Archives

original release

Geddy Lee - Vocals & Bass
Alex Lifeson - Guitars & Vocals
Neil Peart - Drums & Percussion

Additional Musicians:
John Rutsey - Drums (on RUSH)

Produced by RUSH and Terry Brown
Graphics by Hugh Syme
Liner Photography by Gerad Gentil
Album design by Hugh Syme and Bob King

© 1978 Mercury Records © 1978 Anthem Entertainment

Notes

  • Mercury, March 1978
  • Highest Billboard Chart Position: 121 - Certified Gold & Platinum by RIAA: February 3, 1995
  • A basic "boxed set," this reissue is a simple repackaging of Rush's first three studio albums. Released before the CD era and now out of print, this bundled reissue was released shortly after A Farewell To Kings on vinyl and cassette.
  • Originally released with a gray cover, the album was repackaged with a black cover sometime around 1981.
  • On this release, the chimes at the end of "By-Tor and the Snowdog" play for 28 seconds longer than the cd version. This was likely a partial recreation of the original vinyl release of Fly By Night, where the chimes at the end of "By-Tor" were printed into the fadeout groove of side 1, so that on older turntables, they would loop forever until the stylus was physically lifted from the vinyl.
  • Click here for the 'Archives' Transcript Archive.

In Their Own Words

"Caress of Steel was a big experiment for us and we were very much in love with it when we finished up. But again, the forces that be, the people who promote our music, didn't believe in that album. They sold it short and I think the inclusion of that album in Archives is the strongest reason for this collection to be released. We want to give Caress another chance...Archives is nothing but the music. There are no Rush army stickers; you're not joining anything. It's just a chance for more people to hear what Rush was doing in the days before 2112 and A Farewell To Kings but who can't afford three individual records." - Geddy Lee, Circus, May 1978

Promos