We had long thought no one was more dedicated to their favorite band than Rush fans. Then we bumped heads with the Dream Theater legions. Clearly, the two groups inspire such loyalty for many of the same reasons.
Both bands play progressive hard rock that’s heavy on musicality, but also rife with strong hooks and melody. And both deliver live with a precision and chemistry that’s nearly unparalleled. Clearly, there are lots of people out there that are diehard fans of both… Well, now they have to choose.
Maybe the question “who rocks harder?” isn’t exactly fair. Neither band strives for heaviness in and of itself, and while Dream Theater’s rhythms are more metallic than those of modern day Rush, Dream Theater probably wouldn’t be the same band today were it not for Rush, which opened the commercial floodgates to prog-metal back in the mid-’70s — back before Dream Theater singer James LaBrie’s voice had even changed. Of course, back then, Rush frontman Geddy Lee was singing so high it sounded like his voice hadn’t changed either.
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So, I think some are confused. The question, itself, says NOTHING about who “influenced” who. To say DT wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for Rush is kind of….well, I can’t even think of the word. Maybe, irrelevant?… They are both their own bands. Sure, their music “genre” is the same, but not necessarily their sound. Hence, if you take Train Of Thought, or any of DT’s HEAVY songs for that matter, it is quite different than anything HEAVY rush has put out.
This is just MHO.
Who cares about who inspired who? Yeah, sure Rush has inspired Dream Theater. But Dream Theater has also built quite a bit off that inspiration and mixed their own stuff in to create their OWN style. That’s what bands do. I mean, Yes inspired Rush, does that mean Yes rocks harder than Rush? No, it doesn’t! Rush and Dream Theater are both great bands in their own regard and I believe that anybody who sits and compares the two bands is a complete idiot!
i guess if you want to define harder as more intense and heavy than id have to go for dream theater, but at this point rush is 34 years into their career so they are definitly more legendary and have more of an elevated status which they have earned at this point. and dream theater has that elevated status as well but not as high as rush yet. I dont really like the way the heading of the article paints dream theater and rush fans as two completely different camps. i dont know about evereyone else but they are my two favotite bands and john petrucci says that rush is HIS favorite band.
RUSH definetly rocks harder! Pioneers of the progressive sound! I have heard Dream Theater cover several RUSH tunes, when’s the last time RUSH covered Dream Theater tunes? C’mon 3 incredibly talented artists! Everyone bass player wants to be Geddy, Every drummer wants to be Neil Pert and every guitarists wants to be Alex…’nuff said!
I agree with Robert…
Dream theater!
Dream Theater, easy. Theyr’e heavier, louder and dont wine. Geddy Lee… Winer.
Dream Theater for sure. Rush is influential and definitely helped DT define their sound, but Dream Theater has a more consistent output. They know exactly what they want to accomplish, and they do it, time and time again.
RUSH.
DT…Can’t hold RUSH’s jock
Rush.
Without Rush, Dream Theater wouldn’t be what it is today. Rush had a huge influence on them. They are from two different generations. Rush has always been more original that DT but DT is louder by today’s standards. I have to go with Rush on this one.
Dream Theater hands down!
woah, this one is hard. i like both bands. Rush started the Progressive rock scene and Dream Theater was a great addition to it. This one’s a tie to me.