2112

Introduction

This is my 2,112th post and Rush have an album called "2112". It is not one of my favourites of theirs, but I love the artwork, but the album's ligretto is very stringy to say the least.

Rush have pruduced a lot of songs that I like, and I even sang "Spirit Of Radio" with Spoon at the Bridge in Newcastle sometime in the last millenium.

This is their web site:

"Finding My Way" from "Rush"

I first heard this on John Peel and was sure it was Led Zeppelin, until he told us that it was a Canadian power trio caleed Rush. It was, and still is an impressive heavy rock song, and I still think it sounds like Zeppelin but I know that it is Rush. I think I borrowed the album from our bassist in The Bok, the hippy Mark Lester and he went on about Rush being acolytes of the awful Ayn Rand as though it were a good thing. Apart from "Finding My Way" it seemed a bit generic rock by numbers, with one great song on there.

"Fly By Night"

The title track of their second album is excellent and shows them defining their sound. This was where Neil Peart became the drummer and lyricist, leading the band to adopt a more literary lyrical style that differed significantly from their self-titled debut album.

"Lakeside Park" from "Caress Of Steel"

This saw Rush moving towards longer progressive piece , but one of my favourites is "Lakeside Park". The record company were disappointed with the album but die hard fans reckon the album is very underrated.

"Something For Nothing" from "2112"

"2112" is the Rush signature album, and the title suite takes up side one of the album, but it left me cold barring the closing song "Something For Nothing". This was influenced by the writings of Ayn Rand so may be why I find it so uninteresting. I'm obviously in the minority, but I am not a hardcore Rush fan, and only have a few albums in my collection and as yet I have not included one of mine but one is coming next.

"By-Tor And The Snow Dog" from "All The World's A Stage"

"All The World's A Stage" was the first Rush album that I bought. It had live takes of some of my favourite songs of theirs but the one I have chosen is a twelve-minute take on "By-Tor And The Snow Dog" originally from "Fly By Night". The live take with its glacial guitar sounds is an amazing experience and still is for me. I own this album on vinyl. The song was inspired by Rush roadie Howard Ungerleider’s story of staying at manager Ray Danniels’ house, where Danniels’ German Shepherd growled at him and his other small dog tried to jump on him. Ungerleider told Rush about it and they thought it was hilarious.

"Spirit Of Radio" from "Permanent Waves"

I think the lyrics to this are awful, but the music especially that spinning guitar riff, but I managed to learn and sing them so not the worst I have ever heard.

"Tom Sawyer" from "Moving Pictures"

The music in this is wonderfully monstrous, and definitely Rush. They are a band that just got better and better. This is quite relentless, Lifeson's guitar and Lee's synthesisers are just amazing. (Hope I credited them right)

"Xanadu" from "A Farewell To Kings"

Going to close this with my favourite Rush song, absolute perfection. Eleven minutes of total magnificence. This is a song that I never want to end, like a great film or great book, it is just brilliant. Sorry, I don't know what else to say, just listen to it.

Thank you for reading and listening. I have probably missed loads of your favourites, but you will have them in your collection anyway.

So here ends post 2112.