>>>But take away the light show (and most of the drums :-}) and I'm remain to be convinced regarding the talent....
>
>It looks mostly like a crew of middle-aged dudes. Of course they must have talent.
>
>;-)

They have talent in every direction, but what sets them apart (and even their critics will admit) is their work ethic.

When they were in their 20's, critics remarked that they acted too serious for their age. The irony is that they're now in their mid-late 50's but have a great sense of humor. They take their craft VERY seriously, but at the same time know how to act like total goof-balls. They can pull it off.

Their acceptance speech for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame focused on a key point - their insanely loyal fans. And that's really the truth - most people either can't name more than 5 Rush songs, or can recite the lyrics to everything they've done. There is just no middle ground.

(And of course, I learned about Ayn Rand from Rush, from their 2112 album) :)