Rush Rash with Chaz N Schatz

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.

Oh man,, is this one a doozy...we listen to Al's contribution to the Terry Brown produced Herin, on the track Second Ending. Then on to number two...wait for the solo.

On this week’s gloriously over-caffeinated episode of Rush Rash, Chaz and Shatz throw open the castle gates and welcome back the noble troubadours of prog pageantry — A Farewell to Kings (AF2K) — for a discussion that is equal parts rock summit, gear symposium, and mildly controlled chaos.Adam and Johnny arrive armed with tales of theaters conquered, albums performed in their entirety, and the delicate art of recreating Rush 2.0 without being chased out of town by purists wielding vintage tour programs.There is spirited debate over:The audacity of a four-piece Rush tribute in a three-piece universeWhat happens when Rush themselves re-enter the live arenaThe logistical ballet of hauling enough equipment to invade a small countryPerforming Power Windows, Moving Pictures, 2112… and not collapsingBubba Bash heroics and keeping the community heartbeat loudIt’s tribute band life examined under a microscope — with reverence, with laughter, and with just enough self-awareness to keep the torches lowered.THIS WEEK'S SONGThe Wheel spins and lands on Malignant Narcissism from 2007's Snakes and Arrows. The gang weighs in on this late-era instrumental groove, celebrating Rush’s ability to jam, stretch out, and surprise. And it really isn't a surprise the wheel would spin this song in the presence of these world-class musicians now, is it? Why are we here? If you’ve got an itch, you know where to scratch.Rush Rash.

This week on Rush Rash, Chaz and Shatz crack open the Haggis Shack to welcome a true lifer: Rob Silverberg, the driving force behind Midwest RushFest. Before the wheel spins, the guys dive deep into Rob’s Rush origin story—Signals and “The Analog Kid” as the gateway, Columbia House confessions, and buying Grace Under Pressure on release day like it was a sacred ritual.From there, it’s all about community. Rob walks through the evolution of Midwest Rush Fest—from a heartfelt gathering in 2016 to a full-blown annual celebration at The Pageant in St. Louis. Along the way: Martin Popoff, Kevin J. Anderson, Maya Wynn, Nancy and Judy Peart, Thunderhead, jam sessions, catered dinners, raffle giveaways, and hundreds of Rushians sharing one room where everyone gets the references. As Rob puts it, it’s the rare place where you’re not the only Rush fan in the room.The conversation detours into serious collector territory—basements lined floor to ceiling, the philosophy of “exhibition, not competition,” and the surreal moment of spotting his own Rush license plate hanging in Ray Daniels’ office in Beyond the Lighted Stage. Add 60 live Rush shows, multiple meet-and-greets, and a possible nod of recognition from Geddy Lee, and you’ve got a résumé that earns its stripes.The wheel lands on Dreamline from Roll the Bones.The trio breaks down the song’s urgency, cinematic production, and that unmistakable opening drive. They dig into the themes of youth, motion, and the fleeting nature of time—“we are young, wandering the face of the earth”—and reflect on how the song mirrors the Rush touring life itself: rolling at home when you’re on the run.A celebration of fandom, fellowship, and forward momentum—this episode proves that even decades later, the dream is still alive.