Chapter 10
The band spent most of March working on new material. With Terry on hand again, everyone was reaching for a new direction. The band even had one of its few arguments with Terry over 'Digital Man'. He did not like it, they did. Usually they would come around to his point of view. This time they did not. A short tour was scheduled to tone the band up for its next trip into the recording studio. The gigs were nicknamed by Howard the Tour Of The Nadars (tornados), and Louisiana, Mississippi and Florida were covered. Rush debuted 'The Analog Kid' and 'Subdivisions' with 'Digital Man' and an instrumental version of 'The Weapon' played only in soundchecks. I managed to catch the last three dates. I had just helped produce my first major radio show about the band and they were pleased with the results. While at earlier shows I had felt a bit of an outsider looking in, I now sensed that they considered me a friend. As confirmation I even got a nickname at an all-night bowling party in Lakeland, Florida.
Everyone in the group and crew has a monicker, most of the names having been developed during the long hours spent passing time between gigs. For example, Geddy is known as Dirk, Howard is Herns, Liam is LB, Skip is Slider, Tony Geranios is Jack Secret, Alex is Lerxst... and Neil is known as Pratt. I was bowling on a team with Alex and Neil. I went off to the bar for a minute and when I returned Neil called me B-Man. I could not understand why, and then I looked up and saw that the lit-up score sheet had the name B-Man, probably because scorekeeper Larry Allen (Shrav) did not have a clue how to spell my last name.
The last date of the tour on April 12 in St Petersburg saw the band retire another old favourite as 'By-Tor And The Snowdog' barked for perhaps the final time onstage. [webmaster note: 'By-Tor' was of course resurrected for the Vapor Trails tour].
As Rush headed into the recording studio, they were ready for a radical change. The success of their last three records had seemed to make life a little too safe.
Clearly they had used the extra time the live record had given them to take a shot at remodelling themselves. The heavy keyboard textures of 'Subdivisions' formed a platform to build upon, while Alex wanted to expand his rhythmic role in the band and Geddy was anxious to use the keyboards as the lead instrument on at least some songs. While this sounded like an interesting idea in theory, it would cause problems and create tensions in practice. The band entered Le Studio on April 21. They would not leave until July 15.
Although work on 'Chemistry' was completed around this time, the band had actually composed it back in 1981 on the 'Moving Pictures' tour during a soundcheck jam. When Alex and Geddy were going through the tapes of the jams, they discovered that one day they had written what became 'Chemistry' and for the first time all three members collaborated on the lyrics of a song.
Another blast from the past would inspire them. The whole band wanted to try to recapture the thrill of watching the space shuttle launch. Using actual audio tapes of the launch sequence, they tried to recreate the final countdown in musical terms. 'Losing It' was designed as the album's studio production number. FM violinist Ben Mink actually gets the lead spot in the song. This uncharacteristic song was the kind of risk taking move the band were looking for. Here was a group that for the most part depended on its abilities as a trio, doing a tune where someone outside Rush was the lead player.
While recording, Rush found they had an extra four minutes to fill up. They had fairly strict ideas about how long a record should be, even down to the length of each side, so they embarked upon what would become known as 'Project 3:57'. If the song passed the four-minute mark, it would have been more difficult to master the recording. Neil spent a few days getting together some lyrics. The music was written in one day and put on tape a day later. This stood in marked contrast to the long and careful trial and error approach of many of the other songs. 'Subdivisions' was eight months old by the time they hit the studio.
Change was the name of the game on the recording of 'Signals', even down to the brand of recording tape used. Unfortunately some of the signals got crossed. While the album contains some great music it is also the first time in Rush's career that the overall sound quality of a record takes a step backwards. The strain of trying to redirect their sound proves too much. If 'Permanent Waves' and 'Moving Pictures' have sharp production 'Signals' is a little on the dull side and the main reason is the diminished role of Alex's guitar playing which is way back in the mix and has little bite even when he is playing a great solo. To be frank it just does not sound as if it was recorded quite right. There is a greatly reduced Rush attack on many songs and even the keyboards which are supposed to be the highlight of the record have the same flat quality. And the drum sound which was really fantastic on 'Moving Pictures' also takes a step back.
When it comes to individual tunes there are some great ones even if the sound is not up to Rush's standard. 'Subdivisions' fairly drips with emotion. Its theme of suburban alienation is well sketched and delivered and Geddy does a great job of switching from a synth lead to a bass line during the chorus but you can barely hear guitar until the closing section of the song.
'The Analog Kid' brings the guitar up a bit but nowhere near the level of earlier records. Still there is some meticulous musical interplay between Alex and Geddy. The song expands on the themes and dreams of 'Subdivisions' with its tale of future hopes.
'Chemistry' has the same metabolic mix as 'Vital Signs'. Once again Alex's great guitar work is kept too far down in the mix to hear his fluid phrasing. Neil's cymbals and high-hat sound good but the toms are muffled. The lyrics could get taken as being all about types of human interaction, or it can be seen as applying to very specific individuals. 'One-two-three/ add without subtraction/ sound on sound/ multiplied reaction/ H-2-0/ No flow without the other/ oh but how/ do we make contact/ with one another.' This little joint venture lyric could have come straight from the latter day works of Samuel Beckett.
'Digital Man' takes up a slightly ska-like beat. The guitar drives the song forward, while Neil locks into the beat and keeps it going. 'Digital Man' details a soul under observation who observes his watchers, but he also seeks escape. The drums are the song's lead instrument, which may explain why this song is one of this drummer's favourite Rush tunes.
'The Weapon' or Part Two of Fear continues Neil's trilogy in descending order. If 'Witchunt' focused on the power and hysteria of the mob, 'The Weapon' deals with the way individuals are kept down. The drum beat is the closest Rush ever came to being a disco band. Of course you have got to realise that when a beat goes through the hands of Neil Peart it will always have a unique stamp... something most disco and electro-pop does not.
'Project 3:57' or 'New World Man' continues the band's experiments with exotic rhythms. Even more than on 'The Spirit Of Radio', reggae infiltrates the music. Some of the sonic problems of the other tunes are toned down on 'New World Man'. The song is a little sharper than most of the material.
'Losing It' is a gentle, peaceful song on which Ben Mink plays eloquently a beautiful violin part. The production sound works in this song's favour: Jean-Luc Rush in action. Missing in action is Alex Lifeson.
'Countdown' attempts to bring that long remembered shuttle experience to life. While Geddy was later to say that the song comes across like a textbook, it does have drama, and is not dull. The moment comes alive. Here is a band that has always been fascinated by technology trying to describe a leap forward in man's development.
What must have been most upsetting to the band was that at the same time they were forging forward musically they were taking a step backwards sonically. Geddy had predicted that the record would be a dark album; it was, but not in the way he intended. A troubled period was about to begin for Rush. Yet, at the same time as they were trying to face these troubles, they would have their highest charting single and their most successful tour ever.