Skip to main content

They're marching to Bastille Day

Much in part to the fantastic documentary Rush: Beyond the Lighted Stage, I've had a hankering for completing my Rush collection. What's strange is that my "collection" is really bone dry. So completion is a bit of ways away.

Back in middle school, I remember my friend Tim talking about the Chronicles compilation. He didn't describe what the band sounded like; he only spoke of it as an awesome sort of thing. I was curious. His tastes were very much in line with mine, and still are to this day.

Eventually I'd have my own taped copy of Chronicles as well as Roll the Bones, A Show of Hands, and their current record at the time, Counterparts. I would foolishly sell Roll the Bones and Counterparts in college (something I regretted until I heard they had been digitally remastered and reissued a few years ago) in order to create shelf space.

Now I'm at a point where my digital copies of Spirit of the Radio and Permanent Waves are simply not enough. I want pretty much everything from the seventies up until a certain point in their eighties catalog. Yes, that means some 20-minute epics filled with twisted time signature changes and rather odd song titles. But I say bring that all on.

There is an inherent level of geekitude that comes with wanting a band's catalog, and with Rush, it's amplified even more. Yet I'm thankfully at a point where I won't be teased for wearing a Rush T-shirt or criticized for coming into the band with Counterparts. High school's over and it's time to enjoy the present and future.

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Socials

 Hey, everyone! You can find me on several other platforms: http:/ http:// themeparkexperience.substack.com http:// Instagram.com/ericjgrubbs http:// TikTok.com/@ericjgrubbs http:// threads.net/ericjgrubbs http:// ericjgrubbs.bsky.social Thanks! 

The Complete Idiot's Guide to Catherine Wheel

Originally posted: Tuesday, August 29th, 2006 Despite managing to release five proper albums, Catherine Wheel was one of those bands that always seemed to slip past the mainstream rock crowd. Yes, they got some nice airplay in their day, but people seem to have forgotten about them. You may hear “Black Metallic” or “Waydown” on a “classic alternative” show on Sirius or XM or maybe even on terrestrial radio, but that’s about it. For me, they were one of most consistent rock bands of the ’90s, meandering through shoegazer, hard rock, space rock and pop rock, all while eluding mainstream pigeonholing. Led by the smooth, warm pipes of vocalist/guitarist Rob Dickinson (cousin of Iron Maiden’s Bruce Dickinson), Catherine Wheel featured Brian Futter on lead guitar, Dave Hawes on bass and Neil Sims on drums. They weren’t a pretty-boy guitar band, but they weren’t a scuzzy bunch of ragamuffins either. Though the band hailed from England, Catherine Wheel found itself more welcome on American air...