Rush

• Genre: Art & Progressive Rock
• Hometown: Toronto
• Rush Website

About

The legendary Canadian power trio largely responsible for the term "math rock," Rush started out as a Buddy Holly-covering bar band before morphing into the Black Sabbath-oriented metal band of their self-titled 1974 debut. The band's style changed radically with the arrival of uber-drummer and main lyricist Neil Peart for the next and all subsequent records. Peart's influence helped Rush combine supernatural technical ability, mythical imagery and skin-tight body-suits for a futuristic blend of prog and hard rock. Their popularity swelled throughout the '70s, finally exploding in 1981 and 1982 with Permanent Waves and Signals, albums that yielded radio hits with "Tom Sawyer" and "New World Man," thus cementing Rush's place as the premier prog band of the decade. Things began to slow down starting with Grace Under Pressure and by 2000 they had pretty much fallen off the radar, despite continuing to draw huge crowds on tour. With 2002's Vapor Trails, they dispensed with the freaky keyboard sounds of their heyday and became a solid-rocking band, a style they adopted through Snakes & Arrows which came out in 2007.

- Mike McGuirk