Music Flashback: RUSH

RUSH is a Canadian Rock Group, and in my opinion, one of the most underrated bands in Music.

Even the members of the band agree, most people have a “Love Rush” or “Hate Rush” mentality when it comes to their music.

I am in the “Love Rush” camp!

I got to be a huge Rush fan in High School in the early 1980′s. My only exposure to them was via MTV and one Album-Oriented Rock Station in Portland that played their music. I had a bunch of friends that were also huge Rush fans and heard that the band was great to see Live in Concert.

I finally got to see them Live in London, when I was stationed in England in the mid 80′s, and they are BY FAR AND AWAY, one the BEST live bands I have ever seen.

Rush was first formed in Toronto back in 1968.

Their self-titled debut album, RUSH, was released in 1974.

They have released 19 Studio Albums to date.

Some of the great hits by Rush include:

Tom Sawyer
New World Man
Subdivisions
Limelight
Closer to the Heart
The Big Money
The Analog Kid
Show Don’t Tell
Time Stand Still
Freewill

Their music style lends Album-Oriented or Mainstream Rock Stations to play their music, versus airplay on most Top-40 stations. This leads to one startling fact about the group. In the Top-40 sense of Musical History, they are a One-Hit Wonder band.

Their only Billboard Top-40 hit in the United States has been “New World Man” which hit #21 on the charts in 1982.

That’s it!

However…..On the Billboard Rock Charts…..they have charted an amazing Forty-One Top-40 Hits during the years 1981-2008.

On the Billboard Rock Charts, Five of their singles have reached #1.

Rush is:

Geddy Lee – Vocals, Bass, Keyboards
Alex Lifeson – Guitar
Neil Peart – Drums

Rush was inducted into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame in 1994.

They are still recording and actively touring in a career that has spanned over 40 years.