Rush's Five Album Run From 2112 To Moving Pictures

[KevShmev]

70's is my favorite era for music.  Doesn't mean i can't love 80's output.  Also Wildranger, I think all output from ZZ Top sucks.

In other words, ZZ Top is the only band you didn't see in the 80's.

[kirksnosehair]

ZZ Top never appealed to me much, but I've had fun covering "Cheap Sunglasses" and "Tush" which is always a crowd pleaser

[KevShmev]

I go through a ZZ Top phase once every three or four years.  Usually last a day or two and it is fun, and then I move on and get back to them three-four years later again.  

The songs in my 80's playlist (Gimme All Your Lovin', Legs) and Cheap Sunglasses (killer song I listen to often) notwithstanding. 

[King Postwhore]

70's is my favorite era for music.  Doesn't mean i can't love 80's output.  Also Wildranger, I think all output from ZZ Top sucks.

In other words, ZZ Top is the only band you didn't see in the 80's.

BINGO!!

[Mladen]

Count me as one who prefers the run from Permanent Waves through Power Windows.

Same here.

Same. That run absolutely smokes 2112 to MP imo

Count me in.

[The Walrus]

70's is my favorite era for music.  Doesn't mean i can't love 80's output.  Also Wildranger, I think all output from ZZ Top sucks.

I want to buy you a beer for this. Hell yeah 

Huh.   That surprises me from both of you (and pg).   I would have thought that they would be at least middle of the road.  They seem to have a modicum of integrity, and Billy Gibbons is a monster player.    Personally, you have to be careful with ZZ Top's catalogue (they went through a phase when they reconfigured their earlier output to sound more like "Eliminator", which is to be avoided, but they went back to the original mixes which still sound good today). 

They were less than impressive live though; I saw them as a headliner and they literally played for 60 minutes.  Lame (even if the 60 minutes were solid).

I don't doubt they're monster players, and even in their hits they show chops, but I just can't bring myself to listen to them and don't like their hits much either. I've heard three albums - Degüello, La Futura, and one of their other early ones I can't remember the name of off the top of my head - and they're just so meh.

[pg1067]

70's is my favorite era for music.  Doesn't mean i can't love 80's output.  Also Wildranger, I think all output from ZZ Top sucks.

I want to buy you a beer for this. Hell yeah 

Huh.   That surprises me from both of you (and pg).   I would have thought that they would be at least middle of the road.  They seem to have a modicum of integrity, and Billy Gibbons is a monster player.    Personally, you have to be careful with ZZ Top's catalogue (they went through a phase when they reconfigured their earlier output to sound more like "Eliminator", which is to be avoided, but they went back to the original mixes which still sound good today). 

They were less than impressive live though; I saw them as a headliner and they literally played for 60 minutes.  Lame (even if the 60 minutes were solid).

I don't doubt they're monster players, and even in their hits they show chops

I can't hear anything resembling "chops" in any ZZ Top song I've heard (which, granted, is probably not more than a dozen, about half of which are from Eliminator).  I have two vague recollections from when ZZ Top exploded in the MTV days.  The first was that Dusty Hill was a terrible bass player, and the other was something about them having livestock on the stage during their 70s concerts.  I took a look at the band's Wiki page and saw nothing about livestock, so maybe that was just a weird story or something I've mixed up in my head.

[King Postwhore]

PG, check out the rock doc on ZZ Top. Even though I wasn't a fan i enjoyed it throughly. 

[Stadler]

70's is my favorite era for music.  Doesn't mean i can't love 80's output.  Also Wildranger, I think all output from ZZ Top sucks.

I want to buy you a beer for this. Hell yeah 

Huh.   That surprises me from both of you (and pg).   I would have thought that they would be at least middle of the road.  They seem to have a modicum of integrity, and Billy Gibbons is a monster player.    Personally, you have to be careful with ZZ Top's catalogue (they went through a phase when they reconfigured their earlier output to sound more like "Eliminator", which is to be avoided, but they went back to the original mixes which still sound good today). 

They were less than impressive live though; I saw them as a headliner and they literally played for 60 minutes.  Lame (even if the 60 minutes were solid).

I don't doubt they're monster players, and even in their hits they show chops

I can't hear anything resembling "chops" in any ZZ Top song I've heard (which, granted, is probably not more than a dozen, about half of which are from Eliminator).  I have two vague recollections from when ZZ Top exploded in the MTV days.  The first was that Dusty Hill was a terrible bass player, and the other was something about them having livestock on the stage during their 70s concerts.  I took a look at the band's Wiki page and saw nothing about livestock, so maybe that was just a weird story or something I've mixed up in my head.

Well, it depends.   Find the Live at Daryl's House with Billy Gibbons; he SMOKES it in that setting.  But you're right; "Legs" is not exactly prog in it's instrumental stylings. 

[Stadler]

70's is my favorite era for music.  Doesn't mean i can't love 80's output.  Also Wildranger, I think all output from ZZ Top sucks.

I want to buy you a beer for this. Hell yeah 

Huh.   That surprises me from both of you (and pg).   I would have thought that they would be at least middle of the road.  They seem to have a modicum of integrity, and Billy Gibbons is a monster player.    Personally, you have to be careful with ZZ Top's catalogue (they went through a phase when they reconfigured their earlier output to sound more like "Eliminator", which is to be avoided, but they went back to the original mixes which still sound good today). 

They were less than impressive live though; I saw them as a headliner and they literally played for 60 minutes.  Lame (even if the 60 minutes were solid).

I don't doubt they're monster players, and even in their hits they show chops

I can't hear anything resembling "chops" in any ZZ Top song I've heard (which, granted, is probably not more than a dozen, about half of which are from Eliminator).  I have two vague recollections from when ZZ Top exploded in the MTV days.  The first was that Dusty Hill was a terrible bass player, and the other was something about them having livestock on the stage during their 70s concerts.  I took a look at the band's Wiki page and saw nothing about livestock, so maybe that was just a weird story or something I've mixed up in my head.

No, it happened.  The '76-'77 World Wide Texas Tour.  There are few photos, but this link has video, and at one point the camera pans to a rattlesnake coiled on the stage. 

[Cool Chris]

I am not a huge Rush guy, but what I enjoy of theirs, I rank as high as anything I have in my library. Subjectively, this 5 album stretch could be unparalleled in my musical collection.

[Stadler]

I am not a huge Rush guy, but what I enjoy of theirs, I rank as high as anything I have in my library. Subjectively, this 5 album stretch could be unparalleled in my musical collection.

In hindsight, this is kind of me.  I rarely ever rank them as "my favorite band" or even in the top three or four, but some of their albums?   Hemispheres is a top five album ALL TIME for me, and AFTK and MP are probably top 10, top 15.   That's pretty damn good for a guy that has something like 2,000 CDs. 

[kirksnosehair]

Aerosmith had a pretty good run of albums beginning with their debut through their 5th


Aerosmith - S/T - 1973
Get Your Wings - 1974
Toys In The Attic - 1975
Rocks - 1976
Draw The Line - 1977


 

[Stadler]

Aerosmith had a pretty good run of albums beginning with their debut through their 5th


Aerosmith - S/T - 1973
Get Your Wings - 1974
Toys In The Attic - 1975
Rocks - 1976
Draw The Line - 1977

Not questioning you, but no Night In The Ruts?   I agree with that run - solid, especially GYW through Rocks - but I'm a big fan of NITR.   One or two duff tracks - Remember is only ok and I can do without Reefer Headed Woman - but I LOVE the rest of Side A and I like it as a whole at least as much as Draw The Line.

[King Postwhore]

I think personally DTL is a weak album with their best song.  Kings & Queens. 

[ytserush]

I am not a huge Rush guy, but what I enjoy of theirs, I rank as high as anything I have in my library. Subjectively, this 5 album stretch could be unparalleled in my musical collection.

In hindsight, this is kind of me.  I rarely ever rank them as "my favorite band" or even in the top three or four, but some of their albums?   Hemispheres is a top five album ALL TIME for me, and AFTK and MP are probably top 10, top 15.   That's pretty damn good for a guy that has something like 2,000 CDs.

I don't think I have a Rush album in my top 10 albums of all-time. I'm fairly sure I don't.

[ThatOneGuy2112]

I'm sure Moving Pictures (my favorite Rush album) would wind up somewhere in my top 50 albums. I can comfortably call Rush one of my favorite bands of all time, and I genuinely don't think I can call any of their albums outright "bad", which is something I can rarely say about any artist with a discography as extensive as theirs.

[ytserush]

I'm sure Moving Pictures (my favorite Rush album) would wind up somewhere in my top 50 albums. I can comfortably call Rush one of my favorite bands of all time, and I genuinely don't think I can call any of their albums outright "bad", which is something I can rarely say about any artist with a discography as extensive as theirs.

Rush is my favorite band of all-time. There are only about a dozen songs in the entire catalog that I'm that not into and their first single has two of them.

[The Letter M]

Here's a question - can anyone pick a favorite five album run that DOESN'T include Moving Pictures?

I'm sure most folks might pick Signals-Presto, which is pretty decent, but I'm wondering if anyone would pick, say, Counterparts-Clockwork Angels, or even Caress Of Steel-Permanent Waves?

-Marc.

[pg1067]

Here's a question - can anyone pick a favorite five album run that DOESN'T include Moving Pictures?

I'm sure most folks might pick Signals-Presto, which is pretty decent, but I'm wondering if anyone would pick, say, Counterparts-Clockwork Angels, or even Caress Of Steel-Permanent Waves?

-Marc.

I can't, but I get the sense that at least a couple folks here might take GUP through RTB or PoW through Counterparts.

[Stadler]

Here's a question - can anyone pick a favorite five album run that DOESN'T include Moving Pictures?

I'm sure most folks might pick Signals-Presto, which is pretty decent, but I'm wondering if anyone would pick, say, Counterparts-Clockwork Angels, or even Caress Of Steel-Permanent Waves?

-Marc.

I would go Fly By Night through Hemispheres.   I actually like most of Caress (I don't like I Think I'm Going Bald, even though it's inspired by a Kiss song, but I really like The Fountain of Lamneth).  I like FBN more than I like PeW, I think.  I'll have to think about that a bit.

[TAC]

I don't like I Think I'm Going Bald,

That's a shock! Figured it'd be Top 5!

[WildRanger]

Here's a question - can anyone pick a favorite five album run that DOESN'T include Moving Pictures?

I'm sure most folks might pick Signals-Presto, which is pretty decent, but I'm wondering if anyone would pick, say, Counterparts-Clockwork Angels, or even Caress Of Steel-Permanent Waves?

-Marc.

I would take Caress Of Steel-Permanent Waves easily. COS is good, next 4 albums are great. Signals-Presto? Nah, because Hold Your Fire and Presto are weak albums. Counterparts-Clockwork Angels? Nah. Because three albums between Counterparts and CA are meh.

[IDontNotDoThings]

Signal-Presto for me

I considered Caress Of Steel-Permanent Waves, but Hemispheres keeps me from choosing it.

[ThatOneGuy2112]

If we're excluding MP, then I'd go with CoS-PeW. Caress is solid but the band was still unrealized at that point IMO. Everything from 2112 onward is just straight fire.

I may have gone with Signals-Presto if not for HYF, which I'm not too keen on aside from a couple tracks.

[HOF]

I don’t know if I like Presto that much better than Permanent Waves or if I like Moving Pictures that much more than Hold Your Fire. That makes it a tough call whether to go with Permanent Waves-Power Windows or Signals-Presto.

[KevShmev]

Here's a question - can anyone pick a favorite five album run that DOESN'T include Moving Pictures?

I'm sure most folks might pick Signals-Presto, which is pretty decent, but I'm wondering if anyone would pick, say, Counterparts-Clockwork Angels, or even Caress Of Steel-Permanent Waves?

-Marc.

If I have to pick a 5-album run that doesn't have Moving Pictures, I will take Power Windows through Counterparts.  It has two of my five favorite Rush records (the ones that bookend it), a major sentimental favorite in Roll the Bones, and two more good ones in HYF and Presto.  Signals through Presto is tempting, but I probably slightly prefer the CP/RtB combo to Signals/GuP.

[jammindude]

If I were to take a favorite 5 album run that didn’t include MP, it would probably be CoS-PeW. But man, I REALLY love most of CP-CA. CP hasn’t aged well, and there’s some duds on VT, but I still play TFE, SAA, and CA all the time. LOVE those albums.

[Lethean]

Here's a question - can anyone pick a favorite five album run that DOESN'T include Moving Pictures?

I'm sure most folks might pick Signals-Presto, which is pretty decent, but I'm wondering if anyone would pick, say, Counterparts-Clockwork Angels, or even Caress Of Steel-Permanent Waves?

-Marc.

I could probably pick all three.  But I'll go with Counterparts-Clockwork Angels for today.  I went on a big Rush binge after Neil passed away and found myself going back to those albums often.  It's a great run to end their career.

[KevShmev]

I could probably pick all three.  But I'll go with Counterparts-Clockwork Angels for today.  I went on a big Rush binge after Neil passed away and found myself going back to those albums often.  It's a great run to end their career.

Yeah.  Even though none of the three are among my favorites, Test for Echo, Vapor Trails and Snakes and Arrows are all still good albums.  Plenty to like on each.  I am not going to go all fanboy and loudly proclaim, "ZOMG, Rush's worst albums are better than most bands' best," or anything silly like that, but I will submit that you won't find many rock bands or artists who made that many albums and were still making ones that solid/good once they got to 16, 17 and 18.

[kirksnosehair]

Aerosmith had a pretty good run of albums beginning with their debut through their 5th


Aerosmith - S/T - 1973
Get Your Wings - 1974
Toys In The Attic - 1975
Rocks - 1976
Draw The Line - 1977

Not questioning you, but no Night In The Ruts?   I agree with that run - solid, especially GYW through Rocks - but I'm a big fan of NITR.   One or two duff tracks - Remember is only ok and I can do without Reefer Headed Woman - but I LOVE the rest of Side A and I like it as a whole at least as much as Draw The Line.

Well, for me if we're talking about 5-album runs, I prefer the debut by a slight margin to Night In The Ruts, so that's why I went with the debut >> draw the line, but there is no doubt that Night In The Ruts is a great album, despite a couple of toss-out tracks. 


Seems we have similar musical tastes. 

[romdrums]

A while ago, I put all of the Rush studio albums in a mega playlist and sorted them in chronological order.  First time I did this at work, I started at the debut and made it to GUP by the end of my day.  Today, I started at Permanent Waves and I'm finishing up T4E right now.  It helped me get through Black Friday, for sure.   

[TAC]

Aerosmith had a pretty good run of albums beginning with their debut through their 5th


Aerosmith - S/T - 1973
Get Your Wings - 1974
Toys In The Attic - 1975
Rocks - 1976
Draw The Line - 1977

Not questioning you, but no Night In The Ruts?   I agree with that run - solid, especially GYW through Rocks - but I'm a big fan of NITR.   One or two duff tracks - Remember is only ok and I can do without Reefer Headed Woman - but I LOVE the rest of Side A and I like it as a whole at least as much as Draw The Line.

Well, for me if we're talking about 5-album runs, I prefer the debut by a slight margin to Night In The Ruts, so that's why I went with the debut >> draw the line, but there is no doubt that Night In The Ruts is a great album, despite a couple of toss-out tracks. 


Seems we have similar musical tastes. 

Night In The Ruts is EASILY my favorite Aerosmith album. In fact my favorite three album run by Aerosmith is NITR/RIAHP/DWM.

[SoundscapeMN]

I kind of see Rush's run from the debut through Presto to be unmatched. Every record is filled with strong material, and for the most part, does not include much if anything I dislike.

From a Rating standpoint, every record is between 4 and 5-stars.

There's really only 2 other bands I find that have had that kind of an extensive run of consistency for me.

-Led Zeppelin: Led Zeppelin I through In through the Out Door, aka their whole catalog minus Coda
-Renaissance: Prologue through A Song for All Seasons

why it's incredibly difficult for me to rank those catalogs.

Like Rush, I see Zeppelin and Renaissance having incredibly consistent and even catalogs. The difference between their worst record and their best record is not all that much.

Why if you take 2112 through Moving Pictures doesn't mean much to me because you could take Caress of Steel through Hemispheres or A Farewell to Kings through Signals, or Permanent Waves through Grace Under Pressure, and they are all so close, it's really just splitting hairs for me.

[ytserush]

Here's a question - can anyone pick a favorite five album run that DOESN'T include Moving Pictures?

I'm sure most folks might pick Signals-Presto, which is pretty decent, but I'm wondering if anyone would pick, say, Counterparts-Clockwork Angels, or even Caress Of Steel-Permanent Waves?

-Marc.

Not counting Feedback I'd do Test For Echo through Clockwork Angels and I'd want to include the live albums too.