 Notable for singer Geddy Lee's glass-shattering vocals and the rest of the band's impressive musical chops, Rush carved itself a place in the prog-rock elite through three decades of popular releases. Formed in 1968, guitarist Alex Lifeson (born Alexander Zivojinowich), vocalist/bassist Geddy Lee (born Gary Lee Weinrib) and drummer John Rutsey spent several years touring Toronto clubs, releasing a cover of Buddy Holly's "Not Fade Away" as its debut single in 1973. After the release of a self-titled album the following year, Rutsey was replaced with drummer Neil Peart, who took over as the band's chief songwriter. Rush released two albums the following year and in 1976, hit a breakthrough with the now platinum concept album 2112 (Moon/Mercury). Several additional releases cemented the band's popularity, with 1977's A Farewell to Kings reaching the Top 40 in the U.S. and U.K. Rush continued to score gold and platinum with several seriously crafted albums, and eventually pushed into pop success with the single "The Spirit of Radio" off 1980's popular Permanent Waves. Moving Pictures continued the trend into the following year, producing one of the band's best-known songs in "Tom Sawyer." The band saw success throughout the '80s based on the consistent release of albums, a rigorous touring schedule and a dedicated fan base. A late-decade slump had fans complaining of a loss of edge, but 1991's Roll the Bones (Atlantic) and 1993's Counterparts found hard-rocking success. The band solidified their presence in the '90s with the release of Test for Echo in 1996.
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