Rush to Release 'Sectors,' a 3-Part Box Set Spanning Band's Mercury Records Years
On November 21, Universal Music Enterprises will release of three separate Rush box sets. The multi-part project is called Sectors, and each Sector represents part of the band's career at Mercury Records.
Each box set contains five of their 15 Mercury albums in chronological order, transferred to 96kHz/24-bit audio and digitally remastered. Each volume includes a booklet with unpublished photos, original album lyrics and credits; there's also one album from each set specially remixed on DVD in 96kHz/24-bit, 5.1 surround sound and stereo, compatible with DVD-Audio players and DVD-Video players. Each album is packaged in a replica vinyl mini-jacket of the original album release with all three box sets forming a Rush CD road case.
Here's a rundown of the Sectors project. Please forgive the "press release" language, which is from the label:
SECTOR 1
· RUSH – Their hard-rocking, self-titled 1974 debut hit the Billboard 200 and features classics such
as ”Working Man” and “Finding My Way.”
· FLY BY NIGHT (1975) – Released in 1975, Fly By Night sees the debut of drummer Neil Peart
who would help drive the band towards more complex material. Included are fan favorites such as
the title track, “Anthem” and the eight-minute composition “By-Tor And The Snow Dog,” which
shows the band’s musical growth and progression.
· CARESS OF STEEL (1975) – Also released in 1975, Caress Of Steel hit the Top 200 and gives a
further glimpse of the band leaning toward prog rock and features Rush classics such as “Lakeside
Park” and “Bastille Day.”
· 2112 (1976) - One of Rush’s all-time classics, 2112 was the band’s commercial breakthrough
reaching the Top 100 on the album chart and remains one of their most popular albums
successfully merging prog rock with their hard rock roots, a first for its time. 2112 features epic
tracks such as the 20-minute title track “2112,” taking up the entire first side of the original vinyl
album.
· ALL THE WORLD’S A STAGE (1976): Hitting Top 50, this was Rush’s first live album and
features classics such as “Fly By Night/In The Mood” which reached Top 100, “2112,” “Bastille Day”
and “Something For Nothing.”
· DVD: FLY BY NIGHT – Their classic 1975 sophomore release is now, for the first time, presented
in high-resolution 96kHz/24-bit 5.1 surround sound and stereo.
SECTOR 2
· A FAREWELL TO KINGS (1977) – Their 1977 Top 40 release features their hit “Closer To The
Heart,” “Xanadu” and the title track, “A Farewell To Kings.”
· HEMISPHERES (1978) – Reaching Top 50 on the album chart, Hemispheres includes the 20-
minute opus “Cygnus X-1Book II – Hemispheres” and the metaphoric social commentary “The
Trees.”
· PERMANENT WAVES (1980) – This 1980 release hit No. 4 on the Billboard 200 and features
classics such as “Freewill” and “The Spirit Of The Radio.”
· MOVING PICTURES (1981) – Considered one of the greatest hard rock albums of all time, this
quadruple platinum-selling masterpiece features the Grammy® nominated instrumental “YYZ” and
rock radio staples such as “Tom Sawyer,” “Red Barchetta,” “Vital Signs” and “Limelight.”
· EXIT…STAGE LEFT (1981) – Released in 1981, this Top 10 live album features performances of
favorites such as “Tom Sawyer,” “Freewill,” “YYZ” and deeper album tracks such as “La Villa
Strangiato” and “Broon’s Bane.”
· DVD: A FAREWELL TO KINGS – The album that set their musical course and signature
songwriting style is now presented in high-resolution 96kHz/24-bit 5.1 surround sound and
stereo.
SECTOR 3
· SIGNALS (1982) - The synthesizer-driven Signals reached Top 10 and produced their No. 1 hit
“New World Man” and the Top 20 hits “Subdivisions” and “The Analog Kid.”
· GRACE UNDER PRESSURE (1984) – This 1984 release hit Top 10 on Billboard’s album chart
and features classics such as “Red Sector A” and “Distant Early Warning.”
· POWER WINDOWS (1985) – Released in 1985, Power Windows features Top 10 hits “Marathon”
and “Big Money,” plus the Top 50 hits “Territories” and “Mystic Rhythms.”
· HOLD YOUR FIRE (1987) – The Top 20 album includes “Force Ten” and “Time Stand Still” with
both reaching No. 3 on the Mainstream Rock chart, plus the Top 50 hits “Lock And Key” and
“Mission.”
· A SHOW OF HANDS (1988) – While 1976’s All The World’s A Stage shows Rush’s hard
rock roots and 1982’s Exit…Stage Left showcases their mix of synth and prog rock, the Top 50
double live album A Show Of Hands concentrates on the band’s later synth-driven era with tracks
such as “Subdivisions,” “Force Ten,” “Red Sector A” and “Marathon.”
· DVD: SIGNALS – The 1982 Top 10 album Signals is also featured in high-resolution 96kHz/24-bit
5.1 surround sound and stereo.
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Damian is Editor-in-Chief of Guitar World magazine. In past lives, he was GW’s managing editor and online managing editor. He's written liner notes for major-label releases, including Stevie Ray Vaughan's 'The Complete Epic Recordings Collection' (Sony Legacy) and has interviewed everyone from Yngwie Malmsteen to Kevin Bacon (with a few memorable Eric Clapton chats thrown into the mix). Damian, a former member of Brooklyn's The Gas House Gorillas, was the sole guitarist in Mister Neutron, a trio that toured the U.S. and released three albums. He now plays in two NYC-area bands.
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