Rush section in my rock-history textbook

[PuppetKing2112]

This fall I'll be taking a rock-history class. I got the textbook today, and have been paging through it. Here's the section they have on Rush:

QUOTE

Revamped Prog From the North: Rush. Perhaps the most enduring of the progressive rock-influenced bands to emerge in the second half of the 1970s is the Canadian power trio Rush. The band first made its mark in 1976 with its fourth album, the concept album 2112, and followed with a string of records that did better and better on the album charts. In 1980, Permanent Waves hit the number four spot in the United States when most bands were turning away from ambitious concept albums. Because the band included no keyboards during the first few years and depended on Alex Lifeson's guitar playing for its harmonic color, their sound avoided some of the classical pretension that generated so much criticism of the original prog bands. Bassist Geddy Lee's high-pitched vocals were reminiscent of both Jon Anderson of Yes and Led Zeppelin's Robert Plant, and it was probably this similarity to Plant that kept many rock critics from including Rush in their prog-bashing diatribes. Still, the band kept the prog flame alive in the mainstream, and Neil Peart's virtuosic drumming and ambitiously poetic lyrics made it clear that there was no return-to-simplicity to be found in Rush's music. The Canadian trio were able to remain commercially successful into the 1980s and 1990s, with top-selling albums and sold-out tours, long after most other prog bands had broken camp.

Not anything beyond the basics, but it's kind of interesting to see how a more academic survey of rock history looks at them.

[Xanadoood]

Good review of them. It avoids most of the same old cliches.

[apetersvt]

Sounds like a great class.

 

I had a class in college - Literature Of Rock And Roll. Obviously it ended up being primarily like a poetry class where we analyzed lyrics.

[Khan]

Wish they offered something like that when I was in skrewl...

[Atomic]

How old is that text?? Nothing about their efforts post 1990s?

[Skin Bag]

QUOTE (PuppetKing2112 @ Sep 19 2010, 06:19 PM)

This fall I'll be taking a rock-history class. I got the textbook today, and have been paging through it. Here's the section they have on Rush: QUOTE Revamped Prog From the North: Rush. Perhaps the most enduring of the progressive rock-influenced bands to emerge in the second half of the 1970s is the Canadian power trio Rush. The band first made its mark in 1976 with its fourth album, the concept album 2112, and followed with a string of records that did better and better on the album charts. In 1980, Permanent Waves hit the number four spot in the United States when most bands were turning away from ambitious concept albums. Because the band included no keyboards during the first few years and depended on Alex Lifeson's guitar playing for its harmonic color, their sound avoided some of the classical pretension that generated so much criticism of the original prog bands. Bassist Geddy Lee's high-pitched vocals were reminiscent of both Jon Anderson of Yes and Led Zeppelin's Robert Plant, and it was probably this similarity to Plant that kept many rock critics from including Rush in their prog-bashing diatribes. Still, the band kept the prog flame alive in the mainstream, and Neil Peart's virtuosic drumming and ambitiously poetic lyrics made it clear that there was no return-to-simplicity to be found in Rush's music. The Canadian trio were able to remain commercially successful into the 1980s and 1990s, with top-selling albums and sold-out tours, long after most other prog bands had broken camp. Not anything beyond the basics, but it's kind of interesting to see how a more academic survey of rock history looks at them. What does that mean? Critics didn't bash them because he sounds similar to Robert Plant??

[Queen of Megadon]

QUOTE (PuppetKing2112 @ Sep 19 2010, 10:19 PM)

This fall I'll be taking a rock-history class. I got the textbook today, and have been paging through it. Here's the section they have on Rush: QUOTE Revamped Prog From the North: Rush. Perhaps the most enduring of the progressive rock-influenced bands to emerge in the second half of the 1970s is the Canadian power trio Rush. The band first made its mark in 1976 with its fourth album, the concept album 2112, and followed with a string of records that did better and better on the album charts. In 1980, Permanent Waves hit the number four spot in the United States when most bands were turning away from ambitious concept albums. Because the band included no keyboards during the first few years and depended on Alex Lifeson's guitar playing for its harmonic color, their sound avoided some of the classical pretension that generated so much criticism of the original prog bands. Bassist Geddy Lee's high-pitched vocals were reminiscent of both Jon Anderson of Yes and Led Zeppelin's Robert Plant, and it was probably this similarity to Plant that kept many rock critics from including Rush in their prog-bashing diatribes. Still, the band kept the prog flame alive in the mainstream, and Neil Peart's virtuosic drumming and ambitiously poetic lyrics made it clear that there was no return-to-simplicity to be found in Rush's music. The Canadian trio were able to remain commercially successful into the 1980s and 1990s, with top-selling albums and sold-out tours, long after most other prog bands had broken camp. Not anything beyond the basics, but it's kind of interesting to see how a more academic survey of rock history looks at them. first off...way cool...enjoy! and if you fail this class, we're taking your RUSH fan card away. Just sayin.     second...I'm simply in love with this description of Alex!     Because the band included no keyboards during the first few years and depended on Alex Lifeson's guitar playing for its harmonic color     Harmonic color. Could that BE any more accurate? methinks not.     Seriously, dont fail this class. We'll call The Professor on you.

[kbomb106]

QUOTE (Atomic @ Sep 20 2010, 08:55 AM)

How old is that text?? Nothing about their efforts post 1990s?

To be fair, it is a music text and not a Rush text. I'm sure it's not long enough to cover every era of every band.