Fly by Night

Album Context

Everything changed with Fly by Night. Neil Peart joined Rush on July 29, 1974 — Geddy Lee's 21st birthday — just two weeks before a major U.S. tour opening for Uriah Heep and Manfred Mann's Earth Band. He auditioned by playing along to "Anthem" and was hired on the spot. Lifeson and Lee were so impressed that they felt embarrassed for the fifth drummer who'd come prepared with written-out charts.

Peart's impact went far beyond drumming. He became the band's primary lyricist overnight, bringing a literary sensibility influenced by Ayn Rand, science fiction, and Tolkien. The album also marked the beginning of Rush's long partnership with producer Terry Brown, who had remixed their debut. Brown would guide them through their most creative decade.

The album was recorded in roughly five days during the last week of December 1974, squeezed into a gap between tour dates. Once mixing wrapped in early January, the band packed their bags and flew straight to Winnipeg for the next show. The studio had been upgraded from 8-track to 16-track since the debut sessions, giving the band far more flexibility.

The band wanted each song to showcase a different side of their writing and playing. The result was a dramatic leap in ambition from the debut — the first hints of progressive rock appearing in the extended "By-Tor & the Snow Dog," Tolkien references in "Rivendell," and Ayn Rand philosophy in "Anthem." The album reached #9 in Canada, though it only hit #113 on the U.S. Billboard 200. The supporting tour covered over 70 cities, with Rush opening for Kiss and Aerosmith and performing their first major headline shows across Canada, including a sold-out gig at Massey Hall in Toronto.