Rush Rash with Chaz N Schatz

This week on Rush Rash, Chaz and Schatz welcome Jillian Maryonovich of RushCon back into the co-host chair—fresh off a surreal, boots-on-the-ground experience at the JUNOS where Rush did the unthinkable: they got back on stage as Rush with some Noobs.Jillian walks us through the emotional rollercoaster:From spotting the gear…To locking eyes with fellow Rush-shirt-wearing lifers…To realizing this is actually happening when Geddy walks out.We break down the performance of “Finding My Way”—a bold, risky, slightly bananas choice—and debate:Was it genius symbolism, inspired management, or both?Did Geddy prove he’s still got it… or is the voice the elephant in the room?How did the new lineup chemistry land?And why were there teenagers at the JUNOS who had NO IDEA who Rush is?! (Psst...the JUNOS are in Canada - for you non-Canadians)Plus:The 70/30 fan reaction divide on the comebackThe pressure on the “new era” membersAlex Lifeson still being an absolute wizard with hands that should legally require WD-40And the emotional weight of moving forward without NeilJillian also opens up about the deeper struggle: loving this band so much… but not being sure she’s ready for what they are now.Oh—and yes: there’s a straw-less beverage incident that may be the true emotional climax of the episode.THIS WEEK'S SONGA surprise pull from the wheel—and an instant favorite. Jillian calls it a “top five… it’s a keeper,” while the crew dives into the legacy of the track, its place in the catalog, and the unique role of guest vocals from Aimee Mann.The conversation also veers into modern-day “what ifs” around the current lineup.Indeed, even in someone like our intrepid co-host, the RushRash does not stand still, it just keeps on spreading...so come along and give us an itchy scratchy, hmm?

We get a track off 2025's Stygyn Waves by Envy of None. That voice...

This week on Rush Rash, Chaz and Schatz celebrate 50 years of 2112 with a very special guest—YouTube sensation and all-around Rush whisperer Mike Massé—who drops in (freshly fumigated from the Haggis Shack) to talk about his gorgeous new cover of “Tears.”The guys dig into Mike’s creative process, from Mellotron patch-hunting to channeling Geddy’s extra-vibrato-when-you-feel-fancy technique, and why sometimes the internet is both your best friend and a chaotic dumpster fire of “release date truth.” (April 1st? March? WHO KNOWS—ROLL THE BONES.)We also:Spin Mike’s stunning rendition of Tears in honor of 2112’s 50thDebate the actual release date like proper Rush nerdsTake a wild detour into Beatles territory with Mike’s Rubber Soul tribute bandBreak down the Rush reunion performance (yes, THAT one)React in real-time like well behaved Cygnus-X1.Net Facebookers (we get into THAT too)Plus:RushCon plansTouring chaos across the US, Europe, and beyondAnd the eternal question: Can you actually have too much Rush? (Spoiler: no, don’t be ridiculous.)It’s just the right amount of unhinged—exactly how The Professor would want it.THIS WEEK'S SONGEffin A, it's Cygnus X-1 Book Two: Hemispheres. Need we say more? The wheel has spoken - Cygnus X1.Net Facebookers - GET YOUR SHIT TOGETHER. - NEP

The trailer park invades the wheel as we spin Who's Got Yer Belly by Bubbles And The Shitrockers featuring Alex Lifeson...IYKYK

Watch the Junos Live at the CBC.Follow Paul's stage-side iPhone updates on Facebook!Follow Jillian and her live from the floor updates with RushCon on Facebook!This week on Rush Rash, things get delightfully chaotic as Chaz and Schatz pull off an impromptu hotline call with Rush insider Paul—caught somewhere between Oakville and rock history itself.What starts as a “hey, let’s try this” moment turns into a boots-on-the-ground preview of the Juno Awards, with Paul heading in alongside legendary producer Terry Brown—yes, that Terry Brown.We dig into:The mystery of who might (or might not 👀) show up from RushBehind-the-scenes vibes heading into the JunosRush Fest Canada updates (bigger, louder, and more gloriously nerdy than ever)The rising prog torchbearers Crown Lands and their deep Rush DNAAnd the ongoing celebration of 2112 turning 50…because apparently time is a flat circle and also rudeThere’s tech chaos, muted mics, Canadian weather math, and just enough inside baseball to make you feel like you’re riding shotgun to the Junos yourself.And in true Rush Rash fashion…we learn absolutely nothing definitive—and love every second of it.Hot damn, Eh!You know where to scratch!

Strap in, plug in, and scratch that eternal itch—because this week on Rush Rash, Chaz and Schatz welcome a certified rock brainiac into the Haggis Shack: music journalist and author Daniel Bukszpan. And folks…this guy didn’t just fall down the Rush rabbit hole—he built a library down there.We dive headfirst into his new book Rush & 2112: 50 Years, the 50-year legacy of 2112, the album that basically looked the music industry dead in the eye and said, “Yeah…we’re gonna make a 20-minute sci-fi epic instead.” Bold move, indeed.Daniel breaks down:HIs gateway song and songs of choice through years of fandom, and why he chose to write about RushWhy 2112 wasn’t just an album—it was a defiant middle finger wrapped in prog geniusHow Rush’s refusal to phone it in made them one of the most respected bands in rock historyAnd why no matter how hard anyone tries…no one sounds like Rush but RushThere’s talk of guitar solos that are actually everyone soloing, Caress of Steel redemption arcs, and a reminder that sometimes the best career move is doing exactly the opposite of what you’re told.Plus—yes—there’s haggis, chaos, and at least one unexpected guest appearance at about 21:12 that cosmicly derails things...coincidence?THIS WEEK'S SONGThe wheel gives us the last song off 2112, Something For Nothing. Yes, it was a random spin, the video exists! We do not plan the wheel spins.Bottom line: If you’ve ever wondered how 2112 went from “this might get us dropped” to “this changed everything,” this episode scratches that itch…then makes it worse.Hot damn, Eh.

On this week’s episode of Rush Rash, Chaz and Shatz are joined once again by CMPU and Boneless Podcasting Network stalwart Corey Morissette, a man who now hosts approximately seventeen podcasts, three mixtape shows, and possibly a municipal council meeting somewhere in Manitoba.Between discussions of Canadian winters, radio overkill, and the ever-expanding Corey Morissette Podcast Industrial Complex, the gang checks in on the freshly released 40th Anniversary edition of Grace Under Pressure and the new Terry Brown remix of “Distant Early Warning.” Yes — the knobs have been turned. Yes — it sounds different. Yes — the internet will be normal about it.Then the wheel spins.Corey quietly attempts to will Hemispheres into existence through sheer mental concentration. Shatz campaigns for hometown heroics. Chaz stands back and lets fate do its thing.THIS WEEK'S SONG“A Farewell to Kings.”For Corey, it’s a first listen — always a dangerous moment on this show. Is it medieval prog majesty? Is it lute-adjacent wizardry? Is it a band from suburban Toronto suddenly sounding like they’ve wandered into a Renaissance fair with a Marshall stack?All will be revealed as the hosts unpack one of Rush’s most theatrical openings — complete with nylon-string guitars, dystopian lyrics, and the unmistakable moment when the band collectively decides: yes, we are absolutely doing this.No bones. Just Rush.

You'll swear we were picking up right where we left off, but the itches are harder to reach...even a bit funkier!

Chaz and Schatz burst back through the podcast portal scratching like two men who just sat on a cactus made entirely of Rush vinyl. What starts as a quick catch-up turns into a full-blown Rush news avalanche: rehearsal rumors, Annika taking the drum throne, and the surprise addition of keyboard wizard Lorne Gold. Along the way, the boys debate tribute bands and discover that Alex will soon be tending bar on Canadian television like the world’s most progressive bartender.Listener mail rolls in from a steelworker who accidentally turned his car dashboard into the Starship Enterprise while listening to Subdivisions, a Canadian golden retriever named Maple who howls along to Tom Sawyer, and a dad using 2112 on vinyl to teach his kid the ancient lost art of listening to an entire side of a record.THIS WEEK’S SONG: The Pass – Presto (1989)Neil tackles the difficult subject of teen suicide in one of the band’s most emotionally direct songs. Chaz and Schatz dig into the lyrics, the message behind them, and why Geddy Lee considers it one of the band’s most meaningful accomplishments—even if the production screams late-80s adult contemporary Rush.All that and more as the rash continues to itch.