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!
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