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Journal ryanr's Journal: WTF? No really, WTFSoFF? 21

Journal by ryanr

So, I went to see Rush on Saturday night. The concert was great. No opening band, just them doing a 3 1/2 hour show with a 15 minute intermission. They did just about every one of their popular songs, a few I didn't recognize (probably from a newer album), and a few cover tunes. It's their 30th anniversary tour. Geddy explained that they were going to do a few songs that "they tried to play, when they were learning their instruments."

I can recall Crossroads (Clapton arrangement), The Seeker, Summertime Blues (Who arrangement), and Heart Full of Soul, for cover tunes.

I had a great time. Due to a couple of friends not being able to go, my almost-14-year-old son went with me, his first concert. He seemed to have a great time, and is now sporting a new t-shirt ("RUSH THIRTY").

So... the WTF part...

I went out to lunch with some of the guys from the office, and mentioned the concert. Every one of them said "who?".

What do you mean, you don't know who Rush is?

So, I've been polling the office... and it's only us people over 30 (with a couple of minor exceptions) that seem to know who they are.

D'oh!

Umm... hello? Most famous Canadian band ever? Three guys? An amazing drummer, fantastic guitar player, one of the most distinctive voices you've ever heard? And that's WHILE he's playing bass and keyboard. (And a little guitar, too. Geddy and Alex did a little acoustic guitar number together.)

I've heard here and there how good Neil Peart is, but I don't think I'd appreciated it until I saw them live. I don't think he missed one hit the entire time. You'd have to listen to his stuff to understand why that's even impressive. Like on "Mystic Rhytms"... you listen to the studio recording, and your brain automatically thinks multiple tracks, some looped effect, r something. No, it's him and his drum set. Absolutely perfect timing on the cymbal crashes, with all the individual runs in-between.

So, how do you not know who Rush is?

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WTF? No really, WTFSoFF? More

WTF? No really, WTFSoFF?

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  • I've heard here and there how good Neil Peart is, but I don't think I'd appreciated it until I saw them live

    When listening to Tom Sawyer, just try tapping along with Neil... and try counting along.

    The guy is a fuckin magician. Dave Weckl (jazz percussionist) comes to mind when you talk about magician drummers.

    If you grew up in the 80's and was learning to play drums, Neil was the one guy you always tried to emulate (heh, but never could).

    I wouldn't call myself a serious Rush fan, I do appreciate their
    • Ha, I figured it would be you and Sam to reply first. :)

      I'm hoping this doesn't mean that everyone else who reads this thing also aren't familiar with Rush... I will be so ashamed. :)

      I've been listening to the CDs in the car today... it's interesting how mny of the little bits that I assume were a guitar overlay or something are Neil on his drum keyboard thing, or Geddy walking up to his keyboard. The band just hands off bits of music to each-other..

      The drum solo was as impressive as you might expect, h
  • Comment removed based on user account deletion
    • See my reply to Blinder about you as well. :)

      One of the posters for sale at the concert was all of their album covers. It was 5 x 5, with 2 extra... so 27 albums. And I believe that's just full-length albums, including live releases. Doesn't include singles though, I don't think. Or side projects.

      I have a number of cassette tapes, which are basically obsolete. Now, I purchased Chronicles, and picked up a few individual albums that have missing songs. I think my favorite original studio album is Movi
      • my fav song to play on bass is "Vital Signs"- the last song on moving pictures. I think I wore that tape out. That and Judas Priest's "British Steel"
        • I'll check that one out, I can't immediately remember how it goes. I've got the CD in front of me. I grabbed all the Rush CDs out of my car on the way back from lunch, in outrage at my co-workers not having heard of them. I got one to play most of "Spirit of Radio", which I figure would be the most readily recognized. One of the guys HAD heard it.

          Ha! I thought so...
  • Musicians know about Rush. I'm sure the youngin's today are getting Rush pushed down their throat by the oldin's who are teaching them; there's lots of good stuff in them songs; not just precision techniques, but also for chord progressions and scales and blah blah blah.

    Although maybe I'm wrong, and maybe all the kids are learning Dream Theater stuff instead. WHo knows...

    anyways- yeah. I'm 28, and I knows me some Rush and saw 'em twice for Roll the Bones, and got my dad into the song "Working Man". I
    • It might be a "music" thing, too... as you point out. I've noticed that there are a number of bands that all musicians seem to "get", but not neccessarily your average listener. An example that leaps to mind is Operation Ivy. Now, I like the Punk/Ska quite a bit. I even like bands that came out of OpIvy (DHC, Rancid), but heck if I can find an OpIvy song I can get into personally. Another I've heard in a similar vein are The MC5.

      I can't really claim to be a musician myself. Perhaps a musician with no
  • a few I didn't recognize (probably from a newer album),

    Why don't you recognize songs from the newer albums? Because you haven't heard them on the radio.

    How do you define "newer" in this context? Since about 1990? That was almost 15 years ago, you know.

    • Lesse... the most recent song there (I think) that I recognized was "Roll the Bones", which amazon says was 1991.

      But a lot of their stuff still gets airplay, more so than the newer stuff I suspect.

      Damn kids don't listen to the right stations, I guess. :)

      And I know quite a few songs from the 50's and 60's, so not being born yet is no excuse. :)
  • I've heard here and there how good Neil Peart is, but I don't think I'd appreciated it until I saw them live.

    I let a friend who was a massive fan drag me to a show, so he'd have someone to see them with. You ain't lyin'. I am still not a massive Rush fan (I like 2112, and "greatest hits" that played the radio when I grew up, and that's about it. I can only take so much of Geddy preaching at me....), but I have immense respect for all of their playing ability.

    • Out of curiosity, are you a musician?
      • Heh. Got me. Play bass mostly these days, some keyboard, passable rhythm guitar. Never had the nerve to try drums. My buddy previously referenced was a guitarist.
        • I attempt to play guitar on occasion.

          I wouldn't mind playing around with a drum set, but my wife won't have a set in the house. Dunno why... :)
          • Because she's crazy? Or sane, depending on your perspective. I had a drum set for a while, but the acoustics in the "drum set room" were terrible. I think stuff like that matters more with drums than guitars and the like, though I wouldn't know. My only experience with guitarists is the girl who lives next to me who likes to try playing Dave Matthews' songs and seems to be getting worse over time. So yeah...no drumset in echo-y room. Makes for very unfun playing. I also found out that I'm not very co
            • Or sane, depending on your perspective

              Yes, we have 5 kids, and the only room where we might have room would be the front room... all windows, and two stories high. It would be very echoy, and constantly played by children.

              And I'm 23 and have heard of Rush.

              See, now that's what I'm talking about! Thank you!
  • yes, I've heard of Rush...leaders of the progessive rock movement, bla bla bla :)

    As far as amazing drummers go, Aynsley Dunbar. Played quite a bit with Zappa as well as Jefferson Starship and a brief stint with Bowie. In my book, if you can play in a Zappa arrangment, you're better than just about anyone on the planet (except maybe someone playing in a Sun Ra arrangement)
    • Yes, Zappa is another one of those that musicians get (and I don't.) I'll admit I havent heard a lot of his stuff, but he always struck me as novelty music.

      Never heard of Aynsley Dunbar. Is there some particular song that showcases his drumming well?
      • Particular song...not that I can think of off the top of my head. Anything off of Zappa's "Apostrophe" shows his ability to move flawlessly between FZs always abnormal tempos.

        His discography is huge though, check just about anything he's done...it's all at his site [aynsleydunbar.com]
        • Thanks, I'll see if I can track it down.

          Sadly, I think the only song I've heard much from him is "Valley Girl". :) I've heard others... Don't Eat The Yelow Snow, etc..
          • 'Don't Eat the Yellow Snow' is from Apostrophe, part of the Nanook saga...definatly one of FZ's best. His best, Hot Rats, doesn't have Dunbar on drums, but it does have Captain Beefheart doing vocals on a few tracks :)

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