@@nasticanasta Nonsense. If that's where they went past you, fine. I myself don't like the "dense" sound they took up in later years, preferring more the "clean" 70's sound of say "A Farewell to Kings" (my favorite Rush album) But the lyrics got better and more emotionally relevant as Peart got older. You can't expect a 50 year old to write "By Tor and the Snow Dog".
That's my own philosophy: Every time you don't do something, even if you're unaware of it, you make that choice yourself. But if it doesn't ever cross your mind and you continue to do what you were doing before, past the time at which you could have done it, is it really a choice? Or the absence of a choice? Or is that a choice as well?! Thank God For Neil Peart Rest in peace, my good friend.
Why do I seem to see you in the comments of like every freaking video these days? Not complaning, but just kind of a coincidence. But I totally agree, all Geddy, Alex and Neil are all geniuses in their own right and Rush are one of the few bands (along with Tool and Led Zeppelin) that doesn’t have a bad member.
2:55 Label: Let's try to be more radio friendly Rush (lying): Aight Later... Neil: Hey. You wanna know a good idea. Geddy: What? Neil: Let's start with a 20 minute long song. Alex: Dude. That's f*cking brilliant.
sucks how the media put Rush in a box last few years as a band for nerds or geeks or whatever. I been going to their concerts since 91, maybe 10 times and only thing I noticed unusual is way more guys then girls at their shows. the media has stuck them into this band for techies thing and that's just not true. always saw plenty of blue color types at their shows and plenty of any other types you could name. the media and critics have always been wrong about Rush and sorry but way too late to the party to have any credibility. only a small few journalists or commentators really get Rush.
jeff wolfe I know where you are coming from but the fact that music critics, journalists, etc were so dismissive of Rush is what’s so awesome (for me, anyway) about the band and those of us who love their music! Although I “discovered” Rush during their most commercially successful era of Moving Pictures (I was 12 or 13), I still relish the fact that another couple of decades went by before they were given their “due” by the critics and music press (ie RnR Hall of Fame, Rolling Stone, etc). These folks may be late to the party but I still don’t think they really get it they way we Rush-freaks always have! As Geddy put it, Rush may be the world's biggest cult band. So in a way the medias' putting us in the "nerd/geek" box may not be all that far off and no doubt the band has always considered themselves as such, lol. Cheers amigo!
In the early 80's, rock bands were very lucrative in the southeastern U.S. I was a road crew monkey for a regional band. Worked several RUSH shows. The audience, as well as the crews, were sometimes mesmerized by the performance. Neil was finishing his solo and we got in the way of a backstage prop move because everyone stopped to listen (very professional). I became an accountant. But I wouldn't have missed the end of that solo if you had set me on fire.
The Objectivism element is also one of time. Neil WAS an Objectivist in his twenties, but as he matured, he saw some of the cracks in the philosophy, and just picked and chose the elements of the philosophy that do make sense, like the focus on individual agency and curiosity. In a recent interview he referred to himself as a "bleeding heart libertarian."
Well, yes. Any philosophy in its pure form is likely to be inaccurate as the universe is more nuanced than can be explained by one ideology. Neil has matured and realized this.
Yes, I am glad Peart matured philosophically. While I LOVE the music of their older stuff, I do feel a little odd singing out loud to certain songs where it's straight-up Ayn Rand nonsense.
2112Xeno I like that, too. I find it’s the closest label to describing what I am philosophically/politically. Basically, a bleeding heart libertarian (also known as a neoclassical liberal) is a person who values both personal freedom/civil liberties and social justice (fair and just relations between the individual and society, seeing to the needs of the economically vulnerable). I’ve recently been reading one of Ayn Rand’s novels, “The Fountainhead”, which I honestly was inspired to purchase because of Sebastian Bach (a metal singer in his own right and huge Rush fan) telling the story in the “Beyond the Lighted Stage” documentary of how Neil Peart’s liner notes in 2112 inspired a 12-year-old Sebastian to go and read “The Fountainhead”. (I’m 31 and that book is one long read, I’m only a third of the way through it right now; I’m trying to imagine a 12-year-old having the mental stamina to get through a book that long!) The “Starman” emblem does kind of remind me of the protagonist of “The Fountainhead”, Howard Roark (especially since the first page of the novel has him standing naked at the edge of a cliff on the day he’s expelled from architectural school because he refused to follow the then-popular Classical style in his assignments; with the plot beginning in the 1920s, he was a modernist way ahead of his time, which has driven much of the plot I’ve read so far). The narrator does mispronounce Ayn Rand’s first name (it actually rhymes with “wine”), but I find it interesting how much literature has played a role in Rush’s career as a band.
@@crystalp7242 The Fountainhead is one of my favourite books. They even made a movie of it years ago staring Gary Cooper as Howard Roark. The movie only skims the surface and I am glad I read the book first. The speech Roark gives at his trial is profound. You might even find a clip of it on You Tube. If you remember that scene, it makes sense that the members of Rush would like Rand's philosophy as the speech is all about artistic freedom and integrity.
To me Alex Lifeson is the most creative guitarist I've heard, the riffs are unique like it's pretty freaking good to be able to come up with for example the riff on The Spirit of Radio.
The key word is 'consistently', they stayed true to the last song on the last album. Yeah, I realize they may not have recorded it that way, but from a fans perspective....
@@michelleisaacson6069 I still have a hard time believing there is no more Rush . They've been there my whole life . They are literally the soundtrack to my life . Every album brings different memories .
@@Mr.CliffysWorld Yeah, same here! Grace Under Pressure was the first album I heard from them when I was like 13. After that I bought all the albums before that and it was great just falling down the Rush rabbit hole. Loved them ever since!!
Neil's stated that Rand was a passing influence, not a major one. Peart says that he read widely; he got serious about reading on hitting the road with Rush. 2112 was their third album. They had not had enough time on tour for Neil to have read much. Rand was among the first writers he read. This coincided with his writing their next lyrics. Peart paraphrased her on 2112, a record defying the record label -- this was meta. He gave attribution out of respect and to avoid plagiarism charges (there are videos on youTube where he says that). Their subsequent albums abandon Randianism. To say she is a ‘major influence’ contradicts Neil himself. It's more fitting to conclude that his love for being true to himself came from his exercise of it. Defying the record label proved, to him, that being true to oneself was the path to personal and artistic fulfillment. His advice to the rest of us is to do the same.
2112 was their fourth album. Rush Fly By Night Caress of Steel 2112 All the World's a Stage Permanent Waves Moving Pictures Exit Stage Left Signals Then I get lost...
I'm glad you clarify this. As someone who is *not* amused by the toxic levels individualism (inspired partly by Ayn Rand's work) some societies have reached and still a fan of Rush, I'm frustrated that collectivist appeals like Closer to the Heart... Philosophers and ploughmen Each must know his part To sow a new mentality Closer to the heart ❤ ... and The Trees (IMO, though the last line is a bit jarring)... So the maples formed a union And demanded equal rights "The oaks are just too greedy We will make them give us light" Now there's no more oak oppression For they passed a noble law And the trees are all kept equal By hatchet, axe, and saw 👀 ... haven't been mentioned.
May Neil Peart, one of the greatest, most brilliant drummers of all time Rest In Peace. Your lyrics, music, and books have changed so many, including myself. I will think of you every time I connect stick to drum
I find it amusing that Rush is constantly criticized by people who don't like them for there lyrics. Yet you would be hard pressed to find another band that writes about artistic expression like they do, a band that clearly only cares about the music they create, not the lifestyle or the money that comes with being famous musicians.
Nic Rush might be more popular today than ever. There is a whole new generation of Rush fans and they are just as engaged and committed as the previous. Quite remarkable when you consider they will never have the opportunity to see them “Live”
You have to remember also that Peart later recanted his dedications to Ayn Rand as he had matured and learned of the faults of her philosophies. This doesn't negate the message of his lyrics; rather it makes them stronger as he still stands behind *them*, just not her. Rush was one of the first bands to get me into prog alongside another Canadian prog rock power trio from Toronto - Klaatu - and they remain one of my favourite bands to this day. As does Klaatu, actually. If you've never hear their album Hope, I highly recommend it.
It should also be noted that closing song for 2112 , Something for Nothing, is a great song that reinforces the epic side A. It's a warning that you can't have what you want or need without putting in effort and work. It's one of my favorite songs in Rush's Discography. Check it out if you haven't
All members in Rush are wizards! I'm a melodic death metal musician and Rush are my biggest inspiration. As a bass player I worship them, and when I write lyrics I take great inspiration from Neil
Atlas Shrugged is my favorite book, and I found it through Rush's connection to Ayn Rand through 2112 and Anthem (the first of her books I read). Great video, sir!! Well done.
I was at work when i heard about Neil's passing I had to go in the bathroom and just think and i barely talked to any customers the rest of the night This video is great RIP Neil
I was at school in my second to last class, I looked at a notification on my phone where it said he died. At that moment I wanted to break down and cry, I told my grandpa who was a huge rush fan and we watched a documentary about the band. The next week at school my geography teacher played rush for the week out of coincidence, and we talked about it for the rest of the day (Geo is my last class of the day)
MetalJesusRocks My understanding of "fair use" is that he uses small enough clips and actually does fundamentally change the meaning. By the way, Leonard French on Lawful Masses has a great video on Fair Use for You Tube creators, you might want to reference.
Awesome video! I was really hoping that you would talk about "Subdivisions". It would have fit so well with the topic of this video. I relate to that song so much.
Amy Evans many people come and go in a persons life most barely memorable but you will never forget the person who first introduced you to the music of Rush!
I live in a 150k population city in an agricultural area in Brazil. So far I've only seen 3 fans of Rush here apart from me. Yet the fact they reached our souls all the way out here is no small feat. Rush just hits differently
Thanks. I always felt that the music and songs introduced ideas and invited the audience to think. I never felt like they were telling listeners what to think or how to think but just to think.
As a musician, and someone who has always sought out interesting, and new sounds, Alex Lifeson’s guitar tone on “Spirit Of The Radio” is possibly one of the greatest in Rock History. He is not given enough credit for his monstrous, thunderous, and insanely complimentary tone. It’s such a perfect cap to the intensity, and power of the rhythm section of Rush. The man sounds like he is 3 guitarists. Having also seen Rush live, I can confirm he is but one man, with some sort of magical tonal power that drips from his fingertips to wash us, the musical masses in sweet sweet tone.
2112 also has some similarities with the book A Brave New World were there was a huge war and people who control society now baned every piece of art that was made before that war. Also the main protagonist in 2112 and ABNW have a similar fate
You should check out the book 'We' by Yvgeny Zamyatin. Heavily inspired 1984 and BNW, my favorite distopian book. Word of warning though it was translated from russian so some metaphors don't make a lot of sense, but it is still very good.
All right, I liked your conclusion. Peart (and Geddy and Alex) are really their own philosophy; informed by previous philosophers, but that is always the case. But more than being iconoclasts, Rush is inspirational. I would never have become a professor of philosophy is I hadn't listened to them when I was a teenager. And I still find the lyrics insightful even now. Thank you for being up the topic...
One of the reasons I love 2112 so much is because of my disagreements with the message and thoughts behind the story of the music, it made me think and got me further into politics, yes the opposite of what they were going for, but still through music I thought about things I had never really thought about. 2112 is an amazing piece and art and music that should be cherished forever.
I don't see how anyone could sympathize with the ideals of the antagonists of 2112's story, but its interesting that Rush's art is so good it resonates with that which it demonizes.
Attila The Pun Well, obviously I don't support any type of authoritarian dictatorships, but Ayn Rand was very anti-socialist; that includes all government social programs including healthcare. So I don't like the antagonists, I just very much dislike Rand.
The deepest philosophy I've found in Rush is in Hemispheres. An entire book can be written on the meaning contained in the lyrics of that album. Polyph, great job on this video, but I was surprised that you made no mention of Hemispheres. Perhaps you're planning a follow up.
Nicely done, as usual. I would have thought, though, that you had read recent interviews in which Neil Peart disowns Ayn Rand, clearly stating that he no longer espouses her philosophy, and adds "That was 30 years ago."
I think a lot of the reason people like Peart, and others in the 70s counterculture, got attracted to Rand's ideas was the simple fact that the devastating consequences of her economic thoughts were still blissfully abstract, due to them not really being all that implemented yet. Reaganomics, and Alan Greenspan's "life's work" still hadn't happened. So I can imagine it was easy to mainly focus on the aspects of Rand's "Philosophy" that were, and I guess still are, universally appealing: Namely those of individualism and freedom and so on and so forth. When you focus on those, and you've yet to see the incredible damage the implementation of the "virtue of selfishness" can wreak on a society, I get the appeal. Same as when people who have been effectively isolated from all us "Peasants" in an upper-middle class world and above can adopt the philosophy. You have the luxury of not getting the ugly side of it thrust in your face. That ugly side falls on the poor and the struggling, without them having any choice in the matter. But for those in the ivory towers, I can imagine the view is great, even if there is the occasional fire in the distance. It's very easy to overlook how narrowly this kind of "Freedom" is defined, how selectively it is applied and how narrowly it is distributed when you're either among the fortunate, or the ugly consequences simply haven't happened yet.
Christian Friis Jensen Are you this delusional? You think that Firstly "Reaganomics" (not even a real thing btw) is what Ayn Rand wants? You think that Ronald Reagan and Alan Greenspan hurt the economy? That my friend is in every way empirically false.
Supply side economics (which is what he means by Reaganomics) has been shown to be a failure for anyone who was not already wealthy. Middle class income stagnated as their buying power fell. While it was a boon to the investor class, the working and middle class paid for it; are still paying for it.
I was 17 reading the words to Limelight. I thought, wow, that is profound and true. 5 years later I learned that Rush had actually borrowed from Shakespeare. I know good writing and good music when I see it.
Very Cool! I'm from Toronto and grew up listening Rush from their debut album. Their music and Neil Peart's validated so much of my life from a very young age. I've seen them countless times and 2112 has always been my favourite album.
please never stop doing what you do. this is so entertaining to watch and you just made me relisten 2112 again! Please do Jethro tull or alice in chains! Keep up the good work :)
But not really. Rush invented their own thing. Yes was more complex and even jazz fusion oriented, but Rush developed their complexity around a hard rock groove. They mixed both complexity and catchy rock grooves way better than any other progressive band, even if these other bands where more technically skilled.
Growing up in Detroit and my sister bringing home Moving Pictures for me to listen to on the Panasonic 40w hunk of junk record player and flipping out. CHANGED MY LIFE.
Peart's wealth of literacy gave him a huge pool to draw from, read the lyrics to camera eye, they are superbly crafted, he is not only a poet but a drummer too!
Rush: Greatest Bassist (Geddy Lee) Greatest Drummer (Neil Peart) One of the Greatest Guitarists (Alex Lifeson) One of the Greatest Singers (Also Geddy Lee) One of the Greatest Keyboardists (Geddy Lee Once Again) Greatest Songwriter (Neil F*cking Elwood Peart)
Greatest bassist, singer, guitarist, and songwriter can be debatable. But theres no doubt neil peart is the best drummer. There are more people that fit the bill for the rest of those categories. For example (these are just my opinions) for greatest guitarist is hands down jimi hendrix. Greatest singer would be freddie mercury from queen. Greatest songwriter(s) are either bob dylan or lennon/mccartney from the beatles. Greatest bassist (hoo boy this ones gonna be controversial) Flea from RHCP or john entwistle from the who.
@@beef9 haha your comment makes it obvious that it all comes down to opinions. There is no objective standard for "best" guitarist, drummer, or bassist. But we all were blessed to be able to enjoy the combination of talents that came together in theform of Rush.
Progressive Rock has always been my favorite genre, and I’m only 20 years old. It’s honestly one of the most misunderstood Genres. You don’t quite get it until you really try to pay attention to wants happening. Rush is my all time favorite band too. I also love Genesis and Yes, but Rush has always stuck out to me as a band. When I was ten, my Dad was driving me to school and had classic rock radio. The song Tom Sawyer (I’m a diehard Rush fan, so don’t worry that is not my favorite Rush Song btw) started playing and completely blew my mind even at that young age. That’s when I discovered that Rock music in general was better than pop and rap. I think many people in my generation lack the ability to really think about reality from listening to a lot of meaningless rap music. Neil Peart has taught me many ideas that have helped form my view on learning to be myself and not just someone who goes along with the norm. RIP to the Professor! As a guitar player, Alex Lifeson was the reason I picked up the guitar in the first place. Musically, they were one of the most talented bands, and were able to have hits while having many really cool deep tracks that stayed pretty true to the band’s signature sound. I love Rush and I don’t regret trying to find my own taste, and a band where I can escape from the world to learn something many people don’t quite get.
I know I'm not the first to say as much, but Neil did move on from Rand's influence after a brief period. Specifically, he said that he found her worldview attractive in his youth and idealistically agreed with the idea of self-interest leading to more overall happiness, but that as he grew older he realized that people on the whole weren't good enough to each other for such a system to work. The end result is overall a philosophy that takes the wheat (healthy individualism and finding one's own purpose and happiness) and leaves the chaff (rejection of charity, self-centeredness, and the more political and economic aspects of Objectivism). It'd be hard to sell Peart as a full-on Rand advocate with some of his later lyrics, such as 1985's "Territories", 1991's title track to "Roll the Bones" or 2007's "The Larger Bowl". Or, for that matter, allowing the Lee-penned 1977 track "Cinderella Man", a retelling of Frank Capra's film "Mr. Deeds Goes to Town" where the main character gives up his inherited fortune to provide aid to the homeless during the Great Depression. Peart's relationship with Objectivism is complex, but ultimately it's pretty safe to say he would not stand with those who purport her ideas most strongly today. (He also specifically has said he regrets writing "Anthem".) Great video! Love your Ghost Notes podcast, so I'm coming around to check out your channel. As someone who grew up on Rush, I really appreciate seeing content on them, since they seem to not come up in the music-RU-vid sphere so often despite their degree of popularity and success. Probably because Lee's vocals are so polarizing (I love them, for what it's worth) and the whole Rand issue. So it's great to see a take on Peart's lyrics that doesn't ascribe the worst of Objectivism to him and instead focuses on what the lyrics actually focus on: individual _expression,_ not individual _responsibility._
I heard Tom Sawyer as a kid and didnt think much of it, but then i heard Subdivisions, and its the first song that garnered an emotional reaction from me. Like “oh my god, someone else feels this way?” Been in love with Rush ever since
rush wrote about everything. they also have new world man, closer to the heart, bravado, all about collectivism instead of individualism. yeah, you need both individualism AND collectivism to have a successful society.
Collectivism is fine as long as it is voluntary and not done by coercion. Today collectivist ideology is socialism. The state uses its monopoly on the use of force to enforce these dangerous ideologies and this has resulted in the deaths of millions in the 20th century. Only though voluntary interaction can one have peace and a moral society. Statists want to rule and control for their own benefit.
You forgot the Trees and Bastille Day. There are probably others too. I've always viewed them as liberal as in American liberal. Canada is a bit different from my understanding. Liberals are all about not confirming. The hippies are a great example. Diversity is a strength is a common liberal theme. I saw Neil say he was a libertarian once, but I hear American liberalism in most of his work. I don't know this channel, but I got the impression it was a not so veiled attempt to promote Ayn Rand and her philosophy of selfishness.
I hear more of an honoring of the hard workers in society in Closer to the heart. Nowhere in that song does it sing about how they should band together to force their ideas of what society should be through violence, that’s American progressivism. It’s about individuals no matter their station in life recognizing their individual contribution to reality and how they can make things better as individuals. If there was a liberal version you would probably hear a lyric like “I stock the shelf at the grocery store so the grocery store is mine now and I’ll use the state and the mob to steal it.”
American liberals may not be confirming when it comes to style or killing babies but when it comes to what you do with the fruits of your labor, how you raise and educate your children, what kind of car you drive, what kind of food you eat etc. They are the most fanatic conformists you’ll ever see. American Conservatives aren’t much better they’ll try to save the babies here but they’ll bomb them over seas.
@@cf1005 Socialism ≠ Communism dude. No one is seriously advocating for a stalinist dictatorship. Where are you getting your information from? In what way are calls for subsidized housing and healthcare appeals for revolutions? This might be a radical idea to some, but people should be able to live without an accident out of their control putting them in a hospital and wiping out their life savings. And looking at abortion as a black and white "killing babies" debate is intellectually dishonest and you should be ashamed for using such a misplaced fearmongering emotional attack. That in fact is a clear example of people forcibly trying to force their ideals onto other people who live entirely different lives than them, and you, sir, are a hypocrite.
Personally I love Caress of steel. To me, a truly great album. In fact when I began purchasing CD's this was the first Rush cd that I bought. However, that's not to say that I don't truly appreciate most of their library. To me Rush was one of and will always remain in my heart the best band ever !!!
I've learned a lot as a drummer growing up from Neil and Rush music. They set the bar high for sure and do it with ease~! Thanks for the lesson's guys.
I know they can't go over ALL the lyrics, but one line in "Tom Sawyer" contains one of my key philosophies is "Changes aren't permanent, but change is". The only thing we can be certain of is... things will ALWAYS be changing... we can embrace and move with the changes or resist them.😒
A fantastic concise bringing together of the Peart philosophy through Rush lyrics. Kudos. This was a great masterpiece of a short form video. I'll be supporting ya from now on, that's for sure!
One little bit of 2112 trivia you may not have known... The last 6 lines of the song.. If add up the words... Attention all planets of the solar federation *3=21 words We have assumed control *3=12 words... 2112...these guys are genius
the lyrics of Rush put power in YOUR hands, not someone elses, they tell you that YOU are the owner of your destiny and that you need no one else to improve your station in life! So Go out and do it!
A stupid, half-assed philosophy that can be used to inspire or justify literally ANY point of view, horrible or otherwise, aside from being just fundamentally false. "you need no one else to improve your station in life" Literally the whole of recorded history would argue otherwise, and win without contest. You don't own shit, least of all your time on this planet, and you best believe the terms of THAT rental have only every benefited the lender.
Except that's not true. You have no free will outside of your conditions. You're a slave to your surroundings whether you like it or not. You can't have a good life if you don't have the necessary tools that the people telling you to suck it up do. Free will is not something that is taken seriously in philosophical circles because you cannot possibly make a decision devoid of your condition and surroundings. Just because one person made it out and says "If I can do it you can too" doesn't make it true, and it's just survivorship bias which is well known and understood.
