Having just performed their first official public performance as Rush the week prior , the band's second paying gig, also at the Coff-In center at the St. Theodore of Canterbury Anglican Church, immediately ran into some "good" bad luck. As it turns out, Jeff Jones, the bass player and lead singer at the time, could not perform at the band's second show which, according to Alex , took place fifty years ago today. From Alex Lifeson: "...Jeff couldn't make it - he had commitments to his actual band. So that's when I called Geddy and asked him if he could fill in. I'd known Ged for a couple of years. He might not have done the first gig as Rush, but he was there for the second one. And after that we would play at the Coff-Inn once a month..." Rush, the trio made up of Alex Lifeson, John Rutsey, and Geddy Lee, had formed. However changes to the lineup were not over. In December of 1968, Lindy Young, who would later become Geddy Lee's broth

Having formed the first incarnation of Rush the month before, the trio of Alex Lifeson, John Rutsey, and Jeff Jones (bassist and lead singer) received an offer to perform a gig at The Coff-Inn, a drop-in center located in the basement of St. Theodore of Canterbury Anglican Church. The center, which was only two blocks from Lifeson's house, was a place for kids to hang out safely, drink pop and watch local bands play. There was no stage at the center, so Rush's first concert took place on the floor at one end of the room. Though the center could hold about a hundred people, according to Alex's recollection there were probably only 20 people there on Rush's inaugural performance, which took place on September 18th, 1968 - exactly fifty years ago today. Or did it...? The September 18th date comes directly interviews with Alex Lifeson, however that date points to a Wednesday whereas performances at the Coff-Inn were believed to take place on Fridays. So did the act

Today marks the 66th birthday of Rush drummer and lyricist extraordinaire Neil Peart. Neil (born Neil Ellwood Peart) came into the world on September 12th in 1952 Hamilton, Ontario. He grew up in Port Dalhousie, Ontario, Canada (now part of St. Catharines) working the occasional odd job including the role of a Parts Manager for his father Tractor Supply company. His true ambition, however, was to become a professional musician. During adolescence, he floated from regional band to regional band and dropped out of high school to pursue a career as a full-time drummer. He had a short stint with J.R. Flood back in 1970, before he decided to move abroad to further his musical studies. However, after a discouraging stint in England, Peart returned home where he joined a local Toronto band called Rush in the summer of 1974. And the rest, as they say, is history. A special treat to help celebrate Neil's 66th birthday is this rare picture of him from 1969 at Brock University in