People who hate the synth era

[JohnRogers]

Yeah when I want to mock the 70's Only Good Rush Crew I talk aboot their long hair, pot smoking and painted denim jackets. Ya know respectful like.

;)

[JohnRogers]

Double post...double necks on R40! Edited May 14, 2015 by JohnRogers

[JohnRogers]

Let's be realistic - it's about more than just the music - it's what you bond with, what the band means to you, and what you mean to the band

 

In 1985, as a 17 year old male who grew up identifying with bands like RUSH, Thin Lizzy, Motorhead, etc, THIS was not something that represented me

 

http://eil.com/images/main/Rush-Power-Windows-Tou-105279.jpg

 

... It's OK to say that they sucked then - because they did

I disagree I'm only a year older than you. By the time Power Windows came my taste was evolving with the band. Was Permanent Waves and Moving Pictures superior? Yes. The band still rocked with the wall of sound in the synth era. It was time to put the painted denim jacket away and enjoy the new flavors being served.

[GabesCavesOfIce]

2112

A Farewell to Kings

Hemispheres

Permanent Waves

Moving Pictures

 

That's the legendary music. Towards the end of this stretch, the Synths became more prominent. By Power Windows, it was way too much.

 

The synths were better during the FTK-MP stretch because they were a background instrument, to add texture, depth and layers. By 1984, the synths were starting to take away solo space from Alex and bass lines from Ged, at key points in the music. Best bass & guitar combo in rock, let's give the limelight to the synths....always a poor decision. Big drum fill, huge solo, rippin some bass...no...here's the climax...doooo doooo daaaa daaa.

 

They wrote some mighty fine tunes during the synth era, despite the use of the synths.

 

.

[Lucas]

I'm just bustin' on the boys... I'll always love 'em, regardless

 

It's not the synths so much ( I loved/love Tangerine Dream ) ... it's the 180 Rush pulled .... But, it happened to a lot of bands ..

[EagleMoon]

Double post...double necks on R40!

 

That's a spoiler. :D

[tomhealey]

Gab says it very well. Those of us who grew up on Rush pre-Moving Pictures just could not comprehend all those tinkling keys and atmospheric elements. Fraroc, were you there when A Freewell to Kings was released? That's honestly, honestly not a challenge; not a challenge to your "Rush cred," just a question. Most of us who did had no idea what they were going for with Subdivisions. What's with all these keys? Where's the roaring guitar? Why is this album so damn polite? I for one was totally lost, and as a result completely abandoned this band. Completely abandoned. What I didn't realize was that the band was adjusting, and I was staying put. Decades, literally decades, passed. And, on a lark, I put Different Stages on my Christmas wish list, most likely because of disk three. And I realized midway through disk two that I had missed some pretty good stuff. So, I went back and reviewed the catalog. Not all of it had merit in my view; I still think Superconductor is an complete embarrassment. And perhaps even 1/3 of the songs in the "keys" period, if they had never been written, wouldn't make me give a damn. But I love Animate. The Enemy Within is really a great tune, as is Losing It. And things like Kid Gloves, Dog Years, and Virtuality can be fun too. Even Second Nature has a certain time and place. And what I've come to realize in my dotage is that the band filled in some years where music just didn't matter to me. They remained "there," it was me that had to come back.

[JohnRogers]

Double post...double necks on R40!

 

That's a spoiler. :D

Ah f**k me! Sorry the damn double post had me thinking double.

[JohnRogers]

I hear ya Tom Healey and you're right aboot Superconductor it is total Tai Shan.

;)

[Ancient Ways]

Gab says it very well. Those of us who grew up on Rush pre-Moving Pictures just could not comprehend all those tinkling keys and atmospheric elements. Fraroc, were you there when A Freewell to Kings was released? That's honestly, honestly not a challenge; not a challenge to your "Rush cred," just a question. Most of us who did had no idea what they were going for with Subdivisions. What's with all these keys? Where's the roaring guitar? Why is this album so damn polite? I for one was totally lost, and as a result completely abandoned this band. Completely abandoned. What I didn't realize was that the band was adjusting, and I was staying put. Decades, literally decades, passed. And, on a lark, I put Different Stages on my Christmas wish list, most likely because of disk three. And I realized midway through disk two that I had missed some pretty good stuff. So, I went back and reviewed the catalog. Not all of it had merit in my view; I still think Superconductor is an complete embarrassment. And perhaps even 1/3 of the songs in the "keys" period, if they had never been written, wouldn't make me give a damn. But I love Animate. The Enemy Within is really a great tune, as is Losing It. And things like Kid Gloves, Dog Years, and Virtuality can be fun too. Even Second Nature has a certain time and place. And what I've come to realize in my dotage is that the band filled in some years where music just didn't matter to me. They remained "there," it was me that had to come back.

Vital signs told us what was coming next. We just didn't want to believe it.

[tangy]

Eighties keys cheese.

 

Musical mid-life crisis or attempt to go mainstream?

 

Cringeworthy videos. Yeah it was confusing and disappointing for the fanboi within. The rise of the rush nerds.

 

I don't consider signals to be part of the synth era.

 

 

 

 

[lifeson90]

after grace under pressure i went through the only little phase of 'disillusionment' i ever been through with rush, was throwing myself into all kinds of other music and just felt the sound of the band was perhaps a little too 'poppy' for me, consequently didn't listen to any new rush for a couple years or more, while at uni actually so maybe that had something to do with it too.

 

anyways, after those two or three years i was lucky enough to revisit & discover some of the synth rush i'd left behind and was then blown away by it. i think i listened to power windows and HYF constantly for a good couple years, so much so that these days i very rarely play them as they sound too much from that era and maybe a little dated as a result.

 

point being, i can't criticize anyone for having a negative attitude towards the synth era of rush as i was there myself, however much i grew to love it.

 

give it a bit more dedicated play maybe, have a drink while listening or use whatever drug of choice :) try to get a different angle on it, and i think once you've sunk into it and become immersed, you'll realize what a silly person you were for wasting all those years.

 

on the other hand, synth rush just might not be to your taste, which isn't a crime.

Edited May 14, 2015 by lifeson90

[HemiBeers]

As a guitar player, I dislike the synth era because it pushed Al aside. Alot of his work gets lost in mix until solo time. What inspires me to play is getting their newest album and wanting to grab my guitar to figure out how to play it. I never felt that way about Hold Your Fire or most of Presto. When you compare the musical structure of HYF against Hemi, it's just not in the same league at all. The more challenging the music, the more it interests me. When I can easily figure out the chord structure after 2-3 listens, I'm bored and onto the next thing.

 

As I've said before, no one comes to a rock concert to see keyboards unless your Keith Emerson or Rick Wakeman. And I say this as someone who took 10 years of keyboard lessons up until college.

 

Let's face it, Geddy's keyboard work is something any keyboard player with a few years of lessons could handle. It's nowhere near virtuouso level. Geddy even admitted as much in that he got too deep into the keyboards and got away from his first love the bass.

 

I guess the one thing that we're fortunate about is that they didn't become another 80s power ballad hair band.

[ReRushed]

I also felt disillusionment with Power Windows and Hold Your Fire. I went almost 20 years without Rush being a personal "top rotation" band. I bought some of their CDs liked some stuff, but was basically indifferent to most of it. I never stopped liking Rush, I just started listening to other bands. Rush in Rio and the R30 Tour pulled me back in, big time, and I gave Power Windows and Hold Your Fire a re-evaluation. Oh boy, it all clicked. I think they are great albums - minor masterpieces in Rush's discography (nothing beats A Farewell to Kings through Moving Pictures, nothing!). They are coherent and consistent albums, containing some of Rush's best melodies and lyrics. The keyboards are atmospheric and hook-laden and I think Alex filled in the spaces with very inventive and effective guitar playing. It took awhile, but I finally "got it".

 

Rush is a wonderful, diverse, thrilling and challenging band. Seriously, they are one of the greatest bands ever.

[LedRush]

Yeah when I want to mock the 70's Only Good Rush Crew I talk aboot their long hair, pot smoking and painted denim jackets. Ya know respectful like.

;)

 

I have 1 of those three characteristics. I'll let you guess which one :D

[tangy]

As a guitar player, I dislike the synth era because it pushed Al aside. Alot of his work gets lost in mix until solo time. What inspires me to play is getting their newest album and wanting to grab my guitar to figure out how to play it. I never felt that way about Hold Your Fire or most of Presto. When you compare the musical structure of HYF against Hemi, it's just not in the same league at all. The more challenging the music, the more it interests me. When I can easily figure out the chord structure after 2-3 listens, I'm bored and onto the next thing.

 

As I've said before, no one comes to a rock concert to see keyboards unless your Keith Emerson or Rick Wakeman. And I say this as someone who took 10 years of keyboard lessons up until college.

 

Let's face it, Geddy's keyboard work is something any keyboard player with a few years of lessons could handle. It's nowhere near virtuouso level. Geddy even admitted as much in that he got too deep into the keyboards and got away from his first love the bass.

 

I guess the one thing that we're fortunate about is that they didn't become another 80s power ballad hair band.

 

Good post. It was just too much ged. The perfectly balanced power trio was starting to lean one way.

[driven_to_xanadu]

I love the synth era but everyone's different.

 

I can kinda understand how Power Windows and Hold Your Fire might be a bit much for some people who are more into classic rock even though I love both albums myself.

 

I still think 1978-1982 was the peak, even though a few albums outside that time frame are also quite good.

[HemiBeers]

keyboards are like cooking with garlic...a little is great, but too much is just god awful.

[lifeson90]

Just a further point, i know a few think the synths took a little away a little from Al's play but i personally couldn't disagree more, in my view yeah Al's fantastic without too much else going on like in VT for example but, the keyboards brought out an entirely new dimension in his art - creating sound environments for him to play around and experiment more like a sound effects artist with his instrument.

 

The guy could go wherever his imagination took him within the synth atmospheres, resulting in superb abstract play still totally focused and defined like a master painter on canvas.

 

Some great 'guitarists' out there now and over the years but not many in my view who even come close to Alex as an artist in terms of imagination, the guitar being a tool for him as a brush was to picasso. And Ged's simple but extraordinary synths were essential for Al to explore his craft to full potential.

[tangy]

Just a further point, i know a few think the synths took a little away a little from Al's play but i personally couldn't disagree more, in my view yeah Al's fantastic without too much else going on like in VT for example but, the keyboards brought out an entirely new dimension in his art - creating sound environments for him to play around and experiment more like a sound effects artist with his instrument.

 

The guy could go wherever his imagination took him within the synth atmospheres, resulting in superb abstract play still totally focused and defined like a master painter on canvas.

 

Some great 'guitarists' out there now and over the years but not many in my view who even come close to Alex as an artist in terms of imagination, the guitar being a tool for him as a brush was to picasso. And Ged's simple but extraordinary synths were essential for Al to explore his craft to full potential.

 

Interesting. As stated earlier not my favorite phase but it do agree that it made alex a better player.

 

His solos seemed to be shorter in this era but they always delivered.

[bluefox4000]

I love the synth era.

 

Signals

PoW

HYF

\Hell you could Throw MP In there. There are synths

 

come on!!!!!!! great stuff.

 

Mick

[LedRush]

I love the synth era.

 

Signals

PoW

HYF

\Hell you could Throw MP In there. There are synths

 

come on!!!!!!! great stuff.

 

Mick

 

3 of Rush's worst 8 albums. Maybe even worst 6.

[bluefox4000]

I love the synth era.

 

Signals

PoW

HYF

\Hell you could Throw MP In there. There are synths

 

come on!!!!!!! great stuff.

 

Mick

 

3 of Rush's worst 8 albums. Maybe even worst 6.

 

in your opinion......I love em...........and i'm not afraid of guitar so shut up :P

 

Mick

[LedRush]

I love the synth era.

 

Signals

PoW

HYF

\Hell you could Throw MP In there. There are synths

 

come on!!!!!!! great stuff.

 

Mick

 

3 of Rush's worst 8 albums. Maybe even worst 6.

 

in your opinion......I love em...........and i'm not afraid of guitar so shut up :P

 

Mick

 

I understand that fear of guitar manifests itself by causing you to stick out your tongue.

[Narps]

I love the synth era.

 

Signals

PoW

HYF

\Hell you could Throw MP In there. There are synths

 

come on!!!!!!! great stuff.

 

Mick

I love Signals. I like most of Power Windows and I enjoy 8/10 of Hold Your Fire... :)