Rush - (prog rock, hard rock, heavy metal / Canada)
Rush was a Canadian rock band formed in Toronto in 1968, consisting of Geddy Lee (bass, vocals, keyboards, composer), Alex Lifeson (guitars, composer), and Neil Peart (drums, percussion, lyricist). After its formation in 1968, the band went through several configurations before arriving at its classic power trio lineup with the addition of Peart in 1974, who replaced original drummer John Rutsey right after the release of their eponymous debut album, which contained their first highly-regarded song, "Working Man".
After Peart joined the band, Rush achieved commercial success in the 1970s with several albums. Rush continued to record and perform until 1997, after which the band entered a four year hiatus due to personal tragedies in Peart's life. The trio regrouped in 2001 and released three more studio albums.
They ceased large-scale touring at the end of 2015, and Lifeson announced in January 2018 that the band would not continue. On January 7, 2020, Peart died of glioblastoma, a type of brain cancer at the age of 67.
Rush is known for its musicianship, complex compositions, and eclectic lyrical motifs drawing heavily on science fiction, fantasy and philosophy. The band's style changed over the years, from a blues-inspired hard rock beginning, later moving into progressive rock, then a period marked by heavy use of synthesizers, before returning to guitar-driven hard rock since the end of the 1980s. The members of Rush have been acknowledged as some of the most proficient players on their respective instruments, with each winning numerous awards in magazine readers' polls.
Also known as: The Projection (1968), Hadrian (1969)
Years active: 1968 - 2018
Short biography (1968 till 1974):
The band was formed in the neighbourhood of Willowdale in Toronto, Ontario, by guitarist Alex Lifeson, bassist and frontman Jeff Jones, and drummer John Rutsey, in August 1968. Lifeson and Rutsey had been friends since a young age and played together in The Projection, a short lived band that broke up earlier in the year. The two stuck together and brought in Jones to form a new group; their first gig was in September at the Coff-Inn, a youth centre in the basement of St. Theodore of Canterbury Anglican Church in nearby North York.
They had not named themselves at the time of the booking; Rutsey's brother Bill thought they needed a name that was short and to the point. He suggested Rush, and the group went with it. When Jones chose to attend a party hours before their second gig, Lifeson got his schoolmate Gary "Geddy" Weinrib to step in on lead vocals and bass. Jones did not return, so Weinrib became their frontman, adopting the stage name Geddy Lee. Rush rehearsed a set mainly formed of covers by various rock artists, including Cream, Jimi Hendrix, and John Mayall and underwent several lineup configurations that included Lindy Young on keyboards and various instruments, Joe Perna on bass and vocals, and Mitchel Bossi on second guitar. For a brief time, Lee was kicked out of the band after Rutsey wished to recruit a new bassist; Lifeson complied and the group of Lifeson, Rutsey, and Perna named themselves Hadrian. After a disastrous gig with Perna, Rutsey invited Lee back and the group continued as Rush. In May 1971, the band stabilised as a trio of Lifeson, Rutsey, and Lee.
Members:
Definitive lineup:
Alex Lifeson – guitars, backing vocals, synthesizers (1968–2018)
Geddy Lee – lead and backing vocals, bass guitar, keyboards, synthesizers, guitar (1968–1969, 1969–2018),[216][217] lyrics (1973–1974)
Neil Peart – drums, percussion, lyrics (1974–2015; died 2020)
Former members:
John Rutsey – drums, percussion, backing vocals (1968–1974, died 2008), lyrics (1968–1973)
Jeff Jones – bass guitar, lead vocals (August–September 1968)
Lindy Young – keyboards, backing and lead vocals, guitars, percussion, harmonica (January–July 1969)
Joe Perna – bass guitar, lead and backing vocals (May–July 1969)
No comments:
Post a Comment