Rush

Quite possibly the three most talented musicians in rock, forming the most accomplished Canadian group to date. The band had its origins in Toronto during the waning years of the 1960's. Bassist/vocalist Geddy Lee and guitarist Alex Lifeson met in the eighth grade and became fast friends. At first, they just jammed together in basements, playing everything from British blues, like the Yardbirds and Cream, to the emerging genre of heavy metal, pioneered by bands like Led Zeppelin and The Who. The two joined with John Rustey to form Rush and the band fast became a hit in the Toronto underground. They started by self producing a self-titled album and released it in 1974, on the independent label Moon Records. Early on, they showed a style heavily influenced by Led Zeppelin. After the first album, Rustey left the band to follow other interests. The band picked up Neil Peart to replace him, a move that would be a profound influence in the shaping of the fledgeling band. The first album sold so well that Chicago's Mercury Records took notice and signed the band, and they have been together ever since. Peart's influence not only changed the band musically, but also stylistically. He had a an imagination inspired by science fiction. This eventually lead to Rush's breakthrough album in 1976, "2112." This represented a major change, as they departed from heavy metal and moved into patterns of nuance and trance and originated what became a Rush trademark: dramatic stop-time arrangements. In 1980, with the release of "Permanent Waves," the band made an even greater change of style. They ceased to make music as art and focused on writing songs for FM radio and concerts. Lee stole the spotlight with his newfound, spectacular performances on the synthesizer. According to Lee, the change resulted from the fact that their concern for the big picture of their concepts caused their meaning to become vague. As with "2112," the album "Moving Pictures" ushered in the new style and kicked off a decade of stage influence rivaling that of any other band. Their sound changing slightly from album to album, Rush worked its way up to 1990, when they released "Chronicles," a two disc greatest hits album that highlighted the musical evolution of the band. The subsequent albums marked another change, one unpopular with many Rush fans. Staring in 1995, Alex Lifeson worked in a side project called Victor, but the band remained intact, releasing another record the following year. Throughout their career, the band periodically released live albums, either to supplement their current record or to fill in the "creative gaps" between albums.

Discography:

"Rush" (1974) "Fly By Night" (1975) "Caress of Steel" (1975)