30 years ago today on February 12, 1981 Rush released their 8th and most commercially successful studio album, Moving Pictures. The album was recorded and mixed at Le Studio in Morin Heights, Quebec and was certified quadruple-platinum on January 27, 1995. The album peaked at #3 on the US Billboard charts and produced some of Rush's best-known singles including their signature track Tom Sawyer. This track along with Limelight, Red Barchetta and the Grammy-nominated instrumental YYZ are a regular staple of rock radio to this day. In celebration of the album's anniversary the band decided to play it front to back as part of their setlist for the 2010 Time Machine Tour and will continue doing so for their 2011 tour. Also in celebration of the anniversary, we recently learned that the band will be releasing a 5.1 surround sound version of the album. Moving Pictures was also the subject of a recent Classic Albums documentary special which covered the making of the album and included commentary from all three members of Rush along with producer Terry Brown, Taylor Hawkins of The Foo Fighters, Rolling Stone journalist David Fricke and many others. Here's a short minute-and-a-half preview video which shows Neil Peart, David Fricke, Alex Lifeson and Terry Brown discussing Limelight.

Happy Anniversary Moving Pictures!

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