Rush Quiz Questions and Answers
Q1. In which year was the rock band Rush formed in Toronto, Ontario, Canada?
A. 1966
B. 1968
C. 1970
D. 1972
Answer: B. 1968
Q2. What was the original name of Rush before they settled on their current moniker?
A. Hadrian
B. The Projection
C. Ogilvie
D. Judd
Answer: A. Hadrian
Q3. Who served as Rush’s original drummer from 1968 until his departure in 1974?
A. Neil Peart
B. John Rutsey
C. Alex Lifeson
D. Jeff Jones
Answer: B. John Rutsey
Q4. Which member of Rush adopted the stage name Geddy Lee, born Gary Weinrib?
A. The guitarist
B. The drummer
C. The bassist and lead vocalist
D. The keyboardist
Answer: C. The bassist and lead vocalist
Q5. On what date did Neil Peart officially join Rush as their drummer?
A. July 29, 1974
B. August 15, 1973
C. September 1, 1975
D. March 10, 1974
Answer: A. July 29, 1974
Q6. What health condition primarily contributed to John Rutsey leaving Rush in 1974?
A. Arthritis
B. Type 1 diabetes
C. Hearing loss
D. Migraines
Answer: B. Type 1 diabetes
Q7. Which band’s style heavily influenced Rush’s early blues-inspired hard rock sound?
A. The Beatles
B. Pink Floyd
C. Led Zeppelin
D. Genesis
Answer: C. Led Zeppelin
Q8. What was the title of Rush’s debut single, a cover of a Buddy Holly song released in 1973?
A. Working Man
B. Not Fade Away
C. Fly by Night
D. Closer to the Heart
Answer: B. Not Fade Away
Q9. Through which independent label did Rush self-release their self-titled debut album in 1974?
A. Mercury Records
B. Anthem Records
C. Moon Records
D. Roadrunner Records
Answer: C. Moon Records
Q10. What was the nickname given to Rush’s challenging 1975 tour following the release of Caress of Steel?
A. The Breakthrough Tour
B. The Down the Tubes Tour
C. The Epic Journey
D. The Steel Road Tour
Answer: B. The Down the Tubes Tour
Q11. Which 1976 album features the band’s iconic 20-minute title track suite inspired by Ayn Rand’s philosophy?
A. 2112
B. Fly by Night
C. A Farewell to Kings
D. Hemispheres
Answer: A. 2112
Q12. On which 1977 album does the song “Closer to the Heart” appear, marking Rush’s first major Canadian hit?
A. Permanent Waves
B. A Farewell to Kings
C. Signals
D. Moving Pictures
Answer: B. A Farewell to Kings
Q13. What progressive rock elements became more prominent in Rush’s music starting with their 1977 and 1978 albums?
A. Reggae rhythms
B. Acoustic folk influences
C. Heavy synthesizer use
D. Complex time signatures and extended compositions
Answer: D. Complex time signatures and extended compositions
Q14. Which 1980 album represented a shift to shorter songs and included reggae and new wave influences?
A. Hemispheres
B. Permanent Waves
C. Grace Under Pressure
D. Power Windows
Answer: B. Permanent Waves
Q15. What is the name of Rush’s first live album, released in 1976 and recorded during their 1976 tour?
A. Exit… Stage Left
B. A Show of Hands
C. All the World’s a Stage
D. Rush in Rio
Answer: C. All the World’s a Stage
Q16. Which 1981 album is Rush’s best-selling to date, certified quadruple platinum in the US?
A. Signals
B. Moving Pictures
C. Counterparts
D. Vapor Trails
Answer: B. Moving Pictures
Q17. During which decade did Rush heavily incorporate synthesizers into their sound, influencing albums like Signals and Grace Under Pressure?
A. 1980s
B. 1990s
C. 2000s
D. 2010s
Answer: A. 1980s
Q18. What was Rush’s only single to reach the Top 40 on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart?
A. Tom Sawyer
B. The Spirit of Radio
C. New World Man
D. Freewill
Answer: C. New World Man
Q19. Which 1989 album marked Rush’s return to a more guitar-driven sound after their synthesizer-heavy period?
A. Hold Your Fire
B. Presto
C. Roll the Bones
D. Test for Echo
Answer: B. Presto
Q20. After a five-year hiatus, what was the title of Rush’s 2002 comeback studio album?
A. Snakes & Arrows
B. Vapor Trails
C. Clockwork Angels
D. Counterparts
Answer: B. Vapor Trails
Q21. Which 2012 album was Rush’s final studio release and a concept album inspired by steampunk themes?
A. Snakes & Arrows
B. Test for Echo
C. Clockwork Angels
D. Feedback
Answer: C. Clockwork Angels
Q22. What tragic event prompted Neil Peart to take a hiatus from Rush in the late 1990s?
A. A career-ending injury
B. The deaths of his daughter and wife
C. A band dispute
D. Financial troubles
Answer: B. The deaths of his daughter and wife
Q23. In what year did Rush release their 50th anniversary anthology box set, Rush 50?
A. 2023
B. 2024
C. 2025
D. 2026
Answer: C. 2025
Q24. Which song from Fly by Night (1975) was inspired by Neil Peart’s teenage trip to England?
A. Anthem
B. Fly by Night
C. Making Memories
D. Rivendell
Answer: B. Fly by Night
Q25. The lyrics of “The Trees” from Hemispheres (1978) are influenced by the philosophy of which author?
A. Ayn Rand
B. J.R.R. Tolkien
C. George Orwell
D. H.P. Lovecraft
Answer: A. Ayn Rand