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"A Farewell To Kings" Question (for those of you who were around when it came out)


Lorraine
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It was my first Rush album and still is my Favourite :cool:

 

A music program called The Old Grey Whistle Test showed a clip of Rush and annouced they were touring the U.K.

 

I went and bought the new 12 inch single Closer To The Heart and a ticket and after my first ever gig I went and bought

A Farewell To Kings .

It blew me away and opened me up to Prog Rock and it was though Rush had wrote these songs just for me

Men who lived forever , Sci Fi story of a man looking for his sister and ending up going in a black hole !

The lyrics, the musicianship and everything about this album set me off on an neverending trip on the Rush light fantastic.

 

I had to buy their next album , I had to find out what happened to the fella who had ending up in a black hole of Cygnus XI. :o

 

Rush was on Old Grey Whistle test? Is this clip available somewhere??

 

You thought he was looking for his sister? Ha that's awesome! It was the stars' sister ..

 

I was 16 . :16ton:

 

 

I guess if it was`nt for The Whistle Test I would`nt have become a Rush fan .

God bless The Test . :eh:

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I love the production on this album; the bass and drums sound strong and clear and when all 3 are jamming you can hear everything. More than any other album, they play with confidence or conviction. My love for Cygnus x-1 has waned somewhat over the years. I love the title track but find the transition to closer to the heart at the end to be awkward and the only weak point in that song. Perhaps they were forcing a connection with the song. In any event, great production and playing and keys allowed to take a lead part without dominating the over all sound. Great album. I don't think digital is responsible for the poor sound of more recent albums, but poor choices with digital are. If bands recorded digitally but with similar limitations on tracks and processing, this sound could be duplicated.
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If anyone here has a good imagination, tell me - picture yourself at the very last Rush concert. You know this is it. They are playing the last song. How do you feel? Are you choked up? Crying (even if you are a man)? Wishing you could freeze the moment forever?
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^^^^^^^ All of those emotions for sure. I am not sure how to explain this but these dudes and this band are more important than any music or musicians in my life. They are my John Lennons if you will. I know when they are done and especially if they start leaving this earth before I, that my own mortality will most certainly come into complete focus. These guys and this band were majorly important to me in my youth and still matter nearly 40 years later. Their end will happen eventually and I want to be there to experience all the emotions.... :) Edited by Narpski
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^^^^^^^ All of those emotions for sure. I am not sure how to explain this but these dudes and this band are more important than any music or musicians in my life. They are my John Lennons if you will. I know when they are done and especially if they start leaving this earth before I, that my own mortality will most certainly come into complete focus. These guys and this band were majorly important to me in my youth and still matter nearly 40 years later. Their end will happen eventually and I want to be there to experience all the emotions.... :)

I know what you mean. I hate the word "bonded", but I have "bonded" with these men.

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If anyone here has a good imagination, tell me - picture yourself at the very last Rush concert. You know this is it. They are playing the last song. How do you feel? Are you choked up? Crying (even if you are a man)? Wishing you could freeze the moment forever?

 

 

If I knew it were the last Rush concert ever I'm sure I would be choked up and very probably crying. And I would be hoping it never ended. (And if I'm ever in that situation I REALLY REALLY hope the last song is one I love!)

 

I know Rush probably doesn't have a lot of tours left in them so I went to see several shows during the CA tour, and I will go to as many as I can during their next tour(s). Gotta see them while I still can! I found that seeing several shows during the same tour made it much easier to remember the songs. It wasn't so fleeting, and it helps cement the memories.

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^^^^^^^ All of those emotions for sure. I am not sure how to explain this but these dudes and this band are more important than any music or musicians in my life. They are my John Lennons if you will. I know when they are done and especially if they start leaving this earth before I, that my own mortality will most certainly come into complete focus. These guys and this band were majorly important to me in my youth and still matter nearly 40 years later. Their end will happen eventually and I want to be there to experience all the emotions.... :)

I know what you mean. I hate the word "bonded", but I have "bonded" with these men.

 

I understand. And it's a bit odd to feel so close to them (as a whole) when they don't even know I exist. But if they don't know me, how is it they reach deep into my heart and mind and make such an impression?

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I purchased "A Farewell to Kings" when it was first released and saw them for the first time on that tour.

 

The album and show was simply amazing.

 

You are quite right in saying that "Closer to the Heart" is all that received radio air play.

 

But, it was enough to attract newer fans...even girls! :)

 

I think this album solidified the breakthrough they had with "2112" and "All the World's a Stage".

 

I played this album more times than I can count and to this day it is still my most favourite Rush album.

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^^^^^^^ All of those emotions for sure. I am not sure how to explain this but these dudes and this band are more important than any music or musicians in my life. They are my John Lennons if you will. I know when they are done and especially if they start leaving this earth before I, that my own mortality will most certainly come into complete focus. These guys and this band were majorly important to me in my youth and still matter nearly 40 years later. Their end will happen eventually and I want to be there to experience all the emotions.... :)

I know what you mean. I hate the word "bonded", but I have "bonded" with these men.

 

I agree completely. Other than my main family and friends, these guys mean more to me in my life than anyone else. They've been there through thick and thin, the bad and the good and have always pulled me through. It's like a musical marriage of the very best kind. Neil's lyrics influenced me a lot when I was young and many still strike me as very profound. Geddy has inspired me to grasp new heights as a bass player, and Alex has been there as well. They've been the soundtrack to my life.

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I was in 7th grade when AFTK came out. I was already a Rush fan having first heard them with ATWAS, which put them up their with my other favorite at the time, Zeppelin. All of '77 (until AFTK), ATWAS and The Song Remains the Same were in constant rotation, but when AFTK came out, it catapulted Rush above (way above) everything else. Despite the fact that there was an amazing amount of great music at the time (Queen, Floyd, Aerosmith, etc etc), AFTK was to me a whole other thing. I listened to Xanadu on headphones at least twice a day every day for a year. When I saw them play "AFTK" (the song) on Don Kirshner's Rock Concert I nearly wet myself (in pre-MTV days, unless you saw a band live, you pretty much never saw them perform). To me AFTK gave Rush some kind of god-like status, one that was only cemented further by Hemispheres.

 

Now for the bad. Pre-high school, I grew up in a small-ish midwestern town. Except for visiting hockey players from Canada (it was the southern part of the Great White North), and one other kid (who happened to be the only other kid who watched Monty Python as well), no other kids my age liked Rush (my older brother's high school friends, though, thought it was ok to like Rush). In fact, because they were "intellectual" and "sci-fi-ish", they were scorned by my friends. When I moved to the DC area at the beginning of high school (around the time of Moving Pictures), I was amazed that not only was it ok to like Rush, but they actually seemed to have a lot of fans, with MP songs getting regular play on DC-101, and Exit Stage Left videos (eventually) on MTV. The first (and only song prior to MP) that I ever heard on the radio was "The Spirit of Radio", but MP made older songs like "Closer to the Heart" and "Fly by Night" popular as well. Before PW/MP they were treated like cultural lepers. By MP, they were ok, or even kind of cool, with Bob and Doug McKenzie featured Geddy Lee in "Take Off." How different from just four years before.

 

Funny though, I stumbled across the Rolling Stone review of Exit Stage Left the other day. Completely snarky. Even the compliments are backhanded. The takeaway is that owing one Rush album is enough as you've had heard all they have to offer (as all their stuff sounds the same), they don't do anything more original than early Yes (in fact, just ignore Rush and listen to early Yes), and they are politically way to the right of their audience (based on "Freewill" and "Tom Sawyer" it seems ... a stupid and pointless claim on several levels).

 

Anyway, I was there when AFTK was released, and for those with ears to hear, it sounded as amazing as you'd think it would have. I just wish would record one more album with Terry Brown. Everything sounded so much more distinct and memorable on those albums.

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If anyone here has a good imagination, tell me - picture yourself at the very last Rush concert. You know this is it. They are playing the last song. How do you feel? Are you choked up? Crying (even if you are a man)? Wishing you could freeze the moment forever?

 

Happy to have been along for the ride for so many years, but thankful and relieved that they've finally decided to hang it up while they still had a bit of dignity left (assuming the next tour is the last).

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^^^^^^^ All of those emotions for sure. I am not sure how to explain this but these dudes and this band are more important than any music or musicians in my life. They are my John Lennons if you will. I know when they are done and especially if they start leaving this earth before I, that my own mortality will most certainly come into complete focus. These guys and this band were majorly important to me in my youth and still matter nearly 40 years later. Their end will happen eventually and I want to be there to experience all the emotions.... :)

I know what you mean. I hate the word "bonded", but I have "bonded" with these men.

 

I understand. And it's a bit odd to feel so close to them (as a whole) when they don't even know I exist. But if they don't know me, how is it they reach deep into my heart and mind and make such an impression?

Do you know that I thought the very same thing yesterday afternoon? How is it that these three men and their music have taken such a hold of me? I keep reminding myself that they are human beings like myself who happen to have a lot more talent than I have and more "luck."

 

I don't know the answer. It must be something spiritual or metaphysical. Only two bands have affected me like this since the late sixties - The Moody Blues and Rush.

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If anyone here has a good imagination, tell me - picture yourself at the very last Rush concert. You know this is it. They are playing the last song. How do you feel? Are you choked up? Crying (even if you are a man)? Wishing you could freeze the moment forever?

 

Happy to have been along for the ride for so many years, but thankful and relieved that they've finally decided to hang it up while they still had a bit of dignity left (assuming the next tour is the last).

 

I wouldn't assume such things. I fully expect another album and tour after the 41st annv tour.

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I purchased "A Farewell to Kings" when it was first released and saw them for the first time on that tour.

 

The album and show was simply amazing.

 

You are quite right in saying that "Closer to the Heart" is all that received radio air play.

 

But, it was enough to attract newer fans...even girls! :)

 

I think this album solidified the breakthrough they had with "2112" and "All the World's a Stage".

 

I played this album more times than I can count and to this day it is still my most favourite Rush album.

The man I was looking for to answer me! :)

I knew you would remember, and I wanted to make certain my own recollection of that time was correct. I'm not surprised that AFTK is your favorite Rush album.

 

ReGor, where did you see them on that tour?

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^^^^^^^ All of those emotions for sure. I am not sure how to explain this but these dudes and this band are more important than any music or musicians in my life. They are my John Lennons if you will. I know when they are done and especially if they start leaving this earth before I, that my own mortality will most certainly come into complete focus. These guys and this band were majorly important to me in my youth and still matter nearly 40 years later. Their end will happen eventually and I want to be there to experience all the emotions.... :)

I know what you mean. I hate the word "bonded", but I have "bonded" with these men.

 

I agree completely. Other than my main family and friends, these guys mean more to me in my life than anyone else. They've been there through thick and thin, the bad and the good and have always pulled me through. It's like a musical marriage of the very best kind. Neil's lyrics influenced me a lot when I was young and many still strike me as very profound. Geddy has inspired me to grasp new heights as a bass player, and Alex has been there as well. They've been the soundtrack to my life.

This has to be the most moving testimony to Rush I have ever read. I wish I had written it. :eh:

 

"Musical marriage"

 

"They've been the soundtrack to my life."

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I was in 7th grade when AFTK came out. I was already a Rush fan having first heard them with ATWAS, which put them up their with my other favorite at the time, Zeppelin. All of '77 (until AFTK), ATWAS and The Song Remains the Same were in constant rotation, but when AFTK came out, it catapulted Rush above (way above) everything else. Despite the fact that there was an amazing amount of great music at the time (Queen, Floyd, Aerosmith, etc etc), AFTK was to me a whole other thing. I listened to Xanadu on headphones at least twice a day every day for a year. When I saw them play "AFTK" (the song) on Don Kirshner's Rock Concert I nearly wet myself (in pre-MTV days, unless you saw a band live, you pretty much never saw them perform). To me AFTK gave Rush some kind of god-like status, one that was only cemented further by Hemispheres.

 

Now for the bad. Pre-high school, I grew up in a small-ish midwestern town. Except for visiting hockey players from Canada (it was the southern part of the Great White North), and one other kid (who happened to be the only other kid who watched Monty Python as well), no other kids my age liked Rush (my older brother's high school friends, though, thought it was ok to like Rush). In fact, because they were "intellectual" and "sci-fi-ish", they were scorned by my friends. When I moved to the DC area at the beginning of high school (around the time of Moving Pictures), I was amazed that not only was it ok to like Rush, but they actually seemed to have a lot of fans, with MP songs getting regular play on DC-101, and Exit Stage Left videos (eventually) on MTV. The first (and only song prior to MP) that I ever heard on the radio was "The Spirit of Radio", but MP made older songs like "Closer to the Heart" and "Fly by Night" popular as well. Before PW/MP they were treated like cultural lepers. By MP, they were ok, or even kind of cool, with Bob and Doug McKenzie featured Geddy Lee in "Take Off." How different from just four years before.

 

Funny though, I stumbled across the Rolling Stone review of Exit Stage Left the other day. Completely snarky. Even the compliments are backhanded. The takeaway is that owing one Rush album is enough as you've had heard all they have to offer (as all their stuff sounds the same), they don't do anything more original than early Yes (in fact, just ignore Rush and listen to early Yes), and they are politically way to the right of their audience (based on "Freewill" and "Tom Sawyer" it seems ... a stupid and pointless claim on several levels).

 

Anyway, I was there when AFTK was released, and for those with ears to hear, it sounded as amazing as you'd think it would have. I just wish would record one more album with Terry Brown. Everything sounded so much more distinct and memorable on those albums.

Don't feel so bad. I grew up in the NYC metro area and, aside from one friend (who I later lost touch with) who pointed me in the direction of Close To The Edge and Quadrophenia when they came out and who shared my absolute love of music, I knew no one else. To this day I don't. If I didn't come here, I'd have no one to share my love of music with.

 

You mentioned doing one more album with Terry Brown. Yesterday I was watching BTLS and thought the same exact thing. Rush minds must think alike! ;)

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If anyone here has a good imagination, tell me - picture yourself at the very last Rush concert. You know this is it. They are playing the last song. How do you feel? Are you choked up? Crying (even if you are a man)? Wishing you could freeze the moment forever?

 

Happy to have been along for the ride for so many years, but thankful and relieved that they've finally decided to hang it up while they still had a bit of dignity left (assuming the next tour is the last).

 

I agree completely. If you want to know the truth, watching Geddy sing on the CA DVD stresses me out. I keep waiting for him to go off key. When you watch the young Geddy sing, it doesn't cost him anything; unlike the Geddy of today - you can see it is an effort for him to sing those songs.

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^^^^^^^ All of those emotions for sure. I am not sure how to explain this but these dudes and this band are more important than any music or musicians in my life. They are my John Lennons if you will. I know when they are done and especially if they start leaving this earth before I, that my own mortality will most certainly come into complete focus. These guys and this band were majorly important to me in my youth and still matter nearly 40 years later. Their end will happen eventually and I want to be there to experience all the emotions.... :)

I know what you mean. I hate the word "bonded", but I have "bonded" with these men.

 

I agree completely. Other than my main family and friends, these guys mean more to me in my life than anyone else. They've been there through thick and thin, the bad and the good and have always pulled me through. It's like a musical marriage of the very best kind. Neil's lyrics influenced me a lot when I was young and many still strike me as very profound. Geddy has inspired me to grasp new heights as a bass player, and Alex has been there as well. They've been the soundtrack to my life.

This has to be the most moving testimony to Rush I have ever read. I wish I had written it. :eh:

 

"Musical marriage"

 

"They've been the soundtrack to my life."

 

Thanks. :) :cheers:

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If anyone here has a good imagination, tell me - picture yourself at the very last Rush concert. You know this is it. They are playing the last song. How do you feel? Are you choked up? Crying (even if you are a man)? Wishing you could freeze the moment forever?

 

Happy to have been along for the ride for so many years, but thankful and relieved that they've finally decided to hang it up while they still had a bit of dignity left (assuming the next tour is the last).

 

I agree completely. If you want to know the truth, watching Geddy sing on the CA DVD stresses me out. I keep waiting for him to go off key. When you watch the young Geddy sing, it doesn't cost him anything; unlike the Geddy of today - you can see it is an effort for him to sing those songs.

 

I couldn't disagree more. Other than Geddy's voice not being what it used to be, they are playing better than ever. and the vocals are THAT bad. Like I said earlier, I have no doubt there will be another album and tour after 2015.

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If anyone here has a good imagination, tell me - picture yourself at the very last Rush concert. You know this is it. They are playing the last song. How do you feel? Are you choked up? Crying (even if you are a man)? Wishing you could freeze the moment forever?

 

Happy to have been along for the ride for so many years, but thankful and relieved that they've finally decided to hang it up while they still had a bit of dignity left (assuming the next tour is the last).

 

I agree completely. If you want to know the truth, watching Geddy sing on the CA DVD stresses me out. I keep waiting for him to go off key. When you watch the young Geddy sing, it doesn't cost him anything; unlike the Geddy of today - you can see it is an effort for him to sing those songs.

 

Very true. Geddy can't sing like he did in his prime and neither Neil nor Alex can play like they did in their prime. Geddy can still play bass like he did back in the day...watching him play is pretty much the only draw for me these days, concert-wise.

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I don't recall ANY of it being on the radio...I remember seeing ads for it in Circus Magazine, and made sure I got a copy when it came out (happened to be at a local mall that day, and begged my mother to get it for me)

 

I think the ONLY Rush you ever heard on the radio at that point was Fly by Night....

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I don't recall ANY of it being on the radio...I remember seeing ads for it in Circus Magazine, and made sure I got a copy when it came out (happened to be at a local mall that day, and begged my mother to get it for me)

 

I think the ONLY Rush you ever heard on the radio at that point was Fly by Night....

 

definitely no airplay in Los Angeles at the time.

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I don't recall ANY of it being on the radio...I remember seeing ads for it in Circus Magazine, and made sure I got a copy when it came out (happened to be at a local mall that day, and begged my mother to get it for me)

 

I think the ONLY Rush you ever heard on the radio at that point was Fly by Night....

Circus Magazine - I used to read that too. I'd forgotten all about it until you mentioned it.

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If anyone here has a good imagination, tell me - picture yourself at the very last Rush concert. You know this is it. They are playing the last song. How do you feel? Are you choked up? Crying (even if you are a man)? Wishing you could freeze the moment forever?

 

Happy to have been along for the ride for so many years, but thankful and relieved that they've finally decided to hang it up while they still had a bit of dignity left (assuming the next tour is the last).

 

I agree completely. If you want to know the truth, watching Geddy sing on the CA DVD stresses me out. I keep waiting for him to go off key. When you watch the young Geddy sing, it doesn't cost him anything; unlike the Geddy of today - you can see it is an effort for him to sing those songs.

 

Oh man, it does me too. It almost makes me cringe at times. It's like I try to help him reach the notes and it's a physical effort. If he hadn't been such a great singer when he was younger it probably wouldn't be so depressing now. Watching the video it seems like every time Geddy struggles to hit a note or his voice breaks, Neil make a face.

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