How to Appreciate the Music of Rush

Unlike most rock bands, Rush has done things their own way and maintained their own artistic vision, while enjoying a career that has spanned over 4 decades. Many people either love Rush or hate them, almost immediately. This is unfortunate for those who don't give the band a chance beyond a 10 second clip from the Internet. Give them a small amount of your time, and they'll provide you with some of the best music you'll ever hear.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• "Moving Pictures"
• "2112"
• "Rush in Rio"

1. Get over complaining about Geddy Lee's voice. Geddy Lee has taken enough criticism for his high-pitched vocals, but this is really just splitting hairs, isn't it? A great song just needs a voice, and Geddy provides just that, all the while playing incredible bass and keyboard lines. And as far as great songs, Bob Dylan and Tom Petty have long been successful and admired by the masses, yet neither possesses a voice that anyone would describe as being anything remotely close to angelic.

2. Don't expect the 3-minute pop song. Although Rush has toned down their 10 and 15 minute song writing excursions, they still regularly venture into the 5-minute-plus category.

3. Understand that Rush's lyrics actually mean something. Neil Peart, their primary lyric writer, is an avid reader. And, as such, he has a vocabulary larger than most songwriters. So don't expect the instantly accessible song time after time. And he tends to write a lot about social issues of the day.

4. Appreciate the music itself. All 3 of Rushes members are incredibly talented on their respective instruments, and many songs include long passages of very intricate instrumental interplay. They simply aren't afraid to delve into areas most bands dare not.

5. Start off by listening to their more accessible albums. "Moving Pictures" contains many well known Rush tacks, most notably "Tom Sawyer," "Limelight" and "YYZ." Most of the songs on "Moving Pictures" aren't as long as songs on the preceding albums either, so you won't need to worry about 15 minute songs. 2112 is also another classic album, and while the title track is broken into several parts, the songs when taken in separately are quite easy to assimilate.

6. Buy a live album to get a better cross section of their entire career. Rush has released several live albums over the course of their career. My personal favorite is Rush in Rio, which is a 3 disc set that encompasses songs from every decade of their career. Even better when listened to through headphones!

Tips & Warnings

• Try listening to songs through headphones to hear all of the nuances, as there are many.
• Have patience and you will be rewarded handsomely.
• Be prepared to think for yourself.

[rollogigante]

on 6/17/2009 The 1st thing you should do to appreciate the Music of Rush is to go completely deaf. A Q-tip shoved all the way to the hilt into the ear canal should do it.