The lead singer, Geddy Lee, plays keyboards, sings, plays bass, and foot pedals mostly at the same time. ...and yes, they do it live!! There are only three members of Rush and they are each immensely talented. Lots more Rush to see!!! I recommend "Rush - Working Man Live in Cleveland" next.
In the video for "Countdown" you can see him playing keyboard with his left hand, open strings on the bass with his right, while singing. Can't recall for sure, he might have been playing pedals at the same time.
My husband saw them twice in the Chicago area back in the 80's and according to him Geddy Lee was a man possessed!! Playing with the foot pedals while playing bass and singing!! He never thought about till he saw them and to this day he's still impressed!!
@@kenkonwick6660 Yeah watching 150k off the hook Brazilians do a soccer romp and shout along is nuts! (PS, huge Rush fan here, I have a tee shirt from that night with the S. American continent on the back with all the flags.)
This song was played at every Rush concert from 1981 until they retired in 2015. Legends. Also, the whole album "Moving Pictures" (1981) is a masterpiece. Literally every track is worth your consideration. RIP Neil Peart… You are sorely missed.
40 year Rush fan from Australia here. They never toured here, in almost half a century's existence, so I went to them, I flew to North America three times just to see them play live. That's the kind of devotion that band inspired in their fans...
I am a 61-year-old male from the United States of America, I saw Rush back in 1977 and have loved that band ever since and still do to this day. They are my favorite band and always will be!
Now you've done it! You've opened the door to one of the greatest rock bands ever. Three virtuoso musicians of over 40 years of music with 167 songs from 19 studio albums. I love to see new people experience Rush for the 1st time. You appear to love the keyboard, so I would recommend 'Subdivisions' next. However, for a vibe, The Spirit of Radio is my all time favorite Rush song 🎵 I look forward to seeing more Rush here. Have fun! 🤘
I'd like to see her reaction to one of the classics like La Villa Strangiato, 2112, Xanadu, Fountain of Lamneth, The Trees, Hemispheres, or Jacob's Ladder. I celebrate their entire catalog, though am particular to the Fly by Night to Moving Pictures era.
This video was posted by the official Rush RU-vid channel ten years ago, but the original date of filming was 1980/‘81. This is the album (Moving Pictures) that I bought when I was 12 for my BFF’s 12th birthday when if came out. I’ve been a fan ever since, 35 concerts, never missed a tour since 1984. This band has the third most consecutive platinum and gold albums, behind The Beatles and Rolling Stones.
@@bookhouseboy280 that page is junk, these pages pop up and some fail mostly. Look at BuzzFeed, they started out as a junk page and turned to getting factual data and pertinent information distributed. That page you gave did not do their research. Either way, Rush is a very talented and well liked band.
@@millennialmeetsmusic Singer Geddy Lee sings, plays bass and keyboards and sometimes at the same time. Geddy Lee and guitarist Alex Lifeson have been friends since middle school. Drummer Neil Peart is esteemed by many to be the greatest rock drummer. It's been said that he's your favorite drummer's favorite drummer. RIP to Neil Peart aka The Professor, who also wrote most of their lyrics.
During live performances, the vocalist, Geddy Lee, would stand at a keyboard, with a mic in front of him, and a guitar on his back, and managed to pull it all of flawlessly. They had to practice all their songs so many times, just to get all the parts recorded for the album, that it allowed them to figure out how to do it live, jumping from one instrument to another.
Oh, Sweetie, you REALLY need to watch the live version of Xanadu from "Exit Stage Left." Geddy plays a double neck bass/6 string guitar, pedals, keyboards, sings, while everybody in the band multi-tasks at an unbelievable level. Simply the greatest live performance of three people of all time. I call it three musicians with seven necks (both Alex and Geddy play double-necks for the entire performance). This is an absolute must, because you will not believe the complexity and accessibility of the song, but you will simply not believe it is just three people making all of that incredible music. (Southern California - Seal Beach)
Gigantic Rush fan in Louisville, Kentucky here. Rush changed my life when I first heard them. I decided then and there that I wanted to become a musician, and I did. Neil Peart, the drummer, was my hero. I cried like a baby when he died.
The crazy thing is, this is Geddy's 'chest voice' :-) At least at that time. Later on, his voice deepened as he got older. On their earlier albums, he was way up there. It was a point of contention with critics early on, who had some quite unflattering things to say about his singing. But it fit the music perfectly, IMO. Also, crazily, this is this their 'simple' period. The albums before this were massive, complex prog rock epics, which are still some of the most incredible popular music ever made Both Geddy (bassist) and Alex (guitarist) play foot pedal synths, and Geddy plays keyboards. Neil (drummer) plays various percussion instruments, bells, etc... They could do this stuff live, and not just a pale excuse for it, they could really do it. Check out their live version of Xanadu for an incredible example. And that was back before there was lots of computer help as well.
he uses every limb someone once joked about him having a big nose to allow him to use it to move his microphone hands free when required! Album was released at the end of first quarter in 1981. This album has gone quintruplet platinum and is regarded as 1 of the best prog rock albums of all time
I love Canada Rush blew me away as a 70's teenager. I was astounded by Getty Lee and could not believe three guys could create such orchestrated volume of joyful loudness.
Tom Sawyer is a great song. Geddy Lee the bass player is quite amazing. During live shows he would play bass, and sing. When he played keyboards live he would also play Taurus bass pedals, and sing. Rush was a class act. First time that I saw them was in 1977 on the 2112 tour. Have been a fan since.
This song changed my life. I was 10 years old in 1982. I was over a friend’s house and he had borrowed Rush’s Moving Pictures album on cassette. He told me I had to hear this song Tom Sawyer. He put the tape in his boom box and hit play. With the opening note of that song my life changed. Because of that song and Rush I got into music and learned to play guitar. Rush was my first concert on Nov 5th 1984 in Philadelphia. I never missed a tour since then and saw them 26 times. I flew to Toronto to see them play their home town for the last time and they filmed that show. They have been a major part of my life and shaping my world view.
What a beautiful reaction. I am from Quebec Canada, so about 6 hours from where that band is from Toronto...i am old enough to have seen them live in Montreal, Toronto, Ottawa, Boston, Winnipeg..and as a total of about 18 times...and let me tell you , Geddy does play keyboards and sings at the same time while playing base with his foot, like an organ pedal board...these guys are even better live..go figure...Just a quick special note...i live about 5 minutes away from where that video was shot..in the actual studio, Le Studio in Morin Heights, Qc, Canada where they also recorded multiple albums...please do continue on your discovery of that band..you will not be disappointed..i promes
Wow! Thank you for sharing. I've seen them live about the same amount as you, first time in 1979. I just about fell out of my chair when she referred to Rush as a "new" band!
Another 40 yr Rush fan here, welcome to one of the BEST bands in t he world! 3 incredibly gifted musicians that have played together for a very long time and impacted millions of fans over the decades!
There are many examples of Rush performing this live on youtube. It's pretty amazing what they pull off. You'll probably have to watch multiple time to get a good idea of everything going on.
As others have pointed out, Geddy (lead singer) primarily plays the bass, but also plays keyboards and foot pedals. Alex (guitarist) also plays foot pedals. Neil (drums) lays down the drumwork foundation. I'm an old-timer that first say Rush back in 1983(?) for their Signals tour. They are/were an amazing band just in sheer musicianship. Also a great group of humans. Sadly, Nel passed away in 2020. But they are legends. This was the band that made me realize I love music. Neil was the reason I started playing drums.
I played Rush for my daughters when my youngest was 6 years old, the first vinyl record they ever heard. I used them to explain to them the difference between digital and analog music; I also impressed upon them the fact that Rush was a three-man band. I also told them that Neil Pert was the "God of drums". My youngest is now 27 and LOVES vinyl records, currently she is into CCR. btw- Geddy Lee (the lead singer) is playing both bass and keyboards. Another thing that I pointed out to my daughters.
I agree with everything except one thing I'm 58 I've been in love with rush since I was a teenager but your assessment of Neil is not entirely correct I would like to throw John Henry Bonham in there to don't hate me just admit it's a fair shout 😊
Rush released no fewer than 19 studio albums and 11 concert albums/DVD, every one of which went gold or platinum or multi-platinum. In fact, they stand only behind the Beatles and the Rolling Stones for most consecutive gold or platinum album releases. But here's the thing - for decades they were savaged by the mainstream music press (1st and foremost Rolling Stone Magazine) and they never came close to releasing a top ten single in the US or UK (just in their (our) home and native land, Canada). In fact, in the US only one of its songs, New World Man (off their 9th studio album, 1982's Signals) cracked the US top 40 (they had 4 in the UK). As Dave Grohl and Taylor Hawkins screamed, while inducting them into the Rock n' Roll Hall of Fame in 2013 (over two decades after they had originally qualified), Rush made its success the hard way, record by record, tour by gruelling tour, fan by fan. That's why it is commonly said that the only band that comes close to the number of fans and depth of their devotion is the Grateful Dead. I can certainly attest to that, having first heard them when I was 14, which is when the aforementioned Signals was released, I was so excited when I received the newly released 40th anniversary vinyl box set that I did something a staid lawyer (who turns 55 tomorrow) wouldn't think of doing. I recorded and uploaded an unboxing video on RU-vid! The best thing about Rush was that they never stopped moving. While you can certainly understand their progression album by album, just pick a random four or five albums from their dense catalogue and be amazed at the differences in musical style and influences. Perhaps needless to say, the band is also credited as being hugely influential too. That's funny, as my wife didn't like Geddy Lee's high pitched voice or the wonderful complexity and virtuosity of their music, preferring 80's and 90's pop, new wave and grunge. Frequently a band will come on the radio that she admires and I'll mention how the bassist or drummer or guitarist idolized their counterpart in Rush and cited them as a major influence on their development as musicians. Chuckles all around (at least in my head). Sadly, you won't ever get to see them live. None of us will again (and many fans have seen them at least a dozen times over their 40+ years touring). That's because the band's GOAT drummer and lyricist, Neil Peart (pronounced P-ear-T rather than P-ur-T) died from brain cancer in January 2020, at the age of 67. His two remaining bandmates, Alex Lifeson and Geddy Lee, are both 70 now. The news of Peart's death was the lead news story in Canada that sad day and the impact was particularly hard because - as an intensely shy, private, and humble man - he kept his illness secret to all but his closest friends and family. But I don't want to leave things on a sad note for you, so please watch Neil's epic solo performance live in Frankfurt - and be awestruck at what this late, genius artist could do.
There's 3 guys. And they're AWESOME. Watch them live, they're incredible. Geddy and Alex uses pedals, which you saw in this video, but it's all done by them.
I was 12 when this album came out, this was the year I became a Rush fan and I was blessed to have seen them play live on numerous occasions in several US states.
Yeah they are 3 of the greatest ever musicians in rock. Geddy Lee can sing, play bass & play keyboard parts via pedals with his feet at the same time. Unbelievable. I can't rub my stomach & pat my head at the same time 😁
Lived in Michigan from 1956 until I moved to Washington State in 2000 I have been a fan since their first album came out. Really appreciate your reactions!
I would say RUSH fans are by FAR the BEST and Loyal FANS out there! Glad to see you liked them been a fan for over 40 years! Sad we lost Neil back in 2020 still the best drummer ever!
Rush- one of the, if not the most, influential prog rock bands ever. Tom Sawyer came off of the Moving Pictures album in the early 80s. They considered it one of their most difficult compositions. The song has a fairly solo tempo of about 80bpm but has about 15 time signature changes across it. If they played it live with few or no errors, they considered it a victory.
This song is one of those songs that keeps getting better the more times you hear it. Loved it when it came out and still do . Canada's best band by far imo . They are good ol' Ontario boys like me .
🏆Well done! This video is from 1981ish, in support of the album Moving Pictures. Every song on that album is a "banger." No, really!! I would suggest "Subdivisions" from 1982 (official music video). The song is great and the video is really cool! 😊
When my mom passed away back in 2019,i called a local radio here in my hometown of Chattanooga Tn,and I requested "closer to the heart"They played it for me a few times that day...Rush is my favorite band!!
I saw them live a few times but I got to see them in the late 70s doing Rush 2112 period, and yeah they pull all of that stuff off live. All three of them are crazy at multitasking live.
I've been jamming to Rush for about 20 years now, but I knew about them in the 90's because of my Mom, who had been a huge fan of theirs for ages before. I've never heard a bad song from these guys. Pure, straight talent that can't be faked. Their live performances are definitive proof of this! I only recently came across your channel, but your reactions show that you appreciate good music when you hear it. Rush is a deep rabbit hole and well worth the journey! Greetings from Florence, Texas 😁
"We're going to be reacting to, a new band called Rush", awww, that is adorable, I know how that was meant but to hear it put that way is endearing; When I was a young teen, huge Rush fan, my stepdad (very cool guy btw) was a country fan, he was not at all into rock and heavy metal, but oddly he appreciated Rush, so I asked him once while this song was playing on the radio in the car, "what is this song actually about", not meaning to be daft or aloof, there was an element of the lyricism that was beyond my years, he replied, "It's about you, it's about your whole generation, it's about every younger generation" ...that kind of blew my mind, how astute. I gained a much higher appreciation for this song, I never tire of hearing it or get bored with it, so cool to see so many genuine reactions to Rush!
Just watch them live, you'll figure out how they did it, on stage with 3 superb musicians! I saw RUSH live 6 times from 1974 to 1982. I never saw any other bands more that twice!
Hello, Andy from Seattle, Washington, USA. Big RUSH fan of course!! This song was released in their 1981 album called "Moving Pictures". The keyboard player is the singer and he is also the bass player....and yes, he can perform this live. All 3 parts. :D
There is PLENTY of video of these three excellent musicians going back to the early 1970s. They are only too happy to show how the sausage is made. They are an inspiration to many musicians.
They always put on a great show, my favorite band to see in concert. Yes Geddy would play bass, sing and play keyboards at the same time live. They were all 3 immensely talented.
I was born in '81 growing up listening to my dad's music. I always thought the singer was a woman. Wasn't until I got older that I appreciated how good the bass and Neil's drumming was
Rush is brilliant, you will have an epic time with them, Pink Floyd, Deep Purple, Led Zeppelin, The Grateful Dead, Steely Dan and so many other bands from the 60-70's!!!!👌👌 Enjoy the ride!!!👍👍 I'm in Rhode Island, USA✌✌😎😎
The beautiful place you see in this video is the studio where they recorded the album. It's located just north of Montréal in the lower Laurentian mountain range. Mega stars from all over came to that place to record albums. It's a retreat in the woods where artists could live in and do their work, a fabulous place.
Always great to see a millennial listening to some Rush. I loved your reaction. I've been a rush fan since the late 70s and still listen very often. I'm from Ottawa in Canada, where the band is from (Toronto) There are three guys in the band, so all of that sound was coming from one of them. No dumb questions! I believe you will enjoy seeing them do it live. Thanks for sharing!
Someone else has probably already answered the question at about 6:35, but there many many Rush tunes where Geddy Lee plays definitively virtuoso bass while simultaneously singing and playing keyboard bass pedals, and intersperses various higher keyboard lines into brief gaps in the bass where his fingers aren’t otherwise occupied, again while singing and often filling out the low end of the sonic spectrum on the keyboard pedals. Most of their repertoire was able to be performed live by just the three of them. As an ensemble of 3 of the most accomplished musicians who ever existed on their respective instruments, each member became expert at expanding to fill out their portion of the musical canvas. The drummer, Neil Peart, who unfortunately succumbed to brain cancer in 2020, was widely regarded by musicians of all genres as the leading percussionist of his time, by many as the greatest of all time. He also wrote all the band’s lyrics, much of which could stand alone on the printed page in the company of the greatest poetry the world has ever seen. In any other band Alex Lifeson, the guitarist, would have been rightly hailed as a prodigious talent. IMHO Alex’s reputation has suffered from George Harrison syndrome- many of my favourite Beatles tunes were actually written by George, but in a band which had a Lennon and a McCartney, George’s contributions often weren’t adequately recognized at the time. Alex has always directed his truly world class talents in service of the overall impact of the particular song, rather than trying to make the song into a vehicle for an onanistic display of personal virtuosity as many guitarists are prone to doing, especially in hard rock genres.
Yes, Geddiy sings, plays keyboards and bass. The secret trick for live performances is that he uses what is essentially organ foot pedals to play or trigger keyboard parts.
Greatest three piece band ever. They are even better live. I was hooked as a teenager in the 70's when they released 2112. Saw the Hemispheres tour when they came through Edmonton. Been a huge fan ever since.
There's so much Rush to discover. All three were masters of their instruments. Furthermore, as you discover more Rush, make sure to read the lyrics. The drummer, Neil Peart, was one of the best lyricists ever to put pen to paper. He was brilliant and his lyrics have a depth you won't find anywhere else.
A longtime Rush fan here,hooked since the early 70's. I too am Canadian so a lot of national pride in our lads. Lots of great music from these three. Greetings from the Yukon Territory.
I would offer another band certainly worth giving a listen to,too. Steely Dan and their albums 'Can't Buy A Thrill',Royal Scam and Aja. Just a few tasty tracks are Reeling in the years,Do it again,Royal Scam,Green Earrings ,Haitian Divorce,Rikki Don't Lose That Number and the beautiful Aja. A treat for the ears.
I was 16 when Moving Pictures came out in 1981. I bought the album on vinyl at Sam The Record Man. My first time hearing Tom Sawyer completely blew me away. Every single song on that album is killer no filler.
Hey there! 😃 Love your smile!!! Rush... what do you say. There were only 3 people in this group. It still amazes me today how they were able to perform all this music live. Unbelievable musicians, song writers, performers. Their music is legendary - everything they ever recorded will astound you. And all the while - that good vibe you mentioned will continue. Thanks for reacting to them! Keep going! Peace!!
Stumbled across your channel due to this epic piece by Rush. Yeah, they were huge back when I was a kid. I remember cruisin Friday/Saturday nights & this would come on the radio, you'd get a big smile & wait...one of most talented bands ever. I'm across the Pond, the South, Georgia. Next one?...give "Spirit of Radio" a listen, you'll be stopping it about 20 times lol. Cheers!
I was born in 1970 …I was 11 when this was released in 1981…this is one of those songs you remember when you heard this the first time…I was with my friend John, we were hanging out and a local rock station 94HJY played it and we immediately went wow grabbed $12 each(about $9.50 with tax for the album the rest on 2 slices of pizza and a soda) then jumped in our bikes rode to a local record store and we each bought a copy of the Album Moving Pictures, cool memory…loved being a kid in the 70’s and a teen in the 80’s….
After all these years and songs, my fav Rush is Red Sector A. Neil wrote that looking through the eyes of Geddy's family story locked inside a concentration camp. You can youtube Geddy talking about it and it is simply an amazing and horrible story he was taught the choices his grandmother was forced to make. That song though...it PUTS you behind that fence! "I hear the sound of gunfire at the prison gate Are the liberators here, do I hope or do I fear? For my father and my brother, it's too late But I must help my mother stand up straight"
Rush was one of my favourite bands at the time; they were different from most of the other bands! They’re lyrics and composition were outstanding! Nice reaction, missed live because of the time confusion 😂
Oh really oh that’s awesome! It is definitely different, it was cool 🥰 Oh gosh! I don’t understand why it was 1630, I don’t know what I was thinking, it’s always 1600! 🙈😅 I must have pressed an extra half hour by accident 😆
The question isn’t how Geddy sings and plays keyboards at the same time. The question is how does he play bass, keyboards, 12-string guitar, and synth pedals while singing?!?! Check out Xanadu from the 1981 Exit Stage Left tour and you will see such multi-tasking madness! Cheers!
Rush fan since the beginning, and my first band in high school was a Rush tribute band. Rush is a 3-piece band making all that sound. It took us 5 to do the same. Nothing Geddy Lee (Bass & Vocals) and Alex Lifeson (Guitar & Backing Vocals) played their primary instrument plus Taurus peddles to fill in the keyboard parts when playing live. A feat much like flying a helicopter or riding a unicycle while balancing on a basketball. Neil Peart (Drums) is known as "The Professor" within the music community and is hands down the best and most influential drummer in rock music. So glad you enjoyed it, try instrumentals "La Villa Strangiato" or "YYZ" live versions to appreciate their musical prowess!
So glad you listened to Rush and enjoyed it. I saw them 3 times in concert and Geddy was able to sing, play keyboards and bass. Alex was always underrated as a guitarist and Neil was amazing on drums. I am a boomer in the US and I only became a fan in 2011 but better late than never. They retired in 2015. Fantastic musicians, sadly Neil the drummer passed away in 2020. Keep listening, there is so much to hear and love!
This was from 1981... 40+ years ago. Rush was a Canadian band that defied genres and rocked for 40+ years before calling it a day in 2015... Tragically, the drummer/ percussionist Neil Peart (who was also the band's lyricist) passed away from brain cancer in 2020 (R.I.P.) Peart was nicknamed 'The Professor' for his incredible drumming skills and his deep well of knowledge and intellect. Rush started as a heavy rock trio in the 70's w/ Alex Lifeson (guitar), Geddy Lee (vocals + bass) and John Rutsey (drums) in Toronto, Canada... the teenagers jammed often and wrote their first Rush album which was released independently in 1974... They were signed in America that year and had to replace John Rutsey before they would tour extensively (Rutsey was unhealthy and was not keen on touring). Neil Peart (drums) auditioned and joined Rush in 1974... The others noticed he was a heavy reader and very opinionated, and they decided to ask him to write the band's lyrics; he accepted the challenge and wrote most of Rush's catalog of lyrics... many very profound in subject matter. But record sales for Rush were poor by 1975 after 3 records... Rush delivered the sci-fi fantasy album '2112' in 1976 and it became their first platinum-selling record and gave them a fanbase around the world... Rush also began experimenting w/ keyboards and synthesizers by Geddy Lee, while Neil Peart added to his percussion sounds w/ electronics and Alex Lifeson also added more guitar effects... going into the late 70's. By the early 80's, Rush grew tired of heavy rock and opted to reinvent the band's sound w/ modern technology... This 1981 album 'Moving pictures' was a huge hit, incorporated elements of electronic and new wave music, which set the tone for Rush's keyboard-heavy 80's records. Geddy Lee would sing, play keyboards and switch to bass during Rush's live concerts... so he was a busy man on stage 🤣 However, the lack of guitars was not welcomed by guitarist Alex Lifeson, and he demanded by 1989 that Rush move away from their electronic sound... The band spent the 90's becoming a rock band again... Sadly, Neil Peart endured trauma in 1997/ '98 when his daughter and wife passed away under tragic circumstances... Rush went on hiatus as Neil Peart spent 2 years on his motorbike traveling to heal. Rush returned in 2002 and it was a heavy return back to the rock records... In 2012, they released their final studio album 'Clockwork angels'... and ended their career in 2015 after a 40th anniversary 'R40' tour. Neil Peart had been remarried since 2000 and had also left behind a daughter after his death in 2020. More Rush songs - 'Limelight'... 'The spirit of radio'... 'Subdivivions'... 'Fly by night'... 'Mystic rhythms'... 'Freewill'... 'Bravado'... 'Time stand still' 🤘🤘🔥🔥
Of passing interest, this was recorded at Le Studio in Morin Heights, north of Montreal, Quebec, Canada. The Police recorded Synchronicity there and many others recorded great albums there. Sadly, the building has since fallen into ruin. Born in Montreal, now living north of Toronto.
Hello to You, I'm from Texas. Been a Rush fan since I was a Kid, I'm 51 now. Seen them live countless times and started taking My only child with me to all concerts since he was 7. This an Awesome Rabbit hole to go down. Enjoy Your journey.
From my first Album (vinyl) Caress of steal , to snakes and arrows . I have been a diehard Rush fan- natic. You my dear have just fell in the greatest rabbit hole of your life. Enjoy
