Rate Yourself As A RUSH Fan

[Rick N. Backer]

I stand alone as a one.

 

Let's review me, shall we?

 

Concerts: Never seen them. Zumbi has no sympathy for me cause I could have been them at any time during the course of their forty year career. I have no sympathy for myself either because I could have. I only regret not having seen them twice - AFTK and Signals tour. Those are the only two.

 

Paraphernalia: Courtesy of Rush fans here who are stellar individuals, I own four Rush shirts - three t's and one Moving Pictures Tour jersey ( :kisshug: to the man who sent it to me! :)). And that's all.

 

Music: Here is where I earn my one point. I do love their music. Very much. From FBN through Signals, they were at their best. Anything after, even though I could not say that I like every song on the album, I do like many. I have about seventy of their bootlegs as well and like them better than their albums often.

 

That's it! Oh, and one more thing, and this is no toady bullshit - Rush fans are the best. Yes, there are exceptions to everything, even this, but on the whole, a more unique and exceptional group of people I have rarely met.

 

Hooray for us! :clap: :clap: :clap: :cheerleader: :cheerleader: :cheerleader:

 

I would put you more around a four or five rather than a one. Someone that is a one would barely even know who the band is, or only like Tom Sawyer and/or TSOR.

 

I'd go higher than that even. Being a fan does not have to be about promoting the band by wearing t-shirts or supporting the band by going to shows and all that. Lorainne has said some things that make me certain that she appreciates the band on a pretty deep level, that she understands how their music reaches people, and that she supports their choices and even their sacrifices. There are lots of other people like that on the forum, as well.

 

I like this observation.

 

I've been a fan since Permanent Waves was their newest album and I was 12. I've seen them on the Moving Pictures, Signals, GUP and Time Machine tours. I would say they were inarguably my favorite band from 1980 to 1985. I can find something I like on all of their albums, although I think the Power Windows - T4E stretch is, on the whole, relatively weak. I think there's a difference between a "fan" and a "sycophant" who thinks everything is of equal quality. Even Geddy acknowledges in BTLS that it's fair to say that some Rush is the best Rush.

 

IMO I'm too old to wear concert shirts. But I'm going to the show in Boston in June, and bringing my son. I want to say goodbye (I think this is it for them touring) and I want my son to see the band that meant so much to me when I was about his age.

 

I should also add that in that time period I played bass in garage bands. Right hand to God, I could play both YYZ and La Villa Strangiato. Now I might be able to play Vital Signs or New World Man. Might.

Is it that you have forgotten how to play YYZ and LVS, or is it that you are rusty and musically out of shape?

 

Both. I suppose if I sat down my fingers might start to remember how the songs go, but I doubt I'd have the dexterity at this point. Now I only bust my bass out (I have the same one I had back then) to a) amuse my kids, and, more importantly, b) annoy my wife. :)

 

Back then I took guitar lessons every week. My teacher was a twentysomething in a local band that was somewhat notable. Great guy. The last 5-10 minutes he'd let me bring in a cassette and teach me to pick up a song by ear. It was always either a difficult Rush or Iron Maiden song back then. He used to laugh about how over the top complex Geddy's stuff was.

 

BTW back then I could also play Maiden's Genghis Khan. Ahhh, glory days.