Permanent Waves

January 1980 . 7th Studio Recording

Hemispheres 1978 Moving Pictures 1981

About Permanent Waves

Permanent Waves is the band’s seventh studio album, released on January 14th, 1980. It was recorded at Le Studio, Morin Heights, Quebec, and mixed at Trident Studios in London. The tracks were laid down just shy of four weeks, in part attributed to the idyllic working conditions of Morin Heights.

The album marks a transition from long, conceptual pieces, into a more accessible, radio-friendly style. “The Spirit Of Radio” is one of the most commercial songs Rush has ever produced, containing several different musical elements, even a touch of reggae. At the time, Alex recalled:

“We’ve always played around with reggae in the studio and we used to do a reggae intro to Working Man onstage, so when it came to doing Spirit Of Radio we just thought we’d do the reggae bit to make us smile and have a little fun.”

The waving man in the background of the album cover is actually Hugh Syme, the band’s long time design collaborator.

  • Credits
  • Liner Notes
  • Awards/Chart Positions

Credits

Produced by

Rush and Terry Brown

Arrangements

Rush and Terry Brown

Engineer

Paul Northfield

Mixing Engineer

Terry Brown

Mastered by

Bob Ludwig and Brian Lee
Gateway Mastering Studios
Portland, Maine

Special featured guest

Hugh Syme
Piano on "Different Strings"

Steel drums

Erwig Chuapchuaduah

Art Direction and graphics

Hugh Syme

Cover concept

Hugh Syme and Neil Peart

Inspiration and vocal coaching

Daisy the Dog

Photography

Fin Costello, Flip Schulke and Deborah Samuel

Cover girl couturière

Ou la la

Colour collaboration

Peter George

Pilot of Juliet Foxtrot Kilo

Mike Deere

Management

Ray Danniels
SRO Productions
Toronto

Executive Production

Moon Records

Liner Notes

Alex Lifeson – Six and twelve string electric and acoustic guitars, Taurus pedals
Neil Peart – Drums, tympani, timbales, orchestra bells, tubular bells, wind chimes, bell tree, triangle, crotales
Geddy Lee – Bass guitars, Oberheim polyphonic, OB-1, Mini Moog, and Taurus pedal synthsizers, vocals


Le Studio

Recorded at Le Studio
Morin Heights, Quebec
September and October 1979
With general assistance from Robbie Whelan

Mixed at Trident Studios
Soho, London
November 1979
Assisted by Adam Moseley, Craig Milliner, and Geddy Lee, with cameo appearances by Steve S. Hort


Road manager, lighting director, and assistant to Mr. Shreve: Howard (Herns) Ungerleider
Stage manager: Michael (Lurch) Hirsh
Concert sound engineer: Ian (the Weez) Grandy
Stage right technician: Liam (Punjabi) Birt
Stage left technician: Skip (Slider) Gildersleeve
Centre stage technician: Larry (Shrav) Allen
Guitar and synthesizer maintenance: Tony (Jack Secret) Geranios
Electrical technician: Ted (Theo) McDonald
Stage Monitor mixer: Gred (Gordie) Connolly
Projectionist: Harry (Tex) Dilman
Personal Shreve: Sam (Shreve) Charters

Concert sound: National Sound and Electrosound (U.K.)
Concert lighting: See Factor International
Concert rigging: Bill Collins
All of the above was transported by the skilled hands of: Tom (Whitney) Whittaker, Pat (No. 9) Lines, Arthur (Mac) MacLear, Gene Guido, and Tim Lewis


Honourable mentions

Moe Kniffman, Nick Kotos, George (Ike) Guido, Bob (Puppy) Cross, John LeBlanc, Bill Churchman, Dave (Shreve 1) Donne, Fuzzy Frazer, Dave Burman, Helmut, Nick Prince, Graham (Wild Man) Hewitt, Sgt. Rock & Easy Co., Second City Television, Lakewoods Farm, The Sound Kitchen, Lefty, D.K.D., Steve Herns, Le Studio: Andre, Yael, Pam, Kim, Carole, and Roger, Andre & La Barratte, the Wines & Crew, FM & Crew, Wireless & Crew, The Maxoids, Marvin Gleicher, Brian Robertson, Jimmy Bain, Michael Schenker, the Projectors, Peter Mensch, the P.M., Bob (the Grove) Snelgrove, the inmates of the Great Fog, Gerry Griffin, Lee Scherer, and their families and friends at NASA, Henry Spencer and baby, Le Mont St. Michael, the Montcalm, vin-du-hairface, volleyball, Space Invaders (10p), euchre, Malibu Grand Prix, hockey–Steve Shutt and Larry Robinson, thanks for the sticks!, M*A*S*H, The Jack Secret Show, Rickey, Lucy, and Ethel, (Where’s Fred?), Neal and Larry at the Percussion Centre, all at Oak Manor, and all at Trident. Ho-Hoo!

We express our appreciation to the fine people and instruments of Gibson, Moog, Tama drums, Rickenbacker, and Sunn amplification


©1980 Mercury Records
©1980 Anthem Entertainment

Awards

Billboard 200
#4
UK Albums Chart
#3
Certified Gold by RIAA
March 17, 1980
Certified Platinum by RIAA
November 9, 1987

The Spirit of Radio

Music: Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson
Lyrics: Neil Peart

Begin the day
With a friendly voice
A companion, unobtrusive
Plays the song that’s so elusive
And the magic music makes your morning mood

Off on your way
Hit the open road
There is magic at your fingers
For the Spirit ever lingers
Undemanding contact
In your happy solitude.

Invisible airwaves
Crackle with life
Bright antennae bristle
With the energy
Emotional feedback
On a timeless wavelength
Bearing a gift beyond price –
Almost free…

All this machinery
Making modern music
Can still be open-hearted
Not so coldly charted
It’s really just a question
Of your honesty

One likes to believe
In the freedom of music
But glittering prizes
And endless compromises
Shatter the illusion
Of integrity

“For the words of the profits,
Are written on the studio wall,
Concert hall –
Echoes with the sounds…
Of salesmen.”