A few words in defense of (the ORIGINAL) Rush

Canada’s Geddy Lee, Alex Lifeson and Neil Peart have been putting out new albums of hard-rocking, ass-kicking, Bic-flipping heavy duty rock and roll for over 30 years now, have influenced generations of fans and fellow musicians, never made their private lives part of their publicity campaigns and enjoy baseball and their families better than strippers and cocaine.

Their song lyrics advocate the value of accepting personal responsibility for one’s actions – a message more timely today than when they began in the early 70s – and they’ve maintained their original lineup (if you discount the first album they did with unlucky drummer Pete Best) even in the face of what looked like the inevitable dissolution of the act ten years ago when one of their members suffered twin personal tragedies that sidelined the band for more than five years.

They’re good people and great musicians, and I’m here to say two things: When I talk about Rush, I’m talking about the band not the drug-addled right-wing radio bloviator and I resent the hell out of having to explain that almost every time; and two, they’re not in the Rock & Roll hall of fame but The Lovin’ Spoonful, Earth, Wind and Fire and Gene Pitney are?!

To paraphrase Stephen Colbert, their new album ought to indeed be called “THAT’S BULLSHIT!”