I have always loved Canadian rockers RUSH ever since I first heard them in the early 1970's. My favourite album is FLY BY NIGHT (above) and my track of choice whilst painting models or making sword-y-kins boxes is with out BY TOR AND THE SNOW DOG. It tells of an epic battle at the 'tobes of Hades' between By Tor, the giant Owl pictured on the album cover and the Snow Dog. Using guitars as characters, the bass and lead of Lee and Lifeson screech and throb in a swirling skirmish to the death. Like Queen's OGRE BATTLE it is steeped in Tolkeinesque/ Sword and Sorcery - type imagery from a time when bands where influenced by orcs and ents. The whole album is on a similarly epic scale but By Tor is it's pinnacle. What's your music of choice when playing with your toys?
Yes, Rush are amazing. For me, their best is Hemispheres - good music and a useful philosophy too.
ReplyDeleteMusic for playing with toys? Has to be Holst's Mars: Bringer of War. Or any of the James Bond music.
I've only discovered Hemisphere's this year - yes, whilst modelling! I particularly love the Trees and La Villa Strachiati (?). I'm afraid I stopped buying their stuff when I was about 18 or 19. My last teenage RUSH LP was Farewell to Kings, which it was sort of. The album I'm hoping to get to know next is Caress of Steel, which I missed first time round somehow. I'm off now to do some air guitarin'!
ReplyDeleteYes, The Trees is brilliant!
ReplyDeleteI remember seeing Rush back in the day at the Glasgow Apollo with my wife and friends and their performance of 'Closer to the heart' was later released on a live 7" single. Oh, and one of my favorites is 'The spirit of Radio' (picked up a copy of the three disc 'Rush live in Rio' for only a fiver a while ago....saved my brother lending it to me! seek it out it's well worth it, Believe me.
ReplyDelete