Rush Permanent Waves Album Reaction! Part 1 Musician Listens First Time

My reaction to the Rush Album Permanent Waves!
The Spirit of Radio and Freewill.
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[@croydonmassive]

The solo section in Freewill. All three of them are on fire. I've not heard another band blend three busy performances like that. It's mental.

[@michaelatkinson8291]

Spot on. It shows the 3 of them as individuals & also collectively as a 3 piece, finishing with Geddy's amazingly high, but controlled vocals. Not many bands could play that well in the studio AND be able to replicate it perfectly live night after night.

[@eternaltol]

Yes, exactly

[@shaunbourque9212]

fucking right bro...

[@maximilianodelrio]

That transition at the end of it is just something else, they were masters at transitions

[@maximilianodelrio]

@@michaelatkinson8291 you described it perfectly! The perfect showcase of their skill

[@dorarie3167]

John, Rush fans are a positive welcoming tribe and you’re a member. Keep on with your journey! 👍🏼

[@scottbrewer9676]

The instrumental break in Freewill is one of the greatest examples of structured chaos ever laid down. They are all using their freewill in a cohesive attack on your auditory sense. Beautiful.

[@nflr92]

I always imagine them all thinking, "watch this, everybody - we're all kinda good at what we do..." as they start that break.

[@lisaharrison1031]

“Each of us A cell of awareness Imperfect and incomplete Genetic blends with uncertain ends On a fortune hunt That’s far too fleet…..” 🤘🤘🤘🤘

[@lisaharrison1031]

Can’t wait until you get to Natural Science and Jacobs Ladder. This album is killer!! Loving your journey. You’re now part of the family. 🤘❤️

[@lisaharrison1031]

One of the best lines ever written…… “If you choose not to decide You still have made a choice…” RUSH FOREVER. This from a 60 year old lifetime die-hard RUSH chick. 🤘

[@squaaaaak3178]

It's a paraphrase of Shakespeare.

[@nodrush80]

That instrumental in Freewill is the best instrumental in any rock song.

[@jimtatro6550]

This was the first Rush album I ever bought in 1980 as a 12 year old kid. I am going to be 55 this year and I am still obsessed with this band.

[@chinatype2bassrocker809]

I was 17 in 1980 when I first discovered them...and I was already in a band for three years before my obsession with these guys started.

[@alblurky2426]

My first purchase, too, though I was 17/18 and in high school. had friends that loved Rush so I had "exposure", but this was my first hook :) @John Slop, I think the Rush YT channel has a great animated video for Spirit of Radio.

[@madrobotfan]

Same. I was also 12 and Spirit was my gateway song, on the radio, and I had an older next door neighbor who rehearsed it in his garage and played it in the Battle of the Bands. He was super talented and they played it great. And also still my favorite band all these years later.

[@mark-be9mq]

Cheers, mate. Great memories.

[@jimtatro6550]

“One likes to believe in the freedom of music, but glittering prizes and endless compromises shatter the illusion of integrity.” Neil Peart wrote lyrics like no other.👍

[@jasonwilliams6005]

Greatest drummer AND lyricist ever. Talent beyond belief

[@michaelakkerman407]

My favorite Rush Record. Had an 8 track cassette of this and played it all night while I slept. All through my sophomore year in highschool.

[@paulgarcia1566]

Do you still hear the 8-tracks fade ins fade outs?

[@michaelakkerman407]

@@paulgarcia1566 absolutely. It's frustrating. I had alot of 8 tracks and I still wait for the fade out (click) then fade back in on too many songs. Man the 70's and early 80's were a bitch.

[@paulgarcia1566]

@@michaelakkerman407 same thing happens to me.

[@mv8141]

“How are we not going to talk about what just happened.” I love that.

[@pleasantvalleypickerca7681]

Rush is like a fine wine. They just get better as the years go by. Every time I listen to them I'm always impressed with how truly excellent they are.

[@drumsybatabamboom8022]

At 17:27 Geddy let out his last "shriek" vocals on a recording. Fitting farewell!

[@shaunbourque9212]

John these 3 guys were so so tight together. they knew each other like the back of their hands. I don't know of any other band that was like that. They are simply amazing.

[@debbieplato5107]

Alex's solo in Free Will is one of my favourites.

[@zenf1sh]

I bought this album when I was 14, when it first came out. I became so focused and concentrated on the music it was the spring board for me to eventually become a professional drummer. Glad to see it's still lifting spirits.

[@jhc2093]

John, we older Rush fans have watched your journey. The journey of a new Rush fan. As a musician, your smiles come across showing you get it. You understand. So! The mission now; should you choose to accept it, is to let others know that there was a band called Rush; a trio of ridiculously talented musicians who loved what they did and hoped others would like it. More importantly, and it shows in your reactions, listening to Rush just makes you feel good. We can use more of that in this world.

[@markstromberg1148]

Spirit of the Radio - the sounds you heard were NOT a MIDI sample but Neil Peart playing an analogue glockenspiel. In addition to his innovations on the drums, he was such a great percussionist!

[@mark-be9mq]

John, nice reaction. A note about Spirit of the Radio. Way back( in Neolithic times) when we were young( esp young teens w/o $$, to buy a stereo & albums), before KZbin & music apps, to listen to music you mostly had to listen to the radio and see what you'd be presented with. Or buy and album. You'd listen for hrs. You could call the station & request a song but it was up to the DJ & each song was a "reveal" , and youd hear familiar & ones new to you, but a special thrill when a particular favorite came & you on sang and jammed along. Multiple Rock & Pop stations were available so you turned the dial to tune in each one, hoping to find a favorite. It was " magic at your fingers", a patient, fun experience. The song captures that thrill as well as the business side that came more in the 80's on when Labels payed DJs to play a song to drive it up the charts & sell more albums and later when Labels pressured artists to make changes to their style to sell more. It's all there in this classic. Above all it's a celebration of the experience of listening to the radio, alone or w friends and the joy of music...

[@MrBedZeppelin]

Holy Cow, Dude, Welcome into the RUSH!! Thanks for the shout out!

[@lewisbernstein4272]

So, since you are doing a full Rush journey you need to keep some things in context. Permanent Waves ends the 1970's as the album is released in January of 1980. Neil is 27 and Geddy and Alex are 26. This is their 7th studio album and they've played roughly 1000 shows at this point. During the 96 show Permanent Waves tour (their first profitable tour), they are finally making 'decent money' (each member of the band was paid $1000 per show) and enjoying some pretty solid radio airplay. And stop as many times as it takes for you to appreciate Rush. I've heard each of these songs 100's if not 1000's of times, I'm not hear to listen to the song, but to see your reaction to it!

[@scottwilson7835]

How cool you heard Spirit of Radio on Hall of Fame reaction!!

[@mtnman98]

The last lyrical section of The Spirit of Radio was Neil's homage to Simon and Garfunkel's The Sounds of Silence (another great song to react to). "The words of the prophets Are written on the subway walls And tenement halls And whispered in the sounds of silence" became "the words of the profits were written on the studio wall...concert hall...and echoes with the sound of salesmen" Neil Peart was a voracious reader, thinker, writer and a brilliant lyricist.

[@JohnSlopReacts]

Beautiful connection and meaning. Thank you so much for helping me understand.

[@MrVvulf]

It kills me a little inside that the person who wrote out the lyrics in the video he reacted to didn't get them right. I won't list every mistake, but there's a prominent one right at the beginning 3:43 ... should be ELUSIVE, not illusive.

[@danarchuleta1154]

J...So, Neil and Rush figured out how to create musical/lyrical masterpieces within a shorter format. These are my favorite lyrics from any Rush tune, and this is my favorite period in Rush's history (Permanent Waves 80 and Moving Pictures, 81) Anyone who hears this breakout and still thinks Alex is a weakness in this band, well, nuff said. "Each of us a cell of awareness Imperfect and incomplete, Genetic blends with uncertain ends on a fortune hunt that's far too fleet" Simply untouchable as lyrics go. Cool Stuff J. 🔥🔥

[@Baelzar]

I could read every part of that Freewill instrumental on your face.

[@ginamarandino6451]

Freewill is considered one of the top sixmost popular Rush songs along with Tom Sawyer, limelight, Spirit of radio, working man, and Subdivisions.

[@JohnSlopReacts]

Yeah it's constantly stuck in my head lol

[@magicbrownie1357]

The triple guitar/bass/drum solo on Free Will is one of my favorite Rush moments.

[@DionysusAlS]

This album was definitely Rush's coming out party. They were finally able to seamlessly marry their sophisticated musical virtuosity with popular music sensibilities to create a seminal work for the ages. The rock junkies in my high school were just gobsmacked by this album. I was already a huge fan, and I gained a great deal of "street cred."

[@markferrett700]

Saw them play this in London 1978, my big brother bought me the concert ticket as a birthday gift......I really have never seen a gig since that came anywhere near it.........they were on fire that night.

[@calvingreen5202]

Great reaction!! I think you're in the evolution stage, in your Rush journey. Your musical background gives you added appreciation for each song, but your increasing understanding of the lyrics, will invoke deeper questions...and greater horizons, in terms of music and music, in general. This song is one of my (many) anthems, of my life. There music became that, for me. Keep up the reactions ..look forward to seeing more.

[@michelmoreau8117]

K jon you have it partially , nice reaction by the way , so it was based on a radio station in Toronto Canada , there catch phrase was the spirt of radio so Neil wrote it based on the freedom of music one can feel and the obstacles that surrounded their band

[@BattleHardenedGolfClashReplays]

This song is one of the best, or THE best example of what Rush does. The guitar solo portion is in actuality, 3 concurrent solos by guitar, bass, and drums that magically combine to overwhelm your ears. It overwhelms the music portion of my brain. I can NOT take it all in during the first listen. In my own experience there are Rush songs I'm still processing in my brain 40 years later! This is why John Slop, and other people reacting to Rush will say they will have to listen again to the song to try and understand the lyrics. Normal humans can't process and evaluate Rush's music AND Neil's lyrics in one sitting. This is why 45-50 years ago I was listening to the record while reading the lyrics off the record sleeve! Yes, I'm 57 years old and Rush has been my favorite band since I first listened to 2112 at a friend's house in 1977. The first thing that hooked me were the drums. You younger people can't begin to fathom how amazing and different Neil Peart's drumming was back then. And, having said that it's hard for younger fans to appreciate the effect Neil Peart had on Rock music. Mike Portnoy, Danny Carey, Chad Smith, Dave Grohl... As Dave Grohl said, "Neil Peart is your favorite drummer's favorite drummer." RIP Nei Peart

[@mark-be9mq]

"It's really just a question of your honesty, yeah your honesty." It's a timeless, powerful statement.

[@shaunbourque9212]

John, you are just beginning bud.... Enjoy your RUSH journey...

[@workingman6681]

Best one minute jam in music history!! One of my favorite songs by Rush!!

[@craiga1128]

i was 17 when this album came out and it changed me life and was the album that defines RUSH

[@markferrett700]

"If you choose not to decide you still have made a choice".....the most sublime line of lyrics ever......genial.

[@jasonwilliams6005]

Enjoy your Rush journey. There is so much more to amaze you.

[@LimerickOfficial]

Now your finally listening to THE greatest album of all time! Good work sir!

[@stevenpipes1555]

I love it! I love it all! Niel Peart should also be remembered among the great poets of history, as well as the great musicians!

[@ZenMonkey1138]

I feel the chorus with the line "cell of awareness" is the last time Geddy sang super high on an album.

[@manuelarzate8768]

Rush was the first concert I ever went to I was 12yrs old it was the Permanent Waves tour The Bus Boys opened up for them at the Long Beach Arena

[@malawigw]

Rush, Iron Maiden and Dream Theater are by far my fav bands. The intro in Spirit of radio is not tapping. But it is played with a flanger, same guitar effect that was used by Eddie Van Halen during many of his tapping riffs.

[@niged]

John you must see them play this live, Time Machine Tour Cleveland 2011. Neil and Geddys faces are priceless after Alex's solo. They knew they had absolutely nailed it!!

[@thomascavanaugh5458]

Welcome to the 70s and early 80s my friend. It was the best 10-15 yrs in music history.

[@laurallama73]

3 guys. All that phenomenal sound made by 3 guys.

[@clab5864]

Thinking TOOL may have studied the complex meters of the 3 simultaneous solos that eventually synced up. Your thoughts John.

[@rush-pj5jx]

great reaction, John! The spirit of radio and freewill easily in my top 10 Rush songs

[@richj011]

Hemisphere's is just different. The guitar transforms the listener to another place and time.

[@CodyWorkshops]

I'll always remember the unbridled wonder of just the first two chords of the pre-chorus...not to mention every other measure of the song.

[@mdu2112]

13:20 "If you choose..." Maybe you're reminded of my comment on your Victor/Promise reaction? That was my Rush-infused way of saying "no comment".

[@davidwoolbright3675]

Free will!! One of the best tracks on the album next to Natural Science!!

[@nflr92]

It's really "the words of the PROFITS were written on the studio wall". That's the theme throughout - it's a question of your honesty, words of the profits, the sound of salesmen.

[@mightyV444]

"Neil is playing his MIDI thing" - Not in 1979! 😉 This was recorded with an actual, oldschool xylophone! 😁 MIDI wasn't around for another three or even four years then 🙂 And the sequencer used in the same part must've been one of the first at that time, too! 😀

[@christianwilliamson9752]

Someone told me that when Geddy and Neil come in together that's like when you used to spin the radio dial and you hear a jumbled sound. I think you could imagine it. A tumbling sound is what that riff represents

[@johnpressentin3380]

The Sounds of “Fairies in the Forest” all made possible by the suite of instruments in the Drum Kit-which includes a xylophone during Alex’s chorus riff

[@jimbuechler9546]

Actually, Neil is playing orchestra bells, not a xylophone. Nevertheless, Neil was very creative in his use of various different actual percussion instruments, not synthesized. 😎

[@squamishfish]

This is basically about the music industry including radio stations about who gets Air play and who does not

[@jacquesjrviens3384]

Here we go !!!!!!

[@dsomerville5293]

Jacobs Ladder so underrated guitar hook! Great dark feel

[@jgdmlw]

I think a worthwhile comparison is to listen to the studio version of Freewill then listen to the live version on Moving Pictures. I think the sound and the way they play it on the live version is much more powerful and fuller sound than the studio version and is a great example of how good they were in concert. The sound of the bass in the live version does a lot more for me than the studio version. Moving Pictures is great overall and is hard to beat.

[@KawaTony1964]

This was the 2nd Rush album I bought. I bought it the year it came out because this song ("Spirit of Radio") played alot on the radio, and I loved it. The 1st Rush album I bought was 2112 in 1978 or 1979. I was hooked, and I've never stopped loving these albums and others by Rush after all these years. There are many albums I bought back then that I don't listen to any more. But I never get tired or Rush.

[@jasonwilliams6005]

The "weird fairy" parts (😀) are meant to represent changing the radio station. That's why it changes up after. Brilliant

[@imacmanx8562]

Neil wrote this as an overall love of the radio in his childhood. But the band's dealings with the recording industry and their "profits" and "salesman" caused them to take their music in the direction THEY wanted to go, not just the short "radio friendly" hit songs the producers wanted.

[@jackteppo9633]

Great Cruising music!

[@mikewoodrow5878]

The “tumbling transition” is meant to simulate the sound of quickly scanning the radio stations (using an old analog tuning knob on a car radio). Up and down the dial. Peace from Toronto

[@carlgibbons5777]

No offense to the first 6 records, but this is where Rush hit their stride and took it to another level.

[@youtoo2233]

I never minded keyboards I just didn't want Rush to use them for the main riff of most of the songs, like on Hold your Fire, but keyboards are perfect here on Permanent Waves, there's not much keyboard or synths throughout the album and is in the background and the guitar is still heavy and other instruments are still the main thing carrying the songs. Moving Pictures is a little heavier on the keys but still plenty of guitar riffs.

[@rumourhats]

I actually like the dominant synth-lead 80s stuff. What I didn't like, was the "return to rock" in the 90s, because it still sounded layered to fuck. and they didn't have any adventure left in them. Everything was mid-tempo, and practically every song was 5 minutes 33 seconds due to them repeating the chorus 5 times.

[@23nacho23]

Perm waves.....Entre Nous, Natural Science, this whol album

[@rickhaddad7261]

There is some killer prog rock out there, but I'm sorry. These guys have to be the best at how smooth they make their transitions and time signature changes.

[@eternaltol]

For me, their best album

[@michaelkeller6223]

It’s all about 16:41. What else can you say? It’s magical.🤷‍♀️😱

[@frankpentangeli7945]

I don't mean to nitpick, but since Thunderstruck was released 10 years after this song, it's that song that sounds like The Spirit of Radio, not the other way around. Cheers!

[@KawaTony1964]

Alex doesn't actually tap the opening riff to "Spirit of Radio". He picks it. I'm a very mediocre guitarist, and I can tap a fairly good sounding version of the riff, but I can't pick it like Alex does.

[@JohnnyMegabyteCanada]

Alex Intro is picking, hammer-ons and pull-offs. Interesting how John found it similar to Thunderstruck

[@rogerfogliatto]

15:50 guitar solo. I feel goosebumps at certain times and according to the notes/frequencies... where can I find information about this?

[@christianwilliamson9752]

Like little fairies were playing in my ears. I would love to jam with you. Even on zoom lol

[@skysmith6364]

Rush fuckin rules...

[@obiwanbenobi4943]

While I do like Spirit of Radio I like Free Will a lot more. :)

[@Ninang363]

Freewill, the one thing you cannot choose, Ironic

[@rl9808]

I think subdivisions was your first.

[@standing0]

Basically it somes up like this, long after this was originally written and recorded, the a spirit of radio has killed the freedom artistry.

[@PalimpsestProd]

10:00 rush were the prog metal band and New Wave was up and coming thing so Rush said hey man, what about permanent waves? It's the "it's all rock & roll" sentiment. Then Peart and Hugh Syme (cover designer) went to town and beat the idea to death.

[@charlielightfoot7006]

This is one of many reasons why I despise lyrics videos. Who TF needs to be told when it's an instrumental?

[@jimcarlson6157]

and is humming lyrical or musical?

[@charlielightfoot7006]

@@jimcarlson6157 It can be lyrical if it's spelled correctly. 😉

[@jimcarlson6157]

@@charlielightfoot7006 I like foreign language humming

[@cogline]

There's a pube on the mic. JK

[@Alix777.]

If only Rush had another singer...

[@paulgarcia1566]

Geddy singing Neil's lyrics is what makes Rush magical.

[@lindaward5376]

@@paulgarcia1566 I'm right with you on that! Geddys vocals have an underlying passion that really brings Neil's lyrics to life, which is practically impossible to duplicate. I've seen several performances by Rush tribute acts, which were technically flawless, but did not give me the same feeling as when he was singing.

[@stantheman9072]

…then it wouldn’t be Rush.

[@scottlaughlin9897]

Damn it you pause way too much. Just to get through the first song was unbearable. Once maybe twice per song is acceptable. What yer doing is criminal!

[@DionysusAlS]

He has to pause or get nailed by the KZbin bots. Relax.

[@JohnSlopReacts]

Hey I understand and I'm sorry for the pauses. Pausing just makes the case for my content to be as legal as possible. And also the way I communicate is very in the moment and I tend to forget things of I don't get the thought out of my mouth right then and there.