A Farewell to Kings

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About A Farewell To Kings

A Farewell To Kings was recorded at Rockfield Studios in Wales, and mixed at Advision Studios in London. The album took three weeks to record and two weeks to mix. It was the band’s Rush’s first US gold-selling album, receiving the certification within two months of its release, and was eventually certified platinum. The band was happy with how it turned out. Geddy recalled in 1978:

“It’s the only one of our albums apart from ‘2112‘ that I can really live with. I’ve yet to look at it and start finding fault with it, pick it apart, you know…it still sounds so positive.”

And with respect to Rockfield Studios, Geddy said:

“We were very happy with the sound we got there for ‘Kings’, also it’s got so much to offer… Rockfield is so good if you want to experiment–you know, you can go outside to record, use their weird echo room…that’s the kind of environment we like…”

The birds heard on “A Farewell to Kings” and “Xanadu” were recorded outside near Rockfield Studios.

Credits

Produced by

Rush and Terry Brown

Engineered by

Pat Moran and Terry Brown (Broon)

Art direction and graphics

Hugh Syme

Cover photography

Yosh Inouye

Sleeve photography

Roger Stowell

Liner photographs

Fin Costello

Design assistance

Bob King

Mastered by

JAMF Toronto by George Graves
Later remastered by Bob Ludwig and Brian Lee
Gateway Mastering Studios
Portland Maine

Management

Ray Danniels
SRO Productions
Toronto

Executive Production

Moon Records

Liner Notes

Neil Peart – Drums, orchestra bells, tubular bells, temple blocks, cowbells, wind chimes, bell tree, triangle, vibra-slap
Geddy Lee – Bass guitar, twelve string guitar, Mini Moog, bass pedal synthesizer, vocals
Alex Lifeson – Six and twelve string electric guitar, six and twelve string acoustic guitar, classical guitar, bass pedal synthesizer

Recorded at Rockfield Studios
Wales
June 1977

Mixed at Advision Studios
London
Assisted by Declan (not Norman!) O’Doherty and Ken Thomas

Roadmaster and lighting director: Howard (Herns) Ungerleider
Concert sound engineer and effects consultant: Major Ian Grandy
Stage right technician: Liam (ElfbjÃ¶rn) Birt
Stage left technician: Skip (Slider) Gildersleeve
Centre stage technician: Larry (The Saint) Allen
Stage Manager: Mike (Lurch) Hirsh
Chauffeur extraordinaire: (Ms.) Jorge Hoadley

Hello and thank you

National Sound and Crew, See Factor Lighting and Crew (U.K. too!), Electrosound U.K. and Crew, Graham The Coach Driver, Alans Moore and Kearsley, all at Rockfield and Pat (Duffo) Moran, (Farewell to Kingsley), Max Websters’ Dancing and Crew, The Cult and Crew, Fabrissio, The Percussion Centre, Tony (Old School Thai) Kelly, Continental Tom Berry, and all our friends in the U.K. (and everywhere!) we remember Brooklyn.

A special thank you to Dirk, Lerxst, and Pratt.

Our thanks also go out to the good people of Gibson Guitars, Rickenbacker Guitars, and Slingerland Drums for their personal help and consideration.

Dedicated to Nancy, Charlene, and Jacqueline

Awards

Billboard 200

#33

UK Albums Chart

#22

Certified Gold by RIAA

November 16, 1977

Certified Platinum by RIAA

December 1, 1993