This week we finish up our discussion of Permanent Waves. Only Rush can follow up the genius that is side 1 of Permanent Waves with the genius that is side 2 of Permanent Waves! And, of course, side 2 contains one of the craziest songs in all of Rush...
57 min
152
Ep. 38: Permanent Waves, Pt. 1
This week we discuss one of greatest albums in rock history, 1980's Permanent Waves. The album marks a turning point in Rush's career trajectory. Shorter songs--well mostly--that are more accessible, all without skimping on the songwriting that makes...
54 min
153
Ep. 37: Martin Popoff, Author of "Anthem: Rush ...
This week we talk with author Martin Popoff. Popoff has written over 90 books about hard rock and heavy metal, including the acclaimed "Contents Under Pressure: 30 Years of Rush at Home & Away." His latest is "Anthem: Rush in the '70s," which charts ...
48 min
154
Ep. 36: Rush Concert Memories With Mark Irwin
Listeners have been asking us to talk more about our favorite Rush concert memories, so this week we called up friend of the show Mark Irwin to do just that. Mark is Executive Editor at Insight Editions (publisher of Wandering the Face of the Earth a...
51 min
155
Ep. 35: Hemispheres, Pt. 2
Circumstances! The Trees! La Villa Strangiato! It's side 2 of Hemispheres! 'Nuff said!
55 min
156
Ep. 34: Hemispheres, Pt. 1
This week we pass into Olympus as was told in tales of old! That's right, it's Hemispheres! We've called various Rush albums masterpieces, but Hemispheres is a masterpiece's masterpiece. The album marks the end of the (really) long-form Rush song, an...
52 min
157
Ep. 33: Writer and Philosopher Liz Swan
When we came across writer and philosopher Liz Swan's tribute to Neil Peart in Psychology Today, we knew we had to interview her. In this wide-ranging talk, Swan describes how Rush shaped her professional life, how the band's ethos gave her the coura...
43 min
158
Ep. 32: Interview with John from Rush Graphs @x...
This week, we talk to the man who is crunching the numbers and pulling interesting information from raw data, John from Rush Graphs. John's Twitter (@xyyzgraphs) is a favorite among Rush fans because it offers a not so typical take on the band. John ...
39 min
159
Ep. 31: A Farewell to Kings, Pt. 2
This week, we get closer to the heart of the black hole of Cygnus-X1 with part 2 of A Farewell to Kings! Topics include Frank Capra, honest to goodness love songs, and what would happen to you if you fell into a black hole. (Spoiler: nothing good.) S...
43 min
160
Ep. 30: A Farewell to Kings, Pt. 1
With this episode, we enter the most interesting, creative, and imaginative phase of Rush's career. A Farewell to Kings, in our humble opinions, is about as perfect as any Rush album gets--or any album in the history of Rock. OK, maybe we gush a litt...
47 min
161
Ep. 29: Feedback
On this episode, we're talking about Rush's 2004 covers album, Feedback. This 8-song EP clocks in a brisk 27 minutes and features songs from the 1960s that influenced the band. Once the tracks are discussed, we give our own suggestions for what the g...
48 min
162
Ep. 28: Counterparts, Pt 2
This week on Something for Nothing: A RUSH Fancast, we finish our discussion of 1993's Counterparts. Again, one of us likes side 2 more than the other one does. Who falls on which side? Listen to find out!
44 min
163
Ep. 27: Counterparts, Pt. 1
On this week's show, we dissect side one of 1993's Counterparts. In many ways, Counterparts, with its heavy guitars and full sound, is a return to form for Rush, a sonic goodbye to the 1980s. Still, we disagree on the overall merits of the album. Who...
40 min
164
Ep 26: Interview with @RushFans
This week, we talk to two of the admins of the @RushFans Instagram account, Ryan and Alex. @RushFans is incredibly popular, with over 29 thousand followers, and has recently started a video series called Rush Roundtable. We discuss the history of the...
42 min
165
Ep. 25: Roll the Bones, Pt. 2
This week, we tackle the second half of Roll The Bones. Feedback on part 1 has been mixed, and we can only assume that the same will hold true for this episode. Oh, and we talk about a fascinating truth about the Berlin wall. So let the games begin!
49 min
166
Ep. 24: Roll The Bones, Pt. 1
This week, we take on 1991's Roll The Bones. RTB went platinum, and the singles charted well, but only one of us thinks the album holds up to scrutiny 29 years later. But all is not lost: we get to talk about the science show Nova, what Where's My Th...
51 min
167
Ep. 23: The Inboxer Rebellion
This week, we have a little housekeeping to do. We read gentle corrections from listeners, continue discussions begun on earlier podcasts, and fill in some gaps left behind by incomplete research. Did we mention there are corrections? And something t...
44 min
168
Ep. 22: Interview With Nathan Santos, "Rush: Pr...
This week, we speak with Director of Commercial Music and Instructor of Music at Tiffin University in Ohio, Nathan Santos. Nathan made news when he taught a course called "Rush: Progressive Rock and Modern Society" in the spring of 2014 and the fall ...
50 min
169
Ep. 21: Afterimage: Celebrating the Life of Nei...
Last week we heard the heartbreaking news of Neil Peart's death. Upon joining Rush in 1974, Neil changed the trajectory of the band and of every Rush fan's life. His contributions to music cannot be overstated, and his effect on the lives he touched ...
59 min
170
Ep. 20: Presto, Pt. 2
It's a new year, and that can only mean one thing: it's time to talk about side 2 of Presto! Fewer keyboards, more guitars, and a song called "Anagram (For Mongo)" that contains precious few actual anagrams but is nonetheless one of the most awe-insp...
44 min
171
Ep. 19: Presto, Pt. 1
On this week's show, we dive into one of our favorite Rush albums, 1989's Presto. The album sees the band stepping away from the heavy keyboards on their previous two albums while maintaining the quality songwriting that made Power Windows and Hold Y...
56 min
172
Ep. 18: Fly By Night, Pt. 2
This time around, we finish our discussion of what many will, in time, regard as the first true Rush album, Fly By Night. Side 2 contains some classic Rush tunes, and the album as a whole signals the trajectory of the band's career for decades to com...
33 min
173
Ep. 17: Fly By Night, Pt. 1
The New Guy, a Snow Dog, and an angry owl. It's Fly By Night!
In this episode, we talk about the man who helped Rush become Rush: Pratt, The Professor, Bubba--Neil Peart! With Peart on the Throne, the band began its journey into the beautiful weirdne...
42 min
174
Ep. 16: Rush, Pt. 2
On this week's show, we finish up our discussion of Rush's first album, the appropriately titled Rush! Side 2 contains the band's first big song, the crowd favorite "Working Man." Gerry also shares his thoughts on who gets into Rock and Roll of Fame ...
31 min
175
Ep. 15: Rush, Pt. 1
This week, we go back to the one that started it all: 1974's self-titled debut, Rush! The guitars are loud, the voice is high, and the drums thunder. Rush is the only album to feature original drummer John Rutsey. And make no mistake about it, John i...