Lifeson said it took around five days to record and once the mixing had finished, the group packed their cases and travelled to Winnipeg for a concert on January 15. Īfter a five-day break Rush recorded Fly by Night in December 1974 and mixed in January 1975 at Toronto Sound Studios during a gap in their U.S. By the end of the year the group had written new material for a follow-up album. 14 at the Civic Arena in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, opening for Uriah Heep and Manfred Mann. Peart joined on July 29, 1974, Lee's 21st birthday, two weeks before the band's first U.S. Lifeson and Lee were so impressed with Peart's style they felt embarrassed for the fifth drummer who had prepared by writing charts to their songs to follow.

The three played along to 'Anthem,' a song mostly written while Rutsey was in the group that Rush later recorded for Fly by Night. Rush auditioned five drummers, the fourth of which was Neil Peart of a local band named J.R. Lee recalled: 'We were guilt-ridden at first, but we realised that it's just the way it had to be.

Rutsey rejoined the group for a month of club dates before Lifeson and Lee decided it was best for Rutsey to leave due to the difficulty in managing his health on tour and musical differences between them. In the following four months, however, Rutsey fell ill following complications with diabetes and had to sit out while the group continued with a replacement, Jerry Fielding. In March 1974, the second Rush line-up, consisting of guitarist Alex Lifeson, drummer John Rutsey, and singer and bassist Geddy Lee, released their self-titled debut album.

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