Rush hour.....

Evening Rawkers. FYI, i'll be out of touch over next few days, so posting a blog a day early. Will be back up Sunday night.

I KNOW this post is going to bug certain people who hate the band (Rockin' Jerry). However, i have had a request for my perspective on Rush. And because i happen to LIKE these guys, i am going to oblige.

Now, i know my good friend from Tishamingo, Okla. would rather shove an ice pick in his ear than listen to Geddy Lee sing (and he would probably dispute that it's singing at all....). But there is a LOT to like about Rush, even if you don't care for Geddy's vocals. And i'll be the first to admit that he is something of an "acquired taste".

First, the band happens to feature three exceptional musicians who know their instruments better than most. Geddy is an unbelievable bass player, and has influenced a whole generation of hard rock bass players (along with Geezer Butler of Black Sabbath and Steve Harris of Iron Maiden). On the six-string axe, Alex Lifeson keeps the band in play with tasty guitar work in the fashion of all of the BEST rock trios, including Cream (future post on them later -- HUGE fan of their work).

And Neil Peart deserves his own paragraph, as the cat is one of the best musicians/percussionists to ever pick up drumsticks. Worth noting that he was not Rush's first drummer, as the skins first belonged to John Rutsey, who played on the tremendous debut album titled simply, Rush. One of my favorite rock songs of all time is on this album -- "Working Man". Peart's first album with Rush was Fly By Night, and Peart is credited with doing most of the band's lyrics ever since.

I will be the first to admit that listening to Geddy sing can grow a bit tiresome. And i know that many find his vocals to be far more screeching than singing. Personally, i can't take listening to more than 6-7 songs in a row. As said above, the only thing i can say is that he is an acquired taste, and he certainly is not for everyone. But for those who don't mind the vocal so much, Rush has an incredibly rich catelogue of rock that can challenge even the most jaded rock fan with their intelligence, complexity, depth and muscial nuance.

Three key cuts for the unitiated are "Working Man" (as already stated), "YYZ" off the Moving Pictures album, and "Limelight" off the Permanent Waves album.

One of my favorite concerts was Rush in Seattle on the Permanent Waves tour. Absolutely fantastic.

Go ahead and take shots at me for this opinion, but i'll defend Rush -- not as one of the greatest bands of all time, but certainly one that deserves very serious homage as a group of musician's musicians. Bottom line is: not everyone gets it. But for those who do, it's a full meal deal.

Go in peace....

G.O.T.