OK, that was pretty damn cool.  Although it seems that many people are pissed at Colbert's antics while Rush performed "Tom Sawyer" on last night's The Colbert Report, I didn't think it was a big deal.  I've (hopefully) embedded a few clips from the Comedy Central website (if you don't see it, go here), so judge for yourselves... First, it appeared to me that Geddy was a little nervous, which is odd.  Maybe I'm just imagining things.  Also, it was weird seeing Neil ... Read on, Daddy-O

Programming alert - Rush will appear on The Colbert Report (Comedy Central, for the cable-impaired) tomorrow (7/16) to perform "Tom Sawyer".  It's their first performance on U.S. television since 1975.  I tried to find out the details of that appearance, but Google has failed me thus far. Update:  Turns out it was Don Kirschner's Rock Concert.SHARETHIS.addEntry({ title: "Rush meets Colbert", url: "http://www.grayflannelsuit.net/2008/07/15/rush-meets-colbert/" }); Read on, Daddy-O

From Idolator via the AV Club comes a pretty cool music meme - compile a list of your favorite albums, with one for each year you've been alive. Sounds easy enough, but some years are positively stacked with music I love.  Forcing me to choose among my musical children is just so...cruel. For me the most bountiful years were 1975-1978, 1980, 1982-1984, 1990, 1997, 1999, 2002, 2006, and 2007. 1975 - Kiss, Alive! 1976 - Led Zeppelin, Presence 1977 - Rush, A Farewell to Kings 1978 - ... Read on, Daddy-O

Somehow this news escaped my attention when it first broke, but John Rutsey (co-founder and original drummer for Rush) died at age 55 over the weekend. Preliminary word is the cause of death was a heart attack possibly related to complications from diabetes, which he had been living with for decades. Rush fans know the background well - Rutsey helped co-found the band in Toronto during the summer of 1968, along with guitarist Alex Lifeson and bassist/singer Jeff Jones. Jones's stay ... Read on, Daddy-O

So this is pretty cool - a recent Foo Fighters show in Toronto was elevated to legendary status thanks to a guest appearance from two-thirds of Rush.  Witness "YYZ" with Taylor Hawkins, Geddy Lee, and Alex Lifeson... [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T1Ramu397UQ[/youtube]SHARETHIS.addEntry({ title: "YYFoo", url: "http://www.grayflannelsuit.net/2008/03/24/yyfoo/" }); Read on, Daddy-O

It was quite a big weekend for the Bad Plus – in addition to a two-night stand at Chris’ Jazz Café in Philadelphia, the Midwest-based jazz trio made an appearance on Late Night with Conan O’Brien on Friday. I caught them for the early set on Saturday (the 2nd night), and if there was any post-Conan letdown it was not apparent. The band played a tight set that showcased their strengths – chops, melody, and humor. SHARETHIS.addEntry({ title: "An A+ for the ... Read on, Daddy-O

OK, so we've reviewed what I believe to be the standout albums from the year that was. The second part of my year-end review reviews some of the best songs of the year. You likely wouldn't have heard any of these songs on radio (at least not terrestrial radio). In fact, I couldn't pick out any of this year's most popular radio songs if my life depended on it. Note - I tried to find official videos for these songs, ... Read on, Daddy-O

Anyone who has seen a performance by a band that's been around for at least 10 years or so has witnessed the following - one of the members says something along the lines of "this next one is off our new album" and half the audience either sits down or heads for the beer lines. Once in awhile, the crowd will become openly hostile and start booing any new material (this happened to Genesis during their Duke tour). So when does this ... Read on, Daddy-O

Creating and maintaining an iPod playlist with my favorite songs has been an interesting experience for me. I call the playlist "The Best" not because I really think these are the best songs ever, but because they are the ones that resonate the most with me. As the playlist has grown (it's now at 46 songs) some items of note have emerged. The first is that two of my all-time favorite bands, Kiss and Rush, are not represented once on the ... Read on, Daddy-O

Here's my stream of consciousness review of Snakes & Arrows, written as I listen to it. "Far Cry" - This is the only song I heard prior to the album release. This is much in the same vein as Test for Echo and Vapor Trails. It has a really catchy chorus, and crackles with more life than all of TFE. And of course there are the Hemispheres-era chord changes, which are sweet. "Armor and Sword" - A little plodding, but ... Read on, Daddy-O