I don't know if it's going back to school (and the subsequent stress) or other things that have happened recently, but I've been feeling nostalgic.
I've pulled out some old CD's No, I'm not old enough to have a large collection of vinyl LP's, although it was the recording medium of choice for a long time while I was aware of music. In particular, I've been listening to Rush, often referred to as the " Canadian power trio" or "the Progressive Rock band from Canada". The detractors love to make fun of lead singer Geddy Lee's voice, (references to helium and Mickey Mouse are most common) but I see it for what it is: Thinking man's Rock and Roll.
Where else in Rock music do you find references to Shakespeare, Ayn Rand, Classic Mythology, Samuel Taylor Colleridge and Jungian Psychology to name but a few subjects or inspirations for the songs Rush has written?
Too often in rock music and today's pop culture, we hear about the execrable behavior of musicians and performers. Often is it presented just this side of being laudable, but Rush is none of this. Everyone knows of the Beatles' separation and the stories of the hostility and ego turf wars between McCartney and Lennon. Rock bands are thought of as being centers of antisocial behavior. How many times have you heard of rock bands destroying hotel rooms? It's become almost cliché! In fact, it has been parodied in the hilarious mockumentary "This is Spinal Tap"
Rush is the antithesis of this. While not being "monks" as guitarist Alex Lifeson said once in an interview, they are far more professional and from this person's point of view they have never done something to disgrace themselves in the public eye.
For a far more eloquent assessment of the band, may I recommend this article.
Rush has been described as a band that is either loved or hated. Truer words were never stated, and the best evidence of this, as stated in the above article, is they will probably never be indicted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, because the Hall of Fame "isn't cool enough for Rush" After seeing some of the so-called musicians that have been inducted, it makes me more happy to have found Rush's music and to be able to call myself a long time fan.
The only other thing that I find myself asking after I have listened to all their albums, from the self-titled 'Rush' to their latest CD 'Vapor Trails' is "When's the next album coming out?"