Guitarist Reacts To RUSH!! The Analog Kid (Studio Version Reaction!) Getting Me Emotional Again 

More RUSH, more supreme talent and more emotion! Let me know what I should listen to next and what your favorite artist/track is! Keep rocking and stay safe, everyone.

Too many hands on my time Too many feelings Too many things on my mind... When I leave I don't know what I'm hoping to find And when I leave I don't know what I'm leaving behind.

You have to listen to Digital Man next. They go together. Geddy’s voice is garnered by the fact the he is a great vocalist

Countdown is also a masterpiece from signals.

“This sound, it, it just gets me, I don’t know what it is.” I have been saying the same damm thing since 1982! Love It!!!!

Might as well just finish the album. Def in my top 5 Rush albums.

When the band first started out, Geddy's voice was pretty darned high and screechy. Over time, though, his voice matured, filled out and deepened. From the 80's on, his voice was stellar, IMO.

Digital Man next! Also: Middletown Dreams The Camera Eye Between the Wheels The Weapon

Middletown Dreams, (Power Windows)Between the Wheels (Grace Under Pressure) are similar in sound and style to this song. I’m sure you would like either or eventually both ✌️☝️☝️✌️

Digital man has one of my favorite Lifeson solos and Geddy's bass work is amazing. Don't pass this one up!

He’s gotta listen to Between the Wheels

Since you're on the Signals album, check out "Countdown" and "The Weapon".

This is one of the best bass albums ever.

I always felt like part of the progression of Rush is how they became more intentional, with everything they did. Maybe that is just maturity. Sometimes less is more. :) But the biggest thing for me about Alex's playing is how much he makes you FEEL what the intention of the music and the lyrics is. Also, I need to go back and watch this again and count how many times you looked at the camera and just shook your head. :-D Sometimes that is all you can do.

This is my favorite album. The most distinctive song left on the album is "Losing It", IMO. I'd suggest that one. "Countdown" is kinda dated, but every other song on the album is very strong and stands the test of time.

RUSH tells us " there is unrest in the forest, there's trouble with the tree's ". Wonderfully poetic and beautifully RUSH.

I've been listening to Rush since 74. This is my favorite song. I am so glad you liked it. The lyrics are me, and the way you interpreted the music is spot on.

This band is so talented, that you won't find many cover bands trying to imitate them...

Losing It also from Signals is a lesser known song, but one of those that always hit me square in the eyes, moreso now that I am 55...check it out, they only played it live 2-3 times right at the end of their touring lives...the lyrics and music will touch your soul!

From Permanent Waves on they started to hone their songwriting skills. Being able to convey the message in under six minutes instead of 8-10. That's what comes from maturity as a musician, confidence as a songwriter, and melding that with their preternatural musicality produced some incredible music. Some argue they went too far over the cliff with keyboards, but I beg to differ. Every album during that era still contained a bunch of great guitar heavy music. There are a lot of folks who hate that segment of Rush. I don't. As a musician and songwriter I understood the concept of wanting to be a better songwriter. Not beating someone over the head for 15 minutes when I could condense the melodic structure not compromise integrity and still rock the listeners socks off. That's one of the many things I'm greatfull to Rush for. Great channel...great reactions and go easy on the wife. Dream Theater is lot to digest in one sitting. Best of luck.

Alex blew you away with that perfectly composed and played solo, didn't he? Still does for me after all these years. Geddy sings very well here too as you said.

I love The Analog Kid! Listening close to the lyrics reminds me of my childhood. Playing outside with either family or friends, enjoying that summer breeze, laying down in the grass without a care in the world. Thinking about that one crush you saw either next door or from school. Reminds me of the good old days. Digital Man goes hand in hand with The Analog Kid, and that's a song you should listen to next. Although the whole Signals album is solid as well.

The Weapon. But do the live version from the Grace Under Pressure tour vid., Lerxt's solo on the studio version is a bit too buried in the mix.

This is just a PERFECT song. It just is. Synths vs. Guitar? This is what can happen when they are both used in PERFECT balance. Alex's playing I think always benefits from covering the roles of rhythm and lead simultaneously. It allows him much more character and details in his playing. The slow-down soaring orchestral chorus that Rush does so well (See YYZ, Ghost of Chance, many others) is never done better than here...Thanks.

Hi OLS! One thing that truly stands out in almost every Rush song is that they sound unique... I'm not a musician myself, but I can't tell they sound different.

Tim, you have just once again been in the presence of greatness. Rush could do this, and seemingly effortlessly, by 1982. They move me, they move me...

This album was my favourite. It was so well made. This particular song I LOVE so so Much . I was 14 yrs old . It strikes a chord with me me so SO DEEP. They have been my fave band since I was 13.

One track to check out is Heresy from Roll the Bones a deep track that gets no recognition; everyone knows the hits or the more popular tracks.

Rush will become your favorite band of all time. Wait til you hear the rest of the catalogue. Great song and video.

HEADLONG FLIGHT from Clockwork Angels-RUSH

Two songs that have not heard anybody talk about Cinderella Man, Lakeside Park

Analog Kid has ALWAYS been a fave on guitar, it's not complicated, and the tempo is tons of fun.

Countdown, the last track on Signals hasn't aged very well, but it has the distinction of being Geddy Lee's most intense live performance. I saw 3 shows on the Signals tour and at one of those shows I was in the third row, in front of Geddy. During one section in Countdown, he played an open E string on his bass with his right hand, the keyboard with his left hand and the Moog Taurus bass pedals with his right foot all while he was singing. And he didn't miss a beat. Amazing.

Tim! Again, you demonstrate your ear for melody and composition on just one listen. I am NOT a musician, but Ruah are my favourite band. The fact of the matter is that they very slowly grew on me and it was THIS album, Signals, that made me a fan, it was the album recorded after their classic Moving Pictures where they decided to forge a new path after perfecting the power trio sound. It was also their last album produced by “the fourth member of Rush”, Terry Brown, and the last album before the one you own, Grace Under Pressure. I continued to listen to Rush, but this was their last GREAT album, before their final opus, Clockwork Angels released almost exactly 30 years later. Losing It is heartbreakingly beautiful, especially hard to listen to after Neil’s passing, Chemistry is a very playful song that likens human relationships to chemical reactions, and Digital Man is a ska flavoured jam that flows like water. I love this album, but, sadly the production is a little muddy. But the performances and compositions were Rush at their most mature. Neil’s lyrics have never been more concise and tight as in this record. Thanks for reminding me of what a great album this was. It makes me a little sad wondering where this band could have gone had they continued to work with Terry Brown.

You need to check out “Losing It” and “Cygnus X1 Book 2”. Keep up the great work, love these vids on Rush.

Try 'The Garden" and 'The Wreckers' from Clockwork Angels.

There's nothing overtly incredible about, as you say, Neil's playing in this song, the technical prowess displayed, without being over the top is just genius. One of the fun things about Rush is taking the time to really focus on each musician's parts. Great stuff.

I understand your feelings on this....I'm an 80's-90's Rush guy at heart - and the 2000's as well. It's just when I started listening to them. It actually took me a long time to get into the older stuff. To this day, I like the older stuff, but love the 80-90's stuff. And CA is fabulous!!

Signals is my FAVE album. I am 54 and a Rush fans since 13.

Alex usually played like 10 different solos for many songs, in the studio and then he and the guys would pick their favorite parts of each and he would put them together into the final product...he is genius

Could be my favourite song ever. Superb! Tighter than a schedule to finish your Homework!

Astounding musicianship. Three guys that are equally talented but exponentially more talented than 90% of the band out there. There will never be another Rush.

Oh boy...One of my favourites. I get so emotional listening to that song. That's my favourite Rush era for sure (79 to 91). It seems in that period that Rush started to embrace a certain song format that really does it for me. Their maturity started showing as a band and they started to focus on sound and song writing as much as the partitions themselves. Earlier Rush is great but it's like an untamed animal tearing through everything, but in the early eighties they really started to master their song writing skills. They always displayed an unreal amount of skill in terms of instrumentation but it sounded like they had great music and were adding words on top at the end as where in the early 80's it's like the lyrics and message became front and centre making the music somewhat sound more meaningful if that makes any sense. The result is that the music and song writing became more important than the individual parts and chops themselves. And I think that's where Rush is at its best. Albums like ''Power Windows'', ''Hold your fire'' and ''Presto'' which are often disregarded by fans, are to me some of their best work. Granted, they are not as ''Metal'' or as hard hitting but fuck me, the quality of the song writing is like nothing else out there. A true master class. Don't be afraid to look into those 3 albums, not going song by song but rather listen the albums as a whole. Love your Rush reactions !!!!!!

Hey man, I loved your reaction to this one. I love that as a guitarist, you're able to dig in a little more into what Alex is doing from a technical standpoint. This often gets lost on so many reviews of Rush's work, as most focus most of their attention on Neil and Geddy. This is one of my favorite Rush songs from one of my favorite albums. As a young 15 year old bassist just beginning to learn the instrument, The Analog Kid became a huge benchmark song for me. I absolutely fell in love with Geddy and Alex's tandem scale runs in the verses and Alex's solo and the CODA just fit the mood, energy, and tempo of where this song naturally wants to resolve. In my opinion it's really one of their best songs, that showcases their skills - on all levels. I felt like that kid staring up at the August sky with the trees in constant motion. When you see the silver (back) side of the leaves, you know a thunderstorm is usually on the way. If you've ever found time to daydream chewing on a blade of sweet grass, wondering how the rest of your young life will unfold, this song is for you. Other songs from Signals, that I highly recommend - for a variety of different reasons, are: "New World Man" (a rocker, similar to The Analog Kid), "Digital Man" (reggae meets techno), TAK, NWM, and DM represent for me the Signals "Coming of Age" trilogy. Countdown (a first person account that captures the awe and wonder of NASA's inaugural Columbia Space Shuttle launch 4/12/1981. Sadly, 22 years later, 2/1/2003 - on its 28th mission, Columbia and her crew were lost over Texas during re-entry - so Countdown for me is now a celebration and a memorial for Columbia - and the Space Shuttle program), and "Losing It" - which now has special meaning for me in the wake of Neil's passing earlier this year. "The Weapon" is an ominously dark and insightful song, full of application that remains relevant in our current political climate today. I liken "The Weapon" to "Witch Hunt" from Moving Pictures, because both songs focus on the power and danger of people driven by irrational fear fueled by ignorance. Chemistry is also very well done but I will admit is more of an acquired taste (though once you've acquired it, Chemistry becomes another instant classic). As always, the lyrics are so well done across the entire album, anyone who listens to Signals without the lyrics in front of them to read, does themselves a disservice. Overall, Signals brings everything. Beautiful poetry, beautiful music. The perfect way to spend an hour in pensive, artistic, audio bliss.

Same album, Digital Man! Solo will blow you away.

I’m so glad you did this. Signals is my favorite Rush album because every song is so complete and they all have such a deep meaning behind them. Keep up with Signals and check out Losing It and Countdown.

I love how you are just speechless during this. This is one of my top Rush songs, truly.

Thanks for checking song out. The analog kid is one of my top 5 Rush songs. And Lifesons solo on this is f ING awesome!

This song is one of their more underrated tracks. Great tempo, great lyrics, great band. Geddy sounds great here and Alex's short guitar solo is spot on, as always!

It’s the fuckin resolution that chorus has . It’s insanely beautiful and so full. Those bass pedals really move a great dynamic system.

For me ,Rush provided a different and unique sound for each decade since the 1970’s. I love all of it .

This and Closer to the Heart are a couple of my Rush favs. At 62 years old I still regularly to Rush

I've always said this. Geddy's voice works so well with the instrumentation. It's high but the full sound of the band balances it.

A great song. For me, it brings back some bittersweet memories from 1982-83 - first love and a love lost. We were both huge Rush fans.

Love the review! Love you picked up on Alex’s sound!

In the live version, Geddy is playing bass with hands, synth with feet and singing during and after guitar solo. How in the?

Hey brother...try Entre Nous from PW. Try The Trees from Hemispheres. Try Overture/The Temples of Syrinx from 2112 and try No One At The Bridge from COS. Listen to me kid. Please. You are doing great by the way

Great balanced reaction😊. Fan since the 70's & I LOVE Signals, Grace Under Pressure & Power Windows, the trio of this era.

Signals was my introduction to Rush and what an intro. I played the hell out of it for months. It is my favorite Rush album and the band's sound in this album is the one that I like the most. The band is so tight in this album. So rhythmic. So much "cold" feeling in the music and lyrics. Every track is a masterwork. Subdivisions is a tidal wave of rock power and Losing It is a sublime emotional journey.

I don’t know if I’m alone or not but I’m going to go on suggesting that you give us a reaction to “Nobody’s Hero,” from the too often overlooked “Counterparts” album. The version I’d recommend is the official video. Usually there is a canon of epic songs that get requested but I am a fan of Rush’s deep cuts, or back tracks, whatever you happen to call them.

Wonderful reaction, man, so emotional and balanced. I can´t wait for you to react to some masterpieces on Power Windows.

Love your comments and insights. Keep them coming!

What a brilliant song! Great chops, great groove, great sound, great guitar solo and a butt load of emotional longing... Perfect song!...Yet again! NEXT SONG PLEASE : AVAILABLE LIGHT (one of Geddy's best vocal performances ever). Simply exquisite! But if you want to stay in Signals, please give ''losing it'' a shot. As different as it gets from Rush but the lyrics are so brilliant and the music just supports the mood throughout leading to an amazing electric violin solo in the middle section which is gut wrenching emotionally. You have to give it a whirl. Thanks bro! Great reaction always !!!!!!!!!

Great reaction video. This song is my inner 14 year old. I was 14 in Early 1982 when I first bought Moving Pictures. I was an adolescent going through so much puberty turmoil. I remember buying Signals when it first came out and being let down initially because it wasn’t like their older stuff, Geddy’s voice was lower and the music was not as heavy metal like. Neils drums were not as in your face. But almost 40 years later I see this song and Signals as arguably their quintessential. I am still the 14 year old Analog Kid at 53 dreaming dreams and inspired by the fawn eyed girl but getting overwhelmed by feelings. It’s incredible how this music just radiated more meaning as we age.

This solo may be the first piece of math rock. I never thought of it as sloppy, I always heard it as meticulous and exact. The polar opposite of his Limelight solo which is insanely moving and affective.It's difficult to say Alex Lifeson is an underrated guitarist when anyone who listens to him love him but here we are.

I had been a fan since the very first time I heard The Trees on radio, but this album... this is the soundtrack of my high school years (Class of '83). No one was making music like this then. The speak to the human side of us all. Just nice guys doing what they truly love and were meant do.

Love your feedback, gets me back into RUSH. Always played RUSH since I was a kid in grade 6. Life gets too busy to listen to them, your RU-vid reactions are my way of listening.

one of my all-time fave Rush songs. A great album all around, but as you commented on, this one has a lot of emotional, sentimental ideas about growing up. Thanks for the reaction.

My favorite rush song !!

How can you not love the opening riff and that insane solo

Brother !!! I noticed your expressions as the song played, moments where you wanted to comment but didn’t want to. Like you didn’t want to interrupt the moment. This is how many of us Rush fans feel about their songs. This is the type of song that just makes you happy dude ... period !!! Won’t even dare mention the emotions of pure awe and joy to have attended their concerts !!! Sometimes listening to a song such as this is like trying to deconstruct an awesome meal that satisfies as to what ingredients are in it. Don’t worry brother, just feast on it like us Rush fans do !!! Just had a thought ... we need a Mount Rush - More. I envision a weeklong Rush festival with great eats, drinks, to borrow a lyric “fireworks display “ “though it’s just a memory, some memories last forever !!!” Mount Rush-MORE .. Sounds catchy !!! Peace !!!

Thanks for your decent and sincere reaction man!

Its so fun to see you nod your head repeatedly with a OMG look on your face! Great reaction. Adding my voice to "digital man".

Alex Lifeson does have his own sound, to be sure. He is amazing and very underrated. Overall, his use of Arpeggios has always been a distinguishing feature of his playing, among other elements. Now, of course, throughout his career, while he grew into his own sound and into his skills and technique, he was known to pay tribute (some critics would slag him and call it "stealing") to guitarists of whom he was a fan. In the early days, it was obvious that Alex was a fan of Jimmy Page and Eric Clapton, among others. Also in those early years, he was inspired by guys like Steve Hackett (Genesis) and Steve Howe (Yes). After that, it was people like Jeff Beck, Al Di Meola and Alan Holdsworth that informed his playing/soloing. No problem. This pretty much is the case with every guitarist who climbs the ladder to their own level of proficiency and, really, GLORY; it's because they love music, they are inspired by these other great players and they want to show off what they've learned. But pretty soon, certainly by the 80's, Alex did arrive with his own style and he received accolades for it. But Rush is not "The Alex Lifeson Show", by any stretch of the imagination. He never dominated the space, trying to be the "Star" of the band. Alex, Geddy and Neil all serve the music and each other, period, end of story. Rush is a cohesive unit. They are very balanced and present a unified effort on each member's part to serve the song and create something beautiful, to create art, as a BAND, first and foremost. No one's ego was ever too big or out of balance with the band's goals. So that is a great thing Alex achieved; not only his own sound/technique/voice as a highly skilled guitarist, but for being a member of one of the greatest bands in Rock/Pop history.

I have to agree with you , when you say this era of Rush was their best. This is where the group evolved with song writing and a sound that would define Rush

I grew up in this ERA as a stoner beer drink'in teenager living in Toronto WHAT A BLAST lol and now i get to tell my 17 year old grandson what he missed lol

Subscribed, I LOVE the guitar work.

I love Geddy's voice. It's warm and inviting. It aged very well on the studio albums.

For the musician in you, go back and re-listen to the first time they go into the chorus “you move me, you move me” the transition in is just ever so jarring and yet somehow, following the same recurring chord pattern, the transition out is as smooth as butter. How can that be? The lead in and out are so similar and yet the feel and impact are different. That kind of writing for transitions is on another level.

My 15 yr old son is ahead of his time. He digs RUSH a lot- and THIS song is his favorite. Great taste! I will take partial credit. :o)

When it comes to the old Rush, this, THIS was the last of the best of Rush! The Rickenbacker, the ES-355, the Oberheim, the Moog pedals! This was the last Rush with producer Terry Brown. The 4th member of Rush. That is why this is the last of that wonderful sound, playing, song writing and recording that we as Rush fans grew up with and knew. This was the last and the pinnacle of that 2nd phase of Rush! This was the best (as well as Moving Pictures) of the old and new of Rush! It never got better. When Rush came out with Counterparts, I was tickled pink, like a stuffed pig! It sounded like older, harder Rush. However it never had the "FIRE" that those 3 musicians had. This was the last of the Rush that had something to prove. That's why this was the last of Rush with that fire burning in their bellies, we have something to prove. Once they had nothing to prove, where else can you go? Tim, thank you for checking this song as well as Subdivisions out. Fantastic review. This was the last of Alex Lifeson playing like his fingers were on fire also. This gave me goosebumps and a bit of a tear in my eyes. It took me back to late summer 1982. Rush made me the musician i am today. I already played piano. I went to Moving Pictures and saw and heard Geddy Lee. After that concert, i went out, bought a cheap bass and started to woodshed. Because of them i play the bass, moog pedals and the keys. I can't sing worth a damn though. Those guys had talent in spades! Thank you Tim!

Geddy has been like the North Star of rock singers. A solid memory and lyrical Kadence and a voice that always captures your attention and pulls the emotion out of you. Rush sounds like Rush baby Now I sound like Snoop Dog

Since you owned Grace Under Pressure, maybe move on to the album after that, "Power Windows"?

Some of the best songs on Signals were begun as a Geddy solo material. Ged was coming into his own on keyboards and loved using them to write, specifically to coax more melody and emotional impact and began writing furiously. The fact that you’re picking it up in the first two songs you’ve done from the album, says mission accomplished. This Rush is significantly different from Moving Pictures and yet no less awesome. While this record my have brought a sea change in fans, what people miss is that Rush broke as a new band every few records and had success each time. A band can only hope to god to break just once with a defining sound and style. Rush did it again and again and again and, well, again. And that’s the genius that has kept me engaged for 38 years.

I wrote this on Natural Science. I’m 53. At 13/14 this was the album that was getting air time. This is when I picked Rush to be my band. Every album before and after took getting used to. But at the end of the day, I’m a little smart because of Neil Peart and his lyrics. God rest his soul. I’ve seen them 32 times yet I had to miss the final tour. I’ll always regret that. 😢

@Out Loud Studios I am literally laughing my butt off watching the expressions on your face as they start off one way then switch up to another then swing around for something else. Of course your expressions are about how sickly smooth these guys do it and as a loooooong time Rush fan I'm conversing with you through the screen saying that you might as well throw up your hands and sit back and enjoy the grooves. It's like knowing a mountain is exactly 14,396 ft tall. There is no variance unless artificially introduced. That's Rush. They are *EXACTLY* that good at it. It still makes me giggle sometimes too .... even after all this time.

Saw the Signals album played to a laser light show in the London Planatarium in the early 1980's, it was amazing. Shame it was never recorded on film.

If you want to go old school Rush next, check out The Necromancer (off of Caress Of Steel). If you want to check out more mid-career era Rush then check out either Cut To The Chase (off of Counterparts) or Driven (off of Test For Echo). If you want to check out more late-career Rush then check out The Main Monkey Business (Instrumental) (off of Snakes And Arrows) or Headlong Flight (off of Clockwork Angels, their last album).

Besides Subdivisions, Digital Man and Losing It are my fave tunes on Signals. Really shows their diversity and depth in songwriting, just exquisite. I myself love all era's of Rush, it showed their evolution as a band, and no matter what new thing they tried or incorporated, it still sounded like them and nobody else sounded like them, they were so unique. RIP to the master, Neil Peart, your legacy will live on through your art.

Also my favorite Rush song!!

Headlong flight from their last album

Tim I agree with you ! They keep growing and moving forward with their compositions on pretty much every album. Never relying on gimmicks or formulas. And they atre the best at making odd time signatures feel perfectly right to the ears and brain. Love this signals album too !!

Thank you for RUSH VDO!

I love lovelove 80's Rush i graduated high school in 1983. Just when it was first coming out. Me and my friends were spell bound. I saw them on the Signals tour. It was my first rush concert.

It's a work of Art!!

Jonathan Houghton by Edgar Lee Masters seems to have influence Neil's lyrics. The girl must have resonated through his universe. Thanks for the reaction.

You should try hemispheres it’s so awesome the story is well worth the time spent

Just joined! Enjoyed your passion for my favorite band, RUSH!!! Try Ghost of a Chance from Roll The Bones!

I love your love for 80s rush. It's my favorite decade

maybe my favorite RUSH track, as a single song.. Natural Science is my favorite RUSH statement- if that makes sense, but, this one, ooh, I love the lyrics, the guitar work. bass, keys, and of course Neil.. the ahhhhh, ahhhhh, in the background is such a cool and beautiful effect.. again, great lyrics, one again of Alex's lost in the shuffle great solos!!! This is what I went through high school with, how lucky eh?