Jimmy James Posted May 6, 2001 Share Posted May 6, 2001 I got turned on to Rush while I was in the Army in the late 70's. A guy gave me a copy of "All The World's A Stage." I was open minded back then and really got into the lyrical imagery and the musicianship of the band. That led me to 2112, Fly By Night, and on and on. The band evolved alot and on their first album they were accused by critics of sounding too much like Zeppelin. I didn't hear that but what do you expect from a critic? Yeah, they evolved. "Spirit of the Radio," "Red Barchetta"...I actually dug it when you could tell they were listening to The Police too much. Geddy Lee started coming up with these cool faux reggae bass lines. I appreciated them, sung along, and even as a musical novice knew that Neil Peart was a bad MF. I don't think they were showing off. Showing off is when you go out of your way to prove something to someone else with your musical ability. They played the way they did because it was what they wanted to hear. They were also a three piece. When there's only three people on stage you have to play more to fill it out. Mitch Mitchell had to do the same thing with Jimi and he wasn't showing off either. You can hear the difference when Jimi played with Buddy Miles. Maybe too much space. I haven't listened to them in a long time. Great topic. ------------------ http://artists.mp3s.com/artists/144/oscar_jordan.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fantasticsound Posted May 6, 2001 Share Posted May 6, 2001 That is always the feeling I got from hearing them - that they WERE "showing off". This is interesting, Lee. I never had the feeling from the music or ANY interviews with Rush band members that they were showing off, chops-wise. Now, when I was playing Spirit of The Radio and Red Barchetta in my first bands, I was certainly showing off. But if you compare the level of difficulty between Alex Lifeson's playing and other technicians of the day (Eddie Van Halen to Al DiMeola), Alex doesn't come off as anything to show off. On the other hand, if you like prog rock grooves at all, he and Geddy sure created some good ones. Not saying you should like them, you obviously don't. But I think your perception is based on the musician fans that went to see Rush because they played eclectic music, not the band members. http://www.musicplayer.com/ubb/wink.gif Neil It's easiest to find me on Facebook. Neil Bergman Soundclick fntstcsnd Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KHAN Posted May 6, 2001 Share Posted May 6, 2001 I like Rush. That's good enough for me. So Many Drummers. So Little Time... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lee Flier Posted May 6, 2001 Share Posted May 6, 2001 Actually Neil, it has always been my impression that the guys in Rush are nice guys personally and I'm sure if I ran into one of them on the street we would get along fine. http://www.musicplayer.com/ubb/smile.gif However, their MUSIC makes me feel as though I'm getting bashed over the head wtih "cleverness". Of course just about all prog rock makes me feel like that, it's just that Rush seem like the worst offenders (apart from the fact that Geddy Lee's voice irritates the shit out of me and Peart's drumming makes me think of a kid who could use some Ritalin). It is just not my thing. http://www.musicplayer.com/ubb/biggrin.gif And yeah Al DiMeola is more technically advanced than Lifeson but I'd rather listen to Al. Oh yeah, and I hate Roland Jazz Choruses. http://www.musicplayer.com/ubb/biggrin.gif --Lee Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
D. Gauss Posted May 7, 2001 Share Posted May 7, 2001 <> chip, i think you pulled those attributions from lee's post not mine. though i would tend to attribute bad lyrics to rush as well. that's not to say that robert plant's weren't just as silly and pretentious... neil peart read an "ayn rand" book and plant read "the hobbit" books... and in my book, as sloppy as they can be, zep just rocks with a bit more feel. but that's just my 2 cents... http://www.musicplayer.com/ubb/smile.gif -d. gauss Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
D. Gauss Posted May 7, 2001 Share Posted May 7, 2001 <> lee, try one with an a/b switch box and a plexi marshall. look it's shimmery clean! STOMP!, look it's dirty! i opened for a philly band years ago that had that setup and rick, the guitarist (he went on to do the live version of roger waters wall i believe) let me play his rig. it rocked very well, with minimal fuss. -d. gauss Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lee Flier Posted May 7, 2001 Share Posted May 7, 2001 Chip, No, my observations are not "provable" and I never intended them to be. The "immature bully" was just an analogy that I used to describe how I FEEL about Rush's music. And actually, I agree with you that Rush just isn't be Rush if they're all poppy. It compromises and waters down what they're all about, and I still dislike their newer stuff, if now for a different reason. http://www.musicplayer.com/ubb/biggrin.gif d. gauss: LOL you are so right about Zep's lyrics! Most of 'em are soooo bad! But the band rocks so hard who cares? With Zep or the Stones the lyrics really take a back seat most of the time. NOBODY seems to take their lyrics too seriously (which is a good thing) - they're just syllables for Plant and Jagger to twist their freaky vocals around. Whereas it seems most Rush fans take Neil's lyrics as Gospel. I do think Ian had a point though, that I suppose the messages in the lyrics are a good thing for teenagers struggling with identity issues to hear. Can't fault 'em for that. It's probably better for them than listening to Plant or Jagger sing about drugs and women. http://www.musicplayer.com/ubb/biggrin.gif OH MY GOD I SAID SOMETHING NICE ABOUT RUSH!!! I better slap myself!! As for the Jazz Chorus/Plexi thing... well I dunno. I get what I consider a much better clean/dirty A/B sound with a blackface Fender Pro and an Ampeg. So I have found my Holy Grail of Ampage except I'd still like to have an AC-30! --Lee Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KHAN Posted May 8, 2001 Share Posted May 8, 2001 Posted by Lee(not Geddy): >>> Whereas it seems most Rush fans take Neil's lyrics as Gospel. -------------------------------- All generalizations are false. http://cwm.ragesofsanity.com/contrib/ruinkai/peepwallA.gif So Many Drummers. So Little Time... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lee Flier Posted May 8, 2001 Share Posted May 8, 2001 >>All generalizations are false.<< Well of course they are. That's kind of a given, at least to me. And that's why I said "most". http://www.musicplayer.com/ubb/smile.gif --Lee Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
D. Gauss Posted May 8, 2001 Share Posted May 8, 2001 <> but not all breasts and teeth are... -d. gauss Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chip McDonald Posted May 8, 2001 Share Posted May 8, 2001 Originally posted by Jimmy James: I actually dug it when you could tell they were listening to The Police too much. Yeah, exactly. It's interesting to hear it filtered through them, their take on it. Just like apparently they've been listening to Soundgarden heavily... The Geddy solo record even has Matt Cameron on it, and at times it's *almost* a little too close... but interesting. The thing that sucks is taking the SG vibe and mixing in all of the over-production. Their last few records has a World Party, Richard Marx-ish sort of vibe... yuck. I don't think that's going to sell them anymore records, and it sure alienated their fans. On the other hand, I read where Trent Reznor is considering doing an all acoustic record, mostly piano. *That* is an example of a left-turn that could be interesting. Rush trying to reinvent early 80's pop music is.... less than intriguing to me. But it's curious. I kinda like some of what is on Geddy's solo record that I've heard, and I like a lot of Lifeson's _Victor_ project. Why these elements fail to make it in Rush seems to me to be an obvious result of an OUTSIDE INFLUENCE of some Ominous Import.... *Maybe* a producer, maybe not... "you know, guys... hey, I bet if Neal there did a simpler tom roll there, and you Geddy, sang a little softer, and maybe my boy Alex laid off the fast rock licks - hey, you know I love ya there, Alex - you know, I bet we'd have a hit on our hands!" (Cue Pink Floyd's "Have a Cigar"....) Meanwhile, there's all this heavy stuff on the radio that NO ONE would have said could ever POSSIBLY be on the radio more than 5 years ago. Whatever. http://www.mp3.com/chipmcdonald Guitar Lessons in Augusta Georgia: www.chipmcdonald.com Eccentric blog: https://chipmcdonaldblog.blogspot.com/ / "big ass windbag" - Bruce Swedien Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
D. Gauss Posted May 8, 2001 Share Posted May 8, 2001 slightly off topic, but has rush ever recorded a cover tune? just curious... -d. gauss Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KHAN Posted May 8, 2001 Share Posted May 8, 2001 Very Early on, about the time of their First album they did a strange version of "Not Fade Away" by Buddy Holly. It was on something called Seattle Supersonic(I think). I snagged it off Napster a while ago, So Many Drummers. So Little Time... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KHAN Posted May 8, 2001 Share Posted May 8, 2001 Posted by Lee(still not Geddy): >>All generalizations are false.<< Well of course they are. That's kind of a given, at least to me. And that's why I said "most". --Lee ------------------------------------------------------- Even using the word "most", it is still a generalization, and therefore false... So Many Drummers. So Little Time... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BK_dup2 Posted May 8, 2001 Share Posted May 8, 2001 I can repsect Rush but I just cant seem to bring myself to buy one of their records.. BK Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jimmy James Posted May 8, 2001 Share Posted May 8, 2001 "Salesman!!!" ------------------ http://artists.mp3s.com/artists/144/oscar_jordan.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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