Star Facts
  • Category Recording

    Address 6752 Hollywood Blvd.

    Ceremony date 06/25/2010

About
Born:
-0001-11-30,
Canada
Ethnicity:
White
Death Date:
-0001-11-30
Addition Websites

Rush Receives Walk of Fame Star
By STEVEN HERBERT
City News Service

HOLLYWOOD (CNS) – The Canadian progressive rock trio Rush received the 2,412th star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame today, drawing praise for their values and loyalty.

“I've been in the rock 'n' roll business for about 20 years now and let me tell you — these guys are the best of the best,'' said Billy Corgan, the vocalist and lead guitarist for The Smashing Pumpkins said in the late-morning ceremony in front of the Musicians Institute on Hollywood Boulevard.

“They represent the value that the fan will listen and will care, that you're not just a bunch of sheep out there, that you actually give a (obscenity) about what's going on.''

Donna Halper, a former music director and radio personality at WMMS-FM (100.7) in Cleveland, the first disc jockey to play Rush's music, said “for nearly four decades, the members of Rush have remained true to themselves and true to their music.

“They've never allowed success to spoil them,'' Halper said. “They've never lost their integrity. In a world where it often seems the good guys never win, Rush are living proof that sometimes good people do finish first.''

Halper told of a man in Japan who learned English “so he could better appreciate the words of Rush songs,'' along with similar stories from fans in Chile, Brazil, Finland, Israel and Mexico.

Geddy Lee, the group's bassist and frontman, said “there are some times in life where you have what I would call a beautiful, surreal moment. This is one of those moments.''

Guitarist Alex Lifeson told the fans, who lined up on both sides of Hollywood Boulevard, “we wouldn't be able to do what we do without you. It's really special to us.''

The group's third member, drummer Neal Peart, did not attend the ceremony, as he was riding his motorcycle Albuquerque, N.M., where Rush will begin its 37-city Time Machine tour Tuesday.

Rush drew what Leron Gubler, the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce's president and chief executive officer who presided over the ceremony, called “one of the most enthusiastic crowds we've had in a very long time.''

The ceremony came four days before both the start of its tour, which includes stops at the Forum in Inglewood Aug. 11 and the Verizon Wireless Amphitheater in Irvine two days later, and the DVD release of the documentary “Rush: Beyond the Lighted Stage.''

Beginning with its self-titled debut album in 1974, Rush has sold more than 40 million records worldwide. Only The Beatles and The Rolling Stones have more consecutive gold or platinum studio albums by a rock band, according to Recording Industry Association of America figures.

Rush's most-acclaimed albums include “2112,'' “Moving Pictures,'' and “Test of Echo.'' Some of its most popular songs include “The Spirit of Radio,'' “Tom

Sawyer,'' “Limelight,'' “Closer to the Heart,'' “YYZ,'' “Working Man'' and “Subdivisions.''

Rush is considered Canada's most successful rock band. It was inducted into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame in 1994, Canada's Walk of Stars in 1999 and Canada's Songwriting Hall of Fame in March and was bestowed the Order of Canada in 1997.

View more clips of the Hollywood Walk of Fame ceremony.
Subscribe to Hollywood Walk of Fame channel on YouTube
http://www.youtube.com/HwdWalkOfFame

BIOGRAPHY

RUSH- Geddy Lee, Alex Lifeson, and Neil Peart – honored with 2,412th Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame
Hollywood Honor Coincides With Tour, *Documentary and New Single
Guest speakers included Donna Halper, former radio personality at WMMS Cleveland where Rush received their first airplay with Working Man; and Billy Corgan, vocalist, lead guitarist and songwriter for The Smashing Pumpkins will participate as well.
6752 Hollywood Boulevard in front of Musician's Institute
Friday, June 25, 2010.

Rush – is without question one of the most inventive and compelling groups in rock history, equally famed for both its virtuoso musicianship and provocative songwriting.

The honor comes as the progressive-rock trio comprised of bassist-frontman Geddy Lee, guitarist Alex Lifeson and drummer Neil Peart gear up for their North American Time Machine tour and pre-releasing 2 new songs "Caravan" & "BU2B" from their forthcoming 20th studio album Clockwork Angels (due spring 2011)

Just last year, a career-chronicling Rolling Stone feature praised the band for its continuing artistic vitality, noting that "It's true that Rush doesn't mean today what it did in '76 or even '96. It may mean more."

Rush's enduring pop culture relevance is perhaps best evidenced by a pair of high- profile appearances – a rare national television performance and interview on Comedy Central's "The Colbert Report" in 2008 (the band's first TV appearance since 1975), and a pivotal role in the storyline of the 2009 hit comedy, I Love You, Man, starring Paul Rudd and Jason Segal, where the band also made a memorable cameo in the film.

Beginning with their self-titled debut album in 1974, their extraordinary body of work – which includes such formidable works as 1976's 2112, 1981's Moving Pictures, 1996's Test for Echo and the latest studio album "Snakes & Arrows"- made a triumphant debut on the Billboard 200 upon its initial release in 2007, entering the chart in the #3 spot. The album's success marked Rush's highest chart debut since 1993, as well as the group's eleventh Top Ten album in the U.S.

Rush has sold more than 40 million records worldwide and garnered untold legions of devoted and admiring fans. According to the RIAA, Rush's sales statistics place RUSH third behind The Beatles and The Rolling Stones for the most consecutive gold or platinum studio albums by a rock band. Some of their most popular songs include: The Spirit of Radio, Tom Sawyer, Limelight, Closer To The Heart, YYZ, Working Man and Subdivisons.

Rush has also won a number of Juno Awards, been nominated for multiple Grammy awards, was inducted into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame in 1994, bestowed the Order of Canada in 1997, inducted into Canada's Walk of Stars in 1999 and Canada's Songwriting Hall of Fame in March of 2010. Consistently celebrated and respected worldwide, Rush is the most successful Canadian rock band of all time, and they remain one of the biggest grossing arena rock bands ever.

Rush has become known for the instrumental skills of its members, complex compositions, and eclectic lyrical motifs drawing heavily on science fiction, fantasy, and libertarian philosophy, as well as addressing humanitarian, social, emotional, and environmental concerns.

A special limited engagement big screen release of the documentary "Rush: Beyond the Lighted Stage," opened worldwide on June 10. Directors Sam Dunn with Scot McFadyen's rock doc, which follows the band's 40-plus-years career, premiered this past April at the 2010 Tribeca Film Festival where it won the coveted Audience Award. The documentary includes interviews with some of today's most respected rock artists such as Billy Corgan, Taylor Hawkins, Trent Reznor, Sebastian Bach, Kirk Hammett and Gene Simmons speaking about the influence of Rush. The doc is slated for release on DVD and Blu-Ray in the U.S. on June 29. *On the day of the ceremony there will be a special screening of the documentary at Mann Chinese 6 in Hollywood, just 2 blocks west of where the band will get their star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. The film will be featured on Friday June 25 as an all day event. The film will play at 2pm, 5pm and 8pm. This is a last chance to see it on the big screen Event tied in to celebrate the band's honor of receiving the Star.

Four days after receiving the Hollywood Walk of Fame star, Rush will kick-off its "Time Machine Tour" on June 29, in Albuquerque, New Mexico and finish October 2, in West Palm Beach, Florida. www.rush.com

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