Rush Rash with Chaz N Schatz

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 SONGEarthshine.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 BONELESSCertified boneless in the state of Ohio by the Boneless Podcasting Network. Go Boneless. Boneless Makes a Better Podcast.

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 — DrumsChaz Charles — GuitarsJanine Schwarz — VocalsGreg "Wolfie" Wolfe — BassEddie Hulce — Engineering, production, and musical wizardryFrom 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-7Preview 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!

Chaz and Schatz get down with another track off Victor...dis one's different...in a familiar kinda way.

Chaz and Schatz spin another track off Al's Victor record...

The first show back. The wheel gives us “Bravado.” Of course it does.This week on Rush Rash, Chaz and Schatz return from Rush Quest 2026 with concert shirts, scrambled memories, and absolutely no intention of getting over any of it. MSG. Toronto. Three shows. And Chaz finally retiring the words “I’ve never seen Rush.”Joining the boys is Eric Hynes of Rush 101, reporting from somewhere on the streets of Philadelphia—where an innocent interview becomes a nighttime expedition in search of Rush’s trucks, the perfect shot, and eventually, hopefully, a cheesesteak.Eric takes us from a paper route and the big blue owl on Fly by Night to a life spent chasing the music and capturing the people who love it. There’s his grandmother knitting at Rush shows, Alex’s increasingly lethal guitar-pick accuracy, Geddy’s space bass, and the fans whose once-in-a-lifetime moments make all those miles worthwhile.Then Chain Lightning turns Rush 101 into an actual school. Who’s running the place? Who’s blowing up the science lab? And what happens when somebody buys the channel for $47 billion?But the wheel has something else in mind.THIS WEEK'S SONGBravado.The Roll the Bones classic brings the room—and one wandering correspondent—back to Neil. The tribute on the screen. Alex standing in the spotlight. The words that became a way of navigating life. Chaz, Schatz, and Eric talk risk, consequences, friendship, and what it means to find yourselves together again, hearing music you thought you’d never hear this way again.Somewhere between the bullshit and the goosebumps, even Eric goes quiet.Plus Schatz’s Scratch List, a little NASCAR announcer magic, and Corey Morrissette bringing the Boneless roll call.One cut at a time. A whole lot of life in between.Follow Eric at Rush 101, scratch your live Rush itch with Schatz’s Scratch List, and find your next obsession at the Boneless Podcasting Network.

We welcome Loren Gold into the RushRash911 wheel by listening to someone off The Official Booger Mixtape...yep, looks like he fits right in...

In another absolutely unnecessary but deeply essential installment of Rush Rash, Chaz and Schatz discover what happens when your scheduled guest fails to materialize...and all that implies. It's a shorter episode!Spend an hour and they've covered reunion tours, social media hysteria, Geddy Lee's birthday, Solar Federation, RushFest Canada, RushFest Scotland, RushCon, Yeti mugs that definitely should've had Rush logos on them, the possibility of a United Nations of Rush podcasts, and whether inviting Geddy to your birthday dinner technically counts if his people never call you back.THIS WEEK'S SONGRed Lenses from Grace Under Pressure—one of Rush's quirkiest, most divisive deep cuts. That opens the door to Peter Henderson's lone turn in the producer's chair, Terry Brown's celebrated remix, the sonic identity of Grace Under Pressure, and whether one of Rush's strangest songs deserves more love than history has given it.There are birthday plans.There are podcast conspiracies.There is at least one joke that should probably qualify as a Canadian dad joke.No bones. Just Rush.

In another absolutely unnecessary but deeply essential installment of Rush Rash, Chaz and Schatz return to the Boneless airwaves to tackle the latest chapter in Rush's ongoing tour saga. What begins as concern over Geddy Lee's bout with bronchitis quickly snowballs into discussions of border crossings, maple syrup smuggling operations (allegedly), canceled shows, the realities of life on the road, and why rock stars probably catch germs the same way kindergarten parents do.Along the way:Geddy's bronchitis forces the postponement of the Fort Worth shows, leaving fans—and ticket holders from around the world—wondering what comes next. (SPOILER: They just played their rescheduled shows!)The guys relive the infamous Mexico border delay and imagine what customs officials really thought was hidden inside those Rush road cases.Schatz finally dives into Ghost Rider, opening the door to a thoughtful conversation about Neil Peart's relationship with fans and why his books reveal more about the man than any meet-and-greet ever could.Chaz reflects on playing live after a mid-week gig, comparing life as a weekend warrior to the relentless grind of touring.The hosts debate whether performing is supposed to be fun... or simply the price professionals pay to deliver excellence every night.And yes... someone inevitably suggests that maple syrup might actually be contraband.Somewhere between discussing Neil's incredible dedication to his craft and wondering whether Dirk should be wearing a mask at meet-and-greets, the guys find themselves appreciating something Rush fans have always known: greatness isn't always glamorous, but professionalism never goes out of style.There are opinions. There are laughs. There is at least one completely unnecessary conversation about Canadian contraband.No bones. Just Rush.