A documentary about the epic career of Canadian rock trio Rush, who formed in 1968, have had the same lineup since 1974, and are still touring and recording thirty-six years and nineteen albums later.
First, an objectivity disclaimer - Rush are probably my favourite band, so I guess I'm maybe not the best person to review this informative and amusing biography of their contribution to rock music. There are certainly a lot of intriguing questions to ask - why are they not better known, given that they've had more consecutive gold records than anyone bar The Beatles and The Rolling Stones ? How did they manage to stay together so long ? How have they have retained such an original sound despite almost constant change and progression in their musical style ? Why don't girls like them ? The film is a conventional but agreeable mix of interviews, performance footage and comments from key collaborators and some of the many artists they've influenced (Billy Corgan from The Smashing Pumpkins is particularly insightful). What's especially nice for Rush fans is that there's plenty of rare material (such as a home movie of a teenage Alex) and lengthy discussions with all three, including the notoriously camera-shy Neil. Whether you like Rush or not, the specific niche they've created is interesting. They're full-on rockers but they are neither tattooed hedonists nor art college politicos. They're consummate musicians and entertainers, but they don't seem to be in the least bit motivated by fame, popularity or wealth. They've never really had any kind of media profile and yet ever show they play is sold out. To borrow a phrase from Butch Cassidy And The Sundance Kid, who are those guys ? Their music seems totally unique to me but I don't think I can really explain why, it's just something I feel in my heart. The documentary (and the band itself) isn't afraid to poke fun at their nerdy image, fashion blunders and frequent savaging by the music press, but it also showcases their originality, commitment to what they do and respect for their audience. For a band who can often be labelled pretentious, that's really the one thing they never are, and that's what comes across here. If I have one criticism, it's the pacing - inevitably for such a long-lived act, it's hard to devote time to all their work and the mid-to-late period (encompassing albums like Hold Your Fire or Roll The Bones) suffer very brief analysis. Engagingly filmed by Banger Productions' Dunn and McFadyen, who also made the equally enjoyable Iron Maiden: Flight 666. I saw this in my local arts cinema and the small venue was packed with Rush addicts enjoying every moment, and that kind of sums this band up - you either totally get what they're doing or you just can't see it, there's no middle ground. If you're any kind of rock fan at all, and especially if you don't know Rush, don't miss this terrific little flick. From the point of conception to the moment of truth, at the point of surrender to the burden of proof, from the point of ignition to the final drive the point of the journey is not to arrive ...
First, an objectivity disclaimer - Rush are probably my favourite band, so I guess I'm maybe not the best person to review this informative and amusing biography of their contribution to rock music. There are certainly a lot of intriguing questions to ask - why are they not better known, given that they've had more consecutive gold records than anyone bar The Beatles and The Rolling Stones ? How did they manage to stay together so long ? How have they have retained such an original sound despite almost constant change and progression in their musical style ? Why don't girls like them ? The film is a conventional but agreeable mix of interviews, performance footage and comments from key collaborators and some of the many artists they've influenced (Billy Corgan from The Smashing Pumpkins is particularly insightful). What's especially nice for Rush fans is that there's plenty of rare material (such as a home movie of a teenage Alex) and lengthy discussions with all three, including the notoriously camera-shy Neil. Whether you like Rush or not, the specific niche they've created is interesting. They're full-on rockers but they are neither tattooed hedonists nor art college politicos. They're consummate musicians and entertainers, but they don't seem to be in the least bit motivated by fame, popularity or wealth. They've never really had any kind of media profile and yet ever show they play is sold out. To borrow a phrase from Butch Cassidy And The Sundance Kid, who are those guys ? Their music seems totally unique to me but I don't think I can really explain why, it's just something I feel in my heart. The documentary (and the band itself) isn't afraid to poke fun at their nerdy image, fashion blunders and frequent savaging by the music press, but it also showcases their originality, commitment to what they do and respect for their audience. For a band who can often be labelled pretentious, that's really the one thing they never are, and that's what comes across here. If I have one criticism, it's the pacing - inevitably for such a long-lived act, it's hard to devote time to all their work and the mid-to-late period (encompassing albums like Hold Your Fire or Roll The Bones) suffer very brief analysis. Engagingly filmed by Banger Productions' Dunn and McFadyen, who also made the equally enjoyable Iron Maiden: Flight 666. I saw this in my local arts cinema and the small venue was packed with Rush addicts enjoying every moment, and that kind of sums this band up - you either totally get what they're doing or you just can't see it, there's no middle ground. If you're any kind of rock fan at all, and especially if you don't know Rush, don't miss this terrific little flick. From the point of conception to the moment of truth, at the point of surrender to the burden of proof, from the point of ignition to the final drive the point of the journey is not to arrive ...