After several years of garnering some – but not a lot – of attention, Canadian prog rock band Rush finally made it big with the album 2112 in 1976. Not wanting to stick to the traditional album style, and definitely not wanting to follow their label’s request to do so, Rush released a record with a 20-minute epic suite on side 1, and five individual titles on side 2. Perhaps you knew all that. But did you know this:
1. Hugh Syme, Rush’s art director for over 40 years, also designed album covers for Aerosmith, Megadeth, Iron Maiden, Whitesnake, and Def Leppard.
2. Rush received the Allan Waters Humanitarian Award at the 44th Juno Awards in 2015 for their charity work. The trio have supported Doctors Without Borders, UNICEF, the United Way, and the Toronto Food Bank. They also donated $100,000 to help New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina in 2005, $575,000 for flood victims in Southern Alberta, and $100,000 to the Canadian Museum for Human Rights.
3. Rush toured from February to August 1976 for 2112. Their Ontario stops included Chatham, Welland, Oshawa, Ottawa, Hamilton, Brantford, and three nights at Massey Hall in Toronto. If the Centre In The Square had been built back then, would they have performed here, too? We’ll never know.
4. The album was recorded in February 1976 in Toronto, with producer Terry Brown. This means they recorded the album and then headed right out on tour.
5. 2112 hit #5 on Canadian Album Charts and #61 on US Billboard Top LPs & Tape.
6. It took the trio about six months to write the album.
Who can forget the experimental sound that made Rush iconic in their genre? Have a listen.

Classic Albums Live will perform Rush’s 2112 album in its entirety.“Note for note. Cut for cut”. Get your tickets now for Thursday, April 19, to relive the sound – live – of Canada’s most iconic prog-rock band.