Something for Nothing: A RUSH Fancast (Something for Nothing)

It's the last of our trilogy live from Henderson Brewing in Toronto! This week we welcome back our good friend Ray Wawrzyniak to stump us with Rush trivia. We also hear Rush Origin Stories from Bing from Houston, Texas, who also fills us in on a large language model he trained on the published works and lyrics of Neil Peart; Justin from Toronto, Ontario; and Morgan, also from Toronto. Check out Bing's AI project: https://rushologist-6171.chipp.ai Follow us on Instagram: @therushcast Follow us on X (formerly Twitter): @RushFanCast Email us at: therushcast@gmail.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Nick Raskulinecz is a Grammy-winning producer who has worked with the Foo Fighters, Alice in Chains, Evanescence, and, of course, Rush. Nick produced Rush's 2007 album Snakes & Arrows and their final masterpiece, Clockwork Angels, in 2012. he joins us this week to talk about his first meeting with Geddy and Alex, share stories from the recording sessions of Snakes & Arrows and Clockwork Angels, and what it was like to perform at Rush's 2013 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony. Follow us on Bluesky: @rushfancast Follow us on Instagram: @therushcast Follow us on X (formerly Twitter): @RushFanCast Follow us on Threads: @therushcast Email us at: therushcast@gmail.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week we welcome back our friend Max Mobley to count down our top 5 favorite Alex Lifeson riffs. Max previously joined us on episode 97 to talk about his book "Rush FAQ," episode 122 to rank our top 5 Alex Lifeson solos, and again on episode 146 as part of our Hold Your Fire Redux series to talk about "Mission." You can learn more about Max, including where to buy his first novel, "Howard & Debbie," at Fiction-MaxMobley. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It's the second of our 3 episodes live from Henderson Brewing in Toronto! This week we interview RushCon Creative Director Jillian Maryonovich; hear Rush Origin Stories from fans Jeff from Traverse City, Michigan; Ian from Kitchener, Ontario; Nyki from Honolulu, Hawaii; David from Toronto; and Christopher from Rochester, New York; and talk with RushFest Scotland founder Steve Brown. Follow us on Instagram: @therushcast Follow us on X (formerly Twitter): @RushFanCast Email us at: therushcast@gmail.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week we welcome Greg Russell. Greg was a close friend of Neil Peart, and he's also the drummer of the Rush tribute band Natural Science. Greg tells us about the unusual circumstance that led to his friendship with Neil, designing Neil's first website, and working on Neil's later drum kits. Follow us on Instagram: @therushcast Follow us on X (formerly Twitter): @RushFanCast Follow us on Threads: @therushcast Email us at: therushcast@gmail.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Back in episode 110, we spoke with David DeRocco, chair of the Neil Peart Memorial Task Force, about getting the project off of the ground. Now, 3 years later, sculptor Morgan MacDonald has been chosen to create the statues and fundraising for the project has kicked into high gear. We talk to David about choosing Morgan, the progress of the fundraising effort, and the lasting legacy of Neil Peart and Rush. Donate to the Neil Peart Memorial: www.stcatharines.ca/neilpeart Listen to our interview with Morgan MacDonald: https://tinyurl.com/psvssxn9 Follow us on Bluesky: @rushfancast Follow us on Instagram: @therushcast Follow us on X (formerly Twitter): @RushFanCast Follow us on Threads: @therushcast Email us at: therushcast@gmail.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In August, the SFN team--Steve, Gerry, and Lex--recorded live from Henderson Brewing in Toronto for Rush Day 2024. In the first of 3 episodes from Henderson Brewing, we talk with owner Steve Himel about the event and Rush lighting director Howard Ungerleider, and hear some Rush Origin Stories from fans Phil from Hilton Head, South Carolina; Melissa from Orange County, California; Ray from Whitby, Ontario; Doug from Burlington, Ontario; and John from Seattle, Washington. Follow us on Instagram: @therushcast Follow us on X (formerly Twitter): @RushFanCast Email us at: therushcast@gmail.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, we attempt the impossible: ranking all of Rush's original studio album tracks. And guess what? We found it was impossible. So join us as we discuss out methods and frustrations and offer our sincerest apologies to anyone who has ever published a list of ranked Rush songs. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We're rounding out our summer mini season with the incomparable Tyler Warren! Tyler is an incredible multi-instrumentalist and vocalist who tours with Queen + Adam Lambert, records with his band Flarelight, and has released full album covers of both Permanent Waves and, most recently, Grace Under Pressure on his YouTube channel. Tyler talks to us about falling in love with Rush, how he ended up touring with Queen + Adam Lambert, and the monumental task of playing every instrument on those amazing full album covers. You can watch Tyler's Permanent Waves cover here: Tyler Warren - Rush’s Permanent Waves (full album performance) (youtube.com) You can watch Tyler's Grace Under Pressure cover here: Tyler Warren - Rush's Grace Under Pressure (full album performance) (youtube.com) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In April 2020, a task force was created to plan a memorial for Neil Peart in a place familiar to all Rush fans, Lakeside Park in Port Dalhousie, St. Catharine's, Ontario. Two years later, this week's guest, sculptor Morgan MacDonald, was chosen to create the bronze statues that will honor the late drummer. Morgan tells us about the constant presence of Rush in his life, the Rush Easter eggs hidden within the sculpture, and the enormity of the work ahead of him. The city of St. Catharine's is currently accepting donations to raise the projected $1 million it will cost to construct and install the sculptures. You can donate at www.stcatharines.ca/neilpeart. You can see Morgan's past works on his website, www.morgansculpture.ca. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week we're joined by Mike Gormley, who worked as the director of publicity at Mercury Records during the early days of Rush. After leaving Mercury, he was the artist manager for such bands as The Bangles, Oingo Boingo, and Concrete Blonde. He tells us about meeting the band, their early days on the road, and the difficulty selling the rock press on the band despite their growing popularity. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Rush FAQ author Max Mobley returns to discuss the iconic guitar work of Alex Lifeson. We limit ourselves to only our favorite five Alex guitar solos--which turned out to be a difficult task! Do you realize how many truly fantastic solos Alex has played throughout the years? A lot, that's how many! So tune in to hear us apologize for leaving so many great solos off the list! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, we talk to the man who is crunching the numbers and pulling interesting information from raw data, John from Rush Graphs. John's Twitter (@xyyzgraphs) is a favorite among Rush fans because it offers a not so typical take on the band. John talks us through 9 different graphs, all of which are available on our Instagram (@therushcast) and Twitter (@rushfancast). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week we continue our chronicle of Grace Under Pressure with discussions of Red Sector A, The Enemy Within, and The Body Electric—a trio of songs that plumb the depths of human, and android, experience. This one gets a little heavy at times. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Leoni Jane Kennedy's acoustic version of Kid Gloves--included on Songs for Neil, Vol.3--is an ambitious take on the fan-favorite song, and she nails every second of it. We talk to Leoni about her love of Rush, being awarded the Freddie Mercury Scholarship, and seeing Geddy and Alex playing at the recent Taylor Hawkins memorial concert in London.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week we talk to the Field Director for the documentary Rush: Time Stand Still, Miller. (Everyone calls him Miller, so that's what we're calling him too.) As Field Director, Miller interviewed fans, roamed concerts looking for the perfect shot, and was on hand to capture some of the most enduring images of the film. He's also a natural raconteur. We think you'll enjoy this episode. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Tim Durling is the author of a great new book on 8-track cassettes, the much-maligned but incredibly collectible short-lived music format. We talk to Tim about his book be also how the limitations of the 8 track resulted in some truly odd song rearrangements of some of your favorite Rush albums. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Multi-instrumentalist songwriter and producer Ben Mink has won two Grammys, three Juno Awards, a Genie Award, a Gemini Award, and a Leo Award--but Rush fans know him best for playing electric violin on Losing It and co-writing and producing Geddy Lee's solo album, My Favorite Headache. Mink joins us to tell us about his family's passion for music, his earliest gigs, and playing the only violin solo on a Rush album. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We're back this week to discuss the remaining songs on Geddy Lee's 2000 album, My Favorite Headache. This batch of songs sees Geddy weighing in on some heavy topics with aplomb and, as has been par for the course for the album, a deft use of melody and songwriting. If you heard part one, this isn't a spoiler: My Favorite Headache rocks! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In 2000, Geddy Lee released his first and only solo record, My Favorite Headache. Geddy wrote the music with Ben Mink, best known in Rush circles for playing the electric violin on Losing It, but handled the lyrics himself. In this episode, we discuss the first five tracks of My Favorite Headache, and we can confidently saw it doesn't hurt a bit! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The gift-giving season is upon us, and that means one thing: Rush stuff! This week we're talking to Something for Nothing alums Ray Wawrzyniak and Mark Irwin, the main contributors to Rush Gigs: Found on the Studio Walls and In Concert Halls. The book features selections of gig posters and ads promoting Rush concerts throughout the decades. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Is there such a thing as a Rush deep cut? To the diehards, no. But we're making lists anyway! And to help us out we have Brian Colburn of the great Playlist Wars podcast! Together, we wrack our brains to come up with five no-so-popular-but-definitely-should-be Rush songs each. Email us at therushcast@gmail.com and let us know who created the best list, and send us your own list of five deserving Rush deep cuts! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Bob King is literally one of the most recognizable figures in the Rush world. Not only was he the model for the world-famous Starman logo from 2112, he also posed as the man in the bowler hat on Hemispheres, a role reprised on Exit...Stage Left, and one of the movers on Moving Pictures. Bob talks to us about growing up in St. Catharines, his long-time friendship with Hugh Syme, and how he feels about being the symbol of defiance for Rush fans everywhere! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week we welcome back singer/songwriter Leoni Jane Kennedy. Since she last joined us back on episode 163, Leoni has been busy recording a collection of acoustic Rush covers, "New World Woman." The album is chock full of Leoni's imaginative takes on Rush classics, and we talk to her about the recording process and play a few tracks. You can find out more about Leoni's music bu heading to her website, https://www.leonijanekennedy.com/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Our guest this week is bassist Andy Curran, a lifelong Rush fan who found his life inextricably entwined with the band since his group Coney Hatch was discovered by lyricist Pye Dubois and later signed to Anthem Records. Andy went on to serve as Rush's A&R guy and is currently working with Alex Lifeson and singer Maiah Wynne in Envy of None. Andy tells us about his Rush fandom, Geddy Lee's tennis tactics, and that fateful concert at Massey Hall. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Well, here we are: the fourth and last episode of our Moving Pictures discussion. This time, we cover Witch Hunt and Vital Signs--two great songs that go great together! We hope you enjoy it! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

To say Ray Wawrzyniak loves Rush is the understatement of understatements. Ray has dedicated most of his life to the band, and the fruit of his labor is his staggering collection of Rush memorabilia. Ray, our first two-time guest, takes us for a tour of some of his collection and discusses the meaning behind his favorite pieces. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In 2010, between the Snakes & Arrows and Clockwork Angels tours, Rush hit the road to play Moving Pictures in its entirety. The Time Machine tour hit 11 countries over the course of a year and was the resulting live album was the only one to be recorded in the city that broke the band outside of Canada, Cleveland, OH. This week, we talk about about this great tour and the two songs the band debuted from the then-unreleased Clockwork Angels, Caravan and BU2B. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Maiah Wynne is an award-winning singer/songwriter and multi-instrumentalist from Portland, OR, whose beautifully crafted songs have garnered her dedicated fans from around the world. After winning a mentorship with Andy Curran in a songwriting contest, the two began collaborating on songs, which led to Maiah writing lyrics and singing on the upcoming Envy of None project. Maiah tells us about her lifelong passion for music, her vast instrument collection, and, of course, working with Andy and Alex Lifeson. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

One of our favorite guests, Steve Brown of RushFest Scotland, returns to talk about his latest for-charity tribute album, Songs for Neil, Vol. 3. It's another crop of excellent covers by some of the best artists around. You can order Songs for Neil from the RushFest Scotland website, http://www.rushfestscotland.co.uk.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Last week we heard the heartbreaking news of Neil Peart's death. Upon joining Rush in 1974, Neil changed the trajectory of the band and of every Rush fan's life. His contributions to music cannot be overstated, and his effect on the lives he touched will never be forgotten. In this episode, we reflect on what The Professor means to us, and we read tributes to and memories of Neil from our listeners. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Listeners have been asking us to talk more about our favorite Rush concert memories, so this week we called up friend of the show Mark Irwin to do just that. Mark is Executive Editor at Insight Editions (publisher of Wandering the Face of the Earth and Clockwork Lives, the follow up to the Clockwork Angel's novel), has worked with Fantoons on The Making of A Farewell to Kings graphic novel, has worked with DC and Marvel Comics as an inker and artist, is a graduate of the Joe Kubert School of Cartoon and Graphic Art--I'm running out of room! Join us as we take a stroll down concert-memory lane! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week we talk to Ed Stenger, who runs the ever popular Rush Is A Band blog. We cover the beginnings of the blog, how it grew to be so successful, and how it's changed over the years. We also name our top 3 Rush album openers. It's a harder exercise than you'd think it would be! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, composer and educator Iain Carnegie joins us to talk about his favorite Rush song, Chain Lightning. Iain dissects Chain Lightning in a manner befitting his teaching position at the Royal College of Music in London--which is to say you'll learn how the song is arranged, why chord voicings are central to the song's tone, and about something called "the devil's interval."  Iain also hosts a great podcast called Politics of Sound, where he interviews Members of Parliament and other well-known political figures about their favorite albums. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, we speak with Director of Commercial Music and Instructor of Music at Tiffin University in Ohio, Nathan Santos. Nathan made news when he taught a course called "Rush: Progressive Rock and Modern Society" in the spring of 2014 and the fall of 2016. Our discussion ranges from Nathan's first exposure to Rush, how Rush's ability to reflect the times in their music contributed to their longevity, and what Rush has to say to the Millennials who took the class. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

All things must end, and this podcast is no exception. After much thought and discussion, we've decided to make this our final episode. Listen along as we go through some of our more memorable episodes, praise everyone who came on the show, and thank everyone who made the past three years and change some of the most interesting of our lives--including you, our listeners. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It's our 100th episode, and we're celebrating with most requested guest, the bassist who gives our podcast a touch of class, Lex Lehman! Lex joins us to talk his Rush fandom, and then we discuss five of our favorite Geddy basslines!  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We hear it all the time from listeners: we love it when you ask your guests their Rush origin stories. It seems that every Rush fan has a story, so this week, we hear from listeners about when they first heard Rush and how they became a fan.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Steve Otis is an comic artist, illustrator, and sculptor--and a huge Rush fan. So it was a dream come true when his comment on a post by author Kevin J. Anderson turned into a job illustrating Drumbeats, Anderson's first collaboration with Neil Peart, and then Clockwork Destiny. We're glad that Steve could join us this week as we choose our favorite Rush album covers! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It's been awhile since we've showcased  covers of Rush songs, so we decided it's about time we shared some of our recent favorites. And if you have a favorite Rush cover that we haven't featured yet--which means you'll have to listen to Rush Covers parts 1 through 3--that you'd like to send us, please do! We're all ears! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Brandon Dyke has made a name for himself with mix of original progressive rock music and cover songs, most notably his acoustic takes on Rush tunes. We talk with Brandon about how Rush shaped his musical sensibilities, what goes into choosing which songs to cover, and what his teenage skateboarding friends thought of his love of Rush. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Joining us this week is Dale Heslip, director of "Rush: Time Stand Still," the moving documentary chronicling the band's final tour. Dale takes us behind the scenes of the R40 tour, discusses how the tour's concept came to be, and tells us what it was like to be filming what was to be Rush's last concert. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Following the death of Neil Peart, branding expert Andris Pone wrote a short piece on his LinkedIn page called "He Lived The Lives of 10 Men: Lessons I've Learned From Neil Peart." In it, Andris lays down five ways Neil's life influenced his own. This week, we talk to Andris about his article and how he uses Rush as example to his clients about the value of being true to oneself. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Of late, we've had a string of great drummers on the podcast to discuss Rush and Neil Peart in particular. This week we talk with yet another great drummer: Steve Holmes, founder of HouseOfDrumming.com, a resource for drummers the worldover. Steve has been a working musician for a long time and has a unique perspective on what made Neil Peart, well, Neil Peart!  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, were tackling Rush's final concert tour, R40. One of the most ambitious tour concepts, R40 saw the band presenting a career-spanning setlist in reverse chronological order. It was a gift to every fan who saw the tour and has listened to this live collection. What a way for the band to go out! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Our guest this week is prolific science fiction and fantasy author Kevin J. Anderson, co-author, with Neil Peart, of the New York Times bestseller Clockwork Angels and its followup, Clockwork Lives. Kevin tells us about his friendship with Neil, gives us insight into collaborating with his musical hero, and where the bulk of the ideas for Clockwork Angels was born. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week we have a great conversation Ray Wawrzyniak--the Rush uber fan in Time Stand Still with the enormous collection of Rush memorabilia. Now Ray has something else to add to his collection: the 12,000-word liner notes that he wrote for the recently released deluxe edition of the 40th Anniversary of Permanent Waves. Ray takes us on a deep dive into the making of this Rush Masterpiece, his feelings about each song on the album, and what it was like to be asked to write the liner notes for Permanent Waves. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On the second part of our Snakes & Arrows discussion, we find Rush grappling with some serious topics, such as the disparity between the haves and the have-nots, the forces that shape our world view, and the need to reach consensus on subjects that affect us all. Plus, there's an instrumental with the word "monkey" in it! What more could you ask for? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week we discuss one of greatest albums in rock history, 1980's Permanent Waves. The album marks a turning point in Rush's career trajectory. Shorter songs--well mostly--that are more accessible, all without skimping on the songwriting that makes Rush the best band in all the land! Plus, Permanent Waves tees up its follow-up. But more on that in a future episode.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Earlier this month, the Ohio State University marching band performed a halftime show featuring the music of Rush. Rush fans everywhere were delighted with the show. So we invited Dr. Christopher Hoch, Director of Marching and Athletic Bands at OSU, to talk about the show, the difficulty of performing Rush songs, and the positive feedback the performance received--including from the official Rush social media accounts! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ron Lipnicki is a drumming beast, having spent a decade keeping time for thrash-metal pioneers Overkill as well as recording and touring with Hades and Whiplash--and he's a childhood friend of ours. In fact, Ron was with us when we saw Rush for the first time--a concert that changed the course of his life. We talk to Ron about that fateful show, the indelible imprint Neil Peart made on him, and our top five favorite Neil studio performances. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Our friend Curtis Lanclos of the RetroZest podcast joins us to discuss our favorite examples of Rush in pop culture. From a 1977 Marvel comic to TV and movies, we examine how the band slowly bubbled up into the world of popular culture seemingly overnight. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Once more unto the breach, dear friends! It's part 2 of Power Windows Redux, and this time we and our special guests discuss Manhattan Project and Marathon, 2 great songs that go great together. So join us as we put some force into the flow! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

To celebrate our 150th episode (!), we've invited back Derek Bacharach to act as quizmaster for a few rounds of Rush trivia! Who will emerge victorious--Steve or Gerry? The only way to find out is to listen! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In 2019, we recorded our first 2 episodes with the unearned confidence of younger men. Almost 2 years on, we are older, we are wiser, and we have read your emails asking us to revisit Power Windows and do it justice. So that’s what we're doing, beginning now! For the next 4 episodes, we will be discussing 2 songs each time, this time with guests to help us make sense of one of Rush's greatest albums, Power Windows! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Music journalist Paul Beaulieu has been covering the Canadian music scene for years and is a die-hard Rush fan. This week, we talk with Paul about his favorite band, his immersion in their world, and how he always seems to end up at the right place at the right time. Visit Paul's website at www.thecanadianmusicscene.com/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We welcome back Martin Popoff--our first three-time guest--to discuss the final book is his career-spanning trilogy on the band, "Driven: Rush in the '90s and 'In The End'." On our agenda is every album from "Roll the Bones" through Rush's final masterpiece, "Clockwork Angels." Buckle in, everyone. It's a wild ride. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, we're covering some more live Rush: All the World's a Stage. This is Rush's first live album, recorded at Toronto's Massey Hall on the 2112 tour. ATWAS is loud, fierce, and brash, just like any great concert should be--but especially a great Rush show. So let's rock! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In 1996, Alex Lifeson released his first and only solo album, the eclectic Victor. Filled with great riffs, programming, and spoken word pieces, Victor is definitely as unique as Alex himself. Join us this week as we take on this unusual album! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, we begin our discussion of Signals, one of the most divisive albums in Rush's discography. Many long-time Rush fans, upon hearing the keyboard-soaked Subdivisions, abandoned the band--or, more accurately, felt the band had abandoned them. So what to make of this watershed  moment in Rush's career? All we can do is give you our opinions, and you'll have to listen to find out what those are! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We're still heading down those tracks toward finishing up our revisit of Power Windows, this time with the help of one of our first guests and one of our most recent ones. On the block this time: Territories and Middletown Dreams!  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Our guest this week is Vicki Flier Hudson, the lead singer and rhythm guitarist of the popular Georgia-based Rush tribute band The Spirit of Rush. Vicki has also authored three books, with her most recent being "The Winter Garden," a book of poetry dedicated to Neil Peart. We talk to Vicki about some of her poems, and we learn a new term: "dialogic imagination." Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Well, here we are. The final installment of our Snakes & Arrows discussion. There's a lot of meat still on the bone, from the stirring instrumental Hope to the inspiring We Hold On. We hope you like our take on these amazing songs! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week we return to our bread and butter as we begin our discussion of Rush's penultimate studio album, Snakes and Arrows. Produced by Nick Raskulinecz, Snakes and Arrows sees Rush exploring new sounds and an unprecedented three--three!-instrumentals So grab some bread and butter--or something you might actually want to eat--and a pariah dog and a madman, and join us! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Author Richard Houghton's new book, "Rush: The Day I Was There," is an oral history of the band from a unique perspective: that of the fans. The book contains first-person accounts of Rush concerts: the effort it took to get there, the effect the show had on those who attended, the odd circumstances that surrounded the day. Every decade of Rush's career is represented, and maybe you'll find that you were there that day too! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, it's the first in a series of episodes re-examining 1987's Hold Your Fire--with special guests! Helping us handle Force Ten is friend of the podcast and frequent guest Nathan Santos. And taking on Time Stand Still with us is US Army Band director and arranger Tim Whalen, who's rendition of the song captured the hearts of Rush fans everywhere in the weeks following Neil Peart's passing.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week we finish up our discussion of Permanent Waves. Only Rush can follow up the genius that is side 1 of Permanent Waves with the genius that is side 2 of Permanent Waves! And, of course, side 2 contains one of the craziest songs in all of Rushdom: Natural Science. Buckle in, because it's a wonderful ride. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Recorded on final stop of the Vapor Trail Tour at Maracanã Stadium in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Rush in Rio is a live concert like no other. Raw, loud, and raucous--thanks to the 40,000 rabid Brazilian fans in attendance--Rush in Rio comes the closest to documenting what it felt like to see the band live. Why did we wait so long to discuss this gem? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Singer/songwriter Maiah Wynne returns to guide us through the back half of Envy of None's self-titled debut, including the official favorite song of ours, "Old Strings." If you haven't already, dive into the first part of our discussion, episode 137. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Moving Pictures is Rush's best-selling album, and for good reason. It contains arguably the band's most famous song, Tom Sawyer, a concert mainstay since the Moving Pictures tour onward. This week, in the first of our 4-part discussion on the album, we tackle only 2 things: the album art and the aforementioned Tom Sawyer. Catch the witness, catch the wit, catch the spirit, and catch the spit with us!  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Moving Pictures 40th Anniversary Box Set was recently released, so we thought, why not unbox the super-deluxe version on the podcast? (Follow us on Instagram and Twitter--@therushcast and @RushFanCast, respectively--to see pictures of all of the goodies inside.) Then we talk to uber Rush Fan Ray Wawrzyniak about the archival research he did for the set! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Liza McLellan is the founder and cellist is the string ensemble the Devah Quartet. She's also the quartet's writer and arranger, who, among many musical achievements, arranged the group's cover of 2112. This week, she joins us to talk about the beginnings of the Devah Quartet, the challenges of arranging rock songs for strings, and the quartet's upcoming performance at A Night For Neil. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A year ago, we spoke with RushFest Scotland founder Steve Brown about the album of Rush cover songs he put together to raise money for charity. Steve's back again to tell us about The Stars Look Down: Songs for Neil, Vol. 2. He tells us about the reception volume 1 received and we play some of the songs from the new collection. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Rob Wallis worked with Neil Peart for 30-plus years on instructional videos that brought Neil's meticulous compositions to life for aspiring and practiced drummers everywhere. Over the years, Rob became part of Neil's "inner circle" of trusted and most valued friends, and that friendship deepened their working relationship. Join us as Rob reminiscences on the life of his good friend Neil Peart--who once described their working relationship as second only to that of his bandmates in Rush. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We're back with the second installment of our Hold Your Fire revist! With us to discuss Open Secrets and Second Nature are musician Katie Cole and DJ Daniel Paulus. Join us for some great conversation about these two classic songs! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In early January, drummer, educator, and author Brandon Toews released a twenty-four minute video on Drumeo's YouTube channel in which he played parts of all 175 Rush ever recorded. Called, appropriately, Drumming to All 175 Songs by RUSH, the video has gotten hundreds of thousands of views and nothing but praise from Rush fans everywhere. This week, we talk to Brandon about the genesis of the video, the painstaking process of creating such a tribute, and his love for the genius of Neil Peart. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In 2008, filmmaker Ari Gold released Adventures of Power, an inspirational story about a young man who finds his calling as an air drummer. The dramatic comedy has since become a cult classic and features the music of Rush and a cameo by Neil Peart. Ari joins us to talk about the movie and his friendship with Neil. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Author Martin Popoff previously appeared on episode 37, and he's back to talk about his latest book, Limelight: Rush in the '80s. This is the second book in Popoff's Rush trilogy, and it covers--no surprise--the albums Permanent Waves through Presto. Join us! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, we tackle the R30: 30th Anniversary World Tour live set. Also serving as the tour in support of the covers EP Feedback, R30 finds the band in fine form as they take the stage with the the R30 Overture, a blistering sample of six early songs. Join us as we celebrate Rush's 30th anniversary 18 years too late! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week we pass into Olympus as was told in tales of old! That's right, it's Hemispheres! We've called various Rush albums masterpieces, but Hemispheres is a masterpiece's masterpiece. The album marks the end of the (really) long-form Rush song, and it's some send off! And we find out what makes the Lifeson (or Hemispheres) chord sound so amazing. So run to build your cities and converse among the wise with us! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, we continue our tetralogy (I looked it up!) on Moving Pictures with our discussion of Limelight and The Camera Eye. Is Alex's solo on Limelight the best he ever recorded? Is The Camera Eye more cinematic that Jacob's Ladder? Tune in to see what we think! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week on the podcast we're discussing the Clockwork Angels Tour live set realized in 2013. The setlist leans heavily on songs from Clockwork Angels and the 1980s--18 of the 27 songs are from either the band's last album or from 1982 to 1987. It's an eclectic group of songs that's a real treat for two guys who became diehard fans during the Power Windows tour. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Well, we've done it! Reached the end of our Power Windows revisit! If you've been following along so far, you know that there's only 2 songs left to the album: Emotion Detector and Mystic Rhythms. But who's on hand to discuss these gems with us? You'll have to listen to find out! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week we're rounding out Signals with discussions of The Weapon, New World Man, Losing It, and Countdown. One of these songs is a favorite of Gerry's and another is not. Any guesses which is which? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week on Something for Nothing: A RUSH Fancast, we finish our discussion of 1993's Counterparts. Again, one of us likes side 2 more than the other one does. Who falls on which side? Listen to find out! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Grace Under Pressure falls in-between Signals and Power Windows, so it can sometimes feel that it gets lost between those two polarizing albums. But this week, we're here to say that Grace Under Pressure deserves its place among the greatest of great Rush albums! Disagree with us--if you dare! *spooky Halloween music plays* Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Danny Peart is a poet and the brother of Neil Peart, and he joins us this week to give his unique perspective on his famous sibling. He talks about his life with Neil, his poetry, and what it was like performing at the long-postponed Night for Neil benefit concert that took place in 2022.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Grace Under Pressure Live album is a bit like the forgotten live Rush album. Initially released in the 2006 box set Rush Replay X 3 and then given a stand-alone release in 2009, the CD is the audio-only version of a live video from 1986. How do we think it stacks up against the heavyweights in the live Rush catalogue? You'll have to listen to find out! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Brian Hiatt has written more than 65 cover stories during his 16-year tenure at Rolling Stone, including Rush's 2015 cover story--the band's first for magazine. Brian also wrote "The Spirit of Neil Peart," which was published on the one-year anniversary of Neil Peart's passing. We talk to Brian about the aforementioned articles, and we get the answer to the question Rush fans have been asking for decades: "What does Rolling Stone have against Rush?" Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week's guest needs no introduction: Terry Brown. Terry joined the Rush camp with the band’s debut, brought in to mix the final cut. He then co-produced with the band every release through Signals--one of the greatest album runs in rock history. What else need to be said? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In 1974, Donna Halper, then music director of WMMS-FM in Cleveland, OH, dropped the needle on a record by an unsigned band called Rush, and in that instant, she became the reason why we're all Rush fans. Donna has been our most-requested interview, so we asked her to be on the show and she said yes! We talk about, of course, the early days of the band, her longtime friendship with the boys, and a certain Shakespeare play she had to replace. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Rush-fan community first became aware of Patty PerShayla's talent when she posted a ukulele cover of Closer to the Heart to her YouTube channel. Since then, we've all loved her material, both solo and with her band The Mayhaps, and now she's added her voice to YYNOT's lineup. This week, we talk to Patty about her love of Rush, her own music, and her future with YYNOT. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Terrie Carr is a legend in rock radio in New Jersey, and is currently the Program Director of and midday host on 105.5 FM WDHA, in Cedar Knolls. She's a huge Rush fan, has interviewed Geddy Lee twice on air, and is chock full of cool stories--some of which she tells when we count down our top 3 Rush concert moments. Really, just Google her. She's the best! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this episode, we're talking about Rush's 2004 covers album, Feedback. This 8-song EP clocks in a brisk 27 minutes and features songs from the 1960s that influenced the band. Once the tracks are discussed, we give our own suggestions for what the guys could have also covered.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Moving Pictures 40th anniversary box set contained a time capsule of sorts: a full concert from the Moving Pictures tour. Recorded on March 25, 1981, Live In YYZ documents a moment in Rush history that saw the band finally breaking into the mainstream rock world. How does Live In YYZ stack up against Rush's second live album, Exit...Stage Left? Listen and find out! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Way back on episode 26, we welcomed @RushFans on Instagram on the podcast. Sixty-three episodes later and @RushFans admins Ryan and Jim join us to list our top 10 favorite Rush songs, and believe me, there are some real surprises in our lists. Once you listen, head on over the @RushFans YouTube channel to see admins Ryder and Stephanie's top 10 lists and all of our runners up! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

With this episode, we enter the most interesting, creative, and imaginative phase of Rush's career. A Farewell to Kings, in our humble opinions, is about as perfect as any Rush album gets--or any album in the history of Rock. OK, maybe we gush a little too much, but can you blame us? It's A Farewell to Kings! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On October 22, we attended the Night For Neil Memorial Celebration in beautiful St. Catharines, ON. We met with friends both old and new and rocked out to Rush in memory of our favorite drummer--and in this episode, we tell you all about it! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, singer/songwriter Maiah Wynne returns to give us track-by-track insights into the Envy Of None debut album! She is absolutely one of our--and our listeners'--favorite guests, and we go through the first five songs on the album in the first of our two-part conversation.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Steve Brown founded RushFest Scotland in 2013, and the one-day gathering has since raised over £50,000 for charity! The event moved online this year, and this Saturday, September 12, 2020 (on what would have been Neil's 68th birthday), the organization is releasing Tributes: Songs for Neil, Vol. 1. The album features covers of Rush classics by Jacob Moon, Fleesh, and others, and is available for purchase at RushFest Scotland's website, http://www.rushfestscotland.co.uk. We talk with Steve about the origins of RushFest Scotland and how Tributes came together, and we play a selection of some of the songs from the album. And please consider buying a copy of Tributes: Songs for Neil, Vol 1! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices