Fly By Night

It happened! Rush is among the nominees for induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2013.  The nominees in general are a pretty diverse group, ranging from other classic rock acts such as Deep Purple and Heart to two rap groups (Public Enemy and N.W.A.), along with bluesman Albert King and disco acts Chic and the late - :-( - Donna Summer, to Motown's first group to top the singles charts, the Marvelettes, and Los Angeles singer-songwriter Randy Newman. (I could have sworn he was already in.)  

Bear in mind that these are only nominations, not inductions, and the Canadian power trio faces some stiff competition from these acts and several others.  Public Enemy and N.W.A. are shoo-ins simply because they're rap groups - no one would deny any rapper induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (Chuck D and Ice Cube would not approve of being "dissed") - and another act, the Paul Butterfield Blues Band, is definitely a favorite for helping to popularize blues-rock fusions.  (And come on, you can't vote down Randy Newman!)  Among the classic rockers, Rush will have to go against Joan Jett, Procol Harum, and Heart, not to mention Deep Purple, whose "Smoke On the Water" was a song every budding rock guitarist in the seventies had to know.  Between Rush and Procol Harum, my money would be on Procol Harum.  That group recorded "A Whiter Shade of Pale;" Rush represents a paler shade of white, not the best image to have with the politically correct rock critics who control this damn hall of fame.

There are other problems.  Rush's lyrics draw inspiration from science fiction and libertarian philosophy, two elements of popular culture embraced by white suburban male teenagers and loathed by everyone else. And, even though I'm a Rush fan, I have to be honest - Geddy Lee can't sing.  (He's been called a cross between Robert Plant and Donald Duck as well as Tweety on helium.  The last things you want to be compared to as a rock singer are cartoon birds.)

But Rush also has several things in its favor - stellar musicianship (drummer Neil Peart and guitarist Alex Lifeson are considered among the best musicians of all time in rock), wonderfully erudite lyrics (lyricist Peart has referenced everyone from Shakespeare to Simon and Garfunkel),  and monumental albums such as Moving Pictures, a tremendous concept LP about motion.  Not to mention that humorous Volkswagen ad using their 1975 song "Fly By Night."  So they have a fifty percent chance.  The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame could very well choose to induct them or exclude them.  

If they choose not to decide, they still have made a choice. :-D 

Follow the link to this article for the full list of 2013 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame nominees.