Why was Signals "the end" for some of you?

[KennyLee]

I loved Signals. As a bass player Geddy almost always got better. I was cool with the synths but if you're a bass player and hear Digital Man and can't be in your glory... you're DOING IT WRONG!

 

:geddy:

[Snaked]

I always have a good laugh at the "guitar good, keyboard bad" RUSH clique.

Some of Alex's best work is on the "keyboard era" albums.

 

Listen to his work on The Weapon, especially the solo and tell them that isn't amazing.

Listen to Between The Wheels

Listen to Emotion Detector

 

I could go on and on and on.. I just find it humorous. That one little fragment of the community hears the opening chords and writes off an entire song (or album) without digging deeper to see what might be underneath it all.

[Geddy's Soul Patch]

people can try to sound as smart as they want (lookin at you JARG)

Was it "akin" that threw you off? Not sure what I said up there can be reasonably be interpreted to mean I was trying to sound smart, but whatever.

but it all boils down to "guitar good, keyboard bad"

 

That's a lot of it, but not all. Certainly there were keyboards on albums prior to Signals. No, for me it was more that the songs were getting "softer" for lack of a better word. The thing I liked about early Rush was the in-your-face aggressiveness of the music (certainly a preponderance of guitar helped in that regard) -- probably because I was a teenager in the late 70s and early 80s. I also liked that their music wasn't popular with most of my peers -- that made it feel like Rush was a kind of secret that I and a few friends were in on (again, the appeal of that probably had something to do with my age).

 

When MP came out, their popularity skyrocketed, but the music was still pretty hard-hitting, so I was still among the faithful, but when Signals came out, it was blatantly obvious that the band was trying to capitalize on their new-found popularity by writing songs that were more appealing to the "masses". Rush had styled themselves as a "we don't give a f**k about what other people like" type of band, which again, appealed to me mostly due to my age, but Signals changed all that, "OK, so maybe we do care what other people think...we care so much that we'll start writing songs that they might like". It's sort of like how for years Rush said, "we don't give a f**k if we don't get into the RRHOF", but when it finally happened, it suddenly was "a big deal" for them.

I don't think Signals sounds like an attempt to please the masses in any way whatsoever

[JARG]

people can try to sound as smart as they want (lookin at you JARG)

Was it "akin" that threw you off? Not sure what I said up there can be reasonably be interpreted to mean I was trying to sound smart, but whatever.

but it all boils down to "guitar good, keyboard bad"

 

That's a lot of it, but not all. Certainly there were keyboards on albums prior to Signals. No, for me it was more that the songs were getting "softer" for lack of a better word. The thing I liked about early Rush was the in-your-face aggressiveness of the music (certainly a preponderance of guitar helped in that regard) -- probably because I was a teenager in the late 70s and early 80s. I also liked that their music wasn't popular with most of my peers -- that made it feel like Rush was a kind of secret that I and a few friends were in on (again, the appeal of that probably had something to do with my age).

 

When MP came out, their popularity skyrocketed, but the music was still pretty hard-hitting, so I was still among the faithful, but when Signals came out, it was blatantly obvious that the band was trying to capitalize on their new-found popularity by writing songs that were more appealing to the "masses". Rush had styled themselves as a "we don't give a f**k about what other people like" type of band, which again, appealed to me mostly due to my age, but Signals changed all that, "OK, so maybe we do care what other people think...we care so much that we'll start writing songs that they might like". It's sort of like how for years Rush said, "we don't give a f**k if we don't get into the RRHOF", but when it finally happened, it suddenly was "a big deal" for them.

I don't think Signals sounds like an attempt to please the masses in any way whatsoever

 

You copy may not have shipped with a song called New World Man. ;)

[Geddy's Soul Patch]

people can try to sound as smart as they want (lookin at you JARG)

Was it "akin" that threw you off? Not sure what I said up there can be reasonably be interpreted to mean I was trying to sound smart, but whatever.

but it all boils down to "guitar good, keyboard bad"

 

That's a lot of it, but not all. Certainly there were keyboards on albums prior to Signals. No, for me it was more that the songs were getting "softer" for lack of a better word. The thing I liked about early Rush was the in-your-face aggressiveness of the music (certainly a preponderance of guitar helped in that regard) -- probably because I was a teenager in the late 70s and early 80s. I also liked that their music wasn't popular with most of my peers -- that made it feel like Rush was a kind of secret that I and a few friends were in on (again, the appeal of that probably had something to do with my age).

 

When MP came out, their popularity skyrocketed, but the music was still pretty hard-hitting, so I was still among the faithful, but when Signals came out, it was blatantly obvious that the band was trying to capitalize on their new-found popularity by writing songs that were more appealing to the "masses". Rush had styled themselves as a "we don't give a f**k about what other people like" type of band, which again, appealed to me mostly due to my age, but Signals changed all that, "OK, so maybe we do care what other people think...we care so much that we'll start writing songs that they might like". It's sort of like how for years Rush said, "we don't give a f**k if we don't get into the RRHOF", but when it finally happened, it suddenly was "a big deal" for them.

I don't think Signals sounds like an attempt to please the masses in any way whatsoever

 

You copy may not have shipped with a song called New World Man. ;)

New World Man may have been popular, but it still sounds like a song that Rush wrote to please themselves

[Snaked]

people can try to sound as smart as they want (lookin at you JARG)

Was it "akin" that threw you off? Not sure what I said up there can be reasonably be interpreted to mean I was trying to sound smart, but whatever.

but it all boils down to "guitar good, keyboard bad"

 

That's a lot of it, but not all. Certainly there were keyboards on albums prior to Signals. No, for me it was more that the songs were getting "softer" for lack of a better word. The thing I liked about early Rush was the in-your-face aggressiveness of the music (certainly a preponderance of guitar helped in that regard) -- probably because I was a teenager in the late 70s and early 80s. I also liked that their music wasn't popular with most of my peers -- that made it feel like Rush was a kind of secret that I and a few friends were in on (again, the appeal of that probably had something to do with my age).

 

When MP came out, their popularity skyrocketed, but the music was still pretty hard-hitting, so I was still among the faithful, but when Signals came out, it was blatantly obvious that the band was trying to capitalize on their new-found popularity by writing songs that were more appealing to the "masses". Rush had styled themselves as a "we don't give a f**k about what other people like" type of band, which again, appealed to me mostly due to my age, but Signals changed all that, "OK, so maybe we do care what other people think...we care so much that we'll start writing songs that they might like". It's sort of like how for years Rush said, "we don't give a f**k if we don't get into the RRHOF", but when it finally happened, it suddenly was "a big deal" for them.

I don't think Signals sounds like an attempt to please the masses in any way whatsoever

 

You copy may not have shipped with a song called New World Man. ;)

New World Man may have been popular, but it still sounds like a song that Rush wrote to please themselves

 

It sounds like a song they wrote in one day because they had roughly 3:41 of extra space available for the vinyl :P

[JARG]

people can try to sound as smart as they want (lookin at you JARG)

Was it "akin" that threw you off? Not sure what I said up there can be reasonably be interpreted to mean I was trying to sound smart, but whatever.

but it all boils down to "guitar good, keyboard bad"

 

That's a lot of it, but not all. Certainly there were keyboards on albums prior to Signals. No, for me it was more that the songs were getting "softer" for lack of a better word. The thing I liked about early Rush was the in-your-face aggressiveness of the music (certainly a preponderance of guitar helped in that regard) -- probably because I was a teenager in the late 70s and early 80s. I also liked that their music wasn't popular with most of my peers -- that made it feel like Rush was a kind of secret that I and a few friends were in on (again, the appeal of that probably had something to do with my age).

 

When MP came out, their popularity skyrocketed, but the music was still pretty hard-hitting, so I was still among the faithful, but when Signals came out, it was blatantly obvious that the band was trying to capitalize on their new-found popularity by writing songs that were more appealing to the "masses". Rush had styled themselves as a "we don't give a f**k about what other people like" type of band, which again, appealed to me mostly due to my age, but Signals changed all that, "OK, so maybe we do care what other people think...we care so much that we'll start writing songs that they might like". It's sort of like how for years Rush said, "we don't give a f**k if we don't get into the RRHOF", but when it finally happened, it suddenly was "a big deal" for them.

I don't think Signals sounds like an attempt to please the masses in any way whatsoever

 

You copy may not have shipped with a song called New World Man. ;)

New World Man may have been popular, but it still sounds like a song that Rush wrote to please themselves

 

Not to me.

[Geddy's Soul Patch]

people can try to sound as smart as they want (lookin at you JARG)

Was it "akin" that threw you off? Not sure what I said up there can be reasonably be interpreted to mean I was trying to sound smart, but whatever.

but it all boils down to "guitar good, keyboard bad"

 

That's a lot of it, but not all. Certainly there were keyboards on albums prior to Signals. No, for me it was more that the songs were getting "softer" for lack of a better word. The thing I liked about early Rush was the in-your-face aggressiveness of the music (certainly a preponderance of guitar helped in that regard) -- probably because I was a teenager in the late 70s and early 80s. I also liked that their music wasn't popular with most of my peers -- that made it feel like Rush was a kind of secret that I and a few friends were in on (again, the appeal of that probably had something to do with my age).

 

When MP came out, their popularity skyrocketed, but the music was still pretty hard-hitting, so I was still among the faithful, but when Signals came out, it was blatantly obvious that the band was trying to capitalize on their new-found popularity by writing songs that were more appealing to the "masses". Rush had styled themselves as a "we don't give a f**k about what other people like" type of band, which again, appealed to me mostly due to my age, but Signals changed all that, "OK, so maybe we do care what other people think...we care so much that we'll start writing songs that they might like". It's sort of like how for years Rush said, "we don't give a f**k if we don't get into the RRHOF", but when it finally happened, it suddenly was "a big deal" for them.

I don't think Signals sounds like an attempt to please the masses in any way whatsoever

 

You copy may not have shipped with a song called New World Man. ;)

New World Man may have been popular, but it still sounds like a song that Rush wrote to please themselves

 

Not to me.

Would you say the same about Fly By Night or Lakeside Park?

[toymaker]

I loved Signals. As a bass player Geddy almost always got better. I was cool with the synths but if you're a bass player and hear Digital Man and can't be in your glory... you're DOING IT WRONG!

 

:geddy:

Absolutely. The bass in Digital Man is smoldering. Killer.

[Narps]

people can try to sound as smart as they want (lookin at you JARG)

Was it "akin" that threw you off? Not sure what I said up there can be reasonably be interpreted to mean I was trying to sound smart, but whatever.

but it all boils down to "guitar good, keyboard bad"

 

That's a lot of it, but not all. Certainly there were keyboards on albums prior to Signals. No, for me it was more that the songs were getting "softer" for lack of a better word. The thing I liked about early Rush was the in-your-face aggressiveness of the music (certainly a preponderance of guitar helped in that regard) -- probably because I was a teenager in the late 70s and early 80s. I also liked that their music wasn't popular with most of my peers -- that made it feel like Rush was a kind of secret that I and a few friends were in on (again, the appeal of that probably had something to do with my age).

 

When MP came out, their popularity skyrocketed, but the music was still pretty hard-hitting, so I was still among the faithful, but when Signals came out, it was blatantly obvious that the band was trying to capitalize on their new-found popularity by writing songs that were more appealing to the "masses". Rush had styled themselves as a "we don't give a f**k about what other people like" type of band, which again, appealed to me mostly due to my age, but Signals changed all that, "OK, so maybe we do care what other people think...we care so much that we'll start writing songs that they might like". It's sort of like how for years Rush said, "we don't give a f**k if we don't get into the RRHOF", but when it finally happened, it suddenly was "a big deal" for them.

I don't think Signals sounds like an attempt to please the masses in any way whatsoever

 

You copy may not have shipped with a song called New World Man. ;)

New World Man may have been popular, but it still sounds like a song that Rush wrote to please themselves

 

Not to me.

Me either. No matter how many times I hear they wrote music/songs "only" to please themselves I don't completely agree. Early on I think it was true but post Hemispheres there was a shift. Radio friendly songs sprinkled in here and there ..... Edited June 23, 2014 by Narpski

[JARG]

people can try to sound as smart as they want (lookin at you JARG)

Was it "akin" that threw you off? Not sure what I said up there can be reasonably be interpreted to mean I was trying to sound smart, but whatever.

but it all boils down to "guitar good, keyboard bad"

 

That's a lot of it, but not all. Certainly there were keyboards on albums prior to Signals. No, for me it was more that the songs were getting "softer" for lack of a better word. The thing I liked about early Rush was the in-your-face aggressiveness of the music (certainly a preponderance of guitar helped in that regard) -- probably because I was a teenager in the late 70s and early 80s. I also liked that their music wasn't popular with most of my peers -- that made it feel like Rush was a kind of secret that I and a few friends were in on (again, the appeal of that probably had something to do with my age).

 

When MP came out, their popularity skyrocketed, but the music was still pretty hard-hitting, so I was still among the faithful, but when Signals came out, it was blatantly obvious that the band was trying to capitalize on their new-found popularity by writing songs that were more appealing to the "masses". Rush had styled themselves as a "we don't give a f**k about what other people like" type of band, which again, appealed to me mostly due to my age, but Signals changed all that, "OK, so maybe we do care what other people think...we care so much that we'll start writing songs that they might like". It's sort of like how for years Rush said, "we don't give a f**k if we don't get into the RRHOF", but when it finally happened, it suddenly was "a big deal" for them.

I don't think Signals sounds like an attempt to please the masses in any way whatsoever

 

You copy may not have shipped with a song called New World Man. ;)

New World Man may have been popular, but it still sounds like a song that Rush wrote to please themselves

 

Not to me.

Would you say the same about Fly By Night or Lakeside Park?

 

I wouldn't.

 

 

 

ETA: I think that's the right answer to the question that was asked...might need to be asked again, more clearly, though!

Edited June 23, 2014 by JARG

[Rushman14]

Signals, I remember Exactly what I felt, Betrayed

 

Became hooked on Rush after seeing them in 1979

Bought Moving Pictures in 1980 at an obscure music store

 

 

I don't believe it was possible to buy moving picture prior to 2/12/81 :)

[bathory]

people can try to sound as smart as they want (lookin at you JARG)

Was it "akin" that threw you off? Not sure what I said up there can be reasonably be interpreted to mean I was trying to sound smart, but whatever.

but it all boils down to "guitar good, keyboard bad"

 

That's a lot of it, but not all. Certainly there were keyboards on albums prior to Signals. No, for me it was more that the songs were getting "softer" for lack of a better word. The thing I liked about early Rush was the in-your-face aggressiveness of the music (certainly a preponderance of guitar helped in that regard) -- probably because I was a teenager in the late 70s and early 80s. I also liked that their music wasn't popular with most of my peers -- that made it feel like Rush was a kind of secret that I and a few friends were in on (again, the appeal of that probably had something to do with my age).

 

When MP came out, their popularity skyrocketed, but the music was still pretty hard-hitting, so I was still among the faithful, but when Signals came out, it was blatantly obvious that the band was trying to capitalize on their new-found popularity by writing songs that were more appealing to the "masses". Rush had styled themselves as a "we don't give a f**k about what other people like" type of band, which again, appealed to me mostly due to my age, but Signals changed all that, "OK, so maybe we do care what other people think...we care so much that we'll start writing songs that they might like". It's sort of like how for years Rush said, "we don't give a f**k if we don't get into the RRHOF", but when it finally happened, it suddenly was "a big deal" for them.

 

nothing in your post threw me off. it was the "excuse-making" remark that seemed like you were trying to be... JARG-like. why and when would you ever have to "make excuses" for a rush record? to be honest, I read just about all of your posts in sort of a frasier/niles crane voice anyway, so that might be why I interpreted it how I did.

 

your explanation in this post's fine. signals is definitely softer, I don't think they wrote any of those songs to please anyone though. I don't think they had any illusions that they'd become the next human league or whatever sound they were going for. I don't even think genesis and yes wrote their "sellout" records specifically with selling out in mind (maybe I'm being naive there)

 

it seems like older rush fans overestimate how RADICAL 70s rush is, as if 70s rush is as out there and as heavy as death metal and 80s rush is all just sellout music, when really they've always done what was in fashion while putting their own little spin on things - they wrote fairly accessible hard rock and prog rock songs when that music was all the rage (you could easily make the case that closer to the heart and the spirit of radio are deliberate attempts at getting famous), and they wrote what was pretty much synth-pop when that became the rage. then in the 90s they did the whole pseudo-"grunge" thing with CP. do people think that rush was really all that rebellious and in-your-face by trying to sound like yes and led zeppelin? not that I want to downplay 70s rush or how amazing the stuff is, but if new world man is an attempt at pleasing the mainstream, what does that make the shorter and catchier closer to the heart, or a passage to bangkok with its weed-centered lyrics?

[Geddy's Soul Patch]

people can try to sound as smart as they want (lookin at you JARG)

Was it "akin" that threw you off? Not sure what I said up there can be reasonably be interpreted to mean I was trying to sound smart, but whatever.

but it all boils down to "guitar good, keyboard bad"

 

That's a lot of it, but not all. Certainly there were keyboards on albums prior to Signals. No, for me it was more that the songs were getting "softer" for lack of a better word. The thing I liked about early Rush was the in-your-face aggressiveness of the music (certainly a preponderance of guitar helped in that regard) -- probably because I was a teenager in the late 70s and early 80s. I also liked that their music wasn't popular with most of my peers -- that made it feel like Rush was a kind of secret that I and a few friends were in on (again, the appeal of that probably had something to do with my age).

 

When MP came out, their popularity skyrocketed, but the music was still pretty hard-hitting, so I was still among the faithful, but when Signals came out, it was blatantly obvious that the band was trying to capitalize on their new-found popularity by writing songs that were more appealing to the "masses". Rush had styled themselves as a "we don't give a f**k about what other people like" type of band, which again, appealed to me mostly due to my age, but Signals changed all that, "OK, so maybe we do care what other people think...we care so much that we'll start writing songs that they might like". It's sort of like how for years Rush said, "we don't give a f**k if we don't get into the RRHOF", but when it finally happened, it suddenly was "a big deal" for them.

I don't think Signals sounds like an attempt to please the masses in any way whatsoever

 

You copy may not have shipped with a song called New World Man. ;)

New World Man may have been popular, but it still sounds like a song that Rush wrote to please themselves

 

Not to me.

Would you say the same about Fly By Night or Lakeside Park?

 

I wouldn't.

 

 

 

ETA: I think that's the right answer to the question that was asked...might need to be asked again, more clearly, though!

Fly By Night is a totally catchy, radio friendly song, much like New World Man. But I still think they wrote it because they were into it

[bathory]

people can try to sound as smart as they want (lookin at you JARG)

Was it "akin" that threw you off? Not sure what I said up there can be reasonably be interpreted to mean I was trying to sound smart, but whatever.

but it all boils down to "guitar good, keyboard bad"

 

That's a lot of it, but not all. Certainly there were keyboards on albums prior to Signals. No, for me it was more that the songs were getting "softer" for lack of a better word. The thing I liked about early Rush was the in-your-face aggressiveness of the music (certainly a preponderance of guitar helped in that regard) -- probably because I was a teenager in the late 70s and early 80s. I also liked that their music wasn't popular with most of my peers -- that made it feel like Rush was a kind of secret that I and a few friends were in on (again, the appeal of that probably had something to do with my age).

 

When MP came out, their popularity skyrocketed, but the music was still pretty hard-hitting, so I was still among the faithful, but when Signals came out, it was blatantly obvious that the band was trying to capitalize on their new-found popularity by writing songs that were more appealing to the "masses". Rush had styled themselves as a "we don't give a f**k about what other people like" type of band, which again, appealed to me mostly due to my age, but Signals changed all that, "OK, so maybe we do care what other people think...we care so much that we'll start writing songs that they might like". It's sort of like how for years Rush said, "we don't give a f**k if we don't get into the RRHOF", but when it finally happened, it suddenly was "a big deal" for them.

I don't think Signals sounds like an attempt to please the masses in any way whatsoever

 

You copy may not have shipped with a song called New World Man. ;)

New World Man may have been popular, but it still sounds like a song that Rush wrote to please themselves

 

Not to me.

Would you say the same about Fly By Night or Lakeside Park?

 

I wouldn't.

 

 

 

ETA: I think that's the right answer to the question that was asked...might need to be asked again, more clearly, though!

Fly By Night is a totally catchy, radio friendly song, much like New World Man. But I still think they wrote it because they were into it

 

fly by night's way catchier and more radio friendly than new world man anyway!

 

you know what? aside from by-tor and rivendell, I think the entire first two albums could be taken as attempts at "making it." catchy zeppelin-esque songs in 1974 and 1975 - rush were so ahead of their time, huh? shame they had to use a synthesizer later on down the road :D

[Rutlefan]

people can try to sound as smart as they want (lookin at you JARG)

Was it "akin" that threw you off? Not sure what I said up there can be reasonably be interpreted to mean I was trying to sound smart, but whatever.

but it all boils down to "guitar good, keyboard bad"

 

That's a lot of it, but not all. Certainly there were keyboards on albums prior to Signals. No, for me it was more that the songs were getting "softer" for lack of a better word. The thing I liked about early Rush was the in-your-face aggressiveness of the music (certainly a preponderance of guitar helped in that regard) -- probably because I was a teenager in the late 70s and early 80s. I also liked that their music wasn't popular with most of my peers -- that made it feel like Rush was a kind of secret that I and a few friends were in on (again, the appeal of that probably had something to do with my age).

 

When MP came out, their popularity skyrocketed, but the music was still pretty hard-hitting, so I was still among the faithful, but when Signals came out, it was blatantly obvious that the band was trying to capitalize on their new-found popularity by writing songs that were more appealing to the "masses". Rush had styled themselves as a "we don't give a f**k about what other people like" type of band, which again, appealed to me mostly due to my age, but Signals changed all that, "OK, so maybe we do care what other people think...we care so much that we'll start writing songs that they might like". It's sort of like how for years Rush said, "we don't give a f**k if we don't get into the RRHOF", but when it finally happened, it suddenly was "a big deal" for them.

I don't think Signals sounds like an attempt to please the masses in any way whatsoever

 

You copy may not have shipped with a song called New World Man. ;)

New World Man may have been popular, but it still sounds like a song that Rush wrote to please themselves

 

Acc to Wikipedia, it was actually written to please Terry :D ... "The song was the last and quickest composed song on the album, stemming from a suggestion by then-Rush producer Terry Brown to even out the lengths of the two sides of the cassette version. "

 

Which is cool. My favorite Clash song -- Train in Vain -- was written because CBS insisted London Calling contain a potential Top 40 hit. So it was written and included on London Calling under protest as it were, being the last, and untitled, track on the album. Don't care at all that it was a purely commercial throwaway.

Edited June 23, 2014 by Rutlefan

[bathory]

people can try to sound as smart as they want (lookin at you JARG)

Was it "akin" that threw you off? Not sure what I said up there can be reasonably be interpreted to mean I was trying to sound smart, but whatever.

but it all boils down to "guitar good, keyboard bad"

 

That's a lot of it, but not all. Certainly there were keyboards on albums prior to Signals. No, for me it was more that the songs were getting "softer" for lack of a better word. The thing I liked about early Rush was the in-your-face aggressiveness of the music (certainly a preponderance of guitar helped in that regard) -- probably because I was a teenager in the late 70s and early 80s. I also liked that their music wasn't popular with most of my peers -- that made it feel like Rush was a kind of secret that I and a few friends were in on (again, the appeal of that probably had something to do with my age).

 

When MP came out, their popularity skyrocketed, but the music was still pretty hard-hitting, so I was still among the faithful, but when Signals came out, it was blatantly obvious that the band was trying to capitalize on their new-found popularity by writing songs that were more appealing to the "masses". Rush had styled themselves as a "we don't give a f**k about what other people like" type of band, which again, appealed to me mostly due to my age, but Signals changed all that, "OK, so maybe we do care what other people think...we care so much that we'll start writing songs that they might like". It's sort of like how for years Rush said, "we don't give a f**k if we don't get into the RRHOF", but when it finally happened, it suddenly was "a big deal" for them.

I don't think Signals sounds like an attempt to please the masses in any way whatsoever

 

You copy may not have shipped with a song called New World Man. ;)

New World Man may have been popular, but it still sounds like a song that Rush wrote to please themselves

 

Acc to Wikipedia, it was actually written to please Terry :D ... "The song was the last and quickest composed song on the album, stemming from a suggestion by then-Rush producer Terry Brown to even out the lengths of the two sides of the cassette version. "

 

Which is cool. My favorite Clash song -- Train in Vain -- was written because CBS insisted London Calling contain a potential Top 40 hit. So it was written and included on London Calling under protest as it were, being the last, and untitled, track on the album. Don't care at all that it was a purely commercial throwaway.

 

train in vain's my favorite song on the record

[JARG]

It seems like younger Rush fans severely underestimate how obscure Rush were relative to bands like Foreigner, Kansas, Boston, Kiss, Ted Nugent, Nazareth, Blue Oyster Cult, Van Halen, Bad Company, Fleetwood Mac, etc. back in the mid to late 70s.

[bathory]

It seems like younger Rush fans severely underestimate how obscure Rush were relative to bands like Foreigner, Kansas, Boston, Kiss, Ted Nugent, Nazareth, Blue Oyster Cult, Van Halen, Bad Company, Fleetwood Mac, etc. back in the mid to late 70s.

 

I don't care how obscure something is/was, and I'm not sure what that has to do with the fact that even before they made it big, they were writing catchy, accessible, radio-friendly songs like fly by night, closer to the heart, in the mood, etc, which could have easily been taken as attempts at pandering to a certain audience (in this case, what christgau called the "zonked teen circuit" in his AFTK review).

[bathory]

I mean, in most cases I agree that loud, 70s guitar under any circumstance is better than anyone trying to sound like the fixx or the police. but I still don't think rush tried to sound like the fixx and the police to get famous and pander to the masses, because if sounding like other bands means you're pandering, rush were "pandering" from the beginning.

 

if power windows is trying to cash in on the popularity of tears for fears, then the s/t is trying to cash in on led zeppelin, and a farewell to kings must've been trying to get some of the dough yes and tull were enjoying at the time

[EagleMoon]

I mean, in most cases I agree that loud, 70s guitar under any circumstance is better than anyone trying to sound like the fixx or the police. but I still don't think rush tried to sound like the fixx and the police to get famous and pander to the masses, because if sounding like other bands means you're pandering, rush were "pandering" from the beginning.

 

if power windows is trying to cash in on the popularity of tears for fears, then the s/t is trying to cash in on led zeppelin, and a farewell to kings must've been trying to get some of the dough yes and tull were enjoying at the time

 

You know, you really shouldn't comment on something when you weren't there to experience it yourself. Looking at it from a limited experience of what has been produced since then isn't really right. You have to take music in the context of when it was released and what came before it, not after.

[bathory]

just because my hair's not gray yet doesn't mean I can't comment on why some folks don't like certain rush records.

 

and I have no idea what the last half of your post means.

 

just to play along... okay, I'm pretending I'm in 1982. putting on the album now. man, this sounds pretty good.

[Narps]

just because my hair's not gray yet doesn't mean I can't comment on why some folks don't like certain rush records.

 

and I have no idea what the last half of your post means.

 

just to play along... okay, I'm pretending I'm in 1982. putting on the album now. man, this sounds pretty good.

You grabbed AFTK I bet...

[JARG]

It seems like younger Rush fans severely underestimate how obscure Rush were relative to bands like Foreigner, Kansas, Boston, Kiss, Ted Nugent, Nazareth, Blue Oyster Cult, Van Halen, Bad Company, Fleetwood Mac, etc. back in the mid to late 70s.

 

I don't care how obscure something is/was, and I'm not sure what that has to do with the fact that even before they made it big, they were writing catchy, accessible, radio-friendly songs like fly by night, closer to the heart, in the mood, etc, which could have easily been taken as attempts at pandering to a certain audience (in this case, what christgau called the "zonked teen circuit" in his AFTK review).

 

Straw for straw, my young friend.

[EagleMoon]

just because my hair's not gray yet doesn't mean I can't comment on why some folks don't like certain rush records.

 

and I have no idea what the last half of your post means.

 

just to play along... okay, I'm pretending I'm in 1982. putting on the album now. man, this sounds pretty good.

 

Well you know, I can't really say it any plainer. It's obvious you don't get it.