Rush began their recording career as Alex Lifeson, Geddy Lee and John Rutsey. In 1974, their debut album appeared, sounding rather like Led Zepplin. Shortly afterwards, John Rutsey left the band, he felt unable to keep up with the touring. At this point Rush picked up a drummer by the name of Neil Peart (thank God!). Once complete, as they are to this day, Rush released Fly By Night, in 1975. This album contained their first big hit, Fly By Night. This album also started Rush's delving into epic songwriting with By-Tor and The SnowDog. With Neil at the drummer's seat and fast becoming the primary lyricist, Rush turned away from the Zepplinesque style and began forming their own. Also in 1975 Rush released Caress of Steel. This really showcased Rush's new styles. Two epics were included on this album: The Necromancer and The Fountain of Lamneth. Shorter songs such as Bastille Day and Lakeside Park also appeared. 1976 marked the first huge triumph in record sales and the second most-selling album ever by Rush. 2112 was the science fiction epic inspired by Ayn Rand. Neil really showed his love for science fiction as he told the story of a man, trapped in a world deprived of music and freedoms. He discovers a guitar in a cave and soon learns to play it. When he shows the priests his discovery, they promptly smash it. Heart-broken, he turns home and falls asleep. He dreams about a perfect world where musical expression is embraced. Once he awakes, he is thrown into a fit of despair, knowing what he might have ("For those the blind, who once could see.."). As he wallows in the pits of despair, he takes his own life. Just as this is happening, the elders from the planet of his dreams, return to his home planet to redeem it. Rush followed this album with a tour on which they recorded their performances. The same year as 2112, Rush released All the World's a Stage; their first of four live albums. Next year, Rush returned with the studio album: A Farewell To Kings. On it was the monster rock ballad: Closer to the Heart. Also was another sci-fi epic entitled Cygnus X-1. A man, a starship and a blackhole; you figure it out. The next year (1977) Rush released Hemispheres. This contained a follow-up to Cygnus X-1, Hemispheres. This recounted what happened to the man after he emerged onto the other side of the blackhole and becomes a God. Hemispheres showcased the first of Rush's instrumental songs: La Villa Strangiato. Onto 1980: Permanent Waves. This album found Rush breaking away from the epic songwriting style and began filling the five-minute songs. Except for Natural Science (which happens to be one of my all time favorites). Freewill and The Spirit Of Radio were two of the hit songs coming from Permanent Waves. Rush's next album became the arguably best album ever. Moving Pictures. Tom Sawyer, Red Barchetta, YYZ (another instrumental), and Limelight were four of the seven songs on this quadruple platinum album. Rush also began experimenting with series of songs with Witch Hunt, part III of Fear. Yes, that's part III. Rush perfered to work backwards to I on this. Following Moving Pictures, Rush released thier secong of four live albums: Exit...Stage Left. In 1982 Rush came out with Signals, possibly one of the best flowing albums ever. Subdivisions and New World Man became hits. Countdown was a song inspired by NASA; The Weapon was Part II of Fear and The Analog Kid became a live favorite of the band. Signals was the last album produced by long time producer Terry Brown (Broon). It also marked (with New World Man) Rush's last top 40 hit. In 1984 Rush followed Signals with Grace Under Pressure. By now keyboards began to override the guitar. Red Sector A is an inspired look at Nazi concentration camps and Distant Early Warning a look at life overall. The Enemy Within concluded (or began) the Fear Trilogy. Next Year Rush came out with Power Windows. Manhattan Project was a look at the first atomic bomb. Also were emotional songs such as Grand Designs, Middletown Dreams and Emotion Detector. Some fans believe Hold Your Fire (1987) Rush reached their creative songwriting peak. The songs from this album had obscure chords, odd time signatures and a dynamic flow to them. Time Stand Still, with thanks to Aimee Mann appeared. As well as Force Ten and Prime Mover. Following a world tour, Rush, in 1989, released A Show of Hands: their third live album and last platinum album to date. Recorded in Birmingham England amoung other places. After a short creative hiatus, Rush returned with Presto. With a new look and style that cannot be found on any other album. Geddy's vocals were dubbed over themselves and overlapped. This album finds a more mellow, soft rock side of Rush. It really didn't last. The only song ever played live from Presto is Show Don't Tell. In 1991 Rush released Roll the Bones. Live favorite Dreamline, another ballad-like song Bravado, and Where's My Thing? (part IV "Gangster of Boats" trilogy) an instrumental, were a few of the songs on Roll The Bones. Into 1993 when Rush released Counterparts, which was an attempt to re-establish guitar as the predominant instrument and the keyboards to fall back into obscurity. It only somewhat served this purpose. However from this album we can take great songs such as Animate, Stick It Out, and Everyday Glory. Also was the ballad Nobody's Hero. Leave That Thing Alone was a follow-up instrumental to Where's My Thing? . At this point Rush did something they had never done before. They took a well deserved break for awhile. Geddy worked on musical projects of others, Alex released a solo album entitled Victor. Neil, as usual was off exploring the world. He wrote a book about his bike trek across Africa. In his spare time he managed to put together a tribute album to the music of Buddy Rich. He assembled the best drummers from around the world to play along to the reunited band. In 1996 Rush reappeared together with Test For Echo. This was an attempt to get back to Moving Pictures. Driven, Test For Echo and Virtuality were premier songs. Also were two ballad songs: Half The World and Resist ("inspired by the great country of scotland"). Limbo was another in a long line of great Rush instrumentals. After the follow-up tour tragedy struck Neil Peart. His daughter was lost in a tragic car accident. The next year his wife died of cancer. Despite this Rush finished up thier most recent live album: Different Stages.