Rush was formed in 1968 in Toronto, Canada, by guitarist Alex Lifeson , bassist and vocalist Jeff Jones , and drummer John Rutsey . Shortly after their first live performance, Jones was replaced by Geddy Lee , a schoolmate of Lifeson's.
Rush released their first album, Rush , in 1974 with this lineup, and achieved some success in the United States. Shortly after its release, drummer Rutsey experienced health complications and left the band. After several drummer auditions, Neil Peart joined Rush, and the new lineup's first gig was opening for Uriah Heep and Manfred Mann . In 1975, the band released their second and third albums, Fly By Night and Caress of Steel , without much commercial or critical success.
Under pressure from their record label to make a more commercially successful album, Rush went the opposite way and in 1976 released 2112 , with a first track lasting 20 minutes. The album marked the band's commercial breakthrough, entering the charts and being certified gold. With this album, Rush solidified their status as one of the biggest rock bands in the world.
Their next albums, A Farewell to Kings (1977) and Hemispheres (1978), were even more progressive and complex. In 1980, the album Permanent Waves was their first to enter the Top 5 of the American charts, with the songs "The Spirit Of Radio" and "Freewill". In '81, Rush released another album that would go down in history: Moving Pictures , with a still progressive but more commercial sound, which would include the classic track "Tom Sawyer".
Signals (1982), Grace Under Pressure (1984), Power Windows (1985), and Hold Your Fire (1987) brought a new musicality to Rush's sound, with fewer guitars and more synthesizers. The return to a guitar-based sound would only come with the album Presto , from 1989, and would continue in Roll The Bones (1991), Counterparts (1993), and Test For Echo (1996).
In 1997, Neil Peart's daughter died in a car accident, and the following year, his wife passed away due to cancer. Following these tragedies, Rush paused their activities for five years. The tour for their comeback album, Vapor Trails , in 2002, marked the band's first appearance in Brazil. To mark their 30th anniversary, Rush released a covers EP, Feedback . In 2007, the album Snakes and Arrows marked another major commercial success in their career, and in 2012 the band released their 19th studio album, Clockwork Angels .
Rush has 24 gold albums and has sold over 40 million CDs worldwide. In 2013, the band was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame . Neil Peart passed away in January 2020.
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