| 2112 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
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| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | March 1976 (1976-03) | |||
| Recorded | January 1976 | |||
| Studio | Toronto Sound (Toronto, Canada) | |||
| Genre | ||||
| Length | 38:42 | |||
| Label | Mercury | |||
| Producer |
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| Rush chronology | ||||
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| Singles from 2112 | ||||
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| Alternative cover | ||||
 40th anniversary reissue | ||||
2112 (pronounced "twenty-one twelve") is the fourth studio album by Canadian rock bandRush, released in March 1976 byMercury Records.[7][8][9][10] Following the disappointing sales of their previous albumsCaress of Steel andFly by Night, in which both albums failed to chart in the top half of theBillboard 200,2112 became the band's first major commercial success. The album reached No. 5 on the Canadian charts and No. 61 in the United States.2112 has since become a steady seller over many decades, and has maintained acult following among some Rush fans.[11]
The band was in financial hardship due to the disappointing sales of 1975'sCaress of Steel, which also got an unfavourable critical reception and a decline in attendance at its shows. Mercury, their international label, considered dropping them but granted one more album following negotiations with managerRay Danniels. Rush were pressured to deliver more commercial material but decided to continue developing itsprogressive rock direction they had explored onCaress of Steel and made the 20-minute futuristic science-fictiontitle track occupy side one of2112 with a collection of shorter songs on side two that display theirhard rock roots.
2112 was released to favourable reviews from music critics and quickly outsold the band's previous albums. Rush toured the album extensively in 1976 and 1977, which culminated in their debut concerts in Europe.2112 remains the band's second-highest-selling album behindMoving Pictures with more than 3 million copies sold in the US alone. It is listed in the book1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die and ranked second onRolling Stone's readers' poll of favorite prog rock albums of all time.[12]2112 has been reissued several times: a 40th Anniversary Edition was released in 2016 with previously unreleased material, including the album performed by numerous contemporary artists.
In January 1976, Rush ended its tour to support 1975'sCaress of Steel. The band had enjoyed writing and recording the album. However, guitaristAlex Lifeson recalled the group was in a state of confusion after the tour, sensing the disappointing reaction from crowds after playing songs from it on stage.[13] The album marked the band's foray intoprogressive rock with lengthy, story-based songs, more complex song structures, and cerebral lyrics, which made it difficult to receive radio airplay and promote effectively.[13] Vocalist and bassistGeddy Lee said the band could not understand the underwhelming response, and later dubbed the tour the "Down the Tubes Tour" as they struggled to meet their $125-a-week salary while crowds declined.[14] Lee added, "That really shakes your confidence. We were so confused and disheartened."[13] In 1980, Lifeson, who had formed the band in 1968, said this was the only moment in its history when he felt close to giving up.[15]
In addition to their financial hardship, Rush's international label,Mercury Records, considered dropping them. Peart recalled seeing label ownerPolygram's financial predictions for the forthcoming year, and the band were not listed.[16] To help the situation Rush managerRay Danniels flew to the label's head offices in Chicago to try to regain confidence and spoke highly of the band's ideas for a new album without having heard any of it. This followed the group's conscious decision to exclude Danniels from the writing and recording sessions, and only played the album to him when it was finished.[13] Danniel's plea was a success, and Mercury approved one more album.[13] Despite pressure from the label and management to make a more commercial record, the band ignored the advice and proceeded with material as they saw fit.[13] Lifeson said, "I remember having these conversations about, 'What are we going to do? Are we going to try to make another mini-Led Zeppelin record or are we going to do what we are going to do and continue forward and whatever happens, happens?' ... We fully intended to [not] go down in flames but we were prepared to do that."[13] Drummer and lyricistNeil Peart looked back on the situation: "We had been working towards something a little more ambitious on each of the previous two albums. We simply decided that2112 would have to be the realization of all our hopes."[17] Following the commercial success of2112 and its tour, the band vowed to take full creative control of their music from that point on.[18]
Rush put down musical ideas for2112 in backstage dressing rooms, hotel rooms, and in their van while touringCaress of Steel in the second half of 1975.[14][19] Peart had already started writing lyrics, to which Lee and Lifeson would develop songs on acoustic guitars that complemented the mood of what Peart was writing about. This was a departure from the pair using their acoustic guitars to write heavy rock arrangements that were eventually recorded on electric instruments, although some passages were written on electric guitar using a portablePignose practise amplifier.[13][20] Lee and Lifeson composed with little overdubbing in order to recreate the music on stage as much as possible.[19] Lifeson recalled developing "The Temples of Syrinx" backstage at a gig inSault Ste. Marie, Ontario in front of their opening actMendelson Joe.[13] The "Overture" was the final piece to be written on the album.[21] Lifeson said2112 was the first Rush album that "really sounded like Rush".[14]
In January 1976, the band enteredToronto Sound Studios to record with their longtime associateTerry Brown assuming his role as producer, operating aStuder24-track machine.[22][19][13] Lifeson plays a 1968Gibson ES-335 for the majority of the electric guitar parts, with some lead parts played on aGibson Les Paul Standard. For the acoustic sections, he plays a 12-stringGibson B-45 and a six-stringGibson Dove. His amplifiers were theFender Super Reverb and aTwin Reverb.[15] A section of "Discovery" features aFender Stratocaster that Lifeson borrowed from a friend.[14] Lee used aRickenbacker 4001 bass with stereo output; Brown fed one pickup into the mixing board and then into a compressor, and the other was channelled into Lee's Electro-Voice speakers turned up to the maximum.[13] Upon completing the album, the band expressed an interest in recording in another studio to explore different sounds.[17]
Side one is occupied by the 20-minute futuristic science-fiction song "2112". The seven-part track is based on a story by Peart who credits Russian-American novelistAyn Rand, inventor of the philosophy ofObjectivism and author of the dystopian fictional novellaAnthem, the plot of which bears several similarities to "2112". The band had read the book, and Peart added the credit in the album's liner notes to avoid legal action.[23] The reference to Ayn Rand led toBarry Miles, in the British paperNME, accusing the band of being "fascists"; this particularly offended Geddy Lee, whose parents wereHolocaust survivors, and he defended the song as an "anti-totalitarian, anti-fascist story".[13] "Overture" begins with a soundscape from musician and album cover artistHugh Syme performed on hisARP Odyssey synthesizer with an envelope filter andEchoplex Delay pedal.[24] Music writer and professorRob Bowman calculated that in the entire piece, 2:34 of the song contains improvised guitar solos.[13] "Overture" contains the lyric "And the meek shall inherit the earth", a reference to the Biblical passagesBook of Psalms 37:11 andMatthew 5:5 and borrows a short sequence fromTchaikovsky's1812 Overture.[13][14]
"2112" tells a story set in the city of Megadon in the year 2112, after an intergalactic war in 2062 forces many of the planets to be ruled by the Solar Federation (symbolized by the Red Star on the cover artwork), where individualism and creativity are outlawed. The population is controlled by a cabal of priests living in the temples of Syrinx, who take orders from giant banks of computers that control all aspects of life ("The Temples of Syrinx").[13][25] An unnamed protagonist finds a guitar inside a cave and rediscovers the lost art of music ("Discovery").[25][20] Upon playing the guitar to the priests, they destroy it and declare music a waste of time and against the computers' plan ("Presentation"). In a dream, anoracle shows him a planet established simultaneously with the Solar Federation, where an elder race flourish in creativity and individuality ("Oracle: The Dream").[20] He awakens, depressed that music is part of such a society that he can never be part of and kills himself ("Soliloquy").[13] The song ends with an ambiguous spoken ending: "Attention all planets of the Solar Federation: We have assumed control" ("Grand Finale"). Peart clarified that after the protagonist took his own life, another planetary war begins and the elder race successfully take down the Solar Federation[26] in an ending he described as a "double surprise ... a realHitchcock killer".[25][23][13]
Side two contains five individual songs that display the band's more traditional hard-rock sound and Lee's higher-pitched vocals featured on their previous albums.[20] Lifeson said while having a title track more serious, the rest of the album was to be "just a little lighter and a little more fun".[13] Bowman wrote that the variation of styles on side two offers "a very different listening experience" in comparison.[13] Though the tracks are not specifically about the "2112" concept, they do contain ideas that can relate to its overall theme.[23] Lee wrote the lyrics for "Tears" and Lifeson the lyrics to "Lessons", while Peart wrote the rest.[27]
"A Passage to Bangkok" is a song aboutmarijuana; Lee said it is "a travelogue for all the places in the world that grow the best weed". The track mentions a number of cities and countries, specificallyBogotá,Jamaica,Acapulco,Morocco,Bangkok,Lebanon,Afghanistan, andKathmandu.[21] Rush started to write "The Twilight Zone" at a time when they needed one more song to fill side two. It was quickly put together, Peart said it was written and recorded in one day.[28] The band were big fans of the television seriesThe Twilight Zone and based the track on the stories written for it from its host,Rod Serling.[21] "Lessons" is one of the few Rush songs written solely by Lifeson. For him, the process of songwriting is more seldom and spontaneous in comparison to dedicating time to write, rehearse and scrap parts that do not work.[15] "Tears" is a romantic ballad and is the first Rush track to incorporate theMellotron, which Syme performs.[21] "Something for Nothing" is a song about freewill and decision making.[21] Peart was inspired by graffiti on a wall that he saw while on his way to perform at theShrine Auditorium in Los Angeles that read "Freedom isn't free", which he adapted into the song.[29] Lifeson asserted that its lyrical tie-in with the "2112" suite makes the track act as a coda to the record.[27]
The album was packaged in agatefold sleeve designed and produced by longtime Rush cover artistHugh Syme. It marks the first appearance of the emblem later known by fans as the "Starman" logo, which was adopted into the band's stage design and future album covers. Peart used it on the front bass drum heads of his kit from 1977 to 1983, and again in 2004 and 2015. The Red Star, a symbol of the Solar Federation depicted in the "2112" suite, represents what Peart described as "anycollectivist mentality", while the man represents the protagonist of the story and to Peart, "the abstract man against the masses". Syme said: "That he is nude is just a classic tradition ... the pureness of his person and creativity without the trappings of other elements such as clothing". In July 2013, the Starman logo was featured on aCanada Post stamp honouring Rush.[30] The gatefold includes a photograph of the band dressed in white and standing in front of a wind machine, and was a shoot Lifeson remembered for being particularly awkward.[27]
2112 was released in March 1976 on vinyl, 8-track cartridge, and cassette tape.[7][8][9][10] It received strong promotion fromPolydor, the distributor of Mercury Records albums, who issued an advertising campaign based on graphics on the album sleeve, in major trade publications.[19] It became Rush's second album afterFly by Night to enter the top ten on theCanadian Albums Chart, peaking at No. 5.[31] In the US, it peaked at No. 61 on theBillboard Top LPs & Tape chart, the week of 29 May 1976, during a 37-week stay on the chart. It was the band's first to crack the U.S. top 100.[32]
The album sold faster than any of Rush's previous albums.[19] In June 1976, the album had outsold the band's past catalogue in Canada and the United States,[23] selling close to 35,000 and more than 200,000 copies, respectively.[33]2112 became a strong seller in the United States; it reachedgold certification by theRecording Industry Association of America (RIAA) in November 1977 for selling 500,000 copies.[34] In November 1995, the album reached triple platinum for selling more than 3 million copies, becoming Rush's second-biggest seller afterMoving Pictures.[34][35]
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| The Guardian |   (2012)[43] |
| PopMatters | 9/10 (2016)[44] |
| Rolling Stone | (2012)[45] |
Cashbox praised the album, calling it "a valid and melodic tale ... the story/song is a definite cohesive listen".[19] They said of "Temples of Syrinx" that it "combines growling guitars with an incredibly shrill lead vocal."[46] In an article about2112 forCreem, Dan Nooger wrote the album "features some significant Mellotron meanderings and amazingly eccentric lyrics".[20]
2112 was included inIGN's list "10 Classic Prog Rock Albums".[47] In a reader's poll held byRolling Stone, it placed second on the list of favourite prog rock albums.[48] In a 4.5 out of 5 star-review,AllMusic's Greg Prato said that "1976's2112 proved to be [Rush's] much sought-after commercial breakthrough and remains one of their most popular albums."[36]
TheAudio-Visual Preservation Trust of Canada, a non-profit Canadian charitable organization dedicated to promoting the preservation of Canada's audio-visual heritage, has sponsored MasterWorks, which annually recognizes twelve culturally significant Canadian classics from the film, radio, TV and music industries. In 2006,2112 was one of the albums chosen to be preserved.
In 2018, the album won thePolaris Heritage Prize Audience Award in the 1976–1985 category.[49]
Ultimate Classic Rock included the album on their list of the "Top 100 '70s Rock Albums".[50]Prog readers voted2112 the 15th best progressive rock album of all time.[51]
2112 is the tenth favorite album ofMegadeth co-founder and frontmanDavid Mustaine.[52]
Rush promoted2112 with a concert tour of the United States, Canada, and for the first time in their career, across Europe, between February 1976 and June 1977. The tour saw the band perform over 140 shows.[13] To make their set tighter, "Discovery" and "Oracle: The Dream" were omitted from the performance of the "2112" suite. However, "Discovery" was performed on later performances of "2112" on tours forA Farewell to Kings andHemispheres. Rush would not perform the track in its entirety until their 1996 tour following the release ofTest for Echo.[13] The shows atMassey Hall in Toronto in June 1976 were recorded and compiled for release as their double live albumAll the World's a Stage.[53]
| Year | Label | Format | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1987 | Anthem | CD | [54] |
| 1993 | Mobile Fidelity Sound Lab | CD | As part of the "Original Master Recordings" collection with a 24k gold-plated disc.[55][56] |
| 1997 | Anthem/Mercury | CD | As part of "The Rush Remasters" collection.[57] |
| 2011 | Anthem | CD | Digitally remastered by Andy VanDette as part of the reissue of Rush's Mercury-era albums.[58] |
| 2012 | Mercury | CD, DVD, Blu-ray | Digitally remastered Deluxe Edition including a5.1 surround sound mix and bonus content.[59][60] |
| 2015 | Anthem/Mercury/Universal | LP | Digitally remastered by Sean Magee atAbbey Road Studios on 200g vinyl andAAC digital format.[61][62][63] |
| 2016 | Anthem/Mercury/Universal | CD, DVD, LP | 40th Anniversary Edition with bonus content, including new studio tracks featuring various musicians performing the album.[64] |
All lyrics are written byNeil Peart, except where noted.
| No. | Title | Music | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "2112"
| Geddy Lee,Alex Lifeson[a] | 20:34 |
| No. | Title | Lyrics | Music | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "A Passage to Bangkok" | Lee, Lifeson | 3:32 | |
| 2. | "The Twilight Zone" | Lee, Lifeson | 3:16 | |
| 3. | "Lessons" | Lifeson | Lifeson | 3:51 |
| 4. | "Tears" | Lee | Lee | 3:30 |
| 5. | "Something for Nothing" | Lee | 3:59 |
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 7. | "I. Overture" (Live at Northlands Coliseum, 1981) | 4:31 |
| 8. | "II. The Temples of Syrinx" (Live at Northlands Coliseum – Edmonton, AB, Canada, 25 June 1981[65]) | 2:19 |
| 9. | "A Passage to Bangkok" (Live at Manchester Apollo – Manchester, England, 17 June 1980[65]) | 3:57 |
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Solar Federation" | 0:18 |
| 2. | "Overture" (Performed byDave Grohl,Taylor Hawkins andNick Raskulinecz) | 4:01 |
| 3. | "A Passage to Bangkok" (Performed byBilly Talent) | 3:37 |
| 4. | "The Twilight Zone" (Performed bySteven Wilson) | 4:21 |
| 5. | "Tears" (Performed byAlice in Chains) | 4:21 |
| 6. | "Something for Nothing" (Performed byJacob Moon) | 3:54 |
| 7. | "2112" (Live at Massey Hall Outtake) | 15:50 |
| 8. | "Something for Nothing" (Live at Massey Hall Outtake) | 4:08 |
| 9. | "The Twilight Zone" (Live 1977 Contraband) | 3:28 |
| 10. | "2112 1976 Radio Ad" | 1:00 |
Credits are adapted from the album's 1976 liner notes.[22]
| Chart (1976) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Canada Top Albums/CDs (RPM)[31] | 5 |
| Swedish Albums (Sverigetopplistan)[66] | 33 |
| USBillboard 200[32] | 61 |
| Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
|---|---|---|
| Canada (Music Canada)[67] | 2× Platinum | 200,000^ |
| United Kingdom (BPI)[68] 1997 release | Gold | 100,000‡ |
| United States (RIAA)[69] | 3× Platinum | 3,000,000^ |
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone. | ||
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