is RUSH the most technically gifted rock band ever, still?

Rclark · « **on:** 2 Feb 2015, 10:38 pm »

* I leave metal music out of this as there are certainly bands that play faster than RUSH, and have standout musicians as well.

But for a pure rock band, I find it hard to go back and play a RUSH album and not feel this way. I constantly find every member of the band on some top best of list, not just one member, all three of them.

For my money I can't think of another band as prodigious in output, with as much talent at each instrument played.

mresseguie · « **Reply #1 on:** 2 Feb 2015, 10:53 pm »

While I don't necessarily disagree with your assertion, another three member band came to mind - Emerson Lake & Palmer.

Slightly different times and different sounds, but much (all?) of what you said could be said of ELP as well. Just one man's humble opinion.

FireGuy · « **Reply #2 on:** 2 Feb 2015, 10:56 pm »

For my money I can't think of another band as prodigious in output, with as much talent at each instrument played.

Okay, I guess I'll start the flood. Absolutely I can give you another band:

Opeth

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Opeth

Freo-1 · « **Reply #3 on:** 2 Feb 2015, 10:58 pm »

Nope. That would belong to "The Cream". Jack Bruce, Ginger Baker, and Eric Clapton. Each musician is (was) considered at the top of their respective instrumental abilities.

FireGuy · « **Reply #4 on:** 2 Feb 2015, 11:02 pm »

Quote from: Freo-1 on 2 Feb 2015, 10:58 pm

Nope. That would belong to "The Cream". Jack Bruce, Ginger Baker, and Eric Clapton. Each musician is (was) considered at the top of their respective instrumental abilities.

I like this choice too.

WireNut · « **Reply #5 on:** 2 Feb 2015, 11:03 pm »

I agree, been a huge fan of them since the first album. They are all excellent musicians. Neil Peart was my ideal, still is. I use to try and copy him back when I was playing out in a local band. I've read that if they do tour this coming year it may be they're last tour, 40th year. Hope they come to Cincinnati.

I think I listened to them so much years ago that I burnt myself out. I like they're earlier stuff from the 1st LP up thru about Permanent Waves. After that I started dropping off and listening to other bands. 2112 is one of my all time favorite albums. That LP was my starting path into drumming and rock and roll forever.

Great band.

Oh yeah, Robin Trower took over when I got burnt out on Rush.

Freo-1 · « **Reply #6 on:** 2 Feb 2015, 11:20 pm »

BTW, I saw Rush as the opening act for the Steve Miller Band in 1971/72 in Detroit. No one knew much about them then, as they were just starting out.

brother love · « **Reply #7 on:** 2 Feb 2015, 11:29 pm »

Quote from: Freo-1 on 2 Feb 2015, 10:58 pm

Nope. That would belong to "The Cream". Jack Bruce, Ginger Baker, and Eric Clapton. Each musician is (was) considered at the top of their respective instrumental abilities.

This

charmerci · « **Reply #8 on:** 3 Feb 2015, 02:20 am »

There is no most xxxxx band ever...

Lot of great ones. There is no #1.

sfox7076 · « **Reply #9 on:** 3 Feb 2015, 02:35 am »

Agree that there are no number 1s. Rush wouldn't be in my top 10...

simoon · « **Reply #10 on:** 3 Feb 2015, 08:43 pm »

Sorry, but not even close.

To preface, I give kudos to Rush because they are better musicians and play more complex and demanding music than the vast majority of bands. But not to the extent as their fans believe.

But why compare them to bands that are 'pure rock'? They aspire to something a bit loftier, and their fans also consider them to be.

There are prog bands from all over the world, past and present, that not only have technically superior musicians to Rush, but are playing music that is more complex and demanding, so their job is even that much more difficult.

A short list off the top of my head of bands, in various styles, that are superior. Admittedly, some of these bands are quite obscure, avant-garde, have no commercial potential and are a bit challenging to listen to.

King Crimson
Deus Ex Machina - from Italy
Haken - from Great Britain
Universe Zero - from Belgium
Gentle Giant - from Great Britain
Dream Theater - from USA
Thinking Plague - from USA
Echolyn - from USA
PFM - from Italy
The Underground Railroad - from USA
Frank Zappa
Banco - Italy
Magma - from France

I could go on.

And by leaving out metal, you are leaving out many musicians and bands that are also superior. And not just because they play 'faster'. There are many technical metal and progressive metal bands playing some extremely complex and sophisticated music.

kingdeezie · « **Reply #11 on:** 3 Feb 2015, 10:42 pm »

Quote from: simoon on 3 Feb 2015, 08:43 pm

And by leaving out metal, you are leaving out many musicians and bands that are also superior. And not just because they play 'faster'. There are many technical metal and progressive metal bands playing some extremely complex and sophisticated music.

I love me some Rush, but the progressive metal scene right now is teeming with some supreme talent. There are a lot of bands that are making some beautiful music right now.

acresm22 · « **Reply #12 on:** 5 Feb 2015, 02:41 am »

Lots of talent in Rush. But perhaps more in the Dixie Dregs??

MttBsh · « **Reply #13 on:** 5 Feb 2015, 05:31 am »

In the early-mid seventies when Rush started out the Mahavishnu Orchestra, Jethro Tull, Gentle Giant and many others I felt were much greater virtuosos, songwriters and performers. This is just one man's opinion, but one who attended a lot of concerts in those days. Maybe Rush has improved significantly over the years but when I saw them I was underwhelmed, and I couldn't get past Geddy Lee's voice.

apollophono · « **Reply #14 on:** 5 Feb 2015, 07:54 am »

I think the op has a valid point regarding just rock bands. I'm not a big
Rush fan but when it comes to all the members of a band being near
the top of their respective categories then I see some validity to his
point. I can think of more talented individuals, but they are in different
bands. Eddie Van Halen, but the rest of the band isn't near as talented
as he is. Return to Forever with Al Dimeola, Stanley Clark, and Chick
Corea is a progressive jazz band.

It is also valid that ELP (prog rock), Cream (rock) are also contenders.
When it comes to three piece bands I preferred Grand Funk as being
more musical, and more emotional. Sometimes the best musicians
aren't the most popular because their songs don't connect with the
public. The musicians can be more talented, but music can be
about different things for different people. Do the lyrics connect with
the listener. Does it have a good beat? Is there a catchy melody? etc.

I like different categories and I think a good audio setup can let you
appreciate the more complex music easier. I can rock to The Monkees,
Return to Forever, Pink Floyd, O' Brother Where Art Thou soundtrack,
Blind Faith, Rebolution. The only genres so far that I haven't been able
to appreciate are Rap and Classical. What is wrong with me?

spence · « **Reply #15 on:** 5 Feb 2015, 12:48 pm »

I think we're getting "technically gifted" and "musically gifted" confused here. I think a guy like Morse is more "technically" gifted than Clapton, even Lifeson for that matter. It's easier to copy Clapton than Morse for me (I've been playing guitar for 50 years) but Clapton may be more "musically" gifted in his compositions based on his body of work. We all have our own opinions.

Devil Doc · « **Reply #16 on:** 5 Feb 2015, 01:37 pm »

Quote from: Fire Guy on 2 Feb 2015, 11:02 pm

I like this choice too.

As a drummer, I can tell you Ginger Baker was never considered the greatest ever by many of his peers of course he thought he was. The only innovative thing he ever did was break up rudiments around the drum set. If you new the rudiment, he wasn't difficult to mimic. I'd have to go with the Steve Morse Band as far as talent goes.

Doc

wushuliu · « **Reply #17 on:** 5 Feb 2015, 02:16 pm »

Genesis

Phish

Yes

lokie · « **Reply #18 on:** 5 Feb 2015, 02:41 pm »

Not sure what "technically gifted" means, so, let me throw out a few more adjectives like:

highest level of instrument proficiency
technically difficult song arrangements
innovative and beyond the "norm" sound
clever and engaging songs (btw- this is what makes them popular)
and maybe... difficulty factor for other bands to emulate

With this expanded description, a few other bands (besides Rush) come to mind:

Steely Dan
Little Feet
Pink Floyd

barrows · « **Reply #19 on:** 5 Feb 2015, 05:16 pm »

No,

Many examples out there. Here are a couple of rock bands which were/are both fairly successful commercially and technically gifted on every instrument:

King Crimson, Yes (see Relayer). I would put in Mahavishnu Orchestra, but bass playing was only average until the 80s version with Jonas Hellborg (he is a monster). Frank Zappa's bands were always loaded with technical wizards.
Nowadays, in the Prog Metal world there are a lot of gifted musicians as well.

To my mind, the one real virtuoso in Rush is Neal Peart

Hey Opeth fans, could you recommend an album of theirs considering I am more interested in the prog side of the balance than the metal?