Rush Compact Disc-ography: Feedback
(Part of the Rush Collector Resources)
© Dave Weller, 2004 - last updated 7th November
"Feedback" is the 18th Rush studio album, a collection of cover versions of songs the band grew up listening to, due to be released on June 29th in North America and July 5th in Europe to co-incide with their 30th anniversary tour. This page will document all known stock and promotional copies of the album and associated singles and collectibles.
Feedback – The Review
In 1973 a Canadian three-piece hard rock abnd, heavily influenced by Cream and Led Zeppelin, burnt the midnight oil in Toronto’s Eastern Sound Studio to record their debut single, a cover of Buddy Holly’s “Not Fade Away”. The reception from all the records was apathetic at best but this did not deter the band. They returned to the studio using their manager’s cash to record an album which wsa eventually picked up by a radio station in Cleveland. This success led to a record deal with Mercury Records and a North American tour. At this point the drummer quit a so a replacement was quickly recruited. Drummer Neil Peart’s first gig, with fellow band mates Alex Lifeson on guitar and Geddy lee on bass and vocals, was in front of 12,000 Uriah Heep fans on 14th August 1974. 30 years later and Rush are celebrating their 30th anniversary with a tour which includes some European dates for the first time in 12 years, and a new studio album, “Feedback”; an EP of covers of the songs that first inspired them to be musicians.
As with their very first cover, each of the eight songs are given a distinctive Rush feel – especially with the heavy feedback of Lifeson’s guitar playing. “We didn’t want to copy them as they were”, Lifeson says. “We didn’t see the point. We changed some of the songs and gave them a different character”. Most of the songs are from 1966 and 1967; two by the Yardbirds (“Heart Full Of Soul”, “Shapes Of Things”), two by Buffalo Springfield (“Mr. Soul”, “For What It’s Worth”), Blue Cheer’s version of “Summertime Blues”, “The Seeker” by The Who, a Cream inspired version of “Crossroads” by Robert Johnson, and “Seven And Seven Is” by Love.
The songs were recorded over a two and a half week period in the Spring of this year, near enough live off the studio floor. Lava lamps, incense and cushions added to the ambience which was in stark contrast to the 14 month recording process of their previous studio album, “Vapor Trails”, and a lot less ‘Rush’ed than their first studio album which was recorded in a similar amount of time. This approach to recording gives the album a warm and direct sound; no keyboards and limited post-production make it sound much more like their earliest recordings. In a way it is a shame that the Buddy Holly cover and self-composed flip side, “You Can’t Fight It”, from their debut single weren’t also included in the package. It would have created an interesting opportunity to compare and contrast, but it had escaped the band’s collective memory until it was too late.
Deciding what songs to include was not easy. “The criteria was that it had to be something we could call our own, but at the same time we wanted to pay homage to the people we liked without wrecking the song,” said Lee. This immediately excluded anything by Jimi Hendrix and by Led Zeppelin. “But we could have done an entire album of nothing but Who songs. We could have done an album of nothing by Yardbirds songs”.
Ultimately the primary appeal of “Feedback” is to the fan base that has sustained Rush for the last 30 years. As an exercise in nostalgia it couldn’t be bettered, and provides a timely reminder of the energy, excitement and enthusiasm that propelled them in the early stages of their career. It also stands in contrast to the musical and lyrical complexity that earned then supporters and detractors on equal measure as they became more and more successful. Clearly rejuvenated, how these songs that originally inspired Rush al those years ago can re-inspire them for their next ‘proper’ album, and what change in direction they might herald, remains to be seen.
Feedback – Albums
Feedback
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Tracks: Summertime Blues - Eddie Cochran, Heart Full of Soul - The Yardbirds, For What It's Worth - Buffalo Springfield, The Seeker - The Who, Mr. Soul - Buffalo Springfield, Seven And Seven Is - Love, Shapes Of Things - The Yardbirds, Crossroads – Robert Johnson CD, Anthem, 668252001-2, June 2004, Canada CD, Atlantic, 83728-2, June 2004, US LP, Atlantic, 83728-1, June 2004, US CD, Atlantic, 7567 83728-2, July 2004, Argentina CD, Atlantic, 7567 83728-5, August 2004, Brazil CD, Atlantic, 7567 83728-2, July 2004, Germany LP, Atlantic, 7567 83728-1, July 2004, Germany CD, Warner, WPCR 11894, August 2004, Japan CD, Atlantic, 7567 83728-2, July 2004, Taiwan Notes: Released in June 2004 in North America, and
July in the rest of the world except Japan where it was released in August.
The CD is packaged in a digipack except for the Brazilian release which comes
in a jewel case. |
Feedback – UK Promo CD-R
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Tracks: same as album Label: Atlantic Notes: Disc is watermarked, numbered, and printed with recipient’s name |
Feedback - Singles
Summertime Blues – US Promo CD-R
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Tracks: Summertime Blues Label: Atlantic Notes: Comes in a plain white die cut card sleeve. |
Summertime Blues – US Promo
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Tracks: Summertime Blues Label: Atlantic Notes: Released for radio play on May 21st. Comes in a slimline jewel case with generic inlay. |
Summertime Blues – German Promo CD-R
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Tracks: Summertime Blues Label: Atlantic Notes: Comes in a slimline jewel case with front insert. |
Summertime Blues – German Promo
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Tracks: Summertime Blues Label: Atlantic Notes: Comes in a slimline jewel case with picture inlay, and information sheet |
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