About Test For Echo
Test for Echo is the band’s 16th studio album. It was recorded from January-March 1996 at the legendary Bearsville Studios in New York state (now defunct) and at Reaction Studios (also defunct) in Toronto in April 1996.
The band returned after nearly a two-year hiatus with a power and ferocity that rivals some of their earliest material. From the metallic feel of the title track, to the driving force behind “Driven” and the heavy feel of “Dog Years,” the guys beefed-up their sound and crafted a Rush record for the ’90s.
Neil recorded a majority of his drum tracks for the album using traditional grip, after receiving drum lessons from jazz instructor Freddie Gruber.
Credits
Produced by
Peter Collins and Rush
Recorded by
Mixed by
Project assistant engineer
Simon Pressey
Arrangements
Rush and Peter Collins
Mastering
Bob Ludwig
Gateway Studios
Portland, Maine
Management
Ray Danniels
SRO Management Inc.
Toronto
Executive Production
Anthem Entertainment
Liam Birt & Pegi Cecconi
Art Direction, Design and Digital Illustration
Photography
Dimo Safari, Anthony Frederick, Andrew MacNaughtan, Richard C. Negus, Eugene Fisher
Liner Notes
Geddy Lee – bass guitar, vocals, synthesizers
Alex Lifeson – electric and acoustic guitars, mandola
Neil Peart – drums, cymbals, hammer dulcimer
Recorded at Bearsville Studios, Bearsville, New York
January-March 1996
Assisted by Chris Laidlaw and Paul Marconi
and
Reaction Studios, Toronto
April 1996
Assisted by Tom Heron
All songs by Lee, Lifeson, & Peart
except “Test For Echo“: Lee, Lifeson, Peart, & Dubois
Preproduction at Chalet Studio by Lerxst Sound and Everett Ravestein
“2001: A Space Odyssey” images © 1968 Turner Entertainment Co. All Rights Reserved
Tour Manager and President: Liam Birt
Production & Stage Manager: Dan Braun
Production Assistant: Jimmy Joe Rhodes
Concert Sound Engineer: Robert Scovill
Lighting Director: Howard Ungerleider
Stage Left Tech: Skip Gildersleeve
Centre Stage Tech: Larry Allen
Stage Right Tech: Jim Johnson
Keyboard Tech: Tony Geranios
Monitor Engineer: Phil Wilkey
Personal Assistant: Sean Son Hing
Concert Sound by Electrotec: Ted Leamy, Larry (Kahuna) Vodopivec, David (H.B.) Stogner, Brad Judd
Lighting by See Factor: Jack Funk, Ed Duda, Mario Corsi, Steve Kostecke, Donny Lodico
Icon lighting by LSD: Matt Druzbik, Julian Winters
Pyrotechnics: Reid Schulte-Derne, Doug Adams, Randy Bast
Projectionists: Bob Montgomery, Conrad Coriz, Sam Raphael
Concert Rigging by IMC (Billy Collins): Mike (Frank) McDonald, Brian Collins, Rick Mooney
Carpenters: George Steinert, Sal Marinello, Joe Campbell
Drivers: Tom (whitney) Whittaker, Arthur (Mac) MacLear, Lennie Southwick, Tom Hartman, Stan Whittaker, Dave Cook, Red McBrine, Don Hendricks, Phil Dunlap, Ken Bosemer
Tour Merchandise: Mike, Shannon & Pat McLoughlin
Tour Accountants: Liam Birt & John Whitehead (Drysdale & Drysdale)
Booking Agencies: International Creative Management, NYC, The Agency Group, London, The Agency, Toronto
Friendly help and helpful friendship provided by D.I.Y Studios, B. Zee Brokers, Candlebox & Primus and crews, Westbury Sound, Reely Unique Studio Rentals, Neal Dibiase, Wee Kiltie, haggis, Tom Cochrane, Pooké, Martian Dweller (for the dulcimer), Food To Go caterers, and at the Chalet: Koopster, David, Mike (the Real Owner), Zalia, George, Perry, & Compost Pit; at Bearsville: Mark, Patty, Chris, Paul, Päûl, & Jill; at Reaction: Ormond, Claire, Tom, & Chris; and at McClear: Bob, Denis, Pam, & Tony, At SRO: Ray, Pegi, Sheila, Anna, Stephanie, Shelley, Steve, & Bob; and at home–last but far from least–our families.
For technical help, our thanks to Walter Ostanek’s Music Centre, Jim Burgess and Saved By Technology (Carl Petzelt), Paul Reed Smith guitars, DOD Digitech, Godin guitars, Trace Elliot amplifiers, Coll Audio, Drum Workshop drums, Avedis Zildjian cymbals, Promark drumsticks, Freddie Gruber, and – Ω™
Brought to you buy the letter “R-R-R-R”
© 1996 Atlantic Records
© 1996 Anthem Entertainment
Awards
Billboard 200
#5UK Albums Chart
#25Certified Gold by RIAA
October 23, 1996Test For Echo
Music: Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson
Lyrics: Neil Peart and Pye Dubois
Here we go — vertigo
Video vertigo
Test for echo
Here we go — in slo-mo
Video vertigo
Test for echo
Some kind of trouble on the sensory screen
Camera curves over caved-in cop cars
Bleacher-creatures, would-be desperados
Clutch at plausible deniability
Don’t touch that dial —
We’re in denial
Until the showcase trial on TV
Some kind of pictures on the sense o’clock news
Miles of yellow tape — silhouetted chalklines
Tough-talking hood boys in pro-team logo knockoffs
Conform to uniforms of some corporate entity
Don’t change that station
It’s Gangster Nation
Now crime’s in syndication on TV
What a show — vertigo
Video vertigo
Test for echo
Touch and go — in slo-mo
Video vertigo
Test for echo
Some kind of drama live on satellite
Hidden camera coverage from the crime scene to the courtroom
Nail-biting hoodboys in borrowed ties and jackets
Clutching at the straws of respectability
Can’t do the time?
Don’t do the crime
And wind up in the perp walk on TV