Episode 122. Second Nature

This week, Chaz and Schatz welcome another seriously infected Rush fan into the Haggis Shack, and this guy's got a collection that might require its own ZIP code! Straight outta Bayonne, New Jersey, Mike Zwarycz joins the boys to talk about a lifelong obsession that began when a young Mike heard "Fly By Night" blasting from a record store while riding his Schwinn. One song, one bicycle, and a lifetime of incurable Rush Rash! But Mike isn't your average collector. We're talking original tour itineraries, rare memorabilia, recording documents from Hold Your Fire, and an extraordinary cassette containing unfinished recordings from Presto. How did he acquire these treasures? Let's just say a chance encounter with the belongings of Alex Lifeson's longtime guitar tech, Jimmy Johnson, led to one hell of a discovery! Along the way, we remember fellow collector Joe Pesce, discuss Mike's involvement with Bubba Bash and the Rush tribute community, explore his spectacular Rush-themed man cave and arcade, and discover how his son helped reignite his collecting obsession. Meanwhile, Schatz reports from another Rush-infested weekend in Cleveland, Chaz's computer attempts to end the podcast prematurely, and Mike discovers that appearing on Rush Rash may be more technologically challenging than operating a 1989 cassette deck. THIS WEEK'S TRACK: "SECOND NATURE" — HOLD YOUR FIRE (1987) The boys turn their attention to "Second Nature," exploring its layered production, synthesizers, arrangement, and the musical decisions behind one of Hold Your Fire's more contemplative moments. AND OF COURSE, THE USUAL NONSENSE... Plus, our sponsors, Corey Morrissette's Boneless Podcasting Network roundup, and enough Rush-related digressions to fill another tour itinerary. It's rare recordings, remarkable friendships, rock-and-roll archaeology, and a Jersey boy with a serious case of the Rash. Grab yourself a big-ass cup of Peart Family Coffee, fire up the old cassette deck, and join Chaz and Schatz for another journey through the Rush catalog, one cut at a time! Go scratch that itch! HOT DAMN, EH! 🇨🇦 SCHATZ'S SCRATCH LIST - RUSH TRIBUTE BANDS Scratch your itch to hear RUSH music played live by going to check out any of these great RUSH Tribute Bands - these bands are keeping the community and the music alive - the most current, curated, and rockin' list of RUSH Tribute Bands in the world! Yeah! ⁠⁠⁠⁠Click here: ⁠Schatz's Scratch List⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠(And say it 5 times fast!) GO BONELESS Certified boneless in the state of Ohio by the Boneless Podcasting Network. Go Boneless. Boneless Makes a Better Podcast.