Recorded at the Electric Ladyland Studios in New York City, in December 1974 in preparation for their first US tour, this sublime Rush performance was given in front of an audience of 8-12 people in the small studio, and thus provides a fine example of this remarkable band’s early live sound. This was also the earliest recording made with Neil Peart on drums, Peart having replaced their former skins-man John Rutsy, a few months before this show. They perform material from their first album and new songs from the soon to be released Fly by Night LP. The show was undertaken to provide a live broadcast for FM Radio and was transmitted across the airwaves prior to the release of Fly by Night. The Fly By Night songs are still coming together, so some, notably “Best I Can”, contain some alternate lyrics. The structure of “Fly by Night” is different, with the guitar solo coming after the vocal bridge and a completely different ending. We get a rare treat in “Working Man”, when Alex delivers a guitar solo outside of the normal structure of the song. (from Amazon)
Before the Thunder: A Conversation with Lew Linet – Ep671
Chris Czynszak
May 29, 2026
Before the fire, before the blood, before the bombs, the boots, the makeup, and the myth… there was a struggling New York
