Show Notes
This is the dedicated Rush podcast for fans who know this music was never just about dazzling time signatures, thunderous bass pedals, or impossible drum fills. It was about curiosity, friendship, ambition, imagination, grief, humor, and the strange, lifelong bond between a band and the people who found themselves inside its songs.
Hosted by Buffalo music journalist and critic Jeff Miers and Rush historian, archivist, musicologist, and lifelong devotee Ray Wawrzyniak, the show grew out of a standout Rush conversation on Why Music Matters with Jeff Miers. That episode became one of the podcast’s biggest moments, proving what Rush fans already understood: there is always more to say, more to hear, and more to discover.
Launching in Spring 2026, Why Rush Matters arrives as Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson bring Rush music back to the stage with drummer Anika Nilles on the Fifty Something tour. Jeff and Ray will explore the songs, albums, lyrics, live legacy, creative evolution, and cultural force of Rush with the care of scholars and the excitement of fans who still get chills when the needle drops.
Expect smart conversation, deep research, rare perspective, special guests, stories from inside and around the Rush universe, and a guide through one of the most emotional chapters in the band’s history. For lifelong fans, newer listeners, musicians, collectors, and anyone asking why Rush still matters, this is the place to begin again. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
More from Why Rush Matters
Hey there, Rush freaks! Jeff & Ray must confess that their heads are spinning, what with all this Rush-related activity happening! Ray has been out on the road acting as docent for the Rush Xanadu Lounge VIP Experience, and Jeff is still reeling from the Cleveland shows. The arrival of the highly anticipated (and simply stunning) Scot McFadyen & Sam Dunn documentary Neil Peart: No One’s Disciple demanded their attention as well, and they’ll surely be doing a deep-dive on that poignant doc soon! But in the meantime, join Jeff & Ray as they pay homage to good ol’ Lerxst, and offer up their respective lists of Top 10 Alex Lifeson guitar solos! ~~~ Follow us on Socials Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/whyrushmatters Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/whymusicmatterspodcast
If you told Jeff and Ray a year ago that the biggest tour of summer 2026 would feature a reborn Rush, they might’ve wondered what parallel reality you’d taken up residence in. Sure, wishful thinking has its place, and who are we if we live without belief in a dream? But back then, the cold reality smacked of finality. The beautiful dream was over.
We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again - What a time to be a Rush fan!
With Ray deep into his stint with the Fifty Something Tour, and Jeff preparing for his first date with the 2026 edition of Rush - on August 7, as the band kicks off a 4-night run in Toronto - we spend some time with Steve Himel, co-founder and General Manager of Toronto’s Henderson Brewing Company, and creator of the Rush line of brews.
As the 2026 edition of Rush continues to roll across the country, claiming one (not so) little victory at a time, Jeff & Ray dig through decades of intense fandom, personal experiences, and close listening, to defend their Rush top 10 lists. Interesting and sometimes intense discussion ensued! Before you listen and wonder why your own favorites ranked low or didn’t make the cut, remember that, as Neil once wrote, our differences make us interesting to each other, and “The spaces in between leave room for you and I to grow.” We look forward to you sharing your own ‘best of’ lists with us! ~~~ Follow us on Socials Instagram: / whyrushmatters Facebook: / whymusicmatterspodcast