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The Synth Era: Essential Greatness


JohnRogers
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Instead of calling it the synth era, we should be calling it the "Wimpy Guitar" era.

 

The Analog Kid, Territories, Between The Wheels, The Big Money, Show Don't Tell, Chain Lightning, Superconductor, Lock And Key, Turn The Page, Middletown Dreams...

List goes on.

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If the "Synth Era" goes from "Grace Under Pressure" thru "Test For Echo" here is my list of ESSENTIAL SONGS:

Come on Lucas give me three songs, just three.

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I would rather call it the progpop era. Most of the 'prog' bands went down this road in the eighties. Yes bought in The Buggles then an out and out rock guitarist; Trevor Rabin. Genesis let the drummer take over to make cheesy mainstream pop/rock.
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If the "Synth Era" goes from "Grace Under Pressure" thru "Test For Echo" here is my list of ESSENTIAL SONGS:

Come on Lucas give me three songs, just three.

 

I feel, I feel the way you would

 

http://static3.businessinsider.com/image/51b24770ecad04fe36000008/lunapic_137063802641497_2.gif

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IMHO on Signals the synth was still a support vehicle unlike GUP.

 

Totally wrong. Guitar actually made a "comeback" on GUP despite the heavy keys. Straight from Lee and Lifeson's mouth again.

Edited by presto123
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IMHO on Signals the synth was still a support vehicle unlike GUP.

 

Totally wrong. Guitar actually made a "comeback" on GUP despite the heavy keys. Straight from Lee and Lifeson's mouth again.

 

Glad I'm not alone!

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You nailed CP as the worst album and got the great songs from T4E, so I'll forgive you for having no idea what the synth era is.

 

Haha

 

True dat.

 

Synth "era" for me is basically Sector 3.

 

Yeah....that's a fair assumption! Key's weren't the "main" thing the next few albums...

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Instead of calling it the synth era, we should be calling it the "Wimpy Guitar" era.

 

More like the "Alex gets screwed" era...

 

I'm not sure I completely buy that. I think he had a say in what went on. Do you think Geddy was such a taskmaster that he said "I'm going to play these keyboards and to heck with anyone who tries to stop me?"

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Instead of calling it the synth era, we should be calling it the "Wimpy Guitar" era.

 

More like the "Alex gets screwed" era...

 

I'm not sure I completely buy that. I think he had a say in what went on. Do you think Geddy was such a taskmaster that he said "I'm going to play these keyboards and to heck with anyone who tries to stop me?"

 

If you listen to interviews. he wasn't intentionally pushed back. I think he just didn't know what to do or where to fit.

 

Mick

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Instead of calling it the synth era, we should be calling it the "Wimpy Guitar" era.

 

More like the "Alex gets screwed" era...

 

I'm not sure I completely buy that. I think he had a say in what went on. Do you think Geddy was such a taskmaster that he said "I'm going to play these keyboards and to heck with anyone who tries to stop me?"

 

If you listen to interviews. he wasn't intentionally pushed back. I think he just didn't know what to do or where to fit.

 

Mick

 

But that's my point. If it really upset him don't you think he could have told Geddy to scale it back? I understand the not knowing how to fit guitar parts into the music, but surely if it had been a huge issue they would have worked it out.

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How is anything from Presto to Test for Echo a synth album while Signals isn't? The former albums are all guitar based and barely have synth parts and if anything then they are background (with some exceptions). Signals on the other hand is full of synth which is often very dominating. Some people just don't know what they're talking about, if you ask me.

 

Synth period: Signals to HYF, very obviously

Edited by Irenicus
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Instead of calling it the synth era, we should be calling it the "Wimpy Guitar" era.

 

More like the "Alex gets screwed" era...

 

I'm not sure I completely buy that. I think he had a say in what went on. Do you think Geddy was such a taskmaster that he said "I'm going to play these keyboards and to heck with anyone who tries to stop me?"

 

If you listen to interviews. he wasn't intentionally pushed back. I think he just didn't know what to do or where to fit.

 

Mick

 

But that's my point. If it really upset him don't you think he could have told Geddy to scale it back? I understand the not knowing how to fit guitar parts into the music, but surely if it had been a huge issue they would have worked it out.

 

He's talked about how they'd do guitars last but there was no room for him by then. Also, Geddy was writing on the keyboards a lot, so it was the backbone of so many songs from Signals-HYF. Fortunately, that stopped with Presto.

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Instead of calling it the synth era, we should be calling it the "Wimpy Guitar" era.

 

More like the "Alex gets screwed" era...

 

I'm not sure I completely buy that. I think he had a say in what went on. Do you think Geddy was such a taskmaster that he said "I'm going to play these keyboards and to heck with anyone who tries to stop me?"

 

If you listen to interviews. he wasn't intentionally pushed back. I think he just didn't know what to do or where to fit.

 

Mick

 

But that's my point. If it really upset him don't you think he could have told Geddy to scale it back? I understand the not knowing how to fit guitar parts into the music, but surely if it had been a huge issue they would have worked it out.

 

He's talked about how they'd do guitars last but there was no room for him by then. Also, Geddy was writing on the keyboards a lot, so it was the backbone of so many songs from Signals-HYF. Fortunately, that stopped with Presto.

 

I'm sure they sat down and talked about it but you think if he was really that upset about it they could've found a way to cut them back.

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Instead of calling it the synth era, we should be calling it the "Wimpy Guitar" era.

 

More like the "Alex gets screwed" era...

 

I'm not sure I completely buy that. I think he had a say in what went on. Do you think Geddy was such a taskmaster that he said "I'm going to play these keyboards and to heck with anyone who tries to stop me?"

 

If you listen to interviews. he wasn't intentionally pushed back. I think he just didn't know what to do or where to fit.

 

Mick

 

But that's my point. If it really upset him don't you think he could have told Geddy to scale it back? I understand the not knowing how to fit guitar parts into the music, but surely if it had been a huge issue they would have worked it out.

 

He's talked about how they'd do guitars last but there was no room for him by then. Also, Geddy was writing on the keyboards a lot, so it was the backbone of so many songs from Signals-HYF. Fortunately, that stopped with Presto.

 

I'm sure they sat down and talked about it but you think if he was really that upset about it they could've found a way to cut them back.

 

I remember seeing an interview somewhere in the early nineties, where Alex actually blamed himself for being lazy and not coming in with strong opinions on how the guitar should be. By the time he came up with stuff, he said, the track would already be full of synths.

 

He may have been joking or being diplomatic, of course. I agree that, if he really wanted to, he could've changed the synth usage earlier, as evidenced by the fact that he did later. At least, according to BTLS.

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Instead of calling it the synth era, we should be calling it the "Wimpy Guitar" era.

 

More like the "Alex gets screwed" era...

 

I'm not sure I completely buy that. I think he had a say in what went on. Do you think Geddy was such a taskmaster that he said "I'm going to play these keyboards and to heck with anyone who tries to stop me?"

 

If you listen to interviews. he wasn't intentionally pushed back. I think he just didn't know what to do or where to fit.

 

Mick

 

But that's my point. If it really upset him don't you think he could have told Geddy to scale it back? I understand the not knowing how to fit guitar parts into the music, but surely if it had been a huge issue they would have worked it out.

 

He's talked about how they'd do guitars last but there was no room for him by then. Also, Geddy was writing on the keyboards a lot, so it was the backbone of so many songs from Signals-HYF. Fortunately, that stopped with Presto.

 

I'm sure they sat down and talked about it but you think if he was really that upset about it they could've found a way to cut them back.

 

I remember seeing an interview somewhere in the early nineties, where Alex actually blamed himself for being lazy and not coming in with strong opinions on how the guitar should be. By the time he came up with stuff, he said, the track would already be full of synths.

 

He may have been joking or being diplomatic, of course. I agree that, if he really wanted to, he could've changed the synth usage earlier, as evidenced by the fact that he did later. At least, according to BTLS.

 

Geddy says he's not a taskmaster, but is he really? :D It would certainly make sense if Alex was just being lazy. Less work for him to do. He had to carry the songs before that.

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Instead of calling it the synth era, we should be calling it the "Wimpy Guitar" era.

 

More like the "Alex gets screwed" era...

 

I'm not sure I completely buy that. I think he had a say in what went on. Do you think Geddy was such a taskmaster that he said "I'm going to play these keyboards and to heck with anyone who tries to stop me?"

 

If you listen to interviews. he wasn't intentionally pushed back. I think he just didn't know what to do or where to fit.

 

Mick

 

But that's my point. If it really upset him don't you think he could have told Geddy to scale it back? I understand the not knowing how to fit guitar parts into the music, but surely if it had been a huge issue they would have worked it out.

 

He's talked about how they'd do guitars last but there was no room for him by then. Also, Geddy was writing on the keyboards a lot, so it was the backbone of so many songs from Signals-HYF. Fortunately, that stopped with Presto.

 

I'm sure they sat down and talked about it but you think if he was really that upset about it they could've found a way to cut them back.

 

I remember seeing an interview somewhere in the early nineties, where Alex actually blamed himself for being lazy and not coming in with strong opinions on how the guitar should be. By the time he came up with stuff, he said, the track would already be full of synths.

 

He may have been joking or being diplomatic, of course. I agree that, if he really wanted to, he could've changed the synth usage earlier, as evidenced by the fact that he did later. At least, according to BTLS.

 

Geddy says he's not a taskmaster, but is he really? :D It would certainly make sense if Alex was just being lazy. Less work for him to do. He had to carry the songs before that.

 

I'd let him choose the wine.... :huh:

 

 

But I DO seem to remember that when it came time for guitars that there wasn't room, and Alex wasn't assertive enough during the process to just go "hey wait...I want THIS to happen!" GuP wasn't bad...PW had it's moments, but HyF was just crap! The only reason I went to see them on that tour was that I figured they'd do OTHER stuff, so.....

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Instead of calling it the synth era, we should be calling it the "Wimpy Guitar" era.

 

More like the "Alex gets screwed" era...

 

I'm not sure I completely buy that. I think he had a say in what went on. Do you think Geddy was such a taskmaster that he said "I'm going to play these keyboards and to heck with anyone who tries to stop me?"

 

If you listen to interviews. he wasn't intentionally pushed back. I think he just didn't know what to do or where to fit.

 

Mick

 

But that's my point. If it really upset him don't you think he could have told Geddy to scale it back? I understand the not knowing how to fit guitar parts into the music, but surely if it had been a huge issue they would have worked it out.

 

He's talked about how they'd do guitars last but there was no room for him by then. Also, Geddy was writing on the keyboards a lot, so it was the backbone of so many songs from Signals-HYF. Fortunately, that stopped with Presto.

 

I'm sure they sat down and talked about it but you think if he was really that upset about it they could've found a way to cut them back.

 

I remember seeing an interview somewhere in the early nineties, where Alex actually blamed himself for being lazy and not coming in with strong opinions on how the guitar should be. By the time he came up with stuff, he said, the track would already be full of synths.

 

He may have been joking or being diplomatic, of course. I agree that, if he really wanted to, he could've changed the synth usage earlier, as evidenced by the fact that he did later. At least, according to BTLS.

 

Geddy says he's not a taskmaster, but is he really? :D It would certainly make sense if Alex was just being lazy. Less work for him to do. He had to carry the songs before that.

 

I'd let him choose the wine.... :huh:

 

 

But I DO seem to remember that when it came time for guitars that there wasn't room, and Alex wasn't assertive enough during the process to just go "hey wait...I want THIS to happen!" GuP wasn't bad...PW had it's moments, but HyF was just crap! The only reason I went to see them on that tour was that I figured they'd do OTHER stuff, so.....

 

The older stuff was the only reason I went to see them live after Signals.

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Sorry but as my list in the original post proves there are many great songs from GUP through T4E.

 

I have spoken, 73 may now lock this thread.

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Alex actually kicks quite a bit of ass on both GUP and PoW. You just have to listen for him a little harder.

I don't know. The guitar's pretty buried on Kid Gloves. Does anyone else have a hard time picking out Alex on this tune? :huh:
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