Rush: Why do (most) Women not click with this band?

[Janforth]

Rush is the "Star Trek" of music, Sci-fi Pro-guh rock.

 

[Bajo Clarkko]

There are three words that explain why most women (and many other people) don't like Rush: Geddy Lee's voice.

Musically and lyrically, Rush primarily appeals to other musicians and rock musicphiles. The same can be said of Jethro Tull, Yes, King Crimson, Dream Theatre and any other "nerdy" prog rock band or shredder-type musician.

When I was in my 20s, I was REALLY into the (Dixie) Dregs. There were usually not a lot of women at their shows. (Ok, they were sausage-fests.)
So, when my (Better than average looking) girlfriend was willing to go to a Dregs show with me I knew that someday, I'd return the favor. Eventually, when Kenny G came to town, I took both her, and her best friend.
(sigh...) Sometimes a man has to do, what a man has to do.

 

[Nev375]

Hey now...

She's enough to make Neil Peart's heart skip a beat!

 

[squirefan]

The women I know who like Rush are all musicians, mostly drummers.

I played Rush-Tom Sawyer for my wife (not a musician) and she was put off by the singing. She said it sounded like a woman who couldn't sing over a 16 bit video game.

Should've played her 'Closer to the Heart'.
I've never liked 'Tom Sawyer' (and from what I've read, Geddy didn't either), but then they kind of lost me after Moving Pictures, anyway. I liked their early fantastical, philosophical stuff.

 

[Lobster11]

Musically and lyrically, Rush primarily appeals to other musicians and rock musicphiles. The same can be said of Jethro Tull, Yes, King Crimson, Dream Theatre and any other "nerdy" prog rock band or shredder-type musician.

Yeah, this has been true of the "prog" genre since the beginning; it certainly isn't specific to Rush. I've been to King Crimson concerts where you could count the number of women in the audience on your fingers, and by the midpoint of the show you could count them on one hand.

 

[J Gold]

My wife says the songs are too long, and there is no eye candy on stage.

 

[DwaynieAD]

I like rush, but they are wankery with no beat.

 

[buldog5151bass]

In general, bands like Rush appeal to other musicians. Not many serious female musicians play rock. This is changing, and Rush's female fanbase was growing.

 

[Ric5]

Have you listened to Clockwork Angels? Best album they've done in a long time.

I am a big Rush fan but The last 2 albums are not stuff I like to listen to.

 

[3rdWatch]

My daughter is 26 this year. In the last few years I've turned her on to Yes, Rush and Led Zeppelin. She really likes all 3, but especially Rush.
She's a pretty introspective deep thinker, so maybe that's the appeal...their song structure and lyrics tend to inspire that imagination. She's also a Star Wars and J.R.R. Tolkien fan!

 

[BahamasSteve]

The first Rush show I went to was back in high school, with an intern that worked with my dad. She mentioned at work, the afternoon before the show, that she had a spare ticket, cause some guy she met on the web backed out last min. My dad called me up and I bought the ticket and caught a ride to the show. She was a huge Rush fan and in grad school for a PHD in chemistry.

 

[Tonetodiefor]

My wife loves listening to old Genesis, Yes and even some ELP. She can't stand Geddy's voice. She enjoys some of their music but just can't get past his voice.

 

[shawshank72]

As a Canadian bass playing male, it might be sacrilegious to say this but I'm not a Rush fan. I can appreciate how talented and technical they all are as musicians, but the music itself doesn't resonate with me. I don't know exactly how to explain it, but I've never had the overwhelming need to hear Rush like I get with other bands. To each their own, I guess

Exactly this.
And im going to add that the singing is just abrasive to my ears.

 

[Watchootognbout]

Women generally like lyrical music that is about THEM.
Or their relationships.
You know."Baby,baby please"
That and dancable pop music.

So anything beyond that(meaning virtuosity,cerebral topics in music)is alien to them.
You will NOT hear of Taylor Swift singing about a fictional voyage to Luhman 16b.

Now.
This is NOT to say that there are no women that appreciate these qualities.
There are FEWER.

 

[bolophonic]

I was at a band rehearsal once where someone said, "I kinda don't trust anyone who doesn't like the Rolling Stones." One other musician spoke up and countered by saying he feels the same way about Rush. There was this really awkward pause and I remember thinking that his world must be a dark, cold, lonely place.

 

[Clef_de_fa]

A lot of people don't like Geddy's voice. The use of distortion/fuzz/overdrive to the sound of the bass. It is rock with a little more to it.

I'm Canadian and I don't like them, I tried but no. When I want complex music I prefer other band than them.

 

[gln1955]

In a word, vocals. Women like strong male voices or pretty female voices. Geddy can't quite pull off either.

 

[steamthief]

I'm curious - how many of the responses on this thread have been made by women? I know there are many who belong to talkbass.

Is this thread like a Rush concert? A big sausagefest?

 

[Matt O]

Same question could be asked about Dungeons and Dragons.

Same answer, too.

Don't even try to flame me for that because I'm invisible and I have a +5 constitution.

 

[Jim Nazium]

IMHO, I don't think it's about Geddy's voice. I think it's about the length and complexity of the songs. They aren't danceable and they don't have catchy, sing-along choruses. Sure, all three of them have great technique on their instruments, but most women (IME) don't care about that, any more than they care whether your car has an electronic turbo boost controller. It's a guy thing.