A Farewell to Kings

Rockfield Studios

In June 1977 Rush ended their sixteen-month tour in support of their previous album, 2112 (1976). They decided not to take a break and started on a follow-up straight away. Later that month, they retreated to Rockfield Studios in Rockfield, Monmouthshire in Wales to record.[2] This marked the first time that Rush recorded an album outside of Toronto, and Neil Peart recalled the decision to pick a studio suitable enough as "extremely difficult". After longtime Rush producer Terry Brown did some research, he became excited about working in Rockfield and the group chose it.[2][3][4] Peart later wrote that the seclusion and the "mellow" atmosphere at the studio created a productive environment for the group to work in, which gave them the opportunity to record outdoors.[2]

The album was recorded in three weeks, followed by two weeks of mixing at Advision Studios in London.[4] Peart said that 2112 made the band sound confined in their sound, so for A Farewell to Kings, the group decided to write material that featured instruments they could play naturally as well as new ones, thus allowing them to play multiple instruments when performing on stage. As a result, A Farewell to Kings features Peart playing orchestra bells, tubular bells, chimes, and other percussion; Geddy Lee playing double neck bass (a Rickenbacker 4080) and Minimoog; and Alex Lifeson on new guitars and for the first time, a Moog Taurus bass pedal synthesizer (used by both Lee and Lifeson).[3] Prior to recording, Rush completed a short tour in 1977 which saw the group perform "Xanadu". Apart from early ideas for "Closer to the Heart", the majority of the album was developed in the studio.[5]

In 2017, Lee considered the album as a particularly important one in regard to his musical development. "I learned a lot; I was learning a lot. I was always challenged and I was very stimulated and the end result was A Farewell to Kings, so I guess it was a pivotal record in that regard."[5] A Farewell to Kings was the first Rush album where synthesizers were an integral part of their sound.

The cover was designed by longtime Rush collaborator Hugh Syme. He started on the design after Rush had begun recording the album. It features a composite photograph of a Buffalo, NY demolition site with the Harbour Castle Hotel in Toronto in the background, while the foreground depicts a retouched human figure that resembles a "grotesque puppet", all of which represents themes addressed in the title track.[3]

A Farewell to Kings was released in September 1977. In the UK, Phonogram Inc. prepared an extensive advertising campaign for the album to increase the band's profile in the territory.[6]

In November 1977, A Farewell to Kings was one of three Rush albums to be certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America for selling 500,000 copies. The others were 2112 and All the World's a Stage.[5][6]

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	[8]
Christgau's Record Guide	D[9]
Classic Rock	[10]
The Encyclopedia of Popular Music	[11]
PopMatters	8/10[12]
Record Mirror	[13]
The Rolling Stone Album Guide	[14]

On release, Billboard wrote that "this trio has abated its heavy metal thunder somewhat for a lavishly orchestrated extravaganza that has a rock opera feel to it".[15]

AllMusic's Greg Prato gave the album four out of five stars, saying they "had improved their songwriting and strengthened their focus and musical approach". He took notice of the synthesizers that were creeping into the arrangements, "a direction the band would continue to pursue on future releases". He said "Xanadu" "remains an outstanding accomplishment all these years later".[8]

Conversely, Village Voice critic Robert Christgau gave the record a D grade, panning Rush as "the most obnoxious band currently making a killing on the zonked teen circuit", comparing them to bands such as Angel, Kansas, and Uriah Heep, "with vocals revved up an octave. Or two."[9]

In the Q & Mojo 2005 Classic Special Edition Pink Floyd & The Story of Prog Rock, the album came in sixth in a list of "40 Cosmic Rock Albums".[16]

In 2021, American funk metal band Primus embarked on their "A Tribute to Kings" Tour. At each show, Primus played their original material in the first set before covering the entire "A Farewell to Kings" album in their second set. The first leg began August 10, 2021 in Boise, Idaho, and ended October 25 in Phoenix, Arizona.[17] The second leg began April 15, 2022 in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, and was finished June 25, 2022 in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Rush toured in support of the album from August 1977 to June 1978.[18] Early into the tour, Rush headlined a sold-out gig at the Exhibition Stadium in Toronto in August 1977 that was attended by over 22,000 people.[19] In late 1977, tickets for a 16-date leg across the UK from February 1978 were announced which quickly sold out.[6]

Rush

• Geddy Lee – vocals, bass and twelve-string guitar, Minimoog, bass pedal synthesizers
• Alex Lifeson – electric and acoustic six- and twelve-string guitars, classical guitar, bass pedal synthesizers
• Neil Peart – drums, orchestra bells, wind chimes, bell tree, vibraslap, triangle, tubular bells, temple blocks

Additional personnel

• Terry Brown – spoken vocals on "Cygnus X-1 Book I: The Voyage"

Production

• Rush – production, arrangement
• Terry Brown – production, arrangement, mixing
• Terry Brown – recording engineer
• Pat Moran – recording engineer
• Declan O'Doherty – mixing assistant
• Ken Thomas – mixing assistant
• George Graves – mastering
• Bob Ludwig – remastering
• Brian Lee – remastering
• Yosh Inouye – cover photography
• Hugh Syme – art and graphic direction
• Roger Stowell – sleeve photograph
• Fin Costello – liner notes photograph

• A Farewell to Kings at Discogs (list of releases)