Dave's Side One

Rush grew up alongside arena rock itself. As the Forum became one of the country's premier concert venues, Rush evolved from club-sized audiences into one of the biggest touring bands on the planet

For me, the most exciting thing isn't necessarily new albums. It's the idea of hearing those songs performed live again by the musicians who helped create them.

The late 70s produced a lot of great reflective songs—tracks by Ambrosia, England Dan & John Ford Coley, Orleans, and Christopher Cross all captured a similar mood. But "Baby Come Back" occupies a special place among them

Streaming has made music more convenient than ever, but it's also made us more impatient. We hear ten seconds, decide whether we like it, and move on

The people who run record stores matter too. The best store owners aren't just selling records. They're curating experiences. They're introducing customers to artists and albums they might never discover otherwise

When you pull an album off the shelf, clean it, and lower the needle, you're making a commitment. You're choosing to spend time with that record.

Streaming often encourages us to jump around. Vinyl encourages us to stay put

For pure visual impact, though, it's hard to beat the custom labels. Led Zeppelin's Swan Song records. The palm-tree labels on many Island Records releases. The whimsical artwork on some Warner Brothers pressings

These albums crossed boundaries. They weren't just owned by rock fans or pop fans. They were owned by music fans

The streaming world gives us instant access to millions of songs. That's wonderful. But it doesn't give us the thrill of the hunt. It doesn't give us that feeling of spotting something special buried in a stack of ordinary records

Other great driving songs from the era like “Take It Easy” by The Eagles or “Ventura Highway” by America have similar qualities, but “Ride Like the Wind” stands out with its perfect blend of momentum and calm. It moves forward while making you feel peaceful — a difficult balance that few songs achieve