By: Mike Nowicki
Rush were going against the grain when they released 2112 in 1976. Afternoon Delight by the Starland Vocal Band and Play That Funky Music by Wild Cherry are topping the charts. It was a time of disco, leisure suits, and overproduced music—not the heady progressive rock that Rush was cooking up in the kitchen. These songs were catchy, and they were what the public wanted to hear.
Given this climate, the record companies were demanding more singles and radio friendly hits. Rush, however, were more interested in producing intricate progressive rock albums. They were particularly fascinated in album sides that flowed together into a cohesive narrative like Caress of Steel’s “Fountain of Lamneth.” This 20 minute song is broken up into 6 sets and tells the story of a man from birth to death on his quest to find the fountain of Lamneth. The lyrics are written simply at first, like a child would talk/think. As the protagonist grows older the lyrics get more complicated and each of the six parts symbolizes a stage in a person’s life. The protagonist ultimately finds the fountain and comes to terms with the fact that life is nothing without dreams and a quest. You realize that the fountain isn’t the end, but rather the dream that keeps the protagonist alive. Fountain of Lamneth is an example of Rush pushing the boundaries, and it set the stage for 2112.
2112 was slated to be the bands final album before the dream was over. They were going to make one last album before heading home to their old jobs. The A-side of 2112 is one song with different parts. It is hard hitting, yet silky smooth in its transitions. Alex Lifeson’s guitar playing is a force to be reckoned with and his Gibson rings out over Lee’s Rickenbacker bass, which provides the backbone of the songs. Geddy Lee’s high voice carries over the thudding of Peart’s metronome-like drums. Even though the band was still evolving, they performed like a well-oiled machine.
The story is about a man in a utopian society that discovers music and goes against the establishment. A war has resulted in the galaxy being under the rule of the “Solar Federation.” This federation controls what everyone in the galaxy sees, hears, and does. A man discovers an ancient guitar from before the war. He teaches himself how to play, then performs for the priests at the “Temples of Syrinx,” who subsequently smash his guitar and force him into hiding. He subsequently experiences a vision where he meets an oracle and is shown a land of freedom. Upon awaking he feels crushed that he will never be able to visit that place and kills himself. It was too much to know what could have been and remain living in the bleak reality. The last verse, however, hints at an invasion and the announcement “Attention all Planets of the Solar Federation. We have assumed control;” the totalitarian regime has been overthrown.
The B-side is more standard fare. A Passage of Bangkok may or may not be a reference to different drugs from around the world. Either way, it’s an interesting tune featuring a hypnotizing guitar riff. The Twilight Zone plays into 2112’s sci-fi themes and sounds like it could have been on the A-side. That being said, this is where the album slows down a bit leading into the next song, Lessons. This song almost sounds like it could have been on their first album if it wasn’t so polished. Peart’s song writing was still evolving at this point, and was far beyond the choppy days of “Fountain of Lamneth.” The next song on the album is Tears. It is by far the slowest song on the album. It’s sad and you can feel the frustration in Lee’s voice which is reserved and a far cry from his standard high pitched wail. The song seems to be about the lack of understanding between two people who are together but can’t seem to connect in a meaningful way. The last song on the album is Something For Nothing. This song is almost a plea to the listener to open their eyes and see the world for what it is.
Peart was heavily influenced by the writer and political activist Ayn Rand (she was credited on the LP). Rand’s core philosophy was the promotion of the wellbeing of the individual over society. She believed that happiness could be achieved if everyone worked toward their own personal gains; one should “pursue your own happiness as your highest moral aim.” These are themes in 2112. Both Peart and Rand preached against blind faith, as represented by the priests in the temple. They both spoke highly of the individual, as represented by the protagonist of 2112 who works to pursue his own beliefs and music. Although he was crushed by society, his character helped make the world a better place.
The critics hated the album. After they saw the Ayn Rand credit they wrote off the band as right-wing. This didn’t matter to the true fans who felt Rush was a band that stood for them as people. Peart preached that people should have the ability to stand up for themselves and make their own decisions: “What you own is your own kingdom/What you do is your own glory/ What you love is your own power/What you live is your own story.” This album wasn’t about “dancing queens” and “afternoon delight.” 2112 was about being headstrong and questioning everything. Peart put it best, “In your head is the answer/Let it guide you along.”
Following the success of this album, Rush became big enough to where the record companies finally left them alone. They were free to explore their sound and become one of the definitive power trios is rock. Rush had finally “assumed control.”
Given this climate, the record companies were demanding more singles and radio friendly hits. Rush, however, were more interested in producing intricate progressive rock albums. They were particularly fascinated in album sides that flowed together into a cohesive narrative like Caress of Steel’s “Fountain of Lamneth.” This 20 minute song is broken up into 6 sets and tells the story of a man from birth to death on his quest to find the fountain of Lamneth. The lyrics are written simply at first, like a child would talk/think. As the protagonist grows older the lyrics get more complicated and each of the six parts symbolizes a stage in a person’s life. The protagonist ultimately finds the fountain and comes to terms with the fact that life is nothing without dreams and a quest. You realize that the fountain isn’t the end, but rather the dream that keeps the protagonist alive. Fountain of Lamneth is an example of Rush pushing the boundaries, and it set the stage for 2112.
2112 was slated to be the bands final album before the dream was over. They were going to make one last album before heading home to their old jobs. The A-side of 2112 is one song with different parts. It is hard hitting, yet silky smooth in its transitions. Alex Lifeson’s guitar playing is a force to be reckoned with and his Gibson rings out over Lee’s Rickenbacker bass, which provides the backbone of the songs. Geddy Lee’s high voice carries over the thudding of Peart’s metronome-like drums. Even though the band was still evolving, they performed like a well-oiled machine.
The story is about a man in a utopian society that discovers music and goes against the establishment. A war has resulted in the galaxy being under the rule of the “Solar Federation.” This federation controls what everyone in the galaxy sees, hears, and does. A man discovers an ancient guitar from before the war. He teaches himself how to play, then performs for the priests at the “Temples of Syrinx,” who subsequently smash his guitar and force him into hiding. He subsequently experiences a vision where he meets an oracle and is shown a land of freedom. Upon awaking he feels crushed that he will never be able to visit that place and kills himself. It was too much to know what could have been and remain living in the bleak reality. The last verse, however, hints at an invasion and the announcement “Attention all Planets of the Solar Federation. We have assumed control;” the totalitarian regime has been overthrown.
The B-side is more standard fare. A Passage of Bangkok may or may not be a reference to different drugs from around the world. Either way, it’s an interesting tune featuring a hypnotizing guitar riff. The Twilight Zone plays into 2112’s sci-fi themes and sounds like it could have been on the A-side. That being said, this is where the album slows down a bit leading into the next song, Lessons. This song almost sounds like it could have been on their first album if it wasn’t so polished. Peart’s song writing was still evolving at this point, and was far beyond the choppy days of “Fountain of Lamneth.” The next song on the album is Tears. It is by far the slowest song on the album. It’s sad and you can feel the frustration in Lee’s voice which is reserved and a far cry from his standard high pitched wail. The song seems to be about the lack of understanding between two people who are together but can’t seem to connect in a meaningful way. The last song on the album is Something For Nothing. This song is almost a plea to the listener to open their eyes and see the world for what it is.
Peart was heavily influenced by the writer and political activist Ayn Rand (she was credited on the LP). Rand’s core philosophy was the promotion of the wellbeing of the individual over society. She believed that happiness could be achieved if everyone worked toward their own personal gains; one should “pursue your own happiness as your highest moral aim.” These are themes in 2112. Both Peart and Rand preached against blind faith, as represented by the priests in the temple. They both spoke highly of the individual, as represented by the protagonist of 2112 who works to pursue his own beliefs and music. Although he was crushed by society, his character helped make the world a better place.
The critics hated the album. After they saw the Ayn Rand credit they wrote off the band as right-wing. This didn’t matter to the true fans who felt Rush was a band that stood for them as people. Peart preached that people should have the ability to stand up for themselves and make their own decisions: “What you own is your own kingdom/What you do is your own glory/ What you love is your own power/What you live is your own story.” This album wasn’t about “dancing queens” and “afternoon delight.” 2112 was about being headstrong and questioning everything. Peart put it best, “In your head is the answer/Let it guide you along.”
Following the success of this album, Rush became big enough to where the record companies finally left them alone. They were free to explore their sound and become one of the definitive power trios is rock. Rush had finally “assumed control.”
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