“Sunset on the road ahead”
Sad news today with the passing of Rush’s Neil Peart. On Facebook and Twitter I posted the track Afterimage as a tribute. It sprung to mind due to its themes of grief and loss… and because 80s Rush rules! But let’s have a song from another era here.
Ghost Rider is one of my favourite tunes of the band’s later work. Written as Rush were returning to action following Peart’s hiatus due to deaths in his family, it’s one of their most moving and emotive songs. The Canadians take to the open road with a breezy, motoring groove and a shifting landscape of layered guitars. Peart’s lyrics are searching and evocative and vocalist Geddy Lee responds with taste and feeling. But, as always, the engine driving the whole thing is Peart’s classy and dynamic drum performance. R.I.P Neil.
HMO Rating: 5 Out Of 5
[Rush – Ghost Rider]
Neil’s jazzy training through the 90’s shines through here.
He proves you don’t have to wow audiences with technical solos.
Alex’s guitar work sounds very unique as well.
Really great song.
Thanks for posting.
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Nicely put Bop! For all their technical wizardry they always played for the song.
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Nice track to choose Scott! Your right as though they could play circles around anybody they always played for the song.
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Great choice of song. RIP Neil Peart.
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Heartbreaking. Hope you’re well, friend.
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Isn’t it? I’m good thanks! Hope you’re well too Annie.
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Married, moved to Seattle, old… 😉
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Congrats! Sounds like you’ve had an exciting time of it 😀
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Nice one Scott! And yes, 80’s Rush Rules!!
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Nice track.
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I had no idea – that’s really sad news. What is Ghost Rider from?
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It’s a bummer. Ghost Rider is on Vapor Trails. Cool album. The last one they did that I really loved.
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I have a list coming tomorrow and the #10 spot was between this and one other song. Ultimately I chose the other song for a reason…but it easily could be this one. Both are significant and both are triumphs!
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Well, there’s plenty to choose from with Rush… hard to narrow down to 10.
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I don’t know much Rush (the three recommended 80’s albums really – Permanent Waves, Moving Pictures, Signals) and have never heard this tune. It’s cracking. Anyhoo, I guess I’ll need to dig into Vapour Trails.
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You should, its great. If you like the stuff you’ve got then all their albums are worth a go.
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I’ll do so laters. Any albums I should be hitting up first? HMO Essentials?
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Grace Under Pressure and Vapor Trails are faves. 2112 is ace.
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Jotted them down in the notepad.
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I’m not Canadian though so I’m not the best person to ask!
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And then you’ve got a whole bunch of live albums that are great too.
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I think one of his books may have been called Ghost Rider as well – what a talent he was
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