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Progressive rockers earn first ever documentary,
Rush - Beyond the Lighted Stage |
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Review by Andy Argyrakis The stories have been told countless times behind legendary bands like The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, Led Zeppelin and AC/DC, and while Rush isn't quite in that upper echelon of influence, its impact is rampantly apparent throughout the classic and alternative rock annals. Surprisingly up until now, there's never been a definitive documentary telling the story of Geddy Lee, Alex Lifeson and Neil Peart (along with the team that helped elevate them to international prominence), and despite less drama than many of the above bands, Beyond the Lighted Stage is endlessly interesting from start to finish.After opening up with the group's working class Canadian origins, fans find out it was a small rock radio station in Cleveland that wound up breaking the band in America . Though it would be awhile before the band found widespread Stateside acclaim, early albums like 1976's conceptual 2112 confirmed the band's commitment to crafting music on its own terms and never at the expense of record company influence. Even though the trio stuck to its guns in the subsequent years, the guys do admit straying a bit from the hard rock plot throughout the 1980s given the prominent inclusion of keyboards, but from the 1990s through now, Rush made a conscious decision to return to its progressive roots. Aside from the players breaking down every album, there are plenty of insightful interviews with Billy Corgan (Smashing Pumpkins), Taylor Hawkins (Foo Fighters), Trent Reznor (Nine Inch Nails) and Gene Simmons (Kiss), all of whom sing their praises and add tidbits about each important period. A bonus disc is chock full of rare performances, fan interviews and random footage (like dinner with the guys at a hunting lodge), but it's exactly the kind of meat die-hards will sink their teeth into, while also painting a clearer picture of just how Rush wound up trailing only the Beatles and Stones for the most consecutive gold and platinum albums in the history of music thus far. |