This has been a heck of an album and I can't wait to start on the next one! I know they are only going to get more polished and more intense! Thanks for watching and thanks for all the comments and suggestions.
Here is a great concert recording if you want to hear early live versions of most of the songs from the first album, shortly after Neil joined ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-X9Wb9JX2pcE.html
I mean this in the most respectful way - I worked with a manager once who came up with the expression : "You couldn't punch the smile off the guy's face" ! You're smile has been beaming during most of this entire album. Yes the production value of the album may be poor compared to later albums but for me and many others this is by far the most FUN Rush album to listen to cover to cover. Something tells me that even if Neil had never come along that Alex and Geddy would still have been successful ...
I like to call this the "proto" of a band. For instance, with No Doubt, Tragic Kingdom was fantastic, but if you listen to their first album, Trapped in a Box is the "proto" of TK. I love going back to the early works of great bands and seeing how they've influenced themselves. Jimmy Page even lifted solos directly out of Yardbirds songs for Zeppelin I and Houses of the Holy.
Susan Maggiora, I was just thinking the same thing. More complex and interesting than most of the other cuts off this debut album. They were great even way back in 1974 and just before 'The new guy' stepped up for audition on percussion!
I had perhaps the best laugh of my 4 high school years thanks to "Before and After" back in '84. I was DJ for an informal dance, after a Friday night football game, and chose this tune to have some fun at my classmates' expense. All the boys who were hoping to make a move on the particular girl of his interest heard the first few measures and figured "the time is now". I could barely contain my glee as the transition approached. Once it did, I watched the wannabe couples split-up one-by-one in total confusion as a few tight friends of mine and I damned near doubled over with laughter. I did not make a lot of friends that night. Just another terrific moment thanks to our boys, Rush!
@@DethThrasher1 I agree with you totally! That steady and patient slow build, with Geddy's pinging bass notes, and Alex's guitar wash, before we're hit with that killer riff. Undoubtedly the standout track of the album!
I agree with you doing the album versions, particularly this first one, since Peart will appear on (almost) all the live versions. Also, production was a whole lot different by 2011 (probably the live Working Man every one wants you to watch). All that said, whilst this Working Man is fresh in your mind, NOW you should hear the Live in Cleveland version! Wow! 😊
You're about to get a wish granted. For Fly By Night the fourth member of the band joins them, producer, engineer Terry Brown. The sound will change amazingly.
Actually Terry Brown was already involved in this, but not for the initial recordings. He did do alot of 'post' mixing and fixing, as it were because these were the same bed tracks that they were shopping with. So, after they were signed, they did redo some tracks and add vocal overdubs and clean it up as best they could with Terry, but they saw no need to re-record the whole album, it was solid enough to work with. But Terry was onboard before Fly By Night.
Yes, Terry Brown tried to fix the first album, there's only so much that can be done once the master recordings are tracked. Fly ByNight marks the first time he engineered and produced the entire package.
@@scott4482 True....He was absolutely perfect for the band, I think they were so wise with their approach to production. The power trio core was spotlighted consistently as a three instrument ensemble and the foundation Of the song, so any additional voicings or instruments, ie: keyboards, guitar overdubs, vocal harmonies, studio effects or extra production devices, were brought in VERY discreetly and conscientiously. They wanted to avoid excessive, gratuitous layering because the honesty of live delivery was sacred to them. So when those special keyboard parts and extra tracks of subtle parts WERE there, the listener notices and enjoys every little detail and the band found a way to play those extra parts live. All three of them are either playing keys or triggering something with their feet!!! Terry Brown was the man for Rush, they never should have parted.
I didn't remember the song, this was awesome! Dude after over 30 years going to see them live, this got me bro...LOVE I! Before and after of course...Shoot me if I missed it in a show...I'm old now!
Great reactions especially at the solo of Before and After. Great song, everyone is putting up a strong showing. Love your musical insights. More Rush please!
In The Mood was waaay overplayed in their stage set for a number of years. I guess they enjoyed having an easy song to play towards the end of an intense set. Before And After on the other hand is a hidden gem, with that lovely intro giving hints of the LOTR/fantasy elements to come in future albums.
Dude... they were 19 years old when they recorded this album. Massive talent right from their first album onward. You will not find another recording of Before and After... that was their only recording of that song... my #1 fav on that album, and one of my all time favs by Rush. Love your intelligent comments and perspectives.
Pretty impressive debut album. Before and After is kind of a deep cut for this album. They are showing their versatility in their playing right from the very beginning.
MAN.. I LoVEWATCHING YOU WHILE. You L'lSTEN To RUSH...I AM 58 AND HAVE BEEN LISTENlNG To THEM. SINCE JR.HIGH.. I USED TO SIT THERE. WITH\ MY HEAD BETWEEN THE SPEAKER CABNETS MORE THAN LIKELy SHAK1NG MY HEAD AS yOU DO AS THEY INJECTED My EAR DRUMS WITH A MIND NUMBING TORRENT OF TEENT..I WOULD GO ON ABOUT How MIND.•3
I’m loving your reactions and this joinery that you are on with their studio albums. I’m also very glad that come at it with a guitarist’s perspective perspective and appreciation for Alex’s playing. Hi evolution from album to album runs an amazingly wide scope yet remains signature him. I’m a big fan of your vids so keep it all up!
Alex was about 21 years old when they recorded this. Neither Alex or Geddy could read music at this point IIRC. I'm not sure they ever really read it. I'm not sure how they did it - just by ear and muscle memory? Maybe 10 or 15 years ago I recall Alex in an interview talking about some song and the chords and he says something like "Yeah, and then it changes to a F-sharp or something." The interviewer says "A G-sharp". "Yeah - whatever..."
Their first album on Moon records. I have a copy. Excellent stuff. Saw them live in a small club, a then unknown RUSH with original drummer John Rutsey, just before Neil joined, doing stuff from the first album. Blew me away. As they say..the rest is history.😎🎼🎶🇨🇦🇨🇦
You need to call your parents and apologize, again. You’re one of the few reactors that I look forward to. Why? Because your reactions are honest and informed. I’m a huge B-side fan and Before and After is in my top 10. Cheers.
Tim, I sure appreciate your reviews, great stuff! But honestly, if you're not familiar with Rush's live stuff, I suggest finding time to give it a go. As a guitarist, I feel you would appreciate it. They're masters of live performance, as well as studio virtuosos. Amazing what they do live, as a long time musician myself, I'm blown away every time.
You can compare their sound back then to a lot of other bands at the time, that guitar tone seemed to be pretty universal in the early 70's There's some early KISS vibes in there, Priest, Sabbath, etc.
I agree with the AC DC parallels, this album was balls to the wall. They were peers with Kiss, Aerosmith and Thin Lizzy at that time, and their songwriting and sound reflected that hard rock spirit. Geddy and Alex were likely already yearning to move into a more progressive sound, and Neil's arrival allowed them to stretch beyond the classic ' Coca Cola' hard-assed rock. But damn!! When it rocks like this, it is a beautiful thing and prog- Rush nerds (I am also one) should really applaud this version of Rush alot more, and give it up for John Rutsey. I wish he had continued a high profile rock career, He would have been one of those guys, like Brian Johnson, Ted Nugent, or The Scorpions.
Really cool! I was not so much into this album but this reminds me of the time I was listening to it, I forgot it. I was more into the other numbers, they have too many, but I am back 😃.
I got into Rush with Moving Pictures. The only two song that I know got radio play was "In the Mood" and "Working Man". Not bad for a debut album. I love Geddy's vocals on "Before and After", it has a raunchy down right dirty vibe to it. I think if it wasn't for the slow mellow intro, Before and After might've gotten some radio play. Drums, Bass and Guitar are fantastic on this song.
Re: a "modern re-recording": Eh, I dunno...would lose that raw, loose Zeppelin feel to it. That's like saying re-record early Zeppelin to clean it up and-well Jimmy Page's sloppy playing, and...well, you just wouldn't do that...it might sound "better", but you'd lose that initial spark...
Alex is just doing Alex. Geddy kills this on his bass, he's really showing his stuff on bass here. Rutsey was pretty good, but this is his ceiling. Alex and Ged wanted to explore more progressive stuff.
Oh man. I forgot this song. In the mood. No. This didn’t happen 😝. Had to be a timeline shift. But, Shows just how much Neil added later by the lyrics alone. I’m a drummer. The qtr note cowbell flam intro. Make it 🛑 😆 😣 . DGMWrong. Love the vids.
How could you not be a fan of 70's rock? EVERYTHING you know today can be found in yesterdays music...Broaden your horizons Son and do some serious homework. There's a huge rabbit hole to be found in late 60's and 70's rock!!! Remember, History ALWAYS repeats itself....
This "vault edition" of Working Man is pretty much the album version, but it has an extra guitar solo. Maybe listen to both and comment on the additional solo. ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-NKcYNpHUiPk.html
At this point Alex and Geddy wanted to make more complicated music, they had done the whole blues rock thing, now they were feeling they wanted to go where Genisis and Yes were heading. John wasn't into making more progressive music. I think this is the real reason they went looking for a new drummer. Both Geddy and Alex struggled with making meaningful lyrics, so finding Neil became a double blessing, and gave us the Rush we love going forward from 1974.
I've seen endless comparisons between this and Led Zeppelin's debut. The first Rush album was all original songs, unlike much of Zeppelin's debut album being comprised mostly of cover songs.
I get more of a thin lizzie feel from in the mood than AC/DC. The second song reminds me of early led Zeppelin. now that you've heard the studio version of working man you need to listen to working Man live in Cleveland cuz you could really see how the band is evolved over time
I'm enjoying listening to this first album with you, but you keep saying the songs were "thrown together" in the studio. Actually, they were recorded live, for the most part, except for the vocals and guitar solos which were dubbed in later. The three of them were in the room jamming, no guide tracks, nothing fancy. Just live rock.
