Why do so many hold up these guys as the pinnacle of an art form?
Almost like Guinness if they were beer; or Lance Armstrong winning those Tour De France‘s on his awesomeness alone instead of using weird blood dope.
Everyone just assumes they are extreme quality and there is no need to question that fact.
A dude who walks around in his 2004 tour shirt can expect other rock fans to high-five him and agree that he has exceptional good taste in music. If Rush was the only band you liked…that would be good enough for most. How did this happen?… And more importantly -why do those of us not going into an orgasmic frenzy during a Neil Peart drum solo have our love of good music questioned? If you claim to dislike any other band- like say The Rolling Stones-other music fans will not question taste, they will understand that not everyone likes everything.
Not so with Rush
There must be something wrong with you if can’t grasp on to the exotic fluctuations of rhythm, the complex philosophical undertow in the sci- fi/fantasy/nerdness of the lyrics. “Today’s Tom Sawyer, he gets high on you and the space he invades he gets by on you” – Wow, man…that is some deep stuff.
I will put it down to the over intelligence of the average Rush fan…they want to make it an intellectual argument. This is not Rocket science-this is Rock n Roll – give me something with a little more emotion and grit.
Oh..and by the way…Congratulations on going in the Hall of Fame and as any other intelligent music fan in the universe will say-you deserve it!
Cave of Fame 
I think you may have generalised Rush fans a tad, granted a lot will shout you down for saying a bad word but I reckon you’ve met the fanatics, which you’ll get with all bands in some form.
Still interesting to hear the other side of things.
You sound like a rational Rush fan and I am glad to meet my first one:)…most of Rush-nation I have met have not been like that, but you give me hope that more of you exist.
I used to be a Rush fan. Then, I guess you could say, I saw the light. The diehard, nerdy, geeky Rush fan thinks they are somehow, “well rounded individuals” because, upon learning that Neil Peart read “The Fountainhead” by Ayn Rand, they went to the local public library and checked out a copy of the book, and read it in a relatively short amount of time. Basically, they think themselves to be some sort of highly advanced human being because they read a book that the great and miighty think-tank that is Neil Peart read. Gimmee a break! And then I just realized that I can”t stand Geddy Lee’s voice!
Thank you for the kind comments and remember-there are a few Rush fans that are also good people. It has been a difficult road for me to accept that but I have met some in this mighty WordPress universe.
The problem I have is they frequently take the love of Rush as an accepted truth in Rock music…and by frequently, I mean always…and thanks for stepping in the cave!
I love Rush – and I love this post. Totally get where you’re coming from!
There was a time when it was not considered cool to like Rush, and you would’ve been in the unsilent majority. Over the last 8-10 years, and especially since the “Beyond The Lighted Stage” documentary and appearances in “I Love You Man” and on The Colbert Report, they’ve been embraced by the mainstream like never before, and I’m not surprised that there’s a backlash against them. I think their catalog is pretty diverse that even if you’re turned off by the more sci-fi prog epics, there are enough concise almost “pop” songs in their catalog for you to enjoy (“Closer To The Heart” and “Entre Nous” to name just two). It’s hard to imagine any rock music fan completely disliking everything they’ve ever done. If that’s the case with you, however, I won’t attempt to dissuade you.
Rich,
I know it is hard to imagine and quite frankly the thought of myself being in the ‘cool” group is even more of a stretch…I really think that is my block with Rush because it makes no logical sense and Rush fans are, for the most part, very logical.
But having said all that and going on my mini rant- I know music tastes change and evolve all the time so this may happen to me. And now I have “closer to the heart” stuck in my head after reading your reply….thanks man….thanks a lot…
I just like the music.
That is good Mike…I feel much better now I have come out of the closet as a Non-Rush fan. I will try and get past this and not take any more shots at them.
Hahah! Was this a catharthis of sorts for you? Get it out man, get it all out!