New RUSH Fans...

[lerxt1990]

[That One Guy]

I've been a younger (high school senior) fan for a couple years, and I have to say that's absolutely true. Every couple months I would buy a new rush album and the music just kept getting better and better. With the exception of Roll the Bones. The first rush i ever heard were the classics Tom Sawyer and Limelight, followed by the Snakes and Arrows album.

[WIDE-ANGLE WATCHER]

[GeddysMullet]

It's stupid to say that anyone who doesn't like every album a band has done isn't a "hardcore fan." That's like saying that if there's anything that annoys you about your spouse you don't really love them.

 

The best bands are creatively hungry. They grow and change. They push their boundaries and try new things. This can result in their producing music that isn't to an individual's particular taste, no matter how much that individual loves whatever came before or after it. Individuals grow and change, too. I don't think that blindly loving everything a band does just because it was done by that particular band is anything meaningful or valuable at all. What is a "hardcore fan" anyway? Who defines it?

 

I don't love everything that Rush has ever done. In fact, there's probably a good third of their catalog that I never listen to at all. There are even things I don't like about certain Rush things that I DO like, if that makes sense. Yet, still, I consider myself a hardcore fan. I consider myself a hardcore fan because of the way that I feel about Rush. Because of what their music means to me and how it makes me feel when I listen to it. Because of how I feel when I talk to other Rush fans and how I feel when I go to a Rush gig. Because of how important to my life and my happiness my Rush experiences over the past three years have been. That might not be "hardcore" enough for you, but it definitely is for me!

[rushgoober]

QUOTE (WIDE-ANGLE WATCHER @ Oct 6 2010, 03:58 PM)

My focus was on the NEW fan and having a blank slate to work with

If people want to read reviews prior to getting albums, God knows there's enough online sources where they can do that, including here. I personally do that a LOT. I've extensively studied sites like progarchives and rateyourmusic to help me decide what albums to go after or not. Even still, I disagree often enough that I know other people's opinions, even consensus ones, aren't always gonna match my own.

 

I hope that anyone who spends even a modest amount of time on TRF will quickly come to realize that there's almost as many divergent opinions as there are people here, and I hope those people who are new Rush fans and make their way here will eventually check out all the albums and make up their own minds about each of them...

[PariahDog]

QUOTE (rushgoober @ Oct 6 2010, 06:29 PM)

QUOTE (WIDE-ANGLE WATCHER @ Oct 6 2010, 03:58 PM) My focus was on the NEW fan and having a blank slate to work with If people want to read reviews prior to getting albums, God knows there's enough online sources where they can do that, including here. I personally do that a LOT. I've extensively studied sites like progarchives and rateyourmusic to help me decide what albums to go after or not. Even still, I disagree often enough that I know other people's opinions, even consensus ones, aren't always gonna match my own.   I hope that anyone who spends even a modest amount of time on TRF will quickly come to realize that there's almost as many divergent opinions as there are people here, and I hope those people who are new Rush fans and make their way here will eventually check out all the albums and make up their own minds about each of them... Yeah, I've noticed that most newer/younger fans on TRF seem to have a much more favorable opinion of newer Rush than the older fans, and they're definitely not getting this viewpoint from TRF.

[Presto-a RUSH fan!]

Regardless if you are an old or new fan, or if you prefer the older or newer music (or both) We are all RUSH fans and seeing that we are all posting messages and some of you guys have thousands of posts, I think we can all agree that RUSH is something very, very special.

 

Long Live The Kings!

[Steel Rat]

IMO - If you don't love everything that your favorite band has done, you haven't looked hard enough for a favorite band, considering that there's millions of bands out there. You should look far past what is presented in the mainstream, because that is where music becomes truly awesome.

 

I think that Rush is falling from their prime more gracefully than most bands do. After 3 decades, they're obviously not going to be as motivated as they were when they were just beginning, when they were young and healthy, when they had to worry about making ends meet, when they were REALLY hungry to touch the stars.

 

Oh, and when they were .

 

 

 

 

[FoxxiStarr]

QUOTE (GeddysMullet @ Oct 6 2010, 11:09 PM)

It's stupid to say that anyone who doesn't like every album a band has done isn't a "hardcore fan." That's like saying that if there's anything that annoys you about your spouse you don't really love them. The best bands are creatively hungry. They grow and change. They push their boundaries and try new things. This can result in their producing music that isn't to an individual's particular taste, no matter how much that individual loves whatever came before or after it. Individuals grow and change, too. I don't think that blindly loving everything a band does just because it was done by that particular band is anything meaningful or valuable at all. What is a "hardcore fan" anyway? Who defines it? I don't love everything that Rush has ever done. In fact, there's probably a good third of their catalog that I never listen to at all. There are even things I don't like about certain Rush things that I DO like, if that makes sense. Yet, still, I consider myself a hardcore fan. I consider myself a hardcore fan because of the way that I feel about Rush. Because of what their music means to me and how it makes me feel when I listen to it. Because of how I feel when I talk to other Rush fans and how I feel when I go to a Rush gig. Because of how important to my life and my happiness my Rush experiences over the past three years have been. That might not be "hardcore" enough for you, but it definitely is for me!

[Stormtron]

QUOTE (FoxxiStarr @ Oct 7 2010, 07:36 AM)

QUOTE (GeddysMullet @ Oct 6 2010, 11:09 PM) It's stupid to say that anyone who doesn't like every album a band has done isn't a "hardcore fan."  That's like saying that if there's anything that annoys you about your spouse you don't really love them.  The best bands are creatively hungry.  They grow and change.  They push their boundaries and try new things.  This can result in their producing music that isn't to an individual's particular taste, no matter how much that individual loves whatever came before or after it.  Individuals grow and change, too.  I don't think that blindly loving everything a band does just because it was done by that particular band is anything meaningful or valuable at all.  What is a "hardcore fan" anyway?  Who defines it?  I don't love everything that Rush has ever done.  In fact, there's probably a good third of their catalog that I never listen to at all.  There are even things I don't like about certain Rush things that I DO like, if that makes sense.  Yet, still, I consider myself a hardcore fan.  I consider myself a hardcore fan because of the way that I feel about Rush.  Because of what their music means to me and how it makes me feel when I listen to it.  Because of how I feel when I talk to other Rush fans and how I feel when I go to a Rush gig.  Because of how important to my life and my happiness my Rush experiences over the past three years have been.  That might not be "hardcore" enough for you, but it definitely is for me! x2   I consider myself a hardcore fan because of how the Rush albums and songs that I love make me feel, not because of the percentage of songs I like.   QUOTE (Steel Rat @ Oct 7 2010, 05:35 AM) IMO - If you don't love everything that your favorite band has done, you haven't looked hard enough for a favorite band

[tjtull]

On the topic of the thread, I agree that "discovering" this band is a mind-blowing experience. I envy anyone who is finding RUSH for the first time. I can recall when I first made that discovery, it was before they'd put out such masterpieces as AFTK and Hemispheres (not to mention PW and MP...and everything that followed). Becoming a new fan and going back through the back catalog is a very personal experience and can really solidify one's love of a band. Especially a band like RUSH, who have so much to offer.

 

That said, if I were to introduce someone to RUSH today, the albums I'd choose from would be those between 2112 and MP. Certainly, that's the period that defined RUSH. Not to say that there isn't a ton of great music on Signals and all the way up to BU2B, but those (2112 - MP) are the seminal RUSH albums. I'd also say that those albums would be the easiest for a new RUSH fan to absorb. Much of what came after MP requires an appreciation of the earlier music. These albums are almost prerequisites for more recent RUSH.

 

Nonetheless, being a fan of RUSH is a journey. So much great music to love and cherish. It speaks to us all in different ways.

 

Edited October 7, 2010 by tjtull

[tel]

looks like danielclarke and wide angle have dropped the ball,oops

 

[spb]

I like the spirit of this post. great music is not transitory. it lives, breathes, and resonates. it goes on. not having lived during the "youth" or so-called "prime" of this great group -- or any other great band or act -- hardly precludes anyone from discovery, appreciation, and something very much akin to the same love and meaning others experienced in "real time".

 

what's really remarkable about Rush is they're still delivering what we've loved for so long and somehow, bringing us new music that matters -- both to them and many of us. I really don't think they'd still be in the game were it not for the latter.

[flybyknight]

Yes, the spirit of this thread is certainly alive, I can remember first hearing Rush and buying all their tunes, telling everyone how great they are and generally annoying people!

Those days were fantastic and to all new Rush fans You really are so lucky and are in for a truly magical and wonderful ride, don't let anybody tell you different, Rush ARE the best band in the world and they are the best musicians on their respective instruments, PERIOD.

 

ENJOY!!!!!!!!!!!!

[tontonfranck]

QUOTE (tjtull @ Oct 7 2010, 02:54 PM)

I envy anyone who is finding RUSH for the first time. I can recall when I first made that discovery

 

I can remenber it too.

Back in 91 I didn't really know what I wanted to lhear and enjoy. So most of the time I was listening to old stuff like J Hendrix, the first Clapton's albums etc...

And then I found "roll the bones" in the library of my city.

I really remember being so shocked by Geedy's bass that i didn't notice Neil's drumming!!

20 years later Roll the bones is still a very special one in my heart and hope I won't forget that primal feeling I got the day I discovered the band.

 

And now in 2010 I still share my enthusiasm to friends or anyone who wants to discover different things.

A few weeks ago I had a few drinks at home with a friend who's a amateur drummer.

I showed him Neil's solo on R30 dvd and looked at him while he was watching. The guy was amazed like a child.

 

 

[Presto-a RUSH fan!]

QUOTE (tontonfranck @ Oct 7 2010, 02:01 PM)

I showed him Neil's solo on R30 dvd and looked at him while he was watching. The guy was amazed like a child.

Yeah, that's usually the reaction I get too!

 

I remember showing my Mom Neil's solo and she doesn't like rock music and she was blown away.

[jwoods89]

Amazing post man!

[BigBob]

I kind of fell on the Rush Bandwagon about two years ago. I always though Rush was at the least a 5 peace hard rock Band. My one buddy had Guitar Hero 2 and we played YYZ. I was blown away by that song, still thinking Rush was just 5 piece band. So I looked up YYZ on youtube and saw there was a Live version. To me that song sounded impossible to play live even by 5 guys. Then I saw just 3 guys on the stage, I think the footage was from a show of hands, cause after the song Neil Pert just busts out a drum solo that was ridiculously over the top awesome.

 

So for Christmas I got Rush's Gold collection. I really only listened to the radio hits such as Fly By Night, working Man, Spirit of Radio, etc. I wasn't really much into Long conceptual pieces. And then came "The Drive". "The Drive" was biggest pivotal movement in my life. I was visiting a buddy down in Virgina, and when I was driving back home I decided to drive through Shenandoah National Park along the Skyline drive. Driving through those Mountains the song Xanadu came on the playlist, and wow! Just the perfect synchronicity with that song and mountains was inspiring. Then I heard La Villa Strangiatto and 2112. they blended so well with the mountains.

 

It was at that moment that I made two big choices in my Life. First I became a Rush Fan, and Second I decided to Move down to Virgina. I have done both, and my life has never been greater.