If Roll the Bones were Released after Moving Pictures

[Todem]

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 will disagree. I put Signals in my top 5 ever (number 4 to be exact) because the album is that good. And it is that much better than Roll The Bones in every way. Lyrics, song writing, sonic quality, etc.

 

It is a product of it's time. 1982. Moog, analog pedals, Tama Drums, fender and Rick bass's, Gibson and Fender guitars, Marshall and Hi-Watt Amps. Right before the digital era of Rush was to begin. I could never imagine Signals coming later on in their life cycle. Ever.

 

It was the natural order and evolution of the band. I could not imagine it any other way. It would not make sonic sense to me. I lived those early 80's years as a young wide eyed musician just learning how to play.

 

Being a musician I can tell you first hand that what technology you have at your disposal can also influence your approach and sometimes even some writing/production styles. For the most part you typically write what influences you hear around you coupled with your state of mind, life and emotions. Music you hear around you at the time helps shape your direction and what you want out of an album. Rush were masters of this. It's why they have persevered and lasted this long. It's why they always seemed to sound relevant.

 

Nothing around them at the time sounded anything like Roll The Bones. But with Signals you can hear that heavy influence the Police had on them as a band. In fact I had not heard such a profound influence like that on them since their early years (Rush-COS) with Led Zeppelin.

 

To me some of the signature Rush albums were absent of a lot of their influences but did have some sonic nuggets of the time period they were released during.

 

2112

Hemispheres

Moving Pictures

Power Windows

Hold Your Fire

Roll The Bones

Clockwork Angels

 

 

Those 7 albums to me pushed boundaries for the band in some shape or form Where the outside influences did not ring as loudly as say on albums like Signals, Grace Under Pressure, COS, Counterparts etc. And yes Roll The Bones is a signature Rush album. It was hugely popular and has some of their very best songs on it (Dreamline, Bravado, Ghost Of A Chance).

 

Regardless though I love Signals. Such a great follow up to Moving Pictures...but so many fans did not hear it that way. But a handful of us did and stuck with the band.

 

 

Two great albums in my book. But uniquely different in so many ways.

Edited July 8, 2015 by Todem

[Bhawk2112]

In the early to mid-80s, the use of any kind of keyboard was the demarcation line between harder rock and metal and everything else. To fans of hard rock/metal, synths were an unholy aberration.

 

I remember a denim-jacketed Maiden/Priest/Scorpions-worshipping buddy putting in VH's 1984 in a tape deck, listening to it for about 30 seconds, taking the tape back out and smashing it under his feet as several other friends cheered in agreement.

 

I'd go so far as to say that any album released after Moving Pictures, in the context of fans at the time that contained synths would have been rejected by a large amount of people.

 

The synths on RTB are much less prominent than the synths on TCE, YYZ, and Vital Signs.

 

Maybe, but...Roll The Bones and Neurotica in 1982? You Bet Your Life?

 

Heresy would have been interesting from a lyrical standpoint, being that the Iron Curtain was still up... :P

[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 will disagree. I put Signals in my top 5 ever (number 4 to be exact) because the album is that good. And it is that much better than Roll The Bones in every way. Lyrics, song writing, sonic quality, etc.

 

It is a product of it's time. 1982. Moog, analog pedals, Tama Drums, fender and Rick bass's, Gibson and Fender guitars, Marshall and Hi-Watt Amps. Right before the digital era of Rush was to begin. I could never imagine Signals coming later on in their life cycle. Ever.

 

It was the natural order and evolution of the band. I could not imagine it any other way. It would not make sonic sense to me. I lived those early 80's years as a young wide eyed musician just learning how to play.

 

Being a musician I can tell you first hand that what technology you have at your disposal can also influence your approach and sometimes even some writing/production styles. For the most part you typically write what influences you hear around you coupled with your state of mind, life and emotions. Music you hear around you at the time helps shape your direction and what you want out of an album. Rush were masters of this. It's why they have persevered and lasted this long. It's why they always seemed to sound relevant.

 

Nothing around them at the time sounded anything like Roll The Bones. But with Signals you can hear that heavy influence the Police had on them as a band. In fact I had not heard such a profound influence like that on them since their early years (Rush-COS) with Led Zeppelin.

 

To me some of the signature Rush albums were absent of a lot of their influences but did have some sonic nuggets of the time period they were released during.

 

2112

Hemispheres

Moving Pictures

Power Windows

Hold Your Fire

Roll The Bones

Clockwork Angels

 

 

Those 7 albums to me pushed boundaries for the band in some shape or form Where the outside influences did not ring as loudly as say on albums like Signals, Grace Under Pressure, COS, Counterparts etc. And yes Roll The Bones is a signature Rush album. It was hugely popular and has some of their very best songs on it (Dreamline, Bravado, Ghost Of A Chance)

 

 

Two great albums in my book. But uniquely different in so many ways.

 

Yeah, obviously the changing the order of Rush albums doesn't make sense from a "band growth" perspective or from a "what sounds the band could have come up with" perspective. I merely think that there is strong evidence that Signals' success is due to its place behind MP, and that RTB's similar level of success came in spite of the albums which preceded it.

[LedRush]

In the early to mid-80s, the use of any kind of keyboard was the demarcation line between harder rock and metal and everything else. To fans of hard rock/metal, synths were an unholy aberration.

 

I remember a denim-jacketed Maiden/Priest/Scorpions-worshipping buddy putting in VH's 1984 in a tape deck, listening to it for about 30 seconds, taking the tape back out and smashing it under his feet as several other friends cheered in agreement.

 

I'd go so far as to say that any album released after Moving Pictures, in the context of fans at the time that contained synths would have been rejected by a large amount of people.

 

The synths on RTB are much less prominent than the synths on TCE, YYZ, and Vital Signs.

 

Maybe, but...Roll The Bones and Neurotica in 1982? You Bet Your Life?

 

Heresy would have been interesting from a lyrical standpoint, being that the Iron Curtain was still up... :P

 

Neil wrote about 2112 in 1976, I think he could pull off 1989 in 1982.

[Todem]

A good album is a good album.

 

I have met many Rush fans at shows that tell me Hold Your Fire got them into the band.

 

I know a ton that it was Roll The Bones.

 

For a majority of us it was Moving Pictures.

 

I think all their albums save for a few (COS, Presto, Vapor Trails) have brought many new fans into the fold.

[HemiBeers]

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.

 

Factually correct. But it doesn't make it good.

[Xanadu]

I don't consider myself a RTB hater, but I would probably think to myself, "Wow, how the mighty have fallen."

 

That's what millions felt when Signals was released, judging by the sales figures.

 

Well, if you can assume that MP was a "bandwagoner" album, then maybe a lot of people jumped off due to changing musical climate at the time too. Signals was released in 1982. The 70's sound was becoming a thing of the past by this time. I seem to remember new wave taking over the airwaves. Duran Duran, anyone?

[Rick N. Backer]

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 will disagree. I put Signals in my top 5 ever (number 4 to be exact) because the album is that good. And it is that much better than Roll The Bones in every way. Lyrics, song writing, sonic quality, etc.

 

It is a product of it's time. 1982. Moog, analog pedals, Tama Drums, fender and Rick bass's, Gibson and Fender guitars, Marshall and Hi-Watt Amps. Right before the digital era of Rush was to begin. I could never imagine Signals coming later on in their life cycle. Ever.

 

It was the natural order and evolution of the band. I could not imagine it any other way. It would not make sonic sense to me. I lived those early 80's years as a young wide eyed musician just learning how to play.

 

Being a musician I can tell you first hand that what technology you have at your disposal can also influence your approach and sometimes even some writing/production styles. For the most part you typically write what influences you hear around you coupled with your state of mind, life and emotions. Music you hear around you at the time helps shape your direction and what you want out of an album. Rush were masters of this. It's why they have persevered and lasted this long. It's why they always seemed to sound relevant.

 

Nothing around them at the time sounded anything like Roll The Bones. But with Signals you can hear that heavy influence the Police had on them as a band. In fact I had not heard such a profound influence like that on them since their early years (Rush-COS) with Led Zeppelin.

 

To me some of the signature Rush albums were absent of a lot of their influences but did have some sonic nuggets of the time period they were released during.

 

2112

Hemispheres

Moving Pictures

Power Windows

Hold Your Fire

Roll The Bones

Clockwork Angels

 

 

Those 7 albums to me pushed boundaries for the band in some shape or form Where the outside influences did not ring as loudly as say on albums like Signals, Grace Under Pressure, COS, Counterparts etc. And yes Roll The Bones is a signature Rush album. It was hugely popular and has some of their very best songs on it (Dreamline, Bravado, Ghost Of A Chance)

 

 

Two great albums in my book. But uniquely different in so many ways.

 

Yeah, obviously the changing the order of Rush albums doesn't make sense from a "band growth" perspective or from a "what sounds the band could have come up with" perspective. I merely think that there is strong evidence that Signals' success is due to its place behind MP, and that RTB's similar level of success came in spite of the albums which preceded it.

 

Interesting theory. Another explanation is the songs on Signals were written when the band was in a creative peak, while the songs on RTB were created when the band was not.

[Bhawk2112]

I am actually doing a track-by-track listening comparison of Signals and RTB. Gee, thanks LedRush. :D

[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 will disagree. I put Signals in my top 5 ever (number 4 to be exact) because the album is that good. And it is that much better than Roll The Bones in every way. Lyrics, song writing, sonic quality, etc.

 

It is a product of it's time. 1982. Moog, analog pedals, Tama Drums, fender and Rick bass's, Gibson and Fender guitars, Marshall and Hi-Watt Amps. Right before the digital era of Rush was to begin. I could never imagine Signals coming later on in their life cycle. Ever.

 

It was the natural order and evolution of the band. I could not imagine it any other way. It would not make sonic sense to me. I lived those early 80's years as a young wide eyed musician just learning how to play.

 

Being a musician I can tell you first hand that what technology you have at your disposal can also influence your approach and sometimes even some writing/production styles. For the most part you typically write what influences you hear around you coupled with your state of mind, life and emotions. Music you hear around you at the time helps shape your direction and what you want out of an album. Rush were masters of this. It's why they have persevered and lasted this long. It's why they always seemed to sound relevant.

 

Nothing around them at the time sounded anything like Roll The Bones. But with Signals you can hear that heavy influence the Police had on them as a band. In fact I had not heard such a profound influence like that on them since their early years (Rush-COS) with Led Zeppelin.

 

To me some of the signature Rush albums were absent of a lot of their influences but did have some sonic nuggets of the time period they were released during.

 

2112

Hemispheres

Moving Pictures

Power Windows

Hold Your Fire

Roll The Bones

Clockwork Angels

 

 

Those 7 albums to me pushed boundaries for the band in some shape or form Where the outside influences did not ring as loudly as say on albums like Signals, Grace Under Pressure, COS, Counterparts etc. And yes Roll The Bones is a signature Rush album. It was hugely popular and has some of their very best songs on it (Dreamline, Bravado, Ghost Of A Chance)

 

 

Two great albums in my book. But uniquely different in so many ways.

 

Yeah, obviously the changing the order of Rush albums doesn't make sense from a "band growth" perspective or from a "what sounds the band could have come up with" perspective. I merely think that there is strong evidence that Signals' success is due to its place behind MP, and that RTB's similar level of success came in spite of the albums which preceded it.

 

Interesting theory. Another explanation is the songs on Signals were written when the band was in a creative peak, while the songs on RTB were created when the band was not.

 

Though that doesn't really explain why the albums had similar levels of success.

[Lorraine]

I don't consider myself a RTB hater, but I would probably think to myself, "Wow, how the mighty have fallen."

 

That's what millions felt when Signals was released, judging by the sales figures.

 

Well, if you can assume that MP was a "bandwagoner" album, then maybe a lot of people jumped off due to changing musical climate at the time too. Signals was released in 1982. The 70's sound was becoming a thing of the past by this time. I seem to remember new wave taking over the airwaves. Duran Duran, anyone?

What other albums came out in '82? I know Van Halen had a good one that year. Going by memory ( ): Uriah Heep, Pat Benatar, Devo, The Police - can't think of any other big names right now that were out at the same time with albums.

[LedRush]

I don't consider myself a RTB hater, but I would probably think to myself, "Wow, how the mighty have fallen."

 

That's what millions felt when Signals was released, judging by the sales figures.

 

Well, if you can assume that MP was a "bandwagoner" album, then maybe a lot of people jumped off due to changing musical climate at the time too. Signals was released in 1982. The 70's sound was becoming a thing of the past by this time. I seem to remember new wave taking over the airwaves. Duran Duran, anyone?

What other albums came out in '82? I know Van Halen had a good one that year. Going by memory ( ): Uriah Heep, Pat Benatar, Devo, The Police - can't think of any other big names right now that were out at the same time with albums.

 

http://ultimateclassicrock.com/top-albums-of-1982/

 

Combat Rock, Thriller, and Rio were some popular pop ones.

[Bhawk2112]

I don't consider myself a RTB hater, but I would probably think to myself, "Wow, how the mighty have fallen."

 

That's what millions felt when Signals was released, judging by the sales figures.

 

Well, if you can assume that MP was a "bandwagoner" album, then maybe a lot of people jumped off due to changing musical climate at the time too. Signals was released in 1982. The 70's sound was becoming a thing of the past by this time. I seem to remember new wave taking over the airwaves. Duran Duran, anyone?

What other albums came out in '82? I know Van Halen had a good one that year. Going by memory ( ): Uriah Heep, Pat Benatar, Devo, The Police - can't think of any other big names right now that were out at the same time with albums.

 

The biggest singles of the year were:

Survivor - Eye of the Tiger

Men at Work - Down Under

Joan Jett and the Blackhearts - I Love Rock n'Roll

Dexy's Midnight Runners - Come On Eileen

Paul McCartney & Stevie Wonder - Ebony & Ivory

 

Albums:

Van Halen - Diver Down

Judas Priest - Screaming for Vengeance

Iron Maiden - The Number of the Beast

Toto - Toto IV

John Cougar - American Fool

Rainbow - Straight Between the Eyes

Duran Duran - Rio

The Clash - Combat Rock

Cheap Trick - One on One

Genesis - Three Sides Live

The Alan Parsons Project - Eye In The Sky

Robert Plant - Pictures At Eleven

Led Zeppelin - Coda

George Thorogood & The Destroyers - Bad to the Bone

Aerosmith (no Joe Perry) - Rock in a Hard Place

Dire Straits - Love Over Gold

Bruce Springsteen - Nebraska

Prince - 1999

Phil Collins - Hello, I Must Be Going!

Steve Miller Band - Abracadabra

Ozzy Osbourne - Speak of the Devil

Neil Young - Trans

Black Sabbath - Live Evil

 

And a WHOLE LOT of what would become 80s one-hit wonder staples, the 80s kinda started in late '82, Culture Club, The Fixx, The Psychedelic Furs, etc.

 

https://en.wikipedia...i/1982_in_music

[Lorraine]

I don't consider myself a RTB hater, but I would probably think to myself, "Wow, how the mighty have fallen."

 

That's what millions felt when Signals was released, judging by the sales figures.

 

Well, if you can assume that MP was a "bandwagoner" album, then maybe a lot of people jumped off due to changing musical climate at the time too. Signals was released in 1982. The 70's sound was becoming a thing of the past by this time. I seem to remember new wave taking over the airwaves. Duran Duran, anyone?

What other albums came out in '82? I know Van Halen had a good one that year. Going by memory ( ): Uriah Heep, Pat Benatar, Devo, The Police - can't think of any other big names right now that were out at the same time with albums.

 

http://ultimateclass...albums-of-1982/

 

Combat Rock, Thriller, and Rio were some popular pop ones.

 

Led, did you read the blurb for Signals:

 

Released in the fall of 1982, 'Signals' found Rush jumping into a more keyboard-driven sound. Though guitars are still at the core, there's more modern influences creeping in. Songs such as 'Subdivisions' and 'New World Man' quickly became Rush standards that the band still dish out thirty years on. Other tracks like 'Digital Man,''The Analog Kid,' and 'Countdown' pointed toward the sound they would sail with throughout the rest of the decade. The fans ate it up, pushing the album into the Billboard top ten.

 

Says the "fans ate it up, pushing the album into the Billboard top ten."

Edited July 8, 2015 by Lorraine

[Lorraine]

I don't consider myself a RTB hater, but I would probably think to myself, "Wow, how the mighty have fallen."

 

That's what millions felt when Signals was released, judging by the sales figures.

 

Well, if you can assume that MP was a "bandwagoner" album, then maybe a lot of people jumped off due to changing musical climate at the time too. Signals was released in 1982. The 70's sound was becoming a thing of the past by this time. I seem to remember new wave taking over the airwaves. Duran Duran, anyone?

What other albums came out in '82? I know Van Halen had a good one that year. Going by memory ( ): Uriah Heep, Pat Benatar, Devo, The Police - can't think of any other big names right now that were out at the same time with albums.

 

The biggest singles of the year were:

Survivor - Eye of the Tiger

Men at Work - Down Under

Joan Jett and the Blackhearts - I Love Rock n'Roll

Dexy's Midnight Runners - Come On Eileen

Paul McCartney & Stevie Wonder - Ebony & Ivory

 

Albums:

Van Halen - Diver Down

Judas Priest - Screaming for Vengeance

Iron Maiden - The Number of the Beast

Toto - Toto IV

John Cougar - American Fool

Rainbow - Straight Between the Eyes

Duran Duran - Rio

The Clash - Combat Rock

Cheap Trick - One on One

Genesis - Three Sides Live

The Alan Parsons Project - Eye In The Sky

Robert Plant - Pictures At Eleven

Led Zeppelin - Coda

George Thorogood & The Destroyers - Bad to the Bone

Aerosmith (no Joe Perry) - Rock in a Hard Place

Dire Straits - Love Over Gold

Bruce Springsteen - Nebraska

Prince - 1999

Phil Collins - Hello, I Must Be Going!

Steve Miller Band - Abracadabra

Ozzy Osbourne - Speak of the Devil

Neil Young - Trans

Black Sabbath - Live Evil

 

And a WHOLE LOT of what would become 80s one-hit wonder staples, the 80s kinda started in late '82, Culture Club, The Fixx, The Psychedelic Furs, etc.

 

https://en.wikipedia...i/1982_in_music

 

I loved the early eighties. It was, to me, as exciting as the sixties. Something new all the time. One good band after the other showed up. But, like you said, some of them showed up only to never be seen or heard from after one album.

 

Remember The Payolas - Eyes of a Stranger?

[LedRush]

I don't consider myself a RTB hater, but I would probably think to myself, "Wow, how the mighty have fallen."

 

That's what millions felt when Signals was released, judging by the sales figures.

 

Well, if you can assume that MP was a "bandwagoner" album, then maybe a lot of people jumped off due to changing musical climate at the time too. Signals was released in 1982. The 70's sound was becoming a thing of the past by this time. I seem to remember new wave taking over the airwaves. Duran Duran, anyone?

What other albums came out in '82? I know Van Halen had a good one that year. Going by memory ( ): Uriah Heep, Pat Benatar, Devo, The Police - can't think of any other big names right now that were out at the same time with albums.

 

http://ultimateclass...albums-of-1982/

 

Combat Rock, Thriller, and Rio were some popular pop ones.

 

Led, did you read the blurb for Signals:

 

Released in the fall of 1982, 'Signals' found Rush jumping into a more keyboard-driven sound. Though guitars are still at the core, there's more modern influences creeping in. Songs such as 'Subdivisions' and 'New World Man' quickly became Rush standards that the band still dish out thirty years on. Other tracks like 'Digital Man,''The Analog Kid,' and 'Countdown' pointed toward the sound they would sail with throughout the rest of the decade. The fans ate it up, pushing the album into the Billboard top ten.

 

Says the "fans at it up, pushing the album into the Billboard top ten."

 

I did, which is why it's better to look at data rather than summaries of opinion. The album went gold and platinum almost immediately upon release...on the same day, unlike RTB, which went gold quickly upon release, but then continued to sell strongly in the next months and years, pushing it to platinum.

[Lorraine]

How could anyone write a summary of Signals and not mention The Weapon?

[Lorraine]

Maybe JARG is right that it's soul-less.

[Lorraine]

Then that would make me more of an oddball than I already am for loving the song so much.

[canadianice]

Roll the bones is fantastic album!! I just got my 24 karat gold Audio Fidelity disc in the mail today! Wow is all i can say, simply stunning audio, makes a great album even better!!!!!! Relax Jack :rush:

[DistantEarlySignals]

I honestly don't know. All I care is that Rupert Hine didn't produce Signals! And I'm glad at that!

[rftag]

To me, the rap on RTB is to Rush what Jar Jar Binks is to the Star Wars franchise; the thing you don't want anyone you'd like to like Rush to see before they've seen "the good stuff"; it's just soooo cheesy.

 

I get that it was all in good fun and all but still, in my opinion, their nadir.

[Lorraine]

I honestly don't know. All I care is that Rupert Hine didn't produce Signals! And I'm glad at that!

 

I glad you brought this up because I just listened this afternoon to parts of Signals and HYF. Both albums, no matter what anyone may think of the quality, have good sound.

 

Then, I listened to Presto. I immediately heard the difference. He did an awful job.

[Segue Myles]

I honestly don't know. All I care is that Rupert Hine didn't produce Signals! And I'm glad at that!

 

I glad you brought this up because I just listened this afternoon to parts of Signals and HYF. Both albums, no matter what anyone may think of the quality, have good sound.

 

Then, I listened to Presto. I immediately heard the difference. He did an awful job.

 

I love Presto, but I agree. Something went wrong and it shows.

 

Still, it all works for me, but I get why the band and fans are disappointed. Personally, though, I don't think Presto sounds any worse than Signals. Signals sounds flat to my ears (maybe I need the vinyl?).

[Lorraine]

I honestly don't know. All I care is that Rupert Hine didn't produce Signals! And I'm glad at that!

 

I glad you brought this up because I just listened this afternoon to parts of Signals and HYF. Both albums, no matter what anyone may think of the quality, have good sound.

 

Then, I listened to Presto. I immediately heard the difference. He did an awful job.

 

I love Presto, but I agree. Something went wrong and it shows.

 

Still, it all works for me, but I get why the band and fans are disappointed. Personally, though, I don't think Presto sounds any worse than Signals. Signals sounds flat to my ears (maybe I need the vinyl?).

 

Give me back my chickpeas.