving Pictures and 2112 the following week when I had the money.