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| RUSH |
1968 in Sarnia, Ontario, Canada
Original Rush Members:
Geddy Lee - bass, lead vocals
Alex Lifeson - guitar
John Rutsey - drums (replaced by Neil Peart in 1974)
Significant Facts About Rush:
- 30 albums over 30 years have sold more than 40-million copies
- 17 albums have been certified platinum, another eight certified gold
- Four Grammy nominations and eight Juno awards
- Subject of 11 books, including four written by drummer Neil Peart
Rush's Early Career:
Alexander Zivojinovich (Alex Lifeson), Gary Weinrib (Geddy Lee), and John Rutsey came together in the fall of 1968. Their first album was released in March 1974. Shortly thereafter, Rutsey left the band for health reasons, replaced by Neil Peart, creating the lineup that still exists today.
Early tracks got limited radio airplay because they tended to be quite long. During the '70s and '80s they began recording shorter cuts with less of a hard rock edge.
Keys To Success:
Although they have been passed over by the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and have not always been warmly embraced by critics, Rush have maintained a large and loyal fan base.
One constant that has remained is the quality of its live performances, which has earned Rush a reputation as one of the best live bands in rock history.
Besides being consummate showmen, the group consists of serious musicians who have successfully adapted to new musical styles.
Rush Today .. and Tomorrow:
In 2004 the band celebrated the 30th anniversary of its first album with a sold-out world tour. A new studio album was released in 2007, suggesting that this venerable power trio still has some good years left.
Essential CD:
Permanent Waves
This is the album that marked the band's transition from epic length tracks to more compact works, generating increases in both radio airplay and album sales. This album, released in 1980, contains two of the group's most consistently popular songs, "Freewill" and "Spirit of Radio."