This is a repost of something I wrote a couple of years ago on Facebook, it's cross posted there too.
It
always comes back to Rush. Why does it always come back to Rush? It
just always comes back to those three guys from Canada. It just does.
I
just watched the new documentary about Rush, “Beyond the Lighted
Stage”. Like the famously cliched review, “I laughed, I
cried...”, I was touched in surprising ways.
Movies
about rock bands are a dime a dozen and most of them are as
forgettable as the bands they expose. Not this time. Maybe because
this is not the story of rock stars, but three life-long friends.
Anyway,
it always comes back to Rush for me. I, like many fans my age,
discovered Rush with their fourth album 2112. To say that it blew my
high school mind wouldn't be completely accurate, in hindsight.
Really how many of us, as sixteen year olds have much of a mind to
blow? Oh sure, we fancy ourselves intellectual or sophisticated, but
come on... now we all know better don't we?
It
probably wasn't until they were on their tragic and unintentional
sabbatical in the 1990s that I really came to appreciate their
profound influence on me. I came across their live album “Different
Stages” and became reacquainted with my old friends. That album
came out at about the same time we first had internet access at home.
So, like many fans of many artists, I had access to the Rush fan
community like never before. It was there that I found out what had
been happening with what had once been my favorite band. I read about
Neil's tragic loss of his daughter and wife. I explored releases that
I wasn't that familiar with, and heard the rumors of the bands
return. Hell, I didn't even know they'd been away! Some fan I was!
The
last dozen or so years have been amazingly prolific for the band, and
I've been there at every step. As soon as their latest tour was
announced I did two things that I'm not know for – I paid the
premium for a premium ticket and I bought only one ticket. Going to
concerts alone is not something I'm fond of doing, I like to share
the experience, but this time it felt like the right thing to do.
Man, Sept 18th can't get here soon enough!
So,
anyway, why does it always come back to Rush? Well, I don't want to
start quoting lyrics that have had an impact because there are too
many. It's not just the lyrics. Some of the instrumentals touch me in
a most powerful way. That might be hard to understand, but it's true.
Jazz legend Charlie Parker said, “If you don't live it, it won't
come out your horn.” That explains so much to me about the power of
instrumental music. There is life in those notes. To me, it's as
simple as that. There is life in there. Life.
Let
me summarize this ramble this way. If you want to truly understand
me, you have to understand Rush. You don't have to like them, but you
must understand them. Now, I know some could care less and that's
fine. Hell, sometimes I don't even care. But I've come to realize
that I understand more about myself through their music than just
about any other way these days. They inspire me like no other
artists.
That
being said, here is a short list of essential Rush tracks.
Closer
to the Heart
Spirit
of Radio
Entre
Nous
La
Villa Strangiato
Working
Man
Anthem
Tom
Sawyer
Limelight
Free
Will
Far
Cry
YYZ
Ok,
maybe not so short, but it could be much longer!
