Imagine being a 15-year-old kid, you've never been to a rock concert or a live show in your life and an older kid in the neighborhood asks if you'd like to go with him and a bunch of other guys to see a show tonight. You beg your mother to go. She says yes and you sit down and you see this concert for this album and they start off with this song. It was an unbelievable experience. I couldn't believe three musicians could put out so much quality quality sound and they just love performing for their audiences. If you guys do some research, you'll find out they're one of the most fan-friendly bands out there. They kept their ticket prices low and they toured every album and they pretty much put out an album almost every year. They are just amazing! Thanks so much for all you do and for sharing. Keep up the great work!
I was about ready to drop almost the same comment. I was a 15-year-old school drummer in 1982 and my first concert was the signals tour. My life changed.
I finally got to see them my senior year in high school '86. Power Windows was off and running. I've never been so pumped to see a band live. Opening tune was of course Spirit Of Radio and my jaw was immediately on the floor. They had Neil's kit maxed out through the PA, so that solo was like a nuke going off in the arena. Unforgettable experience.
I was 16 in 1984 when I first saw them (jeez 40 years ago!). Remains to this day one of the great experiences of my life. I’d go on to see Rush another 49 times over the next 31 years and 13 tours, but that first time will always be special.
No one's mentioned it yet, so I will. This is a brilliant song that feels good about listening to the radio but trashes the music industry of the day. It draws you in with the good vibe, and then, if you're paying attention, speaks to the reality behind making and getting your music heard. The music industry, especially the Rolling Stone Magazine writers, hated Rush, and that's why it took 14 years for them to get into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. After the line... Bearing a gift beyond price, almost free... then they hit you hard with the reality of the recording studios and the Radio industry... because All this machinery making modern music Can still be open-hearted Not so coldly charted, it's really just a question of your honesty Yeah, your honesty One likes to believe in the freedom of music But glittering prizes and endless compromises Shatter the illusion of integrity, yeah... They understood that in order to make music that the industry would put on the radio so that you get airplay, it required endless compromises in the artistic production of the music you produced... and then there's the question to the other artists of their day... are you willing to sell out the integrity of your music so that you get the cold charted (without feeling) hit on the radio? Are you willing to sacrifice artistic integrity fire glittering prizes and endless compromises... But the best and most cutting lines are at the end.... They take Simon and Garfunkel's classic protest song... The Sound of Silence and parody it... Simon and Garfunkel sang... And the sign said, "The words of the prophets are written on the subway walls And tenement halls And whispered in the sounds of silence" Rush then shift the clarion cry of the 60's and 70's to listen to the voice of the people who aren't being heard... and sing For the words of the profits (no longer prophets) Were written on the studio wall (No longer in the streets, but in corporate offices) Echoes with the sounds of salesmen Of salesman, of salesmen (The whispers of the people rising up are now the same people whose previous voice of truth is now been reduced to simply echos... a they are now selling a product). It's a knife in the back of those who sold out to the man...
There is an otherwise great documentary called Time Stand Still, on Hulu if I'm not mistaken, that would leave you to believe Rolling Stone was ahead of the curve on Rush. Not only were they not ahead the curve, they threw down road spikes to trip them up every chance they could. They were a shill for the music industry at best and a bunch of dishonest hacks at worst.
The transitions are insane! Melodies intended to imitate the changing of songs on the radio dial. Lyrics by the greatest drummer of all time the late Neil Peart. Excellent reaction!!
I got HOOKED on Rush when I was 16 and I'm 62 now. I've seen them in concert 11 times and each time was unbelievably even better than the last. Their skill levels, ALL OF THEM, far surpass excellence. Each concert was 3 plus hours of these guys OWNING the stage, while at the same time you felt like they were right beside you in the crowd. RIP NEIL PEART. GOD BLESS ALEX AND GEDDY.
And thank you 3 fine gentlemen. You may not know this, but when an old man in his 60s sees you getting the same joy I felt 40 or 50 years ago, it's like I get to be young again. If only for 3 to 5 minutes. Instantly I'm back in San Diego in the 70s, high fiving my buddies when we hear some Rush or Van Halen or Journey for the first time. You 3 are like a freaking time machine for me, which makes hearing a new reaction from you the highlight of my day. Much love. Please don't ever stop.
Did you notice earlier in the video the red sports car driving along the coast? Guess what kind of RED sports car it was, and who was driving it? I’m sure there are more Peart references there, I just haven’t caught them all yet.
"One likes to believe in the freedom of music ~ But glittering prizes and endless compromises ~ Shatter the illusion of integrity, yeah" Bars!!! Some musicians sell out for the money and do what they are told, while other stay true to their vision.
One thing that always surprises me is once the reaction to" Moving Pictures" most channels don't go backwards and check out Farewell to Kings (album.) "Closer to The Heart" or "Fly by Night" just a thought!!
Pirate Radio! OMG i forgot about that! Back in the 80’s a ship equip to broadcast music anchored 3 miles off shore in the Pacific and pirated almost every rock station. It lasted until the government could figure out how to stop them. A cool blip in history!
Freewill has my absolute favorite bass lick of any song. When Lifeson does his guitar solo and Geddy doesn't have to sing he simply goes off on that bass. Amazing stuff.
Guys, I loved your reaction, and your comments. I'm a 60 year old canadian guy near Calgary, Alberta, Canada, and your reactions to this, are virtually identical to mine, and I am so dammed happy that everyday people in this world, no matter what year they were born, or what country they were raised in, have the very same reaction to this awesome music that was created by these incredible musicians. I love this band, and I am so very glad, that you have now had the opportunity to get to know them, and their incredible catalogue of music!!!
Great reaction guys. Love when you get to Rush on the channel. A nice tribute to radio, for those of us who can remember how important radio was in our lives.
Neil Peart died in January 2020, but the three musicians that were Rush - Neil Peart, Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson - recorded and performed together beginning in 1974 and for over 40 years. They wrote their music together, but most of the lyrics were written by Peart, the drummer.
The car that Neil is driving in the first verse is a Red Barchetta, referring to a track on Moving Pictures, of which I highly recommend the performance from Exit Stage Left. Have a great evening and Rush on! 🎤 🎹 🎸 🥁 🎸 🔥 🔥 🔥
My senior year of high school 1976 you could hear RUSH blaring out of my speakers and heard many time "TURN YOUR MUSIC DOWN PHILIP" so when I heard PHILIP, I knew I was touching the nerve that will set my parents off. LOVE IT and saw RUSH four times in Seattle Wa and the rest is history.
This song is a tribute to CFNY-FM, an alternative rock station that broadcast from Brampton, Ontario Canada in the 80s and called itself The Spirit of Radio.
I was fortunate to watch Rush live a dozen times. Neil Peart wrote most of the lyrics. Neal was also a big Police fan. That’s were they got the reggae beat. So many great songs. Please react to Neal’s drum solo live in Frankfurt!!👍
As I was growing up the radio station, I tuned into was FM-98 Rock Sacramento they play the best tunes all day all night long I even leave it on at night and Radio DJs were great hearing their stories, thanks for all your upload reaction great tunes I still LOVE Rock and Roll at 66 years of age, Thanks again.
Saw them in concert in Connecticut during their roll the bones tour… and this song was there encore.. I waited all night because this was the song I wanted to hear in concert
BTW, a radio station in the Toronto area, CFNY was known as "The Spirit of Radio", and was paid tribute to in this video (~3:28) along with some of key staff at the time. It was known also as "The Edge" for being on the leading edge of new music, new bands, new sounds, when other stations were playing pop hits and/or "classic rock". They played cutting edge music and didn't cower to the demands of Big Corporate. A lot of bands would never have been heard (at least in Canada) if it weren't for CFNY.
I grew up in a town outside Toronto and they lived in the next town and we were playing in the park and heard music coming from the factories and we climbed on the dumpsters to watch in the window and saw them rocking out making the most impressive sounds we had ever heard. They saw us and came out and talked to us about hockey (cause that's what we Canadians do 😂) and we talked about the music they were recording and their cars they had beautiful cars and Geddy and Alex gave us guitar picks and Neil gave us drumsticks they were so down to earth and humble and when I was older I saw them live twice once in front of 500,000 crazy Canadians. Great reaction and Peace out ✌️ ☮️ 🙏
I'm old enough to remember the 'colonization' of FM frequencies by corporate radio. Previously, AM radio dominated (with it's lousy mono sound quality) while many FM stations played albums in their entirety. How the landscape has changed.
The day I bought my first Rush album I had heard The Trees play on a college radio station. They were the best for playing the new cool records in telling you the names. So Rush is Radio man
I first heard this song in 1980. I was about 12 1/2 years old. I have been obsessed with rush ever since. I was lucky enough to see them live 15 times starting in 1982.
Great reaction! Check out La Villa Strangiato, Working Man (live in Cleveland), Limelight, Free Will, Natural Science, 2112 (side 1) for starters, too many to list here! Their body of work is vast and full of quality. Enjoy!
I saw Rush as a teenager in Texas. My cousin and I thought that we were so cool getting to go to their concert. We ended up leaving early, not because they didn't play well, they played great, it was because the volume and light show were too much since we were close to the stage. I still love Rush though. Loudest concert ever, lol.
The crazy arrangement @ the beginning (1:29 - 1:35)and later on in the song they repeat it is meant to sound like you changing an old school radio dial real fast. It's genius
Back in my day, I had a red transistor radio in my bed at night listening to some far-away station so I could pick up various music. Now, it's all at our fingertips and phones. Talk about the power of radio: I was a small town, local radio dj in south Georgia while in high school and I believe I introduced Rush to my neck of the woods, so to speak, in the late 1970s. I thought their music needed to be heard. When I got to college, it seems all the metro guys already knew them. I found my kindred spirits.
Geddy Lee: We were in a groove from Permanent Waves, we had kind of hit on a new style for ourselves; working in these shorter timeframes, but still building these complexities within those timeframes, and it was kind of an exciting period for us... You’d turn on the radio and you’d hear all kinds of interesting rhythms, some of those great rhythms that Stewart Copeland was doing with The Police. We were listening to lots of different stuff... We soak it up like a sponge and see what we can use. Alex Lifeson: We still had a couple of long things for Permanent Waves. There was Natural Science, a very ambitious song, and Jacob’s Ladder. But we also had The Spirit of Radio, Freewill and Entre Nous - shorter, punchier songs... The big thing about Permanent Waves was that the band changed - we moved forward. In that sense, it was really a big record for us. Geddy: Music was changing, and radio was changing. Our access to great music - the way we were getting it on FM radio, for example - was dying and becoming more commercialised. The Spirit Of Radio carries that feeling, and I think that people related to that song because of the way the music industry was going. It wasn’t about love and getting laid, the typical rock stuff. So it was fresh. And there’s a very positive sound to that song as well. There’s a life to it. Alex: The opening riff in that song was based on the movement of radio waves. At least that was the idea! Neil Peart: The song itself, musically, is switching between radio stations, with a reggae section at the end, the second verse is new waves, I'm playing like a punk drummer there, and that was all intentional... It’s about nineteen-eighty that I really start to like our music like a fan. Before that there’s stuff I like in an affectionate way, because we were brave, but as far as achievement I really think we started to bring it together a bit with Permanent Waves - we were learning to be more concise. A lot of lessons were learned at that time.
when i first started playing guitar this song was on the radio. and everyone i knew, was trying to play Alex’s part in the intro. not really a lead, but kinda. i taped it on cassette, through my boom box and played to it over and over. it definitely made me a better player. but funny, my recording had dj’s talking at the beginning and talking at the end . that’s part of the Spirit of Radio.
That guitar opening riff, played live, when the song starts...blows you away.....ow that middle finger to the record company in 1976 caused for their final Breakthrough '2112', also to find on YT with an animation video....
Rush are the transition masters! All the change ups in the music were representing the different types of music on different radio stations. I wil. suggest Digital Man from the Snakes and Arrows tour. Cheers
Imagine hearing The Spirit of Radio for the first time, back in the early 80's, while driving in your car listening to the radio. It was magical, indeed.
Hi jack from Quebec Canada here . Listen dudes ! Since you listened to YYZ and liked it , check out la villa strangiato ,another instrumental . Some wicked ass playing there guys. And check it out on exit stage left .another live concert from the moving pictures tour 1981 the sound is awesome
Just found you guys half an hour ago but will check out more for sure. Not sure if anyone told you or not yet but YYZ is the airport code for Toronto International Airport The song was partially based on pay for play but also record labels demanding bands change to get hits instead of staying true to themselves. Rush never compromised.
If you can, go for Rush's live performances first. Especially if it's an older tune. They don't always stick to the script and have zero problems changing it up to keep things fresh. Great content fella's! Keep up the good work! New subscriber after giving you a test drive so to speak!
Yeah back in the early 80s my friend would play the guitar exactly , thing was i didnt care for Rush back then. But he had the weed and wanted to play. Tried to teach me guitar even. Good times the 80s were.
The title is actually The Spirit of Radio, with its time signature changes, one of Rush's more challenging songs to play. The drum gear-downs are killer. Also, as per usual, a very deep message from the professor. One of the toughest songs to play by Rush is La Ville Strangiato. Worth the listen.
Listen to the song "2112". I don't mind sitting through a 20+ min song with you guys. The whole 2112 album is phenomenal. Also the group Rainbow and the song "Stargazer". You will be glad.
Perhaps the most pivotal point in Rush's history was during their tour for the third album, Caress of Steel. The studio that produced their music wanted short, radio friendly rock and roll songs, or else. So Rush were at a very low point, thinking that this was how their music careers were going to end. Playing small clubs, having disappointing record sales and on the verge of getting their contracts terminated unless they started writing simpler music with a more popular appeal. Rush, in a stroke of creative genius, flipped arguably, the biggest bird in music history to the record companies trying to change them, and opted instead to write the epic, long form, prog rock concept album 2112. In interviews, they confided that if they were going down, they were going to go down on their terms, not the record company's. The success of that album solidified Rush's musical autonomy, freeing them to make any music they wanted, any way they liked. And what music fans got was a band of three virtuosos who were fearless when it came to changing time signatures and allowing their own sound to evolve with the times. There will never be another band like Rush. 50 years from now, people will still be reacting to their music and being amazed. Like Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd or even Elvis, there's just some music in this world that is timeless. Music that ages, but will never die. Great reaction guys!
The Band is Canadian where Commercial radio stations must ensure that at least 35% of the Popular Music broadcast between 6A & 6P M-F is Canadian content. For good or for bad, the relationship between Radio & Music throughout the US is Not the same as it was when this Song came out. Before the internet, most people heard their music via Radio, and then decided if they wanted to purchase it at a local Record store. The World Wide Web changed that, as it changed a lot.
Great review as usual guys. Loving the Canada exposure. Please have a look at Rush's video" Subdivisions". There's a version out there that highlights Neil Peart on the drums with an overhead shot (might have been in Dallas.)
Imagine being a 15-year-old kid, you've never been to a rock concert or a live show in your life and an older kid in the neighborhood asks if you'd like to go with him and a bunch of other guys to see a show tonight. You beg your mother to go. She says yes and you sit down and you see this concert for this album and they start off with this song. It was an unbelievable experience. I couldn't believe three musicians could put out so much quality quality sound and they just love performing for their audiences. If you guys do some research, you'll find out they're one of the most fan-friendly bands out there. They kept their ticket prices low and they toured every album and they pretty much put out an album almost every year. They are just amazing! Thanks so much for all you do and for sharing. Keep up the great work!
Colour me green ! Great experience.
And I had never heard a single song by the group before I sat down for the show... @@robjohnson5872
I was about ready to drop almost the same comment. I was a 15-year-old school drummer in 1982 and my first concert was the signals tour. My life changed.
I finally got to see them my senior year in high school '86. Power Windows was off and running. I've never been so pumped to see a band live. Opening tune was of course Spirit Of Radio and my jaw was immediately on the floor. They had Neil's kit maxed out through the PA, so that solo was like a nuke going off in the arena. Unforgettable experience.
I was 16 in 1984 when I first saw them (jeez 40 years ago!). Remains to this day one of the great experiences of my life. I’d go on to see Rush another 49 times over the next 31 years and 13 tours, but that first time will always be special.
Saw them 1981 frothworth tx. Best drummer i ever saw. And I have seen almost every band
my first concert in 1976, rush opened for kiss at san antonio college coliseum.... watershed moment in my life......
No one's mentioned it yet, so I will. This is a brilliant song that feels good about listening to the radio but trashes the music industry of the day. It draws you in with the good vibe, and then, if you're paying attention, speaks to the reality behind making and getting your music heard. The music industry, especially the Rolling Stone Magazine writers, hated Rush, and that's why it took 14 years for them to get into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
After the line... Bearing a gift beyond price, almost free... then they hit you hard with the reality of the recording studios and the Radio industry... because
All this machinery making modern music
Can still be open-hearted
Not so coldly charted, it's really just a question of your honesty
Yeah, your honesty
One likes to believe in the freedom of music
But glittering prizes and endless compromises
Shatter the illusion of integrity, yeah...
They understood that in order to make music that the industry would put on the radio so that you get airplay, it required endless compromises in the artistic production of the music you produced... and then there's the question to the other artists of their day... are you willing to sell out the integrity of your music so that you get the cold charted (without feeling) hit on the radio?
Are you willing to sacrifice artistic integrity fire glittering prizes and endless compromises...
But the best and most cutting lines are at the end....
They take Simon and Garfunkel's classic protest song... The Sound of Silence and parody it...
Simon and Garfunkel sang...
And the sign said, "The words of the prophets are written on the subway walls
And tenement halls
And whispered in the sounds of silence"
Rush then shift the clarion cry of the 60's and 70's to listen to the voice of the people who aren't being heard... and sing
For the words of the profits
(no longer prophets)
Were written on the studio wall
(No longer in the streets, but in corporate offices)
Echoes with the sounds of salesmen
Of salesman, of salesmen
(The whispers of the people rising up are now the same people whose previous voice of truth is now been reduced to simply echos... a they are now selling a product).
It's a knife in the back of those who sold out to the man...
Spot on brother. Thanks for the explanation, many will have missed it. Incredible songwriter Mr. Peart was
There is an otherwise great documentary called Time Stand Still, on Hulu if I'm not mistaken, that would leave you to believe Rolling Stone was ahead of the curve on Rush. Not only were they not ahead the curve, they threw down road spikes to trip them up every chance they could. They were a shill for the music industry at best and a bunch of dishonest hacks at worst.
Well said, exactly how I feel about it. To me this song has always been the ultimate "Iron fist in a velvet glove". Cheers from Southern Ontario
BINGO! was the name o’.
The transitions are insane! Melodies intended to imitate the changing of songs on the radio dial. Lyrics by the greatest drummer of all time the late Neil Peart. Excellent reaction!!
They are transitioning to time signatures that to this day I still can’t count
I got HOOKED on Rush when I was 16 and I'm 62 now. I've seen them in concert 11 times and each time was unbelievably even better than the last. Their skill levels, ALL OF THEM, far surpass excellence. Each concert was 3 plus hours of these guys OWNING the stage, while at the same time you felt like they were right beside you in the crowd. RIP NEIL PEART. GOD BLESS ALEX AND GEDDY.
And thank you 3 fine gentlemen. You may not know this, but when an old man in his 60s sees you getting the same joy I felt 40 or 50 years ago, it's like I get to be young again. If only for 3 to 5 minutes. Instantly I'm back in San Diego in the 70s, high fiving my buddies when we hear some Rush or Van Halen or Journey for the first time. You 3 are like a freaking time machine for me, which makes hearing a new reaction from you the highlight of my day. Much love. Please don't ever stop.
That scene, at the end, with Alex wearing a mask, made me tear up... thank you guys!!!
Did you notice earlier in the video the red sports car driving along the coast?
Guess what kind of RED sports car it was, and who was driving it?
I’m sure there are more Peart references there, I just haven’t caught them all yet.
The change of the tempos of the song is like what you're doing when you change the radio stations
"One likes to believe in the freedom of music ~ But glittering prizes and endless compromises ~ Shatter the illusion of integrity, yeah" Bars!!! Some musicians sell out for the money and do what they are told, while other stay true to their vision.
Those halls of creativity are always echoing with the sound of salesmen.
One thing that always surprises me is once the reaction to" Moving Pictures" most channels don't go backwards and check out Farewell to Kings (album.)
"Closer to The Heart" or
"Fly by Night" just a thought!!
Pirate Radio! OMG i forgot about that! Back in the 80’s a ship equip to broadcast music anchored 3 miles off shore in the Pacific and pirated almost every rock station. It lasted until the government could figure out how to stop them. A cool blip in history!
Freewill is a must ... the 3 of them jam in this song
I agree with you 100%👍
It's definitely one of their best songs.
Freewill has my absolute favorite bass lick of any song. When Lifeson does his guitar solo and Geddy doesn't have to sing he simply goes off on that bass. Amazing stuff.
Guys, I loved your reaction, and your comments. I'm a 60 year old canadian guy near Calgary, Alberta, Canada, and your reactions to this, are virtually identical to mine, and I am so dammed happy that everyday people in this world, no matter what year they were born, or what country they were raised in, have the very same reaction to this awesome music that was created by these incredible musicians. I love this band, and I am so very glad, that you have now had the opportunity to get to know them, and their incredible catalogue of music!!!
Great reaction!! Keep the RUSH COMING!! God bless… from Texas!! #RUSHfamily #RIPNEIL
Rush Live in Cleveland performing Working Man will blow your socks off. Not spring chickens for that one and they were rocking as hard as ever.
You guys need to see Rush Live. That will blow your mind !!!👌🏾✊🏾👏🏽💯
Great song, Awesome video. Lover the nods to listeners, DJ's and tribute to the incredible band! Great reaction, Thank you guys!!! ❤❤❤
Great reaction guys. Love when you get to Rush on the channel.
A nice tribute to radio, for those of us who can remember how important radio was in our lives.
Neil Peart died in January 2020, but the three musicians that were Rush - Neil Peart, Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson - recorded and performed together beginning in 1974 and for over 40 years. They wrote their music together, but most of the lyrics were written by Peart, the drummer.
The lyric that absolutely slays me is "Invisible airwaves crackle with life/bright antennae bristle with the energy." Shakespeare pales in comparison.
What a Monday it is…. You guys always bring the good reaction commentary and content! Thanks! 👍😎
I was lucky enough to see them live for this tour. This album and the next three just amazing...
The car that Neil is driving in the first verse is a Red Barchetta, referring to a track on Moving Pictures, of which I highly recommend the performance from Exit Stage Left. Have a great evening and Rush on!
🎤 🎹 🎸 🥁 🎸 🔥 🔥 🔥
IN MEMORY OF NIEL RUSH R40 WAS SUCH A GREAT SHOW I WAS BLESSED TO GO THERE IN PHILLY AND SEE THEM LIVE GREAT TO THE END RUSH
This is a top 10 song all time for me. Never fails to give me a lift.
My senior year of high school 1976 you could hear RUSH blaring out of my speakers and heard many time "TURN YOUR MUSIC DOWN PHILIP" so when I heard PHILIP, I knew I was touching the nerve that will set my parents off. LOVE IT and saw RUSH four times in Seattle Wa and the rest is history.
This song is a tribute to CFNY-FM, an alternative rock station that broadcast from Brampton, Ontario Canada in the 80s and called itself The Spirit of Radio.
I've seen Rush 49 times and it's not enough. I miss them dearly. Rush Forever!!!
Holy shit dude 😮
I love how Fenom had a smile on his face the whole song
I just came to see Olli's usual indifferent, bored stare
Please do the official video of the song "Subdivisions." It's a great song with amazing lyrics
There are so many great Rush songs that are bangers. Working Man live in Cleveland and Xanadu live Exit Stage Left are fan favorites.
I was fortunate to watch Rush live a dozen times. Neil Peart wrote most of the lyrics. Neal was also a big Police fan. That’s were they got the reggae beat. So many great songs. Please react to Neal’s drum solo live in Frankfurt!!👍
Yes! Thank you fellas great way to start my week! Also for introducing your subscribers to our 3 man band RUSH!
Same here Happy Monday!
Grew up to this song. GOATs
Thx for keeping their music alive. All love
watching you guys smile when you listen to Rush is awesome -because Rush -> unpretentious - kick ass Rock N Roll , that's all.
Excellent reaction. I loved all of your commentary and insights.
Phenom you got it right! Rush is amazing!
❤️
As I was growing up the radio station, I tuned into was FM-98 Rock Sacramento they play the best tunes all day all night long I even leave it on at night and Radio DJs were great hearing their stories, thanks for all your upload reaction great tunes I still LOVE Rock and Roll at 66 years of age, Thanks again.
Saw them in concert in Connecticut during their roll the bones tour… and this song was there encore.. I waited all night because this was the song I wanted to hear in concert
I’ve never seen so many air drummers together in one place in all my life🎉😂❤
BTW, a radio station in the Toronto area, CFNY was known as "The Spirit of Radio", and was paid tribute to in this video (~3:28) along with some of key staff at the time. It was known also as "The Edge" for being on the leading edge of new music, new bands, new sounds, when other stations were playing pop hits and/or "classic rock". They played cutting edge music and didn't cower to the demands of Big Corporate. A lot of bands would never have been heard (at least in Canada) if it weren't for CFNY.
102.1 The Edge!! Your listening to Allan Cross
@@quincee3376 Nah, Pete & Geets in the morning or Dave Marsden.
@@Eric-in-TO Marsden was great. Agreed. Martin Street i think his name was was good. I apologize if i got his name wrong.
@@quincee3376 Now, did you spend your nights watching 'The All Night Show' with Chuck the Security Guard?🙂
@@Eric-in-TO wow..i'll be honest, i'm not even familiar with that. When was it?
I grew up in a town outside Toronto and they lived in the next town and we were playing in the park and heard music coming from the factories and we climbed on the dumpsters to watch in the window and saw them rocking out making the most impressive sounds we had ever heard. They saw us and came out and talked to us about hockey (cause that's what we Canadians do 😂) and we talked about the music they were recording and their cars they had beautiful cars and Geddy and Alex gave us guitar picks and Neil gave us drumsticks they were so down to earth and humble and when I was older I saw them live twice once in front of 500,000 crazy Canadians. Great reaction and Peace out ✌️ ☮️ 🙏
I'm old enough to remember the 'colonization' of FM frequencies by corporate radio. Previously, AM radio dominated (with it's lousy mono sound quality) while many FM stations played albums in their entirety. How the landscape has changed.
This was a major hit when I was a young teen - it basically sample 7 or 8 genres in one song- like you were scanning through the FM dial
The day I bought my first Rush album I had heard The Trees play on a college radio station. They were the best for playing the new cool records in telling you the names. So Rush is Radio man
I first heard this song in 1980. I was about 12 1/2 years old. I have been obsessed with rush ever since. I was lucky enough to see them live 15 times starting in 1982.
Love the way you highlighted the memorial at the end to Neil.
RESPECT!
Saw Rush live in '82 at The Spectrum in Philly, yo. Amazing show!
I discovered Rush as a teenager (mid-80s) and my life changed.
I'd probably hit Free Will or Limelight next.
Next - RUSH - Subdivisions and Red Barchetta
A must watch is Working Man LIVE in Cleveland...Prepare to be blown away and enjoy!
When 3 great musicians share the same mind! Story, solos, seamless transitions and talent. 🤩
Again the real video. Great job.
Great reaction! Check out La Villa Strangiato, Working Man (live in Cleveland), Limelight, Free Will, Natural Science, 2112 (side 1) for starters, too many to list here! Their body of work is vast and full of quality. Enjoy!
Rush is AMAZING!! Thanks guys! ❤️❤️
6:09 the "CFNY" logo is from a Toronto area radio station that was as the forefront of the "New Wave" music in the late 70s through the 80s.
Awesome drummer great band legends!! Listening since early 70s
A love letter to radio. Absolutely brilliant.
I saw Rush as a teenager in Texas. My cousin and I thought that we were so cool getting to go to their concert. We ended up leaving early, not because they didn't play well, they played great, it was because the volume and light show were too much since we were close to the stage. I still love Rush though. Loudest concert ever, lol.
LIVE ALL THE WAY!!!
Another epic Rush song.
I can tell you guys love a good transition. Rush are unbelievable.
The crazy arrangement @ the beginning (1:29 - 1:35)and later on in the song they repeat it is meant to sound like you changing an old school radio dial real fast. It's genius
I'm super excited to see you react to XANADU live 1981 Montreal or MALIGNANT NARCISSISM/DE SLAGWERKER live Snakes and Arrows Tour ❤🇨🇦
Back in my day, I had a red transistor radio in my bed at night listening to some far-away station so I could pick up various music. Now, it's all at our fingertips and phones. Talk about the power of radio: I was a small town, local radio dj in south Georgia while in high school and I believe I introduced Rush to my neck of the woods, so to speak, in the late 1970s. I thought their music needed to be heard. When I got to college, it seems all the metro guys already knew them. I found my kindred spirits.
In terms of pure musicianship and talent, all 3 of these guys are up there with the best.
Geddy Lee: We were in a groove from Permanent Waves, we had kind of hit on a new style for ourselves; working in these shorter timeframes, but still building these complexities within those timeframes, and it was kind of an exciting period for us... You’d turn on the radio and you’d hear all kinds of interesting rhythms, some of those great rhythms that Stewart Copeland was doing with The Police. We were listening to lots of different stuff... We soak it up like a sponge and see what we can use.
Alex Lifeson: We still had a couple of long things for Permanent Waves. There was Natural Science, a very ambitious song, and Jacob’s Ladder. But we also had The Spirit of Radio, Freewill and Entre Nous - shorter, punchier songs... The big thing about Permanent Waves was that the band changed - we moved forward. In that sense, it was really a big record for us.
Geddy: Music was changing, and radio was changing. Our access to great music - the way we were getting it on FM radio, for example - was dying and becoming more commercialised. The Spirit Of Radio carries that feeling, and I think that people related to that song because of the way the music industry was going. It wasn’t about love and getting laid, the typical rock stuff. So it was fresh. And there’s a very positive sound to that song as well. There’s a life to it.
Alex: The opening riff in that song was based on the movement of radio waves. At least that was the idea!
Neil Peart: The song itself, musically, is switching between radio stations, with a reggae section at the end, the second verse is new waves, I'm playing like a punk drummer there, and that was all intentional... It’s about nineteen-eighty that I really start to like our music like a fan. Before that there’s stuff I like in an affectionate way, because we were brave, but as far as achievement I really think we started to bring it together a bit with Permanent Waves - we were learning to be more concise. A lot of lessons were learned at that time.
when i first started playing guitar this song was on the radio. and everyone i knew, was trying to play Alex’s part in the intro. not really a lead, but kinda. i taped it on cassette, through my boom box and played to it over and over. it definitely made me a better player. but funny, my recording had dj’s talking at the beginning and talking at the end . that’s part of the Spirit of Radio.
You should have chosen a live / concert version ... because those show how much fun they have performing.
The car in this video is in reference to the song Red Barchetta (spelling?)
Another fantastic song from RUSH!!!!
Such a unique sound
That guitar opening riff, played live, when the song starts...blows you away.....ow that middle finger to the record company in 1976 caused for their final Breakthrough '2112', also to find on YT with an animation video....
Rush....best band, ever.
Rush are the transition masters! All the change ups in the music were representing the different types of music on different radio stations.
I wil. suggest Digital Man from the Snakes and Arrows tour.
Cheers
Thanks guys for another fab show.
Notice they showed the radio station CFNY, which was a Toronto area alternative rock station which had the nick name "The Spirit of Radio".
Thank you gentlemen reacting to music from my early to teen years.
Limelight should be next IMO.
I think you’d really enjoy the cerebral message and wordplay of “Subdivisions”.
Imagine hearing The Spirit of Radio for the first time, back in the early 80's, while driving in your car listening to the radio. It was magical, indeed.
Real Musicians Playing Real Music... It's Just That Simple.
I started every weekday with this song during most of high school... Definitely did the trick.
Hi jack from Quebec Canada here . Listen dudes ! Since you listened to YYZ and liked it , check out la villa strangiato ,another instrumental . Some wicked ass playing there guys. And check it out on exit stage left .another live concert from the moving pictures tour 1981 the sound is awesome
From a time when radio and jukeboxes ruled and going to the music store was a big event. Better times.
Time Stand Still would be my next recommendation for us ageing Rush fans
Just found you guys half an hour ago but will check out more for sure. Not sure if anyone told you or not yet but YYZ is the airport code for Toronto International Airport
The song was partially based on pay for play but also record labels demanding bands change to get hits instead of staying true to themselves. Rush never compromised.
Yeah, we did YYZ and said that. Rush is easily becoming one of our faves to review! 3 men making that sound is truly incredible! Much love!
If you can, go for Rush's live performances first. Especially if it's an older tune. They don't always stick to the script and have zero problems changing it up to keep things fresh. Great content fella's! Keep up the good work! New subscriber after giving you a test drive so to speak!
Yeah back in the early 80s my friend would play the guitar exactly , thing was i didnt care for Rush back then. But he had the weed and wanted to play. Tried to teach me guitar even. Good times the 80s were.
The title is actually The Spirit of Radio, with its time signature changes, one of Rush's more challenging songs to play. The drum gear-downs are killer. Also, as per usual, a very deep message from the professor. One of the toughest songs to play by Rush is La Ville Strangiato. Worth the listen.
Three dudes produced that much sound. And the greatest drummer of all time wrote all the lyrics.
Listen to the song "2112". I don't mind sitting through a 20+ min song with you guys. The whole 2112 album is phenomenal.
Also the group Rainbow and the song "Stargazer". You will be glad.
Freewill , Limelight , Subdivision, The Trees are great tracks.
Good reaction guys!
Perhaps the most pivotal point in Rush's history was during their tour for the third album, Caress of Steel. The studio that produced their music wanted short, radio friendly rock and roll songs, or else. So Rush were at a very low point, thinking that this was how their music careers were going to end. Playing small clubs, having disappointing record sales and on the verge of getting their contracts terminated unless they started writing simpler music with a more popular appeal. Rush, in a stroke of creative genius, flipped arguably, the biggest bird in music history to the record companies trying to change them, and opted instead to write the epic, long form, prog rock concept album 2112. In interviews, they confided that if they were going down, they were going to go down on their terms, not the record company's. The success of that album solidified Rush's musical autonomy, freeing them to make any music they wanted, any way they liked. And what music fans got was a band of three virtuosos who were fearless when it came to changing time signatures and allowing their own sound to evolve with the times. There will never be another band like Rush. 50 years from now, people will still be reacting to their music and being amazed. Like Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd or even Elvis, there's just some music in this world that is timeless. Music that ages, but will never die. Great reaction guys!
Saw this live❤😊
Great reaction! I would love to see your reaction to Working Man live in Cleveland. It's the performance of a lifetime 🔥🔥🔥
Y’all gotta watch this tune LIVE! Degrees better
The Band is Canadian where Commercial radio stations must ensure that at least 35% of the Popular Music broadcast between 6A & 6P M-F is Canadian content.
For good or for bad, the relationship between Radio & Music throughout the US is Not the same as it was when this Song came out. Before the internet, most people heard their music via Radio, and then decided if they wanted to purchase it at a local Record store. The World Wide Web changed that, as it changed a lot.
Great review as usual guys. Loving the Canada exposure. Please have a look at Rush's video" Subdivisions". There's a version out there that highlights Neil Peart on the drums with an overhead shot (might have been in Dallas.)
Way to start Monday! Thanks guys!! 💙💚❤️🔥