Totally Underwhelmed

[sammybee]

I was asked to think about covering some 'Rush' (Geddy Lee)....

 

I've been around the block a bit and like to think I'm fairly open minded when it comes to music, and whilst rock isn't my #1 choice, I was totally underwhelmed by what I heard in the bass department. Sure there were a lot of notes being played, but it didn't sound that great (lack of space, rhythm, groove etc). Am I missing something or does anyone else feel the same way?

[Dazed]

I’m probably of the same opinion, I like all kinds of music inc. rock, heavy rock, metal, prog etc. I do like stuff with odd time signatures and lots of time changes and yet I just can’t listen to Rush or appreciate it. I haven’t tried very hard but have listened to the odd song here and there over the years. While I can appreciate Geddys clearly a very talented player it leaves me cold.
The squealy shrieking vocals about wizards and hairy goblins also do nothing for me 😄

Edited August 1, 2023 by Dazed

[ezbass]

1 minute ago, Dazed said:

The squealy shrieking vocals about wizards and hairy goblins also do nothing for me

Ah, 70s Rush, I can understand that, even as a Rush fan.

 

80-93 is my favourite Rush period (Permanent Waves - Counterparts).

[Woodinblack]

In my book up until Hold your fire, they were my favourite group. Love the basslines and everything else, although the sound of the ric isn't my favourite always.

If you don't like it, just say no and do something else - there are a lot of songs about and I can't imagine that much of that is good to cover if you are in a general pub group. Thats what I would do if I was asked to cover something I didn't really fell like you don't seem to.

[jonnybass]

One of my favourite groups, but not for everyone.  There are songs with space, clearer tone etc, all depends what era of Rush you are listening too.  My favourite thing about them is they sound like Rush and no one else does.  Even when they change their style (slightly) i.e. less wizards, more other stuff..

 

Jonny

[sammybee]

1 minute ago, jonnybass said:

One of my favourite groups, but not for everyone.  There are songs with space, clearer tone etc, all depends what era of Rush you are listening too.  My favourite thing about them is they sound like Rush and no one else does.  Even when they change their style (slightly) i.e. less wizards, more other stuff..

 

Jonny

 So could you suggest maybe something a little more 'accessible' by them? I really want to feel something positive about 'Rush' - and I do love the look of Geddy's '72 Fender Jazz

[ahpook]

A while back, having never really listened to them before, I spent a month or so going through Rush's back catalogue.

 

The only two albums I found I could get into were Permanent Waves and Moving Pictures (my recommendation to you @sammybee). Although I find it best to ignore the lyrics - which do seem to be written by an 6th-former who has yet to grow out of an 'Ayn Rand' phase

 

Amazing musicians, without a doubt, but that's not enough for me.

[40hz]

I only like Rush from Moving Pictures in 81, to Roll the Bones in 91, the era where they became a lot more accessible. Can't stand the older stuff or the later stuff, so if you've heard that, I get where you're coming from.

 

However, I can't agree RE Geddy. The man is one of the greatest to ever do it, I think he plays with an impeccable sense of rhythm and a tonne of groove, all the while absolutely hammering the living daylights out of his Bass. Imo, He kind of has to play that way in a trio - he's like JPJ on steroids, or Jaco for those of us who hate Jazz!

Edited August 1, 2023 by 40hz

[sammybee]

19 minutes ago, ahpook said:

A while back, having never really listened to them before, I spent a month or so going through Rush's back catalogue.

 

The only two albums I found I could get into were Permanent Waves and Moving Pictures (my recommendation to you @sammybee). Although I find it best to ignore the lyrics - which do seem to be written by an 6th-former who has yet to grow out of an 'Ayn Rand' phase

 

Amazing musicians, without a doubt, but that's not enough for me.

 

Thank you! Just had a quick flick through those two albums on Spotify... Permanent Waves was a bit more accessible - I could see that growing on me. Funnily enough the tracks under consideration were from Moving Pictures...

[uk_lefty]

Moving Pictures is an album I've listened to a bit but not for ages. I think that says it all for me. I don't dislike Rush, but even with some of the technical brilliance required to play their songs I'm not sure what I would do if a band started playing that in a pub gig, dance? Stand still and stare at the bassists fingers? Silently nod along to the beat?

[jonnybass]

44 minutes ago, sammybee said:

 So could you suggest maybe something a little more 'accessible' by them? I really want to feel something positive about 'Rush' - and I do love the look of Geddy's '72 Fender Jazz

I'd go to the albums Roll the bones or Counterparts. Although Im not sure the 72 was used on Roll the bones, you may still not like them..

[Woodinblack]

4 minutes ago, uk_lefty said:

I'm not sure what I would do if a band started playing that in a pub gig, dance? Stand still and stare at the bassists fingers? Silently nod along to the beat?

 

I think for me that would go with anything a band is playing in a pub gig!

[Moose]

Not for me either. And I'm Canadian!

[toneknob]

Oh I quite like them. 

But then again there are quite a few bands I don't like as well.

 

 

[ahpook]

38 minutes ago, uk_lefty said:

Moving Pictures is an album I've listened to a bit but not for ages. I think that says it all for me. I don't dislike Rush, but even with some of the technical brilliance required to play their songs I'm not sure what I would do if a band started playing that in a pub gig, dance? Stand still and stare at the bassists fingers? Silently nod along to the beat?

 

Watch the punters try and dance in 7/4

 

[sammybee]

4 minutes ago, toneknob said:

Oh I quite like them. 

But then again there are quite a few bands I don't like as well.

 

 

I don't think it's about 'not liking them'. I don't understand Geddy Lee's playing and why it's revered.

[toneknob]

Oh I get it you work for SBL and you're trying to drive up views of their most recent mailout video

 

[sammybee]

Nope I don't work for SBL, and I certainly don't watch clickbait!

 

[ahpook]

7 minutes ago, sammybee said:

I don't think it's about 'not liking them'. I don't understand Geddy Lee's playing and why it's revered.

 

Go to studio in the middle of nowhere in Quebec.

 

Smoke a lot of fine Canadian weed.

 

Record an album or two.

 

It'll all make sense.

 

 

[toneknob]

ok, but maybe therein lie the answers you seek 

(takes off 6th form Ayn Rand lyricist cape)

[chris_b]

I never understood why Rush was so popular.

[hiram.k.hackenbacker]

My rock covers band do Tom Sawyer occasionally. It’s never failed to go down well, even in pub gigs.

[Dad3353]

7 minutes ago, hiram.k.hackenbacker said:

My rock covers band do Tom Sawyer occasionally. It’s never failed to go down well, even in pub gigs.

 

We tried that, once, but the audience walked out after five or six pages. My Southern drawl accent couldn't do it justice, maybe. 

[jazzyvee]

I think i have only heard one Rush album, "Moving Pictures" and i remember buying the album not too long after being introduced to the band by someone at college. 

I absolutely loved it and the bass playing too.  Whilst i do love rock music for the guitar, and before that album came out the only rock bass playing that moved me was John Entwhistle, Phil Lynott, and Ric Grech who played bass on the Blind Faith album. 

I think it is their tone and the melodic quality of their bass lines that was appealing since at that time I was also listening to alot of jazz fusion where that kind of virtuousity on bass was the norm. 

Geddy Lee gets the thumbs up from me.🖕

[Doctor J]

I know a guy called Gerry Lee who also doesn't like Rush.