Any Rush fans out there? (The band, not the fat, drug-addled douche)

Had a chance to meet an early rock hero of mine last week: Geddy Lee.

All you Rush fans (assuming there are some on the board) might like to know that he couldn't have been a nicer, more gracious, down-to-earth, good humored guy. It was a shoot for ESPN fantasy baseball -- Geddy's a HUGE, lifelong baseball fan, and it's a rock-themed baseball commercial, hence his inclusion -- w/ a bizarro cast of Peter Gammons, John Kruk, Gary Sheffield, Buster Olney, Bronson Arroyo (who also has some serious musical chops), Joe Borowski, Jennie Finch, Billy the Marlin, two hot "dancers", Carlos Lee and his distant Canadian cousin (as the two of them joked) Geddy, who was a kid in a candy store with the players and writers. He really knows his baseball, too, and more than held his own talking shop with the ESPN guys, even Gammons (who was a true gentleman, and another hero of mine). Geddy was scheduled to give us a couple hours -- tops -- and stayed about 12, recording lyrics and bass lines for the original music, making sure we had everything we needed from him, afterwards signing a zillion pics, DVDs, CDs, etc. for fellow cast members, crew, everyone. Just a great, great dude -- in fact, the whole cast couldn't have been cooler or un-"diva"-like, all of them staying well beyond their allotted times, all interested in the process & having fun with it.

Anyway, just felt it was worth mentioning here since many stars these days (as you sports journalism pros know better than anyone) can be miles from accommodating...and I thought you Rush fans would get a kick out of hearing about Geddy, especially with their new album/tour around the corner.

 

Re: Any Rush fans out there?

Rush is one of Canada first true rock bands (yes, I know, the Guess Who were on scene first).

You're the second guy to say how great Geddy Lee is in person. And entertainment reporter I worked with said the same thing.

If I'm not mistaken, Rush, at one time, held the record "fastest sell-out." They played Detroit way back when and all the Canuckleheads rushed out to get tickets.

 

Re: Any Rush fans out there?

Be prepared for a lot of people saying no, they aren't Rush Limbaugh fans.

 

Re: Any Rush fans out there?

you said rush...

 

Re: Any Rush fans out there?

Yeah, I won't usually get all fanboy and post about meeting celebs*, but Geddy was just an awesome guy and I couldn't resist. Still remember when my older brother brought home 'Moving Pictures' from the radio station where he was interning, and it blew me away. I think some people forget how huge this band was at one time, and yet they're stonewalled year after year by the Rock N' Roll HOF while acts like Blondie, the Bee Gees, ZZ Top and Steely Dan (who weren't even really a band, per se) get in. Just think they're deserving, is all.



*Will admit that I was bracing myself for Sheffield, whose surly rep preceded him, yet he was just a great guy, too. I assume some of you have dealt with him, and I'm sure the reviews are mixed, but he was low-key, funny, nice as hell, and you could tell that the younger players (Arroyo, Lee) really respected the hell out of him, as they ALL did the Commissioner, Gammons, who was sort of the godfather on set.

 

Re: Any Rush fans out there?

Yeah, the over/under on the number of times that appears in this post is 37.

 

Geddy Lee is a regular at Jays games and can often be seen on TV sitting in the seats behind the plate. The back of Rush's Signals album was full of baseball references.

 

Of course they respect Sheffield. If they don't kowtow to him, he's liable to go off about being disrespected and start swinging a bat at any second.

One of the biggest jerks in the game.

Anyway. Geddy Lee was/is best friends with Warren Cromartie.

 

Randy Johnson has had Lee as a postgame clubhouse guest several times.

Rush has been a long-time fave of mine. Their following is not that different from the Dead's -- incredibly loyal. Their tours always finish way in the black because the advertising budget is miniscule. They barely need any.

 

Does Johnson still wear a Rush T-shirt (think it was either Power Windows or Hold Your Fire) under his uniform for every start?

 

I believe Johnson was a roadie for Rush for one of their winter tours when he played for the Expos.

 

See, you had me until you zinged Steely Dan, one of the few genius acts of rock music.