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What are your top 5 Rush albums.
- Thread starter armybass
- Start date
Old school Rush fan, baby.
I was listening when WMMS-FM radio in Cleveland went into orbit over the self-titled first album. We could pick it up in Columbus, and before long, our DJ's were playing it too.
So for me, it's the first five or six releases, hands down. Those guys were working their asses off in the studio and on the road, and it showed.
When the keyboards and synths came into the picture, I started to lose interest. Still love the band and bought the records and tickets, but those early days were pretty heady and hard to beat. They had to play two sold out back-to-back dates in Columbus, Ohio for most of the mid to late 70's.
I'm fortunate to have gotten to meet and greet Geddy, Alex, and Neil, before he grew weary of that sort of thing, back in the day. Those were amazing times and memories that will be with me all of my days.
I was listening when WMMS-FM radio in Cleveland went into orbit over the self-titled first album. We could pick it up in Columbus, and before long, our DJ's were playing it too.
So for me, it's the first five or six releases, hands down. Those guys were working their asses off in the studio and on the road, and it showed.
When the keyboards and synths came into the picture, I started to lose interest. Still love the band and bought the records and tickets, but those early days were pretty heady and hard to beat. They had to play two sold out back-to-back dates in Columbus, Ohio for most of the mid to late 70's.
I'm fortunate to have gotten to meet and greet Geddy, Alex, and Neil, before he grew weary of that sort of thing, back in the day. Those were amazing times and memories that will be with me all of my days.
Signals
Moving Pictures
Grace Under Pressure
Clockwork Angels
Honestly it's a toss up between Permanent Waves and 2112.
Moving Pictures
Grace Under Pressure
Clockwork Angels
Honestly it's a toss up between Permanent Waves and 2112.
summer 1987.... My parents were divorcing, I was 16. Being from NYC, (staten Island) I was into "pop" music, but leaned towards the guitar oriented songs played on Z100. (barf!!!) A buddy of mine, a "Metalhead" gives me a tape to listen to. Titled "The Masters of Metal". Rainbow is on there, Iron Maiden, Judas Priest, and this band Rush. A song called "Tom Sawyer"........ It changed ,my life! Who was this band singing about Mark Twain's Character??? This wasnt a song about boobies, or butts. (i was a hopeless geek, herb, herbavour, nerd, etc. lol!) And there was something happening in the midsection, the solo, whats that instrument??? The bass?!?!?! How cool is that? I, Want, That!
I quickly purchased Moving Pictures at "Majors Music" located in Pathmark shopping center Forest Avenue. Holllyyyyy Cooowwwwwwwwww................. My life Suddenly changed. I kept listenign to MP over and over and over again. Summers going fast and nights started getting colder, then Rush releases "Hold your Fire". I purchase it, song after song, so modern sounding to my mind. I kept thinking, "why isnt this being played on the radio?? LOL!!" (as if). So many hard things happening in my home life between mom and dad. Every week, I would purchase another Rush tape. Its all I listened to. Crazy. Over and over again. Signals, Hemisperes, Power windows, A farewell to Kings, 2112, Grace under Pressure. Most of my friends didnt get it. They couldnt understand my love affair with this music. lol It was still a few years before I purchased my first bass (1993), and my real journey began. (Thanks Geddy and Co.)
My fave albums or Go To's are in no particular order......
Permanent Waves,....... check out this guys piano rendition of Jacobs Ladder simply beautiful
Hemispheres..... I still scratch my head today wondering how, HOW did Geddy come up with half of that stuff?!?! Certainly sent from the Gods... lol
A Farewell to Kings..... Alexs' guitar is so crisp sounding, Geddys Rick sounds soooo Ricky!!! Cygnus X-1, (which I hope one day they release other live versions of) The title track showing a new direction, a departure from the heavy boogie woogie blues they had so far played.
Moving Pictures............... Simply where it all began for me, a perfect album on every aspect. Red Barchetta, the gorgeous Camera Eye ( I love you NYC, and miss my Towers) the departure in sound and song of Vital Signs...
Signals...... SYnths! sunths, and MORE synths!!! Geddy what were you thinking?????????????????????? But what was captured on tape or digital(as I think they recorded alot of this digitally?) was one of Geddy Lee's BEST BEST BEST ever Bass tones. His Rick was distorted more than ever! Play the song Countdown, its Ric City. BBBZZZZZYYY, and grindy, deep. "Excitement so thick (Ba Ba Baaaaaa) YOu can cut it with a knife"!!! His Jazz bass on Digital Man is perfect! Sad that the album suffered from the times, and the oil embargo of the early 80's. Alexs' guitar sounded "cloudy" sort of like Hemisperes.
That all said, I LOVE Presto, IMO every song is strong, it focuses on Geddy's vocals. I love power windows, a HUGE departure in lyrics, and playing. I wish Alexs' guitars werent so "shrill" sounding. Geddy debuts the Wal bass....... Its SMOKING on all tracks, Especially "Territories". I guess 6G's gets you the goplden tone. As far as Old Rush goes, I love Love Love Love the song, "In the End" . Do find bootleg Live versions of this song, as it rocks OUT! Counterparts was a huge comeback for them, raw energy. Anyway, thats all I got... Thank Boys!
I quickly purchased Moving Pictures at "Majors Music" located in Pathmark shopping center Forest Avenue. Holllyyyyy Cooowwwwwwwwww................. My life Suddenly changed. I kept listenign to MP over and over and over again. Summers going fast and nights started getting colder, then Rush releases "Hold your Fire". I purchase it, song after song, so modern sounding to my mind. I kept thinking, "why isnt this being played on the radio?? LOL!!" (as if). So many hard things happening in my home life between mom and dad. Every week, I would purchase another Rush tape. Its all I listened to. Crazy. Over and over again. Signals, Hemisperes, Power windows, A farewell to Kings, 2112, Grace under Pressure. Most of my friends didnt get it. They couldnt understand my love affair with this music. lol It was still a few years before I purchased my first bass (1993), and my real journey began. (Thanks Geddy and Co.)
My fave albums or Go To's are in no particular order......
Permanent Waves,....... check out this guys piano rendition of Jacobs Ladder simply beautiful
Hemispheres..... I still scratch my head today wondering how, HOW did Geddy come up with half of that stuff?!?! Certainly sent from the Gods... lol
A Farewell to Kings..... Alexs' guitar is so crisp sounding, Geddys Rick sounds soooo Ricky!!! Cygnus X-1, (which I hope one day they release other live versions of) The title track showing a new direction, a departure from the heavy boogie woogie blues they had so far played.
Moving Pictures............... Simply where it all began for me, a perfect album on every aspect. Red Barchetta, the gorgeous Camera Eye ( I love you NYC, and miss my Towers) the departure in sound and song of Vital Signs...
Signals...... SYnths! sunths, and MORE synths!!! Geddy what were you thinking?????????????????????? But what was captured on tape or digital(as I think they recorded alot of this digitally?) was one of Geddy Lee's BEST BEST BEST ever Bass tones. His Rick was distorted more than ever! Play the song Countdown, its Ric City. BBBZZZZZYYY, and grindy, deep. "Excitement so thick (Ba Ba Baaaaaa) YOu can cut it with a knife"!!! His Jazz bass on Digital Man is perfect! Sad that the album suffered from the times, and the oil embargo of the early 80's. Alexs' guitar sounded "cloudy" sort of like Hemisperes.
That all said, I LOVE Presto, IMO every song is strong, it focuses on Geddy's vocals. I love power windows, a HUGE departure in lyrics, and playing. I wish Alexs' guitars werent so "shrill" sounding. Geddy debuts the Wal bass....... Its SMOKING on all tracks, Especially "Territories". I guess 6G's gets you the goplden tone. As far as Old Rush goes, I love Love Love Love the song, "In the End" . Do find bootleg Live versions of this song, as it rocks OUT! Counterparts was a huge comeback for them, raw energy. Anyway, thats all I got... Thank Boys!
Don't feed the zombies? Ah, where's the fun in that?
Here's my top five in roughish order...
Here's my top five in roughish order...
- Moving Pictures - their perfect Rush album for me. Love every thing about it, even the cod Dick Van Dyke cockernee on The Camera Eye
- Grace Under Pressure
- Power Windows - big fan of the Wal era albums... obvs!!!
- Signals
- Roll The Bones (yes, really!!!)
easier for me to say which albums i dont like as much:
grace under pressure/power windows
only because i didnt like the sound of geddys bass in the mix.
grace under pressure/power windows
only because i didnt like the sound of geddys bass in the mix.
Not the wal, but the engineer who decide not to give it any low end.he didn't start using the wal till power windows anyways. It was the eighties, bass/guitar mixes were thin and over compreases while keyboards drowned everything out.
Yes...I hated that then...and now.
I am a some recent fan (2015)...my garage bandmate in '74/'75? had their 1st 2 LPs. I blew them off a Zeppelin wannabes. But - I have always respected them.
Anyway, for me it's-
Moving Pictures
Signals
Presto
Counter Parts
Hold Your Fire
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I cannot believe I had to read through 94 posts before @JetBlackJazz had Clockwork Angels on the list!
#5. 2112
#4. Permanent Waves
#3. Clockwork Angels
#2. Moving Pictures
#1 . Hemispheres
#5. 2112
#4. Permanent Waves
#3. Clockwork Angels
#2. Moving Pictures
#1 . Hemispheres
Funny that I found this thread tonight. I've been on a Rush kick on Spotify yesterday and today. Started to listen to their albums start to finish from Signals on. I am very familiar with their older catalog, so I wanted to start there.
I love all of their material with one exception. Hold Your Fire is without a doubt the low point IMO. It was tough to get through that whole album.
I'm still enjoying the musical journey though.
I love all of their material with one exception. Hold Your Fire is without a doubt the low point IMO. It was tough to get through that whole album.
I'm still enjoying the musical journey though.
