On this episode of Rush Deep Dive, we discuss 1975’s Caress of Steel. Although the band initially had high hopes for Caress of Steel, it was considered a disappointment by the record company. The album eventually became known as one of Rush’s most obscure and overlooked recordings. Die hard fans feel the record is underrated. Caress of Steel featured long pieces broken up into various sections and long solo passages. It is often considered notable for the inclusion of the band’s first two epic pieces, “The Necromancer” and “The Fountain of Lamneth.”
0:00 Intro
1:13 Album Art and Opening Thoughts
11:42 I Think I’m Going Bald
23:29 Lakeside Park
32:40 The Necromancer
42:21 The Fountain of Lamneth
55:15 Closing Thoughts
56:08 Outro
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I took the helm so eagerly
Ohhh Man! It's Stick It Out's famous Patrick "I think I'm Going Bald" Mest!
I have always had a difficult relationship with this album. To my ears, they have a number of better hard rockers than "Bastille Day." I've never been enamored with "Lakeside Park." The music from "I Think I'm Going Bald" might as well be an early Kiss song for me. That said, I've grown to appreciate the longer tracks a little more through the years.
If you're going to rank "least best" Rush albums, this one has always been in the bottom 3 for me.
Through the years, I have noticed that there are a LOT of champions for this record – they are kind of a cult within a cult. A couple of them, in message boards, maybe on Reddit, have called me vulgar names for not absolutely loving this album. Their fanaticism doesn't necessarily make me want to investigate too much into the record.
Patrick mentioned "The Fountain of Lamneth" being about a journey…reminds me that there's a link, there, with Clockwork Angels and that line that if he had to do it again, he'd do it exactly the same. And then there's the "Bastille Day" / "Headlong Flight" link. Maybe the boys attempted to redeem/rewrite "Caress of Steel" with "Clockwork Angels?"
I appreciate all of your insights into the material – but the music still sounds the same to me. It's still bottom-tier Rush to my ears.
After jumping on the RUSH band wagon after hearing 2112, I immediately went out and bought their previous works. Fell in love with Caress of Steel- It's a interesting rocking album
Kim Mitchell quoted one characterization of Geddy's singing voice as "a cat being chased out the door with a blowtorch up its ass." Another quote was Donna's and I believe she said, "A hamster in overdrive." When it was all said and done, forty-one years later, those voices were silenced. As Ray Danniels had said, the critics were relentless, but the fans were more so. Loyalty won out over buffoonish slagging and puerile jest. Long live RUSH!
One of my favorites, love every song.
Hugh is as representative of the band as the boys: master at his craft
Incidentally I taught myself a mediocre facsimile of Panacea to play for my woman. Good times
One day in the spring of 1975 I was in the North Toronto office of Rush’s manager, Ray Danniels. Knowing of my interest and involvement in the previous cover art, he showed me an album called Delights, by one of his other clients, the Ian Thomas Band. Picking up the twelve-by-twelve LP cover (sweet memory of those!), I admired the deft drawing (the old man’s face radiant with good humour — Ian’s great-grandfather, Ray told me), and the combination of formal lettering for Ian Thomas’s name and the playful intricacy of the title. To my taste, however unformed in those far off days, all of the elements and their placements were so “right.” I was already sensing Hugh’s eye for proportion and “negative space” — seldom understood as representing luxury, as space always does to humans. Today I can define what I saw back then and only sensed: It was created with both talent and love.
When I told Ray that I admired the artwork very much, he said it had been done by the Ian Thomas Band’s keyboard player, Hugh Syme. (Called by Ian, with his typical wry humour, “Huge Slime,” a nickname which of course has endured, among friends.) – Neil Peart
When I first heard this in 1976 after getting so into 2112, ATWAS and the earlier albums I was disappointed. Over time though, I really grew to love this album. Uneven songs…even within a song( Side 2) but it grew on me. Only real Dog song to me is track 2. Necromancer a bit over the top but the Jam within is epic. When does Rush ever Jam? Clearly a pot smokers album too LOL. The thing that grabs me most is the outstanding production. Rush and Terry Brown really lucked out crossing paths, as did the rest of us. Sections of "Lamneth" to me are as good a mix as you can get with 3 instruments (maybe 4 with some Guitar overdubs) and a human voice. So much going on in these songs with the Bass, Guitars and Drums and the frequencies are perfectly slotted so as to hear everything clearly. And yes…..I eventually got used to the excess of Geddy's shrieking. Thats what really makes this album a hard sell to non Rush Fans. As I am north of 60 now…Neils lyrics on Fountain of Lamneth turned out to be stunning. How does a 23 year old guy conjure up ones feeling through each stage/chapter of life? No One at the Bridge, Panacea, Bacchius Plateau are stunning to me lyrically, instrumentally and sonically.
I’ve always loved Caress of Steel❤️
Wow, cool page! I've always wanted to hear more insight from Donna Halper! When I was 11 (in the mid-80s) Caress of Steel was my first Rush cassette beyond really hearing Tom Sawyer on the radio. It was one of those cassettes with the RIGHT PRICE stickers. My 11yo reaction was, "This is WAY better than Tom Sawyer!" Anyways, my gateway album to all things prog, and still ranks up at the top for me with Hemispheres. Screeching banshee Geddy Lee for life!
Thank you for doing Deep Dives I have learned so much more about my favorite band. The three travelers who met at Willowdale. I always thought that Neil was referring to himself as well as Geddy and Alex on an adventure.
Great take on side 2. It's indeed about the journey. My take on "No one at the Bridge". The Boat ride…It's metaphorical. Its all of us young guys bravely tackling the world and adult life and responsibility for the first time. Things go south..but you're on your own now and have to figure it out. My .02 at least. Alex's playing is just beautiful from this through Panacea and Bachaus Plataeu. Again. Frequency slotting. The instumentation and Geddys voice all sit in the mix. A re master would do nothing for this album it was so supurbly engineered and produced (and performed…by a bunch of young 20 somethings !!).
Do you guys have a deep dive on Vapor Trails by any chance?
Fountain of Lamneth begins and ends the same acoustic bit. Play it on repeat and see. Never-ending reincarnation is what it means to me. Awesome analysis of an under appreciated song, Patrick.