I saw a few months back that venerable, hard rock/prog rock, Canadian power-trio (which is just a fun word) Rush was releasing a box set to celebrate their 50th anniversary, creatively titled Rush 50. The box has a number of different configurations including a 7 LP vinyl version and a 4 CD version. I was confused by the “50th anniversary” as Rush’s first album came out in 1974 but then I realized that Neil Peart didn’t join until 1975 and perhaps that’s the anniversary they’re celebrating. Rush, over the majority of their career was made of virtuoso drummer Neil Peart (who also wrote most of the lyrics), vocalist/bass guitarist extraordinaire Geddy Lee (who also played keyboards) and criminally underrated lead guitarist Alex Lifeson. Those guys were not only bandmates, they were also close friends which is something that’s tough to maintain over 50 years! Alas we lost Neil in 2020 which effectively brought this wonderful band to an end.

Ah, Rush! When they first came out they were considered a poor man’s Led Zeppelin. I think that was unfair – although Jimmy Page was an early fan – but they probably got that tag because of their long, epic songs. Peart did not join the band until Fly By Night but after that the lineup never changed which again is remarkable. I didn’t start listening to rock n roll until late ’77, early ’78 and I don’t think I can overstate how important Rush was to all my friends and I. I don’t know how it was elsewhere, but in the heartland, these guys were huge. The breakthrough album was the fourth record (Peart’s third with the band), the epic 2112. The “2112 Suite” runs the entire length of the first half of the vinyl album. The beginning of that suite of songs was “Overture” and “Temples Of Syrinx” and there were many an air guitar played to that section of the record. I once tore off a thumbnail while pretending to be Alex Lifeson, but there might have been a lot of beer involved in that accident.

In Kansas City, our rock station played Rush all the time. Not only the stuff from 2112, but songs from 1977’s Farewell To Kings (“Xanadu,” “Closer To The Heart”) and 1978’s Hemispheres (“The Trees,” “La Villa Strangiato”) were etched into our brains. While they were big to us in the flannel long sleeve shirt/concert T underneath, faded blue jeans crowd, I’m not sure how popular they were with the rest of the music listening populace. If I was at a party and Rush was on the turntable, there was a lot of pot smoking going on. The band thought 1980’s Permanent Waves (“Spirit Of The Radio,” “Freewill”) would be their big breakthrough, but it wasn’t until 1981’s Moving Pictures (“Tom Sawyer,” “YYZ,” “Limelight”) that they found the mainstream success they were seeking.

I saw Rush several times back then, once in high school where I was slightly disappointed. Rush had such a huge reputation for being amazing in concert, my expectations might have gotten away from me. I saw them again when I was in college and they blew me away. I saw them in their latter years, several times, and they were always an amazing live act. I will admit, at the time, the first record they put out when I was in college, 1982’s Signals, which had a lot more synth to my ears, was a bit of a disappointment but 1984’s Grace Under Pressure brought me right back into the fold. I think that is their must underrated “early” record. And sadly, I have to admit, after that I became a much more casual consumer of their albums. I picked up Test For Echo on the recommendation of my buddy Stormin’, and Vapor Trails on the recommendation of a coworker but I was mostly a “greatest hits” fan after say, 1987.

When I saw that Rush 50 was coming out, I didn’t pay it that much attention at first. I figured it’d be the usual, chronologically arranged greatest hits package. Now that I’ve listened to this thing, I have to admit I was very wrong about that. What I love about this celebration of an album, is that they touch on every studio and every live album they put out. They do a great job of mixing the studio stuff with some of those fabulous live versions of songs they’ve recorded over the years on different tours. There’s no way anybody out there has all the live albums they put out… even me, and I love live albums. This box tracks more like Neil Young’s Decade – which eschews “hits” – and includes unreleased tracks and apparently songs that had never been released on CD. Mix that with the live tracks and the studio versions of their most popular songs, and you’ve got quite a compelling portrait of an important band.

The box is arranged in a quasi-chronological order. Although often we’ll get a live version of a song recorded years after the studio version of the song. It feels more like a natural progression forward than a march through the years. The album starts off with a Buddy Holly cover, “Not Fade Away,” that sounds like a time capsule. The next track, again an early one, never released on CD was “You Can’t Fight It.” I had never heard that one and I loved it. There’s so much to love here not only for the casual fan seeking a great “best of” package, but also for the fan looking for deeper cuts. There are a handful of never released songs on disc 1. Of those, I especially like are the tracks from early (1974) shows, including some cuts from the Agora Ball Room in Cleveland. Those tracks – “Need Some Love,” “Before And After, “Bad Boy” a track the Beatles covered – have a bit of a bootleg vibe, but I love bootlegs. The first disc sprinkles in a few studio versions of “Bastille Day” and “Overture/Temples Of Syrinx” that we all know and love and then finished with a few tracks recorded live at Massey Hall (1976).

Disc 2 has a killer live version of “Xanadu” which may be my favorite of their epics. The band sounds amazing. The disc is dominated by live cuts from 1978 to 1981 and I love it. The live version of “Passage To Bangkok” is superb. I do love that they also included the “Drum Solo.” Peart’s drum solo’s were always a highlight… nobody was going to the beer line when Peart was drumming alone on stage. I also really dug the live version of “Vital Signs” from ’81.

Disc 3 has “Subdivisions” which has always been a favorite. There’s lots of keyboard on that song but it’s heavy and fits the lyrics to a “t.” “Red Sector A” is another personal favorite from my college days. A live version of “Witch Hunt” from 1984 also jumped out at me. The balance of disc 3 is a bit more traditional romp through the studio stuff, picking a track or two from each album: “Superconductor” (which was a surprise), “Dreamline” (great track I’d forgotten about), “Stick It Out” and “Test For Echo.” The disc ends with a great live version of “Rhythm Method” from the great live LP, Different Stages.

The final disc in the CD version I listened to continues the wonderful mix of live/studio stuff. I actually really like the live stuff best here. A version of “Cyngus X-1” is as menacing as ever. I love that they included a song from their cover album Feedback, a cover of the Who’s “The Seeker.” I had forgotten about that album. “Headlong Flight” from Clockwork Angels, is another forgotten delight. The 4 CD version of this album kind of matches my fandom of this band. Heavy on the early stuff, more casual on the latter half which I think most people – at least the more casual fans, wanting to learn about Rush – might appreciate. The deep fans will likely quibble over the song selection but I dig pretty much every choice here.

The album ends on what I believe is the last song the trio played together, a live medley of “What You’re Doing/Working Man/Garden Road.” Epic until the end.

Again, if you’re a casual fan or a long time, intense Rush fan, you’ll find something to like here. It’s really a great celebration of the 50 years of Rush. I wish those guys were still out there on the road making this glorious racket. I’ve heard rumors that Lifeson/Lee are considering working together again… not sure if they’ll call it Rush. It’d be hard to continue without Peart on the drum kit, but I’d be interested to hear what these guys might come up with.

Put on your favorite Rush concert T, throw on a flannel shirt and jeans and rock out like you’re at a high school keg party. It’ll do your body and your soul some good!

Cheers!

“Begin the day with a friendly voice, a companion unobtrusive, plays that song that’s so elusive, and the magic music makes your morning mood…” indeed!