Attention All Planets of the Solar Federation... Happy 2112 Day!
Happy 2112 Day to you! Or, as many radio stations are calling it, National Rush Day. Yes, yes, I know. 2112, the nom de annum of what many consider to be one of Rush's finest recorded works, is a year, not a date. But if Bubble Wrap Appreciation Day and National Gorilla Suit Day can be celebrated this week, then so can the first and, once-a-century celebration of 2/1/12. If you are a Rush fan, admittedly anything I write here is superfluous to your knowledge and fandom. However, if you've never had the 2112 album penetrate your musical psyche, then you really are living under the Red Star of the Solar Federation!
If you are among those who have never listened to 2112, a bit of background about the story of this half-concept album is in order. The more appropriate descriptor would be "concept side", as Side 1 of the album is a 20-plus minute magnum opus of a recording with a science fiction storyline.
The year is 2112 (properly pronounced as twenty-one-twelve) and a galaxy-spanning war some 50 years previous, resulted in interplanetary rule by the Solar Federation. In this brave new world, err, galaxy, everything in life is decided for you by the Priests of the Temples of Syrinx. Including what music you listen to.
Enter the protagonist, referred to as Anonymous, 2112, who discovers an ancient artifact one day; a guitar, which he figures out how to tune (illustrated aurally by guitarist Alex Lifeson tuning up during this point in the song). The hero proudly presents his find to the Priests, only to have it rejected. I don't want to spoil the whole of the story for you, but let's just say that things don't go well and, like many good science fiction stories, it ends with a huge space battle.
The song itself is one of the finest examples one can hear of a band delivering not a self-indulgent noodly epic, but a properly crafted suite of movements designed as an overall work yet maintaining individuality throughout the performance.
Side 2 of the album contains five tracks unrelated to the story, but they are all worthy listens, in most cases ("The Twilight Zone" and "A Passage To Bangkok") they are absolute classics, despite having very rarely enjoyed transmission through invisible airwaves which crackle with life.
At its core, "2112" is a tale of how the power of music can change a person, and ultimately a galaxy. So, instead of living under the oppression of The Red Star of the Solar Federation, why not celebrate 2112 Day (or Rush Day if you prefer) by giving this legendary disc a first, second or one hundredth listen.
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