La Villa Strangiato

Zoo Freaks, get ready to groove to the mind-bending instrumental "La Villa Strangiato" by Rush from their 1978 album Hemispheres. This 9-minute-plus epic was a beast to record, with bassist Geddy Lee revealing in a CBS Music interview that it took 11 days and had to be pieced together in three parts because the band couldn’t nail it in one take. Drummer Neil Peart shared in a 2014 interview that the song sprang from guitarist Alex Lifeson’s vivid dreams, which Lifeson described as more strange than nightmarish. The track’s subtitle, “An Exercise in Self-Indulgence,” reflects the band’s tongue-in-cheek acknowledgment of its complexity, as noted on medialoper.com. Lifeson’s guitar solo, especially before the “Powerhouse” section, is a fan favorite, with Peart and Lee playing restrained to let him soar, evoking both David Gilmour’s emotive style and Jimmy Page’s shredding intensity.

Another juicy tidbit comes from a Reddit post on the r/rush community, where fans discussed how the “Monsters!” and “Monsters! (Reprise)” segments borrow from Raymond Scott’s 1937 jazz piece “Powerhouse,” famous from Looney Tunes cartoons. Rush didn’t realize they were copying it at first, and by the time Scott’s publishers noticed, the statute of limitations had expired. Still, the band made a one-time payment to Scott out of ethical duty, though the album credits never changed. Mike Portnoy, prog drummer extraordinaire, called the song “Rush’s ultimate musical challenge” in a Louder feature, praising its technical prowess for drummers, bassists, and guitarists alike. Social media buzz, like a post from @rushisaband on X, highlights the Shakespearean nod in the section title “To sleep, perchance to dream…” from Hamlet, adding a literary flair to the track’s 12 distinct sections.

Rush, the Canadian prog-rock trio, began in 1968 in Toronto’s Willowdale neighborhood when Alex Lifeson (guitar) and John Rutsey (drums) started jamming in their teens. Geddy Lee joined soon after, replacing Jeff Jones on bass and vocals, as detailed on their official bio. The band played covers of Cream and Led Zeppelin in local bars and high schools, honing their chops. Neil Peart replaced Rutsey in 1974, just before their first U.S. tour, bringing his intricate drumming and philosophical lyrics that defined Rush’s sound. Their self-titled debut album dropped in 1974, but 1975’s Fly by Night and 2112 in 1976 catapulted them to prog-rock stardom with epic storytelling and virtuosic musicianship. Rush’s relentless touring and genre-defying albums made them legends, with over 40 million records sold worldwide.

Stay connected with Rush through their Facebook, Instagram, and X accounts for updates and throwbacks. Fans can dive deeper at The Rush Forum, a vibrant fan site with album discussions and general Rush talk, or join the r/rush subreddit, boasting 59K members sharing trivia and memes. On Facebook, groups like “Rush Fans” and “Rush – The Spirit of Radio” unite devotees swapping stories and concert memories. For Zoo Freaks craving more, check out La Villa Strangiato, an Italian tribute band formed in 2010 by Gabriele Ferrari, keeping Rush’s 70s and 80s spirit alive across Europe.