Of course, the thought of writing about Rush presents a quandary. Rush is a band about whom many things have been written or said. They've been analyzed thoroughly and even have a documentary out. What could I possibly add to this?
Truthfully, the answer is "not much". Of course, being a passionate fan of the band (and most, if not all, of their albums) would, I hope, lend my writing a bit of credibility.
But really, being a fan of the band is tied closely with my development as a guitarist. So it wouldn't be outlandish to say that my personality, such as it is, is also tied to listening to the band and having their unique voice in my head for the last 20 years.
***
Think back to the year 1994. Where were you? What were you doing?
One weekend in the late summer or early fall of that year, I was watching MTV when I saw a music video. It was performance-based, I think, or mostly in that vein, because I saw guys playing instruments. And for whatever reason, that image of a random musician playing a guitar struck something deep inside of me; it struck a place that I wasn't even aware of, really.
Thanks to that one instance of seeing a video whose name I don't remember for the life of me, I picked up the guitar. I started taking lessons later on in the fall of 1994 and learned my craft on a bargain-priced acoustic which is still in my possession.
I was initially hesitant to take up the plectrum. For whatever reason I was more comfortable plucking the strings with my fingers for the first couple of months. But eventually I gravitated toward the pick. I was still years away from being even competent at that point.
Here's where the story gets a little murky. I'm not sure exactly when I was introduced to Rush. But there's one detail that I remember perfectly and that is the album that got me into the band: their first live recording All the World's a Stage (1976). More on that later, though.
***
When I think about listening to Rush, there are two songs that stood out to me. "Working Man", of course, was the big hit and a song that even my parents enjoyed listening to. The other was "What You're Doing", which also made it onto All the World's a Stage and whose main riff I could play fairly easily once I found the tablature for it a couple years later.
Thinking about it now, of course, yields a different opinion and a bit more appreciation. While I still enjoy those aforementioned tracks, and still don't really care for "In the Mood", I've noticed that I like "Here Again" and "Before & After" a bit more than I did when I was a child.
"Here Again" is Rush's version of a slow blues. "Before & After" has a slightly more complex composition, with an extended intro and riff structure that is a bit more off-beat than the sturdy rockers that tend to fill out the run-time.
If there's anything that was evident from the get-go, it's Lifeson's talent as a lead guitarist. He doesn't just shred, though. "Here Again" shows his versatility as he fills space with vibrant slow-burning lines. These lines are constantly moving so that the listener isn't bored, as well. Lifeson's soloing at this point shows a sophistication beyond the band's years.
Of course, the multiple solos in "Working Man" are sublime. The riffs in the verse and chorus are memorable; I can still pick them out from memory even if I haven't listened to the song in a while.
As a whole, I can say that even though Rush isn't my favorite album from the band (much less top 5 or 10), there are enough highlights on it to keep it from languishing in the collection.
***
Next time: Fly by Night; some new guy joins on drums?
