Rush Preview ‘Moving Pictures’ Reissue With Live ‘Vital Signs’
Rush previewed their Moving Pictures reissue with a lean live version of "Vital Signs," the closing track from that 1981 prog-rock classic.
The performance highlights the Live in YYZ 1981 recording, captured March 25, 1981, at Toronto's Maple Leaf Gardens. The presentation here is only slightly scrappier than the album version: Geddy Lee's melodic bass weaves between Alex Lifeson's choppy ska guitar riff and Neil Peart's drum fireworks, including some metronomic hi-hat work.
You can hear the song below.
Live in YYZ 1981 appears on the reissue's Super Deluxe Edition, which bundles three CDs (including the 2015 remaster for the first time on this format), one Blu-ray audio disc and five vinyl LPs. The Blu-ray features a remix of the album from the original multitrack, a new "YYZ" video and remastered promo clips for "Tom Sawyer," "Limelight" and "Vital Signs."
The Super Deluxe package, out April 15, also offers a 44-page hardcover book with unreleased photos and new artwork by designer Hugh Syme, a Red Barchetta modeling car and liner notes from artists including Soundgarden's Kim Thayil and Primus' Les Claypool. In total, the reissue will be available in six different physical and digital configurations.
In January, Stern Pinball detailed its upcoming Rush machine, releasing a playful behind-the-scenes video with Lee and Lifeson. Barenaked Ladies' Ed Robertson, who served as creative director for the product, recently spoke to UCR about working on the project.
"I wanted the game to appeal to the hardcore Rush nerd as well as the hardcore pinball nerd," he said. "It needed to be fast, fun, challenging. And then the software and the coding need to do justice to the intensity of the band. The machine has to embrace the complexity and intensity and authenticity — and the humor – that's all part of Rush."