Permanent Waves

Album Context

After the "soul-crushing" experience of recording Hemispheres, the band took an unprecedented six-week break — the first real time off in their careers. Geddy Lee admitted they'd been "getting fried, getting stupid, not taking care of ourselves." When they reconvened in July 1979, they were decisive about what they wanted — and what they didn't. No more side-long epics. No more overblown arranging. The goal, as Lee told Record Review, was "to make sure we did not lose the ability to write songs."

They retreated to Lakewoods Farm near Flesherton, Ontario, setting up equipment in the basement. A typical day had Lifeson cooking breakfast, then he and Lee working on music while Peart wrote lyrics at a nearby cottage. Within days they'd arranged "The Spirit of Radio," "Freewill," and "Jacob's Ladder" with remarkably little effort. Lee also adopted a more restrained vocal delivery for the first time, calling it a "pleasant change."

The album was recorded at Le Studio in Morin Heights, Quebec — beginning one of the most important relationships in Rush's history. Le Studio's pristine lakeside setting became their creative home for the next decade, and many fans draw a direct line between the band's arrival there and their evolution into a more refined, radio-friendly act. The tracks were laid down in just under four weeks.

Permanent Waves became the fastest-selling Rush album, reaching #3 in Canada and the UK, #4 in the U.S. "The Spirit of Radio" cracked the Top 30 in Canada — Rush's first single to do so. The album was certified gold within two months (500,000 copies) and eventually went platinum. The band sent the gold record to Terry Fox during his Marathon of Hope. Crucially, the six-month supporting tour was the first in Rush's career to earn a profit. In September 1980, the album had sold over 900,000 copies in the U.S. alone. Lee added a touch of reggae to "The Spirit of Radio" — something the band had toyed with for years, including a reggae intro to "Working Man" on stage.