Rush

​Ayn Rand-obsessed Rush is so fascist that essential British magazine New Musical Express accused them of proto-fascism in 1978. I would quibble with "proto," but I understand (though obviously don't share!) the desire to exercise caution in labeling something fascist. That NME labeled Rush proto-fascist is remarkable enough, and it marshaled plenty of evidence.

First, a few observations showing Rush's obsession with Ayn Rand and her far-right anti-collectivist dogma:

• Rush's album 2112 is a rewrite of her book Anthem.
• Rush’s record label was named after her book Anthem.
• Neil Peart, Rush drummer: “She’s just a very brilliant woman, an excellent writer, but a brilliant thinker as well. She has a great clarity of thought.”
• Geddy Lee, Rush lead singer: “I think she’s brought forth a lot of concepts and philosophies that have confirmed for us a lot of different things. I’ve just found it very positive. I’ve found it very positive. I’ve found a lot of truth in what she writes.”

Second, some choice commentary on the band's fascist stage show:

• Rush’s audience in a 1978 show gave the band “power salutes at the end of each number. Rush didn’t seem to take any notice of them despite their obvious enthusiasm, if not fanaticism… It seemed as though Rush’s performance existed as closed-off totality of its own, quite separate from anything the audience might do, and could have been performed the same just as easily anywhere on the planet. It wasn’t a two-way thing at all. Neil agrees and seems surprised that I should think that this was a bad thing…. They seemed to make no effort to put their individual personalities across to their audience to show anything of themselves.

And the coup de grace:

• All the classic hallmarks of the right wing are there: the pseudo-religious language..., which extends right down to calling the touring crew road masters instead of road managers. The use of a quasi-mystical symbol – the naked man confronting the red star of socialism (at least I suppose that’s what it’s supposed to be). It’s all there. They are actually very nice guys. They don’t sit there in jackboots pulling the wings off flies. They are polite, charming even, naïve – roaming the concert circuits preaching what to me seems like proto-fascism like a leper without a bell.

---