Yes, a vocal ANALYSIS of the entire "2112" SAGA! Rush's Opus is on deck!
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- čas přidán 1. 12. 2022
- When I asked what Rush song to analyze next, I didn't put a time limit. This is me honoring my word! We dive in to another Geddy Lee surprise with the entirity of "2112", and I couldn't be more excited about this epic tale. I picked the official video for the accompanying graphic novel bits!
Join professional opera singer Elizabeth Zharoff, as she listens to Rush performing "2112" for the first time.
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Performed by Rush - Words and Music by Geddy Lee, Alex Lifeson, Neil Peart
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I definitely recommend watching the original video without interruptions. Here's the link: • 2112: Overture / The T...
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Elizabeth Zharoff is an international opera singer and voice coach, with 3 degrees in voice, opera, and music production. She's performed in 18 languages throughout major venues in Europe, America, and Asia. Currently based somewhere between Los Angeles and Tucson, Arizona, Elizabeth spends her days researching voice, singing, teaching, writing music, and recording TONS. She also plays Diablo and Dungeons & Dragons.
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In the art, "They left our planet long ago" has a drawing of 1970s Rush. "We have assumed control" shows 2010s Rush in the ship.
The recent 2112 album remaster includes a DVD with a graphic novel style video fir each song. Twilight Zone is unsurprisingly the most visually interesting of the side 2 songs.
Ask geddy to come on the channel please?
Since you sound like you would really like to overdose on Rush, I would like to suggest that you do a vocal analysis of Geddy Lee's voice over time. In my opinion, over Rush's 41-year career, Geddy's voice went from good to bad to good again. Choose a song that they performed in different decades (Working Man, By-Tor and the Snow Dog, Xanadu, or some other) and analyze what happened to his voice over time. IMO, that would be a really interesting video.
50:38 - When our weary world was young, the struggle of the ancients first begun…..
2112 is modeled after Ayn Rand Anthem
For those of you who weren't around in the late 70s and early 80s, you have NO idea how important this record was.
I was around then and remember the 1st time I heard this and didn't realize until my 30's how GREAT they are. Still a huge fan at 67. Why this is record is so important ?
@@danb.6294 For a few reasons. First, as another commenter noted - Rush was struggling with their label before 2112. But it connected (and sold) so well with the audience that it forced the record company to basically leave them alone to create the music they wanted. At a minimum, we don't get Cygnus X-1 on Farewell to Kings or Hemispheres (the song) without 2112 - and those are two masterpieces. At a maximum, Rush breaks up and we don't get anything else from this trio. Second, it was such a phenomenon at the time that it could be considered the song that broke prog rock into the mainstream - debatable, but there's no questioning its relative popularity in the genre and influence on so many other bands - specifically Dream Theater and their ilk.
Correct. This and Hemispheres were game changers.
@@danb.6294 I was around and just realized I have the albums but not digital copies of Rush.
I was around but did not find Rush until Signals (high school). Then I went back and bought Exit Stage Left to learn more. It likely took me another five plus years to find this. Had to work through Permanent Waves and Moving Pictures first. But I still will,listen to this album front to back annually. Do not downplay side two lyrically.
Absolute classic. Neil Peart was a genius. The detail at the end of the song:
"Attention all Planets of the Solar Federation." 7 words, repeated 3 times = 21.
"We have assumed control." 4 words, repeated 3 times = 12.
21 12. This wasn't an accident.
Its actually read as a French Canadian in the European way as: 12 21 or 12/21 (the winters solstice). The more you know, the more you grow! Anonymous....2112 (perhaps a priest from the Temple of Syrinx?)
That’s cool!! Great find!
@@michaelfried3123 It's a year, not a date.
@@sewiv I can be both, that's my point. Even Neil Peart said so.
We will but we don't know when or by who! Creativity finds its ways to come out no matter what! Now we have an AI hype but that will create a counter culture in the youth! It always does! Someone will create a great story in music to counter the TikTock culture (which is not that hard i mean how creative can you be in 30s clips)
An important thing to remember about this album and this song in particular is that this was RUSH pulling out all the stops in what they believed would likely be their last album. Their previous effort "Caress of Steel" was met with a lukewarm reception and they dubbed the tour "The down the tubes tour". They were getting pressure from the record company to go more commercial and mainstream and inspired by Ayn Rand's "The Fountainhead" they instead stayed true to themselves and created an even more complex and epic masterpiece that they were fairly certain would end their career but it was so successful that it instead ended up setting them free from record company interference forever. Such amazing musical integrity!
Yes!
caress of steel had to happen so 2112 could also the only album they recorded high haha..
Actually, the 2112 story was a variation on Ayn Rand's "Anthem" story.
Absolutely correct!
If I remember correctly, Alex used to help make ends meet in the early days by helping out his dad in his business. He told an interviewer in the mid 80s that the first album paycheck that allowed him to work solely in music was from Signals.
You are actually hitting on something important here. I’m 55 years old and in 1978 at the age of 10 years old I was introduced to Rush through this album. I don’t think I left my room for a week. All I did was play this record over and over again under head phones. I totally absorbed this album into my mental’s… into the very essence of my being. I felt like I was hearing something from another dimension. I emerged from my room a die hard Rush fan for life. And I can tell you the reason why all Rush fans have a strong bond with each other is because for a long time Rush fans were not liked by a lot of the other fan groups. And Rush never got the amount of Radio play as some of the other commercial bands. Rush music has a social conscience that transcends time and space.
I went to the record store on March 1, 1974.
The clerk opened a new arrival box and put a platter on the turntable because the cover intrigued him.
The first RUSH album simply called RUSH.
I immediately bought it and it pretty much played nonstop the rest of the day, I was immediately stricken. I hung around the music store most of that day, just so I could listen to it on their superb sound system, instead of my mediocre on a good day stereo.
RUSH fan from day one, and yeah, took a long time for everyone else to catch on.
This song especially is even more relevant today than when it was written.....
Have a great weekend!
Exactly the same , but it was 76 for me .. I was 10 too.. my buddy’s older brother and headphones (when he was at football practice we snuck into his room) I was never the same
66 as of a couple weeks ago
Yes there was a slight schism between heads that dug Rush that got Rush and others not so much ..most of us were high.. which was half the fun of tripping away on music 🎶 thanks charismatic voice babe. Love your amazing energy and vibes ❤
My story is exactly the same except in 1978 I was 14 and my best friend’s older sister showed me this album while wearing a tube top (not for long!) Yes, It was glorious!😉
1974 I went to see this keyboard player...Billy Preston. He was pretty hot on the charts and our band was trying to get gigs. All we knew at the time was mostly GFR and CCR with only a couple of other top 40 songs.
Two other bands, pretty much unknowns, were opening for him.
So I am literally leaning next to the stage front row when this thunderous guitar starts....intro for Finding My Way...me and a couple of my band mates next to me all at the same time were like Bill and Ted.....Whhhooaa...Rush comes out and blows us all away. Then the next band comes out....weird looking...all in make-up. The one right in front of me looked like a demon. Ended up spitting fake blood on all of us.....they rocked out too.
What’s even more incredible about this whole thing is the guys were only 22-23 years old when they wrote and recorded this. On top of that, they wrote this the way bands used to: while on the road. They wrote this during their Caress of Steel tour in mid-late-1975 in sound checks, station wagons, and hotel rooms, then came home to Toronto and cut the entire album in a month. Bands today can’t begin to fathom that kind of dedication and expert musicianship to create something so groundbreaking and complex, yet refined in such a short amount of time.
Think you may want to check out Hawkwind's earliest albums which obviously influenced Rush's creating 2112. Space Ritual Live in 73 would be a good place to start.
I would actually disagree with that last statement. King Gizzard and The Lizard Wizard are a genre confused Psych Rock band from Australia with 23 studio albums. and all of them feel like highly considered masterpieces. Ataraxia by them is mostly in 15/4, on top of being played entirely on Microtonal instruments. Change is a 13 min long lofi soul and rock song where every chord change is a key change. and thats just 2 songs from 2 different albums set a year apart
they are a 6 piece band. cannot recommend them enough czcams.com/video/JbjZ-jZnoss/video.html
Taylor Swift?
@@3-piece129 😂😂😂😂😂
Well put,, Considering I was born and raised in Toronto, Beaches area..
Listening to rush was epic back then as it is now...
Having seen my 1st rush concert in 1979...
I am still a die hard fan... And appreciate all the fans input throughout the years. And what it's meant to so many people ,growing up in the Seventies and Eighties...
When I was in high school, a group of friends interpreted 2112 as a STAGE PLAY and entered it in a drama festival. The audience didn't know what hit them, and the adjudicator and teachers were left arguing whether it was artistically valid to use a song as a script! Back then I argued ABSOLUTELY YES, and would even more so today!
Awesome story , the test of time will only prove you righteous in the thought
Not use a song as a Stage Play. Jesus Christ Superstar, some people.
@@ddixalot they do it every Christmas without thought if the meaning . It's not a season unless you never got it in the meaning of christ . People can be the dumbest of creatures .
When I was in high school we studied 2112 in Lit class, right alongside Animal Farm and 1984.
@@MrCzerillo I often wonder if animal farm is available to watch in Russia and other countries under the repression of communism.
This was like operation mind crime of the seventies. An absolute, flawless masterpiece.
Wow operation mind crime 👍
@@royofspeyside welcome to it...
Thought mindcrime was underproduced. IMO, 2112 is above.
Why am I crying?!😂🥲 56 years old, became a fan of Rush around 7th grade. First concert ever was their Moving Pictures tour at Alpine Valley, WI. Learned all the modal Alex Lifeson chords on the guitar 😂 This review was so touching and it brought me back to a sense innocence and joy and recognition of how powerfully important great music is- especially when you’re growing up. 🙏
@ytrdg444 I saw the same tour! (Just turned 60) It was at the old Civic Arena in Pittsburgh. I was dead center, as far away as you could get! I could touch the ceiling! It was awesome!
RIP Neil Peart 🙏❤️
Whenever I hear alpine valley i think of SRV .
For others to find happiness there is the gift of music . A tragic loss beyond words and the comfort others find coming from there is God's gift of remembering and carrying on in music .
The way Stevie would have wanted. God Bless us all on our journey to someday hear Neil and Stevie play for us in the arms of God.
@@lonniehawkins582 I've been lucky enough to see Stevie a few times! The best one was on the South side of Pittsburgh. His stage was set up in front of railroad tracks. You could see the city through the backdrop of the stage. Halfway through a train went by. You couldn't hear it, but the visual was awesome! I'll never forget! On a side note: Check out Samantha Fish! Just saw her August 16th for the 6th time! (Live at Audiotree, At Daryl's Clubhouse, and Don Odells Legends) are a good start. Enjoy! 😎✌️
Where we're you in 69 smoking dope and drinking wine .Jimmy Hendrix .
ARS homesick. Great tune great band check that out .
Wow, the very first album I ever bought was moving pictures.
I went to downtown Calgary and bought the album at Kelly's which isn't around anymore..
Thank you so much!
I first heard this when I was 11 years old, I'm 55 now and have listened to this masterpiece on countless occasions and it still brings me joy now. RIP Neil.Thankyou Rush ❤️
Me too. 55 and 11. Holy crap!
I would like to up vote this many times. Thanks for saying what I feel also
53 and 11 here....
There are probably so many in this age range. Same 52 and 11. Still brings me joy and we get to watch it bring joy to Elizabeth, too!
I'm 63, I remember when this treasure was first released.
I have the original album.
Framed and on the wall.
As a huge Rush fan, I can say that this is the best 60 minutes or so I've ever spent on CZcams.
Amen, buddy, amen...
This is time well spent too. Damn near note for note. czcams.com/video/GD5Xo1Tkh4U/video.html
Hear hear! I'll drink to that! Well done young lady!!! :)
indeed, indeed!!
Tchaikovsky's 1812 Overture quoted in Rush's 2112 Overture. Love it.
Also, Terry Brown (their long-time producer) is a genius. His contributions to the unique sound of Rush cannot be understated.
1812...2112... They didn't just throw this together.
Absolutely correct. Thanks for the shout out.
@@petestevenson9270 Yea it was interesting how she didn't immediately get it based on the title when it came up in the piece, but maybe was distracted by all the other stuff going on in it.
I agree Terry Brown introduced all of us to RUSH in a very unique fashion using all available outboard gear for the unexpected tonalities on every instrument and vocal!
THE VERY BEST OF RUSH IS FROM 74-82….THE TERRY BROWN YEARS OF RUSH
Geddy’s voice is an incredible instrument! I’m 63 and started listening to them at 15. This album broken down by you brought tears to my eyes. I loved it then, and now… even more!!
It's a masterpiece for our generation. I saw them 9 times. All before signals. They were unbelievable professionals. If you weren't there. You wouldn't understand. Next time you listen to it missy. Try not interrupting. It's in parts but is meant to play as a whole. Like dark side of the moon. It all goes together
Very well siad...
As the story goes, the record company was less than pleased with Rush's previous album, citing lack of "radio-friendly" songs. Rush figured their contract was about to be terminated so they decided to make their 'last' album the way they wanted to. When 2112 became such a big hit, the record company relented, basically telling them " Do whatever you want". And the rest as they say, is history. Thanks for reacting to this epic composition. Big Hoosier hugs to you! ❤
yes, and they had been asked to "play more like bad company". since this is an insulting, and meaningless request, they had unlimited motivation to just do as they pleased.
"...for the words of the profits are written on the studio walls..."
But they also gave the record company side two. So their perfect snark response set them up to control the rest of their career. I love 2112 (the song), but Something for Nothing and Tears are often forgotten. Not a huge fan of Passage to Bangkok, but likely because it was often the only song played from side two.
The second half of the record satisfied the “average” proving the Priests wrong again. Great album.
@@ice-iu3vv
YUCK! BadCo has not aged well in my ears. A couple songs still work for me, but not many. Foghat is even worse, for whatever that's worth.
You get a thumbs up just for tackling this masterpiece, thank you!
Weeee!
A little used word........ very appropriate. Weeeee!
@@jjb5020 Or in the words of Alex Lifeson "blah blah blah".
A true music lover, no doubt! She's too good for us plebes 😅
This song saved my life. I was just a boy, in a bad place. I interpreted the last lyrics, life's blood spilling over, as him dying. Either from grief or suicide or both. Only to have the Elder race, the enlightened ancestors return to free them once again very shortly thereafter. I grew up with this album this music and not much else. But the lyrics taught me not to give up when there seemed no hope. Salvation would come. You just had to hold out a little while longer. So, I did. And it came. When I say I thank God for Rush, I mean it.
I am very happy you are okay now!!! I LOVE Rush!!!
My wife and I took my son to a Rush concert. At the end he had tears in his eyes and he said; "Dad, you really did grow up in THE golden age of music".
The last time I saw RUSH which was with my daughter. They had no backup bands. They did 3 full sets and an encore. BEAUTIFUL!
They started doing this in the 90’s. The 2nd set was the lp anniversary - played front to back.
I’m 56 and was like 12 or 13 years old when I was introduced to Rush. They are part of the soundtrack that defines me. Ive seen Rush live in concert 3 times and out of the nearly 250 concerts I’ve attended over the years, RUSH stood out in their ability to recreate their studio recordings perfectly. No slop. Tight .
I shed tears when EVH and Neal passed. I know there’s a helluva jam band in heaven and I can only hope when my time is up I can score some front row seats to see them.
Same age and timeline. Respect.
I'm 54 and was introduced to Rush right at the same age: seventh grade. And I never looked back. I remember buying the 2112 LP for my best friend that year for Christmas. My favorite album from them has always been Exit Stage Left. Witch Hunt, YYZ, Limelight. Such brilliance. To this day Red Barchetta is still my all time favorite song. Geddy's range on this song is ridiculous.
55. Lost faith after Power Windows and rediscovered them, all over again, around Snakes and Arrows. Why such a long hiatus? The gaps have been filled. Greatest band ever.
About the same situation as me, brother. Living near Erie in the '70s meant many trips to Ontario, hockey, and hearing Rush on the radio. For me the only genres of music are thrash/extreme metal and Rush. Everything else sounds like Country.
I was lucky enough on one of my over 15 times seeing RUSH ( I lived in Northern NJ so they would play 4 or 5 venues within 50 or 60 miles of my home every tour), I got to see and hear LA VILLA STRANGIATO LIVE at the Brendan Byrne Arena in the very early 1990s. They played it Flawlessly !!!!!!!
So it was 1976 I was 14 and at a friend's birthday party, a common occurrence back then. We were playing whatever records we had at the time, eating Doritos (nacho cheese). One friend shows up with a never before seen album and puts it on the turntable, playing through a Pioneer SX580 receiver. It starts...
We all looked at each other in total disbelief that such music and sounds was even possible.
I was never the same.
That moment changed my musical life forever and like most here, was compelled to become a lifelong Rush fan. Almost without choice.
It was then I began the journey to play drums, following and learning from the best.
Still playing to this day.
Truly an epic life moment as a young teenager.
As a musician, as a vocalist, your analysis is spot on. But what makes your channel what it is for me is your enthusiasm has layers and depth. Music truly does resonate through your soul, and shows...thank you for sharing your joy and expertise with us all
And having a knack for intimately/clearly describing her thoughts...delicious stuff.
This album was so important to music.
It's crazy to think that these guys were like...21 when they made Xanadu.
Such gifted people. They are treasures.
This is definitely one of their masterpieces. That they pulled this off when they were that young is even more compelling.
A masterpiece of theirs and a masterpiece among the best of any and all artists' work.
almost all the masterpieces in history have been written by young people
They were young, but by this point had already played hundreds of gigs, honing their skills constantly.
I hear Mozart was alright when he was young.
I wonder if she reached out to Geddy and Alex if they'd be willing to be interviewed about this album with her. That would be awesome.
This was such an important album to me in my youth. I discovered it by accident in a record store and was drawn by the album art. I was not prepared for what it turned out to be. Almost 50 years later, and I still love it.
Yep, the album art is what got me to buy 2112 in the first place. Got way more than I expected for the eight bucks.
This song is legitimately a masterpiece to me, I love every little detail so much.
Wow! I love this.
"2112" was their fourth album. Their third one, "Caress Of Steel" didn't do so well commercially so they were under pressure from their record company to have a hit or get dropped. The corporate handlers urged them to write shorter, more radio-friendly songs. So how did Rush respond to that pressure? That's right. They wrote a seven-part song cycle that filled one whole side of the album. If they were going to go out, they were going out their way. It was sort of a big "F you" to the music executives who wanted to control their sound. As it turned out, this was the album that got them really recognized internationally and propelled them to a whole new level of success. Way to go, boys!
Rush referred to the Tour for Caress of Steel as the "down the tubes tour"
This just proves again that just because something is commercially successful, that doesn't mean it's great. 2112 and Caress of Steel are great albums.
Love that story so much. One of the most creative Middle Fingers ever to be flipped!
Total musical badasses. After this record they could play whatever the F they wanted for the rest of the band's history.
Exactly right! After the success of 2112 they had complete autonomy to do what they wanted for the rest of their career. This album was my first Rush album I bought at 13. It was pivotal in my guitar playing for the next 45 plus years. This album, Permanent Waves, Hemispheres and Moving Pictures were my all time favorites but I always found great tunes in all their work.
Fun fact: The story goes that their label was fed up with Rush not making songs fit for the radio and gave them an ultimatum to produce an album full of 3-minute songs "or else". Instead, this is what they produced. The ultimate middle-finger and Declaration of Independence. And now they're Rock legends and in the Hall of Fame. Thanks for this video!
Great CZcams video about the making of this album. The recording company wanted short songs and singles. Their manager promised them just that. The band decided that if they were going to go they would go out big. The record blew up. Neil said that after this album they were allowed complete freedom of material.
Even at a young age, Neil had a very unique style. He wasn't just a drummer but a real musician. He was truly gifted.
God bless you brother. I couldn't agree more !!!
Uniqe for my whole life, Rush was alot of people's FAVES, please ĺet it pĺay!!!
It's sad to think that we'll never get an album like this again. This is one of the greatest pieces of music in history. And the story is just as important as the music.
Agreed! I hope that someone is capable of bringing rock 'n' roll squarely back into the realm of popular music.
The record label was pressuring Rush to put out something more playable on the radio after Caress of Steel. An act of absolute rebellion, they crafted this masterpiece, paying homage to the genius of Ayn Rand. It was do or die for them at that point, and the fans will never forget they made the right decision. Art versus bureaucracy.
It’s not sad at all, we got to experience that! Not sad just good memories!
@@willhenslee9712 - You make a good point. However, it's still sad from the perspective of the state of the music industry today. I'm not sure that any of the truly great younger musicians out there today will ever be as well known as bands like Rush, Genesis, Yes and many others. That's the truly sad part. There are many truly incredible young musicians out there. I've seen them here on CZcams. However, the likelihood of them having a large global following like many of the bands of the 70s, 80s and even 90s isn't very good.
@@bigdogblackie😅And Ryan wasn't a Genius 😂😂😂😂😂😂
Alex never seems to get the props he deserves.
He is just amazing on this record. Not just his playing but his composition.
He is the MVP of the band. And this is coming from a drummer
after hearing all their solo projects, i know what you mean. neil's "burning for buddy" was other peoples' music; geddy's "my favourite headache" was meticulously produced and boring, and alex's "victor" was wildly inventive and creative, but rough around the edges sonically. those albums really helped me understand what each individual member was bringing to the band.
that said, though, i'd have to say that rush didn't have an MVP. they were an alloy produced by the chemistry of those specific three elements, and each element was crucial. it wouldn't have been rush without all three of them.
disclosure: my very first concert (at age 16) was "a farewell to kings;" i saw rush at *least* once on every tour after that.
Apparently at some point in the early 80s some rock journalist asked Eddie Van Halen how it felt being the world's best rock guitarist. Apparently he replied, "I don't know, why don't you ask Alex Lifeson"?
This is true Alex is a virtuoso guitarist and it takes all 4 all stars to bring out this beautiful message of sound and lyric!!!he reaches me deep with his emotional solos in this piece ,I love this album its amazingly well written and played they are legend!!!!!!!
I put him above many big shot guitarists. like Gilmour and many others. I've been playing since 78 and saw Rush 11 times. His playing was always perfect.
@@Nettoback In fact, that's not 'folk lore' or the like - Indeed, he did say that. I researched it a bit and I had no idea how often they both spoke about each other with reverence. All this GOAT talk gets in the way, I'm sure they felt/feel, of just appreciating the artists...and they were both legendary craftsman of their Art. Pretty cool you thought to note that quote:).
I stumbled on to your page because I've been a life long RUSH fan. I didn't know who you were, and never heard of your channel. This is the third RUSH analysis I've seen of yours, and I have to tell you...I'm a fan! You are so charismatic, authentic, real, and I'm addicted to your sweet nature. Wish I could meet you someday...until then, keep 'em coming! ❤
I love you innocence and your smile and listening to YOUR breakdown of this classic from my teenage years , what a fresh look. Thank you.
Absolutely epic !!! This song was my gateway to the world that is known as Rush. 🤘❤🇨🇦
I was nervous about analyzing the entirety of 2112, but it was totally worth it!
@@TheCharismaticVoice Thank you for taking the risk! You're input is so valuable to me bc it helps me understand my connection to music like I've never realized. God bless 🙏🏼
It was my first epic in music in general got me down the whole rock metal operas as well same as meat loaf bat out of hell
@@TheCharismaticVoice TOTALLY worth it.
I was 16 when this came out. My best friend played it for me shortly after getting it, then I played him every other Rush album out shortly after that. lol
At 48:09 - yes, it's touched upon elsewhere in the comments, but after the "underperformance" of _Caress of Steel,_ they were told by their label that they needed to give up these grand, musically-lush and often long songs and write more "radio-friendly" music about partying. Geddy says in an interview that they had a band meeting after that, and decided that if worst came to worst, they all had day jobs they could go back to (Neil was Employee of the Month at his dad's auto-parts shop just before he joined the band), so they recorded this album as a giant middle finger to the idea that mediocrity was a desirable goal. It became one of their biggest albums ever.
It also ended up becoming their license to do whatever they wanted, which gave us gems like AFTK, Hemispheres and all those other incredible albums!
Ironically C.O.S. was my first vinyl. Sounded very tinty. Although hearing them on my buds boom box prior hooked me. deep and hard. 5 concerts later, last one was snakes and arrows. Ged's voice was going. So sad. screaming for 30 some years will do that. RIP Neil. The professor of percussion.
2112 was released April1, 1976. Can't say these guys don't have a sense of humor.
Well, not as big as Michael Jackson's Thriller (it should have been), but I know what you mean. These three guys grew exponentially in terms of musical ability between the release of CoS and 2112. Especially Alex.
It's kind of funny to me that FBN sounds so much more polished than CoS. For a long time, I had thought that FBN was their third album rather than their second. However, there were other reasons that CoS wasn't as polished. In many ways, it really does seem like a step back from FBN. Nevertheless, 2112 was a great leap forward.
The way distributon of music works both back in the days when this was recorded, and kinda still with streaming is just not a frindly format for these Epic productions.
I could Mention other bands especially many Prog rock bands who just don't fit into the 3min max for a radio hit or a music stream. Or a classical piece of music .. same thing.
It's Music that deserves to be baught on a physical Media and listened to at home on a decent audio setup. It's not a quick 2-3 min. fix you hear on the radio or streams on your phone on the way to work. You risk causing a traffic jam or what is worse ..
It's something that deserves to be listened to in it's entire length and give the listener time to disect it.
When you think of how old this is, the production and sound is absolutely stunning. It's about 15 years before digital recording became a thing. Even with digital remastering the details still have to exist on the raw tracks to make a decen remix.
There are not many CZcams videos I would invest an hour of my time in, but Rush is always worth. And your appreciation and expertise let me see/hear this with a renewed perspective and passion. FWIW I’m also in my 50s and have been listening to Rush since the first time I saw them live at age 14. They are amazing professionals and so unique. Have seen them about 11 times- top notch every time. Thanks for doing this video.
I love your disertations on Classic Rock from decades past - not only do you dissect the music with the knowledge and lexicon of a composer but you speak the language of mixers, engineers and produces - Watching your videos resonate with my experiences as a contemporary digital composer - Bravo Liz!❤
Rush have admitted during interviews that this was a make-it-or- break-it record for them; they felt their career was hanging by a thread and they were going down the tubes, so they might as well go out with a bang, and they created a balls-to-the- wall masterpiece, and made what they thought may be their last record, while they really set their career off in a great new direction. This record is what launched them into the mainstream of mass popularity with better things to come...
The record producer was wanting them do something more mainstream. They were rebelling against the idea of conforming to the producers like this. So this do or die album expresses the anger they felt about that. Because the album did so well, the producers allowed Rush to continue to do future albums the way they wanted.
@@jefftressa Rush had total artistic control from the beginning.
To think one of the greatest masterpieces in rock was labeled a "more then likely failure" by its own band prematurely before releasing to the masses is quite extraordinary. This album holds a special place in my heart. I can't imagine my life/music without this album.
It's hard to believe now that their first 3 albums did not do well. I've heard they were told by the record company or producer or something that if the album did not do well they were going to drop them.
Is amazing that it sold as well as it did without one 'radio hit'. They were truly destined for greatness..
At 11:29 she summed up Neil's genius in just 7 words and so much better than I've ever heard anyone express it: He knows how to make drums sing.
You should watch some of the interviews and conversations between Neil Peart and John Good (if you haven't already, of course...). They nerd out on drum tone, and it's interesting to hear Neil articulate what he wants in a drum and how he goes about getting it. The mutual respect between those men is evident in every word spoken between them
Neil was the best not only a great drummer (my favorite) but listened to him speak
It's like getting some brain 🧠 cells back from what I was losing back in the late 60s & 70s 😆
I always loved Rush and Neil is the reason i play drums today. What i didn't learn until years later is how well read, spoken and intelligent he was. All them are even Alex while maintaining the goofball humor the is so guitarist
@@simplecountrydrummer if he's the reason you play drums you should know his name is NEIL.
I don’t get it.
Such an amazing analysis, instantly subbed for your personality, vibe, way of explaining, vocal tone and, of course, the sounds of excitement that came out of you. Heh. Great content, miss! Keep them coming! 😁✌️
OMG you got a new subscriber. Thanks for the analysis of an album I've loved for 30 years and change.
"It was an album that contained a great amount of frustration and anger, because the industry had shat upon us royally. We were very disillusioned by the whole state of things, because we had kept our integrity and it wasn’t panning out for us; we had been written off by the industry, when it comes right down to it. Well, this album contained all of that rejection and all of that determination. I can listen to it now and feel all of that electricity and I know that’s what made people respond to it, because it was so direct and so impassioned.”
- Neil Peart
One interesting thing to note: at the end of the song, the words “ATTENTION ALL PLANETS OF THE SOLAR FEDERATION” and “WE HAVE ASSUMED CONTROL” are each sung 3 times each, making a set of 21 words followed by a set of 12 words
That was no accident, of course. The level of their imaginations knew no bounds. Everything they did they did with purpose. Truly genius-level musicianship.
LOLOL! WOW!!!
C'mon man...damn, now that's freaking killer cool...never knew that.
WOW!!! You are correct. What a hidden Easter Egg right before our eyes...
A true Rush geek!
Elizabeth- I love your analysis. I am so appreciative of people that are living into their gifting and making the most of it. You have obviously dedicated untold hours, days, years to your craft. Your intricate and precise extrapolation of styles, time, enunciations, interpretations and so much more are enlightening and at times fascinating! Thank you!!
The best album ever written. Listen to the lyrics. Its now. RIP Neil. Your genius was needed elsewhere. Thanks for stopping by.
🤣😂🤣😂 nope, on all accounts.
This what happens when you have 3 musical geniuses in 1 band that work well together for 40 years
100%
That's true, but by the time 2112 was released, the 3 of them had only been together a few years and had only made Fly By Night and Carress Of Steel.
So well said
I agree but this album came out at the beginning of their career lol
Yes, 10k years ago people will listen to Rush when most religions will just be a memory...
Watching “Beyond The Lighted Stage,” I adore that as their backs were on the wall and their record label pushed them to put out a record of hit songs, they went a complete 180 and went concept album. Saying they would go out on their own terms. And instead of going out, they became untouchable. LOVE that. 🤘🏽
exactly
My favorite Rush story!
One thing I really enjoy about your videos is I come away with a whole new view of songs I've heard probably 100s of times. Great video!
My son (Who is now 31, I am 57) steered me to this video. I've seen Rush live over a dozen times. He said "You've got to watch this, she had me in tears." My very first concert was Rush, and I believe his second one was Rush. (With me!) That is what was awesome about this band, they transended generations. Btw, I teared up watching this as well. Your breakdown of it, and genuine appreciation of it was nothing short of amazing.
Me too, man! It was such an emotional re-living!
Tears... Clearly I'm not the only one...
Lachrymal. That's such a cool word. I wonder who could have possibly inserted that word into a song about both sadness and joy?
Answers on a postage stamp to loafer.
Reading through the comments it’s pretty clear we’ve all listened to 2112 a time or two😉and somehow watching you experience this epic masterpiece for the first time seems to have inspired us all to relive (re-experience?) our own first listen. So thank you for allowing us to enjoy this song all over again for the first time along with you.
👑 Perfect comment. My first live shows started with the 1977 tour and followed all the way to the end in 2015. A good 30 shows later. I cannot even explain how wonderful this was to watch and feel like I was a part of. Just MAGICAL 🐰🪄
More like a time or 20 😂
Perfect comment and my sentiments exactly
when she figured out what was going on with the priests at about the 20 minute mark...
You FINALLY reviewed this song! I'm so happy! This song takes me on a journey and I'm so glad you were able to experience it. You missed the connection between his dream and the oracle, and the appearance of the forces that took over at the end. They were the ones he saw in his dream, the enlightened ones coming back to their home world to make it right again. In the song, I always thought he took his own life because of despair and hopelessness, but it seems the graphic novel shows that he lived. I'm going to look that up. Rush speaks to my soul. Their sudden timing changes are unique to them. They are an acquired taste and not everyone "gets them." That's why their fan base is so loyal. I could go on forever. I'm so glad you finally experienced 2112!
It's so much fun watching someone discover this for the first time.
A(Wo)men 🙏🏼 to that as so refreshing that She can comprehend all aspects of this masterpiece….after a few times listening to it 🤟🏼❤️🇨🇦
For decades now, I hold 2112 as one of those very very very rare albums that you can truly, without abusing the word, call masterpiece!!
It is an absolutely phenomenal piece of work.
Whether you like Rush or not, it is undeniable to anyone who "really listens" to music, that 2112 is truly epic when it comes to rock music
I have an Amen for you.
Add Iron Maiden's "Powerslave" and "Somewhere In Time" to that list as well as Rush's "Hemispheres", "Permanent Waves", and "Moving Pictures". "2112" as a whole concept album I totally agree, that the level of technicality and finesse in that album is truly unmatched to this day.
I still hope the song "Anthem" by Rush "Fly By Night" album to be reacted to in a future video.
I actually think Hemispheres is technically superior but 2112 is more iconic, important and concert friendly.
Hi Elizabeth, the story texts in the animation were printed along side the lyrics on the original album sleeve, so they have been part of the experience right from beginning
Oooh that's really good to know!
@@TheCharismaticVoice they published it as a comic book along side a 5.1 surround remaster in 2012 as well.
Albums were SO cool back in the day. I used to use the spinners to change the album cover of my uncle's Led Zep III
I do miss the artwork. Yes a compact disc has superior quality, and durability, however, I think I would pay a bit more for the bit more than a foot artwork.
I remember, as a boy, nerding out and poring over the liner notes and lyrics.
Good times.
@@j.l.m.6862 So get a record player and buy some albums--all of that is still out there, if you really want to see it again.
I've heard this song dozens of times. It's always been one of my favorites. But I didn't know this comic strip video existed and your analysis of this song brings new life to it. Truly a moving masterpiece.
What a great way to pass an hour on a Friday evening. Always loved 2112 and loved your enthusiasm. Great video.
A bit of trivia: Neil is the 'voice of authority/doom' in the Grand Finale. I think this is one of Geddy's best all around performances, banshee screams, sweet singing and emotional delivery.
Gah! I wish I knew that.
And if they'd only let the finale ring out for 32 more seconds the track would have been 21:12 in length. So close!
@@thedarksiderebel They ran out of space on the LP 😕
@@thedarksiderebel Dude, thats a special kind of brain that would think of that. Thats a compliment from me, but maybe wouldn't be from some other people:)
@@thedarksiderebel Ah, but there is a synchronicity -- count the words said in the Finale:
Attention all planets in the Solar Federation= 7 x 3 repeats = 21;
We have assumed control = 4 x 3 = 12.
... 2112.
And, thank you Elizabeth for this analysis. I have been enjoying your content and this is one of my favorite long format songs!
Awesome! Geddy Lee really belts it out on Rush's early recordings. Takes me all the way back to 9th grade. A great choice!🤩🎸🎸🥁
EDIT: Watching Liz's analysis of Geddy's vocals in this song have made me appreciate his 70's vocal performances in a whole new way. Wow! After 30+ years of listening to and loving Rush, I'm reassessing my judgment of Ged's 70's vocals due to Liz. The power of informed analysis! Thanks Liz!
*Original Comment* :
Let's see if Liz agrees with an infamous review from back in the 70's that, iirc, stated that Geddy's vocals "sounded like a hamster in a blender". 😬
I'm thinking not! (Though I vastly prefer his post '80 vocal output myself after his octave drop, and actually think he became a very good singer in the 80's until the end).
PS: In accordance with the above, my favorite version of 2112 is the live version from 1998's "Different Stages". I saw them twice on that tour; 2112 was a highlight!
Geddy Lee is simply amazing, and his voice works so well with Rush! I am overjoyed to have been introduced to them!!
@@dHolbach77 Geddy chose that vocal range in the nerdiest way. With everything else going on the band, those were the frequencies available, and they didn't want to have to write the guitar around the vocals. So, Geddy just sang up where the guitar wasn't.
@@TheCharismaticVoice I think you were referring to the 1812 Overture that Alex was playing on guitar for a part.
@@dHolbach77 I've seen it live a few times and it's always mind blowing
I just ran across your program and was so impressed with your analysis of 2112! So great to hear the appreciation for the talent of this iconic Canadian group. I believe they locked themselves up in a remote studio during a
Canadian winter to get this album done.
Thank you for what you do! I love your energy and your obvious love for music and creativity. I've studied a bit of musical theory and have sung in local theater, a couple of rock bands on two continents and many fun nights at karaoke across the US. Your approach to reactions is so much fun to watch as you discover new artists and vocalists that I've followed for sometimes decades. Your reaction to Geddy's voice is so spot on. He wouldn't work as a vocalist in some groups or even styles but what he's done with Rush is master level. 2112 really runs me ragged emotionally. Both chills and sometimes tears when the protagonist hits his low point in the cave and decides that life without music, now that he's discovered what it brings to life, is not worth living. Heady concepts when I was a thirteen year old kid hearing it for the first time!
My suggestions for another reaction from them would be either Subdivisions or The Trees. My suggestions for another group to react to would be Al Stewart, The Year of the Cat would be a great place to start. Another fun reaction would be the New York Dolls and Personality Crisis is a great place to start!
Keep the music alive!
2112 was a huge leap from Fly by night and Caress of steel, for me, the trilogy of 2112, A farewell to Kings, Hemispheres, is a period that most bands have not matched in storytelling, musicianship, that the bar is raised each time. Flawless.
Their wardrobe notwithstanding.
Permanent Waves & Moving Pictures can easily be added to that list.
This was my introduction to Rush as a 16 year old kid in 1976. To say I lost my mind is a gross understatement.
I loved Yes and Led Zeppelin at the time, and to hear a band that combined my 2 favorite bands with thoughtful lyrics was stunning, to say the least. Then, to get the album, see it's only 3 Canadian guys putting out That Sound blew my mind🤯
Will always be a fan and got to see them live 4 times from 1978 to 2015, and the live shows were an experience to behold. 3 guys, 3 hours, 1 15-20 minute break in the middle. And the Professor, adding a drum solo somewhere in that wall of sound.
Enjoy the 40 years of Excellence that is Rush.
Warning!!! Once hooked, you're a fan for life!!
Mine too was my first concert.
We'll never get that experience again. I remember the week Boston exploded on the radio. As an aside I recently watched a documentary about the making of Dark Side of the Moon. David Gilmour mentioned he can't enjoy it because every note or chord had a back story he can't let go. Thanks Roger. You doosh..
Fan for life ,I find it so hard to listen to anything else lol 😂
It's excellent to read this. Basically, it's the same as my experience in the 70's. Long live rock!
I've seen Rush many times..the best place was Alpine Valley, which is also where SRV died. Super Tramp was awesome there also. Useta go every weekend and jump the fence. Thanks for the memories. RIP Neal. ✌
I love your enthusiasm for Rush. They are one of the best bands ever and definitely my favorite. You are a unicorn given that you are a woman who really enjoys them. Love your analysis of songs.
I have been listening to 2112 for 40 years, and this is by far the best analysis/review that I have ever seen. Good-on-ya! I would love to see you review Rush - Anagram. A true gem that so few get...but you will!!
Thank You! Thanks for letting us 60 year old Rush fans relive how it felt when we first heard 2112, or the other Rush songs, or any song that you review. Rush was so awesome to grow up with. The anticipation of the next record, the hopes that they will tour close enough to drive to see them (only 5 or 6 times for me) and the way their sound changed but stayed the same (Quote from their song Circumstances). This 'Kimono' era of Rush, or the 'handlebar moustache' era as i call it, was the best in my opinion. In this era, it seems that Rush wrote about 10 regular size songs put them together to became a single epic. It never gets old.....
Watch their induction ceremony into the Rock Hall. Humor, Humility and Humbleness all together in the Holy Trinity of Prog Rock!
also a 60yo Rush fan & never head of her before today (saw a link on fb). Watching/Listening to her react to this brought some old tears to these old eyes...
I remember getting "Farewell to Kings" the day it came out. What a change!
@@ReelStamas Don't forget the lump in the throat.
I attended the R&R HOF induction ceremony down in LA back in 2013…best Live Rush experience ever for me, and having attended many Rush concerts, that night was epic. Make sure to check out the HBO CZcams clip of that jerk Jan Wenner from Rolling Stone introducing the recipients, and when he gets to “and from Toronto…” we in the live audience erupted in ovation for so long they had to edit it down for the video. So amazing. Rush’s fans FINALLY got our revenge on Rolling Stone asshats that night! 🤘😎
Best ever reaction…..
“I am particular drawn in by the drum playing of Neil Peart, he has a way of making the drums sing” Also, two best words to describe RUSH (as a fan of over 35 years and seeing them live 18 times) you said “Complexity and Cleanliness”
Congratulations Elizabeth, you are now
officially a RUSH fan. Welcome aboard!!
@@--THE_CHARISMATIC_VOICE I did? lol
@@michaelc.1875 Don't listen to him he's full of crap
Thank you! It’s been a few years since I sat and listened to 2112 from start to finish. Experiencing it again amplified by your enthusiasm made it even better.
I've hated every reaction video ever, until I stumbled upon these from the charismatic voice. She's so authentic, genuine, curious, enthusiastic and insightful.
These truly bring me back to the first time I heard these songs. These are joy to watch.
Thanks for sharing.
What is amazing about her is that she is at the top of what she does with her own singing, and could look down and criticize everyone else, but is able to see the beauty and what we like about this music and appreciate it herself. Love her input into this song which I first heard many years ago.
I saw the 2112 tour in 1976 I believe it was. I was 15.. Made me start playing the guitar and I've been doing it since. I'm 61! This band is epic!
X mas concert '76. Awesome
@@jameshammer1616 Yep.. Were you there too! Very cool..
I saw that tour too. I was 17. One of the best shows I’ve ever seen
@@rugbyguy59 Yeah, it was outstanding.. It started my journey with guitar.. Very cool..
The best 3 man band in history. Bar none. Thank you so much. RIP Neil. The best writer composed drums processing unique and unbelievable talent. Thank you Rush.
Thank you, Elizabeth, for this early Christmas gift to all us RUSH fans! I can't wait to see your reaction to this masterpiece.
Yay! It's such a great Saga!!!
@@TheCharismaticVoice yes, it really is! I'm so looking forward to this :D
What sounds like Neil playing sticks on the rims of a drum is actually him playing on what's called roto toms. It's a set of 3 smaller sized, progressively larger, tuneable drums.
Edit; Neil's drum kit was mic'ed up extremely well with multiple microphones for each piece of percussion which gives that feeling of being able to touch the drums.
Incredible breakdown. Glad you were able to recognize the story behind living in a totalitarian society. It really is a tremendous compositional piece of music. I actually got emotional when I saw your emotional reactions during the softer parts of Geddy's singing.
I saw the 2112 tour live in the 70's. In 2012 I stood backstage. I felt like I was standing with giants when Gedy and Alex walked out. Neil never does meet and greets. RIP Neil. You were the greatest. I have to admit I had tears in my eyes during this episode.
I thought I knew side 1 of 2112 (and side 2 for that matter) backwards and forwards after listening to it hundreds of times by now. But I felt like i was listening to it again for the first time, with you here.
Like Rush, you really have the gift of bringing us along on your journey through these songs. You are the best out there!
Also Elizabeth, if you take note of some of the animations, the Rush trio are the "characters" who are the "heroes" of the piece... 😀
👏
I love the story behind this song. Rush was struggling at this early point in their career. And 2112 was basically them throwing it all to the wall and insisting on doing something their way, even if it meant going down in a blaze of glory.
There are also great videos on CZcams of them playing this in the studio, and on stage.
Yeah, I heard they were asked by their record company to make shorter, more commercially marketable songs. They just couldn't bring themselves to be what they weren't and decided to make what they thought might their last album, but at least it would be one they could be proud of. Turns out the fans' opinion ruled.
I always thought the retort in "Presentation", at 50:40 in this video, was the best response of, "alright fine, we'll do what we want." and they proceed to lay out this huge 'F you' in song. Lifeson has capabilities of making such an emotional guitar piece that are beyond description.
I would say this has to be peak performance, but every single album these gentlemen produced managed to accomplish that in it's own way.
I've read many in the comments say that this review brought them to tears. Add this 62-year old to that club! Absolutely love your analysis of Rush's songs Elizabeth. This album is responsible for me buying a bass and my band would go on to play The Temples of Syrinx at my high school. Your review brought it all back. Just an incredible album.
Great job !!!!bravo !!!your analysis is super fun and honest !I could tell you loved it like I do this album is a dear masterpiece to my heart!it makes me weep when he sings "my life blood spills over"! I love the whole album 2112 is so dear to me !,music is like our savior!it releases us from our earthly bonds and fills us with a beautiful love of everything,Aloha
Elizabeth, you have literally brought tears to my eyes! I was actually crying as you described parts of this song that has captured me from it's release 46 years ago (OMG!). I have never seen this video with the graphic novel presentation before. Even though you interrupted it constantly ( which I expected), your analysis has given me a whole new feeling on how important this song was.
2112 was Rush's last attempt to please the music label's request to put out a 2-3 minute diddy for public radio. They decided to throw a big STFU to the executives and release this epic album. And the rest, as they say, is history!
I have enjoyed so many of your videos (and I agree, Ronnie James Dio is a phenomenon) but never have I become emotional over a CZcams video.
Thank you so much for sharing your viewpoints and now I must I must go listen to that album again, for the thousandth time, cranked up to 11!
Same here.
But my volume only goes up to 10.... I feel so deprived of that extra volume notch
Yes! She is REALLY perceptive about the sound(s) of music! MAYBE I'm learning a little from her, lol! Like, I noticed--right before she mentioned it--that touching way Geddy sang "beauty" in "Discovery," I'd heard it hundreds of times, but never noticed that, and then she --on her FIRST time, mind, lol--brought attention to it. Very cool indeed. And...DOWN WITH THE PRIESTS!! LOL.
Yep, I'm a 66 year old man openly sobbing in my room throughout the video.
Glad I'm not the only one. 😂
From a self proclaimed Rush expert I’m proud to say that this actually opened eyes to a new way to interpret 2112. Without the benefit of the animation a kid in 1979 could only read the inside of an album cover and see the story one way, the way he saw it. In my story I’ve always thought that Anonymous killed himself. As Geddy wailed “My life’s blood spills over!” I assumed the liberators came in the future and Anonymous’s dream came true.
Thank you for doing this. I was blessed to see them 21 times. It warms my heart seeing a whole new generation discovering Rush!
I also assumed suicide by Anonymous. He is in "the depths of despair" and the vision from the Oracle has shown him the world as it was but which he thinks is unobtainable. The "home to tear the temples down" line indicates hope, but Anonymous is too far gone. However his death is perhaps the final straw which motivates the 'elder race' to intervene. I hadn't seen that full comic strip interpretation before and it certainly adds another possible dimension to the story. The uniforms worn by the liberators do look a bit fascist-y and not the sort of 'space elves' vibe I'd always imagined for the elder race. But as The Charismatic Voice reviewer says, let’s hope this new government is more open to freedom of expression.
Perhaps you should see a covers band 12 times.
I'm on team suicide, too. "my life blood spills over" is very clearly, to me, a reference to suicide. Anonymous misses the return of the elder race coming to clean out the corrupt temples.
@@anonymousyoutube7259 Likewise.
@@kelvinvalleyart The illustrated adaptation is only one interpretation created for the Blu-Ray. I cannot believe the band signed off on it as it being official canon, but for what it is an interpretation. 2112 should and will always remain open to interpretation. Unlike a short story with lyrics there are only so many words that can be expressed by the vocalist to illustrate what is to be seen by the mind's eye and 2112 is pure an unapologetic mind's eye candy.
In the spirit of Ann Rand who was listed in the liner notes as having inspired the album. There are two elements of 2112 that jump out at me. The oppression of anonymous; The man against the machine, and the failure of anonymous ending his life when in a twist of irony individualism and liberty was about to arrive from the stars. Never give up. Never surrender. We cannot rise from the clutches of defeat otherwise. In parallel if RUSH was going to go out, it was going to go out like a super nova.
What a way to spend an hour. Listening to one of my favourite pieces of music, written by a truly gifted man, accompanied by unbelievably beautiful artwork and analysed in the way only Elizabeth can. I could watch her for days.
Probably one of the greatest pieces of work ever. One of my all time favorites, hands down!
I'm a lifelong Rush fan and many of my friends can't stand Geddy's voice (they still remind me)... If you never take the time to really listen to his mastery of the craft, you've missed pretty much everything. I love to see the joy in your eyes when each of those nuggets hits your ears! As he aged, yes, he had a tougher time hitting all of those notes, but in his prime - he was as perfect and unique as it gets! I appreciate you always recognizing and calling out the subtle (and not so subtle) things that made him so special. They were certainly a one-of-a-kind band, built for musicians, and those who really took the time to listen... Great work my friend!
My favorite artist has a love-it-or-hate-it voice as well, so I totally get what you mean. It's Joanna Newsom btw. Listen to her album Ys for some great symphonic prog folk.
Built of musicians, by musicians, for musicians. Then given as a gift to the people.
As she said about the label wanting shorter easier to digest songs, I'm sure all fans have had push back from friends as they play this song with others around, "is this almost over?"............. I gave up and just listen to this alone.
@@randal_gibbons ❤!
Geddy calls his voice "in my cartoon charcter voice."
This has been one of my favorite songs for 35 years+. About 10 years ago I played this song for my 15 year old (at the time) daughter. Needless to say she was blown away and so the next generation of Rush fans is born. I find it so sad that the art of telling a long story in music is no longer practiced.
Seldom, but not never! Have you heard "the astonishing" from dream theater? 2 hour plus album that tells a coherent story from cover to cover! It's so cohesive it feels odd to me to listen to parts of the album out of order. Saw them perform it live too beginning to end. Killer 🤘
You might check out Nightwish - The Greatest Show on Earth" for an over 20 minute story of the creation of our universe...some folks still create those massive works of art, but VERY few and far between...
Check out Coheed and Cambria- almost all their albums tell a single story. The first five are the main opus, with most of the other albums telling related stories in the same setting.
One more:
On their Album "The Odyssey", Symphony X are telling the story of Odysseus' journey home to Ithaca after the Trojan War. That one is a 24 minute song.
There are plenty of examples of this, you just need to know where to look (prog and metal, generally). Definitely not in the pop music sphere, but Rush didn't really exist within that anyway (yes I know they sold a lot of records but that's not the same thing).
The production values on the album version of this is amazing, but what truly blows me away is watching them perform this live. Like the grainy black and white video of their 1976 concert. It’s just these three guys with maybe a few taped sound effects, but it’s still a masterpiece.
Thank you!!! Thank you for putting into a verbal syntax, (speach, whatever) where I've been telling others to simply listen. I'm now 56 years OLD, and I have to say that you love are doing a great service to our collective future in the relm of MUSIC and for those of us that not only grew up on this audio heroine but lived it!!! You my Dear, are making us old bastards proud!!! Please keep up the great work.
BTW, Jinjer has rocked for a while now. Great to see it getting the attention they so deservedly should have…
Huge Rush fan here. I became a musician because my mother took me to my first rock concert in 1984. It was the Rush "Grace Under Pressure" tour. I had always wanted to play an instrument (my father worked in radio and my uncle was a brilliant concert pianist and music professor) but I didn't know what I wanted to play until that concert. Geddy Lee was so amazing that at some point I tugged on my mother's sleeve, pointed at Geddy and yelled "MOM! I WANNA PLAY THAT!". So she bought me a second hand bass guitar and a little practice amp for Christmas that year and the rest is history. I studied music in college later and I also sing (I worked with the Mississippi Opera Chorus when I was in college and now I also play keyboards and guitar) but bass is my first love and the instrument I know the best. Even today, when I work with bands I usually play bass. 2112 is an epic song and I really enjoyed your analysis of it.
RUSH are tru masters of making music. They were on level so much higher then anyone else. I've been a fan for 45 years. Rip Neal is sad that I'll never see them play live again. They wrote songs that were designed to try and make the world a better place. We could really use more of that now. Not the music made to just make money... Hears a couple songs to check out. HART LOVE ALIVE. DIO INVISIBLE. thanks Daryl Lugenstein
My first concert and tour as well in St. Louis MO Checkerdome
My very first Rush concert was in 1984 grace under pressure, when I was 14. Unfortunately I was never able to grasp the second hand electric guitar I bought a couple of years later
Yes! I got myself an Ovation Magnum when I was in HS in the 80s and played along with the records. Eventually classical took over, but it's cool to revisit that part of my life.
I’ve listened to rush my entire life, over 20 years, played their songs thousands of times on multiple instruments, and performed them live dozens of times in front of live audiences.
That being said you still managed to find nuances and provide insights in sections that I’ve never noticed before. Truly amazing your abilities, keep up the good work
This is my favorite of your reactions so far. I have been a 2112 fan since I was a teen. I listened to it on Album, 8 track, Cassette, CD and streaming. I love it!
This is soooo cool! You've discovered something so unique that went under the radar of music critics for too long
I'm glad you enjoyed it as much as we all do.
BTW..
RUSH GIRLS ROCK!!!
Truly one of the best songs ever written. That guitar solo in the Soliloquy section is my all time favorite guitar solo. Alex Lifeson is one of those rare guitarists who can make their guitar have "human-like" feelings like sadness and depression. It perfectly fits the mood of this particular movement don't you think? Rush were always so attentive to detail and that's one of the reasons why they're my all time favorite band. Loved the analysis.
As a Rush madman from the seventies, I would just like to say "Thank you" to you for finally keeping your word. An epic album. The great thing is that there is so much more greatness to be enjoyed from this amazing trio. Thanks again.
A Rush madman quoting Zeppelin. ;)
Glad to see you doing this one as out of all the great work they have produced it is my favorite. 👍
I love that you get "it"! Thank you for hosting this album! One of if not my favorites!
I have never been so moved by this piece of music! I'm a devoted fan of Rush, and I'm ashamed to say I've never seen that graphic novel video before. That, combined with your analysis and facial expressions as you hear - and feel - this music, brought me to tears! Love your work!!
Also the number of times she said "oh, that's interesting" about something and I yelled at the screen "FORESHADOWING!".
I may not be from the Solar Federation, but you most certainly have my attention and I encourage you to assume control.
That’s a hella smooth pickup line for a Rush fan 👌😂
Damn a pickup line for bottoms, neat.
Absolutely love Xanadu and your joyful intelligent analysis, and genuine excited reaction makes it even better. You are amazing. love everything about you! ❤ Great videos
So much fun! Haha Glad you picked up on how drums in the background are so unusual sounding. So crisp.
I absolutely adore when a piece of music affects you to the point where you sit there stunned for a moment. And just listen. ❤ One of my favorite parts of 2112 is hanging out with somebody when they discover it for the first time.
I love showing 2112 to people who have never heard it. I actually got the chance to have a buddy listen to my Vinyl copy for his first listening experience.