For my friends and me, listening to Rush bordered on obsession. We’d endlessly discuss the symbolism and metaphors, playing connect-the-dots, as it were.
We called the Boston Museum of Science once to ask questions related to the radio messages in “Countdown”, One of the astronomers there invited us to a private tour and planetarium show. We got to listen to “Cygnus X-1” on the planetarium’s gargantuan audio system while he pointed out the constellations mentioned in the song. We also got an introduction to the TDRS satellite communication system that manages communications with the Shuttle, which was in the process of being deployed IIRC. This was, needless to say, Geek Nirvana…
I’m stoked to hear of another tour! The last pass of the Vapor Trails tour had the feeling of a farewell, it’s wonderful to know I’ll be seeing them live again. I’m looking forward to checking out Rush in Rio Christmas morning!
There are rumors afoot that Geddy Lee has been taking voice lessons. After all these years, he has expanded his range from four notes to ten. Veteran Rush watchers fear they’ll lose their core audience of males with limited vocal range. Time will tell.
Love Rush–my favorite albums are Presto and Roll the Bones. Also like Counterparts a lot, but I dig the older stuff too. Haven’t been able to get as much into the newer stuff (Test for Echo and Vapor Trails. And don’t get me started on Geddy’s solo album - blech.)
I first got into Rush through my brother; he played Counterparts incessantly when it first came out (we were both in high school at the time). At first I couldn’t stand it and would yell at him and make him turn it off, but then I got hooked. The first song I liked was “Nobody’s Hero”. (Not their best song, but probably one of their more “accessible” or radio-friendly type songs.) After that, I got Chronicles, which is a pretty good introduction. Then I was hooked and couldn’t get enough.
I’ve seen them in concert twice, and would definitely see them again!
Oh, and as a slight hijack, in college, when I lived in the dorm, I had a desk lamp that ran really hot and would burn you if you touched it. I attached a warning label that said “I radiate more heat than light.” I don’t think anyone else got it, but it always amused me.
Gotta give Rush credit: Exactly one Top-40 hit in 30 years, and yet they’re third on the all-time list for consecutive gold records (behind The Rolling Stones and Kiss).
Unfortunately, I’ve never been able to see them live. They played nearby in 1997, on my birthday, but unfortunately I didn’t find out about it until three days before the show. I was out of work at the time, and so three days wasn’t enough time to come up with the money for tickets. Then when they played the same venue last year, I was again out of work… Arg.
Working a janitorial job in the middle of the night in the spring of 1990, I was the correct caller to win tickets to see Rush, whom I’d only recently been introduced to.
I took a buddy (a GTI grad, so he really appreciated them) to the pre-show barbeque provided by the radio station, and we won the front row tickets. We were on the stage-left (Geddy) side. It was pretty darn good. I didn’t know their stuff as well as I wish I had, but I had fun anyway. It was at the Pacific Ampitheater in Costa Mesa, so the building wasn’t rumbling with the sound and drowning out the guitar, which is a problem I’ve had at so many big shows.
We also got the autographed program. I gave it to him.
