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RUSH Exit Stage Left - Best Rock Bass Album?

pringlw

pringlw

Guest
Nov 22, 2008
1,708
32
Seattle Area
#1
Listened to this album top to bottom again the other day and reminded myself how amazing it is. When it comes to pure rock recordings (so I'm excluding fusion, jazz - Jaco, Wooten, etc), I really struggle to think of another album that is as impressive for bass - at least for me.

I love all the songs on this album but the ones that are most memorable for me;

Red Barchetta: Great rocking song with lots of great riffs. My favorite version of the song. Whenever I hear this song BTW I find myself wondering if the opening scene in the latest Star Trek movie is paying homage to this song (or perhaps to the short story that inspired RB).

YYZ: Again my favorite version of the song. The bass lines in this version make it just about the hardest rock bass song I can think of. After 20+ years of playing, I still can't play this version properly.

Tom Sawyer: Performed on a Rick - the way god intended.

Freewill: This version has perhaps the best "band solo" I've ever heard. During the guitar solo - everybody is essentially soloing. Geddy - Alex and Neil. They're all going crazy but it all holds together beautifully. Of course at the end the audience gives the applause that you would expect.

Jacob's Ladder - Great dark bass lines by Geddy

The Trees - Fantastic rocking version of this Ayn Rand inspired masterpiece.

Anyway, I just love this album. In each song, Geddy is mixed front and center and his playing is just incredible from front to back. If there's a better album for rock bass playing, I can't think of what it is. (not a challenge to other great rock bass albums btw - just a raw appreciation for this particular masterpiece).
 
#4
Tituscrow said:
Agreed....BUT, I can't believe you haven't listed La Villa Strangiato! Not only - for me - my favourite Rush tune, but in the context of that record, WHAT an album closer :)
Click to expand...

I respectfully disagree. "La Villa Strangiato" is the best rock instrumental ever for me, but still haven't found a live version that beats or at least compares to the studio one. That was definitely a one-of-a-kind event. And although I agree that ESL is a terrific live rock album, "By-Tor And The Snow Dog" was only included in the video release, and that's a huge omission (in my opinion, of course).
 
#6
Funny thing...I just had the urge to watch the ESL DVD (Replay x 3) the other day and I must say, Geddy's tone on the Ric was indeed fantastic. IIRC he was using cabs that contained EV speakers along with his BGW amps and I always thought that is what contributed to his sound for that era, along with the Ric of course. I agree with Martin (above) that the studio version of La Villa is still the best version for me.

On a separate topic, it was great to see them play The Camera Eye finally after all these years on the Time Machine Tour, but I can't say it was my favorite version. There is some footage (with not so good visual) on YouTube of that song being played on the Signals Tour. Although it is an abbreviated version, it sounds amazing.
 
#8
Alvaro Martín Gómez A. said:
I respectfully disagree. "La Villa Strangiato" is the best rock instrumental ever for me, but still haven't found a live version that beats or at least compares to the studio one. That was definitely a one-of-a-kind event. And although I agree that ESL is a terrific live rock album, "By-Tor And The Snow Dog" was only included in the video release, and that's a huge omission (in my opinion, of course).
Click to expand...

I am not disputing the majesty of the studio version...it is indeed a most glorious thing to hear. But I wasn't comparing versions of the song, merely saying that for me, LVS is the standout tune on that live record.

:)
 
#9
Mike in Chicago said:
Though not a "bass album" the best two live rock albums were...

Made in Japan, Deep Purple

Grand Funk Live...GFR (the black and white album cover one...not the latter)
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One of my other favorite live albums is ironically similarly named; Maiden Japan, Iron Maiden. Hard to find a copy now. I used to have it on vinyl (back in the day) but found it a year or so ago on CD. Also a nice bass album.
 
#10
pringlw said:
One of my other favorite live albums is ironically similarly named; Maiden Japan, Iron Maiden. Hard to find a copy now. I used to have it on vinyl (back in the day) but found it a year or so ago on CD. Also a nice bass album.
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Yep. Only 4 tracks iirc... Great record. I've got a box full of old maiden vinyl. Loads of 12" singles with non album track b-sides such as King of Twilight, Cross Eyed Mary etc.
 
#13
lijazz said:
Funny thing...I just had the urge to watch the ESL DVD (Replay x 3) the other day and I must say, Geddy's tone on the Ric was indeed fantastic. IIRC he was using cabs that contained EV speakers along with his BGW amps and I always thought that is what contributed to his sound for that era, along with the Ric of course. I agree with Martin (above) that the studio version of La Villa is still the best version for me.
Click to expand...

He used two different types of 215, two Thiele designed cabs which had EVM speakers, and two Ampeg V4B cabs, loaded with JBL k140 speakers.

The Ashly+BGW setup did sound great though
 
#15
Alvaro Martín Gómez A.;11783962 said:
I respectfully disagree. "La Villa Strangiato" is the best rock instrumental ever for me, but still haven't found a live version that beats or at least compares to the studio one. That was definitely a one-of-a-kind event. And although I agree that ESL is a terrific live rock album, "By-Tor And The Snow Dog" was only included in the video release, and that's a huge omission (in my opinion, of course).
Click to expand...

The ESL version of La Villa is the definitive version for me. Just amazing.
 
#17
jgroh said:
ESL is awesome I must say. I love Red Barchetta on it. It just brings back memories of being a kid in the 80s and watching this in my buddy's basement on a Saturday morning. Good times.
Click to expand...


Yeah, Red Barchetta on ESL kicks so much ass its ridiculous.

I have to elaborate on my Star Trek movie opener theory.

Here's the scene:

Star Trek - Chase Scene - YouTube

Ok, so the alloy air car isn't two lanes wide - and in the end I guess the kid gets caught (vs escaping on a one lane bridge) but I have to believe this is inspired by Red Barchetta (or at minimum by the short story that Red Barchetta was itself inspired by).

Here's more evidence;

a) William Shatner was a heavy advisor on the movie - and is a proud and outspoken Canadian. Clip;

William Shatner - I Am Canadian - YouTube

b) Canadian celebrities have a bit of a game they play that they try to put little subtle references to Canada into movies. They're designed so that in general only Canadians would catch it. Rush has often been used in this inside joke - but it doesn't necessarily have to be a Rush reference. Lots of examples, but one example is "Stan Mikita Donuts" in Waynes World (refers to Tim Hortons - both Stan Mikita & Tim Horton were Canadian hockey players). Another Canadian director (James Cameron maybe?? I can't remember) put "By-Tor and the Snow Dog" on a theater sign in one of his movies.

Anyway, so my theory is that William Shatner thought the whole Red Barchetta story would fit with the "young Kirk" character - and also wanted to jump into the insider Canadian reference thing - and influenced it into the movie.

Or maybe I'm just imagining the whole thing. Who knows?
 
#19
I have this on double LP and it sounds AMAZING. I even ripped it into my computer so I could listen to it in the car. With headphones and eyes closed in bed at night it is like being in a time machine, it might as well be 1976. The whole album is fantastic, but Jacob's Ladder gives me chills every time.
 

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