Smart reaction! The song was meant to replicate the experience of listening to the radio, two lines in the lyrics were a riff of Sounds of Silence, and this song is a good intro into what many would consider the best rock trio ever. I say intro because the song was engineered to approximate some sounds from the radio, but that meant limiting the virtuosity that each in the trio show on other songs. Closer to the Heart was near the start for Rush's four-decade long journey and while it is a good rocker the band and its members had yet to really mature into the music they'd play in subsequent years, an approach that defied labels, though many would consider it a flavor of prog rock. The lyricist and drummer/percussionist, Neil Peart, is an all-time great; Geddy Lee, the lead singer, bass player and keyboards, is exceptional on the bass, and those two are so brilliant that guitarist Alex Lifeson sometimes got overlooked even though he was remarkable too. With 40 years of recording and touring, it's challenging to hone in on recommendations, but here are seven: Tom Sawyer Limelight Red Barchetta YYZ (live in Rio) La Villa Strangiato Freewill Subdivisions
As far as Alex Lifeson being overlooked, theres one quote to remember. Edward Van Halen was once asked what it felt like to be the greatest guitarist in rock history. His response. "I dont know. Go ask Alex Lifeson"
@@kenkonwick6660 That's been attributed to Eddie for ages but I have never been able to find the original quote anywhere. I like to think it's probably true...
Mike, i interviewed EVH in 1981 for my university newsletter. I asked him whos music he liked. He told me that he thought Alex was the best out there. His words. Im sure im not the only one he said that to.
@@kenkonwick6660 Cool. It's nice to hear a first-hand accounting of something akin to the quote. Again, I tended to believe it but I also heard plenty of made-up (or mis-attributed) quotes in the 80's and 90's...
Welcome to Rush! Yes, you got it. The changes in the music genres, the flicking sounding like static between stations and that was a nod to Simon and Garfunkel. Alex Lifeson started the band when he was 16 in 1968 and asked Geddy Lee to join. Alex and Geddy have been best friends since they were 13 and met in junior high. They released their first album in 1974 with the original drummer John Rutsy. John Rutsy had health issues and couldn't tour so he was asked to leave and that is when Neil Peart joined the band. That was the final lineup until they retired in 2015. Unfortunately Neil Peart passed away from brain cancer in January of 2020. Other Songs YYZ live in Rio Digital Man from the Snakes and Arrows tour Natural Science from the Molson Amphitheatre Toronto Xanadu from Exit Stage Left La Villa Strangiato official music video Welcome to the Rush rabbit hole. Cheers 🇨🇦
Hi...not sure if anyone has let you know...I suspect you are enough of a fan of the boys that you have already seen them, but there are remastered versions of a lot of the older live videos. If you have not seen it, look for Xanadu "remastered live in Montreal"...the same channel has a pretty extensive list of classics they have refreshed. 👍
Rush just might be the greatest power trio and my favorite band of all time. They influenced many bands from the prog genre, like Tool and Dream Theatre. There are multiple eras of Rush, starting with the first album is very Zeppelin-esque. Starting from their second album Fly By Night to Hemispheres is where you find most of their non friendly radio song, that can span 10 to 20 mins. The heavier synth era of Rush started in the mid to late 70's from Permanent Waves and all through the 80's. From a popularity pov, this era of Rush might be where they gained the most attention because the songs were shorter and more radio friendly. Tom Sawyer is probably their most famous song off Moving Pictures their most popular album. When we get into the 90's onward the synth is still part of the bands sound but the focus is more drums, bass and guitar. All three members of Rush are considered exceptional musicians. Besides the musicianship being outstanding, the band have something to say in their lyrics. The primary lyricist of the band is the drummer Neil Peart and this might be why people refer to him as 'The Professor', because the topics he writes about are not your typical band lyrics, Peart tackles topics worth thinking about and being aware of. Lastly, the greatest thing imo about Rush is there's no dropoff in their sound and performance from studio to live, like you see with many bands. Rush live some consider are better vs the studio version of the song.
We used to have these things called "radios" back in the day LOL. This sound that you hear here at 5:16 is the person scanning thru music radio stations trying to find a song...or just scanning to his favorite station. I miss that sound lol...spinning that radio dial while little "snipets" of songs were at the mercy "of your fingers". You see what I did there? Great reaction! Btw, I got to see ACDC with Bon Scott right before he passed away...it was the "Highway to hell" tour June 24. 1979, 8 months later he was gone.
The repeating guitar riff at the beginning of the song and in several other areas are supposed to sound like radio waves. Then the fast descent into madness of the guitar, bass, and drums are supposed to sound like radio stations being changed. Immediately following the descent, it evens out so that it resembles a song.
If you really want to ding into Rush you have to stop and really listen to craft that goes into all of their song : lyrics, base, drum, guitar, the ever changing tempo.. crazy.. you can't find this anymore. you want to have a blast ? try.. La Villa Strangiato, Closer To The Heart, YYZ (live), RUSH - Best intro EVER!!!!!!!!!! (live), Freewill and for desert ... 2112 (20+min)!... Enjoy!
You can never go wrong with the Holy Triumvirate! 😀 Another great current band with echoes of Rush’s musical approach is: BAND-MAID - “Domination” - official live video. Take care and rock on 🤘🏼
Excellent reaction, you were spot on with this song. Given your apparent personality and depth of intellect, your primed to discover 30+ years of thoughtful and timeless lyrics, buoyant and composed songwriting and the independent spirit that allowed Rush to develop into a master class of musicianship and tact that so many of us have view as our North Star (they may say Maple Leaves) throughout our lives. They are truly an example of creative spirits not concerned with musical whims of their current times yet acutely aware of the dire necessities to give voice to those same issues. I envy your discovery of this music that I have such fond remembrances of and hope that this little rabbit hole on the landscape of sound, thought and feeling will enrich your life and lead you to discard the mundane in search of freer and more noble pursuits. Listen to all the songs David McGlocklin below suggests but don't skip the later stuff... losing it, marathon, headlong flight, etc. I wish you the best.
I would suggest 2112, a 20 minute epic but well worth it, The Necromancer and Working Man, a banger off their first album. All of Rush's albums have the same 3 players (Geddy Lee, bass/ vocals/ keyboards...Alex Lifeson, guitar and Neil Peart, drums) except the first album which had John Rutsey on drums.
My neighbor at one end of the road was Alex Lifeson, the other end of the road in Uxbridge Ontario was Hayden Christensen. I'm suprised you know about Trailer Park Boys.. A cult follower here. You could react to Tom Sawyer and Subdivisions.
Cygnus X1 book one, that time rush accidentally invented death metal. '77 Tom Sawyer, yyz, vital signs, '80 Analog kid, new world man, digital man, from '82 distant early warning, body electric '83 fly by night, By-Tor and the snow dog, '74? one little victory, 2000s Broon's Bane, Hope ( acoustic guitar pieces)
If you want a lesson in changing time signatures, you need to pay for a Masters degree in music OR study Rush. This will pay off in spades in your future career.
Tip of the hat and full marks on your reaction! Not only did you get how the song 'switched channels', you get bonus points for spotting the nod to 'sounds of silence' too. I think you're going to enjoy Rush on so many levels - compelling, and often times, prescient lyrics, complex arrangements and masterful, magical musicianship. The Rush fam are just as fond of the music as we are of the guys who make the music. You mentioned seeing Alex on the Trailer Park Boys, Rush is known for their sense of humor both on and off the stage. Their friendship is real, their music is real and their respect for their fans is real. They bring their A-game to the studio and live performances everytime. You'll find plenty of suggestions in your comments below and I second them all. Welcome to the Rush rabbit hole and enjoy!
If you'd like to see Rush in action to get a great sense of what they were all about, here are a few suggestions: Tom Sawyer, official music video Limelight, official music video YYZ Live In Rio Xanadu, Exit Stage Left Freewill, Exit Stage Left Natural Science, Toronto Molson Amphitheater (1997) Working Man Live In Cleveland, Time Machine Tour (2011) 🎤 🎹 🎸 🥁 🎸 🐐 🐐 🐐
You know who loves Rush? The guys from Tool! PS - Major bonus points for catching both the reference to the Sound of Silence and the fact that the whole song was meant to sound like a radio tuning. Impressive. PPS - Here's another one you might consider hearing: YYZ. With it, they incorporated the morse code for YYZ - which just so happens to be the IATA code for Toronto Pearson International Airport. Alex was an amateur pilot and when the three of them were heading back from a studio outside of Montreal, that morse code came over the cockpit (and, presumably, a light bulb appeared over each band member's head). I don't know if you react to live performances too, but if you do you should watch YYZ live in Rio. PPPS - Upon your invitation, I would want to subject you to Natural Science, which is off of the same album as this one, Permanent Waves, but was far too long to be a single.
You da man!!! I can’t tell you how many people react to this song and don’t get the Sound of Silence reference! And the kids today have no excuse, lol - Disturbed has brought the song back into our social consciousness. Great reaction! You can’t go wrong with any Rush.
Hey Al! RUSH is one of the greatest rock bands of all time. They have a journey that is comical, and magical. The writing, and performing are second to none! I suggest going through the entire discography start to finish. Enjoy.
The opening guitar riff is Alex’s attempt at replicating radio static on the guitar. They were definitely going for a mashup of styles to sound like you’re scanning through radio stations. Freewill, Tom Sawyer, and Limelight are good selections to listen to next. They have a huge discography (19 studio albums over 40 years). These songs are 1980-81 so similar style to Spirit of Radio. Cheers!
Good introduction to the Holy Trinity aka Rush, always liked Spirit of the Radio, definitely in my top 50 favorite Rush songs. I sub to anyone that reviews Canadas greatest band, keep em coming.
If you want to get a good feel for Rush, here's a Playlist. Do one short, one long, alternating. Shorter songs: Tom Sawyer - Most popular song in radio Limelight - Song about the struggles of being in the Limelight (on stage) Red Barchetta - great song about a car based on a short story what has vehicles are outlawed The Garden - Live (last song produced after a 40+ year career of three guys) YYZ - Live in Rio (40,000 fans singing the notes to an instrumental) Witch Hunt - The song is like the soundtrack to a film Longer format "Xanadu" from exit stage left concert (Shows the incredible musicianship of 3 vertuosos) "Working Man" Live in Cleveland - It's of their first album, played near the end of their careers and they haven't lost a beat "La Villa Strangiato" Instrumental about a series of nightmares the lead guitarist had "2112" - Breakthrough song which won them their creative freedom fur the rest of their careers "Cygnus X1" "Cygnus X2: Hemispheres" two songs across two albums that are incredible
I would add "Dreamline" from RTB to the shorter song list. Rush thought enough of it to use it as an opener on several tours, and I believe played it on every tour since its release.
Dude! Nice reaction and spot on analysis. 45 years of music to choose from. Different eras, different sounds, but still all Rush. Something old school (but performed recently)...Rush - "Working Man" (Time Machine Tour: Live In Cleveland) th-cam.com/video/sI5VuBzo-Qc/w-d-xo.html New(er) school? Rush - Limelight (Official Music Video) th-cam.com/video/ZiRuj2_czzw/w-d-xo.html Proggy as hell? RUSH - Natural Science - 1997/06/30 - Molson Amphitheatre th-cam.com/video/EndaI-okEIc/w-d-xo.html
Sure use Spotify if you want. It's hard not to pick a good Rush song. You will probly get lots of subscribers in the Classic rock genre as it seems there are alot of us older farts watching with nothing else yo do.
Great reaction as usual. Yeah, I think it was sort of a nod to that line in Sound of Silence. Like a play off of it. Also, the guitar part they keep going back to. I always thought of it as an audio depiction of the `Bright antennas bristling with the energy." Though it could be as you suggested, tuning a radio. I would suggest 2112. It's long, with multiple parts but it is SO good. LOL
As a teen a local radio station would play a new album at midnight the day before the album was to come out . I recorded this album on cassette that night I remember having to pause during the commercials Love them till i die
Like many commentators on here, we are very big(!) Rush fans and enjoy it when someone new to the band reacts to them for the very first time. So much so that we actively look for these reactions on this platform as it is very satisfying in every way entertainment wise to watch as the reactor turns into a fellow fan over time. I’m deeply impressed with your initial reaction and insight to the music and lyrics, especially the Sound of Silence reference... amazing job and great reaction!
Try Natural science and Jacob's ladder from the same album (Permanent waves). Amazing songs and an amazing record. Arguably their best along with Moving Pictures. Check them out.
Al, you're on a track from a band on my list of top 10 bands ever. If you want a different feel from Rush, a concept album, try tackling 2112. I highly recommend it from start to finish - much like you would experience Pink Floyd.
I'm back, Al. You caught my attention with Tom Sawyer and hooked me with one of my all-time favorites, SoR. This, Freebird, Stairway, will always be in my top till I am no more. Knowing you are a sound engineer, knowing you actually listen to the lyrics, knowing you read all comments, and knowing you are deeper than your age reflects (I'm 56), I have chosen to subscribe. You hooked me, rock on brother. (PS, I am pretty sure, but hoping you know 'Freebird' and 'Stairway to Heaven', if not, it is a moral imperative that you give them a listen).
This band is masters at time changes Bands like Tool looked up to Rush , The Drummer for Rush was a major influence to drummers like Danny Carey , Chad Smith , The late Taylor Hawkins and many others , The Foo Fighters inducted Rush into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame , Yes picked Rush to induce them into the Rock and Roll Hall of fame And the Bass player for Rush Geddy Lee played with Yes the song Roundabout,
Took my whole family to R40! Where to start is hard. Rush is like Floyd in that they are their own thing. 3 man band of some of the best musicians of the 20th/21st centuries. The rabbit hole is DEEP, but Tom Sawyer, Working Man, Passage to Bangcock, Free Will, Subdivisions, Far Cry... that spans their career but in no way should be a "only" list... omg please dont take it like that. There is a REASON they put out albums for 40 years. And listen to a Peart drum solo. You will never look at a percussionist (not a drummer) the same.
The "confusing first section" as you referred to it was created to resemble changing through a radio dial and hearing different types of music. It's the same thing at the end when it jumps between rock and reggae and you even hear some piano in there. To see an amazing live version of this song seach for Rush "Best Intro Ever!!!" They jump through many of their early songs which will give you a good sense of the types of music Rush has. They have a collection that spans over four decades and 175+ songs.
Hi. Just joined. You'll get addicted. Best drummer ever, Neil Peart(R.I.P.); multitask -multiskill, an absolute genious, Geddy Lee; most creative guitarist, "crazy balance in chaos" Alex Lifeson....divine music.
Check out Rush's song Fly By Night (1974 i think), and Red Sector A, which is one of my favorite Rush songs. I believe, lead singer Geddy Lee's parents were Holocaust survivors.
Go on...dive into the Rush rabbit hole.....my god you've got a lot to react to.....if you want to react to more Rush, I'd recommend Xanadu live from Exit Stage Left 1981....the video captures what is possibly the greatest live performance ever!!!!
Must repeat myself, love your voice! Good review, love it! More Rush please, might appreciate live versions more! Try Working Man live, Natural Science live, La Villa live, Xanadu live…
Welcome too the RUSH RABBIT HOLE!! These 3 musicians are the KINGS of time signature changes that are seamless… You have 40 yrs of some of the greatest prog rock ever too journey through… ENJOY!! Ps, also the BEST LIVE band you will ever hear 🤘🙌
“I love the vocalist’s voice so much”. NO ONE I knew would have said that in 1980. Even the RUSH fans I knew. They loved RUSH, they appreciated Geddy’s voice. Compared to the people who just hated it. Guess he was only 40 years ahead of his time.
The Spirit of Radio is and always has been one of Rush’s most iconic, remarkable songs. I have the fondest memories of attending The Heavy Rock Discos at UMIST in Manchester one of the many highlights being the stampede to the Dance Floor when this amazing, Frantic Tune tore through the Loudspeakers. There were virtually no one remaining seated ! When you think of the many Shit encrusted dregs that crawl through the Radio and TV channels that “Pass ?” as a song or Hit by some crap, talentless amalgam of mediocrity, let’s all turn to Rush and give grateful thanks….
WOW! Holy Moly...you got it on the first listen... YES! A twist on the words and a nod to Simon & Garfunkel with profit meaning profits!!! I'm impressed, so I subscribed. I guess I'll have to go check out your reaction to Tom Sawyer now. There are soooo many good Rush songs, I am sure you will get several suggestions flying at you. My favorite song today (it changes) is Natural Science. I love the live version from 1997/06/30 - Molson Amphitheatre, Toronto. It's special to actually watch these 3 people perform Live and I am fortunate that I was able to do that multiple times in the flesh. Enjoy the journey.
Yes, Rush I would recommend their entire catalog, chronologically. A wise man said, "before there was Tool there was Rush" Sounds like you have 2112 on deck, so that is close to their peak. Thanks!
Rush evolved with their music. Tehir 1973 debut album (with the original drummer) was a hard driving rock album, with "Working Man" being the best known song on that. Alex and Geddy Lee are two of the founders of rush with the drummer on that album John Rutsy. John had to drop out because of health reasons and not able to keep up touring. Neil Pert (pronounced peert) joined up and the three of them went on to make some of the most influential music. The tree of them meshed so well, that each original song was truly composed by all three, with Neil providing lyrics for 95% of their pieces. Oddly enough, their biggest hit, "Tom Sawyer" was not penned by Neil, but a friend of the group, Pye DuBois collaborated with Neil. A popular choice for reactions is the video for "Xanadu" from their "Exit Stage Left" tour, which is a masterpiece. You get to see how three guys fill out a piece of music to make an exxperience more than just a catchy melody. The video of them playing "YYZ" in Brazil is wild. This is an instrumental song, but the crowd vocalizes the melody along with the band. If you notice, there are washing machines behind Geddy. The joke is that Alex would have this wall of amps on his side of the stage, Geddy wanted something to balance out the visuals. Later shows, they would pull Rush t-shirts out of the washing machines and start throwing them into the audience. As a rush fan, I'm having trouble picking something out that screams "Listen to me!", because at least up through their "Signals" album, I like listening to the entire album, not just one song from it.
The confusing opening was intended by guitarist Alex LIfeson to mimic radio static. Geddy Lee, the bassist/keyboardist/vocalist had just changed his vocal style a bit to be less straining on his voice, so I am glad you noticed it. The shifting back and forth between reggae/ rock was meant to mimic the flipping between radio stations. Your facial expressions were great. A great song to react to. If you want to get the best blend between the early RUSH and later RUSH would be Xanadu. More RUSH!
I'd recommend "Red Barchetta" next. One of the best driving songs you'll ever hear and it gets played on classic rock FM radio stations a ton even to this very day. Also, I'd highly recommend you react to Rush performing "Spirit of Radio" live in Toronto in 2003 in front of 500,000 fans. It starts out with a short instrumental version of "Paint It Black" in tribute to the Rolling Stones (who were also on the bill that day along with AC/DC) and then segues into a blistering version of Spirit of Radio. As great as the studio version of the song is, this live version is even better....they don't even miss a beat!
Impressive analysis for a first listen. You correctly picked up on the themes of this song. The Rush rabbit hole is deep and very satisfying. So many great Albums by this trio of virtuoso musicians. Here are some suggestions to get you started with your Rush journey: Working Man - Live in Cleveland Tom Sawyer YYZ - Live in Rio
Circa 1980: Rush took quite a liking to new bands like The Police, who used reggae riffs in their songs. Alex, Geddy and Neil put some reggae in a few songs, like The Spirit of Radio, Vital Signs, and a few others. Rush was always game for incorporating new sounds and instrumentation in their music. It was one of their greatest strengths as a band.
Again, way out of order, but seeing your reaction to your FIRST Rush song was awesome and hearing you say how confused you were after the first 40 seconds made me laugh, because that's who they are!
Listen to all the time changes. After their first album they switched drummers as Neil went 7/4 and blew them away. Neil is the best but go old school and listen to SING SING SING.
Great review and a great ear catching the riff mimicking tuning the radio and the lyrical references. I think you'll really enjoy Rush... Alex is actually the only original member of the band. Geddy joined early on shortly after the band had changed their name to Rush and Neil joined some years later when John Rutsey had to leave for health reasons (diabetic). No disrespect to John, but Neil was the final piece needed to make the band something uniquely special...
This is what is known as progressive Rock. If you’ve never heard it you might be confused, but you’ll come to appreciate when you hear more of this type of genre or not.
You know, all these years I've never heard the comparison to Bon Scott, but you hit something there. It's the way they can hang out verse by verse in that high register, in a way that feels good and doesn't grate on the ears. Other big differences of course in how they express and articulate individual syllables.
Smart reaction! The song was meant to replicate the experience of listening to the radio, two lines in the lyrics were a riff of Sounds of Silence, and this song is a good intro into what many would consider the best rock trio ever. I say intro because the song was engineered to approximate some sounds from the radio, but that meant limiting the virtuosity that each in the trio show on other songs.
Closer to the Heart was near the start for Rush's four-decade long journey and while it is a good rocker the band and its members had yet to really mature into the music they'd play in subsequent years, an approach that defied labels, though many would consider it a flavor of prog rock. The lyricist and drummer/percussionist, Neil Peart, is an all-time great; Geddy Lee, the lead singer, bass player and keyboards, is exceptional on the bass, and those two are so brilliant that guitarist Alex Lifeson sometimes got overlooked even though he was remarkable too.
With 40 years of recording and touring, it's challenging to hone in on recommendations, but here are seven:
Tom Sawyer
Limelight
Red Barchetta
YYZ (live in Rio)
La Villa Strangiato
Freewill
Subdivisions
As far as Alex Lifeson being overlooked, theres one quote to remember. Edward Van Halen was once asked what it felt like to be the greatest guitarist in rock history. His response. "I dont know. Go ask Alex Lifeson"
@@kenkonwick6660 That's been attributed to Eddie for ages but I have never been able to find the original quote anywhere. I like to think it's probably true...
Mike, i interviewed EVH in 1981 for my university newsletter. I asked him whos music he liked. He told me that he thought Alex was the best out there. His words. Im sure im not the only one he said that to.
@@kenkonwick6660 Cool. It's nice to hear a first-hand accounting of something akin to the quote. Again, I tended to believe it but I also heard plenty of made-up (or mis-attributed) quotes in the 80's and 90's...
Welcome to Rush! Yes, you got it. The changes in the music genres, the flicking sounding like static between stations and that was a nod to Simon and Garfunkel.
Alex Lifeson started the band when he was 16 in 1968 and asked Geddy Lee to join. Alex and Geddy have been best friends since they were 13 and met in junior high. They released their first album in 1974 with the original drummer John Rutsy. John Rutsy had health issues and couldn't tour so he was asked to leave and that is when Neil Peart joined the band. That was the final lineup until they retired in 2015. Unfortunately Neil Peart passed away from brain cancer in January of 2020.
Other Songs
YYZ live in Rio
Digital Man from the Snakes and Arrows tour
Natural Science from the Molson Amphitheatre Toronto
Xanadu from Exit Stage Left
La Villa Strangiato official music video
Welcome to the Rush rabbit hole.
Cheers 🇨🇦
Hi...not sure if anyone has let you know...I suspect you are enough of a fan of the boys that you have already seen them, but there are remastered versions of a lot of the older live videos. If you have not seen it, look for Xanadu "remastered live in Montreal"...the same channel has a pretty extensive list of classics they have refreshed. 👍
@@iKvetch558 Yes, Stickhits has done some excellent remastering.
😃
@@debbieplato5107 Yeah...I figured you already knew about them. 😁
Rush just might be the greatest power trio and my favorite band of all time. They influenced many bands from the prog genre, like Tool and Dream Theatre. There are multiple eras of Rush, starting with the first album is very Zeppelin-esque. Starting from their second album Fly By Night to Hemispheres is where you find most of their non friendly radio song, that can span 10 to 20 mins. The heavier synth era of Rush started in the mid to late 70's from Permanent Waves and all through the 80's. From a popularity pov, this era of Rush might be where they gained the most attention because the songs were shorter and more radio friendly. Tom Sawyer is probably their most famous song off Moving Pictures their most popular album. When we get into the 90's onward the synth is still part of the bands sound but the focus is more drums, bass and guitar. All three members of Rush are considered exceptional musicians. Besides the musicianship being outstanding, the band have something to say in their lyrics. The primary lyricist of the band is the drummer Neil Peart and this might be why people refer to him as 'The Professor', because the topics he writes about are not your typical band lyrics, Peart tackles topics worth thinking about and being aware of. Lastly, the greatest thing imo about Rush is there's no dropoff in their sound and performance from studio to live, like you see with many bands. Rush live some consider are better vs the studio version of the song.
My all time favourite vinyl..enjoy and welcome to the best trio of musicians ever 🤟🏼🇨🇦🤟🏼
3rd observation again spot on, in Jan 1980 reggae was very prevalent on the radio
3 men is all it took to produce magic & wonder .. best 3 ever mic drop
We used to have these things called "radios" back in the day LOL. This sound that you hear here at 5:16 is the person scanning thru music radio stations trying to find a song...or just scanning to his favorite station. I miss that sound lol...spinning that radio dial while little "snipets" of songs were at the mercy "of your fingers". You see what I did there? Great reaction! Btw, I got to see ACDC with Bon Scott right before he passed away...it was the "Highway to hell" tour June 24. 1979, 8 months later he was gone.
You need to listen to Tom Sawyer by Rush. Probably their most iconic song. I promise you won't be disappointed.
The repeating guitar riff at the beginning of the song and in several other areas are supposed to sound like radio waves. Then the fast descent into madness of the guitar, bass, and drums are supposed to sound like radio stations being changed. Immediately following the descent, it evens out so that it resembles a song.
Yes And Croatian/Latvian
If you really want to ding into Rush you have to stop and really listen to craft that goes into all of their song : lyrics, base, drum, guitar, the ever changing tempo.. crazy.. you can't find this anymore. you want to have a blast ? try.. La Villa Strangiato, Closer To The Heart, YYZ (live), RUSH - Best intro EVER!!!!!!!!!! (live), Freewill and for desert ... 2112 (20+min)!... Enjoy!
You can never go wrong with the Holy Triumvirate! 😀
Another great current band with echoes of Rush’s musical approach is:
BAND-MAID
- “Domination” - official live video.
Take care and rock on 🤘🏼
Other great band from Ontario Canada is Motion Device.
Excellent reaction, you were spot on with this song. Given your apparent personality and depth of intellect, your primed to discover 30+ years of thoughtful and timeless lyrics, buoyant and composed songwriting and the independent spirit that allowed Rush to develop into a master class of musicianship and tact that so many of us have view as our North Star (they may say Maple Leaves) throughout our lives. They are truly an example of creative spirits not concerned with musical whims of their current times yet acutely aware of the dire necessities to give voice to those same issues. I envy your discovery of this music that I have such fond remembrances of and hope that this little rabbit hole on the landscape of sound, thought and feeling will enrich your life and lead you to discard the mundane in search of freer and more noble pursuits. Listen to all the songs David McGlocklin below suggests but don't skip the later stuff... losing it, marathon, headlong flight, etc. I wish you the best.
I would suggest 2112, a 20 minute epic but well worth it, The Necromancer and Working Man, a banger off their first album. All of Rush's albums have the same 3 players (Geddy Lee, bass/ vocals/ keyboards...Alex Lifeson, guitar and Neil Peart, drums) except the first album which had John Rutsey on drums.
My neighbor at one end of the road was Alex Lifeson, the other end of the road in Uxbridge Ontario was Hayden Christensen. I'm suprised you know about Trailer Park Boys.. A cult follower here. You could react to Tom Sawyer and Subdivisions.
Cygnus X1 book one, that time rush accidentally invented death metal. '77
Tom Sawyer, yyz, vital signs, '80
Analog kid, new world man, digital man, from '82
distant early warning, body electric '83
fly by night, By-Tor and the snow dog, '74?
one little victory, 2000s
Broon's Bane, Hope ( acoustic guitar pieces)
AKA Most all Lyrics Songs Written By the Drummer Neal Peart Who Knew?
the stange House
Progressive rock try YES or Emerson Lake And Palmer
If you want a lesson in changing time signatures, you need to pay for a Masters degree in music OR study Rush. This will pay off in spades in your future career.
Trrue But for me Getty Lee sound like is balls are i a vice
Nice Al! Don’t to listen to Rush anymore otherwise you will turn into a huge fan and will do their whole discography!
So true!!!
ROFL 😂
Tip of the hat and full marks on your reaction! Not only did you get how the song 'switched channels', you get bonus points for spotting the nod to 'sounds of silence' too.
I think you're going to enjoy Rush on so many levels - compelling, and often times, prescient lyrics, complex arrangements and masterful, magical musicianship.
The Rush fam are just as fond of the music as we are of the guys who make the music.
You mentioned seeing Alex on the Trailer Park Boys, Rush is known for their sense of humor both on and off the stage. Their friendship is real, their music is real and their respect for their fans is real. They bring their A-game to the studio and live performances everytime. You'll find plenty of suggestions in your comments below and I second them all. Welcome to the Rush rabbit hole and enjoy!
If you'd like to see Rush in action to get a great sense of what they were all about, here are a few suggestions:
Tom Sawyer, official music video
Limelight, official music video
YYZ Live In Rio
Xanadu, Exit Stage Left
Freewill, Exit Stage Left
Natural Science, Toronto Molson Amphitheater (1997)
Working Man Live In Cleveland, Time Machine Tour (2011)
🎤 🎹 🎸 🥁 🎸 🐐 🐐 🐐
Great picks.
This 👆 YYZ live in Rio gets my vote
You know who loves Rush? The guys from Tool!
PS - Major bonus points for catching both the reference to the Sound of Silence and the fact that the whole song was meant to sound like a radio tuning. Impressive.
PPS - Here's another one you might consider hearing: YYZ. With it, they incorporated the morse code for YYZ - which just so happens to be the IATA code for Toronto Pearson International Airport. Alex was an amateur pilot and when the three of them were heading back from a studio outside of Montreal, that morse code came over the cockpit (and, presumably, a light bulb appeared over each band member's head). I don't know if you react to live performances too, but if you do you should watch YYZ live in Rio.
PPPS - Upon your invitation, I would want to subject you to Natural Science, which is off of the same album as this one, Permanent Waves, but was far too long to be a single.
You da man!!! I can’t tell you how many people react to this song and don’t get the Sound of Silence reference! And the kids today have no excuse, lol - Disturbed has brought the song back into our social consciousness. Great reaction! You can’t go wrong with any Rush.
Subscribed. All the RUSH fans will soon be at Al’s!
Hey Al! RUSH is one of the greatest rock bands of all time. They have a journey that is comical, and magical. The writing, and performing are second to none! I suggest going through the entire discography start to finish. Enjoy.
The opening guitar riff is Alex’s attempt at replicating radio static on the guitar. They were definitely going for a mashup of styles to sound like you’re scanning through radio stations.
Freewill, Tom Sawyer, and Limelight are good selections to listen to next. They have a huge discography (19 studio albums over 40 years). These songs are 1980-81 so similar style to Spirit of Radio. Cheers!
If you look at the sheet music for that riff, the notes make a ‘sine wave’. I have heard that is what Alex was trying to replicate, a sine wave.
Good introduction to the Holy Trinity aka Rush, always liked Spirit of the Radio, definitely in my top 50 favorite Rush songs. I sub to anyone that reviews Canadas greatest band, keep em coming.
If you want to get a good feel for Rush, here's a Playlist. Do one short, one long, alternating.
Shorter songs:
Tom Sawyer - Most popular song in radio
Limelight - Song about the struggles of being in the Limelight (on stage)
Red Barchetta - great song about a car based on a short story what has vehicles are outlawed
The Garden - Live (last song produced after a 40+ year career of three guys)
YYZ - Live in Rio (40,000 fans singing the notes to an instrumental)
Witch Hunt - The song is like the soundtrack to a film
Longer format
"Xanadu" from exit stage left concert (Shows the incredible musicianship of 3 vertuosos)
"Working Man" Live in Cleveland - It's of their first album, played near the end of their careers and they haven't lost a beat
"La Villa Strangiato" Instrumental about a series of nightmares the lead guitarist had
"2112" - Breakthrough song which won them their creative freedom fur the rest of their careers
"Cygnus X1" "Cygnus X2: Hemispheres" two songs across two albums that are incredible
I would add "Dreamline" from RTB to the shorter song list. Rush thought enough of it to use it as an opener on several tours, and I believe played it on every tour since its release.
Long live RUSH
More Rush? You can’t go wrong with Limelight, Tom Sawyer, Subdivisions… I could go on and on. Have fun!
Dude! Nice reaction and spot on analysis. 45 years of music to choose from. Different eras, different sounds, but still all Rush.
Something old school (but performed recently)...Rush - "Working Man" (Time Machine Tour: Live In Cleveland) th-cam.com/video/sI5VuBzo-Qc/w-d-xo.html
New(er) school? Rush - Limelight (Official Music Video) th-cam.com/video/ZiRuj2_czzw/w-d-xo.html
Proggy as hell? RUSH - Natural Science - 1997/06/30 - Molson Amphitheatre th-cam.com/video/EndaI-okEIc/w-d-xo.html
Well, you've got 167 songs on 19 studio albums to choose from...
If you wanna go deep, check out La Villa Strangiato.
Correct on "The Sounds of Silence". Also correct on imitating the tuning of a radio, which is the point of the intro.
Sure use Spotify if you want. It's hard not to pick a good Rush song.
You will probly get lots of subscribers in the Classic rock genre as it seems there are alot of us older farts watching with nothing else yo do.
Great reaction as usual. Yeah, I think it was sort of a nod to that line in Sound of Silence. Like a play off of it. Also, the guitar part they keep going back to. I always thought of it as an audio depiction of the `Bright antennas bristling with the energy." Though it could be as you suggested, tuning a radio. I would suggest 2112. It's long, with multiple parts but it is SO good. LOL
As a teen a local radio station would play a new album at midnight the day before the album was to come out . I recorded this album on cassette that night I remember having to pause during the commercials Love them till i die
Live videos; Xanadu, Exit Stage Left 1981; YYZ, Live Rio; Working Man, Live Cleveland.
Tom Sawyer is always a good one to listen to
If you want to continue with another song from a farewell to kings, try Xanadu live exit stage left.
Please do.
1974-2015 20 odd studio albums (even with a 5 year hiatus when Neil Peart lost his whole family tragically)
Like many commentators on here, we are very big(!) Rush fans and enjoy it when someone new to the band reacts to them for the very first time. So much so that we actively look for these reactions on this platform as it is very satisfying in every way entertainment wise to watch as the reactor turns into a fellow fan over time. I’m deeply impressed with your initial reaction and insight to the music and lyrics, especially the Sound of Silence reference... amazing job and great reaction!
Think Progressive! 😊
Try Natural science and Jacob's ladder from the same album (Permanent waves). Amazing songs and an amazing record. Arguably their best along with Moving Pictures. Check them out.
Good call on Geddy Lees voice having similar tone qualities with Bon Scott
Natural Science is my favorite Rush song
Al, you're on a track from a band on my list of top 10 bands ever. If you want a different feel from Rush, a concept album, try tackling 2112. I highly recommend it from start to finish - much like you would experience Pink Floyd.
I'm back, Al. You caught my attention with Tom Sawyer and hooked me with one of my all-time favorites, SoR. This, Freebird, Stairway, will always be in my top till I am no more. Knowing you are a sound engineer, knowing you actually listen to the lyrics, knowing you read all comments, and knowing you are deeper than your age reflects (I'm 56), I have chosen to subscribe. You hooked me, rock on brother. (PS, I am pretty sure, but hoping you know 'Freebird' and 'Stairway to Heaven', if not, it is a moral imperative that you give them a listen).
This band is masters at time changes Bands like Tool looked up to Rush , The Drummer for Rush was a major influence to drummers like Danny Carey , Chad Smith , The late Taylor Hawkins and many others , The Foo Fighters inducted Rush into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame , Yes picked Rush to induce them into the Rock and Roll Hall of fame And the Bass player for Rush Geddy Lee played with Yes the song Roundabout,
RUSH Army is present and prepared for duty.
You are the first video reactor that I have seen to get the "Sound of Silence" reference!
The thinking person's rock band
You bet your sweet bippy they are.
Rush is 🇨🇦🔥
Heh. I've never seen that song fail to make someone smile. It's just so... bright!
First video of yours that I have caught. Great reaction and you have a nice radio voice. Equally awesome tracks: Subdivisions, Limelight, Tom Sawyer.
Rush are wow! They don't go for usual pop sounds, that's what makes them fun.
Took my whole family to R40! Where to start is hard. Rush is like Floyd in that they are their own thing. 3 man band of some of the best musicians of the 20th/21st centuries. The rabbit hole is DEEP, but Tom Sawyer, Working Man, Passage to Bangcock, Free Will, Subdivisions, Far Cry... that spans their career but in no way should be a "only" list... omg please dont take it like that. There is a REASON they put out albums for 40 years. And listen to a Peart drum solo. You will never look at a percussionist (not a drummer) the same.
The "confusing first section" as you referred to it was created to resemble changing through a radio dial and hearing different types of music. It's the same thing at the end when it jumps between rock and reggae and you even hear some piano in there. To see an amazing live version of this song seach for Rush "Best Intro Ever!!!" They jump through many of their early songs which will give you a good sense of the types of music Rush has. They have a collection that spans over four decades and 175+ songs.
Long live RUSH
La Villa Strangiato!
Yup!
The rest of that album (Permanent Waves) is a masterpiece.
Geddy Lee singer
Brilliant. You nailed the various nuances of the song on the first go around ... yep, the essence of radio.
Hi. Just joined. You'll get addicted. Best drummer ever, Neil Peart(R.I.P.); multitask -multiskill, an absolute genious, Geddy Lee; most creative guitarist, "crazy balance in chaos" Alex Lifeson....divine music.
REALLY NICE reaction, Al. I'm a little late joining the Rush Army in giving you a warm welcome.
RUSH is the best Prog Rock Bands of all time. Best Drummer of all time. RIP Neal!. He was the lyricist.
Check out Rush's song Fly By Night (1974 i think), and Red Sector A, which is one of my favorite Rush songs. I believe, lead singer Geddy Lee's parents were Holocaust survivors.
Go on...dive into the Rush rabbit hole.....my god you've got a lot to react to.....if you want to react to more Rush, I'd recommend Xanadu live from Exit Stage Left 1981....the video captures what is possibly the greatest live performance ever!!!!
"For the words of the PROFITS were written on the studio wall Concert hall" as opposed to the PROPHETS in sound of silence.
Must repeat myself, love your voice! Good review, love it! More Rush please, might appreciate live versions more! Try Working Man live, Natural Science live, La Villa live, Xanadu live…
Welcome too the RUSH RABBIT HOLE!!
These 3 musicians are the KINGS of time signature changes that are seamless…
You have 40 yrs of some of the greatest prog rock ever too journey through…
ENJOY!!
Ps, also the BEST LIVE band you will ever hear 🤘🙌
Always Alex. Always Geddy. Neil joined in time for the second album, and the trio was set. Permanent Waves was their seventh album (sixth with Neil).
“I love the vocalist’s voice so much”.
NO ONE I knew would have said that in 1980. Even the RUSH fans I knew. They loved RUSH, they appreciated Geddy’s voice. Compared to the people who just hated it.
Guess he was only 40 years ahead of his time.
The Spirit of Radio is and always has been one of Rush’s most iconic, remarkable songs. I have the fondest memories of attending The Heavy Rock Discos at UMIST in Manchester one of the many highlights being the stampede to the Dance Floor when this amazing, Frantic Tune tore through the Loudspeakers. There were virtually no one remaining seated ! When you think of the many Shit encrusted dregs that crawl through the Radio and TV channels that “Pass ?” as a song or Hit by some crap, talentless amalgam of mediocrity, let’s all turn to Rush and give grateful thanks….
Yep. Nice. You’re dialing into their frequency.
WOW! Holy Moly...you got it on the first listen... YES! A twist on the words and a nod to Simon & Garfunkel with profit meaning profits!!! I'm impressed, so I subscribed. I guess I'll have to go check out your reaction to Tom Sawyer now. There are soooo many good Rush songs, I am sure you will get several suggestions flying at you.
My favorite song today (it changes) is Natural Science. I love the live version from 1997/06/30 - Molson Amphitheatre, Toronto. It's special to actually watch these 3 people perform Live and I am fortunate that I was able to do that multiple times in the flesh. Enjoy the journey.
Yes, Rush I would recommend their entire catalog, chronologically. A wise man said, "before there was Tool there was Rush" Sounds like you have 2112 on deck, so that is close to their peak. Thanks!
AKA The Drummer studied at Oxford, England Via Canada
Rush evolved with their music. Tehir 1973 debut album (with the original drummer) was a hard driving rock album, with "Working Man" being the best known song on that. Alex and Geddy Lee are two of the founders of rush with the drummer on that album John Rutsy. John had to drop out because of health reasons and not able to keep up touring. Neil Pert (pronounced peert) joined up and the three of them went on to make some of the most influential music. The tree of them meshed so well, that each original song was truly composed by all three, with Neil providing lyrics for 95% of their pieces. Oddly enough, their biggest hit, "Tom Sawyer" was not penned by Neil, but a friend of the group, Pye DuBois collaborated with Neil.
A popular choice for reactions is the video for "Xanadu" from their "Exit Stage Left" tour, which is a masterpiece. You get to see how three guys fill out a piece of music to make an exxperience more than just a catchy melody.
The video of them playing "YYZ" in Brazil is wild. This is an instrumental song, but the crowd vocalizes the melody along with the band. If you notice, there are washing machines behind Geddy. The joke is that Alex would have this wall of amps on his side of the stage, Geddy wanted something to balance out the visuals. Later shows, they would pull Rush t-shirts out of the washing machines and start throwing them into the audience.
As a rush fan, I'm having trouble picking something out that screams "Listen to me!", because at least up through their "Signals" album, I like listening to the entire album, not just one song from it.
The confusing opening was intended by guitarist Alex LIfeson to mimic radio static. Geddy Lee, the bassist/keyboardist/vocalist had just changed his vocal style a bit to be less straining on his voice, so I am glad you noticed it. The shifting back and forth between reggae/ rock was meant to mimic the flipping between radio stations. Your facial expressions were great. A great song to react to. If you want to get the best blend between the early RUSH and later RUSH would be Xanadu. More RUSH!
I'd recommend "Red Barchetta" next. One of the best driving songs you'll ever hear and it gets played on classic rock FM radio stations a ton even to this very day. Also, I'd highly recommend you react to Rush performing "Spirit of Radio" live in Toronto in 2003 in front of 500,000 fans. It starts out with a short instrumental version of "Paint It Black" in tribute to the Rolling Stones (who were also on the bill that day along with AC/DC) and then segues into a blistering version of Spirit of Radio. As great as the studio version of the song is, this live version is even better....they don't even miss a beat!
Impressive analysis for a first listen. You correctly picked up on the themes of this song. The Rush rabbit hole is deep and very satisfying.
So many great Albums by this trio of virtuoso musicians. Here are some suggestions to get you started with your Rush journey:
Working Man - Live in Cleveland
Tom Sawyer
YYZ - Live in Rio
Circa 1980: Rush took quite a liking to new bands like The Police, who used reggae riffs in their songs. Alex, Geddy and Neil put some reggae in a few songs, like The Spirit of Radio, Vital Signs, and a few others.
Rush was always game for incorporating new sounds and instrumentation in their music. It was one of their greatest strengths as a band.
React to Xanadu. Imagin when you watch it how 3 musicians can make that much music. Truely exceptional. It will blow your mind.
If you have 20+ minutes give 2112 a spin. It’s an epic journey through a distant or past dystopian period.
Again, way out of order, but seeing your reaction to your FIRST Rush song was awesome and hearing you say how confused you were after the first 40 seconds made me laugh, because that's who they are!
I will check out anyone checking out Rush. British accent a bonus.
Listen to all the time changes. After their first album they switched drummers as Neil went 7/4 and blew them away. Neil is the best but go old school and listen to SING SING SING.
Great review and a great ear catching the riff mimicking tuning the radio and the lyrical references. I think you'll really enjoy Rush...
Alex is actually the only original member of the band. Geddy joined early on shortly after the band had changed their name to Rush and Neil joined some years later when John Rutsey had to leave for health reasons (diabetic). No disrespect to John, but Neil was the final piece needed to make the band something uniquely special...
Please Play full Istermrental from Hemisphears La VilliaStrangiatio
Mate!, Don't get confussed, that was a journey through the radio. That's it.
Just like trying to find the radio station you want. Canadian treasures! Try “Tom Sawyer “ and “ YYZ from Rio “ ( an instrumental ) 10:14
This is what is known as progressive Rock. If you’ve never heard it you might be confused, but you’ll come to appreciate when you hear more of this type of genre or not.
You know, all these years I've never heard the comparison to Bon Scott, but you hit something there. It's the way they can hang out verse by verse in that high register, in a way that feels good and doesn't grate on the ears. Other big differences of course in how they express and articulate individual syllables.
To react to list : Avenged Sevenfold , Sevendust, Pantera and Deftones
About 10 years ago Radio 2 listeners voted this song as having the all-time best intro.
Yes Tom Sawyer is a great song showing the genius of Neal Peart drumming