What is it about Rush?

Now you know how I feel about Mick Jagger.

 

You sound like you heard a song or two off their first few albums and are basing everything on that. Once Permanent Waves came out about 35 years ago, his shrill-ness tapered off. I understand not caring for Mr Lee's voice, but your opinion is based on a fairly outdated set of facts, with all due respect.

 

I think it's amusing that one of the main reasons that people here dislike Rush is a vocal style that the vocalist largely abandoned 30 years ago - and is largely absent from their biggest hits (such as "Tom Sawyer" and "Limelight")

 

That was actually one of the South Park guys, who are fans. They are exactly the demo most receptive to Rush's music- libertarian-minded, opinionated white dudes.

[media]

 

"Pretentious"- like "overrated"- is the laziest accusation of music. It's an attempt to make an "objective" case for why something someone personally dislikes has to be disliked by others. As if they are the child that see the emperor has no clothes.

Rush haters, prog haters, punk haters, hip-hop haters, pop haters- it's as if they UNDERSTAND that all the fans and listeners have the wool over their eyes. How dare people dance and sing and groove and listen to try to play songs on their instruments and have some g-damn FUN with music?!

 

All prog is for nerds man

Nobody in a prog band got laid

the only one who partook of the leaf in Yes was Wakeman according to Ozzy.

 

This why that I Love You Man where they go to the concert is so spot-on. The woman was totally into enjoy a band playing a concert. Before her male companion got super-silly, she was having a lovely time. Maybe women are less likely to "go over the set list" and procrastinate from filling out an expense report by type-arguing about them on the internet.

 

It usually is, but I think there are instances where rock bands actually do become pretentious. But more to the point, most of the accusations of "pretentious" in regard to Rush are missing the point - they are taking something done in a very light-hearted and fun attitude and thinking that it means to be all serious and profound.

 

One Little Victory is one of the most joyful songs I've heard. It's like, triumph over adversity with power and will and you get to shoutsingalong to that beautiful little title phrase.

 

That isn't true - I believe that Chris Squire took so much acid in the 60's that he ended up in the hospital.

 

Tying in to my post about their sexlessness perfectly. IMO, these lyrics, and Alien Shore, are Rush at their weakest. Your description is accurate and it makes it all sound awkward and silly to me. Maybe I'm biased because a lot of the music I listen to addresses this common subject so much better and more frequently (old jazz, r&b, various international pop and folk, etc). Those are songwriters that had been doing it so long they got good at it. It feels Rush were ill-equipped to tackle it competently in 1994, spending the last 20 years avoiding the subject.

 

I can see that. but I'm saying when the 60's ended and prog started becoming relevant, drugs and sex stopped mattering to the Progressive community

or at least it wasn't as infamous as it was in hard rock

 

Thank you for making this observation, I wanted to highlight it. It's a point I've tried to make on this forum when y'all complain about The Young People These Days not liking music or whatever- we have younger generation who is free of our generations' B.S. Geek vs jock; male vs female type of music or entertainment; red scare; homophobia; etc. No of course not everyone and everywhere, people are different, but there is a lot more open mindedness around some of this stuff especially music. I think it's both general cultural and political changes and the practice of sampling, where sounds are SOUNDS not burdened with the type of prejudiced baggage happening in this thread.

 

OMG Rush + Neil Diamond collab... I want this in my life now!

 

This is accurate.
I think what made the Pear-Rand connection so much stronger is that in the 2112 liner notes he actually dedicated the record to "the genius of Ayn Rand."
So yeah he was definitely into her. But that is common for us nerdy white dudes with intense hobbies who read a lot. Then, most of us get over it, as he did. He has spoken of his philosophical and political beliefs and they are pretty strongly liberal, compassionate, fair. I've defend universal healthcare and caring about the poor and all that stuff that Rand hated.

 

I believe that Jon Anderson eschewed all drugs in favor of meditation, but I wouldn't be surprised if the rest of the blazed one up now and again. But then again, considering the incredibly technical music they performed, I could see a band like Yes saying, "We're not going to spend a lot of time partying on tour because that'll just lead to poor performance."

As far as sex goes, does one really want to hear Yes or Rush singing about sex? But it's not like they were asexual - they all had wives and girlfriends and kids. Not everybody in rock wanted to live a 24/7 Aleister Crowley lifestyle. And those that did, well, it usually didn't do them any favors.

 

I hear ya. FWIW, that negative reaction to her is more about the people currently alive whom she inspires than about her, and certain traits and opinions by those who cite her as an influence. Perhaps it's unfortunate that a creator cannot control her legacy after she passes but thus is the nature of things.

 

this is all true, but i'm saying that prog isn't known for being "party music" thus the members become nerds.

even though prog does get me goin

I mean just look at Bill Bruford in his "tubs" sweater.

 

Clockwork Angels is kinda sci-fi though?

Here's the irony of making fun of sci-fi- it is no longer the province of geeks. Comic Con is one of the biggest pop culture events every year. The biggest movies are comic book / sci-fi. Game of Thrones is so popular- it's basically Dungeons & Dragons on TV! People devour trilogies about vampires (see what I did there?!) and sword-n-sandals epics and space stuff all the time.
Just last week I heard an attractive young woman declare "wow he works at SpaceX, that's so hot!"

 

Really, the only truly "Randian" lyric in the Rush catalog is "Anthem", what with its celebration of the virtue of selfishness and blah blah blah. "2112" is dedicated to Rand but I can't really hear any philosophy in it that would make one shout, "This is unacceptable and philosophically repugnant!" I know people get all bent out of shape over "The Trees", but it seems to me to be an anti-Communist parable, and as I have no love for Communism I don't have a problem with it. I'm no Rand fan either.

 

Oh yes I agree.
Look- if Rush's lyrics were totally Ayn Rand fanboyism I wouldn't listen to it, quite frankly. And I love Anthem, it rocks.
I'm just saying I can see someone not as familiar with their music and lyrics as us seeing that on a record and thinking that stuff.
Especially since it is music with lyrics in it.
Sure Chick Corea drops scientology love in his album liner notes but it wouldn't make anyone think his music is ABOUT that stuff because the're no words.

 

I find it very difficult to believe they didn't indulge a tiny bit in the mid 70's. Gene and Kim did the right thing; the man code. Never say a word about your buddy when he's married to the same woman now as he was way back when.

 

Considering what kind of guys they seem to be - very intellectually-minded and reserved - I don't find it difficult to believe at all. Not all men are completely controlled by their testicles. Some think it's downright weird to have sex with strange women. Some just don't have the inborn confidence to ask a woman to dance, let alone (INSERT IMAGINATION HERE). And I'm pretty sure that the Rush members were either married or in relationships for most of their career so they may just be the kind of guys who don't fool around.

 

Apparently that both Alex and Neil were married and Geddy in a full time commited relationship have missed some peoples scope. Obviously touring for the music and fans as opposed to one night relationships. I guess honorable, stable, dedicated and in love with their better halves translates to nerd for some.

 

I listened to Roll the Bones last night and didn't enjoy it that much. I don't know the album that well, I must admit.

I guess Power Windows really was the demarcation line for me in terms of my familiarity with Rush's work. I can't even speak with much certainty or knowledge about stuff like Hold Your Fire or Counterparts at all. I can't relate to those albums ; musically or lyrically. I still love the old stuff, though.