Rush was a Canadian rock band formed in Toronto in 1968 by Alex Lifeson, John Rutsey, and Jeff Jones, who was immediately replaced by Geddy Lee. After its formation the band went through several lineup configurations before arriving at its classic power trio lineup with the addition of Neil Peart in July 1974, who replaced Rutsey four months after the release of their self-titled debut album. This lineup remained intact for the remainder of the band's career.
Atlantic Recording Corporation is an American record label founded in October 1947 by Ahmet Ertegun and Herb Abramson. Over its first 20 years of operation, Atlantic earned a reputation as one of the most important American labels, specializing in jazz, R&B, and soul by Aretha Franklin, Ray Charles, Wilson Pickett, Sam and Dave, Ruth Brown and Otis Redding. Its position was greatly improved by its distribution deal with Stax. In 1967, Atlantic became a wholly owned subsidiary of Warner Bros.-Seven Arts, now the Warner Music Group, and expanded into rock and pop music with releases by Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young, Led Zeppelin and Yes.
Island Records is a multinational record label owned by Universal Music Group. It was founded in 1959 by Chris Blackwell, Graeme Goodall, and Leslie Kong in Jamaica, and was eventually sold to PolyGram in 1989. Island and A&M Records, another label recently acquired by PolyGram, were both at the time the largest independent record labels in history, with Island having exerted a major influence on the progressive music scene in the United Kingdom in the early 1970s. Island Records operates four international divisions: Island US, Island UK, Island Australia, and Island France. Current key people include Island US president Darcus Beese, OBE and MD Jon Turner. Partially due to its significant legacy, Island remains one of UMG's pre-eminent record labels.
Signals is the ninth studio album by Canadian rock band Rush, released on September 9, 1982 by Anthem Records. After the release of their previous album, Moving Pictures, the band started to prepare material for a follow-up during soundchecks on their 1981 concert tour and during the mixing of their subsequent live album Exit...Stage Left. Signals demonstrates the group's continuing use of synthesizers, sequencers, and other electronic instrumentation. It is the last album produced by their longtime associate Terry Brown, who had worked with them since 1974.
2112 is the fourth studio album by Canadian rock band Rush, released on 1 April 1976 by Anthem Records. Rush finished touring for its unsuccessful previous album Caress of Steel, in early 1976. The band was in financial hardship due to the album's disappointing sales, unfavorable critical reception, and a decline in attendance at its shows. The band's international label, Mercury Records, considered dropping Rush but granted the band one more album following negotiations with manager Ray Danniels. Though the label demanded more commercial material, the band decided to continue developing its progressive rock sound. 2112 was recorded in February 1976 in Toronto with regular producer Terry Brown. Its centerpiece is a 20-minute title track, a futuristic science-fiction song that takes up the entire first side of the album. There are five individual tracks on side two.
Swan Song Records was a record label launched by the English rock band Led Zeppelin on 10 May 1974. It was overseen by Led Zeppelin's manager Peter Grant and was a vehicle for the band to promote its own products as well as sign artists who found it difficult to win contracts with other major labels. The decision to launch the label came after Led Zeppelin's five-year contract with Atlantic Records expired at the end of 1973, although Atlantic ultimately distributed the label's product.
Rush is the debut studio album by Canadian rock band Rush. It was released on March 1, 1974 in Canada by Moon Records, the group's own label, before it was released internationally by Mercury Records later that year. Recorded five years after the band's formation, this first release shows much of the hard rock sound typical of many of the popular rock bands emerging earlier in the decade. Rush were fans of such bands as Led Zeppelin and Cream, and these influences can be heard in most of the songs on the album.
Fly by Night is the second studio album by Canadian rock band Rush, released in February 15, 1975 on Mercury Records. It was the first Rush album to showcase elements of progressive rock for which the band has become known. It was also the first to feature lyricist and drummer Neil Peart.
Caress of Steel is the third studio album by Canadian rock band Rush, released on September 24, 1975 on Mercury Records. It marked a development in the group's sound, moving from the blues-based hard rock style of their debut towards progressive rock.
PolyGram N.V. was an entertainment company and major music record label formerly based in the Netherlands. It was founded in 1962 as the Grammophon-Philips Group by Dutch corporation Philips and German corporation Siemens, to be a holding for their record companies, and was renamed "PolyGram" in 1972. The name was chosen to reflect the Siemens interest Polydor Records and the Philips interest Phonogram Records. The company traced its origins through Deutsche Grammophon back to the inventor of the flat disc gramophone, Emil Berliner.
Grace Under Pressure is the tenth studio album by Canadian rock band Rush, released April 12, 1984 on Anthem Records. After touring for the band's previous album, Signals (1982), came to an end in mid-1983, Rush started work on a follow-up in August. The band had decided to not work with longtime producer Terry Brown, who had collaborated with Rush since 1974. The new material accentuated the group's change in direction towards a synthesizer-oriented sound like its previous album. After some difficulty finding a suitable producer who could commit, the album was recorded with Peter Henderson.
Anthem Records is an independent record label based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The company was formed in May 1977 by Ray Danniels and Vic Wilson with initial recording artists Rush, Max Webster, Liverpool and A Foot in Coldwater. The three members of Rush, Geddy Lee, Neil Peart and Alex Lifeson became associate directors of Anthem.
Warner Records Inc. is an American record label. A subsidiary of the Warner Music Group, it is headquartered in Los Angeles, California. It was founded in March 1958 as the recorded music division of the American film studio Warner Bros..
White Whale Records was an American independent record label, founded in 1965 by Ted Feigin and Lee Lasseff in Los Angeles, California, and probably best known as the record label of The Turtles and a handful of one-hit wonder bands.
Creed Taylor is an American record producer, best known for his work with CTI Records, which he founded in 1967. His career also included periods at Bethlehem Records, ABC-Paramount, Verve, and A&M Records. In the 1960s, he signed bossa nova artists from Brazil to record in the US, such as Antonio Carlos Jobim, Eumir Deodato, João Gilberto, Astrud Gilberto, Airto Moreira, among others.
Max Webster was the first record released by Canadian rock band Max Webster. The record was released in 1976 on Taurus Records, a short-lived label created by Rush manager Ray Danniels. The album was re-issued in January 1977 by Anthem Records in Canada and on Mercury Records in the US, with the title Hangover and different artwork.
Boys Brigade was a Canadian new wave band formed in 1981 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The band consisted of vocalist and keyboardist Malcolm Burn, guitarist and vocalist Tony Lester, bass guitarist Wayne Lorenz, drummer Billie Brock and percussionists and backup vocalists David Porter and Jeff Packer. The nucleus of Boys Brigade grew out of Toronto punk band, Arson, which broke up when lead singer and songwriter Rude Van Steenes quit in 1981. Boys Brigade was originally booked by Raymond Perkins. The band played an eclectic collection of venues in Toronto, many of which were not known for live music at the time, including the now popular Rex Hotel and the more famous Drake Hotel.
Walk the Moon is an American rock band based in Cincinnati, Ohio. Lead singer Nicholas Petricca started the band in 2006, while a student at Kenyon College, deriving the band's name from the song "Walking on the Moon" by the Police. The band is notable for its charting hit singles Anna Sun, Shut Up and Dance, and One Foot.
Ray Danniels is a Canadian music executive, record producer, and talent manager. He's the founder of SRO Management group, as well as independent record labels Moon Records and Anthem Records. He first rose to prominence as the manager of the Canadian band Rush and later served as the manager of Extreme, King's X, and Van Halen. His sister-in-law Kelly Carter was married to Alex Van Halen. He was instrumental in bringing in Gary Cherone, former lead singer of Extreme by putting a wedge between the two Van Halen brothers and Sammy and to replace Sammy Hagar as lead singer of Van Halen for financial reasons.
Slash Puppet were a Canadian hard rock band that debuted in Toronto in 1989. The group originally consisted of lead vocalist Mif, guitarist Lou Garscadden, guitarist Frank Bartoletti, bassist Pete Dove and drummer Franklin Wyles. In 1992 Dave Carreiro joined the band taking over as bassist. The band released three records and received awards for Best Toronto Club Band and Best Independent Music Video before disbanding in 1995.
