Is Rush really a Prog band ?

I share your fondness for Rush's mid-80s albums. They tend to be under-appreciated.

YOU TRADED SIGNALS FOR ROLLER SKATES!!!??? 

OK, now that I've got that out of my system ... 

There does seem to be a bit of a divide on who thinks what is prog and isn't, and I suppose it might be largely generational (see below). My own experience is similar to yours if a tad earlier. My first Rush album--and second album overall--was A Farewell to Kings, which I got at the age of 12, on 8-track if you can believe it. I've since owned it on vinyl, cassette, and CD as well. It largely defined for me what rock music was, and I admit that when Rush's style began to seriously shift in the early 80s I was at first a little disappointed. What kept me listening was the simple fact that many of the songs on Signals spoke so directly to my own experience at the time. Then, once I had given the music itself a fair chance, and accepted that no artist can stay the same and yet remain an artist, I found that the new direction was very exciting and, as you said yourself, unlike anything else happening at the time.

As for the other bands you mention, I admit to having liked "Owner of a Lonely Heart" since the first time I heard it, though I do find that early Yes holds my attention more consistently. And as for Genesis, my own introduction was similar to yours, specifically ABACAB. I only discovered Gabriel-era Genesis a few years later. My own take on that band is that the departure of Hacket had a far stronger impact on their music than the departure of Gabriel did. This line of thought it off-topic for this thread, though, so I will call it quits here.

Best wishes,

Rod