成立时间:1968 多伦多 加拿大
风格划分:前卫/艺术摇滚、硬摇滚
Rush长达几十年的经历中从未在意过主流的褒勉,他们更加相信,没有什么比本身实力更有说服力。从60年代末起,他们真诚地拥抱着艺术,用音乐感染着那个时代,直至今天。
1968年乐队在加拿大成立,当时的乐队成员为主唱兼贝司Geddy Lee、鼓手John Rutsey、吉他手Alex Lifeson。最初乐队受到了Cream的很大影响,开始在多伦多的俱乐部里演出。1974年,乐队完成了首张专辑《Rush》。不久,鼓手Neil Peart接替了离去的John Rutsey,Neil Peart日后成为了乐队的主要音乐创作核心,而且负责歌曲词作的创作。他来源于科学幻想的词作逐渐成为了乐队的标签之一。
1975年乐队推出了两张唱片,《Fly by Night》和《Caress of Steel》。1976年,乐队完成成名作《2112》,这部作品以Ayn Rand的著作为蓝图,创造了一种全新的未来派概念专辑。Lee高亢尖利的假声唱法,Peart史诗般作品,Lifeson复杂的吉他伴奏完美地创造了一种清新的听觉感受。专辑从金唱片顺利成为白金唱片,这对于早先持否定观点的人们真是一个极大的讽刺,尽管如此乐队从未能够摆脱这种不友善的怀疑和攻击。
1977年,《A Farewell to Kings》在英美两国都进入了Top40排行榜。1978年专辑《Hemispheres》后,乐队拥有了许多支持者,乐队作品也开始摆脱以前较为冗长繁琐的模式,用更加简短随意的创作思路来应和现代人的口味。所有的这些努力促成了1980年专辑《Permanent Waves》的成功,单曲“The Spirit of Radio”也成为乐队有史以来最为出色的代表作。1981年专辑《Moving Pictures》再添一首热门单曲“Tom Sawyer”。1985年的时候,乐队名下又添了2张多白金唱片,《Grace Under Pressure》(1984)和《Power Windows》(1985)。
80年代末的时候,Rush已经制造了太多的相似专辑,几乎没有丝毫改变,从巡演中观众的反映中乐队发觉这种今日已经略显落伍的合成器音乐的危机。在《Hold Your Fire》(1987)和《Presto》(1989)的教训下,乐队重返录音室,创作了更加“摇滚”的专辑《Roll the Bones》(1991)和《Counterparts》,这个阶段的乐队更加接近早期他们早期的风格,突出了Lifeson的吉他演奏成份。这两张专辑最终都成为了美国排行榜的第3名。1996年,专辑《Test for Echo》上市,2年后,现场专辑《Different Stages》成功推出。
Over the course of their decades-spanning career, the Canadian power trio Rush emerged as one of hard rocks most highly regarded bands; although typically brushed aside by critics and although rare recipients of mainstream pop radio airplay, the group nonetheless won an impressive and devoted fan following while their virtuoso performance skills solidified their standing as musicians musicians.
Rush formed in Toronto, Ontario, in the autumn of 1968, and initially comprised guitarist Alex Lifeson (born Alexander Zivojinovich), vocalist/bassist Geddy Lee (born Gary Lee Weinrib), and drummer John Rutsey. In their primary incarnation, the trio drew a heavy influence from Cream, and honed their skills on the Toronto club circuit before issuing their debut single, a rendition of Buddy Hollys Not Fade Away, in 1973. A self-titled LP followed in 1974, at which time Rutsey exited; he was replaced by drummer Neil Peart, who also assumed the role of the bands primary songwriter, composing the cerebral lyrics (influenced by works of science fiction and fantasy) that gradually became a hallmark of the groups aesthetic.
With Peart firmly ensconced, Rush returned in 1975 with a pair of LPs, Fly by Night and Caress of Steel. Their next effort, 1976s 2112, proved to be their breakthrough release: a futuristic concept album based on the writings of Ayn Rand, it fused the elements of the trios sound — Lees high-pitched vocals, Pearts epic-length compositions, and Lifesons complex guitar work — into a unified whole. Fans loved it — 2112 was the first in a long line of gold and platinum releases — while critics dismissed it as overblown and pretentious: either way, it established a formula from which the band rarely deviated throughout the duration of their career.
A Farewell to Kings followed in 1977 and reached the Top 40 in both the U.S. and Britain. After 1978s Hemispheres, Rush achieved even greater popularity with 1980s Permanent Waves, a record marked by Pearts dramatic shift into shorter, less sprawling compositions; the single The Spirit of Radio even became a major hit. With 1981s Moving Pictures, the trio scored another hit of sorts with Tom Sawyer, which garnered heavy exposure on album-oriented radio and became perhaps their best-known song. As the 1980s continued, Rush grew into a phenomenally popular live draw as albums like 1982s Signals (which generated the smash New World Man), 1984s Grace Under Pressure, and 1985s Power Windows continued to sell millions of copies.
As the decade drew to a close, the trio cut back on its touring schedule while hardcore followers complained of a sameness afflicting slicker, synth-driven efforts like 1987s Hold Your Fire and 1989s Presto. At the dawn of the 1990s, however, Rush returned to the heavier sound of their early records and placed a renewed emphasis on Lifesons guitar heroics; consequently, both 1991s Roll the Bones and 1993s Counterparts reached the Top Three on the U.S. album charts. In 1996, the band issued Test for Echo and headed out on the road the following summer. Shortly thereafter, Peart lost his daughter in an automobile accident. Tragedy struck again in 1998 when Pearts wife succumbed to cancer. Dire times in the Rush camp did not cause the band to quit. Lee took time out for a solo stint with 2000s My Favorite Headache; however, rumors of the band playing in the studio began to circulate. It would be five years until anything surfaced from the band. Fans were reassured in early 2002 by news that Rush were recording new songs in Toronto. The fruit of those sessions led to the release of Rushs 17th studio album, Vapor Trails, later that spring. In 2004 the band embarked on their 30th anniversary tour, and in 2006 they returned to the studio to begin work on a new album. The resulting Snakes & Arrows was released in May 2007.