By-Tor's Side Switch????

OPBASSMAN1994 · #1 10-28-2010, 06:55 PM

Okay, so in the classic "By-Tor and the Snow Dog", Rush portrays By-Tor as the "Devil's Prince", who is coming to overthrow and enslave the "Overworld" (our world.) So, he's evil, and looking to hurt, not help, mankind, and is a villain. HOWEVER... In "The Necromancer", By-Tor is suddenly the savior of these men that the Necromancer has turned into Spectres. He "Makes the Dark Lands Bright." His intro is "Enter the champion: Prince By-Tor appears, to fight for freedom, etc...." Which all points to him being a force of light now....

So, after getting whooped by the Snow Dog (a good guy) did he switch sides? Different By-Tor? Did Rush just put him in there for the heck of it or to confuse their fans? Were they just too high to really think through that album?

Somebody who really knows my favorite band even better than I do please help me here. Inception made more sense....

OPBASSMAN1994 · #2 10-29-2010, 05:26 AM

ANYBODY? No one has posted on this thread yet. This is unusual.

Greyfin10 · #3 10-29-2010, 05:36 AM

I'm voting for the "too high" option.

The Necromancer was always one of their more embarrassing songs to me. Especially since I love the the rest of the album so much (No One At the Bridge by far the most).

andruca · #4 10-29-2010, 06:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Greyfin10

The Necromancer was always one of their more embarrassing songs to me.

+1 Along with Virtuality's lyrics (or how to destroy what could have been a nice song)...

jgroh · #5 10-29-2010, 06:23 AM

Actually Bytor and the Snowdog were a couple of dogs of one of the crew (or someone closely connected to the band), and one kept biting everyone, so they named it biter or bytor. =)

I dont think there is much of a connection other than using the figure again...oh and they admitted to being REALLY high during the recording of CoS.

stratovani · #6 10-29-2010, 07:33 AM

The Necromancer isn't a bad tune. Like The Fountain Of Lamneth, they were learning how to do the extended progressive rock anthem, which they nailed with 2112.

OPBASSMAN1994 · #7 10-29-2010, 07:56 AM

I personally really enjoy the Necromancer. It, like By-Tor and Snow Dog, and the Fountain of Lamneth were their first foray into the prog epic. I love the music of it, and even when there are cheesy moments lyrically or so(I wish there was less dialouge, and more story through music, even though it is a cool thing, the narration...), it's still RUSH. Rush's worst is still many's best.

And yeah. It was probably their one REALLY drugged up album. I know that they are clean now (unless you count Cigarettes and Wine drugs...), but when did they GET clean? How many albums did they make lit up?

jim777 · #8 10-29-2010, 08:16 AM

I think they just liked the sound of the word "By-Tor"

And they are absolutely one of my all time faves; top three with Yes and Genesis.

OPBASSMAN1994 · #9 10-29-2010, 08:24 AM

Maybe. You know, it just occurred to me, on the jacket for Fly By Night, Geddy is By-Tor and Lerxst is the Snow Dog. I wonder if Geddy wanted to be the hero this time around. In BTATSD, Alex got to win and be the good guy.

I<34080 · #10 10-29-2010, 08:28 AM

I read where Neil wanted to write about how someone could have a change of heart, so he used By-Tor.

OPBASSMAN1994 · #11 10-29-2010, 08:29 AM

Where'd you read that? That sounds like the exact answer I've been looking for.

I<34080 · #12 10-29-2010, 08:34 AM

I don't really recall, it could have been an interview. Check out rushisaband.com, they have links to anything you'd possibly want to know about Rush.

Geddyfleaharris · #13 10-29-2010, 09:16 AM

I am not sure if RUSH ever had to get "clean". I am sure they dabbled but if you saw Gene Simmon's interview in BTLS, he claims he was shocked that KISS would be partying and RUSH would be in their rooms back when they toured together in the 70s.

They probably had their fun like everyone else but I don't think there were a bunch of rehab stints.

Maybe I am naive.

gjbassist · #14 10-29-2010, 09:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Geddyfleaharris

I am not sure if RUSH ever had to get "clean". I am sure they dabbled but if you saw Gene Simmon's interview BALS, he claims he was shocked that KISS would be partying and RUSH would be in their rooms back when they toured together in the 70s.

They probably had their fun like everyone else but I don't think there were a bunch of rehab stints.

Maybe I am naive.

Ditto. I'm sure they dabbled, hence "A Passage to Bangkok", but they are not know to be a band that partied. If I remember correctly Gene not only said they were in their rooms but that they were all reading books.

As for the By-Tor thing, I have always wondered about it too. I just figured that Neil liked the name and decided to use it again, not really caring if it was the good guy or the bad guy.

4001 · #15 10-29-2010, 09:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Geddyfleaharris

I am not sure if RUSH ever had to get "clean". I am sure they dabbled but if you saw Gene Simmon's interview BALS, he claims he was shocked that KISS would be partying and RUSH would be in their rooms back when they toured together in the 70s.

They probably had their fun like everyone else but I don't think there were a bunch of rehab stints.

Maybe I am naive.

"Partying" for Gene Simmons was a big glass of juice and a mother/daughter combo.

4001 · #16 10-29-2010, 09:32 AM

By-Tor was given a second chance after rehabilitation.
He became the good guy.

4001 · #17 10-29-2010, 09:37 AM

Perhaps The Necromancer is seen as a "God" and the "father" or "creator" of By-Tor and The Snow Dog??

The Necromancer darkens lands with the evil prism eye.

Rojo Grande · #18 10-29-2010, 09:40 AM

I really don't understand how "The Necromancer" could be embarrassing considering it's on the same album as "I think I'm going bald". I heard that later, By-Tor was a cabin boy on the Rocinante....

I<34080 · #19 10-29-2010, 10:06 AM

Anyone see that old cartoon Alex did, Big Al's Tiki Bar? Don't trust KISS.

jim777 · #20 10-29-2010, 10:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 4001

Perhaps The Necromancer is seen as a "God" and the "father" or "creator" of By-Tor and The Snow Dog??

The Necromancer darkens lands with the evil prism eye.

I think the 'Necromancer' is a straight up copy of Sauron from LOTR. Sauron was referred to as 'The Necromancer' in "The Silmarillion' as well.