I think instead of saying MP is overrated it is more accurate to say Permanent Waves, Signals and GUP are vastly underrated. MP was so big it just dwarfed all the others, every song on that album is just fantastic. For whatever it’s worth, I think that Permanent Waves was their best album, I could listen to that on a loop all day.
I used to rent this concert from Blockbuster frequently in the late 80's. I never really thought about audio quality of VHS or the fact it was coming out of my TV speaker, it was just cool to see the guys playing live since I'd never seen them in the flesh. Now when I see it like this with this remaster (or whatever the adjustment is), it seems so much more exciting, I'm not sure why. The weapon was crazy energetic compared to what I remember from 30 years ago.
I love this song! This is not my favorite live version… but it’s “Witch Hunt”, like you said! This and “The Weapon” are my favs, I think! I know lyrics are not your thing, but It amazes me how relevant all 3 (especially this one) are still so relevant and true 42 years later! Master lyricist! Be well and God bless… from Texas!!
I saw this tour at the Cow Palace in SF. The base drums in this song reverberated in my chest. I will never forget it. This was the best song they played that night. And that is saying alot!!!!
A sign of the times and the technology? In the version on the Snakes & Arrows concert we see Neil “playing” the cowbell with a pedal but not on this version where we hear no cowbell.
Justin, your comments are great!! You are going through EXACTLY what every "dyed-in-the-wool", hard-core Rush fan did at the time a new album came out. Analyze and compare endlessly what their favorite album / song is!! Endlessly debating internally which one to pick. You really look like you are enjoying the GUP Tour video. However, be careful. You may becoming a hard-core Rush fan!! 😆 I should know. Been one since 1975!!!!
I think the significance of MP is it put rush really into the main stream for the first time. Yes, permanent waves was more main stream than anything before, but PW really caught traction after MP. Before that, the only songs you’re heard on the radio were working man, closer to the heart, and fly by night (Beyond album rock radio stations that is).
I get why some may say they like permanent waves, 2112, Hemispheres, Signals more than MP, but to say its overrated?...c'mon that's blowing smoke...killer performance of Witch Hunt here even with electronic drums🤘
I’ll be in the minority but I actually preferred Neil’s older Simmons electronic drums he was using here vs the Roland. Yes, Roland’s controllers are crazy good and can do anything but I loved the sound of these Simmons. And I own a Roland kit but still would love one of these older Simmons. My favorite live version of witch hunt is from a show of hands. Love Alex’s solo on that. Although I still love the bass solo on the studio.
Saw this tour in Dallas at the Cotton Bowl, one of the Texas Jams. It was a giant venue for a concert and we were way back away from the stage. Basically could not see the band, other than on the video screens. I preferred seeing them indoors in 1981 and 1983 both at Reunion Arena in Dallas.
The Weapon is the best of the three. Moving Pictures might seem overrated now, but there was really no way to think that in the early 80s (assuming you liked it and Rush in the first place), it was too new and unlike anything else. In 1981-82 there were no other bands/albums like Rush/Moving Pictures, it wasn't like other prog and it also wasn't like normal rock/pop, it somehow split the difference and felt unique and special. A LOT of people discovered Permanent Waves (which you can at least argue is a stronger album) only after hearing Moving Pictures. It was the gateway drug into Rush's back catalog, whereas you're looking at it from a much later total perspective on all their work. There are no weak tracks on Moving Pictures. You also didn't mention Red Barchetta which is brimming with great ideas, one of their more musically inspired, sophisticated and unique songs if you ask me.
Big fashion change from Moving Pictures/Exit Stage Left to P/G… even I had the mullet and rat-tail…skinny leather tie.. Robert Fripp King Crimson Bill Blass dinner jacket… Exposure and Fripp/Andy Summers… so much more to do after Rush…Adrian Belew!!!
I believe this tour was the one and only tour in which they played the Fear trilogy. And yes I still call it a trilogy. Freeze written about two decades later just doesn’t fit in musically with the others. In fact Freeze was never played live by the band even on the Vapor Trails tour.
Limelight might be Geddy's peak for vocals, IMO, plus the personal meaning for the song and the middle section make it an all timer for me. Then add that you don't seem to think much of The Camera Eye, and we see why you don't like MP as much. I think you need to give TCE more listens. It's not quite Natural Science but a bit better than Jacob's ladder, IMO.
I like how his electronic drums “look” like electronic drums here apposed to the later years where they looked like a traditional drum but had the d-drum pads in them. This was the first tour Witch Hunt was played live, then again on the Power Windows tour. Dropped until the Time Machine tour and never played live again. The Weapon made it two tours, and the Enemy Within only one.😢🤘🖖✌️🎸🎤🎹🥁
Ah. About instrumentals... For whatever reason, even though La Villa is an instrumental piece, if someone challenged me to "Name all Rush instrumentals", I would quickly (in chronological order, of course 😙) name everything except La Villa... If it's on the table, then yes, it is my fav as well, but not counting La Villa, my fav (as I commented somewhere else) is Leave that Thing Alone...
Speaking of LA Villa's Monsters section it was lifted from a Scott Raymond piece called Powerhouse from the 1940'S. It was used in a lot of cartoons from that era. If you want to check it out the it is at about the 1:15 mark of Powerhouse.
Never understood the talk about technology "catching up" so they could play this song live in '84 when they couldn't in '81 - what changed, really? I mean, Neil does NOT need to play the song on Simmons pads, that's a choice - I think on the record they are processed acoustic drums...and all they do is have Alex play the solo at the end instead of Geddy on the bass. It confounds me.
Moving Pictures overrated? Seriously? I've said it before, that string of records from 2112 through to Signals is shear greatness, many bands would be proud to call that a career. M.P. just might be a perfect record and leads beautifully into Signals (my personal favourite). So no, can't agree with you Justin. Moving Pictures is an amazing work and justifiably Rush's best selling album. As to Witch Hunt, for me this is not the best version of it, but it is an awesome song and my absolute favourite of the fear series. Thanks Justin
Dude doesn't like the song Limelight, LOL. Definitely can tell he didn't grew up with this music being released and hearing it the week it was new to the whole world (like I did).
You'll have to do this new Alex Lifeson interview, at some point. It's so much more than the Limelight solo, which is only a relatively small part of the whole. th-cam.com/video/zEJuuKELzko/w-d-xo.html
Moving Pictures contains 7 flawless songs, so to say it's over rated is, I would suggest, wide of the mark. Perhaps your view is being influenced by the fact that MP's sales are 3 to 4 times the size of Permanent Waves and Signals. Superior sales doesn't necessarily make it a better album, it's just the case that MP transcends the usual Rush fanbase, as does 2112. Excepting MP and 2112, Rush sales from their 75-85 albums, in the US at least, are very consistent, MP and 2112 are outliers.
Great show, but not quite to the level of the Rio through Snakes and Arrows trilogy, after which the level of musicianship holds or even improves, but Geddy’s voice progressively deteriorates.
Agreed, "Witch Hunt" is the weakest of the Fear trilogy. Plus, the need for Geddy to focus on his vocal and the keyboards means his little bass solo at the end is dropped and replaced by one from Alex that's way less interesting IMO.
I think instead of saying MP is overrated it is more accurate to say Permanent Waves, Signals and GUP are vastly underrated. MP was so big it just dwarfed all the others, every song on that album is just fantastic. For whatever it’s worth, I think that Permanent Waves was their best album, I could listen to that on a loop all day.
Spot on
Great take! 👏
Wow great voice by Geddy on this tour !
I used to rent this concert from Blockbuster frequently in the late 80's. I never really thought about audio quality of VHS or the fact it was coming out of my TV speaker, it was just cool to see the guys playing live since I'd never seen them in the flesh. Now when I see it like this with this remaster (or whatever the adjustment is), it seems so much more exciting, I'm not sure why. The weapon was crazy energetic compared to what I remember from 30 years ago.
I love this song! This is not my favorite live version… but it’s “Witch Hunt”, like you said! This and “The Weapon” are my favs, I think! I know lyrics are not your thing, but It amazes me how relevant all 3 (especially this one) are still so relevant and true 42 years later! Master lyricist! Be well and God bless… from Texas!!
I saw this tour at the Cow Palace in SF. The base drums in this song reverberated in my chest. I will never forget it. This was the best song they played that night. And that is saying alot!!!!
Loved the crowds cheer on Neil’s giant stick toss in the beginning.
How about Alex playing foot synthesizer? I was waiting for " nice job alex". Thats just for singing. Lol .Thanks Justin.
He plays them on Spirit of Radio and Enemy Within too. Nice job Alex. 🙂
That's an unbelievable wall of sound coming from 3 guys on stage.
Love Witch Hunt. Great live performance.
A sign of the times and the technology? In the version on the Snakes & Arrows concert we see Neil “playing” the cowbell with a pedal but not on this version where we hear no cowbell.
What’s also interesting to me? Is he decided to play this song on the electric kit when performing it live since GUP
Justin, your comments are great!! You are going through EXACTLY what every "dyed-in-the-wool", hard-core Rush fan did at the time a new album came out. Analyze and compare endlessly what their favorite album / song is!! Endlessly debating internally which one to pick. You really look like you are enjoying the GUP Tour video. However, be careful. You may becoming a hard-core Rush fan!! 😆 I should know. Been one since 1975!!!!
Great song, very powerful.
I saw this show in the Houston Astrodome. Rush and Ozzy were the headliners. AWESOME 🤘🤘🤘
I think the significance of MP is it put rush really into the main stream for the first time. Yes, permanent waves was more main stream than anything before, but PW really caught traction after MP. Before that, the only songs you’re heard on the radio were working man, closer to the heart, and fly by night (Beyond album rock radio stations that is).
This is what I go to a Rush concert for
yes! Great song, awesome concert also.
I get why some may say they like permanent waves, 2112, Hemispheres, Signals more than MP, but to say its overrated?...c'mon that's blowing smoke...killer performance of Witch Hunt here even with electronic drums🤘
I’ll be in the minority but I actually preferred Neil’s older Simmons electronic drums he was using here vs the Roland. Yes, Roland’s controllers are crazy good and can do anything but I loved the sound of these Simmons. And I own a Roland kit but still would love one of these older Simmons.
My favorite live version of witch hunt is from a show of hands. Love Alex’s solo on that. Although I still love the bass solo on the studio.
Saw this tour in Dallas at the Cotton Bowl, one of the Texas Jams. It was a giant venue for a concert and we were way back away from the stage. Basically could not see the band, other than on the video screens. I preferred seeing them indoors in 1981 and 1983 both at Reunion Arena in Dallas.
The Weapon is the best of the three. Moving Pictures might seem overrated now, but there was really no way to think that in the early 80s (assuming you liked it and Rush in the first place), it was too new and unlike anything else. In 1981-82 there were no other bands/albums like Rush/Moving Pictures, it wasn't like other prog and it also wasn't like normal rock/pop, it somehow split the difference and felt unique and special. A LOT of people discovered Permanent Waves (which you can at least argue is a stronger album) only after hearing Moving Pictures. It was the gateway drug into Rush's back catalog, whereas you're looking at it from a much later total perspective on all their work. There are no weak tracks on Moving Pictures. You also didn't mention Red Barchetta which is brimming with great ideas, one of their more musically inspired, sophisticated and unique songs if you ask me.
😊 I'm Happy!!
Even with the goofy rat tail Neil is a badass.
For me the best live performance, I know I bias to Alex but the opening man that was great
Big fashion change from Moving Pictures/Exit Stage Left to P/G… even I had the mullet and rat-tail…skinny leather tie.. Robert Fripp King Crimson Bill Blass dinner jacket… Exposure and Fripp/Andy Summers… so much more to do after Rush…Adrian Belew!!!
Best live version of Witch hunt is on Time Machine tour Cleveland IMO.
so right, same to me,
I believe this tour was the one and only tour in which they played the Fear trilogy. And yes I still call it a trilogy. Freeze written about two decades later just doesn’t fit in musically with the others. In fact Freeze was never played live by the band even on the Vapor Trails tour.
Limelight might be Geddy's peak for vocals, IMO, plus the personal meaning for the song and the middle section make it an all timer for me. Then add that you don't seem to think much of The Camera Eye, and we see why you don't like MP as much. I think you need to give TCE more listens. It's not quite Natural Science but a bit better than Jacob's ladder, IMO.
I like how his electronic drums “look” like electronic drums here apposed to the later years where they looked like a traditional drum but had the d-drum pads in them. This was the first tour Witch Hunt was played live, then again on the Power Windows tour. Dropped until the Time Machine tour and never played live again. The Weapon made it two tours, and the Enemy Within only one.😢🤘🖖✌️🎸🎤🎹🥁
@zig4zag20 Witch Hunt was played on Snakes & Arrows tour
@@demonicadog DAYMN you right you right. I TOTALLY forgot about that.🤘🖖✌️👌🖖🎹🎸🥁🎤
What's my favorite Rush song? Depends what day it is...
Very true
Ah. About instrumentals... For whatever reason, even though La Villa is an instrumental piece, if someone challenged me to "Name all Rush instrumentals", I would quickly (in chronological order, of course 😙) name everything except La Villa... If it's on the table, then yes, it is my fav as well, but not counting La Villa, my fav (as I commented somewhere else) is Leave that Thing Alone...
I don't think Freeze (part IV) was ever played live (like about half of Vapor Trails)
Very first tour they played this live
Speaking of LA Villa's Monsters section it was lifted from a Scott Raymond piece called Powerhouse from the 1940'S. It was used in a lot of cartoons from that era. If you want to check it out the it is at about the 1:15 mark of Powerhouse.
yup if you grew up watching Looney Tunes in the 70s you were likely to recognize it
Never understood the talk about technology "catching up" so they could play this song live in '84 when they couldn't in '81 - what changed, really? I mean, Neil does NOT need to play the song on Simmons pads, that's a choice - I think on the record they are processed acoustic drums...and all they do is have Alex play the solo at the end instead of Geddy on the bass. It confounds me.
They didn’t have the “space ships” like they did on Snake and Arrows tour. That’s why you didn’t like this one as much! LOL
I loved the sound of the "OG" Simmons Tom Modules added to Neils Tama Artstar kit, to bad they were unreliable & limited at first.
Moving Pictures overrated? Seriously? I've said it before, that string of records from 2112 through to Signals is shear greatness, many bands would be proud to call that a career. M.P. just might be a perfect record and leads beautifully into Signals (my personal favourite). So no, can't agree with you Justin. Moving Pictures is an amazing work and justifiably Rush's best selling album. As to Witch Hunt, for me this is not the best version of it, but it is an awesome song and my absolute favourite of the fear series. Thanks Justin
Second to none!
Dude doesn't like the song Limelight, LOL. Definitely can tell he didn't grew up with this music being released and hearing it the week it was new to the whole world (like I did).
You'll have to do this new Alex Lifeson interview, at some point. It's so much more than the Limelight solo, which is only a relatively small part of the whole. th-cam.com/video/zEJuuKELzko/w-d-xo.html
Moving Pictures contains 7 flawless songs, so to say it's over rated is, I would suggest, wide of the mark. Perhaps your view is being influenced by the fact that MP's sales are 3 to 4 times the size of Permanent Waves and Signals. Superior sales doesn't necessarily make it a better album, it's just the case that MP transcends the usual Rush fanbase, as does 2112. Excepting MP and 2112, Rush sales from their 75-85 albums, in the US at least, are very consistent, MP and 2112 are outliers.
WHAT
Great show, but not quite to the level of the Rio through Snakes and Arrows trilogy, after which the level of musicianship holds or even improves, but Geddy’s voice progressively deteriorates.
Witch Hunt is good but IMO it isn't necessarily a good concert song. There's a substantial amount of great stuff outside of permanent waves and MP.
Agreed, "Witch Hunt" is the weakest of the Fear trilogy. Plus, the need for Geddy to focus on his vocal and the keyboards means his little bass solo at the end is dropped and replaced by one from Alex that's way less interesting IMO.
This song never really grabbed me.