In a RushRash exclusive, Chaz n' Schatz land an exclusive with vocalist Rocky Kuner and guitarist Ben King of Southern California's Mood Lifters Tribute to Rush just ahead of their disembarking for a full-on "half-a-smily-face" tour of the land Down Under, 5 cities in 5 days!

We talk what it's been like since Rocky joined the band and how they continue their journey from local SoCal Rush Tribute to all-out Global Rush rash super-spreader, spreading the rash far and wide! Moods were elevated:

- What it was like going to Scotland, playing Rushfest with jetlag, other musicians, and someone else’s equipment.

- How Ben discovered Rush through his sister in a time when MTV actually played music and how Rocky found Rush through her parents mix tapes.

- Rocky's reaction to being dragged to Rush concerts by her Dad and Uncle at age 12.

- How Mood Lifters and Rocky found each other after Rocky left YYNOT and how the band has gone to the next level since they’ve all joined creative forces.

- The gear-up to do something Rush didn’t even do…play a five city tour of Australia this month.

- The market for Rocky's hand-written set lists and how her biggest fans are closest to the heart!

- How the band is able to create such high-energy shows that has everyone singing and participating.

- How the band is rounded out by Mat Miranda on drums, who couldn’t be with us.

And in an ongoing pattern of wheel-based shenanigans, we spin a track with no vocals, Leave That Thing Alone, off 1993’s Counterparts. Rocky and Ben really get into the music and Ben helps us discern the “Celtic flavor” in Al’s solo. Music appreciation and love of all the nuance, magic, energy, and intensity of multiple time signatures, key changes, and notes, notes, notes!!

We name-drop (or at least think to mention in the show notes...) some of our usual suspects of our own like ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠rushvault.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, and we are always thinking about ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠rushisaband.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, and our fantabulous sponsor, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Danforth & Pape⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠podcastle.ai⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠! And witness the first dual-attempt at playing Schatz’s Scratch List - a tongue twisting good time was had by all - so now get out there and scratch that itch to hear Rush music with the Mood Lifters or any of these other bands live:

UK

Scotland

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Moving Pictures Scotland⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Leoni Jane Kennedy⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠RushFest Scotland⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

North America

USA⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YYNOT⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Second Contact⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Solar Federation⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Accidental Breakdown⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Rush Archives⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Mood Lifters⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Lotus Land⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Dumb Love⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Vapor Trail⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Rash⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠The Discs⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠A Farewell To Kings⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Canada

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠New World Men⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠2112⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠YYC⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

South America

Brazil

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠RushFest Brazil⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Rush news, general nonsensical disorderly conduct, lack of regard for correctness or truth, and reckless endangerment of your whole-brain. This is the only podcast dedicated to increasing opioid release in your anterior insula, your anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), and your posterior cingulate cortex (PCC), in addition to the basal ganglia and the thalamus...and all that that implies.  

Some thick North Jersey accents and they give you some royalty-free sound effects and movie clips too - what more do you need to indulge your urge to scratch?!  Join us - you know where to scratch - blah, blah...RushRash.