Rush is a Canadian rock band originally formed in August 1968, in the Willowdale neighbourhood of Toronto, Ontario, composed of bassist, keyboardist, and lead vocalist Geddy Lee, guitarist Alex Lifeson, and drummer and lyricist Neil Peart. The band and its membership went through a number of re-configurations between 1968 and 1974, achieving their current form when Peart replaced original drummer John Rutsey in July 1974, two weeks before the group's first U.S. tour.
Since the release of the band's self-titled debut album in March 1974, Rush has become known for the instrumental skills of its members, complex compositions, and eclectic lyrical motifs drawing heavily on science fiction, fantasy, and libertarian philosophy, as well as addressing humanitarian, social, emotional, and environmental concerns.
Musically, Rush's style has evolved over the years, beginning in the vein of blues-inspired heavy metal on their first albums, then encompassing hard rock, progressive rock, and a period dominated by synthesizers. They have influenced various musical artists, including Metallica,[1][2] The Smashing Pumpkins[3] and Primus,[3] as well as progressive metal bands such as Dream Theater[1] and Symphony X.[4]
Rush has won a number of Juno Awards, and was inducted into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame in 1994. Over the course of their careers, the individual members of Rush have been acknowledged as being some of the most proficient players on their respective instruments, with each band member winning several awards in magazine readers' polls. As a group, Rush possesses 24 gold records and 14 platinum (3 multi-platinum) records. According to the RIAA, Rush's sales statistics place them fourth behind The Beatles, The Rolling Stones and Aerosmith for the most consecutive gold or platinum albums by a rock band. Rush also ranks 78th in U.S. album sales with 25 million units.[5] Although total worldwide album sales are not calculated by any single entity, as of 2004 several industry sources estimated Rush's total worldwide album sales at over 40 million units. The band recently finished promoting their latest album, Snakes & Arrows with an intercontinental tour. The second leg began in San Juan, Puerto Rico on April 11, and ended on July 24, 2008 in Noblesville, Indiana.
Band members * Geddy Lee – bass, lead vocals, keyboards, mellotron, bass and synthesizer pedals, electric and acoustic rhythm guitar (September 1968 – present)
* Alex Lifeson – six and twelve-string acoustic and electric guitars, classical guitar, mandolin, mandola, Bouzouki, backing vocals, bass and synthesizer pedals (August 1968 – present)
* Neil Peart – drums, electronic and acoustic percussion (July 1974 – present)
Former members * John Rutsey – drums, percussion, backing vocals (August 1968 – July 1974)
* Jeff Jones – bass, lead vocals (August 1968 – September 1968)
Discography Studio albums
* Rush (1974)
* Fly by Night (1975)
* Caress of Steel (1975)
* 2112 (1976)
* A Farewell to Kings (1977)
* Hemispheres (1978)
* Permanent Waves (1980)
* Moving Pictures (1981)
* Signals (1982)
* Grace Under Pressure (1984)
* Power Windows (1985)
* Hold Your Fire (1987)
* Presto (1989)
* Roll the Bones (1991)
* Counterparts (1993)
* Test for Echo (1996)
* Vapor Trails (2002)
* Feedback (2004)
* Snakes & Arrows (2007)
AwardsJuno awards
Rush has won the following Juno awards:
* 1974 Most promising group of the year
* 1978 Group of the year
* 1979 Group of the year
* 1990 Artist of the Decade (80's)
* 1991 Best HardRock/Metal album - Presto
* 1992 Hard Rock album of the year - Roll the Bones
* 2004 Music DVD of the year - Rush in Rio
Grammy nominations
* 1981 nomination for Best Rock Instrumental Performance
o "YYZ" — lost to The Police's "Behind My Camel"
* 1992 nomination for Best Rock Instrumental Performance
o "Where's My Thing?" — lost to Eric Johnson's "Cliffs of Dover"
* 1995 nomination for Best Rock Instrumental Performance
o "Leave That Thing Alone" — lost to Pink Floyd's "Marooned"
* 2004 nomination for Best Rock Instrumental Performance
o "O Baterista" from Rush In Rio — lost to Brian Wilson's "Mrs. O'Leary's Cow"
* 2008 nomination for Best Rock Instrumental Performance
o "Malignant Narcissism" from Snakes & Arrows — lost to Bruce Springsteen's "Once Upon a Time in the West"
* 2009 nomination for Best Rock Instrumental Performance
o "Hope (Live For The Art Of Peace)" from Songs for Tibet: The Art of Peace — lost to Zappa Plays Zappa's "Peaches in Regalia" (featuring Steve Vai and Napoleon Murphy Brock)
Miscellaneous awards
* December 1990 - Rush wins Mayor's Award at the Toronto Music Awards.
* October 1992 - Rush is a recipient of the Harold Moon Award by the Society of Composers, Authors, and Music Publishers of Canada (SOCAN).
* May 1993 - Rush is inducted into the Harvard National Lampoon and named “Group Of The Millennium”.
* October 1993 - Rush is a recipient of the Toronto Arts Award.
* March 1994 - Rush inducted into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame[3]
* May 1996 - Lee, Lifeson, and Peart are made Officers of the Order of Canada, the first rock musicians so honored.
* December 1996 - Performance magazine, a publication for the touring industry, nominated Rush as "Rock Act of the Year" for their 1996 Performance Readers Poll Awards.
* May 1997 - The Foundation Forum and F Musicfest have announced Rush this year's recipient of the "Concrete/Foundations Outstanding Contribution to Music Award. Rush joins a distinguished list of receipts including Van Halen, Kiss, Ozzy Osbourne and Alice Cooper.
* May 1999 - Rush was inducted into Canada's Walk Of Fame in Toronto.
* January 2000 - Rush has topped JAM! Music's online poll, which determines them "Best Canadian Musicians of All Time".
* 2003 - Inducted into the CMW Canadian Music Industry Hall of Fame.
* June 2008 - The band was selected by the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce to receive a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. The star will be presented in 2009.[4]
* 2009 - The song "Tom Sawyer" ranked number 19 on VH1's "100 Greatest Hard Rock Songs".[5]
Magazine awards
Geddy Lee
* Bass Hall of Fame - Guitar Player Magazine
* 6 time winner: "Best Rock Bass" - Guitar Player Magazine
* 1993 - "Best Rock Bass Player" Bass Player readers' poll
* Best Album for Bass (Snakes & Arrows) - Bass Player Magazine
* "Coolest Bass Line In A Song" (for "Malignant Narcissism") - Bass Player Magazine
* "Best 2007 Cover Feature" for "Northern Warrior" - Bass Player Magazine
Alex Lifeson
* "Best Rock Talent" by Guitar for the Practicing Musician in 1983
* "Best Rock Guitarist" by Guitar Player in 1984 and 2008
* Runner-up for "Best Rock Guitarist" in Guitar Player in 1982, 1983, 1985, 1986
* Inducted into the Guitar for the Practicing Musician Hall of Fame, 1991
* Most Ferociously Brilliant Guitar Album (Snakes & Arrows) - Guitar Player 2007
* "Best Article" for "Different Strings" - Guitar Player September 2007
Neil Peart
Peart has received the following awards in the Modern Drummer magazine reader's poll:
* Hall of Fame: 1983
* Best Rock Drummer: 1980, 1981, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986, 2006, 2008
* Best Multi-Percussionist: 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986
* Best Percussion Instrumentalist: 1982
* Most Promising New Drummer: 1980
* Best All Around: 1986
* 1986 Honor Roll: Rock Drummer, Multi-Percussion
* Best Instructional Video: 2006, for Anatomy of A Drum Solo
* Best Drum Recording of the 1980s, 2007, for "YYZ" from Exit...Stage Left
* Best Recorded Performance:
o 1980: Permanent Waves
o 1981: Moving Pictures
o 1982: Exit...Stage Left
o 1983: Signals
o 1985: Grace Under Pressure
o 1986: Power Windows
o 1988: Hold Your Fire
o 1989: A Show of Hands
o 1990: Presto
o 1992: Roll the Bones
o 1993: Counterparts
o 1997: Test for Echo
o 1999: Different Stages
o 2002: Vapor Trails
o 2004: R30
o 2007: Snakes and Arrows
o 2008: Best Recorded Performance
Peart has received the following awards from DRUM! magazine for 2007:
* Drummer of the Year
* Best Progressive Rock Drummer
* Best Live Performer
* Best DVD (Anatomy of A Drum Solo)
* Best Drumming Album (Snakes & Arrows)
Peart received the following awards from DRUM! magazine for 2008:
* Drummer of the Year
* Best Progressive Rock Drummer (Runner-Up)
* Best Mainstream Pop Drummer (Runner-Up)
* Best Live Drumming Performer
RUSH, OFFICIAL SITE
