Rush was a Canadian rock band formed in August 1968, in the Willowdale neighbourhood of Toronto, Ontario. The band was composed of bassist, keyboardist, and lead vocalist Geddy Lee, guitarist Alex Lifeson, and drummer and lyricist Neil Peart. The band and its membership went through a number of re-configurations between 1968 and 1974, achieving their current form as a power trio when Peart replaced original drummer John Rutsey in July 1974, two weeks before the group's first United States tour. Since the release of the band's self-titled debut album in March 1974, Rush has become known for its musicianship, complex compositions, and eclectic lyrical motifs drawing heavily on science fiction, fantasy, and philosophy, as well as addressing humanitarian, social, emotional, and environmental concerns. Rush's music style has changed over the years, beginning with blues-inspired heavy metal on their first album, then encompassing hard rock, progressive rock, and a period with heavy use of synthesizers. They have been cited as an influence by various musical artists, including Metallica, Primus, Rage Against the Machine and The Smashing Pumpkins, as well as progressive metal bands such as Dream Theater and Symphony X.
Rush has won a number of Juno Awards, and was inducted into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame in 1994 and later, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2013. Each member has also become officers of the Order of Canada. 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 numerous awards in magazine readers' polls. As a group, Rush possesses 24 gold records and 14 platinum (3 multi-platinum) records. Rush's sales statistics place them third behind The Beatles and The Rolling Stones for the most consecutive gold or platinum studio 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.
Guitarist Alex Lifeson announced that Rush was officially done in January 2018.
Band Members[]
- Geddy Lee - bass, keyboards, vocals
- Alex Lifeson - guitar
- Neil Peart - drums, percussion
Band History[]
The band started off as a heavy-blues act much in the style of Led Zeppelin. With the arrival of Peart in 1974, Rush started working towards their instantly recognizable blend of instrumental acrobatics and sci-fi/fantasy lyrics. Despite still getting airplay on classic rock radio and having a massive leigon of hardcore fans, Rush still isn't a critic's band. Their nineteenth studio album, Clockwork Angels was released in 2007.
Discography[]
Albums[]
STUDIO
- 1974 - Rush
- 1975 - Fly By Night
- 1975 - Caress of Steel
- 1976 - 2112
- 1977 - A Farewell To Kings
- 1978 - Hemispheres
- 1980 - Permanent Waves
- 1981 - Moving Pictures
- 1982 - Signals
- 1984 - Grace Under Pressure
- 1985 - Power Windows
- 1987 - Hold Your Fire
- 1989 - Presto
- 1991 - Roll The Bones
- 1993 - Counterparts
- 1996 - Test For Echo
- 2002 - Vapor Trails
- 2007 - Snakes & Arrows
- 2013 - Clockwork Angels
LIVE
- 1976 - All The World's a Stage
- 1981 - Exit, Stage Left
- 1989 - A Show of Hands
- 2003 - Rush In Rio
- 2005 - R30: 30th Anniversary World Tour
Cover albums[]
- 2004 - Feedback
Singles[]
Appears On[]
Compilations[]
Soundtracks[]
- Small Soldiers
- The Waterboy
Mix CDs[]
- Super Happy Fun-Time Chop-Sockey Mixed Album of Doom