Chris Squire - Rush Producer?

[drbirdsong]

From RushIsABand:

 

http://www.rushisaba...n-new-interview

 

 

UPDATE - 7/16@2:13PM: As several readers have pointed out in the comments, the album in question must have been Grace Under Pressure based on the timing of when Rush played Wembley Arena back in the '80s.

 

http://www.rushisaband.com/images/201302/2610.f.jpgThe Yes official website featured a fan Q&A with legendary bass player Chris Squire a couple of weeks ago and one of the questions was regarding Geddy Lee (thanks Leeo S). In his answer Squire reveals that he was once a candidate to produce Rush:

Have you ever met or had a chance to play with Geddy Lee? The man cites you as his biggest influence and was curious if that ever happened?

I have met Geddy Lee a long time ago at Wembley Arena when Rush played there. In fact, I was a possible candidate to produce a Rush album, but when I showed up there, Trevor Horn was sitting next to me. [laughs] I said to Trevor "What are you doing here?" and he said "Oh, I've been asked to come and meet the band because I might be producing them", and I said "so have I!". That was quite a long time ago - the early 80′s, I think. He cites me as a big influence? Well, that's very nice of him. They do good work, that band.

 

Squire doesn't reveal for which Rush album he was a candidate, but he was likely one of the many producers considered after the band parted ways with longtime producer

Terry Brown for the Grace Under Pressure album. Although it's possible he was being considered to produce Power Windows as well.

 

 

 

Chris Squire as their producer is hard enough to imagine let alone Trevor Horn. I never heard about this, but if someone mentioned it before then feel free to give me a :whip:

Edited August 4, 2013 by drbirdsong

[MMCXII]

He's wasn't his Biggest influence at all but he was definitely one of them.. That would be very interesting though.

[Babycat]

This is the first time I've ever heard of Chris Squire or Trevor Horn being possible candidates in producing a Rush album. Interesting thought though - I wonder how it would've sounded?

[Tony R]

Considering the album was GuP, it would've been shit whoever produced it.

[Hatchetaxe&saw]

It would have been a disaster. Squire is one lazy f*cker. A producer has to get the best out of the musicians. Squire's sloth-like approach to life would have driven the guys demented. He would have been found impaled on one of Geddy's basses after a week.

 

I doubt he was ever considered.

[Hemisteers]

He produced his Fish out of Water album which IMO sounds amazing.

[drbirdsong]

The Trevor Horn possibility is the one that is more interesting to me. Yes he smooths the edges off everything he produces, but I do wonder what he might have done with them when it came to the keyboard sounds.

[presto123]

GUP is one of the best records in Rush's catalog. Glad Henderson ended up doing it.

[losingit2k]

Considering the album was GuP, it would've been shit whoever produced it.

Welcome back Tony R! its always great to hear your pesimistic outlook on all things RUSH. Regardless, I think Trevor Horn would have done a good job with the band. He understands the style!

[Spindrift82]

This is great! I'm a huge fan of Yes as well, all of their lineups, and would have loved this...

 

Except...

 

It would have been a disaster. Squire is one lazy f*cker. A producer has to get the best out of the musicians. Squire's sloth-like approach to life would have driven the guys demented. He would have been found impaled on one of Geddy's basses after a week.

 

I doubt he was ever considered.

 

You're probably right. Chris Squire is a great songwriter, but he has a terrible track record for producing other people's work (and sometimes, even his own band.) The best work of Yes has always been when Jon Anderson or Trevor Rabin or Trevor Horn produced them, as well as anybody except Squire.

[ILSnwdog]

GUP is one of the best records in Rush's catalog. Glad Henderson ended up doing it.

Yeah, without Henderson, there never would have been the Hentor Sportscaster.

[analog guy]

I'm trying to imagine Trevor Horn producing Rush........ Hello, "Art of Noise" samples on the Simmons!

[Spindrift82]

I'm trying to imagine Trevor Horn producing Rush........ Hello, "Art of Noise" samples on the Simmons!

 

Well, it worked pretty well for Yes.

[Steevo]

GUP is one of the best records in Rush's catalog. Glad Henderson ended up doing it.

 

Too fukn' right, brilliant producer, end of.

[tas7]

I seem to remember Steve Lillywhite producer of early U2 being approached.

[drbirdsong]

I seem to remember Steve Lillywhite producer of early U2 being approached.

 

Yeah that name came up. Someone, maybe Lillywhite, was going to do the job and then backed out right at the beginning of the recording sessions. Rush went ahead on their own and Grace Under Pressure was already underway when Henderson stepped in. This is why someone in the band needs to write a book. This whole era would make for interesting reading. I used to assume Neil would write it, but he doesn't seem to be in any hurry or he's waiting to write it after they retire. They should maybe take the Beatles Anthology or U2 By U2 approach to it. All three of them can do it.

[PolarizeMe]

I seem to remember Steve Lillywhite producer of early U2 being approached.

 

Yeah that name came up. Someone, maybe Lillywhite, was going to do the job and then backed out right at the beginning of the recording sessions. Rush went ahead on their own and Grace Under Pressure was already underway when Henderson stepped in. This is why someone in the band needs to write a book. This whole era would make for interesting reading. I used to assume Neil would write it, but he doesn't seem to be in any hurry or he's waiting to write it after they retire. They should maybe take the Beatles Anthology or U2 By U2 approach to it. All three of them can do it.

Lillywhite was approached and initially accepted the offer to produce P/G but he backed out of it at the last minute to produce Simple Minds instead.

 

In the words of Geddy himself:

"Steve Lillywhite is really not a man of his word. After agreeing to do our record, he got an offer from Simple Minds, changed his mind, blew us off and went and did the Simple Minds record. So it put us in a horrible position where we were on the verge of entering preprocduction and suddenly we had no producer. All the while we were writing and arranging material we had producers flying in, like every week, to meet with, to talk to. And it was just horrible timing, after going and trying to venture out on our own without our father figure, Terry Brown."

[Bluefunk]

Lillywhite was approached and initially accepted the offer to produce P/G but he backed out of it at the last minute to produce Simple Minds instead.

 

In the words of Geddy himself:

"Steve Lillywhite is really not a man of his word. After agreeing to do our record, he got an offer from Simple Minds, changed his mind, blew us off and went and did the Simple Minds record. So it put us in a horrible position where we were on the verge of entering preprocduction and suddenly we had no producer. All the while we were writing and arranging material we had producers flying in, like every week, to meet with, to talk to. And it was just horrible timing, after going and trying to venture out on our own without our father figure, Terry Brown."

I think it was at that point when they appointed Roger Kneebend as a temporary producer:

http://www.2112.net/...GUPtourbook.htm

[circumstantial tree]

I remember Geddy saying once that he wasn't happy with the production on Grace Under Pressure. Something about Henderson being more of an engineer than a producer. Simple Minds did "Don't You (Forget about me) around that time. So Lillywhite left Rush to produce a tune that became a hit for "Breakfast Club" film.

[Hatchetaxe&saw]

Rush weren't cool enough for Lillywhite, at the time. Simple Minds had a bit of indie-cred back then, before they became bloated & shite.

 

Wanker.

[Maverick]

A Trevor Horn produced Rush album would have sounded like 9012Generator.

[Hatchetaxe&saw]

A Trevor Horn produced Rush album would have sounded like 9012Generator.

 

I love the sound he got for 90125. BIG.

[Catch The Mystery]

Here's a funny anecdote: Chirs Squire & Steve Hackett (Squackett) did a Q&A during the Cruise to the Edge earlier this year. When asked about how they feel about doing this kind of event they start chatting about their parents moving to Canada by ship when they were kids. Chris then all of a sudden realises something quite surprising :D ;) Banter starts at 21:38.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J5dmY5oGyuA&feature=share&list=UU0lGj0cqmW88DSFK6V8s8cg

Edited August 10, 2013 by Catch The Mystery

[drbirdsong]

I tempted to say they would have been "Plush", but it's not polite to make fun of someone's weight.

[ytserush]

I seem to remember Steve Lillywhite producer of early U2 being approached.

 

Yeah that name came up. Someone, maybe Lillywhite, was going to do the job and then backed out right at the beginning of the recording sessions. Rush went ahead on their own and Grace Under Pressure was already underway when Henderson stepped in. This is why someone in the band needs to write a book. This whole era would make for interesting reading. I used to assume Neil would write it, but he doesn't seem to be in any hurry or he's waiting to write it after they retire. They should maybe take the Beatles Anthology or U2 By U2 approach to it. All three of them can do it.

 

Except that I wouldn't bet on anyone in the band wanting to take on such a project.

 

It's been a while since I pulled it off the shelf, but I think Jon Collins' Chemistry might be the closest that we get to finding out what really happened during this period.