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RUSH is an interesting band. Either
they are an essential part of a listener’s musical history; or they are
despised; or listeners have never heard of them. In 1974, RUSH
released their first album, cleverly named…Rush. For their first
release, the Canadian trio consisted of Vocalist and Bassist, Geddy Lee;
Guitarist Alex Lifeson; and Drummer John Rutsey. Within the next year,
Rutsey had been replaced by Neil Peart for the album's tour and subsequent
albums. It wasn’t until their 1976 release of
2112 when the band broke into the American and International
music scene.
With albums released steadily throughout the
1970’s, many people would automatically classify them as classic rock
artists. While many of their songs from that era have a classic rock
feeling, many more broke the classic rock song formula. The 1970’s RUSH
may be best known for their epic songs, with the 2112 spanning the entire
side A of its record; a whopping twenty minutes, thirty-four seconds!
RUSH’s ability to experiment with sounds and song format quickly
placed them under the Progressive Rock umbrella, meaning RUSH was
not bound by anything.
When time came, the 1980’s changed RUSH.
The 1981
Moving Pictures album
began a new era for the band with the hit Tom Sawyer. Less tracks
on successive albums were long-winded, self-indulgent, mystical
explorations into what a song could be. RUSH also became known for
consistently selling out concerts, and began releasing live albums on a
steady and predictable basis. By the end of the decade, most songs hovered
around the standard four to six minute mark, and were now filled with a
vast array of synthesizer and guitar effects as RUSH took studio
recording to a new level.
The 1990’s weaned RUSH away from the
abstract synthesizers and blended the best of the 70’s and 80’s
incarnations of the band. Gaps between albums had gone from every year to
every two, to three years between
Counterparts and
Test for Echo.
RUSH toured the last album twice in two years. Their shows had
transformed into a blockbuster two set show lacking an opening band, and
featuring new and interesting video and animation projected behind the
band during songs, combined with pyrotechnics and a yet-to-be rivaled
laser and light show that has been a staple since the 80’s. Rumors were
bound that the 1998 tour was to be the last as fans were treated to the
first live performance of the full 2112 in over a decade.
The next few years saw each member of the band
take a break. Alex and Geddy both recorded solo albums, and Neil
experienced several tragic personal losses and authored several books. A
final three disc live album, Different Stages,
was released and fans were certain the handful of compilation albums
released around the turn of the century was the end. But rumors began of a
17th studio album, and in 2002,
Vapor Trails was released with a new
aggressive, complex, and modern sound.
While the following tour had a whimsical,
retrospective feel, and fans were certain this was finally the end of
RUSH, another live album / DVD was released! Then a 30th
anniversary world tour was announced for 2004. And if that wasn’t enough,
RUSH released
Feedback,
an
EP filled with covers of blues and rock classics. Since the completion of
the tour, the band has announced another studio album. One thing is for
sure, RUSH has been an unpredictable band with an unpredictable
career, and no one can guess what their future holds. |
