You like Power Windows better than Grace Under Pressure?

Fave early period = Caress of Steel
Fave classic period = Permanent Waves
Fave synth period = Power Windows
Fave latter period = Clockwork Angels

By the tiniest of margins.

Is 2112 early period? Is Signals classic or synth? Are all periods divided by a live record?

Rush > 2112 = Early
Fairwell to Kings > Moving Pictures = Classic
Signals > Roll the Bones = Synth
Test for Echo > Clockwork Angels = Latter

IMO. These are not black and white choices - tons of grey between eras.

Do you have to kind of fake it to enjoy the latter period stuff or do you really like it?

I respect them so much for what they accomplished but, to me, those late period records have no charm. Listening to those records is, to me, like petting an old faithful dog that has been stuffed by good taxidermist.

The Garden is a genius send off tune. So glad I got to see them a couple years ago after 40 years of being a fan and just blatantly missing each and every time they came to town. My brother, on the other hand, has seen them maybe 20 times. It was 1978 when I first heard 2112 and was transported into a new world of impeccable drumming, lush guitar chords, incredible bass lines, and fantastic futuristic story telling. Inimitable in many ways. From the Fear Trilogy, to Lifeson's Victor, Lee's involvement with the McKenzie boys and SCTV, and Pearts influence on the drumming world as well his family tragedy's, they encompass a world of perfection, struggle, and perseverance, as they go out with their integrity intact.

To be honest I really disliked the albums between Power Windows and Clockwork Angels. I didn't buy a single one of them. They all have some great stuff but a lot of them were trying to hard or simply falling back on cliches.

So glad they went out with CA. That album kicks serious ass! And I love how they quote bits and parts from their classic years. The perfect Swan Song IMO.

PLANK, couldn't agree more!!! Feel the same way about Zep's I'm Gonna Crawl, their last official release. (Coda was old outtakes that were released to satisfy a contract with Atlantic Records)

Good post

Thank God Zep never tried to replace JB. I wish The Who had done the same thing.

As someone who thinks that Bonham is the essence Zeppelin, I think that if Bonzo's Montreaux was the closer on Coda, then it would be the perfect swan song for Zeppelin. I feel like Bonham's both overrated and underrated at the same time. Overrated because a lot of people only call him great because he was in Zeppelin without thinking about why that makes him a great drummer. Underrated not only because of his exceptional playing, but because he drives the group in such a direct but also almost understated way when compared to the flamboyance of Page and Plant. It might just be because so many people borrow from his influence in the emptiest way possible, but his playing also has an air of actually playing music like a jazz man instead of just checking all of the "right" boxes. Your track is a lot more fair to the whole group since it's more in line with what defines their discog though.

Back on topic Rush is neat. I only ever listen to the early stuff. If they only released the song 2112, that alone would be enough for them to deserve their legacy.