Limelight: Rush in the '80s, page 31
Full band shot from Sporthalle, Böblingen, West Germany, May 6, 1983.
Geddy with his hands full in Germany.
Richfield Coliseum, Richfield, Ohio, July 5, 1984. Support on the night was Gary Moore.
Providence Civic Center, Providence, RI, November 7, 1984. This show was rescheduled from September 25. Support act was Y&T.
Lost in thought in Lovecraft country.
At Buffalo’s Memorial Auditorium, July 12, 1984. This show, rescheduled from July 7, feautured as support fellow Canucks Red Rider.
Memorial Auditorium, Buffalo, NY, February 27, 1986. Support came from U.K. progressive rock revivalists Marillion.
Rush play the RPI Fieldhouse in Troy, New York, November 12, 1987. Support on the night came from the McAuley Schenker Group.
Geddy signing autographs for fans.
Buffalo’s Memorial Auditorium, November 14, 1987.
A couple of Hold Your Fire-era ads from the author’s collection.
Another shot from Buffalo, November ’87.
Indonesian Hold Your Fire cassette. Note the inclusion of “Territories” and “The Big Money” from Power Windows.
Playable inserts from Modern Drummer and Guitar Player.
An assortment of Rush singles from the 1980s.
Rare Presto promotional pencil.
Presto backstage laminate.
Geddy and Alex with Rush expert and collector Ray Wawrzyniak, at the mixing sessions for A Show of Hands, June 17, 1988, McClear Place studio.
Geddy with his softball team, Those Darn Fish, 1987.
Discography
A few Notes: I’ve provided the greatest level of detail for the studio albums, then less for live albums (most notable, no song timings). Note that this is a U.S. discography, with U.S. chart placements, U.S. certifications and, when we get to singles, official U.S. singles only.
Side 1 and Side 2 designations are provided for everything here, Presto being the last Rush album before the pronounced shift from LP to CD around 1990. Where possible, I’ve endeavored to reduce repetition (i.e., for live albums that were issued both in audio and video format). Catalogue numbers are the originals, as are the issues or editions.
Summing up, the idea was to limit this to the core, relevant discography (and, yes, videography). Also, I’ve skipped chart placement for videos. I figure the only chart measure that carries enough significance to mention is the actual Billboard 200, for albums. One other thing — and I’m sure there are a few more of these gremlins — originally and then occasionally, it’s “Freewill” and other times it’s “Free Will.”
A: Studio Albums
Permanent Waves
(Mercury SRM-1-4001, January 1, 1980)
Peak U.S. chart position: #4
U.S. RIAA certification: Platinum
Produced by: Rush and Terry Brown
Side 1: 1. The Spirit of Radio 4:54; 2. Freewill 5:23; 3. Jacob’s Ladder 7:50
Side 2: 1. Entre Nous 4:37; 2. Different Strings 3:50; 3. Natural Science — I. Tide Pools; II. Hyperspace; III. Permanent Waves 9:27
Moving Pictures
(Mercury SRM-1-4013, February 12, 1981)
Peak U.S. chart position: #3
U.S. RIAA certification: 4 x Platinum
Produced by: Rush and Terry Brown
Side 1: 1. Tom Sawyer 4:33; 2. Red Barchetta 6:07; 3. YYZ 4:23
Side 2: 1. Limelight 4:18; 2. The Camera Eye 10:55; 3. Witch Hunt – Part III of ‘Fear’ 4:43; 4. Vital Signs 4:45
Notes: First Rush album issued on CD.
Signals
(Mercury SRM-1-4063, September 9, 1982)
Peak U.S. chart position: #10
U.S. RIAA certification: Platinum
Produced by: Rush and Terry Brown
Side 1: 1. Subdivisions 5:33; 2. The Analog Kid 4:46; 3. Chemistry 4:56; 4. Digital Man 6:20
Side 2: 1. The Weapon 6:22; 2. New World Man 3:41; 3. Losing It 4:51; 4. Countdown 5:49
Notes: Last Rush album issued on eight-track tape. Second Rush album issued on CD.
Grace Under Pressure
(Mercury 818 476-1, April 12, 1984)
Peak U.S. chart position: #10
U.S. RIAA certification: Platinum
Produced by: Rush and Peter Henderson
Side 1: 1. Distant Early Warning 4:59; 2. Afterimage 5:04; 3. Red Sector A 5:10; 4. The Enemy Within (Part one of Fear) 4:34
Side 2: 1. The Body Electric 5:00; 2. Kid Gloves 4:18; 3. Red Lenses 4:42; 4. Between the Wheels 5:44
Power Windows
(Mercury 826 098-1, October 29, 1985)
Peak U.S. chart position: #10
U.S. RIAA certification: Platinum
Produced by: Peter Collins and Rush
Side 1: 1. The Big Money 5:36; 2. Grand Designs 5:05; 3. Manhattan Project 5:05; 4. Marathon 6:09
Side 2: 1. Territories 6:19; 2. Middletown Dreams 5:17; 3. Emotion Detector 5:10; 4. Mystic Rhythms 6:08
Notes: First Rush album to be issued on CD as a new release.
Hold Your Fire
(Mercury 832 464-1, September 8, 1987)
Peak U.S. chart position: #13
U.S. RIAA certification: Gold
Produced by: Peter Collins and Rush
Side 1: 1. Force Ten 4:28; 2. Time Stand Still 5:07; 3. Open Secrets 5:37; 4. Second Nature 4:35; 5. Prime Mover 5:19
Side 2: 1. Lock and Key 5:08; 2. Mission 5:15; 3. Turn the Page 4:53; 4. Tai Shan 4:14; 5. High Water 5:32
Presto
(Atlantic 82040-1, November 21, 1989)
Peak U.S. chart position: #16
U.S. RIAA certification: Gold
Produced by: Rupert Hine and Rush
Side 1: 1. Show Don’t Tell 5:01; 2. Chain Lightning 4:33; 3. The Pass 4:51; 4. War Paint 5:24; 5. Scars 4:07; 6. Presto 5:45
Side 2: 1. Superconductor 4:47; 2. Anagram (for Mongo) 4:00; 3. Red Tide 4:29; 4. Hand Over Fist 4:11; 5. Available Light 5:03
Notes: First album under Rush’s new U.S. deal with Atlantic, all previous albums being with Mercury. Also last album of the vinyl era. Only Rush album issued on vinyl in Uruguay. Original CD issue was in longbox format.
B: Live Albums
Exit . . . Stage Left
(Mercury SRM-2-7001, October 29, 1981)
Peak U.S. chart position: #10
U.S. RIAA certification: Platinum
Side 1: 1. The Spirit of Radio 2. Red Barchetta 3. YYZ
Side 2: 1. A Passage to Bangkok 2. Closer to the Heart 3. Beneath, Between & Behind 4. Jacob’s Ladder
Side 3: 1. Broon’s Bane 2. The Trees 3. Xanadu
Side 4: 1. Free Will 2. Tom Sawyer 3. La Villa Strangiato
Notes: “A Passage to Bangkok” was omitted from the original CD issue, but re-added when CD capacity was raised to eighty minutes.
A Show of Hands
(Mercury 836 346-1, January 10, 1989)
Peak U.S. chart position: #21
U.S. RIAA certification: Gold
Side 1: 1. The Big Money 2. Subdivisions 3. Marathon
Side 2: 1. Turn the Page 2. Manhattan Project 3. Mission
Side 3: 1. Distant Early Warning 2. Mystic Rhythms 3. Witch Hunt – Part III of ‘Fear’
Side 4: 1. Force Ten 2. Time Stand Still 3. Red Sector A 4. Closer to the Heart
Notes: Only Rush album issued on vinyl in Yugoslavia.
C: Selected Singles
Singles is perhaps the department where it most bears reminding that this is a U.S. discography. The singles story for Rush is pretty dull, given the complete lack of non-LP (studio) tracks from the lads. A further note: I’ve included all commercial U.S. releases but only select promos, as some of the promos are slight variations of each other, or slight variations on the official release (beginning with same catalogue number). PS denotes picture sleeve.
7" Vinyl Singles
The Spirit of Radio / The Spirit of Radio (76044) promo
The Spirit of Radio / Circumstances (76044)
Entre Nous / Entre Nous (76060) promo
Entre Nous / Different Strings (76060)
Limelight / Limelight (76095 DJ) promo
Limelight / YYZ (76095)
Tom Sawyer / Tom Sawyer (76109) promo
Tom Sawyer / Witch Hunt (76109) PS
Closer to the Heart (live) / Closer to the Heart (76124 DJ) promo
Closer to the Heart (live) / Freewill (76124)
New World Man / New World Man (76179 DJ) promo; brown vinyl, PS
New World Man / New World Man (76179 DJ) promo; PS
New World Man / Vital Signs (live) (76179) PS
Subdivisions / Subdivisions (76196) promo
Subdivisions / Countdown (76196)
Red Sector A / Red Sector A (PRO 319 7) promo; red vinyl
The Body Electric / The Body Electric (880 050 7 DJ) promo
The Body Electric / Between the Wheels (880 050 7)
The Big Money / The Big Money (PRO 383 7 DJ) promo
The Big Money / Red Sector A (live) (884 191 7) PS
Mystic Rhythms / Emotion Detector (884 520 7)
Time Stand Still / Time Stand Still (888 891 7 DJ) promo
Time Stand Still / High Water (888 891 7) PS
12" Vinyl Singles, EPs, LPs (all promo)
The Spirit of Radio / The Trees / Working Man (MK-125)
Entre Nous (edit) (MK-137) PS
Rush N’ Roulette (MK-185) PS
A Passage to Bangkok / Freewill (MK-188) PS
New World Man / Vital Signs (live) (MK-216); clear vinyl
Distant Early Warning / Between the Wheels (PRO 276-1)
The Body Electric (PRO 290-1)
Red Sector A (edit) / The Enemy Within (PRO 320-1); red vinyl
The Big Money (PRO 382-1)
Mystic Rhythms (PRO 400-1)
Force Ten (PRO 532-1)
Marathon (live) (PRO 689-1)
Cassette Singles
The Pass / Presto (4-87986)
CD Singles
Time Stand Still / Time Stand Still (edit) (CDP 05)
Show Don’t Tell (PR 3082 2)
Show Don’t Tell (edit) / Show Don’t Tell (PR 3125 2)
The Pass (edit) / The Pass (PR 316 2)
The Pass (PR 3175 2)
Profiled! (PRCD 3200-2); fifty-five-minute interview
Superconductor (PRCD 3331)
D: Videography
Exit . . . Stage Left
(Polygram PMV 60285, 1981)
U.S. RIAA certification: Gold
1. Limelight 2. Tom Sawyer 3. The Trees 4. Xanadu 5. Red Barchetta 6. Freewill 7. Closer to the Heart 8. YYZ 9. Medley: By-Tor & the Snow Dog, In the End, In the Mood, 2112
Notes: Originally issued on Beta, VHS and LaserDisc by RCA/Columbia Home Videos. In 2006, the set was issued in DVD form as part of Replay X 3, followed by a stand-alone release in 2007. Recorded March 27, 1981, in Montreal. Almost entirely different performances from the Exit . . . Stage Left live album.
Through the Camera Eye
(Polygram PMV 60466, 1985)
U.S. RIAA certification: n/a
1. Distant Early Warning 2. Vital Signs 3. The Body Electric 4. Afterimage 5. Subdivisions 6. Tom Sawyer (live) 7. The Enemy Within 8. Countdown
Notes: This forty-four-minute video collection was originally issued on VHS and LaserDisc (PMV PA-85-112) by RCA/Columbia Home Videos. In 2006, the set was issued in DVD form as part of Replay X 3, followed by a stand-alone release in 2007.
Grace Under Pressure Tour
(Polygram PMV 60607, 1986)
U.S. RIAA certification: n/a
1. The Spirit of Radio 2. The Enemy Within 3. The Weapon 4. Witch Hunt 5. New World Man 6. Distant Early Warning 7. Red Sector A 8. Closer to the Heart 9. YYZ 10. The Temples of Syrinx 11. Tom Sawyer 12. Vital Signs 13. Finding My Way 14. In the Mood 15. Bonus: The Big Money (production video)
Notes: This sixty-nine-minute video is culled from a concert at Maple Leaf Gardens, Toronto, September 21, 1984. It was originally issued on VHS and LaserDisc (CDV 080 103-1) by RCA/Columbia Home Videos. In 2006, the set was issued in DVD form as part of Replay X 3, followed by a stand-alone release in 2007. An audio version was also included in the Replay X 3 package and then issued as a stand-alone CD in 2009.
A Show of Hands
(Polygram PMV 041 760-3, 1989)
U.S. RIAA certification: Platinum
1. The Big Money 2. Marathon 3. Turn the Page 4. Prime Mover 5. Manhattan Project 6. Closer to the Heart 7. Red Sector A 8. Force Ten 9. Mission 10. Territories 11. The Rhythm Method 12. The Spirit of Radio 13. Tom Sawyer 14. 2112 / La Villa Strangiato / In the Mood
Notes: This ninety-minute video is culled from a concert at the National Exhibition Centre, Birmingham, U.K. It was originally issued on VHS and LaserDisc (PMV 082 575-1) by Polygram. In 2006, the set was issued in DVD form as part of Replay X 3, followed by a stand-alone release in 2007.
Credits
Interviews with the author
Terry Brown, Stewart Copeland, Steve Dawson, Pye Dubois, Tony Geranois, Ian Grandy, Geddy Lee, Alex Lifeson, Steve Loeb, Gary McCracken, Kim Mitchell, Neil Peart, Mark Reale, Steve Rothery, Billy Sheehan, Howard Ungerleider, Rick Ventura
Interviews with Sam Dunn and Scot McFadyen
Liam Birt, Terry Brown, Cliff Burnstein, Peter Collins, Ray Danniels, Rupert Hine, Geddy Lee, Alex Lifeson, Ben Mink, Paul Northfield, Betty Peart, Glen Peart, Neil Peart, Howard Ungerleider, Vic Wilson
Additional Sources
Canadian Composer. “Surviving with Rush” by Nick Krewen. April 1986.
Canadian Musician. “Presto Change-O” by Nick Krewen. April 1990.
CHUM-FM. Interview with Geddy Lee by Rick Ringer. February 11, 1981.
Free Press. “Interview with Alex Lifeson” by Andrew MacNaughtan. June 1984.
Guitar Player. “Playback: The Making of an Album — Rush Grace Under Pressure” by Alex Lifeson as told to Jas Obrecht. August 1984.
Guitar Player. “Alex Lifeson of Rush: The Evolving Art of Rock Guitar” by Jas Obrecht. April 1986.
Hit Parader. “Leaps & Bounds” by Andy Seeber. March 1983.
Innerview. Interview with Neil Peart by Jim Ladd. June 11, 1981.
Innerview. Interview with Geddy Lee by Jim Ladd. February 1983.
Innerview. Interview with Neil Peart by Jim Ladd. 1984.
In the Studio with Redbeard. Show #28. Week of January 2, 1989.
Kerrang! “The Pressure Principle” by Geoff Barton. No. 67. May 3–16, 1984.
Kerrang! “Pane and Pleasure” by Mark Putterford. No. 107. November 14–27, 1985.
Metal Hammer. “All Fired Up” by Malcolm Dome. April 25, 1988.
Modern Drummer. “Notes on the making of Moving Pictures — Part I” by Neil Peart. December 1982.
Moving Pictures tourbook. “A Rush Newsreel” by Neil Peart. 1981.
Music Express. “Neil Peart: New World Man” by Greg Quill. September/October 1982.
Music Express. “A Parallax View” by Keith Sharp. December 1985.
Music Express. “Something Up Their Sleeves” by Keith Sharp. Vol. 14, No. 144. 1990.
Music Technology. “Fire in the Hold” by Deborah Parisi. February 1988.
Musician. “Rush Screwing Up Pop — On Purpose” by J.D. Considine. April 1990.
Now. “Time Rewards Rock’s Underdogs” by Christopher Jones. March 3, 1988.
Record Mirror. Permanent Waves record review by Malcolm Dome. January 26, 1980.
Rockline. Geddy Lee interview by Bob Coburn. December 4, 1989.
Rhythm. “Neil Peart: Mystic Rhythms” by Tim Ponting. August 1988.
Signals radio premiere. September 1982.
Signals tour program by Neil Peart. 1982.
About the Author
Martin Popoff has unofficially written more record reviews than anybody in the history of music — approximately 7,900 across all genres (with over 7,000 appearing in books). Additionally, Martin has penned eighty-five books on hard rock, heavy metal, classic rock and record-collecting. He was editor in chief of the now retired Brave Words & Bloody Knuckles, Canada’s foremost metal publication, for fourteen years and has also contributed to Revolver, Guitar World, Goldmine, Record Collector, bravewords.com, lollipop.com and hardradio.com, with many record label band bios and liner notes to his credit as well. Additionally, Martin has been a regular contractor to Banger Films and worked for two years as researcher on the award-winning documentary Rush: Beyond the Lighted Stage, on the writing and research team for the eleven-episode Metal Evolution and on the ten-episode Rock Icons, both for VH1 Classic. Additionally, Martin is the writer of the original metal genre chart used in Metal: A Headbanger’s Journey and throughout the Metal Evolution episodes. Martin currently resides in Toronto and can be reached at martinp@inforamp.net or martinpopoff.com.
