Episode 106. Cygnus X-1 Book 2: Hemispheres

This week, the Haggis Shack welcomes back Rob Silverberg of Midwest RushFest, along with first-time guest Chris Schneberger, for a gathering of Rush obsessives who've spent an extraordinary amount of time, money, and gasoline following three Canadians around the planet. And now, apparently, they're doing it all over again. Rob and Schatz have just returned from Cleveland, where Rush's latest shows and RushCon provided another excuse to reunite with the extended Rush family. From Toronto to Chicago, Philadelphia to Cleveland, the boys get into the ever-changing setlists, the joy of hearing songs they never expected to hear again, and the fascinating question of what Rush does when there's only ONE night in town. Then Chris takes us down a particularly spectacular Rush rabbit hole. There's the story of Chromey, Neil Peart's legendary original Slingerland drum kit, its unlikely rediscovery, and how Chris helped bring it back into the world for fans to experience. There's also Rush: Beyond the Lighted Stage, in which Chris actually appears—and Rob's old Rush license plate somehow winds up hanging on Ray Danniels' wall. Along the way, we get Geddy Lee encounters, RushCon memories, Anika Nilles' increasingly entertaining onstage antics, the enduring legacy of John Rutsey, and the wonderful absurdity of recognizing people from a documentary about your favorite band. And THEN... there's the wheel. THIS WEEK'S SONG: Time and Motion — Test for Echo (1996) The wheel serves up one of Rush's heavier, more intricate late-period compositions, and the room gets down to business. Chaz, Schatz, Rob, and Chris dig into the song's muscular arrangement, shifting rhythmic landscape, Geddy's layered vocals, and the contrast between its crushing riffs and surprisingly melodic passages. Why didn't this one survive longer in the live set? How fast is it REALLY? And just how many times did Rush actually play it? The answers involve two drummers, a little competitive guessing, and the kind of statistical obsession only Rush fans could turn into entertainment. MEET OUR GUESTS: Rob Silverberg — Midwest RushFest Follow Rob and keep up with Midwest RushFest: Chris Schneberger — Rush fan, drummer, Chromey historian, and Beyond the Lighted Stage alumnus Connect with Chris on Facebook. So grab yourself a big-ass cup of Peart Family Coffee, pour a couple of fingers of something worthy of the Professor, and settle into the Haggis Shack for another celebration of the music, the memories, and the people who make this ridiculous little obsession so damn special. One cut at a time. A whole lot of life in between. Go scratch that itch. HOT DAMN, EH! SCHATZ'S SCRATCH LIST - RUSH TRIBUTE BANDS Scratch your itch to hear RUSH music played live by going to check out any of these great RUSH Tribute Bands - these bands are keeping the community and the music alive - the most current, curated, and rockin' list of RUSH Tribute Bands in the world! Yeah! ⁠⁠⁠⁠Click here: ⁠Schatz's Scratch List⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠(And say it 5 times fast!)

Chaz and Schatz spin Blinding Light Show, a Triumph cover by Envy of None, Alex's "other" band! SCHATZ'S SCRATCH LIST - RUSH TRIBUTE BANDS Scratch your itch to hear RUSH music played live by going to check out any of these great RUSH Tribute Bands - these bands are keeping the community and the music alive - the most current, curated, and rockin' list of RUSH Tribute Bands in the world! Yeah! ⁠⁠⁠⁠Click here: ⁠Schatz's Scratch List⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠(And say it 5 times fast!)

Come, join Chaz and Schatz on your very own VIP experience with Ray Wawrzyniak! Ray is a Rush historian, collector, author, podcaster, and longtime fixture in the Rush community. And lately, he’s added another line to the résumé: life on the road with Rush. After twelve shows on the current tour—and counting—Ray joins the boys fresh from Montreal to talk about his unlikely gig as docent of the Xanadu VIP Lounge, what it’s like watching this version of Rush night after night, and what you begin to notice when you’ve seen Geddy, Alex, Anika and Loren do this thing you never thought you'd ever even see again at all. But with Ray, the story goes back much further. There’s the Rush collection. The tour books. The artifacts. The stories behind the artifacts. The people he’s met along the way. His decades spent documenting the band and its history. And now there’s Why Rush Matters, his new podcast with Jeff Myers—because apparently what the world needed was another Rush podcast. We agree. Then Chain Lightning puts Ray’s encyclopedic Rush brain to considerably less scholarly use. THIS WEEK’S SONG Earthshine. The Vapor Trails heavyweight gives Ray plenty to work with. The guys dig into that enormous riff, the difficult road the song took during the making of the album, its place in Rush’s return after tragedy, and the lyrical thread Ray hears connecting “Earthshine,” “Spindrift,” and “Seven Cities of Gold.” And when it comes time to decide whether “Earthshine” is living in the limelight or being wished well? Ray does not require much deliberation. Plus Schatz’s Scratch List, our sponsors, Corey Morrissette with the Boneless roll call, and a whole lot of Rush conversation with a guy who has spent a lifetime collecting not just the stuff—but the stories. Why are we here? Because we’re here. Roll the bones. Listen to Ray's Podcast here: Why Rush Matters! GO BONELESS Certified boneless in the state of Ohio by the Boneless Podcasting Network. Go Boneless. Boneless Makes a Better Podcast. SCHATZ'S SCRATCH LIST - RUSH TRIBUTE BANDS Scratch your itch to hear RUSH music played live by going to check out any of these great RUSH Tribute Bands - these bands are keeping the community and the music alive - the most current, curated, and rockin' list of RUSH Tribute Bands in the world! Yeah! ⁠⁠⁠⁠Click here: ⁠Schatz's Scratch List⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠(And say it 5 times fast!)

The wheel sends us back to 1985 for Platinum Blonde’s “Crying Over You” — featuring a guest solo from Lerxst himself. It hit #1 in Canada. It came from an album called Alien Shores. And about three seconds into Alex’s solo, Chaz hears something VERY familiar. Did Alex Lifeson just “Beat It”? Chaz hears Eddie Van Halen. Schatz calls bullshit. The actual “Beat It” gets dragged into evidence, the guitar solos go head-to-head, and a simple spin of the wheel becomes an entirely unnecessary investigation into whether Lerxst was tipping his hat to Eddie, ripping him off, or doing absolutely nothing of the sort. It’s RushRash911. SCHATZ'S SCRATCH LIST - RUSH TRIBUTE BANDS Scratch your itch to hear RUSH music played live by going to check out any of these great RUSH Tribute Bands - these bands are keeping the community and the music alive - the most current, curated, and rockin' list of RUSH Tribute Bands in the world! Yeah! ⁠⁠⁠⁠Click here: ⁠Schatz's Scratch List⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠(And say it 5 times fast!)

WOOF! WOOF! This week, the Haggis Shack goes to the dogs as Chaz and Schatz celebrate the release of TRIBUTES - Songs for Neil, Volume VII and the triumphant return of THE RASH! It's a special episode featuring the international Rush family, a whole lot of charitable rock and roll, and the improbable story of how one of Rush's most notoriously overlooked songs became a labor of love. First, we welcome Steve Brown of Rushfest Scotland and Moving Pictures, along with Paul Beaulieu of Rushfest Canada, for a transatlantic reunion following the whirlwind of Rush's return to the stage. From Madison Square Garden to Toronto, backstage adventures, plush Canadian wildlife, and Paul's photography pit experience, the boys relive an extraordinary few weeks of Rush fandom. Then it's time to get down to business: Songs for Neil, Volume 7, featuring 27 tracks, artwork by Hugh Syme, and performances from musicians around the world, all raising money for charity. Steve reveals his ambitions for the series, the remarkable musicians contributing to this year's collection, and what's next for Rushfest Scotland and Canada. And THEN... THE RASH BREAKS OUT AGAIN! Back for a second consecutive year on Songs for Neil, THE RASH returns with another contribution to the tribute series. This time, the gang tackles "Dog Years" from Test for Echo, taking one of Rush's most divisive deep cuts and giving it the full RASH treatment. Chaz and Schatz welcome their fellow musical contagions into the Haggis Shack to tell the story behind the recording. MEET THE INFECTED: Alan "Schatz" Schatzberg — Drums Chaz Charles — Guitars Janine Schwarz — Vocals Greg "Wolfie" Wolfe — Bass Eddie Hulce — Engineering, production, and musical wizardry From scratch vocals and challenging bass lines to studio frustrations, creative breakthroughs, and an unexpected canine recording debut, the gang reveals what happens when a bunch of Rush obsessives decide to take a supposedly throwaway song VERY seriously. We dig into Neil's own explanation of how "Dog Years" came to life, discover why the song deserves another listen, and celebrate the peculiar magic of making music with friends who share an incurable case of Rush Rash. IN THIS EPISODE: Steve and Paul take us behind the scenes of Rushfest Scotland, Rushfest Canada, and the new tribute album. Rush returns! Adventures from New York and Toronto, including Hugh Syme, Terry Brown, and a stuffed moose for Anika Nilles. Seven volumes and counting! Steve's quest to eventually cover every Rush song. The making of "Dog Years": THE RASH returns to the studio for its second consecutive Songs for Neil appearance. Janine's vocals, Wolfie's bass, Schatz's drumming, Chaz's guitar, and Eddie's production bring the song to life. Neil Peart's surprisingly amusing account of writing "Dog Years." The Rush community comes together to raise money for charity. THIS WEEK'S SONG: No wheel spin this week! We're celebrating THE RASH's contribution to Songs for Neil, Volume 7 with "Dog Years." Yes, THAT "Dog Years." And after this episode, you might never hear it quite the same way again. GET SONGS FOR NEIL, VOLUME 7: https://rushfestscotland.bandcamp.com/album/tributes-songs-for-neil-volume-7 Preview the music and purchase the digital download, double CD, or double vinyl. All profits go to charity. So grab yourself a big-ass cup of Peart Family Coffee, gather your favorite four-legged friends, and join us for a celebration of music, friendship, and the enduring legacy of Neil Peart. Go scratch that itch. WOOF WOOF! HOT DAMN, EH! SCHATZ'S SCRATCH LIST - RUSH TRIBUTE BANDS Scratch your itch to hear RUSH music played live by going to check out any of these great RUSH Tribute Bands - these bands are keeping the community and the music alive - the most current, curated, and rockin' list of RUSH Tribute Bands in the world! Yeah! ⁠⁠⁠⁠Click here: ⁠Schatz's Scratch List⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠(And say it 5 times fast!)