Geddy Lee from the Canadian band Rush, doing a radio interview for Stereo 104 FM in Toronto. The interview is just prior to the release of the album "A Farewell To Kings".
I have been on a non-stop Rush binge. It started on a Friday night this past September after my first week at work for a new employer after a 6-month job search after a layoff. I was mentally and emotionally exhausted and my wife was on a business trip that week. So I ordered Chinese and watched "Beyond the Lighted Stage". As dumb as it sounds, it was like being at home with family. It grounded me after a scary first week of work doing a different kind of work in a wholly unfamiliar environment for the first time in 17 years. After the documentary, I went to bed, but watched a graphic novel version of 2112 while in the dark. I **still** couldn't believe how powerful it sounded. And then Geddy's memoir came out and that was it. All the themes we all know now: an uncompromising creative spirit combined with a strong work ethic and a unique, shared vision all coalescing at the right time and the right place. Alex the improvisational genius. Geddy the polymath obsessive perfectionist. Neil the Wise and Powerful. Happiest binge, even though it's driving my wife nuts!
Funny to hear them throw the term "heavy metal" around so much in 1977. They are considered "prog" now, and AFtK is a very "proggie" album, but we never used the term back then, it's a new thing. Back then we considered Rush to be VERY much Hard Rock, especially if you ever saw them live. Very aggressive.
Their first 4 albums are metal albums for that time. They went through phases. Basically the first 4 albums saw them transition from a fairly conventional blues influenced hard rock / 70s metal band to what became known as "progressive metal" (a mix of metal and progressive rock). The next 4 albums saw them move further in a proggy direction for the first 2 of the 4 (A Farewell To Kings and Hemispheres), while the last 2 of the 4 l (Permanent Waves and Moving Pictures) saw them removing the proggier elements as the classic Rush sound emerged, which was neither prog nor metal but has obvious influences from both. I don't really find the band very interesting after Moving Pictures; in my opinion they basically became a synth pop/yacht rock band in the mid to late 80s and early 90s. They improved a bit on their last few albums but never really did anything essential after Moving Pictures.
Another great RUSH interview....thanks for posting it. It's amazing that Ged was about 23, maybe 24 and speaking so carefully and clearly. If you wanted a cerebral interview back in the day, Geddy Lee was your man. If you wanted a casual interview back in the day, Lerxst was your man......scuse me....Alex Lifeson. And you know that would be a fun place to be at; and you'd be cracking up with everything coming out of his hysterically funny mouth! BUT...... if you wanted a "watch my backside as I run to my Beamer-cycle" interview back in the day, then Neil Peart was definitely your man. Now I must go listen to Xanadu. And at the same volume I have always enjoyed it at.....since 78. Ciao from Long Island, NY
@@beholden1663 unfortunately I was turned onto RUSH after Farewell to Kings was released. The lead guitarist in my 2nd band basically forced this Zep head to blast some black wack which was only around that year....and listen to Xanadu for the 1st time. Obviously I instantly became a huge RUSH fan in that 10 minute mind blowing song. In 79 when they played the Palladium, I was broke and out of a job. So my 1st of 29 shows was on the Moving Pictures tour.
I think the single biggest "leap" they ever took, album to album, was 2112 to A Farewell to Kings. Some people would say Moving Pictures to Signals but I don't think so, you can definitely hear shades of what's to come in MP, especially Side 2.
@@diedlisteningtorush I remember rushing out to the store to buy both HYF and Presto on the first day they came out, we cherished everything from Rush and yet still didn't know how lucky we were back then.
When Geddy talks about the fans expecting them not to stand still, that would be seriously test a few years after this interview. I, personally, found value and quality in all of their stages right up to the end. There are stages I prefer more than others but that is just me. To give a clue of my preference, Xanadu and Subdivisions are my top two Rush songs. The sad part for me is after Vapor Trails. That was some excellent music but I think Geddy had been losing his vocal skills. (Just my opinion) I’ve seen them at least once every tour from Hold Your Fire to Feedback. I’d be glad to hear other stories and opinions. Ged Bless
it was never a mainstream hit. it was popular with rush fans as the years went on, not when this album came out. they still had a small following until moving pictures. rush fans forget that rush after 2112 was still not really that popular and were still and opening act all the way through till moving pictures. thats when things changed for them. before that even with the small success of 2112. they were not that big like ppl think of them in the 80s and 90s
Rush became global superstars after Moving Pictures especially with the song Tom Sawyer which got finally got the same radio play and notoriety. Prior to that they were under the radar and not really that well known. For example I’m from the big city of New York and they did not even play the major league of Madison Square Garden until “ Moving Pictures” tour. Before that they played in the smaller arena “ The Palladium” New York City. Furthermore by 1982’s “Signals “ they were popular enough to play 2 sold out shows at Madison Square Garden. Fans who were into Rush prior to “Moving Pictures “ were very fortunate to see a young talented band not yet at its peak popularity.
The "prototypical Rush album"? "The band we've grown to know and love over the years"? This is 4 years after they broke into the U.S. - makes me laugh.
Yes pretty facinating really. Thanks for watching! I just posted a new ultra rare interview from 1976 ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-sZlLLoStzro.html
