Heart and Rush in the Hall

Rush and Heart along with a handful of other artists will be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (RRHOF) next year, two bands I grew up listening to back in high school.  They may not have been the most significant bands of the era, or the most interesting or flashy.  Their records were not all masterpieces, but they had tons of fans in their hey days and sold out big arenas across the U.S. and Canada.  Interestingly, they are both Canadian bands.  Heart actually formed in Canada where they recorded Dreamboat Annie (1976), their first and perhaps best LP.  2112 , also released in 1976, propelled Rush onto the international stage.  As a teen, it was one of the records in constant play on my turntable, as was Heart’s Dog & Butterfly (1978), an underrated classic and in my view, the band’s magnum opus.

Are the two bands deserving of the RRHOF?  Perhaps.  Given the amount of time I spent listening to Hemispheres (1978) and Dog & Butterfly as a teenager, I think yes.  And from the standpoint of durability, the bands are still standing and playing after nearly 40 years – and that’s a lot of years rock and rolling.  Heart may not have had quite the impact that Rush has had.  They still tour, but play theaters, not arenas.  Rush on the other hand just completed the North American leg of their Clockwork Angels  (2012) world tour where they have played large arenas and will continue to do so in Europe in 2013.  And by the way, Clockwork Angels may be their best LP to date.  No many bands who have been playing since the 70’s would be capable of producing a masterpiece together nearly 40 years later let alone pulling it off as Rush has.

To Rush, Heart and all the 2013 inductees to the RRHOF, Congratulations and rock on!