Alternative Weekend: Ominous Rush
No writing for 2 weeks, I think that's just about a record for me. When you get out of it, it's tough to get back in. These are words that 'World of Warcraft' addicts should heed, the memories of 2009 are stark and clear.
...'lock them in a room for a fortnight and daily quests are no longer required'
HIVE authors feel like they are missing out on the pot, and they are! I feel the same so it's time to get my fingers moving, that's if there's something to write about.
1980, was the year I was self-inducted into progressive music indirectly and mostly alone. One bearded 70's bloke I knew who suffered from quite bad BO did influence me a little in the ways of Genesis, but when it came to Rush it was 'Spirit of Radio' that got my attention.
It's a distinctive 'non-progressive' radio-friendly track but it did the job of pulling me to the group and adding me as their latest fan.
So why 'Ominous Rush'? Some of my favourite tracks at the turn of this decade had a very dark sound and these are the ones I will present today.
Rush - Tom Sawyer (Moving Pictures – 1981)
Their most famous song? If so, I don't hear it played anymore... like ever!
…'add some keyboards to mix in with the guitars and you get that magic'… - @slobberchops
The character created by Mark Twain was a mischievous soul, always getting into trouble and tricking those 'adults', yet this song portrays a brooding lyrical mix of individualism and liberation.
Is there some kind of connection besides being non-conformist? I don't tend to interrogate lyrics much but when I hear rhymes such as this:
…'and what you say about his company is what you say about society…'
...I tend to think the song is politically motivated.
...'My Effin' Life - a interesting read, er.. listen' - Source...
I am listening to Geddy Lee's... 'My Effin Life' as of now and learned that this epic was almost ditched due to it being a pain in the arse to record.
Could you imagine 'Permanent Waves' without Tom Sawyer?
I do wonder if Gavin Harrison could pull this one off in the same way as the incredible Neal Peart does. Watch the video and look at the work he's putting into it. It looks truly fearsome to pull off.
The styles of these two do seem quite similar; two of the best drummers you will ever see.
Rush - Jacob's Ladder (Permanent Waves – 1980)
One year before came 'Permanent Waves', this one always makes me shiver. Ominous is most definitely an attribute that could be assigned to 'Jacobs Ladder'.
Just like Genesis in 1980 with 'Duke', Rush were writing shorter songs, but not all were so. At 7 and a half minutes this hard rock song of war (that's what it sounds like to me), stuck out like a shining gem, and I took it in instantly.
Once Geddy stops singing, and the 'ladder climb' starts we are treated to one of the finest Alex Lifeson guitar parts I have heard, starting low and soaring into the stratosphere.
This song does not seem to be talked about much, and it was bypassed in Geddy's Autobiography. Typical me, liking the stuff that seems bland to everyone else; they don't know what they are missing.
…'The clouds prepare for battle, in the dark and brooding silence'…
Lyrics are sparse in Jacob's Ladder. It doesn't need much, just a smatter before it takes off.
Rush - Witch Hunt (Moving Pictures – 1981)
'Outlander' the series; this one reminds me of it.
In 1743 witches were real and Witchfinders loved burning them at the stake and to a gloating enthusiastic public audience.
In 1980, I was always interested in the start of this song and how they managed to get an authentic angry mob to jeer over the menacing-sounding introduction.
Geddy's book says tells me the 'mob' was all the sound engineers, the band, and the production team all pissed and recorded one late night in the open air. I wonder if there was a burning stake to make it more authentic.
Witch Hunt is a track on 'Moving Pictures', which was Rush's most commercially successful album, but it's far from my favourite. By 1981, the songs were getting even shorter, but not necessarily worse.
In contrast, Genesis released 'Abacab' in the same year with shorter songs, which at the time I hated. Rush did better, but change was in the air and for the most part, progressive music of the long epic style was on hiatus.
For the record when it comes to 'Rush' I prefer '2112' and 'Hemispheres'. Those long 20-minute compositions always gelled with me, but these shorter (in some cases) pieces should not be overlooked.
'Spirit of Radio' is not a foreboding, gloomy song, but as I mentioned it above and it was my introduction to the band, I had better include it. It's probably the easiest gateway to the band. That reggae section at the end of this extended version... so out of place and yet it works.
Guitar Image - Source
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Bloody prog. Although the witch hunt one isn't too bad 😀
It's not prog mate, these are shorter songs and they were on the change. Tom Sawyer is epic, I keep playing it hoping it will sink into @dismayedworld's inner consciousness. Bollocks to Sabrina Carpenter!
Haha, I don't think it will ever sink in to her inner consciousness. Some music is just hard!
She has my music loving genes and is much closer to me in tastes than my dad ever was to me. Johnny Mathis, Jack Jones, Vic Damone... fucking hell.., why couldn't he have liked Pink Floyd like any normal dad!
Ooft. I don't know. My dad liked some bad shit along similar lines to that. I remember the worst was bloody Joe Longthorne!?
I had to look him up; I watched 1 minute of a live 1987 act.. he's a crooner who sounds like he should have been from the 60's!
In 1987, the happening shit was S-Express.., an insight to the 90's (like it or not).
I think that might have been the dvd that my dad played over and over. God it was grim!!!
I would have rather listened to S-Express anyday!!
Haha.., i did get some diversity at least. He had a wall full of 33's in a custom made cabinet most of which collected dust. CD's appeared around that time (1987) but he didn't get into them until later.
He's passed now (long ago) and I have whats left here. I don't know what to do with this old collection.
I was into Genesis in the 80s, but Rush mostly passed me by. I did see some local band cover Spirit of Radio and a few friends were into them, but it's only fairly recently that I really started listening. Geddy's voice is certainly 'distinctive' and some of the lyrics are a bit ponsy, but they could play.
Geddy takes some getting used to. A friend of mine loves their music but can't get past the voice. It was never an issue with me. You are missing out on some terrific heavy prog. Try 2112, the Overture as a starter. Nobody sounds like Rush, they are unique.
You know, I never really got into RUSH back in the day, but I have really started to appreciate them a bit more as I have gotten older. I still haven't taken a deep dive into them, but you have me curious now.
Knowing you, the prog stuff wont appeal so as 'Moving Pictures' is cited as their best work and got them all the commercial attention. That would be a starter.
I'll see what I can do next week. Thanks for the tip!
Witch Hunt is a favorite less-radio-friendly Rush song. I've heard Tom Sawyer recently on the airwaves, but between Spokane and Sandpoint stations, we have options other than top-40 corporate genre pushers.
I can imagine in the US they get played on those rock stations you have. Sadly here, it's 80's mostly stations with the same overplayed material entering our ear lugs if you tune into them.
I'm picking up that you are aware of their music other than the singles?
I bought Moving Pictures at a thrift store and borrowed a few other albums via the library network.
'Witch Hunt' is not a favourite of mine, but fits the theme. 'The Necromancer' from Caress of Steel would also have worked. That's proper prog!
I wouldn't say Witch Hunt is so much a song I enjoy listening to aesthetically so much as something which resonates with my experience as a librarian while people are looking for things to accuse of sins like racism and sexual perversion everywhere.
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I'm quite surprised
About what?
That there are a lot of people who still loves the old music and are nostalgic
Well that's because I'm an old dude!
No writing for 2 weeks? Been there. Sometimes it just hits different when you get back into it. This post flowed like you never stopped. Also, “Ominous Rush” is such a cool theme, feels like a perfect storm brewing in a song.
Like I said, it feels like you are missing out. I can't say I feel back into it.
Don't know much about Rush, I discovered them by watching the video of Tom Sawyer but then I was playing guitar hero and they put the whole 2112 suite in the game, divided in the 7 parts. What an epic journey!
So I know very well that album and apart from the suite, I really like Tears. So delicate and melancholic...
Then I got Moving Pictures but never listened to it much
Tears.., I remember that only to well, after a split with an ex. 2112 was in GH?.., well I missed that.., what a suite.., you would probably like Hemispheres, its much of the same.
Yes, GH Warriors of rock. It was the last one before they took that break and then make the guitar with 3+3 frets.
GH warriors imo is the best one
I would loved to have a crack at that, I was into my RB /GH stuff years ago!
Hi, I don't really know any of the bands, but the story of the witch at the stake and the real fire caught my attention, so I went to watch the video and loved the music. I thought I was going to find a frantic witch screaming about the fire, but it's a song, so to speak, not too heavy. I love the style of the music. It's the first time I've heard it. Cheers.
Two weeks without writing, I think it's a long time.
Witch Hunt is not one of my favourites, but did fit the mood of this post.
Damn - RUSH - awesome - one i never covered in my #RockClassic - epic stuff.
Another one to include!
Very good introduction to the band, and in my timing. Years ago I wouldn't have stopped to listen to such “dark” sounds, I guess age has made me smarter.
About the introduction to Rush, I think “The Spirit of the Radio” is a good way in. I come somehow from the Mod culture of the 80,s and this song sounds familiar to me, even that reggae ending seems very much of the era.
Thank you very much, @slobberchops for discovering this band to those of us who didn't know it.
A very big greeting.
I must admit that I have never listened to Rush. I don't know the reason. But after this, I will start. They remind me a little of Porcupine Tree.
PT did take something from Rush, especially in Anesthetize. With Alex Lifeson doing the solo on that track, some more Rush spilled into that song somehow.