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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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?)
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!
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.
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 ua-cam.com/video/JbjZ-jZnoss/v-deo.html
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...
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 ❤️
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.
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".
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.
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 !!!!!!!
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!
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.
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.
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.
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!
@@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 .
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.
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.
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
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:).
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
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.
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 🐰🪄
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 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 UA-cam 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! 🤘😎
Good catch! 2112 has its roots in Tchaikovsky's 1812 Overture. My grandmother is the one who caught that for me in the 1980's while she listened to Rush with me and informed me that some of the lyrics were excerpts from Shakespeare and the Bible... which then made me fall in love with classical music, reading, and history... Rush is the only band that ever made me rush out and buy books to read.
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!!
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..
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. ✌
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!
@@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.
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.
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.
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.
Watching you experience for the first time, with your insights and fresh take, is so satisfying. You combine a childlike sense of wonder, an adult's wisdom, an artist's freedom and a professional's expertise - such a refreshing and joyful combination!
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! 😎✌️
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!
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
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.
@@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 🙏🏼
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
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.
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.
@@Mt406-savebs - 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 UA-cam. 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.
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 have to say listening to your analysis of this "possibly the best Rush album of all time" brought me to tears. I'm not an emotional person but you said some things that I've been for decades about Alex's guitar playing. How he mirrors Geddy's emotional voice and moans in the sadness and joys of the chapters. I love your analogy of this record. Thank you for the memories. Rush played at my high school when I was in grade 9 before they had made it 1975 and that night in the gymnasium changed my life. My friends and I all bought Fly By Night and felt that Rush were our little secret, until 2112 was released a couple years later and everybody was talking about it. I thought to myself , these guys are for real and I knew it all along. I became a drummer shortly afterwards and have been playing now for over 40 years. RIP Neil.
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
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.
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!
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 UA-cam 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!
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.
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!!
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!
"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
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!
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. 🤘🏽
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.
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
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!!
I forget what chapter it was on 2112, but I remember when I bought my first flange pedal and hooked it up to my Les Paul, and learned that section, "I wondered home through silent streets, then fell into a fitful sleep...," that sound from my amp sent shivers through my spine. Very haunting. Goosebumps, man.. I later learned more of Alex's flanging on the intro of The Necromancer (Caress Of Steel). Collectively, I cut my teeth on Lifeson on guitar. In my sig chain, my workhorse pedal effects are chorus and flange. Yes, got distortion too. I've been covering Rush since I was a teen. I'm 58 now.
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.
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.
@@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!
Finally!! I’ve been waiting over a year for this!! Their best track, and as I’ve been saying since last September the way Geddy uses his voice for narrative is amazing
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.
I'm ONE LINE into the Temples of Syrinx movement and I kid you not, I'm literally crying in pure excitement cuz you get to hear this for the first time and you're experiencing all of the nuances that made me fall in love with this music so many years ago. I absolutely cannot wait to see the rest of your reaction. Thank you so much, Elizabeth!
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.
@@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!
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.
I've been a RUSH fan since I was 11. 1981- Moving Pictures was my first exposure to them. I absolutely love how you analyze RUSH songs. It makes it much more visceral. Thank you. ❤
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.
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
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.
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.
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.
So at the end, during The Grand Finale, that's the Elder Race that was shown in The Dream returning to liberate the planet and restore the ability for its citizens to freely express themselves. And that's Neil Peart at the end saying "attention all planets of The Solar Federation, we have assumed control". Also, that was an ode to the 1812 Overture by Tchaikovsky during The Overture. Nice catch! EDIT: I should add that The Overture is very much an overture, and hits on the musical themes that will be found in the rest of the piece. Rush basically did write this as a prog symphony. A wonderful breakdown of my absolute favorite Rush song. Thank you for taking the time to hear it out in its entirety! I always look forward to your insightful videos!
Fantastic reaction, attention all planets of The Solar Federation 7 words repeated 3 times =21 we have assumed control 4 words repeated 3 times =12- 2112.
I know that Neil, Geddy, and Alex had a part in the creation of the animation and the storyline it portrayed. But that was quite a few years after the release of the album. I remember seeing an interview with Neil in which he describes the Grand Finale as "The good guys coming to the rescue" sounding very tongue-in-cheek. I've always questioned if that was his original thought process. When you read the original storyline in the cover of the album, below The Temples of Syrinx, they describe the "massive grey walls of the Temples, rising from the heart of every 'Federation' city". They mention the federation many times, including on the back of the album cover, where they mentioned "surviving planets banded together under the Red Star of the Solar Federation." Which also ties in their artwork of the naked man fending off the red star. However, this turns the "saved by the good guy" story on its head. The line "My lifeblood spills over" implies the person killing himself in despair, and the line "Attention all Planets of the Solar Federation...We have assumed control... would imply that somehow the Solar Federation can "assume control" of a citizen's spirit after death. Basically, it's a Shakespearean tragedy, not a happy "good guys win the day story. Personally, I think it is a truly epic story, though dark, even if many casual listeners couldn't handle the outcome.
@@glennt6575 I know Neil Peart around this time was heavily inspired by Ayn Rand. Though I've not read Anthem, I've read interviews where Neil states that this song heavily draws from the book story-wise. Rand of course, having lived under it before she came to the US, was not a fan of communism. My takeaway was that the priests represent communism or a similar authoritarian government, and the returning elder race represents democracy as the savior of mankind. The red star is pretty on the nose in this regard. That being said, I'd always assumed that the protagonist did kill himself before the return of the elder race due to the lyrics. In that way, it's very much a Shakespearean tragedy. I think the graphic novel here has him survive to make it a little less dark. Your take is very interesting though, and if true adds quite a layer of complexity and depth to the story.
@recneps yes, Neil dedicated 2112 to Ayn Rand. Another thing on the inside cover, for good or bad. I haven't read Anthem yet either. Although I did read Atlas Shrugged and The Fountainhead. Ayn Rand, by that time, had stated some quite unpopular opinions about the greed of man being a good thing. Religion and government being an anchor to man's progress, and finally, stating a serial killer was a perfect specimen of human. Rush received a lot of crap for that dedication. Although like Rand's Fountainhead, I think Neil's point was more about the establishment restraining their art.
We love you! All of Rush fandom loves you! Many of us can't tell you how vitally important this work is to us, and I won't even try, here. But thank you for lending it your set of ears to hear, and your sense of wonder. Music has rarely had a more loving advocate, and you're now sharing that love through a work that's designed just for that! And as a lifelong Rush fan, I can never thank you enough! On the greedy side... I know it might be YEARS from now, but - The Entire Cygnus X-1 duology? Featuring Geddy's mightiest vocals ever? 🙃🤣🤓 On the gratitude side... Thank you so much for this. You did your art proud and made many a day with this. And thank you, listeners for asking for it! Thank you for all that you and Kirk do for this, Miss! We very much enjoy and appreciate it! Respectfully, Jesse Morris
At the 44:50 mark it’s interesting the note uses the word Grateful, as I thought the instrumentals of the artist sounded like the Grateful Dead ♥️. Also during the part when the overlord crushes the instrument, Geddy sings the words Do and You in completely different ways - like there are many ways to express that sound. Brilliant, thank you Elizabeth for awaken my love for music.
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.
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.
@@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.
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.
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.
Rush isn’t just a rock band comprised of 3 magnificently talented individuals. Alex, Neal, and Geddy were/are 3 of the most important virtuoso’s of their chosen and varied musical talents. Rush is one of the most influential bands of ANY genre and remain so to this day. Master performers, musicians, bards(musical story tellers), producers, videographer’s, content creators, etc etc etc. Bottom line is they are musical immortals who are forever ensconced in the fabric of rock/prog/alt/metal/blues/jazz bands EVER! To listen to them is amazing, to see them on video is awesome, to be with them in concert is MIND BLOWING! Charasmatic Voice - The best thing about the band Rush, for you and your channel l, is that Rush has done over 40 Studio-Live-and or Compilation albums. All of it is exceptional material. I was fortunate enough to grow up listening to Rush on the banks of Lake Ontario from the time of their very 1st performances, my musical choices influenced by them from the age of 7-8 years of age. You may have come to the fountain later in life but it doesn’t make the cool sweet music any less than it was in 1974. I would put Rush up against ANY band EVER when it comes to composition, performance, complexity, mastery or instruments, and overall wow factor.
I too share your fortunate upbringing. And it is sad that we shall be the last group of people ever to have ever experienced Rush playing 2112 (or anything for that matter) live. I bought their first album on release day, March 1, 1974 when the record store clerk opened the new arrivals box and played the first Rush album. Fan from day one here. Have a great weekend.
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.
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
I discovered Rush for the first time in high school in the early 90s spinning my parents records. Getting to see you experience "2112" for the first time makes me nostalgic for the first time I listened to it myself. Truly epic. As a Canadian Rush is one of our best exports! Thank you for exposing so many people to this music. What you do is truly a service.
I was 13 in 1977 when a friend played this for me. I immediately went out and bought my own copy, followed shortly by AFtK, FBN, CoS, and their debut. Haven't missed a release since, even when stationed in England when PoW and HYF were released. I've seen them every tour since RtB, including R40, and caught them on their GUP tour just prior to joining the Air Force - that's why I missed tours between Grace and RtB.
I am a big fan of The Hip and The Tea Party, as far as exports. Growing up in Seattle, always got a double dose of who was on tour. Once in BC and once here, such fun.
For me it was the popularity of Roll the Bones in high school, and, yes, even many singles from it played on the radio, that got me into them in the Fall of '91. Started buying all the Rush cd's up to that point, and never missed another new release or tour from then on!
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).
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.
I love watching Elizabeth getting excited about the music I was raised on. I wish I could sit down with her and help her learn about the music that are classics now. She is so fun to watch, and I hope she "discovers" some more great music!!
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!❤
Now imagine seeing this live. Three guys come on stage and play a masterpiece consisting not only of music, but lyrical content. Check out their album Hemispheres, hands down their best piece of work in my little world. Thanks for reacting to this. Brings back so many great memories!
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.
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.
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 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 don’t know I’d anyone mentioned it, but the three guys in charge of the bombing at the end, were drawings of Alex, Geddy and Neil. So, I think everyone will be fine! ❤❤ You literally made me tear up when reviewing this song. I’ve heard it hundreds of times, but you made it new and fresh again. Thank you.
I was just saying the same thing as I saw the them. And I thought I was the only one who teared up listening to Elizabeth's analysis (and I've listened to the sound probably a thousand times over the past 40ish years).
Thank you for allowing me to view this album in a whole new light. Considering I 1st heard it in 1981 at the age of 12 and I am 53 now. Life long Rush fan.
Excellent analysis. You clearly get how vastly talented Geddy was with his ability to emote and express via his vocal talents. He often thought of is vocal's as another instrument that was more than just a voice carrying the words. For me I discovered this song at an early age, I had just got back from touring Europe as a young musician and really felt lost and very much alone. What I was performing was being dictated to me, how I performed it was much the same. It felt more like I was just a puppet in a grand machine. I can remember to this day almost 50 yrs later the exact place I was sitting on this planet, in this universe when this was shared with me. I can honestly say I was never the same after, this song along with many others really gave me courage and conviction to go an do the things I wanted to do, the way I wanted to do them. I would no longer be that puppet in the story of life. You should if nothing else take some personal time and review and listen to their other epic works, but probably most interesting would be their final album Clockwork Angels, it has a complete Novel that it shares its name with. I think you would very surprised at how after nearly 40 years they were still some of the best composers and musicians we have ever been lucky enough to get to enjoy. Keep up the great work FYI: The ending of 2112 "Attention All Planets of the Solar Federation" x 3 = 21 words "We has Assumed Control" x 3 = 12 words Ergo - 2112
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 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 UA-cam 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.
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.
Just watched a recent video she did of when she started this channel, her musical background, and how she got hooked on death metal, and couldn't figure out how singers could switch to doing the "cookie monster" voice and back without ruining their vocal cords. Her interested expanded into involving singers and the university in Utah's otolaryngology department doing studies and numerous breakthrough research papers which she is named as a co-author.
The album folded open. The lyrics were printed within, but accompanying the lyrics were diary entries from our nameless protagonist. You read his dialog entry, and then the lyrics would be his first-person commentary. It was WONDERFUL! It followed classical conventions: an overture that included the various musical themes, all parts were sung (making it an operetta), and a grand finale. Also, the video you are watching is new. It was put out decades after the album was released. And yes, Alex threw in a little of Tchaikovsky's 1812 Overture. :)
That's exactly 💯 my experience! And my favorite song to this day. Seen Rush about ten times. R40 tour in Phoenix was my last and the final tour. RIP Neil!
Just when I thought I had a full appreciation of The talent of this trio, this woman comes along and literally made me appreciate them so much more. I love her enthusiasm, smiles, and personality. Just makes me smile and reminds me of just how awesome Rush really was. R.I.P. Professor. oh, and I have a crush. lol
This is something that changed with the digital age. When I heard this for the first time it was on a vinyl record. it wasn't just a hit on a playlist. It wasn't on a cd where I could pick a track and skip around, I started at the beginning and let it play. And there is an investment in time when you do this. You are pulling out the record, making sure it's clean, check the needle, make sure it's there and clean, mount the record, set the needle down and the room comes alive with this genius music. And you just get transported away. The whole point was to spend time listening to the album, not just throw up a playlist for background fill. It was a different time, an experience so many today will never have. Not only because the media changed but no one puts out albums like this now. It was rare then, it's completely absent now. some groups put out albums that were a complete set of work they were proud of, or even told a story from track one all the way through. Today they hope to get 1 good hit on the record and then fill in the rest with lesser products.
This was my first exposure to Rush back in the late 70s. Someone I knew said I needed to listen to this album and let me borrow it. I was totally blown away with the story. Needless to say I saved up my allowance so I could get my own 2112 album and became a life long Rush fan. I turned around and played this album for a friend of mine. Years later he would always accuse me of giving him his "Rush Addiction". I always told him I was ok with that. I always think of my friend when I hear 2112. Good times and great memories. That's why I love music. It brings us together in the enjoyment of it.
My fiend played side one when I was a freshman in HS in his black light bedroom while we smoked weed. Needless to say it was a religious experience. Never looked back. ‘79
The greatest piece of music ever recorded. No question. I simply cannot count the number of times I have listened to it, and still get shivers down my spine each time I hear it. Perfection.
Such an awesome band. Had the pleasure of seeing them 17 times live. I saw them play this live, in its entirety and it sounded like it came off the album. Perfection. Masters at work. RIP Neil.
Great job on this! Geddy Lee's mastery of "just enough vibrato in just the right place" is phenomenal. **Extra credit*** - Note that in the artwork, the images of the elder race are all 3 people - this is a young Peart, Lee, and Lifeson (in 'The Oracle') and their older selves in the Finale, come back to restore music to the people.
The last 2 spoken lines are each repeated 3 times. “Attention all planets of the Solar Federaration” 7 words 3x - 21 “We have assumed control” - 4 words 3x - 12 Another little tidbit…on the cover of their final studio album, “Clockwork Angels”, the time is set to 9:12, or, 2112 in military time.
Thank you Elizabeth, this was such a wonderful reaction and your own "discovery" of Rush at an even deeper level that i know many Rush fans have felt for decades, but your experience broadened that even more for me. Your sharing of seeing children discover the sound of music or playing an instrument and seeing that expression is so wonderful, I know exactly what you mean. The Musical Instrument Museum (MIM) in Scottsdale has a wonderful room toward the end of the tour that is really made for kids, but certainly also for adults, who want to just pick something up and see what sounds it can make, from instruments to just rocks and items in the world you can bang together and I think it is one of the coolest things in the museum. You'll see kids just playing in there and it is one of the most natural and organic things, just wonderful. Thank you again for your great reaction(s)!
We just released merchandise! Check out the full line-up here: thecharismaticmerch.com
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.
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.
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.
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 ua-cam.com/video/JbjZ-jZnoss/v-deo.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...
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.
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".
Sometimes another day seems impossible… glad you’ve managed to hold on.
Tears of joy. Some have said good music fills the soul. What is it when music saves a life?
As a huge Rush fan, I can say that this is the best 60 minutes or so I've ever spent on UA-cam.
Amen, buddy, amen...
This is time well spent too. Damn near note for note. ua-cam.com/video/GD5Xo1Tkh4U/v-deo.html
Hear hear! I'll drink to that! Well done young lady!!! :)
indeed, indeed!!
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 !!!!!!!
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.
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.
She's worthy as she has great knowledge plus she's beautiful
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.
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.
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
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:).
The best 'Phraser' in guitar!
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...
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...
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 UA-cam 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! 🤘😎
Good catch!
2112 has its roots in Tchaikovsky's 1812 Overture. My grandmother is the one who caught that for me in the 1980's while she listened to Rush with me and informed me that some of the lyrics were excerpts from Shakespeare and the Bible... which then made me fall in love with classical music, reading, and history... Rush is the only band that ever made me rush out and buy books to read.
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. ✌
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
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.
Watching you experience for the first time, with your insights and fresh take, is so satisfying. You combine a childlike sense of wonder, an adult's wisdom, an artist's freedom and a professional's expertise - such a refreshing and joyful combination!
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!
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.
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.
After Pearts death, it seems like they’re trying to distance themselves from rush
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.
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
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
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!
@@Mt406-savebs - 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 UA-cam. 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 😂😂😂😂😂😂
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 have to say listening to your analysis of this "possibly the best Rush album of all time" brought me to tears. I'm not an emotional person but you said some things that I've been for decades about Alex's guitar playing. How he mirrors Geddy's emotional voice and moans in the sadness and joys of the chapters. I love your analogy of this record. Thank you for the memories.
Rush played at my high school when I was in grade 9 before they had made it 1975 and that night in the gymnasium changed my life. My friends and I all bought Fly By Night and felt that Rush were our little secret, until 2112 was released a couple years later and everybody was talking about it. I thought to myself , these guys are for real and I knew it all along. I became a drummer shortly afterwards and have been playing now for over 40 years. RIP Neil.
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.
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.
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!
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 UA-cam 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. 😂
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
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!
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.
"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
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... 😀
👏
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!
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.
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.
Very well said!
Your enthusiasm for what Rush fans know and love is so special for us. ❤
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 forget what chapter it was on 2112, but I remember when I bought my first flange pedal and hooked it up to my Les Paul, and learned that section, "I wondered home through silent streets, then fell into a fitful sleep...," that sound from my amp sent shivers through my spine. Very haunting. Goosebumps, man..
I later learned more of Alex's flanging on the intro of The Necromancer (Caress Of Steel).
Collectively, I cut my teeth on Lifeson on guitar. In my sig chain, my workhorse pedal effects are chorus and flange. Yes, got distortion too. I've been covering Rush since I was a teen. I'm 58 now.
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!
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!
Finally!! I’ve been waiting over a year for this!! Their best track, and as I’ve been saying since last September the way Geddy uses his voice for narrative is amazing
Thank you for holding out! I was going to get to it!
@@TheCharismaticVoice It was well worth the wait, you’re one of my favorite channels with good reason!
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.
I'm ONE LINE into the Temples of Syrinx movement and I kid you not, I'm literally crying in pure excitement cuz you get to hear this for the first time and you're experiencing all of the nuances that made me fall in love with this music so many years ago.
I absolutely cannot wait to see the rest of your reaction. Thank you so much, Elizabeth!
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
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. ;)
I've been a RUSH fan since I was 11. 1981- Moving Pictures was my first exposure to them.
I absolutely love how you analyze RUSH songs. It makes it much more visceral.
Thank you. ❤
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.
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.
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.
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 🤟🏼❤️🇨🇦
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.
So at the end, during The Grand Finale, that's the Elder Race that was shown in The Dream returning to liberate the planet and restore the ability for its citizens to freely express themselves. And that's Neil Peart at the end saying "attention all planets of The Solar Federation, we have assumed control".
Also, that was an ode to the 1812 Overture by Tchaikovsky during The Overture. Nice catch!
EDIT: I should add that The Overture is very much an overture, and hits on the musical themes that will be found in the rest of the piece. Rush basically did write this as a prog symphony.
A wonderful breakdown of my absolute favorite Rush song. Thank you for taking the time to hear it out in its entirety! I always look forward to your insightful videos!
Fantastic reaction, attention all planets of The Solar Federation 7 words repeated 3 times =21 we have assumed control 4 words repeated 3 times =12- 2112.
And in one of the final strips with the 3 p3ople in it they were Neil,Geddy and Alex so you know they were going to let music be free.
I know that Neil, Geddy, and Alex had a part in the creation of the animation and the storyline it portrayed. But that was quite a few years after the release of the album. I remember seeing an interview with Neil in which he describes the Grand Finale as "The good guys coming to the rescue" sounding very tongue-in-cheek. I've always questioned if that was his original thought process. When you read the original storyline in the cover of the album, below The Temples of Syrinx, they describe the "massive grey walls of the Temples, rising from the heart of every 'Federation' city". They mention the federation many times, including on the back of the album cover, where they mentioned "surviving planets banded together under the Red Star of the Solar Federation." Which also ties in their artwork of the naked man fending off the red star. However, this turns the "saved by the good guy" story on its head. The line "My lifeblood spills over" implies the person killing himself in despair, and the line "Attention all Planets of the Solar Federation...We have assumed control... would imply that somehow the Solar Federation can "assume control" of a citizen's spirit after death. Basically, it's a Shakespearean tragedy, not a happy "good guys win the day story. Personally, I think it is a truly epic story, though dark, even if many casual listeners couldn't handle the outcome.
@@glennt6575 I know Neil Peart around this time was heavily inspired by Ayn Rand. Though I've not read Anthem, I've read interviews where Neil states that this song heavily draws from the book story-wise. Rand of course, having lived under it before she came to the US, was not a fan of communism. My takeaway was that the priests represent communism or a similar authoritarian government, and the returning elder race represents democracy as the savior of mankind. The red star is pretty on the nose in this regard.
That being said, I'd always assumed that the protagonist did kill himself before the return of the elder race due to the lyrics. In that way, it's very much a Shakespearean tragedy. I think the graphic novel here has him survive to make it a little less dark.
Your take is very interesting though, and if true adds quite a layer of complexity and depth to the story.
@recneps yes, Neil dedicated 2112 to Ayn Rand. Another thing on the inside cover, for good or bad. I haven't read Anthem yet either. Although I did read Atlas Shrugged and The Fountainhead. Ayn Rand, by that time, had stated some quite unpopular opinions about the greed of man being a good thing. Religion and government being an anchor to man's progress, and finally, stating a serial killer was a perfect specimen of human. Rush received a lot of crap for that dedication. Although like Rand's Fountainhead, I think Neil's point was more about the establishment restraining their art.
We love you! All of Rush fandom loves you!
Many of us can't tell you how vitally important this work is to us, and I won't even try, here.
But thank you for lending it your set of ears to hear, and your sense of wonder. Music has rarely had a more loving advocate, and you're now sharing that love through a work that's designed just for that! And as a lifelong Rush fan, I can never thank you enough!
On the greedy side...
I know it might be YEARS from now, but - The Entire Cygnus X-1 duology? Featuring Geddy's mightiest vocals ever? 🙃🤣🤓
On the gratitude side...
Thank you so much for this. You did your art proud and made many a day with this.
And thank you, listeners for asking for it!
Thank you for all that you and Kirk do for this, Miss! We very much enjoy and appreciate it!
Respectfully,
Jesse Morris
At the 44:50 mark it’s interesting the note uses the word Grateful, as I thought the instrumentals of the artist sounded like the Grateful Dead ♥️. Also during the part when the overlord crushes the instrument, Geddy sings the words Do and You in completely different ways - like there are many ways to express that sound. Brilliant, thank you Elizabeth for awaken my love for music.
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.
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."
Rush isn’t just a rock band comprised of 3 magnificently talented individuals. Alex, Neal, and Geddy were/are 3 of the most important virtuoso’s of their chosen and varied musical talents.
Rush is one of the most influential bands of ANY genre and remain so to this day.
Master performers, musicians, bards(musical story tellers), producers, videographer’s, content creators, etc etc etc.
Bottom line is they are musical immortals who are forever ensconced in the fabric of rock/prog/alt/metal/blues/jazz bands EVER!
To listen to them is amazing, to see them on video is awesome, to be with them in concert is MIND BLOWING!
Charasmatic Voice - The best thing about the band Rush, for you and your channel l, is that Rush has done over 40 Studio-Live-and or Compilation albums. All of it is exceptional material.
I was fortunate enough to grow up listening to Rush on the banks of Lake Ontario from the time of their very 1st performances, my musical choices influenced by them from the age of 7-8 years of age.
You may have come to the fountain later in life but it doesn’t make the cool sweet music any less than it was in 1974.
I would put Rush up against ANY band EVER when it comes to composition, performance, complexity, mastery or instruments, and overall wow factor.
I too share your fortunate upbringing. And it is sad that we shall be the last group of people ever to have ever experienced Rush playing 2112 (or anything for that matter) live.
I bought their first album on release day, March 1, 1974 when the record store clerk opened the new arrivals box and played the first Rush album.
Fan from day one here.
Have a great weekend.
You need to listen to more records
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.
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
I discovered Rush for the first time in high school in the early 90s spinning my parents records. Getting to see you experience "2112" for the first time makes me nostalgic for the first time I listened to it myself. Truly epic. As a Canadian Rush is one of our best exports! Thank you for exposing so many people to this music. What you do is truly a service.
I was 13 in 1977 when a friend played this for me. I immediately went out and bought my own copy, followed shortly by AFtK, FBN, CoS, and their debut. Haven't missed a release since, even when stationed in England when PoW and HYF were released. I've seen them every tour since RtB, including R40, and caught them on their GUP tour just prior to joining the Air Force - that's why I missed tours between Grace and RtB.
I am a big fan of The Hip and The Tea Party, as far as exports. Growing up in Seattle, always got a double dose of who was on tour. Once in BC and once here, such fun.
For me it was the popularity of Roll the Bones in high school, and, yes, even many singles from it played on the radio, that got me into them in the Fall of '91. Started buying all the Rush cd's up to that point, and never missed another new release or tour from then on!
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).
What I love the most is reading about so many of you fellow 50-60-year-olds reminiscing about first hearing this. Priceless. 😍
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.
Well, Operation Mindcrime (which i love btw) was definitely Queensryche’s take on a Rush/2112 influenced concept album. No 2112 no Mindcrime.
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.
I love watching Elizabeth getting excited about the music I was raised on. I wish I could sit down with her and help her learn about the music that are classics now. She is so fun to watch, and I hope she "discovers" some more great music!!
I have replied to her it would have been fun to introduce Rush to her in the 80s.
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!❤
Now imagine seeing this live. Three guys come on stage and play a masterpiece consisting not only of music, but lyrical content. Check out their album Hemispheres, hands down their best piece of work in my little world. Thanks for reacting to this. Brings back so many great memories!
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..
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 don't know if I've told you this, but watching you analyze these great songs makes me feel like I'm hearing it for the first time again 😊
I don’t know I’d anyone mentioned it, but the three guys in charge of the bombing at the end, were drawings of Alex, Geddy and Neil. So, I think everyone will be fine! ❤❤
You literally made me tear up when reviewing this song. I’ve heard it hundreds of times, but you made it new and fresh again. Thank you.
I to was brought to the same emotional apex reliving this album walk through with her. Simply amazing.
Definitely cried a little at least twice!
Also note the three representatives of the "elder race of man", were also Alex, Geddy and Neil. Terrific animation to go with the story.
I was just saying the same thing as I saw the them.
And I thought I was the only one who teared up listening to Elizabeth's analysis (and I've listened to the sound probably a thousand times over the past 40ish years).
Thank you for allowing me to view this album in a whole new light. Considering I 1st heard it in 1981 at the age of 12 and I am 53 now. Life long Rush fan.
Excellent analysis. You clearly get how vastly talented Geddy was with his ability to emote and express via his vocal talents. He often thought of is vocal's as another instrument that was more than just a voice carrying the words. For me I discovered this song at an early age, I had just got back from touring Europe as a young musician and really felt lost and very much alone. What I was performing was being dictated to me, how I performed it was much the same. It felt more like I was just a puppet in a grand machine. I can remember to this day almost 50 yrs later the exact place I was sitting on this planet, in this universe when this was shared with me. I can honestly say I was never the same after, this song along with many others really gave me courage and conviction to go an do the things I wanted to do, the way I wanted to do them. I would no longer be that puppet in the story of life.
You should if nothing else take some personal time and review and listen to their other epic works, but probably most interesting would be their final album Clockwork Angels, it has a complete Novel that it shares its name with. I think you would very surprised at how after nearly 40 years they were still some of the best composers and musicians we have ever been lucky enough to get to enjoy.
Keep up the great work
FYI: The ending of 2112
"Attention All Planets of the Solar Federation" x 3 = 21 words
"We has Assumed Control" x 3 = 12 words
Ergo - 2112
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 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..
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 UA-cam 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.
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.
Just watched a recent video she did of when she started this channel, her musical background, and how she got hooked on death metal, and couldn't figure out how singers could switch to doing the "cookie monster" voice and back without ruining their vocal cords. Her interested expanded into involving singers and the university in Utah's otolaryngology department doing studies and numerous breakthrough research papers which she is named as a co-author.
I love your expressions, and the fact you love RUSH!! Was a magical time!
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.
The album folded open. The lyrics were printed within, but accompanying the lyrics were diary entries from our nameless protagonist. You read his dialog entry, and then the lyrics would be his first-person commentary. It was WONDERFUL! It followed classical conventions: an overture that included the various musical themes, all parts were sung (making it an operetta), and a grand finale. Also, the video you are watching is new. It was put out decades after the album was released. And yes, Alex threw in a little of Tchaikovsky's 1812 Overture. :)
That's exactly 💯 my experience! And my favorite song to this day. Seen Rush about ten times. R40 tour in Phoenix was my last and the final tour. RIP Neil!
Just when I thought I had a full appreciation of The talent of this trio, this woman comes along and literally made me appreciate them so much more. I love her enthusiasm, smiles, and personality. Just makes me smile and reminds me of just how awesome Rush really was. R.I.P. Professor. oh, and I have a crush. lol
This is something that changed with the digital age. When I heard this for the first time it was on a vinyl record. it wasn't just a hit on a playlist. It wasn't on a cd where I could pick a track and skip around, I started at the beginning and let it play. And there is an investment in time when you do this. You are pulling out the record, making sure it's clean, check the needle, make sure it's there and clean, mount the record, set the needle down and the room comes alive with this genius music. And you just get transported away. The whole point was to spend time listening to the album, not just throw up a playlist for background fill.
It was a different time, an experience so many today will never have. Not only because the media changed but no one puts out albums like this now. It was rare then, it's completely absent now. some groups put out albums that were a complete set of work they were proud of, or even told a story from track one all the way through. Today they hope to get 1 good hit on the record and then fill in the rest with lesser products.
This was my first exposure to Rush back in the late 70s. Someone I knew said I needed to listen to this album and let me borrow it. I was totally blown away with the story. Needless to say I saved up my allowance so I could get my own 2112 album and became a life long Rush fan. I turned around and played this album for a friend of mine. Years later he would always accuse me of giving him his "Rush Addiction". I always told him I was ok with that. I always think of my friend when I hear 2112. Good times and great memories. That's why I love music. It brings us together in the enjoyment of it.
My fiend played side one when I was a freshman in HS in his black light bedroom while we smoked weed. Needless to say it was a religious experience. Never looked back. ‘79
The greatest piece of music ever recorded. No question. I simply cannot count the number of times I have listened to it, and still get shivers down my spine each time I hear it. Perfection.
Such an awesome band. Had the pleasure of seeing them 17 times live. I saw them play this live, in its entirety and it sounded like it came off the album. Perfection. Masters at work. RIP Neil.
I only got to see them once but it was the best show I've ever seen. 07 Snakes and Arrows. Awesome show. I wish I could have seen them more.
I was blessed to see them 20 times through the years… seems like just yesterday.
only saw them 3 times in the 80s Philly shows and once in late 90s in northern VA.
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.
Great job on this! Geddy Lee's mastery of "just enough vibrato in just the right place" is phenomenal. **Extra credit*** - Note that in the artwork, the images of the elder race are all 3 people - this is a young Peart, Lee, and Lifeson (in 'The Oracle') and their older selves in the Finale, come back to restore music to the people.
The last 2 spoken lines are each repeated 3 times.
“Attention all planets of the Solar Federaration” 7 words 3x - 21
“We have assumed control” - 4 words 3x - 12
Another little tidbit…on the cover of their final studio album, “Clockwork Angels”, the time is set to 9:12, or, 2112 in military time.
And 9.12 being Neil’s birthday….
Thank you Elizabeth, this was such a wonderful reaction and your own "discovery" of Rush at an even deeper level that i know many Rush fans have felt for decades, but your experience broadened that even more for me. Your sharing of seeing children discover the sound of music or playing an instrument and seeing that expression is so wonderful, I know exactly what you mean. The Musical Instrument Museum (MIM) in Scottsdale has a wonderful room toward the end of the tour that is really made for kids, but certainly also for adults, who want to just pick something up and see what sounds it can make, from instruments to just rocks and items in the world you can bang together and I think it is one of the coolest things in the museum. You'll see kids just playing in there and it is one of the most natural and organic things, just wonderful. Thank you again for your great reaction(s)!