2112

[Torben]

w00t!

This is my 2112th post. As a Canadian drummer geek in his mid-thirties, I count this as a milestone.

In celebration: YouTube - Rush - 2112 ( A Show Of Hands )

As my dad said years ago: "These guys must be good musicians. They sure didn't get famous by being pretty.".


Torben

 

[Mikebits]

Rush is my most favorite band. 2112 is a top song they did. My fav is Fairwell to kings.

Geddy Lee did have an Ugly mug.

 

[Mikebits]

I think this band were scholars. They read their history books.

 

[Mikebits]

Caress of steel album was pretty good too.

 

[Nigel Goodwin]

"In Xanadu did Kubla Khan a stately pleasure dome decree"

Good album!.

 

[Mikebits]

"In Xanadu did Kubla Khan a stately pleasure dome decree"

Good album!.

They were good.

Very insightful band.

 

[Torben]

Yup. Neil Peart (the drummer) wrote most of the lyrics and was granted an honourary doctorate from Queens University in literature for it. In the '90s Peart was hit by the deaths of his daughter and wife within a year of each other.

The band sure knows their history, that's for sure. These guys know their stuff.

Also my favourite band, along with the Beatles. Without the albums Anthem, 2112, Grace Under Pressure, A Farewell to Kings, and Presto (from Rush) and Abbey Road, Magical Mystery Tour, Sgt. Pepper's, and the white album (from the Beatles--duh) I'd be a very different person.

There are a lot of other musicians who've affected me but for some reason the Beatles and Rush are the ones I think had the biggest impact on me over their careers. Not comparing the two here or anything.


Torben

[Edit: Is it weird for me, a drummer, to be so in love with the two bands who have or had the drummers who have been acclaimed as the best drummer in rock history, and the worst drummer in rock history? Personally I think the drumming on the Beatles albums is brilliant but I know a lot of crap has been flung Ringo's way over the years.]

 

[Mikebits]

They were masters of the trade. Remember their song "I think I am going Bald" I liked that tune a lot.

 

[Mikebits]

Those guys were college majors, you can tell by the classical style they used. Great band.

 

[Torben]

They were masters of the trade. Remember their song "I think I am going Bald" I liked that tune a lot.

On Caress of Steel. Good album, I agree. Back in the days when their albums often were still 70's-style concept works. I also liked Lakeside Park, not because it was one of their better songs, but because one of my drummer magazines had the notes for it one month so I learned it and listened to it a lot because of that.


Torben

 

[Mikebits]

Lakeside park was not one of my favorites, but still good, I like most Rush songs. I think they were innovators, they put the Moog on the map. Tom sawyer had some cool songs too in the later era of Rush.

 

[Torben]

Apropos of nothing and really just to brag, shortly after high school I learned to play La Villa Strangiato front to back. Got a 98% from the adjudicator. The version I learned was longer than the one in the linked video, though.


Torben

 

[Torben]

OK, last unprovoked blast on this topic. For those interested in Neil Peart and Rush: YouTube - Neil Peart

Enjoy.


Torben

 

[Nigel Goodwin]

Is it weird for me, a drummer, to be so in love with the two bands who have or had the drummers who have been acclaimed as the best drummer in rock history, and the worst drummer in rock history?

I wasn't aware that Rush's drummer was acclaimed at all, I've never even heard his name until this post.

I thought Carl Palmer was generally rated as one of the best drummers?.

 

[Torben]

I wasn't aware that Rush's drummer was acclaimed at all, I've never even heard his name until this post.

I thought Carl Palmer was generally rated as one of the best drummers?.

There are many "best drummers". In jazz or bebop we talk about Max Roach (listen to that brush work!), Papa Jo Jones, Philly Jo Jones, [insert any Jones you like here], Art Blakey, and of course Buddy Rich & Gene Krupa (duh). There are a lot more I can't remember right now.

I have to admit a personal bias and say that in psych/funk, nobody touched Mitch Mitchell.

In rock , there are also a bunch. Starr was often accused of being the worst working drummer in rock, but for my money his work was amazing. Keith Moon and John Bonham, of course, and Charlie Watts, are also among the greats. Emerson, Lake, and Palmer (how most people know Carl Palmer) were also outstanding, as was Palmer's drumming. For cymbal and hi-hat work, few are as good as Stewart Copeland. (Weird how you Brits seem to churn out so many great rock drummers). Dave Clark was/is an unheralded great one (earlier Rheostatics albums and The Dinner is Ruined Band) and in early funk metal both Mike Portnoy and Chad Smith are pretty amazing.

I know there are a million great drummers I'm not including but my basic point is that yeah, Palmer was great. . .but he just didn't hit me the way Peart did.


Torben

(And no worries: we Canadians are used to having our own heroes that no-one else has heard of. ]

nb. I consider feel to be as important as chops. Some players have amazing chops and no feel, and vice versa. As you might guess from my picks, I'll take feel over chops any day as long as the chops are workable.

 

[Ross Craney]

Mark Craney from the Animals - a long lost rello of mine.
Joke - what do you call someone who hangs around bands ?
- a drummer

 

[tcmtech]

The music I like is what I like. I dont care if anyone tells me its great or terrible.
I like many of the rush and the beatles songs too but not all. Still good bands all the way around!

country however could curl up and die for all I care! Reallly! Its the only type of music that just does not sit well with me. I just dont care for the sound, the lyrics, the tempo, or the fake drawl of the singers. Randy Travis is a fair actor and I Will watch any show or movie he is in but when he sings I just want to smack him with a shovel until he quits!

 

[killivolt]

Great Thread. Torben.

When I was growing up all my friends played music. I picked it up by osmosis one day they didn't have a bass player and they shoved it into my hands and said play these notes over and over and over until we tell you to quit.

Soon I had the hole song. After that it's guitar and now I play but, mostly collect guitars and amps.

One of my friends became a backup drummer for "Grand Funk
Railroad"

what do you call someone who hangs around bands a Drummer.

Yes, that was exactly what he did. Then he became the backup. He was not so versatile but, he could play every single song they ever done from memory.

The Guitar Player moved back east played all over the south for about 7 years and when he came back suddenly somehow he was asked to play a local festival celebrating Wood Stock they call it " Live Stock" he opened with a band called "Under the Gun" 40,000 people. Plus they had the lead singer from "Guess who"

That Year it included "Carlo's Santana" and was able to meet and gig with him for awhile.

We seem to have a lot of talented people here ?

Now I have another friend telling me that the Drummer from "Air supply" mentoring kids in the area around by "Park City Utah." his kid is one of them.

One of the best things I ever did was learn to play music it has kept my sanity.

Oh, and what I was actually going to say is "Rush" is a "Bands Band" what I mean is there are some bands you don't really know exist were it not for the fact that you know someone who plays music professionally.

I wanted to know if anyone is familiar with a band called "Dream Theater" Rush happens to be a great influence in their music. I would tend to believe that one of the best bassist I've herd is " John Myung "

kv

 

[Torben]

Mark Craney from the Animals - a long lost rello of mine.
Joke - what do you call someone who hangs around bands ?
- a drummer

Hehe. Yup.

Q: How do you know that it's a drummer who's knocking on your door?
A: He's rushing the beat.

Q: What did the drummer get on his IQ test?
A: Drool.

Of course, we drummers have our own jokes.

Q: How do you keep two guitarists in tune?
A: Shoot one.


Torben

 

[Torben]

One of the best things I ever did was learn to play music it has kept my sanity.

Absolutely.

Oh, and what I was actually going to say is "Rush" is a "Bands Band" what I mean is there are some bands you don't really know exist were it not for the fact that you know someone who plays music professionally.

Pretty much true. I know that Rush is one of those love 'em or hate 'em bands, certainly. But certainly a band's band.

I wanted to know if anyone is familiar with a band called "Dream Theater" Rush happens to be a great influence in their music. I would tend to believe that one of the best bassist I've herd is " John Myung "

I've heard of them but never heard their music. I probably should. They've said many times that Rush was a big influence, as have Spock's Beard (another prog band with Rush influences).


Torben