Rush Inducted Into The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame!!!!!

This is how close I was sitting in October

In 2002 I was at my cousin's wedding in Cleveland. I had an afternoon to spend to myself while my wife tended to my nearly, at the time, 1 year old son. The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame was just a few blocks from the hotel and decided to check it out. There really isn't much to do in Cleveland and I went there holding my nose.

Why? Because since 1998 when Rush had been eligible to induction in the RRHOF they had yet to be nominated. Rumor always had it that Jann Wenner who controls the RRHOF hated Rush with a passion as this was evident in the years and years of his rag Rolling Stone ignoring the band as well.

But all that changed today! Finally, in the first year that Rush has been nominated, they are now members of the 2013 class into the RRHOF. They, along with Public Enemy, Randy Newman, Donna Summer, Albert King and Heart will be inducted this coming April in Los Angeles with the boradcast of the show to be on HBO in May.

Why this took so long, I have no idea. I first saw Rush in 1981, my senior year in high school during the Exit...Stage Left tour in December at the Meadowlands. After a rest of the 80's hiatus I have seen them on ever tour since 1990's Presto tour through to this past October during the most recent Clockwork Angels tour. Twenty shows in all. Now, I know that is not very impressive since I know several people that see them 30 times during a tour, but considering that Billy Joel and Neil Young are the next most frequent concerts I have seen (2x each) well, for me it is impressive.

This is a band that has gotten better with age (not that they ever sucked!). As the author of this article wrote today;

"...it’s that Rush has gotten better over the years. Unlike most rockers, who peak in their first decade and spend the rest of their career either treading water or slowly sinking, Geddy Lee, Alex Lifeson and Neil Peart have continued to grow over the decades. They play better now than they did then, they take more chances musically, and they write more interesting material. Frankly, I can’t think of many other bands I could say that about."

Think of every band we grew up with (those who are over 40) they all suck now. They all haven't grown. They are all living in the past. Rush isn't. They are going in new directions. Making relevant music. Still, at the ages of 60, growing as musicians and songwriters.

One thing that what Rush does for me, or I think any Rush fan, is that no matter how much I am down, how much I am pessimistic, all I need to do is listen to some Rush, listen to the words that Neil Peart has written, the magic in Geddy Lee's voice, the sensitivity of Alex Lifeson's guitar and I know that life will be OK.