10 Classic Albums That Came Out Of Nowhere

In the years following their debut in the late '70s, Rush have practically turned themselves into a prog rock institution. While many prog artists can claim to have vast discographies with long drawn out songs, you'd be hardpressed to find one with as impressive a track record as these Canadian icons had at their peak. You wouldn't hear that just from their debut, though.

For any hardcore Rush aficionado, it almost feels like a completely separate band stepped up to the plate on the first Rush record, with most of the riffs being a Led Zeppelin knockoff more than anything uniquely their own. When Neil Peart jumped in on Fly By Night, you could practically see the band growing up at a rapid pace, going for more lofty compositions like By Tor and the Snow Dog while incorporating the down and dirty rock and roll that they started with.

It's also worth noting that this was the first album with Peart writing the lyrics as well, which is practically Shakespeare compared to such acts of prose as Working Man and In the Mood from the last records. By now, Rush was just a standard boogie woogie band that could have toured the '70s circuit and done alright. After The Professor was behind the kit, they were ready to take on any other rock band that stood in their way.