If Roll the Bones were Released after Moving Pictures

[LedRush]

If RTB were released immediately after Moving Pictures, what would the reaction of critics and fans been? How well would it have sold? How would people remember the album today?

 

Signals is a somewhat unique album for a few reasons. It was the first time a Rush album was marinated in synths, rather than having some synths on the side, or quickly dipping the album in the synths. It was Terry Brown's last album. It also followed the insanely popular Moving Pictures, which was only the second album to go platinum (the first was 2112, which went platinum after Moving Pictures was released). Moving Pictures went to gold quickly, though not as quickly as some other Rush albums, but it went from gold to platinum in 2 weeks, and continued to sell well for years after that. It was a grower that not only grew the fanbase for that album, it sold the band's previous albums.

 

When Signals was released, Rush's fanbase had never been larger nor had the band ever had such momentum. Signals went platinum at the time of its release, the first Rush album to do that. The fans were clamoring for songs from the album to be played on the radio. A song like New World Man even hit #1 on the charts!

 

Roll the Bones, is quite different in most regards. It was the second of the Band's "return to guitar" albums. It followed 5 albums each of which had sold fewer copies than the previous one. There were few radio hits off of the previous 4 albums, and even those didn't become timeless staples of rock radio as many previous hits had. The band's presence on MTV, which was still quite important at the time, was minimal. And the band's sound was somewhat anachronistic as alternative/grunge was surging. Despite all this, Dreamline became the band's biggest hit since Tom Sawyer and the long declining sales were reversed as the album sold well long after it's initial release, the first album since MP to do so. The radio was saturated with RTB, as 4 Rush songs got persistent radio play. The tour was incredibly successful.

 

I believe that the view of these two albums by hardcore fans is heavily influenced by the lens of the above history. Signals simultaneously lost millions of Rush fans and retained millions of fans. Those who remained largely stayed loyal for many years. For those that remained, it is a mark of pride that they embraced the changing, evolving band when the others abandoned them. And Brown remains a link to the classic days.

 

I also believe that if RTB would have been released at that time, the album would have sold even better than Signals had. It would have gone platinum on day one due to the Moving Pictures effect, but it would have continued to sell on the strength of the singles, which would have been similarly anachronistic in 1982 as in 1991. And if Terry Brown had produced it, I'd expect that we'd be celebrating RTB's fuller production, not lamenting the thinness. And fans would have treated RTB as the last of the classic era, just as many inexplicably do now with Signals.

Edited July 8, 2015 by LedRush

[Narps]

... :outtahere:

[Geddy's Soul Patch]

It would have been interesting to see Rush as pioneers in rap lol

[Tuesday's Gone]

If RTB were released after Moving Pictures, what would the reaction of critics and fans been?

 

It was actually, 10 years later

 

http://i.imgur.com/bJ8gJ.gif

[Lorraine]

:o :o :o :o :o

[tx_rush]

If RTB were released after Moving Pictures, what would the reaction of critics and fans been? How well would it have sold? How would people remember the album today?

 

Signals is a somewhat unique album for a few reasons. It was the first time a Rush album was marinated in synths, rather than having some synths on the side, or quickly dipping the album in the synths. It was Terry Brown's last album. It also followed the insanely popular Moving Pictures, which was only the second album to go platinum (the first was 2112, which went platinum after Moving Pictures was released). Moving Pictures went to gold quickly, though not as quickly as some other Rush albums, but it went from gold to platinum in 2 weeks, and continued to sell well for years after that. It was a grower that not only grew the fanbase for that album, it sold the band's previous albums.

 

When Signals was released, Rush's fanbase had never been larger nor had the band ever had such momentum. Signals went platinum at the time of its release, the first Rush album to do that. The fans were clamoring for songs from the album to be played on the radio. A song like New World Man even hit #1 on the charts!

 

Roll the Bones, is quite different in most regards. It was the second of the Band's "return to guitar" albums. It followed 5 albums each of which had sold fewer copies than the previous one. There were few radio hits off of the previous 4 albums, and even those didn't become timeless staples of rock radio as many previous hits had. The band's presence on MTV, which was still quite important at the time, was minimal. And the band's sound was somewhat anachronistic as alternative/grunge was surging. Despite all this, Dreamline became the band's biggest hit since Tom Sawyer and the long declining sales were reversed as the album sold well long after it's initial release, the first album since MP to do so. The radio was saturated with RTB, as 4 Rush songs got persistent radio play. The tour was incredibly successful.

 

I believe that the view of these two albums by hardcore fans is heavily influenced by the lens of the above history. Signals simultaneously lost millions of Rush fans and retained millions of fans. Those who remained largely stayed loyal for many years. For those that remained, it is a mark of pride that they embraced the changing, evolving band when the others abandoned them. And Brown remains a link to the classic days.

 

I also believe that if RTB would have been released at that time, the album would have sold even better than Signals had. It would have gone platinum on day one due to the Moving Pictures effect, but it would have continued to sell on the strength of the singles, which would have been similarly anachronistic in 1982 as in 1991. And if Terry Brown had produced it, I'd expect that we'd be celebrating RTB's fuller production, not lamenting the thinness. And fans would have treated RTB as the last of the classic era, just as many inexplicably do now with Signals.

 

[Segue Myles]

I'd be disappointed.

[LedRush]

It would have been interesting to see Rush as pioneers in rap lol

 

I think the RTB rap is closer to Rapper's Delight than 1991 rap, and Blondie had a rap section in one of their songs in 1981.

[Lorraine]

It is true that I was around and remember when Rush began. It wasn't until Moving Pictures that Rush got my full attention. I honestly do not remember ever hearing one song from Signals being played on the radio. The next Rush I remember is Distant Early Warning. Then nothing until Roll The Bones. You are right that Dreamline was a big hit and got a lot of radio play.

 

It wasn't until a few years ago that I went through the entire Rush catalog of albums. If you think that was an easy task, it wasn't. I wonder myself how I did it. But I did.

 

What I'm trying to say is that my thoughts about Rush and their music is pretty much new. What I have determined, I have determined within the last few years.

 

I disagree with you that had Roll The Bones been released after Moving Pictures, it would have been up there with the last of the greats. If you think millions of fans were lost with the release of Signals, Rush might just be a faint memory of the music of yesteryear had Roll The Bones been released instead. It is a good album, but it's no Signals. Despite Dreamline.

 

Signed,

 

Lorraine

Signals Ambassador :madra:

Edited July 8, 2015 by Lorraine

[LedRush]

I'd be disappointed.

 

In my alternative world, you could have gotten Signals at another time...which would still be before you were introduced to the band...so no harm no foul. It'd just be that fewer people would put Signals on a pedestal.

[Blue J]

I enjoy Roll the Bones, more than a lot of people do, I think.

 

But this kind of conjecture sort of makes my head spin.

 

I don't think it's among their absolute best, on the whole. But it's a good album. And the songs I like, I really like a lot.

 

That's about all I've got.

[Lorraine]

How bored are we?

[G Lee]

Interesting theory. Signals is still a much better album than RTB by miles though. If released later on, Signals may not have been quite as well hailed in sales, but many would have agreed that it was higher quality. I really wish we could have a Terry produced version of RTB. That might really be something :).

[LedRush]

If you think millions of fans were lost with the release of Signals, Rush might just be a faint memory of the music of yesteryear had Roll The Bones been released instead.

 

I'm not sure I understand this reasoning. Signals sold a lot less than the album before it. RTB sold a lot more than the album before it. Signals and RTB sold about the same number of records. So how would the band releasing RTB in 1982 caused it to fold?

[LedRush]

Interesting theory. Signals is still a much better album than RTB by miles though. If released later on, Signals may not have been quite as well hailed in sales, but many would have agreed that it was higher quality. I really wish we could have a Terry produced version of RTB. That might really be something :).

 

I'll agree totally on the Terry comment!

[LedRush]

How bored are we?

 

Bored enough to proclaim our boredom on a thread that bores us?

[toymaker]

SIGNALS

XXXXXX

XXXX

XX

XX

XX

XX

XX

XXX

XXXXX

XXXXXXX

 

(pedestal)

[Tuesday's Gone]

How bored are we?

 

A lot (I'm speaking to you again...)

[Segue Myles]

I'd be disappointed.

 

In my alternative world, you could have gotten Signals at another time...which would still be before you were introduced to the band...so no harm no foul. It'd just be that fewer people would put Signals on a pedestal.

 

I'd be disappointed coz I doubt Rush would have been around much longer. If Signals caused a division, RTB would have caused a black hole where once their were fans.

[Lorraine]

If you think millions of fans were lost with the release of Signals, Rush might just be a faint memory of the music of yesteryear had Roll The Bones been released instead.

 

I'm not sure I understand this reasoning. Signals sold a lot less than the album before it. RTB sold a lot more than the album before it. Signals and RTB sold about the same number of records. So how would the band releasing RTB in 1982 caused it to fold?

 

I don't understand your reasoning either. Presto was no Moving Pictures. An album with me singing on it would have sold better than Presto. :)

[LedRush]

I'd be disappointed.

 

In my alternative world, you could have gotten Signals at another time...which would still be before you were introduced to the band...so no harm no foul. It'd just be that fewer people would put Signals on a pedestal.

 

I'd be disappointed coz I doubt Rush would have been around much longer. If Signals caused a division, RTB would have caused a black hole where once their were fans.

 

http://www.therushforum.com/index.php?/topic/94664-if-roll-the-bones-were-released-after-moving-pictures/#entry3634070

[Lorraine]

How bored are we?

 

A lot (I'm speaking to you again...)

 

Thank you. I feel much better now.

[LedRush]

If you think millions of fans were lost with the release of Signals, Rush might just be a faint memory of the music of yesteryear had Roll The Bones been released instead.

 

I'm not sure I understand this reasoning. Signals sold a lot less than the album before it. RTB sold a lot more than the album before it. Signals and RTB sold about the same number of records. So how would the band releasing RTB in 1982 caused it to fold?

 

I don't understand your reasoning either. Presto was no Moving Pictures. An album with me singing on it would have sold better than Presto. :)

 

I'm still not understanding. RTB and Signals have sold about the same number of records, even though Signals followed the massively popular Moving Pictures and RTB followed the massively disappointing Presto. Signals went platinum and gold upon release of the album, meaning that many, many people were buying it off the strength of Moving Pictures. RTB has no such luxury, yet it still went platinum.

 

So knowing this, how could RTB being released after MP have ended the band?

[Lorraine]

How bored are we?

 

Bored enough to proclaim our boredom on a thread that bores us?

 

Where is your sense of humor?

 

Must I include a dozen :D ;) ;) ;) :LMAO: :D ;) :rfl: :LMAO: ;) of these every time I make a joke? Don't you know me well enough by now?

[Tuesday's Gone]

If you think millions of fans were lost with the release of Signals, Rush might just be a faint memory of the music of yesteryear had Roll The Bones been released instead.

 

I'm not sure I understand this reasoning. Signals sold a lot less than the album before it. RTB sold a lot more than the album before it. Signals and RTB sold about the same number of records. So how would the band releasing RTB in 1982 caused it to fold?

 

I don't understand your reasoning either. Presto was no Moving Pictures. An album with me singing on it would have sold better than Presto. :)

 

I'm still not understanding. RTB and Signals have sold about the same number of records, even though Signals followed the massively popular Moving Pictures and RTB followed the massively disappointing Presto. Signals went platinum and gold upon release of the album, meaning that many, many people were buying it off the strength of Moving Pictures. RTB has no such luxury, yet it still went platinum.

 

So knowing this, how could RTB being released after MP have ended the band?

 

I think that the album preceding MP or RTB isn't the only factor to take into account. More people had heard about Rush by 1991 than in 1981 for example.