Every time I watch a RUSH show on TV...

[Hawkbone]

Geddy's voice is probably the only thing that kept Rush from being the biggest band of all time. I like it, and I can't imagine anyone else singing Cygnus X-1 or Xanadu, but there are times when it doesn't sound that great. His vox on his solo album are good. If Geddy had to stop singing for some reason, I think Cornell would be a good fit.

[Paul M]

Originally Posted by fjadams

I would never listen to or watch Rush. Be it the band or the blowhard drug addict.

But you will spend time to read a thread about them and type out a really thoughtful comment. Thanks for sharing.

[alec]

Originally Posted by Hawkbone

Geddy's voice is probably the only thing that kept Rush from being the biggest band of all time. I like it, and I can't imagine anyone else singing Cygnus X-1 or Xanadu, but there are times when it doesn't sound that great. His vox on his solo album are good. If Geddy had to stop singing for some reason, I think Cornell would be a good fit.

Aside from his voice (which makes my skin crawl), they are way too prog/nerdy to be mainstream. To be the biggest band of all time, you need female fans. That means body music, not head music.
Still, I'm sure they are quite content with their level of success and admiration!

[SteveC]

Originally Posted by alec

Aside from his voice (which makes my skin crawl), they are way too prog/nerdy to be mainstream. To be the biggest band of all time, you need female fans. That means body music, not head music.
Still, I'm sure they are quite content with their level of success and admiration!

As much as I love RUSH, I think more than Geddy's voice (which I don't mind at all) kept/keeps them from being the biggest band of all time.

[stratovani]

I've played the Geddy Lee Jazz, and while I think it's a fine instrument, I didn't care for the thin neck profile. I prefer something with a bit more meat on it, like a P-Bass.

[SteveC]

I played a Geddy this weekend and I still love the sound and feel. I wish I had a use for one.

[derridiandrift]

Originally Posted by PMagers

Agree.

Geddy lee in a bad moment (HD) - YouTube

He physically can't sing anything recorded before 1983. Sounds awful on the old stuff.

I don't know, I never really minded Geddy's singing that much in the context of a rock and roll band, and I'm not much of a Rush fanboy. In fact, I don't like most of what they recorded after Moving Pictures.

Geddy takes a lot of grief over his voice. He never claimed to be a great singer. It just worked out that he was the singer of their band and they just kept working hard to find their sound and make it work. I think it's cool that he figured out a way to make his voice work for the band for so many years, and that they've made a career out creating music that has always been outside of the mainstream.

That youtube clip is a bit unfair because it's not representative of one of his normal performances. His body was clearly not able to bring it that night, but that's how it goes when the years start catching up to you. By all reports that I've heard, this kind of thing is the exception rather than the norm for him. Besides, all of the big screaming rock voices who overshadow Geddy have had to face the same challenges, even in their prime, never mind as they age... Daltry, Plant, Brian Johnson, even Bon Scott had trouble keeping that shtick going night after night, and he died young.

To say that he can't sing anything recorded before 1983 is a generalization. It would be more fair to say that as the years advance we can expect to see the band tuning down on more material, he'll continue the trend of reducing the amount of screaming he does, and eventually they'll just stop playing when their bodies wear out. Until then, Rush still a killer live act that's worth seeing, even if you're not a big fan.

[matt descending]

Originally Posted by 4001

If you don't have something nice to say, say nothing at all.

Why come into a thread if you don't like the person/artist/band and make lame comments?

Troll?

The thread title suggests nothing of the contents. I was hoping this wouldn't be all "fan boy." If people only spoke when they had something nice to say, this world would never evolve and we would all be a bunch of courteous sheep the spouted arrogant remarks such as "If you don't have something nice to say...".

Am I not allowed to have my own opinion? I speak my mind about Rush in conversations with other musicians in the flesh, so to do the same in text does not a troll make.

[matt descending]

For what its worth, I would pay to see them live.

[Phendyr_Loon]

As far as the band as a whole is concerned, I love them. Once you start picking them apart you'll always be able to find something you don't like about them. But the same can be said about any band really.

However nailing Geddy's tone with a jazz bass IME cannot be done with only his sig bass. To claim you can is a misconception. Ive gotten close with an active jazz or a passive jazz with some hot, gainy pedals.

[jgroh]

Originally Posted by Phendyr_Loon

As far as the band as a whole is concerned, I love them. Once you start picking them apart you'll always be able to find something you don't like about them. But the same can be said about any band really.

However nailing Geddy's tone with a jazz bass IME cannot be done with only his sig bass. To claim you can is a misconception. Ive gotten close with an active jazz or a passive jazz with some hot, gainy pedals.

There is a guy here on TB that wired his Geddy in stereo and nails his tone with no effects. I, and even Geddy himself, agree that his sig jazz's dont sound just like HIS jazz since he has a short in a pickup and its been that way for a long time. Not saying you cant do it but IMO its not plug and play.

Edit: here is the video: http://youtu.be/DC8Ght20i7I

[maxgrant]

Originally Posted by PMagers

Agree.

Geddy lee in a bad moment (HD) - YouTube

He physically can't sing anything recorded before 1983. Sounds awful on the old stuff.

And you've just revealed how completely you do not know what you are talking about, at all.

[maxgrant]

Originally Posted by alec

To be the biggest band of all time, you need female fans. That means body music, not head music.
Still, I'm sure they are quite content with their level of success and admiration!

One of the things that I have always admired and respected about Rush is that they are focused on being the best band that they are ... rather than becoming some marketing idiot's idea of what they should be.

Most rock acts born in the 1970's are not touring stadiums today. I'd say in fact the overwhelming majority of them are instead playing small clubs rehashing material that was popular when today's kids were not even born yet. I don't know about you, but if I could look back on almost 40 years of recording music, still touring, still producing new material that still sells really well, I'd be very pleased with myself.

Also I believe they rank 3rd in consecutive gold/platinum album sales behind the Beatles and the Rolling Stones.

I know that the Rolling Stone magazine consistently ignores them and their accomplishments, and they are probably never going to get into the meaningless Rock and Roll hall of fame, but as far as career success they've made it in ways that most bands will never even dream of. As far as musical influence -- virtually every drummer and bass player of the last generation has to at least acknowledge the massiveness of their rhythm section.

It's not surprising that footage occasionally surfaces of Ged having a bad night. Contemplate how many shows they've played over the years. I'm sure you could catalog every grammy-award winning singer in the world and tape every performance and find one or two of them on an off night, too.

[WalWarrior]

Geddy is the Cat's Pajamas hands down. Anyone who says differently hasn't the first clue of what it takes to work a skillset of Singing and playing at the same time. To be ambidextrous and do 4 things at once? Sing, hammer notes with your left hand playing bass, Play synths with your right hand, play taurus pedals with your right foot. Hell he's prolly chewing gum and working out the financials of the tour at the same time as well.

He's had so much practice he can do it in his sleep, but back in the early 70's he started out like anyone else.

Ged's the MAN!

[eddievanbassman]

I always love Geddys sound too, but Im always thinking he needs to calm down on his vocals and quit trying so hard, because sometimes he sounds great singing and other times.... hahaha

[WalWarrior]

Originally Posted by maxgrant

One of the things that I have always admired and respected about Rush is that they are focused on being the best band that they are ... rather than becoming some marketing idiot's idea of what they should be.

Most rock acts born in the 1970's are not touring stadiums today. I'd say in fact the overwhelming majority of them are instead playing small clubs rehashing material that was popular when today's kids were not even born yet. I don't know about you, but if I could look back on almost 40 years of recording music, still touring, still producing new material that still sells really well, I'd be very pleased with myself.

Also I believe they rank 3rd in consecutive gold/platinum album sales behind the Beatles and the Rolling Stones.

I know that the Rolling Stone magazine consistently ignores them and their accomplishments, and they are probably never going to get into the meaningless Rock and Roll hall of fame, but as far as career success they've made it in ways that most bands will never even dream of. As far as musical influence -- virtually every drummer and bass player of the last generation has to at least acknowledge the massiveness of their rhythm section.

It's not surprising that footage occasionally surfaces of Ged having a bad night. Contemplate how many shows they've played over the years. I'm sure you could catalog every grammy-award winning singer in the world and tape every performance and find one or two of them on an off night, too.

+1 Billion! Someone who gets it! Awesome post!

[Duke21]

Originally Posted by WalWarrior

Geddy is the Cat's Pajamas hands down. Anyone who says differently hasn't the first clue of what it takes to work a skillset of Singing and playing at the same time. To be ambidextrous and do 4 things at once? Sing, hammer notes with your left hand playing bass, Play synths with your right hand, play taurus pedals with your right foot. Hell he's prolly chewing gum and working out the financials of the tour at the same time as well.

He's had so much practice he can do it in his sleep, but back in the early 70's he started out like anyone else.

Ged's the MAN!

Totally, totally agree!!! Geddy is the man, great bass player, good vocalist and je play keyboards just fine, her himself is a one man mini- band!

[gjbassist]

Originally Posted by maxgrant

One of the things that I have always admired and respected about Rush is that they are focused on being the best band that they are ... rather than becoming some marketing idiot's idea of what they should be.

Most rock acts born in the 1970's are not touring stadiums today. I'd say in fact the overwhelming majority of them are instead playing small clubs rehashing material that was popular when today's kids were not even born yet. I don't know about you, but if I could look back on almost 40 years of recording music, still touring, still producing new material that still sells really well, I'd be very pleased with myself.

Also I believe they rank 3rd in consecutive gold/platinum album sales behind the Beatles and the Rolling Stones.

I know that the Rolling Stone magazine consistently ignores them and their accomplishments, and they are probably never going to get into the meaningless Rock and Roll hall of fame, but as far as career success they've made it in ways that most bands will never even dream of. As far as musical influence -- virtually every drummer and bass player of the last generation has to at least acknowledge the massiveness of their rhythm section.

It's not surprising that footage occasionally surfaces of Ged having a bad night. Contemplate how many shows they've played over the years. I'm sure you could catalog every grammy-award winning singer in the world and tape every performance and find one or two of them on an off night, too.

Awesome post! Very well said!

[Superbird]

I listen to their last two singles all the time. Some of the best I've heard in the last 30 years, especially on a good system. What a pleasure to follow their journey in music...

[RockBoddham]

The best Jazz and P Basses are made by companies other than Fender, like G&L, Warmoth and Lakeland. My next project is to build a P Bass with Warmoth body and neck, Graph-tech tusq nut, Lollar pickup, Schaller tuners and a Gotoh high-mass bridge. Will cost me about a grand in parts and money to have it set up. Will blow Fender away.