One of the interesting things to come out of Larry Harris’s 2009 book about Casablanca Records, And Party Every Day (Backbeat Books), is how close the label came to signing Rush. Harris, the company’s managing director, said he flew to Toronto in 1974 at the recommendation of a colleague to see if the band was a good fit for the label, which at the time was known mostly for its up-and-coming rock act, Kiss. Harris wasn’t that impressed with the band, especially with its looks, and took a pass, opening the door for Mercury to swoop in and snap them up. And the rest, as they say, is history.

Harris with Gene Simmons

Harris says he regrets not signing the band, but it’s probably a good thing he didn’t. Despite what it did for Kiss, Casablanca did not go on to become a major force in rock music; it went…