Rush: The mid 80s
 

Having discovered Rush when they released Caress of Steel in 1975 and immediately becoming their biggest fanboy on the planet for the next several years, I had, at the time, really felt let down by their mid 80s change of direction.

In hindsight I think that the trio of Signals, Grace Under Pressure, and Power Windows are their creative zenith.

Let's talk Rush.

Did ya know that only The Beatles and The Rolling Stones have more consecutive gold albums than The Rush do?

I can totally relate to this. I used to think 80s Rush was crap, probably because I was an impressionable young kid in the 80s and that's what my Rush fan older brother told me. It wasn't until the late 90s/early 00s that I started to realize some of their best stuff was from the 80s: Grace Under Pressure specifically, but the best songs on Signals were also pretty great.

I'm going to be a little more predictable and say that there's a steep decline from Grace to Power Windows. However, I do agree that Grace Under Pressure is a fantastic and underrated record. I think you can make a strong case that the three finest CONSECUTIVE Rush records are Moving Pictures, Signals, and Grace. Then again, every record from 2112 to Grace is a masterpiece so I could understand going with any consecutive three starting at 2112 and ending with Grace. And I respect Chula's love for Power Windows but like I said, Grace is the last record I consider a masterpiece. I still think Power Windows is very good, just not great.

It's very hard for me to pick an overall top three Rush records. 2112 and Signals are my top two but that third spot... I just don't know.

The best three consecutive studio albums are:

• Permanent Waves
• Moving Pictures
• Signals

I think Rush really knocked it out of the ballpark with The Spirit of Radio and Freewill, so Permenant Waves has to be included when talking about their creative peak. They were ramping up with songs like Working Man, Fly By Night, and Closer to the Heart, when they got to Permanent Waves they were taking off and they peak with Moving Pictures. Signals sustained that momentum. Rush wanted to do a concept album based on the book 1984 but Van Helen got dibs on using 1984 as an album title first. I guess Van Helen's idea of Orwellian themed songs are Jump and Hot for Teacher. :/ I am not clear why Rush didn't or could use 1984, because Permanent Waves is also a Kinks' song. :/

I know I got backlash for saying this before, but I prefer early 80s more so than late 80s. It's not only Rush with Power Windows, but other bands like the Stones, Yes, Genesis, The Clash that released albums (from mid to late 80s) that were either weak, or uninteresting. I always considered that period in music a bit odd.

Grace Under Pressure is the band's most AOR orientated album but without the ballads or obvious singles. As a huge AOR fan I pretty much love that album. Not much of a fan of Power Windows though.

Interesting

Stones Yes Genesis The Clash

I love all 4 of those bands.

Interesting for me to consider if I prefer their early 80's releases or mid to late 80's

With the Stones I most definitely side with early 80's. I think Tattoo You is very good and Emotional Rescue is great and that last true Rolling Stones classic.

With Yes early 80's is the clear victor with Drama and 90125 easily beating the poop out of Big Generator. And original line-up or no 90125 is a terrific record.

With Genesis you got Duke, Abacab, Genesis-Genesis Vs Invisible Touch. Obviously early 80's again. Those three are all great.

The Clash. The Clash disbanded in 86 but with Sandinista (a contender for my favorite record of all time by any band) and the brilliant London Calling Vs Cut the Crap your hypothesis sits well with me.

Great thread 'Chula'. I can understand why you felt that way considering you found Rush in 1975. However, you're absolutely correct when you say that 'Signals', 'Grace Under Pressure', and 'Power Windows' (an overlooked masterpiece to me) were another "creative zenith" for Rush.

Perhaps I'm biased (and a LITTLE younger...:thumb:) but as a whole I have a SLIGHT preference to 80's Rush over their 70's output. Still, what a catalog! And what a band!

For the record, I'll take Rush OVER The Beatles and the Stones ANY day of the week. Be that as it may, yes, they're definitely in good company (:tramp:).

I discovered Rush in '79 when I happened to grab a copy of 2112 and listened to it through a decent pair of headphones at a friends house. From then on I wanted to hear everything they put out. I stopped wanting to after Hold Your Fire. Although it was a decent album, they just started lacking the hard edge they had molded themselves into, and what I considered their best attribute. I'm right about in line with Nea's picks for best consecutive three, but I'd throw in Hemispheres and remove Signals even though it didn't make the cut.

Thanks, :) I like Sandinista album too, it's ranks up there for me.

Thanks, I had cousins from the Pittsburgh area that were introduce me to Rush. My cousin were older than me and coming from that area they had a heads up on Rush. They fans longer than anyone I knew. Even though the first time Rush was played on the radio, their first concert was held in Pittsburgh, so it's definitely Rush territory. I got a few albums, but I wouldn't say I was a die-hard fan that needed all their albums.

Sometimes I feel you are doing PR work for you journal by constantly mentioning "AOR" - nothing wrong with that - however the radio format AOR played album tracks. They didn't have to play the "singles," they left that up to Top 40. :rolleyes: However bands could crossover like e.g. Queen or The Police. Ballads would be more often found in rotation on Soft Rockon radio format, maybe Top 40 as well. Grace Under Pressure is a good album, but I like Permanent Waves, it was more Proggy ;) plus analog synth of PW vs. new keyboards of the 80s factors of GuP in too.

I was like a Smeagle, scurrying away with my copy of Archives when my friend lent it to me. He didn't get it back for a couple years.