This Day in Music History: Rush/Rush (03/01)

On this day in 1974, Rush released their debut album simply called Rush. It reached #105 on the Billboard album chart and is certified gold.

The album shows much of the hard rock sound typical of many of the popular rock bands emerging earlier in the decade, and it is the only album to not have Neil Peart as drummer. Rush were fans of such bands as Led Zeppelin and Cream, and these influences can be heard in most of the songs on this album. Original drummer John Rutsey performed all drum parts on the album, but was unable to go on extended tours because of complications with his diabetes and was respectfully let go by the band after the album was released. Rutsey contributed to the album's lyrics, but never submitted the work to the other members of the band. The lyrics were instead entirely composed by Lee and Lifeson. Rutsey was soon replaced by Peart, who has remained the band's drummer (and percussion god) ever since.

My fave:

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This Day in Music History: Rush/A Farewell to Kings

A Farewell to Kings is the fifth studio album by Canadian rock band Rush, released on this day in 1977. It would become Rush's first US gold-selling album, receiving the certification within two months of its release, and was eventually certified platinum.

It peaked at #33 on the Billboard 200 chart (and #22 on the U.K. album chart). The lead single, "Closer to the Heart" reached #76 on the US Hot 100. It is one of Rush's most popular recordings, receiving a fair amount of radio airplay still to this day. However the real shining moments are the extended prog tracks "Xanadu" and "Cygnus X-1 Book One: The Voyage", the latter of which segways into the next album Hemispheres.

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