comment #1

bmcintire says ...

Granted, they are no great shakes (a few cuts from "Moving Pictures" are okay), but this is hilarious to hear from a man who came all over yet another documentary about The Doors.

comment #2

LFF says ...

The film world equivalent of Rush fans is the cult of DePalma. Cool to hate, but many people secretly like something out of their catalog, and there is no way to win an argument with the true believers.

comment #3

Jeffrey Wells says ...

I dcn't remember coming all over Tom DeCillo's Doors doc. I remember saying it was pretty good for what it was except for the narration (based on a version I saw in Park City last January).

comment #4

Geoff says ...

Limelight is a good song. And Neal Peart is an excellent drummer. I can't listen to a lot of Rush, but I have respect.

comment #5

FlyOver says ...

"The fact that they're especially big in Middle America should tell you a lot. " Well, FU, too.

comment #6

THE MovieBob says ...

I wouldn't call myself a "fan," but "Trees" - moreso the lyrics than the music - has been good to me during some pitch-dark moments throughout the years.

comment #7

THE MovieBob says ...

Oh, and they're "big in Middle-America" with people who DESPISE having to be IN Middle-America, which goes hand-in-hand with the band's on-and-off Ayn Rand thing. If Ayn Rand was alive to see her quotes being slung around by the "tea party," she'd probably throw herself off a building...

comment #8

corey3rd says ...

Rush worked best back in the college dorm with that gallon jug of rubber cement left open. The cool thing about Rush was when Geddy did the Great White North stuff.

I was more impressed by Strange Powers about the Magnetic Fields and Geoff Edgers' "Do It Again" about wanting to reunite the Kinks in the midst of a midlife/career crisis.

comment #9

Dire Wolf says ...

Not a big fan. the only albums I can listen to all the way through are MOVING PICTURES and 2112. the rest are too hit and miss and a lot of embarrassing lyrics. I think NP is a great drummer, but a lousy lyricist. Still, they can be pretty powerful but I never got all the fandom myself. Considering what the man has been through in his personal life (losing his wife and teenage daughter in the same year), I think highly of him and the band, even if I don't consider myself a big fan.

It IS VERY funny when Wells tries to say anything about R&R. His tastes are, at best, hysterically out of touch.

You feel me?

comment #10

Dire Wolf says ...

Oh, and a PS @Wells: Rush is MUCH bigger in Europe/South America/etc than they are in your much hated "middle America."

comment #11

R. Hunt says ...

I live right in the middle of the country and every year the local dinosaur rock station has a "March Bandness" competition where they place a full roster of "classic rock" acts against each other. Rush always makes it to the final four...

comment #12

dinther says ...

Jeff, I simply don't get this faux elitism with you. honestly another "middle America" swipe? you gushed over AVATAR - the most trite, bottom-feeding script of the year.

your tastes are not nearly as erudite as you imagine. seriously, it sounds petty, close-minded. take a tip from Ebert, and get over this artifice.

comment #13

Travis Crabtree says ...

Wells... again with the comment-baiting jab at Flyover Country.
It's becoming self-parodying. Anyway.....

I was never a fan of Rush for many of the reasons stated above. I did fail miserably, though, to check their voting records, which, like Jeffrey, is vital in deciding whether or not to enjoy someone's artistic endeavors. Lord.

Anyhoo.... yeah, that girly voice always bugged the snot out of me. Also, the band is very talented. Too musically talented. (bear with me). The three of them always sounded to me like they were all playing solos at the same time throughout the duration of each song.

It's one of the weird things about music. In the end, (for me at least), it's all about whether or not you like the way it sounds. The guys in Rush are far better, more skilled musicians than the Ramones.

Who would I rather listen to?

That's right. Gabba gabba hey!

Although my mind is, in fact, not for rent.

comment #14

Mr. Sheldrake says ...

"your tastes are not nearly as erudite as you imagine. seriously, it sounds petty, close-minded. take a tip from Ebert, and get over this artifice. "

Exactly. Wells loved Avatar and has no idea who Kiarostami is. His floundering attempts to portray himself as "hip, urban, and sophisticated" (or at least his perception of this) become more laughable each day. The comical posturing is really the only reason I keep reading this silly blog. Urban Outfitters hasn't made a pair of shoes yet that can cure old age or middlebrow taste.

comment #15

Gordn27 says ...

"The fact that they're especially big in Middle America should tell you a lot. Their music is shrill, excruciating, repellent, un-catchy, and about as un-melodically melodic as anything I've ever heard."

Every band I've ever heard you refer to as somebody that you like is more popular in Middle America than Rush. This is because you've never shown any desire to stretch your musical tastes, which died sometime around 1972. (That's not a criticism, that is approximately when classic rock reached its pinnacle.)

comment #16

Dire Wolf says ...

Too bad Geddy Lee never sodomized an underage girl. He'd be a true artist in Wells' eyes.

comment #17

longrunner says ...

'His floundering attempts to portray himself as "hip, urban, and sophisticated" (or at least his perception of this) become more laughable each day. The comical posturing is really the only reason I keep reading this silly blog.'

Me too! No shortage of laughs!

comment #18

azmoviegoer says ...

".I was never a fan of Rush for many of the reasons stated above. I did fail miserably, though, to check their voting records, which, like Jeffrey, is vital in deciding whether or not to enjoy someone's artistic endeavors. Lord."

"Although my mind is, in fact, not for rent."

Travis- well said....thanks for the laughs.

ps I own the Rush cd box set so I guess that makes me tone deaf in addition to being an Eloi.

comment #19

rsgoald says ...

Attacking one of the World's greatest rock bands because you personally don't like their music is ignorant and reprehensible. Jeff I am surprised by this vitriolic attack. It is not founded in reason but personal taste
You owe Rush and their fans an apology

comment #20

Dire Wolf says ...

Ummm, rsgoald, is this the first time you've ever been here?

LOL.

comment #21

elzilcho says ...

@bmcintire: The Doors, for all their flaws and limitations, are ten times the band that Rush will ever be.

comment #22

Deathtongue_Groupie says ...

Certainly park my car in the same garage as Jeff in regards to Rush. I was always perplexed by Northerners and Midwest types who mooned over them until one day it dawned on me - Geddy Lee's voice suggests that truly ANYONE can become a rock star.

As someone once said, they can be summed up very succinctly as a CANADIAN rock band.

comment #23

Mr. F. says ...

Apparently I'm the only one here who's a *gigantic* Rush fan... though I love a LOT of bands from across the musical spectrum. (Having said that, I think Rush's last great album... was Counterparts, back in '93 or so. It's been a while.)

It's probably the fact that I'm a musician and know that no matter how hard I were to practice either the bass, guitar or drums... I'd never be as good as the guys in Rush. They're among the absolute best performers of their instruments in music... no hyperbole. Geddy's voice, yes, does leave something to be desired... but it's definitely mellowed and gotten better over the years with age. And Peart's lyrics can be hit or miss, but there's lots of thoughtful stuff in there.

As for them being Rand fans -- that was only Peart for a few years back in the late 70s. I don't think that's even come up from him in, oh, *30 years* or so. Don't try to paint them with that broad brush -- Wells, I don't remember you lambasting Teddy Kennedy when he died for driving women off bridges.

Besides 2112, the first few years of Rush were less than interesting, and Geddy's voice extra-grating... so Wells, I forgive you if that's mostly what the doc is about -- I hadn't heard a THING about the movie until you posted this, but I'm surprised the one-sheet looks to be them in the late '70s. They've changed and evolved (and yes, improved) much over the years.

(But as for them being favorites in "Middle America"... I can only LAUGH at that. From my own experience, they're much more popular on the coasts/cities... I had a midwesterner tell me they all think Rush is "faggoty" years ago. And FORGET finding a hardcore Rush fan in the South. But hey, whatever works for your "Flyover" narrative!)

comment #24

Pinko Punko says ...

Pseew Pseeew Da na na nar da na na nar No worries/No worries.

I want to say Wells never turned on at a laser Rush show at the science museum. Then Jeff would recount some seriously AWESOME stories about turning on to some band or other. Probably The James Gang.

comment #25

mat says ...

Rush is the king of mullet rock. I have no problem with them, but I also don't spend a lot of time listening - I respect them as being uniquely non-blues based and completely out of fashion with any given time period. And Wells is on with the perverse circles of middle America (paraphrasing) observation. I'm living in it every day, and not necessarily with a smile. Not everyone in Middle America is the same (duh), but enough of them are - and loud enough - to warrant the perception they've achieved.

comment #26

CitizenKanedforChewingGum says ...

"They're among the most loathed bands of all time by the measure of most respected rock critics."

Hah, this statement could NOT be further from the truth (even more off-base than the "big in middle America" quip). Btw, who are some of today's most "respected" rock critics? Give me five names.

Hell, give me one name.

comment #27

Mr. F. says ...

One more thing: as the only guests -- musical or otherwise -- to have an entire episode of "The Colbert Report" dedicated to them... isn't that proof enough that they aren't just lowbrow musical hacks?

(And don't forget the big influence Rush had in I LOVE YOU, MAN)

comment #28

bmcintire says ...

@elzilcho - Again, no big fan of Rush, but the Doors? Seriously?

comment #29

MilkMan says ...

What about the voice of Geddy Lee? How did it get so high? I bet he speaks like an ordinary guy. (I know him. And he does.) And you're my fact-checking cuz.

comment #30

Jeffrey Wells says ...

If I had a TERRIBLE SWIFT SWORD, I would smite Rush and the jaundiced taste buds that have given this Godforsaken Middle American squiggly piss-band a pass for so many decades. They are HELL to listen to.

comment #31

Mr. F. says ...

Wells: "Terrible swift sword"? Who are you, Neil Peart circa 1978??

Besides, if there's one thing I think you'd appreciate about Rush: they're the exact opposite music that a Hispanic party elephant would be playing in their apartment at 2 in the morning...

Seriously, I don't think any of their albums from the late-80s on have any of the screeching vocals that you hate so much. It's like I need to make you a mix tape or something.

comment #32

Glenn Kenny says ...

Hey Jeff, any idea of what MilkMan is talking about? (This ought to be good...)

comment #33

Dire Wolf says ...

MIlk Man, I wish you would post more regularly here. You're missed. But I can't blame you for not.

comment #34

aris says ...

Oh please.

Let me tell all of you my thoughts and opinions about astrophysics, or 12th century japanese haikus.

I'm sure I'll convince everyone how right i am.

comment #35

DeeZee says ...

Digital Bits hints @ an October 2011 Blu-Ray release for the entire Star Wars film series.
Dunno if I agree on all of these, since 'Dollars and Departed come off bloated. Plus, Scarface should be #1.

comment #36

lipranzer says ...

I was a fan of Rush back in the day, mostly of "Moving Pictures," and "Subdivisions" was one of the first songs I learned on the piano. They are definitely a hit-and-miss band, and certainly I can understand an aversion to Geddy Lee's voice, even if I don't happen to share it (for songs he did in a lower register, try "New World Man" or some of their later stuff). But Neil Peart is one of the best rock drummers I've ever heard, and as for their Rand-like lyrics, I agree that's a little simplistic - "Big Money," for example, doesn't strike me especially as Rand-like. Plus, I give them credit for staying together for so long.

Dislike the band all you want, but don't call the movie dishonest. It just sounds like the work of fans who obviously love the music.

comment #37

gogocrank10 says ...

Love Rush, and I'm not ashamed. I can certainly understand people not liking them, but in the pantheon you could really do a lot worse. Here, I'll start for you: Styx, Journey, REO Speedwagon, Survivor ... the list of has-been parking lot butt rock AOR goes on and on, but Rush is as relevant (in their particular circle) as ever, and also pretty much the longest running rock band with an unchanged line-up, followed only by U2. Credit where credit is due.

Regardless, Rush is and always will be an easy target. I wonder what you'd think or make of an incredible band like LCD Soundsystem, whose new "This is Happening" will likely be lauded as the album of the year? Or the Dirty Projectors, who are every bit as "difficult" to listen to as Rush but ten times hipper than you or me? (Well, hipper than you, at least.) Kenny's right that the fact the Pavement reference likely (OK, definitely) flies over your head shows where we should set the hip scale and then calibrate coolness (or lack thereof) from there.

comment #38

Bob Violence says ...

the Doors were garbage and I'm glad he's dead

comment #39

gogocrank10 says ...

Oh, and yeah, there's as much John Dos Passos in Rush as anything else, and the Rand thing hasn't really factored in since, well, more or less since when Jeff stopped listening. If anything, the band's recent lyrics, clunky though they may be, are downright secular humanist.

comment #40

lipranzer says ...

I hate to get D.Z. and hijack the thread, but Dede Allen, one of the great editors ever, has passed away. R.I.P.

http://www.latimes.com/news/obituaries/la-me-dede-allen18-2010apr18,0,1409759,full.story

comment #41

Travis Crabtree says ...

As far as Jeffrey goes, what you say about his company is what you say about society.

Oh yeah... and his mind is not for rent.

comment #42

Holy Spokes says ...

Bad taste is not remotely exclusive to the middle of the country.

comment #43

Noah Cross says ...

Oh...This isn't about Limbaugh?

comment #44

DeeZee says ...

Wow, I haven't seen the guy on the left in ages.

comment #45

dixiedugan66 says ...

Don't blame Middle America...blame Canada.

comment #46

DavidF says ...

I know I'm late to the game but...
The guys in Rush are among the most technically proficient as anyone you can name. They are a "musician's band" in many respects and there are few drummers who don't wish they were Neil Peart.
That said, I'd expect even a hardcore Rush fan to admit they're not for everyone.
They have a few great FM classics (Tom Sawyer, Limelight, Subdivisions) but also 10-minute jams that are more mathematically impressive than soulful and, of course, weird Ayn Rand-inspired sci-fi epics. (By-Tor and the Snow Dog is my personal favourite absurd song title.

As such, their music can generally be characterized as "hard rock" but it's impossible to put them in the same category as Pantera, Poison, Megadeth or nearly any other metal act you can name.
It's easy to pick on Geddy Lee's voice - on the early albums he sounds a lot like a high-pitched Robert Plant - but he's certainly no worse than Brian Johnson or a host of other acquired tastes.

I recall reading Peart's book and he talked about how he never got The Beatles, all while touting how much he was listening to the great, new Vertical Horizon album.

The point? They can be pretentious jackasses and they're not designed to appeal to everyone's taste but they are very far from untalented.

comment #47

gogocrank10 says ...

Since we're talking about it, the whole proficiency thing is a red herring. There are a ton of bands/players more "talented" than the guys in Rush, and many of them suck ten times worse. But more importantly, the Rush guys are actually pretty inventive craftsmen. Many of the descriptions of them in this thread describe them 30 years ago. But really the band has been very much streamlined for years. The arrangements are still pretty busy, but the songs have been a far cry from 10-minute prog epics for a long, long time. If anything, I've always been impressed by how many hooks and bits Rush has bee able to fit into relatively compact songs. Alex is as much a stylist as Andy Summers or the Edge - a lead rhythm player - and Geddy's vocals mellowed long ago.

Basically, Geddy is no more a banshee than Robert Plant, and for the sake of comparison, a band like Yes - pretentious, yelpy, show-offy, too fantasy-worldy - is everything people say about Rush that Rush is not. Hell, the mighty Steely Dan is every bit as show-offy as Rush, and without a doubt more complex/technical. DavidF is right that Rush is essentially "hard rock," whatever that means, but the group sort of transcends the genre.

Anyway, it's the vitriol of the original post that gets me. I can understand not liking Rush - again, not that controversial a stance - but I imagine there's a vast scope of universally praised music we'd be more shocked to learn Wells does not like, or has never even heard of.

comment #48

Dire Wolf says ...

Well, gogocrank, please recall hat Wells slammed THE WIRE, the most critically lauded show in TV history and my pick as the single bet TV show ever, while lauding such lesser shows as THE SOPRANOS and MAD MEN (granted, the first two seasons of each of those shows WERE stellar, but they went downhill after. I think MM can come back from it's subpar 3rd season where only the last ep was spot on perfect). If it ain't lily white, Wells can't connect to it, which should mean he SHOULD like Rush. You don't get more white than Rush. Ay?

comment #49

JapAdapters says ...

We'll always have Kerry Von Erich's entrances.

comment #50

JapAdapters says ...

Oh, please. Not THE WIRE (a show I LOVE) hyperbole again.

No show that fell off a cliff (make that the planet) like THE WIRE did in season five can complain about other shows dipping in quality from season to season. (And season two of THE WIRE was a pretty big dip in and of itself.)

The third season of MAD MEN was brilliant, and if there's a piece of fiction that's been more lauded by critics than the first three seasons of THE SOPRANOS in the last 15 years, I must have missed it.

comment #51

dixiedugan66 says ...

How fucking brilliant is it that we can have Kerry Von Erich, Ayn Rand, and The Wire in one conversation?

comment #52

bluefugue says ...

Geddy Lee's voice is annoying, but Tom Sawyer is a remarkable piece of music. Far more complex than most pop/rock.

comment #53

peter says ...

coach brooke always attract people's attention, since people are fond of coach handbags especially coach baby bag .

comment #54

corey3rd says ...

so Jeff isn't hip with the kids cause he can't stand a band that's true glory days were nearly three decades ago?

Ultimately here's the question: When is the last time anyone got laid while playing a Rush record - and with a partner who isn't deaf or on roofies? "Slow down, honey, I want to sync with Geddy's bass solo"

comment #55

CitizenKanedforChewingGum says ...

It's a mistake to lump Rush in with most of the dinosaur rock (I won't bother to give any examples, but gogo gets a pretty good start on it in comment #37). I don't know about getting laid while playing a Rush record, but there sure are a lot of people getting laid after their concerts.

And I can hardly think of a more relevant band today that was formed over 40 years ago. I don't know that they're "hip" per se -- although their appearance on the "Colbert Report" certainly suggests otherwise -- but they are fucking awesome, and that's all I really care about.

Meanwhile today's trendy bands like Temper Trap or Dirty Heads will be lucky to be remembered four years from now -- let alone still be around in 40.

comment #56

aris says ...

Journey get a bad rap all the time. 10 albums - countless hits - album after album of multi-platinum sales. Arena rock or not, corporate or not (whatever that means), they had great songs and one of the most amazing singers ever.

comment #57

corey3rd says ...

"And I can hardly think of a more relevant band today that was formed over 40 years ago."

Relevant to what? The polyhedral dice set? Things to play while staring at your Escher prints? Last time I was near a parking lot for a Rush show, it was more male dominated than a Lady Gaga concert. You'll get more pussy at the end of a Motorhead show.

Will today's acts be remembered in four years? Why shouldn't The Heavy's "How Your Like Me Now" not be remembered for decades. It's an amazing Stooges-esque soul track. Have you heard the song?

comment #58

Dire Wolf says ...

Somebody needs to re-watch ThE WIRE S5. Some folks need their entertainment spoon fed to them. David simon ain't in hat business.

you feel me?

comment #59

thevisceral says ...

Rush does suck. They are not as bad as Styx or Lynyrd Skynyrd however. And they kick the crap out of Journey.

comment #60

JapAdapters says ...

Yeah,that's it ... THE WIRE takes place on a level so deep that one needs to constantly think about subtext to understand it, while THE SOPRANOS is clearly the lesser (and more obvious?) show.

I could watch season five 1,000 times and the Inventing a Serial Killer storyline would never cease to be cement shoes for the season. Inexplicapby bad. Confounding, even. While Chase definitely falletered on some seasons, he never drove his show off a cliff into the Bermuda Triangle. He also created the template for all shows that followed.

comment #61

Dire Wolf says ...

As a newspaperman myself, I understood the intent of S5, and also of the serial killer storyline, more than most, perhaps. But, to each his own.

comment #62

CitizenKanedforChewingGum says ...

"You'll get more pussy at the end of a Motorhead show"

That's almost certainly true (although I really don't get the Lady Gaga comment, since she has a pretty strong female fanbase, albeit skewing quite young). I certainly didn't mean to imply that they were a party band or anything, just that -- as someone else noted in this thread -- Rush is really popular among musicians and critics (admittedly, these demos can skew heavily male, but there are a LOT of rockin' chicks out there that dig Rush -- the further north you go, the more you find).

And, I'm sorry, but "How You Like Me Now" seems to me to be exactly the sort of song that doesn't really last in culture. But everyone is prejudiced -- in a good way -- in the sense that he/she has their own musical circle of bands/songs that they'll always find moving. It probably says something about mine that when I quickly scrolled down through your comment, I initially thought you were referencing the band sHeavy.

Also not really hearing a really overt Stooges influence on that track. At least not compared to a lot of other -- probably more popular, at the moment -- modern bands like the Black Keys.

comment #63

JapAdapters says ...

What does being a newspaper man have to do with understanding the serial killer storyline? I've read dozens of true crime serial killer books, but implausible is implausible.

If you feel season 5 because you dig the newspaper stuff, that's cool. I found it rushed and, especially the 'guy makes hit up and rises quick part, trite and -- worse yet -- spoon feeding in nature. As you say, to each his own.

comment #64

verks says ...

This is hillarious. Rush has never been or will never be a commercially popular band. They're a musician's band. I mean come on, anyone who's ever picked up a guitar or bass or sat behind a drum kit and tried to play their stuff will attest to the fact that it's some of the most challenging rock n roll out there. You try singing like Geddy Lee while simultaneously playing one of his absolutely mental bass lines. Probably ain't gonna happen. You don't have to love Rush, but you should respect Rush.

comment #65

aris says ...

Rarely heard them on the radio in Canada (save for 2 or 3 songs on CHOM-FM in MTL), yet hear then DAILY in LA.

And that How You Like Me Now song? Yeah, forgotten before it was even recorded.

comment #66

Dire Wolf says ...

@Jap: One thing I can agree with is that it feels VERY rushed. there were only 10 eps in ht last season and I think if they'd had a couple extra hours, the story would've been fleshed out a bit more. But the whole "lying journalist rising to the top" story line is all too true in this day and age. But there is some great stuff in the newspaper story line, most of it having to do with the character of Gus. easily, the best of the an of the new characters from that story line. But, yeah, the wrapping up of hte whole Marlo/Prop Joe/Michael/Omar story is much more compelling.

comment #67

Mr. Buckles says ...

Glenn,

Milkman was dropping some science - or a lyric as it were. It's a lyric from a Pavement song called Stereo that embues the smarts, absolute cool and humor that is essential DNA of this great band.

Check it out.

comment #68

SJRubinstein says ...

As a teenager, I couldn't get enough of Rush. Saw them in concert three or four times (they were HUGE in Texas - played arenas in every corner of the state including a lot of cities where the big bands didn't bother). It wasn't unheard of to have their entire discography up to that point ("Presto" or "Roll the Bones") score a weekend's neverending pizza-and-Dungeons-N'-Dragons-a-thon (well, Battletech and Rifts). Though I don't listen to them anymore and haven't seen them in concert in over a decade, I don't change the station when they're on the radio and still consider myself a fan. I will inevitably watch this documentary the way anybody who wants to be reminded of what it was like to be a teenager would do, but know full-well you can't go home again.

And yeah, I really was that stereotype. Hung out in comic shops, wore Rush t-shirts, spent all my money on Ravenloft modules, loved Robotech and the Ninja Turtles, etc. Still shocked to this day that I grew into a reasonably functioning member of society.

comment #69

LexG says ...

WORST BAND EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEVER.

SPIRIT OF RADIO???? Seriously, you dudes can listen to that shit about "THE MORNING MUSIC MAKES MY MOOD" or whatever and not HANG YOUR HEADS in shame and embarrassment?

Kaned, you of all people LIKE RUSH??? Are you KIDDING ME????

Single worst band EVER, EVER, EVER. EVER. Did I mention EVER? So bad, so corny, worst lyrics ever put on vinyl. UGH.

And worst of all, I once got dragged to see them live because I wanted to hang with this chick in college. And I HATED fucking Rush, but because she was down, I all fronted like some HUGE FAN and went out and bought their GREATEST HITS on CASSETTE like three days earlier and drove around forcing myself to memorize the lyrics so she'd be duly impressed.

LIVING ON A LIGHTED STAGE APPROACHES THE UNREAL. UGH. HORRIBLE. HORRIBLE.

And as for the HAPPY ENDING to that DRAGGED TO A RUSH CONCERT STORY:

1) I didn't get any.
B) The opening act was fucking MR. BIG, so I had to sit through that, too. And they were way better than Rush.

comment #70

CitizenKanedforChewingGum says ...

Dude, you're only citing their radio hits, which are admittedly THE lamest songs in their entire discography. Here, I will give you 5 songs for you to listen to, and I can almost guarantee you'll be won over (maybe you still won't love them, but you'll at least respect them):

1.2112 Overture/Temples of Syrinx
2. Anthem
3. Far Cry (a '08 tune, no less, for those tools like corey who like to think they're not relevant)
4. La Villa Strangiato (don't you dare turn it off after the "pussy" opening...AMAZING song)
5. Working Man (if you don't even like this, I don't even know what to tell you)

These guys are the forefathers of METAL, maybe not in the same way late-60s bands like SABBATH, ZEPPELIN, or the STOOGES are, but definitely in the next tier with those consistently heavy acts like DEEP PURPLE, UFO, SCORPIONS, WHO, DIAMOND HEAD, etc.

Rush rock!!!

Oh, and MR. BIG POWER.

Just kidding, they fucking blow.

comment #71

LexG says ...

"These guys are the forefathers of METAL."

I can't even BELIEVE what I'm fucking hearing here. I can't believe this. I am honestly trying to picture you explaining this spiel to like Kerry King or Phil Anselmo and NOT getting a BC Rich or a mic stand upside the head. I've now officially heard it all.

Your 1. and 5. options were on that double CD I had... I'll get to the others right after you try justifying that HIDEOUS, Tom Jones-worthy RAP in the middle of ROLL THE BONES.

WORST BAND EVER. Mr. Big looks like DEAD EMBRYONIC CELLS-level Sepultura next to Geddy Lee and his stupid Kenny G hair and annoying voice.

I WILL CHOOSE FREE WILL!

comment #72

CitizenKanedforChewingGum says ...

lol...there is no justification for the bridge of "Roll the Bones." None. (Although to my ears, it's instantly less painful than the sad attempt at rapping delivered by one Fred Durst).

They did have a really bad period in the early '80s (okay, okay...it pretty much lasted the entire decade) where they had a serious identity crisis. I still have no idea why they suddenly chose to go so synth-heavy in an era where guitarists (Malmsteen, Lynch, Iommi, Friedman, DeGarmo, Skolnick, etc.) totally ruled and were finally being worshiped as the Godz they are.

I'm pretty sure a lot of the metallers you admire have a pretty big affinity for Rush. Not sure about King or Anselmo, though. Judging by their interviews, those guys apparently hate 99% of all heavy music, with the 1% exception being bands they're actually in (or, on a very rare occasion, a band that opened well for them and/or drank a lot with them after a particular show).

comment #73

CitizenKanedforChewingGum says ...

Trying desperately to keep this on the topic of film, have you seen Dunn & McFayden's debut movie, Metal: A Headbanger's Journey, Lex?

Pretty fantastic stuff. Really one of the best documentaries I've seen that makes a serious attempt at being a fairly comprehensive look at all the trends, movements, and sub-genres that have made up metal throughout the years.

They also did a pretty cool thing on Iron Maiden, but it was much more straightforward. More of a concert film than anything else (which ain't necessarily a bad thing when you have such a great live performing band to work with).

comment #74

LexG says ...

Kaned: HA! Your last couple sentences cracked me up. TOTALLY the reason why I find KFK and Anselmo to be so instantly hilarious and the ULTIMATE metal dudes. Those guys are, what? In their mid-40s? Still acting like they have to be 1000% hardcore and METAL at every single second of the day. Anselmo actually has some quirky interests and side projects and frame of reference; But Kerry is comic gold in the way he trash-talks ANYTHING that isn't up to his hardcore standards. Even the other members of Slayer like Jeff, Tom and especially Lombardo have expressed a pretty deep breadth of musical knowledge and influence. I can totally picture like Hanneman bringing in some cool punk CD or respectable art-rock band, and Kerry FLIPPING THE FUCK OUT and going "What the fuck is this shit? PUT ON SOME SLIPKNOT THIS SOUNDS LIKE PUSSY MUSIC!" then smashing the CD case into a thousand pieces. He seems like a fun, chill guy in interviews, but, yeah, his tastes run from roughly his own band to... well, whichever Slayer soundalike band he ISN'T feuding with in the press that week.

comment #75

LexG says ...

That's the doc with Dio and MAYHEM and everything, where it explains all the subdivisions and such? Saw it a couple times when VH1 used to run it a few years back, though I imagine it was edited down somewhat.

I had some complaints about it that I now can't remember at ALL... maybe something about the host or interviewer? Wanna say I enjoyed it, but most of it wasn't too far off (and in some cases less thorough than) an average Behind the Music would've been.

comment #76

CitizenKanedforChewingGum says ...

Ha! Yup, yup.

I guess I'd have a lot more problems with the way King acts if their music wasn't up to SNUFF (speaking of Slipknot...). Slayer has been a remarkably consistent metal band over the years. Last year's World Painted Blood was an obscenely good thrash record considering the band currently consists of dudes in their mid-to-late 40s who are beginning to deal with a myriad of age-related health problems (Araya's back surgery was serious enough that they had to reschedule an '80s nostalgia tour with MEGADETH & TESTAMENT -- which I will certainly be attending).

You wouldn't know any of this by just blindly listening to the album, though. Fuckers are in spry, tip-top, musical fucking shape.

comment #77

Brando70 says ...

How to Write a Lazy Review of a Rush Documentary in 3 Easy Steps

1) Mention Ayn Rand, as if that's been much of an influence on the band's music in the last 30 years.

2) Base your argument for the band's popularity on idiot Midwesterners, even though the band has fans everywhere, even on the East and West coasts where the smart people live.

3) Talk about the critical reception of the band as if we still live in an era where Rolling Stone is relevant.

Presto! (Not to be confused with the Rush album of the same name.)

comment #78

Donna L. Halper says ...

You wrote: Rush: Beyond The Lighted Stage is a fairly dishonest film in that McFadyen and Dunn, friends of this long-running Canadian rock band, make an effort to persuaded uninitiated viewers that Rush is a respected, generally admired group that makes reasonably engaging music."

Umm, how does the fact that the film-makers genuinely like and respect Rush make their film dishonest? The film never claims that Rush are as popular as, let's say Genesis or Led Zeppelin. In fact, the film acknowledges repeatedly that Rush are a sort of acquired taste. Thus, I find your attack puzzling.

I've known Rush for 37 years-- since I discovered them in 1974 while I was at WMMS in Cleveland. I don't always love every one of their songs, but that doesn't mean they are without redeeming value or that their fans are jerks. I am sorry you don't like Rush, but I thought the film-makers did a very sincere and respectful job of depicting how their career developed and what this band means to their fans. And what, may I ask, is wrong with that?

comment #79

HFC says ...

I find it interesting that a band whose initial success was generated from an album that was a big kiss-off to record execs for not conforming and sounding like Bad Co., etc., continues to be slammed by critics for being, of all things, un-catchy. Rush music might not be the stuff of rebellion that critics seem to gravitate toward and fixate upon. But the story of how they broke through IS. And that story is the subject of the documentary. So one should reasonably expect a critic to find the story and its telling appealing, even if the critic does not give a crap about the music or career that succeeded from a balls-out bit of rebellion that was 2112.

There's no accounting for taste. Or for bias. In this case, the bias precedes the subject being covered -- the documentary -- and pushes the very subject aside. And we're supposed to accept the end product as a review. Who is the dishonest one?

comment #80

MC-ONT says ...

The only reason I read your lousy "review" of the Rush documentary ,was that there was a link to it, from somewhere else. I have never heard of you (Jeffrey Wells?) before this.
I read your review and many of the comments and I will agree with some of the other comments. You have your "facts" pretty skewed and some are just downright wrong. The whole Ayn Rand thing, is something that goes back to NEIL PEART'S younger years (early 70's). It hasn't played a part in any of Rush's music in over 30 years. As far as the rest of your "review"...it's a matter of opinion and taste. You hate Rush. Well, good for you. Millions of others, don't! Your review was more like...your opinion of Rush, the band, than a review of the documentary. Anyway, Rush fan or not, you come across as a real TOOL. I feel like I wasted MY time reading your lousy writing and the time it took me to write my comment about it.

comment #81

arturofinkus says ...

rush i've heard of but who the fuck is jeffery wells?

comment #82

Scott says ...

Please, Jeffery Wells, enlighten us with your qualifications as a music and/or film critic. I've never heard of you so, at this point, I'm not the least bit upset with anything you said about the band or the film because to me you're not qualified to discuss either. I will, however, tell you to go screw yourself for the "middle America" comment. Why does it make a difference where a person lives? Or is that why you think you're a music/film critic? You obviously feel you live in a part of America that entitles you to certain things. I agree 100% with the comment made by MC-ONT above so please, Jeffery, tell us who you are and what your qualifications are other than being a pompus ass!

comment #83

Rushfan says ...

A link to your write-up has been going around Rush message boards. Just thought you'd be interested to know that the most common word to describe you after reading your "review" is CHODE. Very fitting, don't you think?

*goes off to blast Moving Pictures and think fondly about how many new Rush fans this documentary will create while you continue to remain a chode*

comment #84

Andy P. says ...

"I wanted to leave right away but I stuck it out for an hour. It reminded me of a decision I made after listening to a couple of Rush tracks in the mid '70s, which was to never listen to anything by these guys again -- ever."

So why did you not keep to your word ? You call the film "fairly dishonest", can you qualify that accusation ?

I thought that the world had progressed from the days of "Ayn Rand lyrics" and "Geddy Lee`s helium wail". Most critics have moved on, and (begrudgingly) give Rush some praise for their long and successful career.

I suspect this film was made by a couple of fans, for other fans. Any review written by reviewer who admits that "I wanted to leave right away but I stuck it out for an hour." can`t be taken seriously. Apparently, the film has a running time of 106 minutes, so a large part of the film has been ignored.

I suppose everyone is entitled to their opinion, but if an opinion about Rush is based on an instant decision made 35 years ago, then after watching less than 60% of a film, then it doesn`t hold much credibility.

Yes, I`m a fan. I too "mocked" Geddy`s high pitched voice and the "noise" that Rush made when I first head the band 30 years ago. Luckily for me, further exposure to their work meant that I "got it", and I am so glad that I did. I sometimes feel a little sorry for those who don`t like Rush. Let`s face it, how many fans of a band 30+ years ago are now looking forward to a new album/tour/film ? I know I am.

comment #85

PDX2112 says ...

Dear Mr. Wells,

Rush just won the Tribeca Film Fest Audience Award. Only audience members that see every movie get to vote and yes they voted for Rush. Obviously these people are not die hard Rush fans. It goes to show how small minded you really are. On behalf of all Rush fans everywhere, go f... yourself.

Thanks, and have a nice day.

comment #86

bobp3 says ...

Rush haters you just don't get it. Rush might be hated by critics but why should these critics have any credibility? Have they ever been professional musicians themselves?

I agree that Rush is an acquired taste. You can't have one track on one side (2112) and expect not to piss-off people.

I have been to several Rush concerts and it did occur to me that there were not many women in the audience. I don't have a problem with that. I suppose If i had gone to see Def Leppard or Poison I'd be outnumbered by women. Then again, I'd have to tolerate 2 hours of "Pour Some Sugar on Me" or "Every Rose Has its thorn".

I became a Rush fan after hearing YYZ for the first time. It was their technical proficiencythat attracted me. I wasn't crazy about Geddy's voice but like most Rush fans, we look past their shortcomings and look at the big picture.

If you don't understand how incredibly talented they are as musicians you don't have any business being a so-called music critic.

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comment #88

blahblahblah says ...

Jeff,
Go home, drink your tonic and gin and put in your Lief Garret cassette and headphones on. It's obvious YOUR MIND IS FOR RENT. Your also arrogant.

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