Just FYI...Geddy & Alex had the animation done after Neil's passing in 2020, hence the tribute at the end. Neil wrote the lyrics about what he loved about the radio, starting in his childhood, hearing the right song at the right time, but the second half was his thoughts on how "One likes to believe in the freedom of music, but glittering prizes and endless compromises, shatter the illusion of integrity"....they were getting tired of the "Salesmen" and radio execs just wanting short songs to help maximize profits. As always, RIP to "The Professor".
Glad you highlighted that. I’m always a bit disappointed when reactors listen to music videos because often they stop listening to the lyrics and focus on the video, hence missing import points like this. Well done.
It seems that just top 10 stations want to shorten songs. No rock/metal station will shorten any song, no matter how long. Radio stations wanted a short version of "Dry County" by Bon Jovi. Jon Bon Jovi decided not to release the song on the radio if they were going to cut his song.
The key with Rush is extraordinary musicianship. Neil Peart was incredibly articulate and well read. He wrote almost all the lyrics. Geddy plays bass, keyboards, and sings simultaneously. Alex is a gifted guitar player. You can hear the skill.
Invisible airwaves crackle with life Bright antennas bristle with the energy Emotional feedback on a timeless wavelength Bearing a gift beyond price, almost free ~absolutely beautiful ,,pure poetry
“Freewill” would be a great Rush song to check out. It doesn’t have a guitar solo, it’s a guitar, bass and drum solo taking place simultaneously. Their musicianship was insane.
Rush drummer and lyricist Neil Peart explained this song in an interview with Billboard magazine: "'The Spirit Of Radio' was actually written as a tribute to all that was good about radio, celebrating my appreciation of magical moments I'd had since childhood, of hearing 'the right song at the right time.' However, [the song's] celebration of the ideals of radio necessarily seemed like an attack on the reality - on the formulaic, mercenary programming of most radio stations, with music the last of anyone's concerns. And yes, it was really ironic that such a song became popular on radio, though it was a kind of litmus test. Some radio guys who 'got it' could hear the song and think, 'That's the way it ought to be,' while others - the shallow, swaggering salesmen-of-the-air - could be oblivious to the song's meaning and proudly applaud themselves, 'That's about me!'" Next Rush song to check out - Red Barchetta
You want to check out how versatile Rush is ? Try Natural Science, Subdivisions, Jacob's ladder, Marathon, Show don't tell, Witch Hunt and Red Sector A. This will give you an array of music and soundscapes. Rush is one of the most creative force ever. Each album, you land on a different planet. No record sounds the same. From 1980 to 1990 is just pure rocket sauce !!! Rush is the sh*t y'all !!!!!!!!
The DJ at 4:16, Donna Halper, was working for a rock station in Cleveland, OH when she played 'Working Man' which officially launched Rush's popularity here in the USA. It's a long song and did not fit the 3 minute format, but because Cleveland was a working class city and the song itself was catchy as well as an open tribute to the working class, she defied her stations rules and played the song which became very popular. Rush would always have a special relationship with Cleveland ('Best audience, EVER!') and Donna Halper was present when they were given a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. The opening guitar arpeggios were meant to simulate the sound of turning a radio dial and in the middle of the song, changing stations is simulated by re-introducing that guitar sound and then a switch in tone to reggae. This song is kind of a creative masterpiece, that lyrically, doesn't pull punches about the music industry.
I believe she was looking for a “bathroom song.” A song that was long enough to start playing , go to the bathroom and get back in time before it ended!! I can’t site the reference for that? A boom that came out in 1988, I think?
saw that concert twice - 1 within about 3 stops of the recording (I saw them in Chicago - and Milwaukee the second year of the tour) - Time Machine tour was amazing. And the crazy soloing melted our faces off both times.
Rush was a great Canadian rock band formed in 1968. The band's style changed over the years, from a blues-inspired hard rock beginning, later moving into progressive rock, then a period marked by heavy use of synthesizers, before returning to guitar-driven hard rock since the end of the 1980s. They had a lot of great songs such as "Not Fade Away", "In The Mood", "Working Man", "Bad Boy", "Fly By Night", "Limelight", "Red Barchetta", "The Trees", "Subdivisions", "Closer To The Heart", "Xanadu", "Anthem" etc.
Five minutes of multi-layered brilliance. 1) irresistibly catchy 2) multiple transitions executed seamlessly 3) very clever, insightful lyrics contrasting inspirational aspects of music on radio with the seamier underside of the music business. Part of this song’s back story: for years the band produced long, experimental progressive pieces. Their record company pushed them to produce a radio friendly single. They finally did with this song.
Cool trivia about this band is that Alex and Geddy have been best friends since high school, and they still are, unlike many long term bands. Neil joined the band after the first album was released but just before the bands first North American tour in 1974. He’s still affectionately known as “the new guy.” He is (was) a very quiet, recluse, big time reader, and wrote the lyrics to their music.
Alex is a stealthy virtuoso in that he's not flashy or a showoff but can play the hell out a guitar and is extremely innovative. Very humble guy as well.
The miracle of Rush is that they sound just as good live as they do in studio ... the quality doesn't fall off in concert, as a matter of fact seeing them do it in person added an even deeper level
If you want to see just how three guys can sound like 5 or 6 people, you should check out "Xanadu " from their 1981 live album "Exit Stage Left " .. it will blow you away!
Working man Live in Cleveland is a awesome show of Rush live in action. Gotta see a live concert recording of this great band. Thanks for hitting Rush.
YES!! a totally epic track. You both caught onto many of the different elements in this song and video, (there's a lot going on). Up next, "The Analog Kid". 😄
Glad you guys are starting to dive into Rush. Such a deep trove of great music to discover. Check out "Closer To The Heart", "Red Barchetta", "YYZ (an instrumental) - do the live version from Rio), "The Garden", "The Stand", "Time Stand Still", Neil Peart's drum solo live in Frankfurt... I can go on and on, but that should be a good start into the rabbit hole. The time signature changes in the song and the different "genres" (e.g. reggae), reflect driving along and changing the radio dial to different stations to settle on a song.
As a teenage drummer many decades ago Rush was just one of those bands ya had to figure out. Neal was such a powerful & mathematical drummer in his approach and didn’t make any mistakes , he was his own click track , and the guy wrote most the lyrics too with Geddy on bass and Alex on electric twanger they were such a great band & they seemed to have a goofy sense of humor
Nice reaction. You should consider doing something live so you can really see how good they truly are. Xanadu from "Exit stage left" is my favorite live song (2112 is my favorite studio song). The first time I saw this version I was amazed watching Getty Lee play bass guitar, 12 string guitar, keys, foot petals along with singing.
@@barsandbarbells2022 Yes, YYZ especially Live in Rio is very popular with most Rush fans. I personally prefer the 1988 version live in Birmingham that includes a Neil Peart drum solo. Either one shows their talent.
@@barsandbarbells2022YYZ live in Rio is very interesting because of the incredible "craziness" (enthousiasm and energy) of the crowd, which sings along with an instrumental song! But you can get no wrong with RUSH. And musically, Live in Rio is as good of the studio version
The lyrics are important and I believe were overlooked in the analyses of Rush music. Most (all?) come from Peart who was a semi-proponent of Ayn Rand's writings. In Spirit of Radio, to me, they reflect the increasing pressure of producers, labels and DJ's (station play frequency) on the artists and the difficulties with bands' abilities to remain true to their musical principles as 'radio' evolved. To me, they show depth and I suggest that they be read for your own opinion. There is a great deal in the animation including the intro showing the Italy-to-Newfoundland radio signal by Marconi (father of radio) in 1900. It was a HUGE deal at the time in connecting two continents in real time, at the speed of light! The clicking of the hands refers to the hands on dials tuning the blossoming myriad of radio stations of the heyday evolution during the 20th Century. There is a great deal of (sometimes) clever but subtle nuance and symbolisms that might be easily missed or dismissed. Thanks for the Reaction!
RUSH IS: Geddy Lee: Bass guitars, Oberheim polyphonic; OB-X; Mini-Moog; and Taurus pedal Synthesizers, vocals Alex Lifeson: Six and twelve string electric and acoustic guitars, Taurus pedals Neil Peart: Drum kit, timbales, gong bass drums, orchestra bells, glockenspiel, wind chimes, bell tree, crotales, cowbells, triangles, plywood, tympani, and Symphonic Chimes
I always liked the story the members of KISS tell about touring with RUSH. They tell of what we can all imagine what went on in the hotels rooms KISS members were staying in between gigs. KISS said when they went by the rooms RUSH was in, they were inside reading books. To this day I crack up thinking about it.
One of my favorite of their songs... and shows Neil's love of science fiction - the song was inspired by a sci-fi short story "A Nice Morning Drive", written by Richard Foster and published in the November 1973 issue of Road & Track magazine.
RUSH is THE PERFECT EXAMPLE of the fluidity of MASTERING TIME SIGNATURES! I play drums and there are a few things that you need to know about Neil Peart’s ( pronounced PEER-T) character: First he writes the lyrics so he knows in advance what TYPE of song it’s meant to be ie ballad, driver, etc. Second he COMPOSES on the drums… like a carpenter who looks at a set of blueprints before building the object. Neil lays out a SKETCH in his mind of the VOICES of the drumset and builds the song from there. He is also a great LISTENER knowing when NOT to step over Geddy’s singing or Alex’s solos! Finally, he had perfect timing and fluidity of time changes. He said himself that it’s not about COUNTING the time signatures as much as fluid motion to change the tempo without counting: in other words it should FLOW! He hates repeating the same drum patterns in the same song meaning if he plays a fill one way the first time around he will play it differently the second time around. IE. Rolls down the toms the first time around and triplets or quads (all four limbs) the second time around. In short there will NEVER be another like him on planet earth 🌍 🌏 🌎! REST IN PEACE PROFESSOR! With heart felt admiration and sincerity! Gary
CFNY is a radio station in Toronto, Canada Rush's home town as well as mine. Those DJs are actual real DJs, Donna Halper discovered RUSH she worked at WMMS in Cleveland OH. and is a Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee this year in 2023. If you look you will see she is holding a copy of Rush's first album an album that Neil wasn't on as he was not a member of Rush at that time.
This is my favourite all time Song, since first hearing it in 1980, just blew me away and has stuck with me ever since. The 2112 suite is an incredible listen too, what was the whole of side 1 on vinyl back in the day
RUSH... Expect the Unexpected. Neil Peart plays drums and percussion also wrote the lyrics of Rush's songs. Nicknamed The Professor RIP Alex Lifeson plays guitar, pedal synth and mandolina. Geddy Lee plays BASS, BASS pedal, synth, pedal synth and vocals. THREE master musician. You must listen Working man live in Cleveland, You Will feel the power of RUSH. Great reaction
When i got my driver's license in 1983, this was the first song i played when i got behind the wheel. For each of my first three or four cars i had, i always made sure this was the first song my cars heard as i drove in my happy solitude. For more Rush, try Freewill and also Closer to the Heart (live version from A Show of Hands, and pretty much anything else by Rush you come across! Thanks for content!
Thanks for the video RIP Neil Peart. Young kids now have no idea of how much radio was apart of our lives back in the 60's and 70's. Rush best Canadian rock band ever. Lyrically, the song is a lament on the change of FM radio from free-form to commercial formats during the late 1970s. The Toronto-based station CFNY-FM-which had not abandoned free-form programming-is cited as an inspiration for the song, It's brilliant the transitions, is like changing the radio dial.
A little history lesson. Rush is a Canadian band from Toronto. There was only one radio station that would play alt rock and indie music in the area; That was 102.1 CFNY “The Spirit of Radio”. At the time, it wasn’t worried too much about making money, but more of promoting new and up coming indie bands. David Marsden was the music director at the time when Spirit of Radio (song) came out and according to him, it was a tribute to the radio station CFNY. Search 1021 spirit of radio and there is an old website talking about the 80’s/90’s The “Ongoing History of New Music” with Alan Cross podcast started when he was working for CFNY (interesting deep dive into music)
I was working at a radio station when this was released and played this as often as I could. Beyond it being a great Rush song, the lyrics really resonated with me.
After Tom Soywer and Spirit of Radio the next step is Closer to the Heart. Tip: always listen to Rush with lyrics. There is much more to THINK can u imagine.
Give "Limelight" a listen. It's Neil's expression of his discomfort with fame that came with his life with Rush. With its well-written lyrics and ever-shifting time signatures (something that Rush is quite famous for) it's an interesting listen. Looking forward to your musical journey....
The switch into the Reggae concept is not only a departure from traditional pop songwriting but also suggested that people were scanning the analog radio with the dial for new stations.
You should check out the live version of this song. They played to over 500,000 people at a benefit concert for SARS in Toronto . It was headlined by the Rolling Stones, who played for free.
Neil Peart wasn't just one of the Greatest Drummers there ever was, he also wrote the words to most of their songs. All three had a lot to do with every aspect of their music. I believe that is what happens with people who are the finest at what they do, come together........
I've seen this music video several times but I just noticed that, on the FM dial that was part of the guitar neck, along with all the typical FM frequencies was "2112" at the left end of the dial. Also noted where the jam box exploded at the end that the parts were symbols from several albums. Fun to see such things woven into the video!
😍 Back for a re-watch! 😁 I get down right giddy 🤗 when ppl do the "Invisible Airwaves" hand gesture! 😄 Thank you for that! 😉 As someone in to 🖖🏾"Vulcan Hello's" I appreciate you! 🥰🐰
@@barsandbarbells2022 😂 The "Invisible Airwaves", "Jimmy Page finger point" & "Pete Townsend Windmills" are the gestures of my childhood! 🤭 Invisible Airwaves is the gesture I used when casting spells in D&D Campaigns! 🙄 Some folks had whole dances to cast a spell. 😒 Why Campaigns lasted 19 hrs! DOH! 🤣😂🤣🐰
Geddy Lee on bass,lead vocals,keys and Taurus pedals. Alex Lifeson on guitar keys Taurus pedals and backup vocals. Neil Peart on drums and wrote all the lyrics
All the different change ups in the musical styles in the song represent the different styles of music you can find on different radio stations. Please check out Red Barchetta and Xanadu from Exit Stage Left Cheers
I always thought that if there were one song that could represent them, it'd be this one. Great musicianship on all of their parts, contemplative lyrics, high energy, time signature switchups, and a bit of quirkiness. They only had a few songs that they'd ALWAYS play in concert, and this was one of them.
The red car the drummer Neil is driving in this video is a Red Barchetta, and Italian sports car, its also the focus of the song of the same name from the same album "Moving Pictures" which you did your first dive into Rush on when you reviewed the song Tom Sawyer.
This is Rush's homage to their Local Radio Station CFNY, who played Local Groups entire new albums, and Deep Cuts from Canadian Bands, resisting the Corporate Style of the day of playing the same songs over and over. CFNY's Moniker was "The Spirit of Radio", and their channel was 102.1. Rush asked for and got that the album be number 1021 which you can see on the pressing on the inside of the record.
Early FM radio in the late 60's and early 70's was album rock and few commercials. Those were happy times. Then later it went commercial. That is what the song was saying.
I'm sure everyone would agree that your next Rush song should definitely be "YYZ" Live in Rio. Do you think nerdy musicians from Canada would be popular in Brazil for their 1st concert there 28 years after their 1st album? Watch and see.
Marl Twain was the pen name for Samuel Clemens author, lived in Connecticuit my home state. You should try to see Rush live concert videos they are a great entertainment group, one of my top favriote groups.
Your intro - Def Vaclav Nelhýbel. That was totally Symphonic Movement. Also The Spirit of Radio was composed to be like traversing the radio dial with all the different genres Peart = Peert
Thanks for reacting to this video! I'm a huge RUSH fan and saw them several times in concert before Neil passed away (RIP), and this is actually one of my all time favorite songs by anyone in music lol. If you react to another video from them, two of the most popular to react to are 1. YYZ (Live in Rio ), which is actually an instrumental song, but man, it is amazing and will blow you away with the crowd reacting to it and 2. the video of Neil doing a drum solo, which will really show you a bit about how amazing his skills are. In all the concerts of theirs, that I saw live, the drum solo was usually the highlight of the show (along with Spirit of Radio). Thanks for your reaction. I'm kinda new to the channel so not sure if you've done any other RUSH videos while i'm making this comment....keep smiling👍☺
a little trivia.....the guy at 7:10 in the video, with the mustache, was from Neil Peart's growing up town and worked at The Beer Store and is also on the Moving Pictures album cover. Might try reacting to Subdivisions or 2112 Overture by Rush as well
102.1 CFNY Toronto my buddys radio picked it up in western NY . this song was written about that station. You would hear just about everything without repeats It was DJ driven more than industry driven. That era is gone forever.
Amazingly they recreate all that live on stage , still just 3 people. "Working Man " live in Cleveland will show you what they are capable of. ( and has some mind blowing guitar work in it as well)
Just FYI...Geddy & Alex had the animation done after Neil's passing in 2020, hence the tribute at the end. Neil wrote the lyrics about what he loved about the radio, starting in his childhood, hearing the right song at the right time, but the second half was his thoughts on how "One likes to believe in the freedom of music, but glittering prizes and endless compromises, shatter the illusion of integrity"....they were getting tired of the "Salesmen" and radio execs just wanting short songs to help maximize profits. As always, RIP to "The Professor".
well said
Glad you highlighted that. I’m always a bit disappointed when reactors listen to music videos because often they stop listening to the lyrics and focus on the video, hence missing import points like this. Well done.
It seems that just top 10 stations want to shorten songs. No rock/metal station will shorten any song, no matter how long. Radio stations wanted a short version of "Dry County" by Bon Jovi. Jon Bon Jovi decided not to release the song on the radio if they were going to cut his song.
The key with Rush is extraordinary musicianship. Neil Peart was incredibly articulate and well read. He wrote almost all the lyrics. Geddy plays bass, keyboards, and sings simultaneously. Alex is a gifted guitar player. You can hear the skill.
Alex also plays foot pedals.
@@leemiracle6840 Not surprised
Invisible airwaves crackle with life
Bright antennas bristle with the energy
Emotional feedback on a timeless wavelength
Bearing a gift beyond price, almost free ~absolutely beautiful ,,pure poetry
That part is awesome!
“Freewill” would be a great Rush song to check out. It doesn’t have a guitar solo, it’s a guitar, bass and drum solo taking place simultaneously. Their musicianship was insane.
This has to be one of the top 10 all time song’s especially musically. It’s amazing.
Rush drummer and lyricist Neil Peart explained this song in an interview with Billboard magazine: "'The Spirit Of Radio' was actually written as a tribute to all that was good about radio, celebrating my appreciation of magical moments I'd had since childhood, of hearing 'the right song at the right time.' However, [the song's] celebration of the ideals of radio necessarily seemed like an attack on the reality - on the formulaic, mercenary programming of most radio stations, with music the last of anyone's concerns. And yes, it was really ironic that such a song became popular on radio, though it was a kind of litmus test. Some radio guys who 'got it' could hear the song and think, 'That's the way it ought to be,' while others - the shallow, swaggering salesmen-of-the-air - could be oblivious to the song's meaning and proudly applaud themselves, 'That's about me!'"
Next Rush song to check out - Red Barchetta
I’ve seen RUSH in concert 10 times….it’s having a religious experience!!! They are truly amazing!! RIP to The Professor Neil Peart
You want to check out how versatile Rush is ? Try Natural Science, Subdivisions, Jacob's ladder, Marathon, Show don't tell, Witch Hunt and Red Sector A. This will give you an array of music and soundscapes. Rush is one of the most creative force ever. Each album, you land on a different planet. No record sounds the same. From 1980 to 1990 is just pure rocket sauce !!! Rush is the sh*t y'all !!!!!!!!
Subdivisions!
The trees?
The DJ at 4:16, Donna Halper, was working for a rock station in Cleveland, OH when she played 'Working Man' which officially launched Rush's popularity here in the USA. It's a long song and did not fit the 3 minute format, but because Cleveland was a working class city and the song itself was catchy as well as an open tribute to the working class, she defied her stations rules and played the song which became very popular. Rush would always have a special relationship with Cleveland ('Best audience, EVER!') and Donna Halper was present when they were given a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. The opening guitar arpeggios were meant to simulate the sound of turning a radio dial and in the middle of the song, changing stations is simulated by re-introducing that guitar sound and then a switch in tone to reggae. This song is kind of a creative masterpiece, that lyrically, doesn't pull punches about the music industry.
I believe she was looking for a “bathroom song.” A song that was long enough to start playing , go to the bathroom and get back in time before it ended!! I can’t site the reference for that? A boom that came out in 1988, I think?
You forgot that all the callers that heard for the first time thought they were Led Zeppelin
You liked the "Reggae" vibe? Check out Rush Live in Cleveland doing "Working Man." It will give you a feel for them live in the later years.
Enjoy!
I am a diehard fan ... but I never liked that particular choice by them.
Working man live in Cleveland is amazing😊
saw that concert twice - 1 within about 3 stops of the recording (I saw them in Chicago - and Milwaukee the second year of the tour) - Time Machine tour was amazing. And the crazy soloing melted our faces off both times.
This is the way
Rush was a great Canadian rock band formed in 1968. The band's style changed over the years, from a blues-inspired hard rock beginning, later moving into progressive rock, then a period marked by heavy use of synthesizers, before returning to guitar-driven hard rock since the end of the 1980s. They had a lot of great songs such as "Not Fade Away", "In The Mood", "Working Man", "Bad Boy", "Fly By Night", "Limelight", "Red Barchetta", "The Trees", "Subdivisions", "Closer To The Heart", "Xanadu", "Anthem" etc.
Why would you mention Not Fade Away and Bad Boy? odd choice
2112? Lol.
@@rimskykorsakov2892 Right! smh. Why not add Garden Road?
Subdivisions!
Five minutes of multi-layered brilliance.
1) irresistibly catchy
2) multiple transitions executed seamlessly
3) very clever, insightful lyrics contrasting inspirational aspects of music on radio with the seamier underside of the music business.
Part of this song’s back story: for years the band produced long, experimental progressive pieces. Their record company pushed them to produce a radio friendly single. They finally did with this song.
Cool trivia about this band is that Alex and Geddy have been best friends since high school, and they still are, unlike many long term bands.
Neil joined the band after the first album was released but just before the bands first North American tour in 1974. He’s still affectionately known as “the new guy.” He is (was) a very quiet, recluse, big time reader, and wrote the lyrics to their music.
Not bad for a new guy
Alex is a stealthy virtuoso in that he's not flashy or a showoff but can play the hell out a guitar and is extremely innovative. Very humble guy as well.
Soooooh sweet and humble. And so damn funny!
The miracle of Rush is that they sound just as good live as they do in studio ... the quality doesn't fall off in concert, as a matter of fact seeing them do it in person added an even deeper level
If you want to see just how three guys can sound like 5 or 6 people, you should check out "Xanadu " from their 1981 live album "Exit Stage Left " .. it will blow you away!
even vast-majority of 5-piece bands don't sound like Rush :D:D
The sound like a pop guitar trio...
Very good bass player, good drummer, mediocre guitarist, uninteresting singer.
Rush always takes you on a ride ...all you have to do is dig
One of the best!
YOU WILL NEVER GO WRONG WITH RUSH SO MANY SONGS TO CHOOSE FROM WITH ALOT OF DIFFERENT SOUNDS ESPECIALLY THE FARTHER YOU GO BACK!
Working man Live in Cleveland is a awesome show of Rush live in action. Gotta see a live concert recording of this great band. Thanks for hitting Rush.
YES!! a totally epic track. You both caught onto many of the different elements in this song and video, (there's a lot going on). Up next, "The Analog Kid". 😄
Glad you guys are starting to dive into Rush. Such a deep trove of great music to discover. Check out "Closer To The Heart", "Red Barchetta", "YYZ (an instrumental) - do the live version from Rio), "The Garden", "The Stand", "Time Stand Still", Neil Peart's drum solo live in Frankfurt... I can go on and on, but that should be a good start into the rabbit hole. The time signature changes in the song and the different "genres" (e.g. reggae), reflect driving along and changing the radio dial to different stations to settle on a song.
Subdivisions
As a teenage drummer many decades ago Rush was just one of those bands ya had to figure out. Neal was such a powerful & mathematical drummer in his approach and didn’t make any mistakes , he was his own click track , and the guy wrote most the lyrics too with Geddy on bass and Alex on electric twanger they were such a great band & they seemed to have a goofy sense of humor
Nice reaction. You should consider doing something live so you can really see how good they truly are. Xanadu from "Exit stage left" is my favorite live song (2112 is my favorite studio song). The first time I saw this version I was amazed watching Getty Lee play bass guitar, 12 string guitar, keys, foot petals along with singing.
It seems like YYZ is a fairly popular recommendation for live?
@@barsandbarbells2022 Yes, YYZ especially Live in Rio is very popular with most Rush fans. I personally prefer the 1988 version live in Birmingham that includes a Neil Peart drum solo. Either one shows their talent.
@@barsandbarbells2022YYZ live in Rio is very interesting because of the incredible "craziness" (enthousiasm and energy) of the crowd, which sings along with an instrumental song!
But you can get no wrong with RUSH. And musically, Live in Rio is as good of the studio version
It's the 80s and I'm back in high school. Thanks!!! Great reaction!
Rock on!
@@barsandbarbells2022 👍🏿❤️
The lyrics are important and I believe were overlooked in the analyses of Rush music. Most (all?) come from Peart who was a semi-proponent of Ayn Rand's writings. In Spirit of Radio, to me, they reflect the increasing pressure of producers, labels and DJ's (station play frequency) on the artists and the difficulties with bands' abilities to remain true to their musical principles as 'radio' evolved. To me, they show depth and I suggest that they be read for your own opinion. There is a great deal in the animation including the intro showing the Italy-to-Newfoundland radio signal by Marconi (father of radio) in 1900. It was a HUGE deal at the time in connecting two continents in real time, at the speed of light! The clicking of the hands refers to the hands on dials tuning the blossoming myriad of radio stations of the heyday evolution during the 20th Century. There is a great deal of (sometimes) clever but subtle nuance and symbolisms that might be easily missed or dismissed. Thanks for the Reaction!
RUSH IS:
Geddy Lee: Bass guitars, Oberheim polyphonic; OB-X; Mini-Moog; and Taurus pedal Synthesizers, vocals
Alex Lifeson: Six and twelve string electric and acoustic guitars, Taurus pedals
Neil Peart: Drum kit, timbales, gong bass drums, orchestra bells, glockenspiel, wind chimes, bell tree, crotales, cowbells, triangles, plywood, tympani, and Symphonic Chimes
I saw Rush 5 times. All three members were outstanding musicians. Their live shows were amazing
Neil Peart (pronounced not pert, but peeert), drum solo in Frankfurt! It will drop your jaws! Thank you for recognizing a band of musician masters!
I always liked the story the members of KISS tell about touring with RUSH. They tell of what we can all imagine what went on in the hotels rooms KISS members were staying in between gigs. KISS said when they went by the rooms RUSH was in, they were inside reading books. To this day I crack up thinking about it.
I love that Neil is driving a Red Barchetta
One of my favorite of their songs... and shows Neil's love of science fiction - the song was inspired by a sci-fi short story "A Nice Morning Drive", written by Richard Foster and published in the November 1973 issue of Road & Track magazine.
Super Powerful Trio.
All those changeups represent spinning the old school radio dial. The drums represent static.
RUSH is THE PERFECT EXAMPLE of the fluidity of MASTERING TIME SIGNATURES! I play drums and there are a few things that you need to know about Neil Peart’s ( pronounced PEER-T) character: First he writes the lyrics so he knows in advance what TYPE of song it’s meant to be ie ballad, driver, etc. Second he COMPOSES on the drums… like a carpenter who looks at a set of blueprints before building the object. Neil lays out a SKETCH in his mind of the VOICES of the drumset and builds the song from there. He is also a great LISTENER knowing when NOT to step over Geddy’s singing or Alex’s solos! Finally, he had perfect timing and fluidity of time changes. He said himself that it’s not about COUNTING the time signatures as much as fluid motion to change the tempo without counting: in other words it should FLOW! He hates repeating the same drum patterns in the same song meaning if he plays a fill one way the first time around he will play it differently the second time around. IE. Rolls down the toms the first time around and triplets or quads (all four limbs) the second time around. In short there will NEVER be another like him on planet earth 🌍 🌏 🌎! REST IN PEACE PROFESSOR!
With heart felt admiration and sincerity!
Gary
This was my introduction to my favorite band 43 years ago. Permanent Waves is a perfect album.
CFNY is a radio station in Toronto, Canada Rush's home town as well as mine. Those DJs are actual real DJs, Donna Halper discovered RUSH she worked at WMMS in Cleveland OH. and is a Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee this year in 2023. If you look you will see she is holding a copy of Rush's first album an album that Neil wasn't on as he was not a member of Rush at that time.
Saw them live 35 times between 1977-2015. Greatest band ever!!!
So many great songs to listen to. Where do you start? You can't go wrong with Working Man!🎵👍
Neil's last name is pronounced like P"ear"t - A long e sound.
When they first came out,I was instantly amazed.Had to ask my friends,have you heard this band.I was hooked.
This is my favourite all time Song, since first hearing it in 1980, just blew me away and has stuck with me ever since. The 2112 suite is an incredible listen too, what was the whole of side 1 on vinyl back in the day
Me too. Heard it as a 13 year old in 1980 & I was hooked on this band. Still am.
Glad I'm not alone. Spirit of Radio has always been my favorite song. I was 14 in 1980, and I still love it to this day.
RUSH... Expect the Unexpected.
Neil Peart plays drums and percussion also wrote the lyrics of Rush's songs. Nicknamed The Professor RIP
Alex Lifeson plays guitar, pedal synth and mandolina.
Geddy Lee plays BASS, BASS pedal, synth, pedal synth and vocals.
THREE master musician. You must listen Working man live in Cleveland, You Will feel the power of RUSH.
Great reaction
You absolutely have to check out their song "Working Man", my favorite from the by far.
I would say arguably one of the top two drummers, top five bassist and top ten guitarist in rock all together.
When i got my driver's license in 1983, this was the first song i played when i got behind the wheel. For each of my first three or four cars i had, i always made sure this was the first song my cars heard as i drove in my happy solitude.
For more Rush, try Freewill and also Closer to the Heart (live version from A Show of Hands, and pretty much anything else by Rush you come across! Thanks for content!
There's 40 plus year's of rush ...go into the rabbit hole..it will catapult you both into another dimension for life..phenomenal
Canada's FINEST!!!! One of the best bands EVER!
Thanks for the video RIP Neil Peart. Young kids now have no idea of how much radio was apart of our lives back in the 60's and 70's. Rush best Canadian rock band ever. Lyrically, the song is a lament on the change of FM radio from free-form to commercial formats during the late 1970s. The Toronto-based station CFNY-FM-which had not abandoned free-form programming-is cited as an inspiration for the song, It's brilliant the transitions, is like changing the radio dial.
The beginning of this song was composed to resemble switching from station to station on the radio
Awe guys there's a live version in Toronto where they are from. soo good to see 😊
It is a very uplifting song. The drum work is perfection
A little history lesson.
Rush is a Canadian band from Toronto. There was only one radio station that would play alt rock and indie music in the area; That was 102.1 CFNY “The Spirit of Radio”.
At the time, it wasn’t worried too much about making money, but more of promoting new and up coming indie bands.
David Marsden was the music director at the time when Spirit of Radio (song) came out and according to him, it was a tribute to the radio station CFNY.
Search 1021 spirit of radio and there is an old website talking about the 80’s/90’s
The “Ongoing History of New Music” with Alan Cross podcast started when he was working for CFNY (interesting deep dive into music)
Rush is the best band on the Planet !!!
I was working at a radio station when this was released and played this as often as I could. Beyond it being a great Rush song, the lyrics really resonated with me.
After Tom Soywer and Spirit of Radio the next step is Closer to the Heart.
Tip: always listen to Rush with lyrics. There is much more to THINK can u imagine.
A band of my generation. Only two bands were more than music but an experience. RUSH and Pink Floyd.
Rush is a DEEP rabbit hole, but worth the trip! And all questions you may have will be answered by all the Rush fans who view your videos.
Give "Limelight" a listen. It's Neil's expression of his discomfort with fame that came with his life with Rush. With its well-written lyrics and ever-shifting time signatures (something that Rush is quite famous for) it's an interesting listen. Looking forward to your musical journey....
The switch into the Reggae concept is not only a departure from traditional pop songwriting but also suggested that people were scanning the analog radio with the dial for new stations.
You should check out the live version of this song. They played to over 500,000 people at a benefit concert for SARS in Toronto . It was headlined by the Rolling Stones, who played for free.
Please watch the live version when you get a chance. It is so amazing that 3 people can make all of this sound. 😍
A memorial to Rush's drummer at the end, and they're like, well anyways.....
Rush is the greatest! Subdivisions or Natural Science should be your next Rush reaction
Subdivisions definitely should be next. Doesn't follow the "light and fun" though
Loved CFNY "The spirit of Radio" (Toronto) back in the 80's! When picking dorm rooms in Buffalo making sure you could tune it in was a factor.
Neil Peart wasn't just one of the Greatest Drummers there ever was, he also wrote the words to most of their songs. All three had a lot to do with every aspect of their music. I believe that is what happens with people who are the finest at what they do, come together........
I've seen this music video several times but I just noticed that, on the FM dial that was part of the guitar neck, along with all the typical FM frequencies was "2112" at the left end of the dial. Also noted where the jam box exploded at the end that the parts were symbols from several albums. Fun to see such things woven into the video!
😍 Back for a re-watch! 😁 I get down right giddy 🤗 when ppl do the "Invisible Airwaves" hand gesture! 😄 Thank you for that! 😉 As someone in to 🖖🏾"Vulcan Hello's" I appreciate you! 🥰🐰
Glad you enjoyed it!
@@barsandbarbells2022 😂 The "Invisible Airwaves", "Jimmy Page finger point" & "Pete Townsend Windmills" are the gestures of my childhood! 🤭 Invisible Airwaves is the gesture I used when casting spells in D&D Campaigns! 🙄 Some folks had whole dances to cast a spell. 😒 Why Campaigns lasted 19 hrs! DOH! 🤣😂🤣🐰
This was my alarm clock wake up call for years. I need to get back into getting into life. sending love
Like surfing the radio dial in one song...just magic
Geddy Lee on bass,lead vocals,keys and Taurus pedals. Alex Lifeson on guitar keys Taurus pedals and backup vocals. Neil Peart on drums and wrote all the lyrics
All the different change ups in the musical styles in the song represent the different styles of music you can find on different radio stations.
Please check out Red Barchetta and Xanadu from Exit Stage Left
Cheers
I always thought that if there were one song that could represent them, it'd be this one. Great musicianship on all of their parts, contemplative lyrics, high energy, time signature switchups, and a bit of quirkiness. They only had a few songs that they'd ALWAYS play in concert, and this was one of them.
"Never put off until tomorrow, what you can do the day after tomorrow just as well." - Mark Twain
The switching up of the sounds also mimics the changing radio stations and hearing different sounds from each station.
The red car the drummer Neil is driving in this video is a Red Barchetta, and Italian sports car, its also the focus of the song of the same name from the same album "Moving Pictures" which you did your first dive into Rush on when you reviewed the song Tom Sawyer.
2112 album from Rush was a complete banger. They take you on a musical journey like no other
My favorite part is "Freedom of music" because it's so true and Rush knew and knows all about that. THANK U RUSH!!!
Cute analysis of 3 of the best musicians ever 🎼
This is Rush's homage to their Local Radio Station CFNY, who played Local Groups entire new albums, and Deep Cuts from Canadian Bands, resisting the Corporate Style of the day of playing the same songs over and over.
CFNY's Moniker was "The Spirit of Radio", and their channel was 102.1. Rush asked for and got that the album be number 1021 which you can see on the pressing on the inside of the record.
rush and more rush! thanks guys for choosing them!!
Early FM radio in the late 60's and early 70's was album rock and few commercials. Those were happy times. Then later it went commercial. That is what the song was saying.
Mark Twain, a.k.a. Samuel Clemens, was one of the top American writers from the 19th century. The novel Huckleberry Finn is highly recommended.
Rush!! The goats of my youth. Saw them 12 times
I'm sure everyone would agree that your next Rush song should definitely be "YYZ" Live in Rio.
Do you think nerdy musicians from Canada would be popular in Brazil for their 1st concert there 28 years after their 1st album? Watch and see.
No doubt of this, followed by Neil (pronounced Peer t), drum solo from Frankfurt
Marl Twain was the pen name for Samuel Clemens author, lived in Connecticuit my home state. You should try to see Rush live concert videos they are a great entertainment group, one of my top favriote groups.
This is one of the radio friendly songs by Rush (in several ways.) which is why it seems to have a different structure and feel.
Your intro - Def Vaclav Nelhýbel. That was totally Symphonic Movement.
Also The Spirit of Radio was composed to be like traversing the radio dial with all the different genres
Peart = Peert
That ending tribute to Neil makes me cry every time
Great song, and fantastic video. Love the animations! Rush is beyond EPIC!
Thanks for reacting to this video! I'm a huge RUSH fan and saw them several times in concert before Neil passed away (RIP), and this is actually one of my all time favorite songs by anyone in music lol. If you react to another video from them, two of the most popular to react to are 1. YYZ (Live in Rio ), which is actually an instrumental song, but man, it is amazing and will blow you away with the crowd reacting to it and 2. the video of Neil doing a drum solo, which will really show you a bit about how amazing his skills are. In all the concerts of theirs, that I saw live, the drum solo was usually the highlight of the show (along with Spirit of Radio). Thanks for your reaction. I'm kinda new to the channel so not sure if you've done any other RUSH videos while i'm making this comment....keep smiling👍☺
Great reaction Sam and Phil! Rush is such a fantastic listen.
Na na na na na!! You're getting sucked into the great Rush Rabbit hole!! LOL
a little trivia.....the guy at 7:10 in the video, with the mustache, was from Neil Peart's growing up town and worked at The Beer Store and is also on the Moving Pictures album cover. Might try reacting to Subdivisions or 2112 Overture by Rush as well
A perfect song that never gets old. Freewill next, please.
Ok… fun fact …Geddy’s name is really Gary, but his mom’s thick accent pronounced it Geddy!
102.1 CFNY Toronto my buddys radio picked it up in western NY . this song was written about that station. You would hear just about everything without repeats It was DJ driven more than industry driven. That era is gone forever.
Amazingly they recreate all that live on stage , still just 3 people. "Working Man " live in Cleveland will show you what they are capable of. ( and has some mind blowing guitar work in it as well)
A gift beyond price
Almost free
Always loved tgis song and the animation waa unreal.
Those of us old enough radio was what we had going modern we got a fm converter boom this changed everything wolfman took a back seat
This was exactly when Rush got away from their epic suites as it was burning them out in the studio.
This song is more "epic" than any of their long songs. This album is when RUSH really hit their stride IMO.