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…

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 a…

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, in…

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 pre…

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…

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 presenc…

Slow down! We didn't talk with Geddy, but we did the next best thing: we read his best-selling memoir, "My Effin' Life." This week, we take a deep dive into the book and discuss the life and times of the one and only Geddy Lee! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesDoor Something for Nothing

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…

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…

Paul Wells is a Professor of Jazz Drums at The Juilliard School in New York City who possesses an encyclopedic knowledge of Neil Peart's kits. He joins us this week to talk about Rush--obviously--and his efforts to restore Neil's original Rush kit, the famous Chromey! Paul has played with the likes of Curtis Stigers, Vince Giordano's Nighthawks, De…

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/adchoic…

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--includ…

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 megap…

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Join us this week as members of The Matt O'Ree Band--singer/guitarist Matt O'Ree, vocalist Eryn, drummer John Hummel, and our resident bassist Lex Lehman--talk about their raucous cover of Rush's "Making Memories" and their new album, Hand In Glove! You can watch the video for "Making Memories" right now at https://youtu.be/uw2nfgLR770. Learn more …

Nancy Peart Burkholder--Neil's younger sister--joins us this week to talk about her older brother, her first Rush concert, and the upcoming Peart Family Memorial Golf Tournament. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesDoor Something for Nothing

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-t…

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 ch…

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 favorit…

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…

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/adchoicesDoor Something for Nothing

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. Le…

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 up…

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 …

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…

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 choic…

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.…

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 cho…

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 choic…

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! Le…

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 somethin…

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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/adchoicesDoor Something for Nothing

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?…

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/adchoicesDoor Something for Nothing

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/adchoicesDoor Something for Nothing

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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/adchoicesDoor Something for Nothing

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/adchoicesDoor Something for Nothing

We interrupt our scheduled Hold Your Fire Redux for one week to bring you Morgan Woolsey, the specialist at Julien's Auctions who researched and catalogued the upcoming Alex Lifeson sale! Morgan tells us about the months of research that went into writing the catalog descriptions and finding photos and video stills of Alex with his guitars! It's a …

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 everyw…

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…

In 2008, Rush released Snakes & Arrows Live, with songs pulled from two concerts in Rotterdam, Netherlands. The 27-song set contains an unprecedented amount of new material: nine songs are from the Snakes & Arrows album. So join us as we dive into another great live Rush collection. 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…

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…