alanjoseph Posted October 4, 2011 Share Posted October 4, 2011 (edited) Short version: Which album would you recommend first to a new Rush listener (me) to get them into the band? Long version: Hey guys. I'm not new to Rush. When I was about eight years old I heard "Tom Sawyer" on the radio. It was the first time I ever asked my dad to call and ask the DJ which song they just played, I was fascinated by it. And then a few years later, a friend made me a mix CD with "The Trees" on it, and I liked that song a lot too. So, now I'd like to dig in a little deeper. I'd like to buy two or three full Rush albums. I'm just not sure where to start, their back catalog is quite overwhelming to a new listener, as well as the dozen or so compilations and greatest hits titles. But buying two albums at a time is how I got into Pink Floyd, and now, they are my favorite band (especially the Waters-led era). Other artists I enjoy: Tori Amos, Nine Inch Nails, Led Zeppelin, Dream Theater, The Smashing Pumpkins, etc. That might help in pointing me in the right direction. I've read over the Rush page on wikipedia and understand there are various phases of the band. I'm inclined to head straight for Moving Pictures because of my attraction to "Tom Sawyer", but thought I'd check in with the die hard fans and make sure I'd be starting in the right place. Thanks in advance for any direction. Edited October 4, 2011 by alanjoseph Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Big Money Posted October 4, 2011 Share Posted October 4, 2011 (edited) I would start with Moving Pictures and All The World's A stage. They were the first two rush albums that I first heard by them. Edited October 4, 2011 by bigmoney2112 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ColdFireYYZ Posted October 4, 2011 Share Posted October 4, 2011 I would get Hemispheres, Permanent Waves, and Moving Pictures first. My personal favorite is Signals but I don't think that would be a great starting point. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ColdFireYYZ Posted October 4, 2011 Share Posted October 4, 2011 Also, Welcome To TRF! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Strangiato Posted October 4, 2011 Share Posted October 4, 2011 I say start with Rush and end with Snakes and Arrows. Get a feel for all of their music. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
liddybuck01 Posted October 4, 2011 Share Posted October 4, 2011 (edited) i started with a best of cd, and picked up the albums my favorite songs were on. 2112, Permanent Waves, Moving Pictures, Signals, and Counterparts would be 5 great albums to start with. Edited October 4, 2011 by liddybuck01 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HowItIs Posted October 4, 2011 Share Posted October 4, 2011 (edited) Hi, welcome to TRF! I'd follow your instincts and go with Moving Pictures first. Then Permanent Waves. Hemispheres and Signals will take you back and forward from there. If you like the synth you hear on Signals, continue to Power Windows. If you don't, go backwards from Hemispheres. I did this very thing last year (I was already familiar with everything up through Signals). I got the entire catalog and I would put my MP3 player on shuffle and let it go. When I heard something that particularly piqued my interest I would listen to more from that album. Now I know the entire catalog very well and have favorite albums that, this time last year, I barely knew about. Have fun! Edited October 4, 2011 by HowItIs Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Drummerrobin Posted October 4, 2011 Share Posted October 4, 2011 Welcome to the forum! I'd say Moving Pictures then Permanent Waves - IMO the two albums that sum Rush up the best. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J2112YYZ Posted October 4, 2011 Share Posted October 4, 2011 Permanent Waves and Moving Pictures is where to start Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Godot Posted October 4, 2011 Share Posted October 4, 2011 QUOTE (alanjoseph @ Oct 4 2011, 04:37 PM) Short version: Which album would you recommend first to a new Rush listener (me) to get them into the band? Long version: Hey guys. I'm not new to Rush. When I was about eight years old I heard "Tom Sawyer" on the radio. It was the first time I ever asked my dad to call and ask the DJ which song they just played, I was fascinated by it. And then a few years later, a friend made me a mix CD with "The Trees" on it, and I liked that song a lot too. So, now I'd like to dig in a little deeper. I'd like to buy two or three full Rush albums. I'm just not sure where to start, their back catalog is quite overwhelming to a new listener, as well as the dozen or so compilations and greatest hits titles. But buying two albums at a time is how I got into Pink Floyd, and now, they are my favorite band (especially the Waters-led era). Other artists I enjoy: Tori Amos, Nine Inch Nails, Led Zeppelin, Dream Theater, The Smashing Pumpkins, etc. That might help in pointing me in the right direction. I've read over the Rush page on wikipedia and understand there are various phases of the band. I'm inclined to head straight for Moving Pictures because of my attraction to "Tom Sawyer", but thought I'd check in with the die hard fans and make sure I'd be starting in the right place. Thanks in advance for any direction. I'd start with Moving Pictures, A Farewell to Kings, and 2112. It sounds like you're into their older proggier stuff, and those are some good albums. They were my first favorites and I was a fan of the same ones as you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bastille Dave Posted October 4, 2011 Share Posted October 4, 2011 what you should do is find out what albums you're interested in, check out some key songs on YouTube like "Red barchetta", "YYZ", "Limelight" etc....maybe download an album or two and if you like em, go buy em. Or you can just go buy em based on what youve heard on YouTube. It would be great for you to support the band but also there are thrift stores and pawn shops where you can find CD's for a buck or two. You said you like Pink Floyd so I'm sure you'd like the concept albums from the 70's like Hemispheres and 2112, and you must start with Moving Pics. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
D3strukt Posted October 4, 2011 Share Posted October 4, 2011 Download before buy. It's my number one rule! I don't give a shit if it's illegal. I'm not wasting money on something that's shit. I've done it with every album i've ever owned, or wanted to own. So yeah, start with Rush, or Fly By Night, and go up, songs you like, you keep. Songs you don't like, you don't keep. If you hate more songs, than you like on an album, then don't get it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dethroned emperor Posted October 4, 2011 Share Posted October 4, 2011 caress of steel Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Good,bad,andrush Posted October 5, 2011 Share Posted October 5, 2011 De-loused in a comatorium Nah, hemispheres. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Union 5-3992 Posted October 5, 2011 Share Posted October 5, 2011 Based on your taste in music, I'd say go with their 70's and 90's albums. 70's for the rocking and progressive stuff (2112, Rush, Hemisphere), 90's (Counterparts, Test For Echo) for the heavy grungy sounding albums. If you're into the synth stuff (I like it equally), then it is a good starting point as well. You don't have to download or buy it. Do what I do, go on Youtube or Spotify and listen to it for free and legally there. Then make your decisions based on what you liked. Even though I did have a rather shady way of obtaining my entire Rush discography (minus Signals, Snakes & Arrows, and a few live albums) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tommy Sawyer Posted October 5, 2011 Share Posted October 5, 2011 and Welcome! Trust me here, getting into Rush will be the best decision of your life! Okay, anyways.... albums. 1. Moving Pictures and Permanent Waves. Just Do It. These are basically the most perfect albums they have. I mean it. It may not be favorites of everyones, but everyone here (except one person) acknowledges the greatness of these albums. 2. Sounds like you like hard rock. If so, get 2112. Truly epic album. This album rocks even harder than Moving Pictures and it has one of the best Rush songs, the title track, which is by the way 20 minutes. 3a. If you like side 2 (songs 2-6) of 2112, buy the albums Rush and Fly By Night. They are just basic hard rock with a little progressive-ness on Fly by Night. They are the hardest-rocking Rush albums. There are some great guitars solos on these two albums. 3b. If you like side 1 (1st song) of 2112, buy A Farewell to Kings and Hemispheres. These also are great rock music. However, there is a lot of progressive music here. Synths start to be used and the music is more complex. Got it? Good. After that, you may want to start another help thread here! Have fun! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tommy Sawyer Posted October 5, 2011 Share Posted October 5, 2011 QUOTE (D3strukt @ Oct 4 2011, 07:37 PM) Download before buy. It's my number one rule! I don't give a shit if it's illegal. I'm not wasting money on something that's shit. I've done it with every album i've ever owned, or wanted to own. That is a very good point. However, I suggest using a more legal method to preview music. I use both Grooveshark and Spotify to preview albums and songs. Works like a charm. Spotify seems to have a larger catalog, but it also has audio adds every few songs. Pick your poison. (I use Spotify much more often.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bastille Dave Posted October 5, 2011 Share Posted October 5, 2011 and dont buy digital downloads, get the real CD's, the tangible ones. Start off getting into Rush the real way. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
danielmclark Posted October 5, 2011 Share Posted October 5, 2011 Forget buying CDs, it's a waste of money at this point. Sign up with Spotify and listen to the entire catalog, on your own time, for free (or pay $10 a month and go ad-free, that's what, 2-3 years of play time for the price of just the Rush catalog on CD). Then, once you've decided if you want to make the investment, and if you've got equipment at home that's worth using, start getting CDs of your favorite albums. You'll hear some new things in the mix maybe, but I'm telling you, the days of spending $300 to buy all of Rush's stuff before you've heard the whole album are over. And for the love of god, don't listen to the audio snobs who will tell you that the only way you should ever hear music is on CD. Get to know the music first, then upgrade. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Union 5-3992 Posted October 5, 2011 Share Posted October 5, 2011 I like to always listen to CD's before I buy them. I'm starting a collection, and its nice to have something tangible. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
D3strukt Posted October 5, 2011 Share Posted October 5, 2011 QUOTE (Tommy Sawyer @ Oct 4 2011, 08:16 PM) QUOTE (D3strukt @ Oct 4 2011, 07:37 PM) Download before buy. It's my number one rule! I don't give a shit if it's illegal. I'm not wasting money on something that's shit. I've done it with every album i've ever owned, or wanted to own. That is a very good point. However, I suggest using a more legal method to preview music. I use both Grooveshark and Spotify to preview albums and songs. Works like a charm. Spotify seems to have a larger catalog, but it also has audio adds every few songs. Pick your poison. (I use Spotify much more often.) I was unaware that Spotify was available here? Then yes, if Spotify is available, do use it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RobW Posted October 5, 2011 Share Posted October 5, 2011 I agree with the Hemispheres -P ermanent Waves - Moving Pictures option. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StellarJetman Posted October 5, 2011 Share Posted October 5, 2011 (edited) Moving Pictures is probably their definitive album, Hemispheres represents the peak of their nerdy progressive rock style (and it has "The Trees" on it, for good measure), and Presto is my favorite out of the more restrained middle phase of their career. They're my three "core" Rush albums, and I'd definitely recommend starting with them. Edited October 5, 2011 by StellarJetman Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phantom Posted October 5, 2011 Share Posted October 5, 2011 (edited) Welcome to the Rush Forum. I'd highly recommend Moving Pictures and Permanent Waves. My life changed after listening to those two albums. Looking forward to hearing what albums you went with and what you thought of them. Edited October 5, 2011 by Phantom Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alanjoseph Posted October 5, 2011 Author Share Posted October 5, 2011 Hey guys, thanks for all the responses! One suggestion was to get Moving Pictures and Permanent Waves, along with Hemispheres and Signals, and whichever of those latter two I liked best would be a good indicator of which direction (past or present) I should head. Makes sense. So, that's what I did. =) I got all four CDs from Amazon for less than $30, it's like they're having a Rush back catalog sale or something. So, those will be here Friday. Excited for a weekend full of listening. Thanks again for the advice and I'll be back this weekend after listening through each album. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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