1984 saw Rush release their 10th studio album in as many years. But while the trio – guitarist Alex Lifeson, bassist, keyboardist, and singer Geddy Lee and drummer and lyricist Neil Peart – were firmly established as rock superstars, they were also in some ways operating as a newborn act, exploring uncharted, sometimes uneasy, rock territory.
Following the massive mainstream success of 1981’s Moving Pictures, which spawned now-classic singles like Limelight, Freewill, and Tom Sawyer, the band took a hard turn on the next year’s Signals, which pushed synthesizers to the forefront, relegating Lifeson’s guitar to a less central and more supportive role.
