well, my first comment would be, if you listen to early led zeppelin, robert plants voice at times is quite high. in the early days, rush, in a way, sounded a bit zeppelin-like, especially on their first record, RUSH.
when the first Cincinnati station was playing the first rush record, listeners were calling in asking when the new zeppelin record was coming out. no, not zeppelin, this is a new band called rush.
secondly, there were a few prog bands in the 70's, but rush's aim was to take what others had done, influence-wise, and do it with even more progression AND aggression - which is exactly what was were.
as time went by, they experimented with other instruments, clogging up the heavy prog with too many keyboards (hold your fire, presto, roll the bones), but then returned back to what made them famous, the greatest 3 piece ever!
i too listen to floyd, crimson, belew, yes, and some others (and of course, lennon, not prog mind you, but... well, he's lennon;), but rush has always been my favorite band.
the thing with geddy's voice, more so in the earlier days, is that those of us who got it, got it big time. those who didn't, just didn't/don't get it. he was going for something unique and with intense energy. his vocals matched perfectly with the music, and in turn with the lyrics.
but ged's vocals have way tuned down over the years, and actually, he hasn't been REALLY singing as high as he used to for over 25 years.
rush has always been shunned by the critics, and has NEVER EVER been on the cover of that lame mag Rolling Stone - all because Rush have never compromised. they have always done what they wanted to do, and some how that marked them as being pretentious (of which they are anything but egotistical or pretending), and THIS is why they have not been inducted into the rock and roll hall of lame. i mean, they just fracking inducted neil frickin diamond for christ's sake. even metalica said when they were at the mic, "hey guys, it's about time you induct Deep Purple and RUSH!"
actually, when it comes to fans, i am amazed at how many more rush chicks there are nowadays. lots more;)
and rush are STILL going gangbusters. they LOVE touring.
i've seen them, i think 33 times now, first tour for me was hemispheres! those were the days. when it actually took talent to make it in the music industry.
oops, i'd better stop, before i start ranting on about HIPe-HOPe and cRAP. talk about talentless.
i need a bumper sticker that says:
"I listen to art created by musicians, not trends perpetrated by marketers."
that says it all.
hmm... maybe i'll go listen to some rush now... heheh...
and yeah, the rush twilight zone song IS classic!
tzoneman