The Rush Discush

Married Rush fans Juliann and Adam Balley discuss the songs of the band Rush, pairing them up and battling out which ones they would keep if they had to pick. The songs are grouped into multiple categories including hits, less favored tracks, philosophic tracks, and more!

Ep. 47 - Cinderella Man vs. Totem 07/24/2023

Ep. 47 - Cinderella Man vs. Totem We talk about one of Geddy's lyrical endeavors based on a movie with Cinderella Man, and a smorgasbord of religions represented in Totem. /episode/index/show/rushdiscush/id/27538806

Ep. 46 - Match the Music to the Lyrics 05/01/2023

Ep. 46 - Match the Music to the Lyrics Today's challenge comes in Adam's brother Edward attempting to match the music of Rush songs he has never heard before to the correct lyrics and vice-versa. Play along and see how well you do! Follow Edward on his songwriting journey here: , /episode/index/show/rushdiscush/id/26702079

Ep. 45 - Kid Gloves vs. How It Is 04/24/2023

Ep. 45 - Kid Gloves vs. How It Is One of Alex's best solos against the heavy crunch of the only Rush album to be remixed. Take this deep dive into juxtaposition, mixing, and more! Sponsor - Cinderella Man - New musical, check to see if it will be coming to your town. /episode/index/show/rushdiscush/id/26636526

Ep. 44 - Guess the Rush Song From the Poorly Played Bass Line 04/17/2023

Ep. 44 - Guess the Rush Song From the Poorly Played Bass Line Today is just as it seems - Juliann (and you) will try to guess what Rush song Adam is playing poorly on the bass. No this isn't Adam trying to downplay his bass playing to subvert expectations - he really did play them poorly. Good luck! /episode/index/show/rushdiscush/id/26521971

Ep. 43 - Vital Signs vs. Bravest Face 04/10/2023

Ep. 43 - Vital Signs vs. Bravest Face Today we dive into the oddities of Rush doing Reggae and Geddy singing all over the place. Find out if Moving Pictures reigns supreme or if Snakes & Arrows takes a victory. UPDATED Due to technical diffculties when first uploaded, we neglected to include our sponsor's message. To all the real ones who listened through without it and heard our random waiting pause - you rule. Sponsor - How It Is - Check it out on a local public access channel and AM radio. /episode/index/show/rushdiscush/id/26473965

Ep. 42 - Guess the Rush Song From the Drums 04/03/2023

Ep. 42 - Guess the Rush Song From the Drums Today's game is simple - just guess the song from the drum groove or fill. Find out if we guess the iconic fills and grooves or if we are just big losers! We are joined by our good friend Jim Benner from Rushfans and who has joined us in the past to break down some drum stuff. /episode/index/show/rushdiscush/id/26407089

Ep. 41 - The Twilight Zone vs. You Bet Your Life 03/27/2023

Ep. 41 - The Twilight Zone vs. You Bet Your Life Today we talk Twilight Zone, TV, and Traumatization - the widely known three "T"s (I'm pretty sure) Check out the goofy videos Adam brought up here: and Today's sponsor - - check out their upcoming album Evelate From the Norm. /episode/index/show/rushdiscush/id/26340192

Ep. 40 - Guess the Rush Song From the A.I. Generated Art 03/20/2023

Ep. 40 - Guess the Rush Song From the A.I. Generated Art Just a quick message to all our faithful listeners - Thank you! Today's episode doesn't work well for audio only so if you'd like to watch on YouTube you can do that here: You can listen to the audio here or not. There's one mistake in the audio if you want to try to catch it. but if you want to skip the audio here I wouldn't blame you. It's just some filler stuff. Move along. We will be back next week with an episode like normal. Thanks again for listening! You guys rock! /episode/index/show/rushdiscush/id/26270031

Ep 39. Best I Can vs. Between Sun and Moon 03/13/2023

Ep 39. Best I Can vs. Between Sun and Moon We dive right in and battle out these two odd ducks. Will classic rock beat out country? Will R.E.M. beat out AC/DC? Will you skip our sponser's ad that is placed toward the end of the episode? All this and maybe the meaning of life, probably, on today's episode! Sponser: The Odds Get Even - Gambling Rehabilitation Center. Call 1-800-GET-EVEN to start your journey today. /episode/index/show/rushdiscush/id/26199834

Ep. 38 - Lemonade From the North - Ft. The Every Rush Song Podcast 03/10/2023

Ep. 38 - Lemonade From the North - Ft. The Every Rush Song Podcast Welcome to a new bracket! We were happy to be guests on the Every Rush Song Podcast with Shayne, Jay, and Tim. Shayne hosts this episode and we all share how we got into Rush, introduce the new bracket and then have a "pre-season" choice between The Twilight Zone and Vital Signs. Check out Every Rush song at and check back in on Monday when our first battle episode drops. /episode/index/show/rushdiscush/id/26179974

Ep. 37 - The Reflective Bracket 01/13/2023

Ep. 37 - The Reflective Bracket Here we are, finally finishing this bracket after a year of turbulence. It's short and sweet today - we have done all the reflecting during the previous episodes of this bracket and get straight to it deciding which song will top the list of the reflective song bracket! Thank you to all who have stuck with us and those who have come on and spoken with us - we look forward to this new bracket coming up! Check out the Reflective Bracket playlist here: and /episode/index/show/rushdiscush/id/25603623

Ep. 36 - Middletown Dreams vs. Mission 01/06/2023

Ep. 36 - Middletown Dreams vs. Mission In this last pairing of the bracket, we hear reflections from Rob Buchta and Vicki Hudson about these spectacular tracks, we talk about the album that helped inspire Middletown Dreams, and discuss the musical group that we belong to that we feel encapsulates the message of Mission. Check out Check out Millennial Choirs and Orchestras - and Here are some /episode/index/show/rushdiscush/id/25526877

Ep. 35 - Second Nature vs. The Way the Wind Blows 12/16/2022

Ep. 35 - Second Nature vs. The Way the Wind Blows Today we discuss our special connection with Second Nature, Adam rants about war, and we decide which of these awesome songs sticks around for the next round. Check out our old gym pitch video here: Check out Juliann's business website here: And follow her at Check out Scott Horton's book here: Watch the video series for the book here: /episode/index/show/rushdiscush/id/25227111

Ep. 34 - Open Secrets vs. Bravado 12/09/2022

Ep. 34 - Open Secrets vs. Bravado Jim Benner and Dennis Strenk kick off this episode sharing their reflections, then we examine the impact these songs have had on our lives. /episode/index/show/rushdiscush/id/25087041

Ep. 33 - Lakeside Park vs. Heresy 12/02/2022

Ep. 33 - Lakeside Park vs. Heresy Get ready for some reflection about some uncomfortable subjects while also remembering the things that make life worth living. An odd pairing that illustrates the diversity of songwriting from the band. Check out Forty Autumns by Nina Willner - /episode/index/show/rushdiscush/id/25063356

Ep. 32 - Ghost of a Chance vs. Faithless 11/25/2022

Ep. 32 - Ghost of a Chance vs. Faithless Omar Alvarado of the YouTube channel "All About Rush" starts off today's episode reflecting on Ghost of a Chance, and then we dive into some deep waters discussing faith, spirituality, and how these songs serve as an important reminder to take an active role in your personal belief set. Check out Omar on his channel at https://www.youtube.com/AllAboutRush /episode/index/show/rushdiscush/id/25063155

Ep. 31 - Rush in a Relationship: Lauren and Daniel 11/18/2022

Ep. 31 - Rush in a Relationship: Lauren and Daniel Lauren and Daniel from Scotland are back for a full episode discussion of how Rush has been a part of their relationship and what it has meant for them. Hear how a concert changed their trajectory, how a wedding band had to learn Rush for them, and how Daniel had an interaction with Neil! Check out Lauren's art on her Instagram: Check out RUSHfest Scotland: /episode/index/show/rushdiscush/id/25003524

Ep. 30 - Everyday Glory vs. Resist 11/11/2022

Ep. 30 - Everyday Glory vs. Resist Today we bring on Lauren and Daniel from Scotland to share their insights on Resist. Then we press on to a deep dive on the thoughtful nature of these beautiful songs. Check out our website at ! /episode/index/show/rushdiscush/id/24937410

Ep. 28 - The Measure of a Life: Reflections with Donna Halper 11/04/2022

Ep. 28 - The Measure of a Life: Reflections with Donna Halper Come on a journey with Donna as she shares her experiences with the band - from playing "Working Man" in Cleveland for the first time, to a lifelong friendship - and how the work and moral ethic of the band has helped influence the world for good. /episode/index/show/rushdiscush/id/24899211

Ep. 29 - Stoicism, Philosophy, and Rush with Brad Birzer 11/04/2022

Ep. 29 - Stoicism, Philosophy, and Rush with Brad Birzer Brad Birzer joins us to discuss Stoicism, western civilization, philosophy, and how it all relates to Rush. We explore the relevance of the lyrics and philosophy, discuss religion, and reflect on the impact these lyrics have had in our personal lives. Check out Brad's Liberty Classroom courses here: Get Brad's book - /episode/index/show/rushdiscush/id/24897681

Ep. 27 - In The End vs. Mystic Rhythms 11/04/2022

Ep. 27 - In The End vs. Mystic Rhythms We have returned! After a long hiatus we begin this reflective journey by battling out two closing tracks from two wildly different albums and discussing the unique aspects of both that keep us coming back. - go to 2:00 for the lead in to Geddy's part. /episode/index/show/rushdiscush/id/24894408

Ep. 26 - The Instrumental Bracket 02/25/2022

Ep. 26 - The Instrumental Bracket Join us as we reflect on this bracket and determine the one instrumental track that we would keep out of the remaining 4 tracks. We also announce the next bracket to come. Listen to the songs in this bracket here: /episode/index/show/rushdiscush/id/22248446

Ep. 25 - La Villa Strangiato vs. The Main Monkey Business - Part 2 02/22/2022

Ep. 25 - La Villa Strangiato vs. The Main Monkey Business - Part 2 Here it is - the final decision between these instrumentals! Building off of last episode's discussion, Juliann and Adam dive deeper into their personal feelings about these two great showcases of the band's virtuosity! /episode/index/show/rushdiscush/id/22213166

Ep. 24 - La Villa Strangiato vs. The Main Monkey Business - Part 1 02/18/2022

Ep. 24 - La Villa Strangiato vs. The Main Monkey Business - Part 1 Doug, Vicki, Dennis, and Jim are all back as Juliann and Adam prep for their next battle episode. Dive deep into the complexity of these two powerhouse instrumentals with the help of these wonderful musical guests! Link to La Villa Strangiato movement listing: Be sure to check out our previous interviews with each of our guests. Go support our guests as well! Doug: Vicki: Jim: /episode/index/show/rushdiscush/id/22178420

Ep. 23 - The Composing of Rush 02/15/2022

Ep. 23 - The Composing of Rush Today, Adam interviews Dr. Doug Helvering - a composer and professor - and has him break down some of these composing terms that get tossed around. We also dive into some different compositional elements that Rush used in their songs. Yet another great interview that will deepen your appreciation of the band! Check out Doug's YouTube channel: Listen to some of Doug's compositions: /episode/index/show/rushdiscush/id/22134629

Ep. 22 - YYZ vs. Leave That Thing Alone 02/11/2022

Ep. 22 - YYZ vs. Leave That Thing Alone Strap in folks, this one is a doozy. We brought Adam and Jimmy back to give their input from a bass perspective, and Steve breaks down some sweet drum stuff for them as well. Check out the full interview with Steve: /episode/index/show/rushdiscush/id/22071710

Ep. 21 - The Drums of Rush 02/08/2022

Ep. 21 - The Drums of Rush Steve from JunkdrummerTV on YouTube and Jim Benner of Rush Fans join me in discussing drums in general and then Neil's contributions to the drumming world and his playing in Rush. Check out Steve's channel on YouTube: Follow Jim on IG: /episode/index/show/rushdiscush/id/22024130

Ep. 20 - Where's My Thing? vs. Malignant Narcissism 02/04/2022

Ep. 20 - Where's My Thing? vs. Malignant Narcissism More bass discussion today as we dive deep into these tracks with Jimmy and Adam! Then we try to unravel this decision and find that it is more difficult than we expected. Which instrumental will proceed to the next phase? Find out on today's Rush Discush! /episode/index/show/rushdiscush/id/22014107

Ep. 19 - The Bass of Rush 02/01/2022

Ep. 19 - The Bass of Rush We had a great discush with Adam Jones and Jimmy Lykens - two great bassists and great people - in preparation for some more deep dives into the instrumentals of Rush. Be prepared to have your knowledge of the bass increased and your appreciation for Geddy deepened! Check out Jimmy on tour with country artist Jake Owen: Check out Alex Lifeson's new single "Liar": Check out Adam at his website: /episode/index/show/rushdiscush/id/21975266

Ep. 18 - Limbo vs. Hope 01/28/2022

Ep. 18 - Limbo vs. Hope Our first battle episode back and it feels great! And horrible! It's always a tough time picking between these songs we love, but it's especially tough now that we've brought back Vicki and Dennis to point out more cool stuff we didn't notice about the guitar of these songs. As always, we highly reccomend listening to both songs before and after the episode! /episode/index/show/rushdiscush/id/21924902

The Rush Discush

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