Rush: Song by Song

Admittedly, I have not read the entire book yet, just sections, so maybe that's unfair, but here's my reaction. I got the book, opened it up to the middle somewhere to see what was there. A description of the song Chemistry. Perfect, one of my favorites. Let's learn more about that song. Absent from the author's description is that Alex recorded his high guitar parts on a hillside to take advantage of the echo the lake below provided. I just can't imagine how something that unique, and that interesting, gets left out. But at the time Signals came out, that was discussed in interviews, it is seen in magazine articles, it wasn't a big secret. In describing the first album, Rush, the author talks about the band recording the songs in the middle of the night, also interesting, but what is not mentioned is that the recordings sometimes if not always happened after the band had played one or two sets that evening at bars before they recorded. Those anecdotal stories are a big part of the band's history, and adds enormously to the level of interest someone might take in a song, an album, and/or the band. Basically, I am certain the author was aware of these things, but for whatever reason elected not to include them, and for that reason I'm disappointed. I am learning some things, don't misunderstand, there are some collaborations I wasn't aware of, some musical development elements I wasn't aware of, etc., so the book most definitely has merit, and I would buy it again, but those oversights....disappointing.

The book provides conversation-worthy insights/opinions on the band’s early material. I found the author’s points on the band’s lyrics through Moving Pictures interesting, even when I didn’t agree with his interpretation. Unfortunately, the book falls apart after the analysis of Moving Pictures. The author doesn’t hide his disdain for everything the band released after 1981. As a result, the second half of the book is a tedious list of short blurbs about each song that miss the point of the songs entirely. I don’t think that the author didn’t understand these songs, it’s just that he didn’t care to try to analyze them.

I really thought it would have the lyrics to each song, then information about each one.

Below expectations. I expected something that would describe the recording process based on interviews or the like. Instead, it is the authors one paragraph summary of each song.

Great companion book to listening to the greatest band of all time!!

Great insight into the Rush catalog of songs.

Anything that says RUSH on it it’s worth every penny. Can’t wait to read it.

If you are a true RUSH fan, buy the book already.

A Great Book!

Hubby loved it