Today’s walk to and from work was a real slog. February rain, freezing ice pellets, and lots of wind. But you know, it didn’t bother me. On days like this I am usually surprised by just how well music keeps me moving. With good headphones, I see traffic, I feel rain drops on my face and hood, but I don’t hear them. I am isolated. I had blogged about my rituals being reward-based in the past, but I think this is also a crucial part. And sometimes the music catches me off guard. In the middle of the walk home, Opeth’s “Black Rose Immortal” came on, an epic 20 minute long track that has so many amazing musical moments that some times I actually stop to listen for a bit. Like I did this time.

On the subject of music, I’ve been on a bit of a Rush kick lately. I suppose, in part, to recently finishing Dark Hollow by Brian Keene. The more I think about the book, the more I realize how much I enjoyed that novel. No doubt in part to his continual references to 80s metal. There is one passage where the main character is trying to describe a ritual involving Pan (as in Pan’s labyrinth), and the Temples of Syrinx, at which point the other characters in the book start singing “2112″ by Rush. Too funny.

Anyway, reading that book led down memory lane to a moment in the mid 80s — probably ’84, for obvious reasons — when Rush had released their “Grace Under Pressure” album. Some high school kids were listening to it on a ghetto blaster, and I was enthralled. I walked in when “The Body Electric” was on, and Geddy Lee was singing “one zero zero one, zero zero one, ess – oh – ess” and I needed to hear more. It’s not a heavy track, by any stretch, but it was my first foray into the world of Rush and I haven’t really looked back. I probably should have titled this post “Closer to the Heart”.

Today’s track is another tune from the “2112″ album. A Passage to Bangkok is another one of my all-time favourite Rush tunes. Enjoy.