Biography

(cont.. from page 1)

1981 - February, and Rush release their eighth studio album, "Moving Pictures". With single release "Tom Sawyer", this was an instant hit in the US and Canada. Follow up singles "Red Barchetta" with "Limelight" also broke the ice that surrounded Rush and commercial promotion and radio air play. The album also included instrumental "YYZ" and the underrated "Witch Hunt". Much more fast and furious, this album saw instant success on both sides of the Atlantic.

1981 - October. Rush release their next live album, "Exit Stage Left". Recorded March 27th at 'The Forum', Montreal, Quebec. This time the live performance would feature their new found direction with tracks from "Permanent Waves" and "Moving Pictures". The album also included old favourites, "Beneath, Between and Behind", ("Fly by Night"), and "Xanadu", ("A Farewell to Kings"), with "The Trees" and "La Villa Strangiato", ("Hemispheres"). The performance was also released on video and featured a medley finale of "By Tor and the Snow Dog", "In the end", "In the mood", and "2112".

1982 - September. Rush release "Signals" to eagerly awaiting fans and critics. This was another change of direction into more synthesized music, with the use of Synthesized guitars from Lifeson, and reggae styled passages from Peart. The album spawned another single hit "Digital Man" and included the tracks "Subdivisions", "Losing it", and "Analog Kid". Lyrical inspiration drawing the differences between the past and new found future reliance on digital technologies.
Rush were invited to witness the launch of Space Shuttle "Columbia". The last track on the album "Countdown", was their musical visualisation of the launch, with the sights and sounds they had witnessed. The track works remarkably well and translates the power and imagination to the listener. Only Rush could write and create such brave music, at a time when all around was hype and vacuous pop rock. It should be noted that this album was the last of a long collaboration with producer Terry Brown, the silent partner in the Rush success story.

Rush begin the first part of their US tour beginning Sept. 3rd, at the 'Brown County Arena', Green Bay, Wisconsin. Irish guitar hero Rory Gallagher supported. The dates finish at old haunt, 'The Forum', Montreal, Quebec on April 9th, 1983.

1983 - Rush embarked on a European tour beginning May 3rd, at 'Sportpalais de Ahoy', Rotterdam, Holland. Playing Wembley arena in London, and finishing at the 'Royal Highlands Arts Exhibition Centre', Edinburgh, Scotland on May 25th.

1983 - April 1984. Rush release "Grace under Pressure". Co-produced this time with Peter Henderson, and released on the Vertigo record label. This was a further venture into the more synthesized sound of Rush. With the album inspired by the threat of Nuclear holocaust, and aftermath, the album was not for the lighthearted. The album did not attain the earlier successes of previous albums, despite some well written and engaging tracks, "Red Sector A", and "Distant early warning".

1984 - Rush release a live video "Grace under Pressure tour". Recorded live at Maple Leaf gardens, Toronto, Canada. The video includes tracks from albums "Permanent waves" to "Grace under Pressure", as well as a medley of "Temples of Syrinx", ("2112"), and "Finding my way", "In the mood" from their debut album.

1985 - October. Rush release "Power Windows" on Vertigo records. In danger of being lost amongst their past success and discarded by new wave rock, and the more weighty sound for sedate young rock listeners, this album went largely unnoticed, despite being embraced by Rush fans. With single track, "Big Money", the excellent "Open Secrets", "Marathon", and "Manhattan project", (another lyrical message regarding the nuclear threat). The final track, gentle "Mystic Rhythms", showed a new melodic and ambiance side to Rush.

1987 - September. Rush release their "Hold your Fire" album. This was now studio release number twelve, and a much underrated album all together. With "Grunge" music now beginning to take over the airwaves, and a new found skepticism from the rock fanbase. Even bands like "Van Halen" were now struggling for past successes. Despite this, "Hold your Fire" was perhaps their best release since "Moving Pictures" back in '81. With tracks "Force Ten", the excellent "Time stand still", and "Mission". "Turn the page", "Lock and key", (yet still a metaphor for that destructive human instinct), and the mystical "Tai Shan". This was a polished and immaculate album, but alas, missed it's mark with a bemused and young audience. Only the sturdy Rush fan embraced the album. Regardless, this was not so surprising to Rush, they had created their own past success, and founded a strong underground fanbase built upon their own integrity and live performances.

1989 - January. With sell out tours and die hard Rush fans screaming for more. Rush release another live album, this time with video. "Show of Hands" was yet another benchmark in the Rush music biography. With tracks from albums "Grace under pressure" to recent "Hold your Fire", only "Closer to the Heart" was included on the CD live album release. The Video, recorded at the NEC Birmingham, UK featured a finale including past tracks, "Spirit of Radio", "Tom Sawyer" and medley "2112", "La Villa Strangiato" and "In the mood". This was the most polished and proficient recorded performance to date, and was, as the title suggests, a "Show of hands", and expertise. Rush had no need to prove themselves, but still revelled in their own ease and musicianship. Their reward had always been in live performances, and their power to thrill their audience.

1989 - November. Rush release "Presto" on Anthem/Atlantic records. This perhaps, their most disappointing release to date, was a further venture into MOR, (middle of the road), rock. But with previous releases "Hold your Fire", and "Show of Hands" to end the decade did it really matter?

1990 - September. Rush release the "Chronicles" compilation on CD and video. Tracks include "Closer to the Heart", "The Trees", "Limelight", "Tom Sawyer", "Subdivisions" "Distant early warning", "Big money", "Mystic rhythms", and "Lock and key".

1991 - September. Rush release "Roll the Bones" on Anthem/Atlantic records. A more vibrant and engaging album, with a return to Lifeson's guitar driven structure and less keyboards from Geddy. Yet still the song writing and lyric had either become more complex, or more mundane. Was this a sign of things to come? Had Rush surpassed their peak with "Hold your Fire"?
October. Rush toured the US with supporting acts, "Eric Johnson", "Mr.Big", and "Primus", (who also supported Rush on their European tour). They completed their tour at the end of June 1992 at the World Music Theatre. Chicago, Illinois.

1993 - October. Rush release "Counterparts" on Anthem/Atlantic records. With guitar driven song writing now the form, this was a further step back for Rush. Still the shorter radio friendly song format was preferred, but still something was missing. Where was that spark that fired the imagination of the listener, and prompted continued replay. Rush toured the US through the end of the year and into 1994, with their final date back home at Maple Leaf Gardens. Toronto, Ontario on May 7th, 1994.

1996 - After recording a tribute album to late jazz drummer Buddy Rich, and taking time out to rediscover his drumming technique, Neil Peart returns to the studio with Rush. Alex Lifeson, in the meantime, had recorded and released his own solo project album, "Victor", with vocalist Edwin, ("I Mother Earth"), Les Claypool on Bass ("Primus"), and featuring contributions from his own son Adrian.

September. Rush release "Test for Echo" on Anthem/Atlantic records. The album's concept featured inner sleeve pictures from Stanley Kubrick's film "2001", and front cover picture of a native American Inukashuk statue, (Inukashuk means "in the likeness of a man"). Tracks include the title track "Test for echo", "Dog years", "Virtuality", and "Totem", with lyrical metaphors of communication, self discovery, religion and the realisation of the internet, ("Virtuality"). Rush included their customary instrumental track, this time titled "Limbo", with sound bites from '60s novelty song "The Monster Mash".

October. Rush begin their US tour presented as "An evening with Rush", (This tour included an intermission, with no support for the band). With first date at Knickerbocker Arena. Albany, New York, and finishing July 4th, 1997 at Corel Centre. Ottawa, Ontario. There was no European leg for this tour.

1997 - May. Rush "Retrospective I" and "II" are released by Mercury records. The band begin final production for their next 'Triple' live album release, "Different Stages". Tragedy struck Neil Peart in August '97, however, when his only daughter, Selena, died in a car accident near Ontario. As if this was not enough loss for one man, his wife Jackie Taylor also died the following year from cancer. The band take time out for Peart to mourn and inevitable questions were apparent as to the future of Rush. Peart took a year long vacation that included a road trip across North America.

1998 - November. Rush release "Different Stages" on Anthem/Atlantic records. This Triple live album included the first two discs taken from recent live performances, with disc three reproduced from a live performance of their "A Farewell to kings" tour at the London Hammersmith Odeon. London, UK, February 20th, 1978.

1999 - February. Rush are awarded for musical talent and influence and inducted into the "Canadian Walk of Fame".

2000 - September. Peart re-marries at a private ceremony in Southern California. Geddy Lee releases his first solo album project titled, "My Favorite Headache" on Anthem/Atlantic records. Recorded with musicians Ben Mink, (Guitar/Keyboard), and Matt Cameron on drums, ("Soundgarden", "Pearl Jam"). Ben Mink also featured on the Rush "Signals" album track, "Losing it", playing electric violin. Alex Lifeson and Geddy Lee record their version of the Canadian national anthem for the "South Park, the movie" animation.

2002 - May. Rush release "Vapor trails" on Atlantic records, (studio album #17). Again more straight beat and rock based, (like "Counterparts"), this album stepped back from the former influences on "Test for echo". The album tracks include "One Little Victory", "Peaceable Kingdom", "How it is", "Out of the cradle", and title track, "Vapor trail". The influences of Peart's loss and tragedy are lyrically apparent, ("Ghost Rider"), but, none the less, the album does not fall into any sense of self doubt, or negativity. The track "Sweet Miracle", encompasses new found love and passion for life.

June. Rush begin their tour, again with no support bands, at the 'Meadows Music Theatre', Hartford, Connecticut on June 28th. They finish their US tour in November. Again, there were no European dates, but dates in South America were included, their last performance for this tour being at the "Maracana", Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The performance would later be included on the "Rush in Rio" live album and Dvd.

2003 - "The Spirit Of Radio: Greatest Hits" is released by Anthem/Universal Records. Rush perform at the "Molson Canadian Rocks for Toronto", (SARS Relief Concert). Together with the "The Rolling Stones", "AC/DC", and "The Isley Brothers". Justin Timberlake and more acts also featured.

July. Rush are recorded for the Dvd "Toronto Rocks", at Downsview Park. Toronto, Ontario. The performance includes songs, "Limelight", "Freewill", and "Paint It Black/The Spirit Of Radio".

October 21st, 2003 - "Rush in Rio" live album CD and Dvd is released by Atlantic Records.

2004 - Rush begin their "30th Anniversary tour" on May 26th, at the 'Starwood Amphitheater', Nashville, Tennessee. This time the tour includes European dates beginning Sept. 8th, at Wembley Arena. London, UK. their final tour date was at the 'Ahoy', Rotterdam, Netherlands on October 1st.

June. "Toronto Rocks" Dvd is released by Rhino Records.

2005 - January. Rush perform at the CBC Broadcast Centre. Toronto, Ontario, for the "Canada For Asia" (Tsunami Relief Concert).

Links

Rush.com (official website)

2112.net

Rush Archives