wateroftyne

Hmmm..! In other Going For the One-related news, I was here on Tuesday:

I actively avoided them for years. As an avid Rush / Genesis fan, something about them just repulsed me. Then, a couple of years ago I started listening Going for the One and Drama, and then the whole catalogue opened up to me. I couldn’t say what my favourite is (I even like Tormato) but post-Drama my interest wanes. Homeworld off The Ladder is a real standout in the later years... the rest..? Meh. I also think they’re one of the few bands that have really run their course and should jack in. The recent line-up is rotten, while ARW are fantastic.

...anyway, they did pretty well for themselves, so I'm sure they don't care what I think 😄

...but prepped in a band environment prior to recording. Loads of great instrumental breaks on that album. Contrast that to later albums, recorded with (to quote Neil) 'Boosh [producer Nick Raskulinecz] in front of me conducting...' Just prep the songs beforehand, man. Don't leave it to the producer.

IMO after Counterparts they stopped writing and recording songs as a band, and you can feel the shift. Instrumentally, too... the classic 'Rush as power trio' instrumental breaks, thoughout their career, where the band cuts loose. Y'know, Freewill... A Farewell to Kings... Camera Eye... Distant Early Warning... Marathon... you wait for these parts of the songs. Where are they in later albums? Bass, drums, guitar, all stretching out as a band? Nowhere. That's where. Just layers of uninspired sludge.

Let's give 'Turn the Page' a shout out too, eh? What a smasher of a tune.

*Old duffer mode on* I’m surprised that this seems to be a new concept to some people. Over the years, pretty much every pub band I’ve been in does this..?

Umm.. yeah, despite the attempts of helicopter assaults and Sofia Coppola to completely ruin it. Just before y'all start thinking I have no standards whatsoever, I do. I'm a Star Wars Prequels denier.

I’m the guy who likes Tai Shan. Edit: I’m also the guy who likes Indiana Jones and the Crystal Skull.

Aww.. he's gone quiet.

Am I to take from this that you view me as a religious zealot?

It’s a class A/B thing, not exclusively Trace. Edit: Tube too. I went off ‘Diet watts’ a while ago.

Cool story bro!

If its this one, it doesn't appear to be raked at all. That one shouldn't have left the workshop without a retainer. The 'proper' raked headstocks are very obviously tilted back, and don't need a retainer.

My current Jake has a retainer as the headstock isn't raked back, but I've owned another two without, and it wasn't an issue. There's plenty of tension.

The cover of this one is extremely poignant, I reckon. It also demonstrated how the art of recording / mixing live performances has changed over the years... not always for the better.

True. Also, does anyone think Alex's side-project Victor is frankly the band Rush could have been?

I think you might be right. The drum intro to Digital Man is anything but lifeless. I agree the guitar is a bit watery.

Ha ha.. I love the production on Signals. I think the kit sounds great.

Counterparts was the biggest ‘revisit revelation’ for me. The production is fantastic.

You can’t single out Dog Years on an album that has Virtuality on it...

I screw mine down pretty far. It cuts down on clanks, and I really believe it helps to even the response out across the strings. YMMV etc.

For me, I went off them when - IMO - they stopped writing tunes and started sticking riffs together in ProTools. Geddy’s vocal syncopation becomes jarring, the melodies weak and the DANGANAGANGANAGANAGA bass parts are wearing. There’s the odd gem in there, but I can’t remember the names of half the tracks. There’s no ‘wait for it...’ instrumental beaks any more, and it’s all a bit dense. I still love ‘em though, even if they did a couple of tours too many.

If you’re going the MacBook route (and personally, I would), you’d be looking at spending a fair chunk more than that - something used from around 2013 maxxed out with RAM would be a good start. I’ve used Premiere Pro for years, and it’s great.* *Other editing applications are available

If ever there was an album crying out for a remix, it's that one.