Rush’s Geddy Lee shared insights about one of the band’s most challenging periods in a recent interview with Mojo Magazine.
“Our record company Mercury had told us in no uncertain terms that we were a huge disappointment to them,” Lee revealed. “They had signed us on the basis of our first record [‘Rush,’ 1974], which was pretty straightforward hard rock.”
“But we loved all those English progressive rock bands – Yes and Genesis – and on our third album ‘Caress Of Steel’ we had a song that was twenty minutes, ‘The Fountain Of Lamneth,'” he explained. “Mercury was like, ‘What the f*ck? Who are you guys?’ And even we thought that: who are we?”
“‘Caress Of Steel’ had bombed. The gigs were half-empty. We named it the ‘Down The Tubes Tour,'” Lee continued. “We joked about Neil [Peart, drummer] going back into the farm equipment business, and Alex [Lifeson, guitar] and I going back to painting movie theatres.”
“When we started on ‘2112,’ we thought this would probably be the last record we make,” he added. “So we were like: f*ck you, Mercury. If we’re going to go out, we’ll go out doing our crazy sh*t, not failing at what you want us to be.”
This pivotal moment in Rush’s history became a crucial turning point. It ultimately defined their artistic integrity and future success.
Cleveland’s WMMS radio station played a vital role in Rush’s early career, as reported by Louder Sound. The station heavily featured tracks like ‘Working Man’ from their debut album, even while support remained limited in their home country Canada.
Rush Kingdom documented the band’s unwavering commitment to progressive rock. This dedication led them to record later albums like ‘A Farewell to Kings’ and ‘Hemispheres’ in the UK. These recordings strengthened their position in the progressive rock genre they had championed with ‘2112.’
Historical records show that ‘2112’ saved Rush from potential dissolution. The album also established their creative independence. This freedom allowed them to continue pushing musical boundaries on their own terms.
The band’s decision to stand their ground against commercial pressures proved successful. ‘2112’ became their first album to reach the Billboard 200 charts. This achievement established Rush as one of progressive rock’s most influential acts.
