"My Effin' Life" book

[acwild]

Being an early era Rush fan coming back to the middle era albums (Grace thru Test for Echo) many years later, I found that I had to set aside my nostalgia for the style and sound of the earlier stuff (up to MP), and appreciate, without expectation, those middle albums in a different context with keyboards prominent and a Lifeson tone / style that is quite different.

Now that I have the context, that totally makes sense. My first exposure to Rush is Moving Pictures. And I loved everything that they recorded prior to that album.

Just to be completely clear Permanent Waves was a let down (disappointment) only because I was wanting more of the large concept (both lyrically and musically) while maintaining their rawness type album much like @sprint. At that time things were changing fast with Prog and I was bumming about many bands going in more commercial directions or disbanding all together. I wasn’t completely thrilled about Yes’ 90125 at first, yet I was loyal and into albums like Tormato and Drama. I warmed up to much of the music on P-Waves and Moving Pictures and definitely most all Trevor Rabin Yes. Heck I played Free Will, Spirit of the Radio and YYZ along with La Villa Strangiato in bands and as go to songs when jamming. Well not so much La Villa, that was a song me and 3 guys perfected in a short lived band in 1981.

In all honesty I have never really cared for the post Neil’s tragedies and their long absence output like Vapor Trails, etc. I wanted to like it and as I said saw 3 shows on the VT tour because I wanted to support them as a band after learning all that had happened and what they survived. Also, the shows were entertaining. I will need to listen closer to Clockwork Angels because my brother says it’s good. I did see all the live videos released in the 2000’s through borrowing them from my brother.

I totally get where you’re coming from. Yes Drama is actually my favorite Yes album (sacrilege, I know). As I started with MP, I had no expectations with Permanent Waves and really enjoyed the songs. The Spirit of Radio was the benchmark that we used (in high school) of whether you were a good guitarist or not.
Their music post-Neil’s tragedies are harder for me to keep listening to as well because of the meandering vocals. It seemed to me like he was singing a book, not a song. I loved singing their songs before that era.

"My" Rush is Signals up until Test for Echo.

I got into them in 1991, when Tommy Vance put an hour on of one of their shows from Wembley Arena from the Roll The Bones tour.on his Friday Night Rock show on Radio1

I didn't have the history of the early stuff, and I love bands like Pink Floyd and Marillion with atmospheric and cinematic use of keyboards, so I took so the heavy keyboard era, and I really love Alex's playing on those records. Even if I don't care for a lot of his tones from that era.

They seemed to run out of hooks on Test for Echo, and I couldn't tell you the last time I listened to any of the later albums.
I made a point of seeing them a few times whenever they came to England, and when Neil's death was announced it hit me like I'd lost someone important to me - aside from being my fav drummer his lyrics meant an awful awful lot to me growing up. So, it was a rare celebratory death that actually meant something to me

What's great for me is they have all these different eras. If they did the same thing all the time I doubt they would have been as loved, but even thought their sweet spot is early 80's through to mid-90's I doubt we'll ever see a band quite like them.

It’s so cool how we all have different paths that brought us to Rush. A friend of mine got into them starting from Counterparts. He kept telling me that I would love that album but it took me a while before I gave it a try. The synth period really wrecked my interest in their music. I’m glad I listened to him as I do appreciate those later albums.

 

[GitGuy513]

Finished the audio book and I have to say that Geddy did a very good job bringing it to a very grounded end. As much as he comes off as a super duper humanist and not always likable IMO during much of it, he has given the final chapters a spiritual and reflective (in his way) conclusion that was rewarding.

Speaking of certain Rush era music I missed out on, there are “lost” demo versions of songs from Geddy’s solo recording “My Favorite Headache” on the audiobook. I really like what I heard. I didn’t know that he and Alex had done solo stuff until years afterwards. If Rush came back with a sound more like “My Favorite Headache” instead of “Vapor Trails” I would have been very excited.

Bottomline, I think Geddy did overall an excellent job as a memoirs type book. Worth reading for a Rush fan and just from a musician standpoint.

 

[sprint]

There were hints before this book that they indulged in some weed since day 1 but the book reveals waay more drug use than I would have expected including lsd in the early years and a period of cocaine use in the 80s - never out of control it seems, but still, I found it surprising.

 

[GitGuy513]

There were hints before this book that they indulged in some weed since day 1 but the book reveals waay more drug use than I would have expected including lsd in the early years and a period of cocaine use in the 80s - never out of control it seems, but still, I found it surprising.

I was definitely surprised how nonchalant he was about telling every detail about it all. I was definitely surprised by Alex being a real life Cheech & Chong with no stopping. Neil was no slouch at times also. Much has to do with the time periods and environment they were involved. The late 60’s was big time Psychedelic and the late 70’s and 80’s music industry was cocaine city. I admit the information changed my image for sure. Not in a bad way because I have my own share of “better living through chemistry”. I don’t advise it anymore.

 

[sprint]

I was hoping for more gear talk but its not that kind of book, tho there is some detailed spec info revealed on Geddy's Maytag dryers and chicken rotisserie basters lol! That's one thing I always loved about Rush: they were dedicated to doing serious hard rock / prog, but they never seemed to take themselves too seriously, and frequently injected humour and fun - even Neil was down for some well scripted comedy:

 

[acwild]

That's one thing I always loved about Rush: they were dedicated to doing serious hard rock / prog, but they never seemed to take themselves too seriously, and frequently injected humour and fun - even Neil was down for some well scripted comedy:

Their kimono phase immediately comes to mind.

 

[GitGuy513]

I was hoping for more gear talk but its not that kind of book, tho there is some detailed spec info revealed on Geddy's Maytag dryers and chicken rotisserie basters lol! That's one thing I always loved about Rush: they were dedicated to doing serious hard rock / prog, but they never seemed to take themselves too seriously, and frequently injected humour and fun - even Neil was down for some well scripted comedy:

That was great. I never saw that before. Neil was such a cool guy.

 

[spagthorpe]

My lack of commuting has really killed my audio book listening. I can't do it while I'm working, as I can't concentrate on them. I really want to listen to this one though.