Mosher

Thanks Lucas for the welcome. I haven't spent much time discussing Rush with anyone other than my old internal monologue, and I guess it was time to talk to other fans. I'm a music junkie and love something from every genre pretty much, and I've always found that no matter how much I appreciate a band, I start to appreciate them more when I see why others click in the ways they do. I wasn't contacted about anything, but 70's vs. 80's sounds cool. I will look it up.

While I am certain Neil will never tour again, unless he receives new arms, there's no reason something appealing can't be done. Whatever they have felt in the past is subject to change just like it is for all of us. Creating a studio album without touring is possible. Other bands do it. They might not be a touring band, but I can easily see them changing their minds about whether a non-touring band is legitimate. If they put the work into a new album then they have respected their art and it certainly is legitimate. And as Alex was fine with making Victor and Geddy made MFH, why couldn't they continue to work together. Don't call it Rush, obviously, because at this point changing drummers would be horrific. People joke about an acoustic tour, but the reality is that they can work together without ruining the legacy. They've worked together since they were kids. Would it be drumless? Drum machine? new drummer but not Rush? I have no problem with any of that. If they want to work they shouldn't let Neil wanting to stop be an issue. This works both ways, if Neil doesn't want to tour they shouldn't try to make him. As fans we shouldn't feel they owe us anything beyond what they've done. They should make music if they want to, and if that happened, Rush or not, I'd be very interested. edit: As to a record deal, that could be written in so many different ways that they could have many ways to get around it. Geddy's compilation idea might be all it takes to satisfy the deal. A lot depends on the wording of the deal (assuming there is one). Sometimes the only rule is that the NEXT album has to be with their current label. Sometimes that means no more albums, without breaking any contract rules.

Clockwork Angels blew me away. I did not expect anything of the kind before I listened. Vapor Trails didn't have anything that hit me immediately other than Earthshine and How It Is, Snakes was a great album technically that had very little that made me pay rapt attention. I actually was wondering if I had actually aged out of 'getting it'. The Vapor Trails remix was essential and I like the album much more now, but still, both of those releases are just 'standard'. As a Rush fan that's fine, but I wanted stellar. Clockwork Angels was the album I'd been craving since I was a kid. For me it is every bit as strong as the best they've ever done. If this really is it, then what a magnificent way to go out.

Permanent Waves has, as others rightfully noted, Natural Science. This fairly adequately closes the case with a ruling in strong favor of PeW. Of course it's only fair to judge the albums as whole constructs, and things might tighten a bit. I'll trip and fail at the following exercise, but the best thing about Rush fans is that one person's least favorite song can be another fan's favorite. I will rank every song and see which album ends up with the stronger presence. So here goes, with fingers crossed that I don't look back on this and wonder what the heck I was thinking. (Since this probably would be different tomorrow). 1: Natural Science 2. The Analog Kid 3. Freewill 4. The Spirit of Radio 5. Countdown (because someone out there must love it, might as well be me) 6. Subdivisions 7. Jacob's Ladder 8. The Weapon 9. New World Man 10. Entre Nous 11. Digital Man 12. Losing It 13. Different Strings 14. Chemistry I'll add that I like every song up there. There are Rush songs I don't like, but these are two very solid albums throughout. For me I think it's clear that I like PeW much more. Even weaving the tracks the top of the list is PeW heavy while the bottom is a lot of Signals.