The classic rush lineup features Geddy Lee on vocal, bass and keyboards; Alex Lifeson on guitars; and Neil Peart on drums, who joined the band in July 1974, shortly after the release of the first album and two weeks before the group’s inaugural U.S. tour.
A Farewell to Kings (Vinyl+Download Code / High Res Digital Audio / Blu-Ray Audio) is scheduled for April. This 1977 release was Rush’s fifth studio album. It was recorded at Rockfield Studios in Wales and mixed in London’s Advision Studios. A Farewell to Kings became the band’s first U.S. gold-selling album within two months of release, and went platinum. The singles included “Closer to the Heart” and “Cinderella Man,” while the album peaked at #33 on the Billboard 200 and #22 on the U.K. album charts.
Hemispheres (Vinyl+Download Code / High Res Digital Audio) will come out in May. Another favorite of Rush fans, this 6th studio album, released in 1978, once more explored fantasy and science fiction themes in Neil Peart’s lyrics. The final track, the ambitious nine-and-a-half minute “La Villa Strangiato,” was the band’s first instrumental. The album peaked at #47 on the Billboard charts, and was Rush’s fourth consecutive gold album in the U.S., featuring the singles “The Trees” and “Circumstances.”
After Hemispheres, Rush transitioned from long, conceptual pieces into a more accessible, radio-friendly style on such rock airplay hits as “The Spirit of Radio” and “Freewill,” with the album going platinum.