It's Near Impossible To Keep A Handle on the Rush Catalog

[That One Guy]

What I mean by that is, there's so much music, that it's impossible for me to listen to everything. No matter what, i'll find myself going "Why haven't I listened to this song in X months?"

 

A first-world problem for sure, Rush's 160+ track library, with a solid ten or so songs running over 10min, is quite the collection!

 

Songs I recently went months without listening to: Hemispheres, Farewell to Kings, Natural Science, The Camera Eye, Xanadu, etc.

 

What have you missed out on lately?

[GeddyRulz]

I only listen to Rush on my iPod now, and I only added my favorite 90 Rush songs to said iPod. So, I guess I'm "missing out" on about 40% of their catalog!

[bluefox4000]

Well I hardly Ever listen to 90's Rush....Crap decade for them. Never listen to Vapor Trails. Also I only Listen to half of CA. So there's quite a bit of sludge in the Rush Catalog. As it is with any band/performer with a wide sprawling Discography.

 

Mick

[That One Guy]

Well I hardly Ever listen to 90's Rush....Crap decade for them. Never listen to Vapor Trails. Also I only Listen to half of CA. So there's quite a bit of sludge in the Rush Catalog. As it is with any band/performer with a wide sprawling Discography.

 

Mick

 

Different strokes for different folks. Some people like what others can't stand. I for instance am a big fan of the entire Presto album! However, I can't listen to the first album, with the exception of Working Man.

 

The 90's were... interesting for them haha. You've got the Roll The Bones rap section, Dog Years, You Bet Your Life, The Speed Of Love (everyone hates it but me).

 

I think at this point I like all decades in perfect harmony, with 70s/80s having priority.

[Rushman14]

I probably havent listened to Anagram since 1991.

[Jaminbenb]

I give the whole catalog a good listen at least ONCE every year! Easier now that it's all on the iPod...I usually start with RUSH, and go through all of the studio albums...whenever they release a new one, I usually listen to the new one a few times, then go BACKWARDS through the studio stuff... Live albums are usually hit once or twice a year like that as well... Occasionally, I get a hankering for something, and play an individual album or two. Rush isn't the tough one in my collection...it's ZAPPA! That's 110 albums, and almost 1800 songs!

[GeddyRulz]

When I used to buy the live CD's, I'd listen to them ONCE (if that), and shelve them. I only bought them to keep my collection complete. And now, since I'm all about the MP3's, I don't even buy the live albums.

 

I wouldn't say I'm "missing out" on them, though. I obviously hate live albums.

[That One Guy]

I probably havent listened to Anagram since 1991.

 

Listening to it right now in your honor. It has the distinction of not being quite the weakest track on the album.

[Mika]

I've got the whole Rush library on my ipod, and since my computer died a while back along with my itunes and music, it's stuck on my ipod, and I couldn't be happier! All Rush, all the time... with about 15% of the total music taken up by other artists. It's set on random, so every single song ends up getting played, and I find I skip the non-Rush music.... I might skip the 'overheard' songs, like 'The Spirit of Radio' or 'Closer to the Heart' if I've heard them too recently, but otherwise every single song gets a play. And it is AWESOME! I've certainly gained greater appreciation for songs I didn't really have a place in my heart for, before.

 

And after all this time, I still get shivers when anything from Vapor Trails pops up... can't get enough of these songs!

[CygnusGal]

I love my iPod (lossless format only, mp3 makes my ears burn) - it has totally opened the catalog for me. 170+ songs in the studio album playlist, including Feedback. I tend not to shuffle straight through *all* Rush (live playlist/album playlist is the division) since I end up with 5 copies of TSOR, Limelight, Freewill, the standard fare, etc. otherwise. I love how I will go deep on songs that don't get much play and while I still remember all of the lyrics and hooks, I'll I hear something new. Even after all this time. Stunning.

 

I only skip Rivendell.

[losingit2k]

Actually its very simple. There are only 20 albums and there are 52 weeks in a year just listen to a different album ever other week! and then take a two week vacation!!

 

:sundog:

[calirush]

I normally spread the love around for Rush's collection, but I've been so stuck on CA that the rest have taken a temporary back seat.

[LedRush]

I pretty much never listen to Counterparts, Presto, Feedback, and about 40% of the songs from the 80s unless they come up randomly on my iPod. I could go more than a year without getting those songs, especially as I am listening largely to boots this year.

[WIDE-ANGLE WATCHER]

When I used to buy the live CD's, I'd listen to them ONCE (if that), and shelve them. I only bought them to keep my collection complete. And now, since I'm all about the MP3's, I don't even buy the live albums.

 

I wouldn't say I'm "missing out" on them, though. I obviously hate live albums.

 

Give Exit...Stage Left another listen and you might appreciate some live Rush.

 

Concerts are live Rush....I hope you don't hate Rush concerts.

[GeddyRulz]

When I used to buy the live CD's, I'd listen to them ONCE (if that), and shelve them. I only bought them to keep my collection complete. And now, since I'm all about the MP3's, I don't even buy the live albums.

 

I wouldn't say I'm "missing out" on them, though. I obviously hate live albums.

 

Give Exit...Stage Left another listen and you might appreciate some live Rush.

 

Concerts are live Rush....I hope you don't hate Rush concerts.

 

No, I don't hate Rush concerts and I don't hate Rush DVD's, either. Those have the added advantage of seeing them go off on their instruments. I just hate live albums... by anyone, even my beloved Rush. Always have.

 

For one thing, there's the poorer sound quality as compared to a studio album. For a second thing, crowd noise. But worse of all, in my mind, is the third thing: I've gotten very familiar with the studio version of a song by the time the live versions come 'round, and here they go playing and singing the song(s) differently on the live album. I look and sound like an idiot as I'm singing/air playing along with the studio version I know, while they're singing/playing it differently... appears like I don't even know the song.

 

Listening to Exit Stage Left one more time won't change my mind about live albums. I like "Broon's Bane" (since I can't hear it anywhere else), but that's it.

Edited December 13, 2012 by GeddyRulz

[Chicken hawk]

I have every RUSH CD that i have in a cd player they all fit into. I can hit "RANDOM" and never know what song is going to come up. BUT i have many other cd's in there too....but RUSH seems to come up like every other song...so i do get a variety whenever i turn this on.

 

:sundog:

[USB Connector]

I've been using Rush as study music. I don't have much instrumental music so I use it since I'm familiar enough to avoid getting into the music if I don't want to. Every once and a while I'll hear a song I think it really awesome and turn and see that it's from HyF, FBN or CoS. I need to re-evaluate my opinions on those albums. Sometimes I'll hear something from VT or Power Windows and say "Why don't I listen to this more often". It's great and it's too bad I can only fit one CD in my car at a time. XD

[Jaminbenb]

When I used to buy the live CD's, I'd listen to them ONCE (if that), and shelve them. I only bought them to keep my collection complete. And now, since I'm all about the MP3's, I don't even buy the live albums.

 

I wouldn't say I'm "missing out" on them, though. I obviously hate live albums.

 

Give Exit...Stage Left another listen and you might appreciate some live Rush.

 

Concerts are live Rush....I hope you don't hate Rush concerts.

 

No, I don't hate Rush concerts and I don't hate Rush DVD's, either. Those have the added advantage of seeing them go off on their instruments. I just hate live albums... by anyone, even my beloved Rush. Always have.

 

For one thing, there's the poorer sound quality as compared to a studio album. For a second thing, crowd noise. But worse of all, in my mind, is the third thing: I've gotten very familiar with the studio version of a song by the time the live versions come 'round, and here they go playing and singing the song(s) differently on the live album. I look and sound like an idiot as I'm singing/air playing along with the studio version I know, while they're singing/playing it differently... appears like I don't even know the song.

 

Listening to Exit Stage Left one more time won't change my mind about live albums. I like "Broon's Bane" (since I can't hear it anywhere else), but that's it.

 

 

Sorry that's just weird...with the way live albums are made these days, it's just like recording in the studio, but LIVE...it's not like they put up a "stereo pair" mid hall and let it rip (although some AWESOME live albums HAVE been done that way) After learning the entire recording process, I can't really stand studio albums in comparison...knowing how a song is put together in the studio is such a disappontment that in most cases, the band DOESN'T even PLAY IT together! I'll give y ou that in some cases the crownd noise IS a factor, but that's on whomever mixed it...

 

To each his own, I guess...but you're missing out on a LOT of great music...

[Animate]

I've been using Rush as study music. I don't have much instrumental music so I use it since I'm familiar enough to avoid getting into the music if I don't want to. Every once and a while I'll hear a song I think it really awesome and turn and see that it's from HyF, FBN or CoS. I need to re-evaluate my opinions on those albums. Sometimes I'll hear something from VT or Power Windows and say "Why don't I listen to this more often". It's great and it's too bad I can only fit one CD in my car at a time. XD

 

In some ways, Rush is the opposite of good music to listen to while studying because it sort of demands focus.

[Mika]

I've been using Rush as study music. I don't have much instrumental music so I use it since I'm familiar enough to avoid getting into the music if I don't want to. Every once and a while I'll hear a song I think it really awesome and turn and see that it's from HyF, FBN or CoS. I need to re-evaluate my opinions on those albums. Sometimes I'll hear something from VT or Power Windows and say "Why don't I listen to this more often". It's great and it's too bad I can only fit one CD in my car at a time. XD

 

In some ways, Rush is the opposite of good music to listen to while studying because it sort of demands focus.

 

Totally - I've learned this along the years! If I want to do something that requires a certain amount of concentration while listening to music, my favourite music is not the way to go. Even if I try to listen to it really quietly, I inevitably turn it up at 'a good song' and it stays up. I've learned to have a collection of non-vocal music for this scenario, something that I will keep quiet and not get all squealy with, "ooh, it's this song!"

[HowItIs]

Actually its very simple. There are only 20 albums and there are 52 weeks in a year just listen to a different album ever other week! and then take a two week vacation!!

 

:sundog:

 

I like this idea!

 

As it is, I have all the albums in the car and choose a different one every few days. Inside I have my MP3 player or computer on shuffle through the entire catalog. That pretty much covers it. ;)

[LedRush]

When I used to buy the live CD's, I'd listen to them ONCE (if that), and shelve them. I only bought them to keep my collection complete. And now, since I'm all about the MP3's, I don't even buy the live albums.

 

I wouldn't say I'm "missing out" on them, though. I obviously hate live albums.

 

Give Exit...Stage Left another listen and you might appreciate some live Rush.

 

Concerts are live Rush....I hope you don't hate Rush concerts.

 

No, I don't hate Rush concerts and I don't hate Rush DVD's, either. Those have the added advantage of seeing them go off on their instruments. I just hate live albums... by anyone, even my beloved Rush. Always have.

 

For one thing, there's the poorer sound quality as compared to a studio album. For a second thing, crowd noise. But worse of all, in my mind, is the third thing: I've gotten very familiar with the studio version of a song by the time the live versions come 'round, and here they go playing and singing the song(s) differently on the live album. I look and sound like an idiot as I'm singing/air playing along with the studio version I know, while they're singing/playing it differently... appears like I don't even know the song.

 

Listening to Exit Stage Left one more time won't change my mind about live albums. I like "Broon's Bane" (since I can't hear it anywhere else), but that's it.

 

That's funny as I've always felt that ESL's biggest weakness is that it sounds just like the studio recordings. I love a live set because it can breathe new life into old songs, giving me something new and different. That's why I love ATWAS and the so many early boots...it's like getting a new song from Rush! Seeing as at this stage of the game we get a new album every 5 years, new live stuff is essential for filling my Rush addiction.

[Cygnus 2112]

I've got my iPod on shuffle through the studio albums at work for 9+ hours a day. In two days I can cycle through the whole library.

[jjgittes]

I keep 5 RUSH CD's in my car-Caress of Steel, 2112, Hemispheres, Different Stages, Retro 3(hey, got it for $1).

For shorter jaunts-DS and R3 can be pulled out. The other three are reserved for 30 minute-plus drives. Doesn't seem right listening to those on the local trip to the market. Reminds me of the film "liberty Heights," which takes place in the 50's. There is a scene where a kid is being driven somewhere and arrives at his destination. Even though he should get out, Frank Sinatra is on the radio. He won't get out of the car until the song is over saying something like "you just can't walk out on Sinatra." Sort of the same thing for the other three albums. ;)

[GeddyLeeRoth]

I almost never listen to T4E or RTB. Besides that, everything else is fair game. I got into this compilation CD making phase a few years back, so I have like 5 Rush compilation CDs, covering different eras. One is all epics, I entitled 'Waltz Of The Shreves': 2112, Jacobs Ladder, CygnusX-1, Hemispheres, Xanadu, and La Villa Strangiato. Thats a lot of epicness packed into 80 minutes!