Something for Nothing: A RUSH Fancast

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 choi...

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

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 de...

We're back with another episode that wants to know how you got into Rush, and how did you become a fan? It's more stories from three fans just like you whose musical lives were completely changed when they first heard Rush! 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.f...

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...

As vice president of the Overtime Angels, Lance Kasten is no stranger to organizing charity events, but the upcoming A Night For Neil concert is something else entirely. This week, Lance joins us to talk about his charity work with Overtime Angels, organizing A Night for Neil with the Peart family, and who will be appearing at the show. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoice...

This week we welcome Bradley J. Birzer, Professor of History at Hillsdale College, Michigan, and author of Neil Peart: Cultural Repercussions. In the recently revised edition of Cultural Repercussions, Brad examines the life and career of Neil through the lens of indivuality and philosophy and paints a portrait of an exceptional writer, a dedicated artist, and inspiration to many.  Learn more abou...

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

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

Rush superfan and lead singer of the tribute band The Spirit of Rush, Vicki Flier Hudson, recently went to Toronto and Willowdale to visit every band-related sight she could see. Call it a Rush Pilgrimage! Join us this week to hear all about it! 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

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, philosopher Liz Swan returns to discuss our favorite Rush lyrics. You might remember Liz from episode 33, when we talked to her about a piece she wrote for Psychology Today about Neil Peart and how his words shaped her life. She was the first person we thought of to talk lyrics with, and we're thrilled to have her back on the podcast! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm...

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...

This week we speak with Bill Wallace, who founded the Sunlight On Chrome Initiative to raise money for the American Brain Tumor Association. Bill talks about how Neil Peart inspired his love of motorcycling, the beginnings of his fundraising efforts, and how Rush fans everywhere can take part in the Sunlight On Chrome Initiative by doing the most excellent thing you can do on Friday, July 29. Lear...

Randy Jackson is the vocalist, guitarist, and main songwriter for the band Zebra. He joins us this week to talk about the beginnings of Zebra, Alex Lifeson's guitar playing, and what it takes to be in a band for decades.  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

We've listed our favorite Geddy Lee basslines, Alex Lifeson guitar solos, and Neil Peart drum parts, and now we're tackling our favorite Geddy Lee vocal performances. And to help us out is New Orleans—based singer/songwriter and enormous Rush fan Beth Patterson. Join us, won't you? 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 cho...

We've reached the end of our Hold Your Fire revisit, and we have two more special guests. Jared Shofar talks about climbing Tai Shan, and Vicki Flier Hudson tells us about her love of High Water! Join us! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It's back to our Hold Your Fire revisit this week, and that means we have two more guests! Rush FAQ author Max Mobley helps us out with Mission, and YYNOT bassist Tim Starace gives us a hand with Turn The Page! Join us! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We take one more unexpected detour from our Hold Your Fire redux to talk with writer Kevin J. Anderson about the final chapter in the Clockwork Trilogy, Clockwork Destiny! Kevin tells us about plotting the book with Neil Peart, the long road it took to write it, and how it finally came to be. Join us for this interesting conversation! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Our revisit of Hold Your Fire continues with discussions of Prime Mover and Lock and Key. And to help us out are returning guests John Take of Rush Graphs and Steve Holmes of House of Drumming! 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