Different Stages

[Slim]

I listened to Different Stages for the first time in many years while out on a bike. This was quite a nice experience in a way, because I had very little idea what was on there so it was a bit like being at a gig, when you don't know what the band are going to play next.

It's a good live album in some ways - well recorded and has a decent live atmosphere, unfolding like a concert. But, understandably for its place in the Rush timeline it contains a lot of the '90s material, which in large part is lukewarm corporate rock. All of the first five tunes fall into this category for me, which is obviously not a great start.

But - I loved hearing the live version of The Trees. Although recorded in 1997, it took me right back to that small proportion of my teenage years that I spent at Newcastle City Hall.

The long version of 2112 similarly is great, even allowing for Geddy's vocal melody detours. It was of course understandable that he wasn't going to hit the high notes by this time. It's a shame Alex chose to play a little instrumental piece in lieu of Discovery, which is supposed to represent experimenting with a guitar.

Much more good stuff on the second disc. The live version of Test for Echo is very good and the clunkers are fewer in number than on the first disc. But I really could have done without Resist and the drum solo.

In general Alex' guitar sounds a bit fizzy and cheesy at times on these '90s recordings. I'm not fond of the overdubbed backing vocals (or backing tapes) that are audible here and there.

The third CD, recorded on the AFTK tour really sounds very good - so much so that I wondered if some of it had been redone in the studio, but it does sound very authentic. I really liked the bass sound especially and the guitar sounds so much better than the toppy fizz that's sometimes evident on the other two discs.

In the end - it's just the wrong time in the band's career for a really good live album. The stuff that was current mostly isn't great, and the stuff that's really good was already available elsewhere.

[The Picnic Wasp]

This made me think very hard. I have no recollection of buying this album and if asked randomly even yesterday I couldn't have remembered its content with the exception of the brilliant opening Dreamline and the included Hammersmith disc. It made me wonder why and after a quick online search I realised the release date was very soon after the worst relationship breakup of my life. I was very much into misery music at the time, OK Computer and anything by Peter Hammill sustained the dredging of the ditch of blackness and suffering for me. I had no notion that my despair, although in no way comparable to NP's, shared the same timeline. From a completely selfish point of view i hate the fact that in a better state of mind and in my thirties I would have shredded my fingers until I mastered every note and nuance of Geddy's bass playing on the album. I think it's an important age in fine tuning and development as a player and a big miss and regret for me.

[Thenop]

This was what rekindled my interest in Rush. I had been disappointed with the 90s output but when I saw an ad for this one, and it looked like a great compilation, I wanted to have it. I liked and like the sound, the more modern guitar sound gave the older songs an edge I thought was great. The long 2112 version I think is great still.
There is a clear cut and paste type of thing you can hear - it was culled from recordings made over several tours - but it still holds up as a great show.
Disc 3 is an obvious highlight, like a long lost live album that (at the time) had some rarities on there.

The greatest drawback here is that it is not available on vinyl. 

[The Picnic Wasp]

Had a quick listen to bits of this today. I'd forgotten how well Geddy's vocals held up in this era. Soliloquy in particular is impressive considering he was in his forties by this time and could still sound like a teenager.

[Matt2112]

Analog Kid on this is exceptional.

[Slim]

Analog Kid on this is exceptional.

Yes, it's not on any of the preceding live albums either so it's a bit of a highlight. Ditto Natural Science.