What a place to begin, ok Rush are hardly obscure and certainly don't suffer from lack of airplay, but, they are my favourite band of all time so I couldn't leave them out. I will try and be fair and not let favouritism rule my head. When my older brother introduced me to A Farewell to Kings back in 1980 (the album was 3 years old then) I couldn’t believe what I was listening too, I was at the time a young Metal fanatic with my head buried deep in NWOBHM, but Rush had it all, they were heavy (for the time) but they could also create beautiful soundscapes and touch on lyrical matter that no Metal band would. Rush’s music has always attracted debate, they were, and probably still are, a love ‘em or hate ‘em band, the blend of Geddy’s high pitched vocals and pretentious 18 minute tracks does not sit well with some folk, but I was hooked.
Rush’s music, most fans will agree, comes in three phases. The first phase, consisted of their first six albums, these were (apart from the debut) musically complex albums with a lyrical content that drew heavily from Science Fiction and Fantasy and is, in my opinion, still the best phase.
Rush could have easily sat on their laurels by sticking to the same formula and no doubt would have made a huge success of it, but the band were not ones to follow convention.
Phase two, the next six albums, saw the band delve into more radio friendly music and lyrics based around social comment, although there was the occasional foray into the fantastic (Permanent Waves). The band also started using Synthesizers more as a frontline weapon as oppose to using them to add texture as in phase one, and some fans questioned the decision. Phase two brought Rush massive chart success with Moving Pictures clocking up some four million sales worldwide which then lead to the band clocking up a succession of platinum album sales. Rush could never be accused of standing still and it could be said that some of their music in this phase was years ahead of there own targets and developments as song writers, I am of course talking of Grace Under Pressure. I bought the album on first day of issue and listened to it solidly for a couple of months (it took me years to fully appreciate the album) I liked the direction the album took but I hated the weak, tinny production.
Phase three, the final six albums, saw the synthesisers take a back seat once more as the band went for a more straight forward three piece rock sound, and the band sounded as if they were enjoying playing and writing again. Production during this phase also showed a shift toward a more punchy and dynamic sound. 2004 saw Rush celebrate their 30th anniversary of recording and according to RIAA Rush are only trailing The Beatles, The Rolling Stones and Aerosmith in the number of consecutive gold and platinum albums (worldwide album sales number some 40 million plus).
After 18 studio albums, 8 live albums and 6 compilation albums Rush are still going strong, with rumours growing that they are once again heading for the studio, long may it continue
Phase 1
Rush (74)
Fly By Night (75)
Caress of Steel (75)
2112 (76)
A Farewell to Kings (77)
Hemispheres (78)
Phase 2
Permanent Waves (80)
Moving Pictures (81)
Signals (82)
Grace Under Pressure (84)
Power Windows (85)
Hold Your Fire (87)
Phase 3
Presto (89)
Roll The Bones (91)
Counterparts (93)
Test For Echo (96)
Vapour Trails (02)
Snakes and Arrows (07)
