RUSH - Beyond the lighted stage

I'm at the age where looking back on my life I see some embarrassing moments, but I'm really not embarrassed by very many things I've done. because of that I find the expression guilty pleasures to be a false statement generally speaking. If you enjoy watching video of dolphins fornicating, that might be something worth feeling guilt over. Feeling any guilt over your preferences in music or movies r books is silly.

I just watched the documentary RUSH: BEYOND THE LIGHTED STAGE. I've listened to Rush since the album 2112 which was the 4th album, it came out in 1976 and I was in seventh grade. The lyrics and music hit me someplace I've never been hit. It was music that defies genre other than Rock. Elements of prog rock,heavy metal, and later Jazz and reggea and even some hip hop and new wave are all a part of the whole that is this band. A power trio like none other.

I've seen the band play live at least 16 or 17 times, and it never gets old. I walk away from each show happy and fulfilled in a way few experiences can do. The energy of Rush is contagious. And the DVD shows this.

From the opening we are on the journey with the band, interviews with the Mothers, a trip to the middle school Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson attended together. Home movies of Alex trying to convince his parents to let him drop out. And lots of live footage. I finally heard it from the horses moths why John Rutsey left the band when they started to break out. Neil Peart talking about joining the band was incredible. They discuss the lyrics, the music and the changes they have been through. This is broken down into different periods of the bands career and is fleshed out with short comments from famous rock stars like Trent Reznor, Billy Corrigan and others. Listening to the band talk about themselves, in a very candid and sometimes self depreciating way is refreshing. These are just regular guys with a lot of talent doing something they love. The whole thing ends on a high note after some tragedy.  The band shut down for a while when death hit Neil Peart's family. The final stage of his healing was getting back on the stage.

I have never been a fan of best of lists, i have trouble with them because I can never limit myself to what I would put on them. But I can safely say that any best band list I ever do would contain Rush, and any best of album list would contain at least one of their albums.

Being a Rush fan has never made me feel like a nerd or like I was uncool. If people give me a funny look when I mention my love of this band I just feel sad because they don't get it and that their life is some how missing something. No guilty pleasure here. I love these guys.

Now after watching RUSH: BEYOND THE LIGHTED STAGE I respect them even more.