To me this song is the band's magnum opus. It was the pinnacle of their prog phase. This song is such a masterpiece that they never wanted to do something like it again. They poured everything they had into making this and La Villa Strangiato. Out of that we got Permanent Waves and "The Spirit of Radio".
Hey guys, no offence intended but you are kind of 'old school' Rush Dudes. right? This pinnacle was a sort of plateau for me to discover even more of their great music after this. phase. Yes, no doubt a magnum opus here but there is another even greater one at the end of the band's career. Clockwork Angels. My continuing awesome experience of this album was waay better than any of their previous albums. A huge factor in that is probably due to the book. I bought the album as soon as it was released, like every other one of their previous albums. Listening to it for a few years until I found out Neil's book was on an audiobook! That blew my mind because Neil himself reads it! I got that instantly. I was glad to have listened to the album extensively with lyrics on screen before listening to Neil read the book. I love the book, too. And still enjoy it from time to time. The album is a soundtrack to the book. Pure Genius!
The last part the lyric where it say “ let the truth of love be lighted , let the love of truth shine clear...sensibility , armed with sense and liberty, with the heart and mind united in a single...perfect...sphere.georgious lyric.
Fredericton, New Brunswick, Canada, January 1980 on the first show of the Permanent Waves tour. They did Book I & II. The last time they played my hometown's small (4000 capacity) venue, and the only time I saw a Rush concert.
@@TONE11111 - Yep! 😀👍 My 16-year-old Son had asked me for some money a while ago, so I replied, "Sure! After you've learnt the Alex Lifeson Chord! 😉👍" 😄 He'd only started out on guitar then, about a year and a half ago, but he did get there 😁 He's morphed into a piano prodigy meanwhile, though 😄
@@mightyV444 Yes! I don't know why, but I have a feeling that a lot of Rush fans are also Beatles fans too... I have to say that Give Me Love, and All Things Must Pass are top George Harrison favorites for me.
When I once did a deep dive into the personality types of the three band members, one thing I found interesting was that they could all be matched up to the three main characters here: Neil could be matched to Apollo, the classic left-brained thinking type; Alex could be matched to Dionysus, the classic right-brained feeling type; and Geddy could be matched to Cygnus, the force of balance that beought the two sides together into a cohesive whole. Another great set of reactions; y'all have a great evening, eh? 🎤 🎹 🎸 🥁 🎸 🔥 🔥 🔥
This... what you explained here is important, because it's true. Geddy was the orchestra leader, the organizer, the glue that held them together. Alex is an emotional person, which reflects in his musical composition... the most sensible guitarist I've ever heard. Neil, was Neil, the logical one, the perfectionis, although, Geddy is also a perfectionist.
Yes very good observation. And not just with creating the music, in post-production and touring all 3 took on roles that suited their abilities just as well. Geddy dealt with management and the tour manager on the road to ensure all was running smoothly at each gig. Alex assisted in post-production mixing and mastering. And Neil... no surprise that he wrote all the lyrics, liner notes, tour books, physical packaging and was the go-to for album artwork with Hugh Syme. A perfect delegation of roles some bands leave to others to do.
It takes about 3x's to really appreciate this two-song epic. This part expresses Neil's idealism for harmony not only on an individual level, but globally. This album sent RUSH on a six-week vacation for a good reason.
WOW! I paused once the album cover came up onscreen! You made mention of what Rush shirt might be good for you in one of your other reactions if memory serves me well. This is your Rush shirt, Red! You're certainly a thinking woman who 'gets it' with a lot of the deeper things in the lyrics & music. I find my Rush shirts online when my old ones wear out. Plenty of us Rush nerds do that, no worries! You are so genuinely honest, open & deep with your feelings gained from Rush's music. You are surly a treasure to all the Rush fans who have discovered your channel here. I have to look and see if you have done a reaction Passage to Bangkok yet. I'm curious if you will get the 'jest' of the subject matter therein. Haha🙂
RHN I salute 🫡 you… Your Rush journey is wonderful… Few have ventured into the parts of the Rush catalog with the gusto and zeal like you have. AND YOU GET IT, you truly get it, it warms mine any many other fans hearts so much… THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU…! Long live the mighty Rush 👊🏻
This was the first tour that I saw RUSH and I've been a die hard fan ever since. I've attended every tour since then without fail Long live RUSH. The greatest rock band that ever was or ever will be. Yes it was something impressive to behold the live performance.
Thanks for getting to these epic songs. This is a first listen The great thing is you can listen many more times and get even more enjoyment out of the piece.
Rush saved their careers!! The producers said they were done. 😮 But Rush kicked it in now we have all the Great concerts, albums as well as our memories of how these 3 guys persevered and Thank God are just north of me in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame 😊😊
My favorite album from them. Hard to believe that it is approaching the 50 year mark . I saw them 28 times over their career ( every tour but presto ) and this was my favorite tour also with all the worlds a stage running distant second It’s so good to see someone else enjoy this timeless piece
In my opinion, Rush's most under-rated album. Others are more frequently heard and reacted to, but this, for me, picks up where they left off with 2112. Pure genius, both musically and lyrically.
@@garya7893 Would have to agree with you but their last album, Clockwork Angels was a true banger. Heard Geddy Lee in an interview several years ago mention that Clockwork Angels was their "best work," then 2 days ago I ran an interview with Neil Peart and he even admitted that Clockwork Angels was his best work...I think he was referring to drum composition and lyrics both.
@chadbennett7873, I’ll utter an unspeakable heresy- I think this is better than 2112. 2112 is dearer to me, if that makes sense, because it was my entry point for Rush. It’s my foundational text. But Cygnus X1 Book II (Hemispheres) is better put together, more accomplished. It’s their peak in their prog era (others will say Xanadu, I won’t fight them, it’s like arguing over whether Beethoven’s 5th or 9th Symphonies are better). Extraordinary, and I’ve grown to love it more and more as I get older. It’s in my top 5 Rush tracks now. Once upon a time I used to skip it, to listen to side two of Hemispheres! 😂 Thankfully we live and learn
@@tomfabozzi5353 I can't argue with any of your points. I'm a Xanadu guy, si9mply because I totally love the multitasking of all three of them. Being a former drummer, I love Neil playing an entire percussion section. But I think by Hemishperes, they had polished the progressive mindset to a higher level than 2112. They were "learning" and developing their muscles at that point. Excellent post!
This takes dozens if not a hundred listens to fully absorp and appreciate it...I love both but Book 2 is a piece like none other from Rush...a true masterpiece of an epic length song...so creative and adventurous but soft and sweet moments too, especially the end...The Sphere gives me chills every time🤘
Thank you for listening to this sequence, pure musicianship from them all, vocals, and storytelling from Neil. BTW, the lighting in your studio area seemed toned down a bit, which really brought out your true skin colors, very nice. 😊
When someone asks me what my favorite Rush album is, I say Hemispheres before they can even finish the question. I may hesitate or quibble over 2nd favorite, but no doubt in my mind which I think is their greatest accomplishment.
I came into Rush in '78 right after this came out and I had never heard anything so composed and sophisticated. Utter sonic perfection that almost broke their souls trying to record. What an incredible result. Like almost all Rush it holds up to this day. Imagine at my first Rush concert in Hershey, PA in 1980, they played this and Book I uninterrupted smack dab in the middle of the show, a show that open with 2112! The greatest live band ever! Your reaction is reminding me that I grew up in the very fertile musical era of Rush. For that I am eternally grateful.
Thank you so much for doing my request Red. The last words of this song are some of the most important words ever spoken. IMHO 🥰 there is a storybook version somewhere to help you follow the story.
What is most fascinating about this song was how much it took out of the band emotionally because of how difficult it was to make. When you talk to them about this album in its entirety, the first thing they discuss is how difficult it was. And in fact, it was through this experience and stress that they decided not to go down the rabbit hole of 'epic' 18-minute songs any longer. One of the issues was that they put the music together first without considering the difficulties of the vocal strain. So, this song was unnaturally high for Geddy to sing and in fact, they only played this song in its entirety on two tours: The tour to support this album and the following 'Permanent Waves Tour'. On the 'Moving Pictures tour, it got edited to the 'Prelude' portion of the song and then a bit of the guitar soloing in the medley at the end. Then it was a 12-year retirement until the Counterparts Tour of 1994, a brief cameo on the 'R30' & 'R40' Tours. This song remains firmly entrenched in my 'Top 10' Rush tunes. But I know for them, it was a very painful birth.
What blew me away is that I just recently realized that this story is told through the eyes of the astronaut from the last album who fell into the black hole of Cygnus X1 “ some who did not fight brought tales of old to light .”
The only time I was able to see Rush live was on the Hemispheres tour. Saw them in the Edmonton Coliseum. It was an amazing concert. They played for over 2 1/2 hours. Just incredible. Compared to so many other bands that just gave maybe an album worth of music, these guys put on a show!
Listen Red Sugar! ❤ 😂 I love Rush n Pink Floyd..prob two of the greatest Rock bands of all time! My heart is half Rush n half Pink, the outside is surrounded by all the great bands of 60s, 70s, 80s n 90s! So happy you love Rush.. those guys are elite talented musicians and the many amazing lyric messages by Neil. He was a modern day n prophetic poet.. for sure! 😊
Notice the Brain on the cover, symbolizing the Left and Right Hemispheres of the Brain, one being Music and Art and the other being Logic and Reason. Balanced together perfectly.
I love bands who use the sound so well spatially on their albums. It makes listening on headphones a joy and you can really hear all the parts. I've genuinely listened to songs before just concentrating on one instrument. Sad, but there you go! lol
Oh I just heard a part of the riff at 4:46 that I never heard right until now at 60. Hearing some more of those Geddy note nuances of late. This is all time favorite Rush to jam out the bass line. It just has a warm fuzzy flow to it like no other piece rock music. A masterpiece! And I love watching you really diggin it red.
This is the best way to experience these tracks- back to back for the entire journey and story. You can also see the development in musical ability/complexity of the entire band. These guys never rest on their laurels, they are constantly stretching their skills in every possible way. Especially for Neil as it seems he is forever pushing the envelop for each band member to do more in their contributions. I mean how do you keep up with this drummer as he endless resevouir of heart and skill! Thank you , I just love these tracks
A whole generation of impressionable youth (myself included) were led down the path of enlightenment by Neil's storytelling. I was lucky enough to have been a teenager when Rush was hitting their stride. I bought 2112 in 1978 and that actually got me interested in philosophy and history.
Love your channel & especially the Rush!! These two Books are not easily understood in a single listen. Book I ends with him going into the black hole and being "torn apart", but you hear a heart beat afterwards, letting you know he is still alive in some way. He appears in Book II (when it gets really quiet) as "a disembodied spirt, dead and yet unborn..." "Apollo was astonished! ..." He's taken back in time, to the time of the Olympian gods (Roman/Greek mythology), where he becomes "the god of balance". I highly recommend you read the lyrics and maybe have another listen - or ten ;)
You may have missed it b/c you were reacting to Geddy's bass line. But near the beginning of the 2nd "movement" with Alex doing harmonics, Neil working the hi-hat and Geddy laying down that melodic bass line, there's a moment when the band stops (which is when you reacted), but in that moment, Neil hits a singular bell note. During the Counterparts tour (I think it was) they brought this back. And in that one moment, Howard, the lighting director, had the stage go dark with a single spotlight on Neil's bell for that one note. The crowd went NUTS cuz we ALL KNOW THAT BELL! :)
As always, watching you experience these pieces, brings me back to the time when I 1st discovered them. It also helps that you are so nice to look at. Cheers!
I was afraid my comments had overwhelmed you on other Rush videos!!!! 🤣🤣🤣 I’m very vocal when it comes to rush. They are the best ever but also three great personalities. I know people who know the members and conquer that they are above all three great humans with personalities. And that is what I love about them.
Another great Rush review by our analog neighbor 💕Thanks for babysitting us for over an hour! "Cygnus "God of Balance", as the spirit from Book-1 is called by gods Dionysus (heart) and Apollo (mind), finally stops the war and the bloodshed.
I've always felt that "A Farewell to Kings" and "Hemispheres" were two sides to the same album, and not just because of the Cygnus X1 story. My very first rock concert was seeing Rush at their Farewell to Kings tour, when I was 15 years old. Over the years, I saw Rush between 20 and 25 times, including their final R40 tour. Those two are my favorite Rush albums, followed by "Caress of Steel!"
I'm So happy to see you exploring their studio recordings. Listen to the way they recorded Niels drums. I think they sound amazing. Realize, in the day ,this was all we had. No RUclips to see their live performances (Which are like no other). BTW, The sound of Niels drums in 2112 is amazing.
I'm 57 and thought i was a decade born to late music wise anyway,but i have seen the lads everytime they came to the UK and a few times in the US and Canada.First time i saw Rush was 1979 on the Hemospheres tour,i was 11 lol
The album cover has Apollo (bringer of wisdom) in a suit with a cane, and Dionysus (bringer of love) nude in an artistic pose, both on the hemispheres of a brain. Are you left brained or right brained? Brilliant! ...with the heart and mind united in a single, perfect sphere.
GREAT reaction! I'm with you, I like Part 1 more...always have - the heaviness of it just grabs me more! Book II is still spectacular - and MUCH more progressive! Hemispheres album finishes with my #1 Rush instrumental in La Villa Strangiato. Whole album is a masterpiece! How many bands had such a string of 'perfect' albums - 2112, Farewell, Hemispheres, Permanent Waves, Moving Pictures, Signals...I mean c'mon...'76 to '82...six years, six albums...all are epic! Cheers!
i saw the hemispheres tour 1979, Hammersmith Odeon London...they played Part I and II back to back, then the whole of 2112 - trees, xanadu, circumstances, strangiato... from memory, the tickets were £3 and i bought for next night as well...
Book 1 is the trip to the black hole. Book 2 explains WHY the voyage was necessary, then what happened after. 13:51 even musically ties the 2 books together.
Unbelievable I saw this tour too. That seems like such a long time ago. I was just a kid. An advanced RUSH nerd by this time, but still just a kid. I was building my concert chops. RUSH was a good way to do that.
Only rush could come up with a concept song that could stretch over two albums and have a storyline that starts off in the future and ends at the Dawn of civilization. Brilliant in conception and execution.
Hello from Brasil! I'll never forget a hot summer Saturday afternoon when we were on the porch of a friend's house drinking beer and playing this song (at that time - the 1980s - everything was on vinyl). A tropical storm started: lightning, thunder... never has a song "matched" the weather conditions so well!
I made a mix tape as a kid with book 1 inserted into book 2. It fits perfectly musically and you get the story and journey as one masterpiece. Trully epic playing and writing.
Hemispheres was the album that broke the camel's back. It was such an intricate and complicated work of art, very difficult to create, perform, and record, that Rush decided to move away from writing 10 minute complicated long songs and began the era of shorter and more radio friendly compositions. Hence the next album, Permanent Waves, showcased songs such as The Spirit of Radio... Hemispheres marks the end of a Rush era.
@@cms3052 Ah but then they came up with another Idea, the concept album, were they created a full length album of separate songs that when linked together formed an entire story, but each song could be a stand alone song. 🤯
Oh now you just went on a musical journey. This album is one of my fav for sure. The lyrics put you into another universe. The Greek gods, the mythical figures. And lets not forget the music, Playing at a level that is way beyond the times. Welcome to the Rush Family...
When I was a kid and a teen, this was what music was. We just hung out and played the music of the day while playing video games or smoking or whatever. We didn't know how lucky we were. Now I realize there's nothing like it. Nothing. Nobody is making music at this level for the mainstream kids today. I'm grateful and sad at the same time.
This takes more than one listen. It's recognized by us fans as being a stepping stone into greatness and capturing the band's essence. IMHO a quarter of this could be taken away. It's longer to fit the Apollonian, Dionysian = Cygnus balance story. I love your reactions!
Remember that line in Caravan (Clockwork Angels album, 2012), "Going where I want, instead of where I should"? Heart = Desire. Reason = Consequences. Your heart drives, your brain steers. Use them both.
Hi Red👍 For me,One of the best albums they have made(Hemispheres)🤘. The most difficult album also,i read an article later on ,that they never would make a album like that again,it drained them so much and took so much efford but, i'm ofcource happy they made this album😁 Funny thing ,at the time end 70's start80's, people labeled it as "symphonic rock" and now years later i'm also a big fan of Nightwish "symphonic metal" ,a logical evolution,i would say.😀😉🤘
Singer Sebastian Bach, from the band Skid Row said about these concept albums by Rush... “ damn now this prog rock band has me all caught on up in literature “ ... LoL. Back When I was in school I’d have Rush hemispheres playing on low volume in the background while I’d be studying for tests, they were the nerds rock music. You want high marks in English literature, listen to bands like this. Neil loved reading.
The only other album released in 1978 that even comes close to this is the debut album from UK (Self Titled) You should really consider checking out UK because it involves Mister Allan Holdsworth, Guitarist extraordinaire 😊
Not sure if anyone mentioned this - p2 starts with talk of the gods of love & reason & that sets up where p1 ended .With one person making it through the black hole & finding Apollo & other Gods who then name him or her as the God to bring both hemispheres of love & reason into alignment - it is a Musical Movie
Greetings, Red. San Diego's resident Rushoholic here. The explorer from "The Voyage" survived the black hole to eventually become the mythological God Of Balance Cygnus. There was a tipoff when Book One fades out and you should've picked up the remaining sound of a beating heart. HEMISPHERES marked the end of another phase in Rush's career. This title piece was the last song of this length. A couple have come since '78 that are half the run time except for CLOCKWORK ANGELS which is their only true full concept album. But the shorter songs on CA were meant to be both separate and threaded together. Question: In case the vinyl crackle in your headphones wasn't a rip from an online source, do you have a turntable and do you have a vinyl copy of HEMISPHERES? Pink Floyd, Led Zeppelin and others used the British graphic design house called Hipgnosis for some of their album cover artwork. HEMISPHERES' "gatefold" cover probably is the only one Rush used Hipgnosis for. The album having been recorded at Rockfield, Wales probably had something to do with it. The well turned out figure on the front that the Starman points at appears to be inspired by the surrealistic painting "The Son Of Man" by René Magritte. After the music was recorded Geddy used the last day of the studio time that was booked to record his vocals for this album excluding "La Villa Strangiato". That's because they chewed through 11 days trying to get on tape the so called bed track for LVS in one take. With that song's changes in mood and tempo, that proved too much and they had to break the LVS bed track into at least 3 sections and then build from those with multi tracks and overdubs. Anyway, you stay classy, Red...
One can extract and produce nearly 2 full albums from this epic. Rush is even able to compose and integrate 10-second-long 'full' songs into 30-second-long 'full' stories within 4-minute-long 'full' chapters of a single track.
![Cygnus X-1: Book 2 - Hemispheres [Rush Reaction] - Couple's first time hearing #firsttimereaction](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/xq1pdm8fB_U/mqdefault.jpg)
To me this song is the band's magnum opus. It was the pinnacle of their prog phase. This song is such a masterpiece that they never wanted to do something like it again. They poured everything they had into making this and La Villa Strangiato. Out of that we got Permanent Waves and "The Spirit of Radio".
Agreed. This and Farewell To Kings.
Hey guys, no offence intended but you are kind of 'old school' Rush Dudes. right? This pinnacle was a sort of plateau for me to discover even more of their great music after this. phase. Yes, no doubt a magnum opus here but there is another even greater one at the end of the band's career. Clockwork Angels. My continuing awesome experience of this album was waay better than any of their previous albums. A huge factor in that is probably due to the book. I bought the album as soon as it was released, like every other one of their previous albums. Listening to it for a few years until I found out Neil's book was on an audiobook! That blew my mind because Neil himself reads it! I got that instantly. I was glad to have listened to the album extensively with lyrics on screen before listening to Neil read the book. I love the book, too. And still enjoy it from time to time. The album is a soundtrack to the book. Pure Genius!
The last part the lyric where it say “ let the truth of love be lighted , let the love of truth shine clear...sensibility , armed with sense and liberty, with the heart and mind united in a single...perfect...sphere.georgious lyric.
The lyrics of the last acoustic piece is a such a wonderful aphorism
I & II are amount my favourite Rush pieces. I was lucky enough to see them perform the whole thing live on the Hemispheres tour many years ago
Where did you see them? It was Indianapolis for me...same tour
Me too was awesome saw them in Toronto Maple Leaf Gardens where did you see yours.
@@robertboston7872 it was at Market Square Arena, which is no longer there...saw some good shows there, multiple Rush shows
I saw this live on the Hemispheres Tour in 1979 at the Liverpool Empire... Personally I think Hemispheres is a masterpiece, a perfect record.
Fredericton, New Brunswick, Canada, January 1980 on the first show of the Permanent Waves tour. They did Book I & II. The last time they played my hometown's small (4000 capacity) venue, and the only time I saw a Rush concert.
After all these years and debates, this is my all time fave Rush record. It has everything. Love your channel too. ❤
There's no fluff in Rush songs. Ever. Every note counts.
This changed my life when it came out. No exaggeration.
That's the famous 'Alex Lifeson Chord' right at the beginning! 😀
its a 2nd fret F# major barre with bottom 2 strings open, hit hard with distortion/chorus pedal - slide up to 5th fret for next chord
It's the equivalent of George Harrison's opening chord in A Hard Day's Night. It's the way I've always felt it.
@@TONE11111 - Yep! 😀👍
My 16-year-old Son had asked me for some money a while ago, so I replied, "Sure! After you've learnt the Alex Lifeson Chord! 😉👍" 😄
He'd only started out on guitar then, about a year and a half ago, but he did get there 😁 He's morphed into a piano prodigy meanwhile, though 😄
@@cms3052 - Yes, I can hear that, too! 😀 My favourite Harrison song is 'Blue Jay Way', by the way 🙂
@@mightyV444 Yes! I don't know why, but I have a feeling that a lot of Rush fans are also Beatles fans too... I have to say that Give Me Love, and All Things Must Pass are top George Harrison favorites for me.
When I once did a deep dive into the personality types of the three band members, one thing I found interesting was that they could all be matched up to the three main characters here: Neil could be matched to Apollo, the classic left-brained thinking type; Alex could be matched to Dionysus, the classic right-brained feeling type; and Geddy could be matched to Cygnus, the force of balance that beought the two sides together into a cohesive whole. Another great set of reactions; y'all have a great evening, eh?
🎤 🎹 🎸 🥁 🎸 🔥 🔥 🔥
This... what you explained here is important, because it's true. Geddy was the orchestra leader, the organizer, the glue that held them together. Alex is an emotional person, which reflects in his musical composition... the most sensible guitarist I've ever heard. Neil, was Neil, the logical one, the perfectionis, although, Geddy is also a perfectionist.
Awesome awesome observation and comparison
That was cool Linda! 🎉
Yes very good observation.
And not just with creating the music, in post-production and touring all 3 took on roles that suited their abilities just as well.
Geddy dealt with management and the tour manager on the road to ensure all was running smoothly at each gig.
Alex assisted in post-production mixing and mastering.
And Neil... no surprise that he wrote all the lyrics, liner notes, tour books, physical packaging and was the go-to for album artwork with Hugh Syme.
A perfect delegation of roles some bands leave to others to do.
Very accurate observation!
i'd comment more but apparently i spilled something on my keyboard and it's not working so great.
It takes about 3x's to really appreciate this two-song epic.
This part expresses Neil's idealism for harmony not only on an individual level, but globally.
This album sent RUSH on a six-week vacation for a good reason.
WOW! I paused once the album cover came up onscreen! You made mention of what Rush shirt might be good for you in one of your other reactions if memory serves me well. This is your Rush shirt, Red! You're certainly a thinking woman who 'gets it' with a lot of the deeper things in the lyrics & music. I find my Rush shirts online when my old ones wear out. Plenty of us Rush nerds do that, no worries! You are so genuinely honest, open & deep with your feelings gained from Rush's music. You are surly a treasure to all the Rush fans who have discovered your channel here. I have to look and see if you have done a reaction Passage to Bangkok yet. I'm curious if you will get the 'jest' of the subject matter therein. Haha🙂
This is my favorite album of all time, of any band. It has everything one could want in one epic song.
Wonderful reaction 🥰
RHN I salute 🫡 you… Your Rush journey is wonderful… Few have ventured into the parts of the Rush catalog with the gusto and zeal like you have. AND YOU GET IT, you truly get it, it warms mine any many other fans hearts so much… THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU…! Long live the mighty Rush 👊🏻
Appreciated. Very much
This was the first tour that I saw RUSH and I've been a die hard fan ever since. I've attended every tour since then without fail Long live RUSH.
The greatest rock band that ever was or ever will be. Yes it was something impressive to behold the live performance.
Thanks for getting to these epic songs. This is a first listen The great thing is you can listen many more times and get even more enjoyment out of the piece.
A FEMALE RUSH FAN IS LIKE SEEING THE RED SPOTTED ONE EYED GREY OWL!!! 🤣🤣🤣
I had the Red Spotted One Eyed Grey Owl for lunch today. Tastes a lot like jerkied chicken, but not bad at all with my afternoon tea.
Rush saved their careers!! The producers said they were done. 😮 But Rush kicked it in now we have all the Great concerts, albums as well as our memories of how these 3 guys persevered and Thank God are just north of me in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame 😊😊
The god of love, vs the god of reason. The god of balance brings them together.
Imagine hearing this masterpiece the very first time you see this band live. This is why so many fans have been so for life.
My favorite album from them. Hard to believe that it is approaching the 50 year mark . I saw them 28 times over their career ( every tour but presto ) and this was my favorite tour also with all the worlds a stage running distant second It’s so good to see someone else enjoy this timeless piece
I got into the band within the last year, it's sad I missed all these opportunities but it's wonderful that I even have these things to listen to
In my opinion, Rush's most under-rated album. Others are more frequently heard and reacted to, but this, for me, picks up where they left off with 2112. Pure genius, both musically and lyrically.
I agree this and Caress are my favorite i am not much of a fan of their stuff after Moving Pic
@@chadbennett7873 picks up where they left off with AFTK.
@@garya7893 Would have to agree with you but their last album, Clockwork Angels was a true banger. Heard Geddy Lee in an interview several years ago mention that Clockwork Angels was their "best work," then 2 days ago I ran an interview with Neil Peart and he even admitted that Clockwork Angels was his best work...I think he was referring to drum composition and lyrics both.
@chadbennett7873, I’ll utter an unspeakable heresy- I think this is better than 2112. 2112 is dearer to me, if that makes sense, because it was my entry point for Rush. It’s my foundational text. But Cygnus X1 Book II (Hemispheres) is better put together, more accomplished. It’s their peak in their prog era (others will say Xanadu, I won’t fight them, it’s like arguing over whether Beethoven’s 5th or 9th Symphonies are better). Extraordinary, and I’ve grown to love it more and more as I get older. It’s in my top 5 Rush tracks now. Once upon a time I used to skip it, to listen to side two of Hemispheres! 😂 Thankfully we live and learn
@@tomfabozzi5353 I can't argue with any of your points. I'm a Xanadu guy, si9mply because I totally love the multitasking of all three of them. Being a former drummer, I love Neil playing an entire percussion section. But I think by Hemishperes, they had polished the progressive mindset to a higher level than 2112. They were "learning" and developing their muscles at that point. Excellent post!
This takes dozens if not a hundred listens to fully absorp and appreciate it...I love both but Book 2 is a piece like none other from Rush...a true masterpiece of an epic length song...so creative and adventurous but soft and sweet moments too, especially the end...The Sphere gives me chills every time🤘
Thank you for listening to this sequence, pure musicianship from them all, vocals, and storytelling from Neil. BTW, the lighting in your studio area seemed toned down a bit, which really brought out your true skin colors, very nice. 😊
When someone asks me what my favorite Rush album is, I say Hemispheres before they can even finish the question. I may hesitate or quibble over 2nd favorite, but no doubt in my mind which I think is their greatest accomplishment.
My opinion verbatim lol
I came into Rush in '78 right after this came out and I had never heard anything so composed and sophisticated. Utter sonic perfection that almost broke their souls trying to record. What an incredible result. Like almost all Rush it holds up to this day. Imagine at my first Rush concert in Hershey, PA in 1980, they played this and Book I uninterrupted smack dab in the middle of the show, a show that open with 2112! The greatest live band ever! Your reaction is reminding me that I grew up in the very fertile musical era of Rush. For that I am eternally grateful.
Oh YES! Rush at its 1970's proggy best! My guitarist buddy used to come by and jam 'Overture' whenever he wanted a drummer to play with.
Thank you so much for doing my request Red. The last words of this song are some of the most important words ever spoken. IMHO 🥰 there is a storybook version somewhere to help you follow the story.
My pleasure
You took my advice! Nice! This one is a real skyscraper.
That ending is one of their most beautiful musical segments. That entire record is flawless really. 4 Bangers !!
What is most fascinating about this song was how much it took out of the band emotionally because of how difficult it was to make. When you talk to them about this album in its entirety, the first thing they discuss is how difficult it was. And in fact, it was through this experience and stress that they decided not to go down the rabbit hole of 'epic' 18-minute songs any longer. One of the issues was that they put the music together first without considering the difficulties of the vocal strain. So, this song was unnaturally high for Geddy to sing and in fact, they only played this song in its entirety on two tours: The tour to support this album and the following 'Permanent Waves Tour'. On the 'Moving Pictures tour, it got edited to the 'Prelude' portion of the song and then a bit of the guitar soloing in the medley at the end. Then it was a 12-year retirement until the Counterparts Tour of 1994, a brief cameo on the 'R30' & 'R40' Tours. This song remains firmly entrenched in my 'Top 10' Rush tunes. But I know for them, it was a very painful birth.
Another of my favorites !!! Loved it. This whole album is pure magic!!
Cheerz !!!!
You nailed it. How it makes you feel. Great reaction.
What blew me away is that I just recently realized that this story is told through the eyes of the astronaut from the last album who fell into the black hole of Cygnus X1 “ some who did not fight brought tales of old to light .”
😵
Neil Peart goes black hole deep into the mind and the Greek classics on this one.🤯
And the bass snippets during the "battle" sequence is the bass from Cygnus X-1 played backwards 🙂
BRAVO,,,, Geddy shred s in on this song,
The only time I was able to see Rush live was on the Hemispheres tour. Saw them in the Edmonton Coliseum. It was an amazing concert. They played for over 2 1/2 hours. Just incredible. Compared to so many other bands that just gave maybe an album worth of music, these guys put on a show!
I had the red vinyl LP. Great album and a great tour.
Thank you I ve been waiting for this one especially ,Thank you,
Listen Red Sugar! ❤ 😂
I love Rush n Pink Floyd..prob two of the greatest Rock bands of all time! My heart is half Rush n half Pink, the outside is surrounded by all the great bands of 60s, 70s, 80s n 90s! So happy you love Rush.. those guys are elite talented musicians and the many amazing lyric messages by Neil. He was a modern day n prophetic poet.. for sure! 😊
My 2 favorites also. Thought I was alone on that. Nice to have company.
Notice the Brain on the cover, symbolizing the Left and Right Hemispheres of the Brain, one being Music and Art and the other being Logic and Reason. Balanced together perfectly.
I love bands who use the sound so well spatially on their albums. It makes listening on headphones a joy and you can really hear all the parts. I've genuinely listened to songs before just concentrating on one instrument. Sad, but there you go! lol
Oh I just heard a part of the riff at 4:46 that I never heard right until now at 60. Hearing some more of those Geddy note nuances of late. This is all time favorite Rush to jam out the bass line. It just has a warm fuzzy flow to it like no other piece rock music. A masterpiece! And I love watching you really diggin it red.
Oh the nuance!!!! 🔥🔥
This is the best way to experience these tracks- back to back for the entire journey and story. You can also see the development in musical ability/complexity of the entire band. These guys never rest on their laurels, they are constantly stretching their skills in every possible way. Especially for Neil as it seems he is forever pushing the envelop for each band member to do more in their contributions. I mean how do you keep up with this drummer as he endless resevouir of heart and skill! Thank you , I just love these tracks
Technical excellence performed by geniuses.
A whole generation of impressionable youth (myself included) were led down the path of enlightenment by Neil's storytelling.
I was lucky enough to have been a teenager when Rush was hitting their stride.
I bought 2112 in 1978 and that actually got me interested in philosophy and history.
Love your channel & especially the Rush!! These two Books are not easily understood in a single listen. Book I ends with him going into the black hole and being "torn apart", but you hear a heart beat afterwards, letting you know he is still alive in some way. He appears in Book II (when it gets really quiet) as "a disembodied spirt, dead and yet unborn..." "Apollo was astonished! ..." He's taken back in time, to the time of the Olympian gods (Roman/Greek mythology), where he becomes "the god of balance". I highly recommend you read the lyrics and maybe have another listen - or ten ;)
You may have missed it b/c you were reacting to Geddy's bass line. But near the beginning of the 2nd "movement" with Alex doing harmonics, Neil working the hi-hat and Geddy laying down that melodic bass line, there's a moment when the band stops (which is when you reacted), but in that moment, Neil hits a singular bell note. During the Counterparts tour (I think it was) they brought this back. And in that one moment, Howard, the lighting director, had the stage go dark with a single spotlight on Neil's bell for that one note. The crowd went NUTS cuz we ALL KNOW THAT BELL! :)
Now that you've done two of the three full side epics y'all may as well do The Fountain Of Lamneth which predates both 2112 and Cygnus. 😊
As always, watching you experience these pieces, brings me back to the time when I 1st discovered them. It also helps that you are so nice to look at. Cheers!
This is one of my most favorite albums from Rush. Lookin' good Red!
Masters of the delay. Love this one!!
Great song and album! Happy Rushgasm! Great job, R.H.N.! ❤
Just wait until you listen to side 2 of Caress Of Steel. 1 long story.
You'll love it
I was afraid my comments had overwhelmed you on other Rush videos!!!! 🤣🤣🤣 I’m very vocal when it comes to rush. They are the best ever but also three great personalities. I know people who know the members and conquer that they are above all three great humans with personalities. And that is what I love about them.
Great Album!! The last song is so Heart touching😢
A masterpiece by three master musicians ! ❤❤❤
Another great Rush review by our analog neighbor 💕Thanks for babysitting us for over an hour! "Cygnus "God of Balance", as the spirit from Book-1 is called by gods Dionysus (heart) and Apollo (mind), finally stops the war and the bloodshed.
I've always felt that "A Farewell to Kings" and "Hemispheres" were two sides to the same album, and not just because of the Cygnus X1 story. My very first rock concert was seeing Rush at their Farewell to Kings tour, when I was 15 years old. Over the years, I saw Rush between 20 and 25 times, including their final R40 tour. Those two are my favorite Rush albums, followed by "Caress of Steel!"
You get it and that makes us very happy.
Wednesdays are yours! Thanks for letting us partake in your RUSH!
😁👍
I'm So happy to see you exploring their studio recordings. Listen to the way they recorded Niels drums. I think they sound amazing. Realize, in the day ,this was all we had. No RUclips to see their live performances (Which are like no other). BTW, The sound of Niels drums in 2112 is amazing.
Yeah this changed my life too.
That's a nice album and your reaction was delightful. Nice job.
I'm 57 and thought i was a decade born to late music wise anyway,but i have seen the lads everytime they came to the UK and a few times in the US and Canada.First time i saw Rush was 1979 on the Hemospheres tour,i was 11 lol
The album cover has Apollo (bringer of wisdom) in a suit with a cane, and Dionysus (bringer of love) nude in an artistic pose, both on the hemispheres of a brain. Are you left brained or right brained? Brilliant! ...with the heart and mind united in a single, perfect sphere.
GREAT reaction! I'm with you, I like Part 1 more...always have - the heaviness of it just grabs me more! Book II is still spectacular - and MUCH more progressive! Hemispheres album finishes with my #1 Rush instrumental in La Villa Strangiato. Whole album is a masterpiece! How many bands had such a string of 'perfect' albums - 2112, Farewell, Hemispheres, Permanent Waves, Moving Pictures, Signals...I mean c'mon...'76 to '82...six years, six albums...all are epic! Cheers!
i saw the hemispheres tour 1979, Hammersmith Odeon London...they played Part I and II back to back, then the whole of 2112 - trees, xanadu, circumstances, strangiato... from memory, the tickets were £3 and i bought for next night as well...
Circumstances, great song 🎵 🎶 😊
Great reaction!!! FYI, Cygnus book 1 will fit right in at 13:51 of your video. I often listen to it that way!! Red, you are the best!!!
Book 1 is the trip to the black hole. Book 2 explains WHY the voyage was necessary, then what happened after. 13:51 even musically ties the 2 books together.
Thank you
Unbelievable I saw this tour too. That seems like such a long time ago. I was just a kid. An advanced RUSH nerd by this time, but still just a kid. I was building my concert chops. RUSH was a good way to do that.
Wow, impressive that you doing this. Prog rock at its highest!😊
Only rush could come up with a concept song that could stretch over two albums and have a storyline that starts off in the future and ends at the Dawn of civilization. Brilliant in conception and execution.
Hello from Brasil! I'll never forget a hot summer Saturday afternoon when we were on the porch of a friend's house drinking beer and playing this song (at that time - the 1980s - everything was on vinyl). A tropical storm started: lightning, thunder... never has a song "matched" the weather conditions so well!
I made a mix tape as a kid with book 1 inserted into book 2. It fits perfectly musically and you get the story and journey as one masterpiece. Trully epic playing and writing.
That is so amazing!!!! You are talented!
Hemispheres was the album that broke the camel's back. It was such an intricate and complicated work of art, very difficult to create, perform, and record, that Rush decided to move away from writing 10 minute complicated long songs and began the era of shorter and more radio friendly compositions. Hence the next album, Permanent Waves, showcased songs such as The Spirit of Radio... Hemispheres marks the end of a Rush era.
@@cms3052 Ah but then they came up with another Idea, the concept album, were they created a full length album of separate songs that when linked together formed an entire story, but each song could be a stand alone song. 🤯
Correct and all done by three guy, I’m always surprised how they can duplicate the studio sound in their live performance .
Oh now you just went on a musical journey. This album is one of my fav for sure. The lyrics put you into another universe. The Greek gods, the mythical figures. And lets not forget the music, Playing at a level that is way beyond the times. Welcome to the Rush Family...
simply fantastic!!
3:07 One of my favorite notes ever from RUSH!
My favorite guitar chord to play, ever. F#7add11 the "Alex chord".
You really need to see Dinner With Rush, the beer commercials, & the I Love You Man backstage with Paul Rudd to really see their sense of humor !!!!
When I was a kid and a teen, this was what music was. We just hung out and played the music of the day while playing video games or smoking or whatever. We didn't know how lucky we were. Now I realize there's nothing like it. Nothing. Nobody is making music at this level for the mainstream kids today. I'm grateful and sad at the same time.
What a song, what a journey, what a reaction, thank you
One of my favourite albums of all time ❤👍
This takes more than one listen. It's recognized by us fans as being a stepping stone into greatness and capturing the band's essence. IMHO a quarter of this could be taken away. It's longer to fit the Apollonian, Dionysian = Cygnus balance story. I love your reactions!
My first Rush album back in 1980. I was quickly off to the races. Had em all within 2 weeks.
Remember that line in Caravan (Clockwork Angels album, 2012), "Going where I want, instead of where I should"? Heart = Desire. Reason = Consequences. Your heart drives, your brain steers. Use them both.
If you noticed, Cygnus parts I and II are part of the medley of the Best Intro Ever R30 tour.
The band considered Hemispheres to be their most technically difficult album to play. All the songs were virtuoso level.
You can live in grace and comfort in the world that you transform
This one definitely takes a few listens to fully appreciate both the epic storyline and musicality!☮
🤗 I'm so far behind! Catching up on Cygnus Books & the Fear Videos! 🥰🐰
"Throw off your chains of reason, and your problems will disappear."
Neil Peart, company poet.
That's the brilliance and ingenuity of Neil Peart. You're welcome.
I also just noticed your USS Enterprise licence plate. It took a bit to notice it was reversed on the video
😏
I’ve been trying to read that.
Hi Red👍 For me,One of the best albums they have made(Hemispheres)🤘. The most difficult album also,i read an article later on ,that they never would make a album like that again,it drained them so much and took so much efford but, i'm ofcource happy they made this album😁 Funny thing ,at the time end 70's start80's, people labeled it as "symphonic rock" and now years later i'm also a big fan of Nightwish "symphonic metal" ,a logical evolution,i would say.😀😉🤘
Singer Sebastian Bach, from the band Skid Row said about these concept albums by Rush... “ damn now this prog rock band has me all caught on up in literature “ ... LoL. Back When I was in school I’d have Rush hemispheres playing on low volume in the background while I’d be studying for tests, they were the nerds rock music. You want high marks in English literature, listen to bands like this. Neil loved reading.
💪🏻
When I was 15 I played this album so many times I wore out the grooves
The only other album released in 1978 that even comes close to this is the debut album from
UK (Self Titled)
You should really consider checking out
UK because it involves
Mister Allan Holdsworth,
Guitarist extraordinaire 😊
Awesome review! You need to watch the storyboard video for Hemispheres - you’ll really get a great understanding of the story!!!
Not sure if anyone mentioned this - p2 starts with talk of the gods of love & reason & that sets up where p1 ended .With one person making it through the black hole & finding Apollo & other Gods who then name him or her as the God to bring both hemispheres of love & reason into alignment - it is a Musical Movie
Greetings, Red. San Diego's resident Rushoholic here. The explorer from "The Voyage" survived the black hole to eventually become the mythological God Of Balance Cygnus. There was a tipoff when Book One fades out and you should've picked up the remaining sound of a beating heart.
HEMISPHERES marked the end of another phase in Rush's career. This title piece was the last song of this length. A couple have come since '78 that are half the run time except for CLOCKWORK ANGELS which is their only true full concept album. But the shorter songs on CA were meant to be both separate and threaded together.
Question: In case the vinyl crackle in your headphones wasn't a rip from an online source, do you have a turntable and do you have a vinyl copy of HEMISPHERES?
Pink Floyd, Led Zeppelin and others used the British graphic design house called Hipgnosis for some of their album cover artwork. HEMISPHERES' "gatefold" cover probably is the only one Rush used Hipgnosis for. The album having been recorded at Rockfield, Wales probably had something to do with it.
The well turned out figure on the front that the Starman points at appears to be inspired by the surrealistic painting "The Son Of Man" by René Magritte.
After the music was recorded Geddy used the last day of the studio time that was booked to record his vocals for this album excluding "La Villa Strangiato". That's because they chewed through 11 days trying to get on tape the so called bed track for LVS in one take. With that song's changes in mood and tempo, that proved too much and they had to break the LVS bed track into at least 3 sections and then build from those with multi tracks and overdubs.
Anyway, you stay classy, Red...
One can extract and produce nearly 2 full albums from this epic.
Rush is even able to compose and integrate 10-second-long 'full' songs into 30-second-long 'full' stories within 4-minute-long 'full' chapters of a single track.
You are the best!🎸🎤🖥