In The Beginning:
Rush is a Canadian rock band that formed in August 1968 in Toronto, Ontario. The
original line-up consisted of Alex Lifeson, front man Jeff Jones, and drummer John Rutsey.
Within a couple weeks of forming, and before their second performance, bassist and lead
vocalist Jones was replaced by Geddy Lee, a schoolmate of Alex Lifeson. After several lineup
reformations, Rush's official incarnation was formed in May 1971 consisting of Lee, Lifeson,
and Rutsey. The band and its membership went through a number of re-configurations
between 1968 and 1974, achieving their current form when Neil Peart replaced original
drummer John Rutsey in July 1974, two weeks before the group's first U.S. tour. That line-up
has been unchanged for ever since.
After gaining stability in the lineup and honing their skills on the local bar/high school dance
circuit, the band came to release their first single "Not Fade Away", a cover of the Buddy Holly
song, in 1973. Side B contained an original composition, "You Can't Fight It", credited to Lee
and Rutsey. The single generated little reaction and, because of record company indifference,
the band formed their own independent record label, Moon Records.
Since the release of the band's self-titled debut album in March 1974, Rush has become known for the instrumental skills of
its members, complex compositions, and eclectic lyrical motifs drawing heavily on science fiction, fantasy, and libertarian
philosophy, as well as addressing humanitarian, social, emotional, and environmental concerns. Musically, Rush's style has
changed over the years, beginning in the vein of blues-inspired heavy metal on their first album, then encompassing hard
rock, progressive rock, and a period dominated by synthesizers.
Rush's Debut Album:
With the aid of their manager Ray Danniels and the newly enlisted engineer Terry Brown, the band released their self-titled
debut album in 1974, which was considered highly derivative of Led Zeppelin. Rush had limited local popularity until the
album was picked up by WMMS, a radio station in Cleveland, Ohio. Donna Halper, a DJ and music director working at the
station, selected "Working Man" for her regular play list. The song's blue collar theme resonated with hard rock fans and this
new found popularity led to the album being re-released by Mercury Records in the U.S.
Immediately after the release of the debut album in 1974, Rutsey resigned due to health difficulties stemming from diabetes
and a general distaste for touring. Rush held auditions and eventually selected Neil Peart as Rutsey's replacement. Peart
officially joined the band on July 29, 1974, two weeks before the group's first U.S. tour. They performed their first concert
together, opening for Uriah Heep and Manfred Mann with an attendance of over 11,000 people at the Civic Arena in
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania on August 14. In addition to becoming the band's drummer, Peart assumed the role of principal
lyricist from Lee, who had very little interest in writing, despite penning the lyrics of the band's first album. Instead, Lee, along
with Lifeson, focused primarily on the musical aspects of Rush.
Rush's popularity reached its pinnacle with the release of Moving Pictures in 1981. Moving Pictures essentially continued
where Permanent Waves left off, extending the trend of highly accessible and commercially friendly pop-progressive rock
that helped thrust them into the spotlight. The lead track, "Tom Sawyer", is probably the band's best-known song with
"Limelight" also receiving satisfactory responses from listeners and radio stations. Moving Pictures was Rush's last album to
feature an extended song, the ten-and-a-half-minute "The Camera Eye". The song also contained the band's heaviest usage
of synthesizers up to that point, hinting that Rush's music was shifting direction once more. Moving Pictures reached #3 on
the Billboard 200 album chart and has been certified quadruple platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America.
Time stands still for three blind mice, and the rest is history.
Rush Album Sales & Awards:
Rush has won a number of Juno Awards, and was inducted into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame in 1994. Over their
careers, the members of Rush have been acknowledged as some of the most proficient players on their respective
instruments, with each band member winning several awards in magazine readers' polls. As a group, Rush possesses 24
gold records and 14 platinum (3 multi-platinum) records. According to the RIAA, Rush's sales statistics also place them fourth
behind The Beatles, The Rolling Stones and Aerosmith for the most consecutive gold or platinum albums by a rock band.
Rush also ranks 79th in U.S. album sales with 25 million units. Although total worldwide album sales are not calculated by any
single entity, as of 2004 several industry sources estimated Rush's total worldwide album sales at over 40 million units.
As of the release of their latest album, Snakes & Arrows in 2007, Rush has put out a total of 19 studio albums, 8 live albums,
8 compilation albums, 11 video albums, and have appeared on 20 soundtracks & other releases. They still continue to tour
after all these years.
Rush is a Canadian rock band that formed in August 1968 in Toronto, Ontario. The
original line-up consisted of Alex Lifeson, front man Jeff Jones, and drummer John Rutsey.
Within a couple weeks of forming, and before their second performance, bassist and lead
vocalist Jones was replaced by Geddy Lee, a schoolmate of Alex Lifeson. After several lineup
reformations, Rush's official incarnation was formed in May 1971 consisting of Lee, Lifeson,
and Rutsey. The band and its membership went through a number of re-configurations
between 1968 and 1974, achieving their current form when Neil Peart replaced original
drummer John Rutsey in July 1974, two weeks before the group's first U.S. tour. That line-up
has been unchanged for ever since.
After gaining stability in the lineup and honing their skills on the local bar/high school dance
circuit, the band came to release their first single "Not Fade Away", a cover of the Buddy Holly
song, in 1973. Side B contained an original composition, "You Can't Fight It", credited to Lee
and Rutsey. The single generated little reaction and, because of record company indifference,
the band formed their own independent record label, Moon Records.
Since the release of the band's self-titled debut album in March 1974, Rush has become known for the instrumental skills of
its members, complex compositions, and eclectic lyrical motifs drawing heavily on science fiction, fantasy, and libertarian
philosophy, as well as addressing humanitarian, social, emotional, and environmental concerns. Musically, Rush's style has
changed over the years, beginning in the vein of blues-inspired heavy metal on their first album, then encompassing hard
rock, progressive rock, and a period dominated by synthesizers.
Rush's Debut Album:
With the aid of their manager Ray Danniels and the newly enlisted engineer Terry Brown, the band released their self-titled
debut album in 1974, which was considered highly derivative of Led Zeppelin. Rush had limited local popularity until the
album was picked up by WMMS, a radio station in Cleveland, Ohio. Donna Halper, a DJ and music director working at the
station, selected "Working Man" for her regular play list. The song's blue collar theme resonated with hard rock fans and this
new found popularity led to the album being re-released by Mercury Records in the U.S.
Immediately after the release of the debut album in 1974, Rutsey resigned due to health difficulties stemming from diabetes
and a general distaste for touring. Rush held auditions and eventually selected Neil Peart as Rutsey's replacement. Peart
officially joined the band on July 29, 1974, two weeks before the group's first U.S. tour. They performed their first concert
together, opening for Uriah Heep and Manfred Mann with an attendance of over 11,000 people at the Civic Arena in
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania on August 14. In addition to becoming the band's drummer, Peart assumed the role of principal
lyricist from Lee, who had very little interest in writing, despite penning the lyrics of the band's first album. Instead, Lee, along
with Lifeson, focused primarily on the musical aspects of Rush.
Rush's popularity reached its pinnacle with the release of Moving Pictures in 1981. Moving Pictures essentially continued
where Permanent Waves left off, extending the trend of highly accessible and commercially friendly pop-progressive rock
that helped thrust them into the spotlight. The lead track, "Tom Sawyer", is probably the band's best-known song with
"Limelight" also receiving satisfactory responses from listeners and radio stations. Moving Pictures was Rush's last album to
feature an extended song, the ten-and-a-half-minute "The Camera Eye". The song also contained the band's heaviest usage
of synthesizers up to that point, hinting that Rush's music was shifting direction once more. Moving Pictures reached #3 on
the Billboard 200 album chart and has been certified quadruple platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America.
Time stands still for three blind mice, and the rest is history.
Rush Album Sales & Awards:
Rush has won a number of Juno Awards, and was inducted into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame in 1994. Over their
careers, the members of Rush have been acknowledged as some of the most proficient players on their respective
instruments, with each band member winning several awards in magazine readers' polls. As a group, Rush possesses 24
gold records and 14 platinum (3 multi-platinum) records. According to the RIAA, Rush's sales statistics also place them fourth
behind The Beatles, The Rolling Stones and Aerosmith for the most consecutive gold or platinum albums by a rock band.
Rush also ranks 79th in U.S. album sales with 25 million units. Although total worldwide album sales are not calculated by any
single entity, as of 2004 several industry sources estimated Rush's total worldwide album sales at over 40 million units.
As of the release of their latest album, Snakes & Arrows in 2007, Rush has put out a total of 19 studio albums, 8 live albums,
8 compilation albums, 11 video albums, and have appeared on 20 soundtracks & other releases. They still continue to tour
after all these years.
| RUSH History |
| Alex, Geddy, & John |
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As of 2011, Rush has not been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. This is an outrage and completely ridiculous.
Please click on the banner to the right to read and sign the petition. If you prefer, you can click here to preview the petition
before leaving this site. Thanks in advance for your cooperation and for visiting my website.
Please click on the banner to the right to read and sign the petition. If you prefer, you can click here to preview the petition
before leaving this site. Thanks in advance for your cooperation and for visiting my website.
