20 Rush Albums in 20 Days: Hold Your Fire

DAY ONE: Rush, Hold Your Fire, running time 50:30, released September 8, 1987

While attending Berklee College of Music in 1987, I picked up my first Rush CD (previous purchases had been on vinyl), the newly released Hold Your Fire.  Midway through the album, the guitarist from across the hall inquired about Alex Lifeson’s playing.  I couldn’t lie.  It was almost unnoticeable.  To say Lifeson’s playing on Hold Your Fire is understated would be an understatement.  It’s not only that his guitar parts are less busy than on earlier records (notice the non-solo guitar solos on “Time Stand Still” and “Mission”), it’s also that his guitar sound is so clean and pure and pushed so far back in the mix.  This trend really began with 1982’s Signals, when Lifeson changed his contributions to the band, taking a backseat to Geddy’s keyboard prominence, and Hold Your Fire would cap off this period (captured on the live A Show Of Hands).  Beginning with the next release, Presto, Rush gradually yielded to a heavier guitar sound. 

Despite the change in the band’s sound in the 80s, Rush continued to pump out a quality product.  Sure, some of the synths sound a little dated today – ”Second Nature” is a fine tune, but somehow regrettable in retrospect – but much less so than a lot of what the 80s produced, and the musicianship of Rush’s three members continued to elevate their product above the din of most bands.  Geddy was very much a melody guy at this point in his career (vastly different from more recent albums), and even on songs when the production seems over the top, the tunes themselves are hummable, almost pop-like in some cases.  Aside from “New Word Man” off of Signals, I would argue that there isn’t a poppier Rush song than “Prime Mover” (and a damn good one too, in my opinion.  Best song on the album).

Hold Your Fire includes what Lee and Lifeson have reported as their least favorite Rush Song, “Tai Shan,” and though I still like the song, the album, running at 50 minutes plus, could probably have benefitted from cutting this one.  Since the Hold Your Fire tour, only three tracks from the album have been played in concert, which is too bad.  Rush has a tendency to lean on familiar territory in live performance, but I for one would love to hear a track like “Prime Mover” or “Turn the Page” live. 

The album’s closer, “High Water,” finishes off the CD with a resounding lift, even employing a cheesy modulation for effect (think Barry Manilow), but it works.  I buy into this kind of manipulation hook, line and sinker if it’s done well, and for me, Rush in 1987 did enough well to warrant our attention.  They created excellent melodies with sub-optimal production.  I think if they had to do it all again, they would reproduce this album to make it a little less synthy and a little heavier, with more crunch, more force and more low end.

But still, not too shabby of an effort.

Tomorrow, I’ll be listening to…drum roll, please…number 13.  Aha!  Rush’s very next album, the aforementioned Presto.  It’ll be interesting to hear what changes took place in the intervening two years.  Until then...

Twenty Rush Albums in Twenty Days

Often I find that opinions are based on conclusions made long ago, reinforced only by repeating the opinion rather than through reexamination.  How many times have you revisited a TV show from the 70s or 80s only to find that, “Hey, Fame was actually embarrassingly bad – no wonder Mom didn’t watch it with me”?  Some things age well (The Dick Van Dyke Show, wine, Eddie Cochran), and some don’t (The Mary Tyler Moore Show, Kool-Aid, The Monkeys), and sometimes opinions do a complete one-eighty (upon further examination, ABBA and The Bee Gees have gone up several notches in my book).

A few years ago, I listened to what I had previously concluded was among Rush’s worst albums, Grace Under Pressure, and lo and behold, I liked it.  I hadn’t listened to it in years, and I realized that my prior opinion was likely based on a memory I’d made twenty years earlier.

It is with this spirit that I am going to embark on a 20-day musical journey, limited in scope, though spanning forty years.  I’m going to listen to all twenty of Rush’s studio albums, one per day, and reevaluate them.  To do this, I’m going to attempt to press reset and ignore any conclusions I’ve already drawn about each album.  If you asked me today, I’d likely say the two best Rush albums are Moving Pictures and Permanent Waves and the worst are Feedback and Caress of Steel.  But who knows?  Perhaps with a clean slate and fresh ears, I may find new gems (and new clunkers) in Rush’s catalogue.

Here are the ground rules:

1)      I will listen to one CD – not album – per day by drawing a number out of a hat, each number corresponding to the Rush album sequence.  1 = Rush, 2 = Fly By Night … 19 = Snakes and Arrows, 20 = Clockwork Angels.

2)      I will listen intently and uninterrupted, wearing head phones and performing no other tasks except perhaps jotting down a note or two.

3)      Each day, I will write a short review of the listening experience.

4)      After twenty days, I’ll attempt to place each Rush album in order from best to worst through the eyes of a 46 year-old me, recognizing that the sequence could change again down the road.

I’ve already drawn the first number.  Tomorrow morning I’ll be listening to album number 12, 1987’s Hold Your Fire (the first Rush album I’d ever purchased on CD).

Can’t wait.

Record Night - The End of New Wave

Record night traveled south last Friday to the Heinz household, allowing for ping-pong, barbecue and s’mores, but music was still front and center.  Kevin attempted to answer the question: what happened to new wave, when did it end, and what did it morph into?  He came prepared, even going month by month from October of ’85 into 1986 to illustrate what was happening musically at that time (our senior year).  Turns out there was more going on than the classic rock I was listening to.  Go figure. 

John brought a 45 grab bag.  We primarily stuck to the following rule: grab a 45 without looking and play the B-side.  By this method, we heard some of the worst Tom Petty songs ever recorded.  Also, the “no Pink Floyd” rule was also broken for the first time.

Paul’s theme was pick any song he felt like playing, resulting in the first Carpenters song ever played on record night, and neighbor Kevin came to offer a few selections as well. 

Without further ado, here’s the list.  Note that we warmed up with a few tunes prior to beginning the various themes. Forgive any typos or erros.

Kevin                    Stevie Nicks                       Voilet and Blue

Kevin                    Peter Gabriel                     Walk through the Fire

Paul                      Tom Petty                          Rebel

John                      Buddy Holly                        Not Fade Away

John                      Falco                                   Auf Der Flucht

Kevin                    ABC                                      How to be a Millionaire (beginning the theme, 10/85)

Kevin                    Kate Bush                           Running up that Hill

Kevin                    Dream Academy               The Party

Paul                      Graham Parker                  Discovering Japan

John                      Queen                                 Radio Gaga (A-side)

Kevin                    Arcadia                               Goodbye is Forever

Paul                      Everly Brothers                 Love Hurts

Paul                      Everly Brothers                 Cry, Sigh, Almost Die

John                      Bruce Springsteen            Shut out the Light (B-side of Born in the USA)

Kevin 2                 BoDeans                             First side of Outside Looking In

Kevin                    Dokken                               In my Dreams

Kevin                    Motley Crue                       Too Young to Fall In Love

Paul                      Producers                           She Sheila

Paul                      Rolling Stones                   Miss You (12 inch disco remix)

John                      Rolling Stones                   Emotional Rescue

John                      Elvis Costello                     Veronica

Kevin 2                 Alison Moyet                     Resurrection

Kevin                    Level 42                              Something About You

Kevin                    Falco                                   Vienna Calling

Kevin                    Art of Noise                       Peter Gunn

John                      Rod Stewart                       I’m Losing You

John                      Supertramp                        Rudy (B-Side of Take the Long Way Home)

Paul                      Fleetwood Mac                 Beautiful Child

Paul                      Fleetwood Mac                 Gypsy

Kevin                    Chameleons UK                Mad Jack

Kevin                    REM                                     Superman

John                      Rolling Stones                   All the Way Down (B-side of Undercover of the Night)

Paul                      Led Zeppelin                      Celebration Day (live version)

Kevin                    Ministry                              We Believe

Paul                      Simple Minds                     Up on the Catwalk

Kevin                    Peter Gabriel                     Ga Ga and Walk into the Fire (B-sides of 12 inch Red Rain)

John                      Pink Floyd                           One of my Turns (B-side of Another Brick in the Wall)

Paul                      James Taylor                     That Lonesome Road

Kevin                    Billy Idol                              Don’t need a Gun

John                      Tom Petty                          Heartbreaker’s Beach Party (B-side of Change of Heart)

John                      Tom Petty                          Change of Heart

Paul                      The Carpenters                 Goodbye to Love

Kevin                    Peter Murphy                    Bauhaus

Kevin                    Sigue Sigue Sputnik          Love Missile F1-11

Paul                      Stevie Wonder                  You Haven’t Done Nothin’

John                      Tom Petty                          It’s Raining Again (B-side of Refugee)

Paul                      Supertramp                        It’s Raining Again

Paul                      Supertramp                        Crazy

Kevin                    The Cure                             Just Like Home

John                      Supertramp                        Just Another Nervous Wreck (B-side of Logical Song)

Paul                      Elton John                          Sweet Painted Lady

Kevin                    Elton John                          Funeral For a Friend/Love Lies Bleeding

Radio Essay on Milwaukee's NPR Station

My essay on Charging Children as Adults appeared on Milwaukee's NPR station, WUWM, 89.7 on May 15, 2014.  Check it out.

Yes you can: Open an IRA for your Child

Money seems to be a preoccupation of mine these days, which is ridiculous, as there are more important things to consume one’s time, like albums, ping-pong and baseball.  But one aspect of money management I’ve embraced recently is one that every parent should at least consider: opening Roth IRAs for your children. 

Back in college, when my friend Mark announced that he’d just opened an IRA, not only did I not know what an IRA was, but once explained to me, I didn’t understand what the hurry was.  After all, I was still visiting the TYME machine (ATM to those of you from outside Wisconsin) three times a night to buy “just one more” pitcher of Hamm’s; the only foresight I possessed was drinking a glass of water to minimize the inevitable hangover the following morning.

Over time, I learned about saving early and saving often, and by now my family has reaped the benefits of this strategy, but I could no doubt be in a better position had I started saving prior to obtaining a full-time job after college graduation.  As a father of three, I’ve looked for ways to get my kids on the right track earlier than I did, particularly since debt accumulation is higher than ever and wages for many careers are stagnant.  Saving money might be more important for those currently in their teens and 20s than it ever was for those currently in their 40s and 50s.

Enter the custodial Roth IRA.  Yes, your kids can open an IRA (or, more accurately, you can open one for them if they’re under age 18).  Any money your kids earn up to $5500 this year can be put into an IRA.  That doesn’t mean your child can’t spend or save the money she’s earned this year; my two daughters earned small amounts in 2013, and they were allowed to spend or save that money as they saw fit, but I matched their amounts and put it into their respective IRA accounts.  Some companies don’t allow you to open up a custodial IRA – Fidelity is one example – and some brokerage firms require minimums that my 16 year-olds couldn’t reach, but there are several options to fit most people’s needs.  I ended up opening accounts through E*Trade, though I could just as easily have opened accounts at TRowe Price, Vanguard, Charles Schwab or TD Ameritrade. 

The idea of course is twofold: get your kids to become accustomed to saving (even if they’re currently not flipping the bill, they’re learning that saving for one’s retirement is important), and start growing their money.  My daughters only earned $900 and $1500, respectively, in 2013.  But if they manage to earn 7% for the next 50 years, that money will grow to $26,511 and $44,186.  Not a bad start.

If you can’t afford to match your children’s income in total, perhaps come up with a compromise and have your kids save a portion of their savings and you match that portion.  Even a couple of hundred dollars is better than nothing, and there are funds that will allow you to open an IRA for as little as $100.

One note: you can only invest legitimate earnings, so keep good records of your child’s income and file a tax return even if they don’t have any withholdings to recoup.  One of my daughters earned all of her income by babysitting and doing other odd jobs that didn’t require a W2 or generate a 1099, but I still had her fill out a tax return (form 1040EZ only took her 5 minutes to complete).  Throughout the year, I kept track of all of her earnings on an Excel spreadsheet and included it with my tax records.

There are great resources to get you up to speed on opening Roth IRAs for your children.  Three than I perused before taking the plunge are below:

http://www.forbes.com/sites/baldwin/2011/04/18/make-your-kid-rich-with-a-roth-ira/

http://www.investopedia.com/articles/personal-finance/110713/benefits-starting-ira-your-child.asp

http://www.kiplinger.com/article/saving/T046-C001-S001-give-the-gift-of-a-roth-ira.html

Now start keeping track of your children's savings, open up an IRA, select an index mutual fund, and watch it grow.