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Which Albums by Rush are real Prog Rock? And Why?
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Cristi View Drop Down
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Points: 43468 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Cristi Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: January 31 2024 at 12:31
Originally posted by Jared Jared wrote:

Originally posted by Cristi Cristi wrote:

Nitpicking like this, I can list songs that are not prog from all the prog-greats. LOL

Rush's progginess or lack of.... has there been any other subject that has been discussed as much on this site over the past 20 years? I'm sure it would make an excellent doctoral thesis.. Geek

A Study of RUSHology. LOL
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Points: 19183 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Jared Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: January 31 2024 at 12:35
Originally posted by Cristi Cristi wrote:

A Study of RUSHology. LOL

which reminds me, I must blow the dust off my copy of Volume 1 and inspect it for termite damage.. LOL
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Points: 1487 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Floydoid Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: January 31 2024 at 12:58
Originally posted by Jared Jared wrote:

Rush's progginess or lack of.... has there been any other subject that has been discussed as much on this site over the past 20 years? I'm sure it would make an excellent doctoral thesis..


Take your time over it now, you don't want it to be rushed!
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We are merely Rusheologians, performers and portrayers!
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^Or...
We are the priests
Of the temple of real Prog
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Points: 27948 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote richardh Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: January 31 2024 at 21:13
Originally posted by TexasKing TexasKing wrote:

Rush is much less PROG than Yes, Genesis and King Crimson but much more prog than Pink Floyd. 

My observation on the progness of Rush output:

Fly by Night - not a prog album, only By-Tor is prog
Caress of Steel - half prog (two epics are prog)
2112 - half prog (a side two is not prog but standard rock)
A Farewell to Kings - mostly prog (Closer to the heart and Madrigal are not prog songs)
Hemispheres - pure prog 
Permanent Waves - partially prog (Jacob's ladder and Natural science are prog)
Moving Pictures - mostly AOR, two prog songs (The Camera Eye and YYZ)

Synth-era albums have some proggy moments but they are not really prog. 
Snakes & arrows and Clockwork angels have some proggy songs, but they're not real prog. 
None of their albums inbetween are prog or even proggy. 

I know I shouldn't but I'm bored..

So Trees is prog but Closer To The Heart isn't? No comment on the 3 minute Circumstances then?
A Passage To Bangkok and Tears are 'standard rock', seriously?!
Moving Pictures is 'mostly AOR' is a crazy statement

In general Rush's best albums are 2112 to Moving Pictures but neither Signals and Grace Under Pressure have any weak moments. I believe the sheer amount of constant touring and recording plus the tragedies that occured in Peart's life eventually slowed them down. But then by that time they had nothing left to prove and equally nothing to apologise for. Even though they more or less stopped doing anything prog after about Presto (aside from Clockwork Angels) they have a legacy that compares favourably with all the legendary prog bands.
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I am of a firm believer that all Rush album are prog rock to some extent, but some are certainly less prog than other. Their 80s records are a good showcase of this. Aside from Permanent Waves and Moving Pictures, their 80s output certainly more prog in the sense the group is trying new things by utilizing synths and more introspective outputs, which I do not quite think is a bad thing they did. They obviously weren't going pop in the 80s, though certainly a lot more accessible than they ever were. The only really non-prog album Rush has made I think is Hold Your Fire, but that record still has some nice moments of progressive ideas.

Also replying a bit to TexasKing, I am sorry but Closer To The Heart is a prog song. You cannot just add so many riffs, jams, and solos into a 2 minute song and not call it at least prog related.

Edited by Dapper~Blueberries - February 01 2024 at 11:01
D~B
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Points: 526 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Big Sky Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: February 01 2024 at 11:18
Rush's greatest run was from 2112 through Moving Pictures. All those albums are firmly in the Progressive Rock camp. It is with those run of albums that went either Platinum or Multi-platinum in the case of 2112 and Moving Pictures that Rush is listed as a Prog Rock band and why the went into the ROHF as a Prog band.

Also, Caress of Steel, Signals and Grace Under Pressure fall more into the Prog Rock camp than not. That's 8 albums that are Prog Rock albums. The other albums by Rush can be debated whether they are Prog or in some cases, such as their debut album are definitely not.
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Points: 577 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote TexasKing Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: February 01 2024 at 12:50
Originally posted by Dapper~Blueberries Dapper~Blueberries wrote:


Also replying a bit to TexasKing, I am sorry but Closer To The Heart is a prog song. You cannot just add so many riffs, jams, and solos into a 2 minute song and not call it at least prog related.

I think CTTH is proggy but not real prog. It's too short, a sing-along song, it's a radio hit-type song and I don't find it an authentic Rush song (some other rock bands from the 70's could come up with a song like that). 
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Points: 43468 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (1) Thanks(1)   Quote Cristi Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: February 01 2024 at 12:54
What is "real prog"? (insert facepalm emoji/emoticon/meme)
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Points: 5346 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Hrychu Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: February 01 2024 at 13:49
IMO Rush was never this sorta "angular" "geeky prog" kinda band like ELP, mid 70's Zappa or I dunno, Balletto di Bronzo or something. They had a much more melodic vibe.
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Points: 27948 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote richardh Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: February 01 2024 at 23:58
^ Interesting, persoanlly I found them 'cold' and 'unemotional' when I first heard All The Worlds A Stage in 1977/78. I'm actually also not a great fan of Hemispheres, for my taste it's far too 'metal' although La Villa Strangiato could be one of the best prog instrumentals of all time. Quite remarkable track and the main thing that saves the album for me. I'm a Rush fan nowadays and that is very much for all their music including the 90's and 00's hard rock style albums which I enjoy a lot.
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Points: 162 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote ProcolWho? Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: March 01 2024 at 20:35
There is no RUSH song that does not offend my ear.
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Points: 164 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote steve j Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: May 27 2024 at 13:16
I found myself in the Prog Archives because most of the bands I like are defined as prog, and their discographies sit very nice within the archives. Are Rush prog? Someone wiser than me has seen it right to include them here. So for me if they are defined as prog, they are prog. 
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Points: 18233 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote AFlowerKingCrimson Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: May 27 2024 at 14:43
Why does it really matter if something is real prog or not though? As much as I like prog I can understand a band not wanting to do it their entire career (in fact in some cases it might seem more natural if they don't). So if a band like Genesis or Rush moves away from prog I find that entirely acceptable as long as they still try to put out quality music. I'd rather hear good music than bad prog.

Edited by AFlowerKingCrimson - May 27 2024 at 15:37
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^Good music is good.

Real prog?
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