Sure, the members of Rush look a little different these days from the band's "Moving Pictures" era - shorter hair, glasses, a wrinkle here or there. But both the band's members and its music have aged well in the band's 40-plus-year history.

IN ITS 14TH YEAR OF ELIGIBILTY Canadian power trio Rush has finally made it into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame, maybe due, in no small part, to the incessant lobbying of the band's dedicated fans around the world.

Guitarist Alex Lifeson formed Rush in 1968 with bassist Jeff Jones and drummer John Rutsey, but the magical music fans adore today didn't start to flow until bassist Geddy Lee and drummer Neil Peart teamed up with Lifeson.

Critics weren't particularly enamored with the band's first three releases. The self-titled debut in 1974 and "Fly By Night" in 1975 drew fans, but the band's heavily progressive third album, 1975's "Caress of Steel," confused some fans and failed to build Rush's momentum. Everything changed in 1976 with "2112." Based on the themes of novelist and essayist Ayn Rand, "2112" became Rush's breakthrough album that opened the door to the follow-ups "A Farewell To Kings" (1977), "Hemispheres" (1978) and "Permanent Wave" (1980), which even boasted a hit single, "The Spirit Of Radio." So did 1981's "Moving Pictures" ("Tom Sawyer" and "Limelight") and 1982's "Signals" ("Subdivisions" and "New World Man"). "Grace Under Pressure" (1984) and "Power Windows" (1985) both sold in the millions.

Rush also grew into one of the most popular touring attractions of the 1980s, as Lifeson's complex guitar work, Peart's polyrhythmic drumming and Lee's high-pitched wail and low-bottomed bass made for a heady, intoxicating brew. The sounds that these three musicians were able to emanate on their own helped transcend the band's original promise into total Rock Star Glory. Fans became fanatics, and Rush's mostly male audience reacted with a passionate, intense loyalty that remains to this day - despite a five-year hiatus in the 1990s.

Rush marked the 30th anniversary of its debut album with a tour and the "R30" DVD in 2004. The studio album "Snakes and Arrows" followed in 2007, and it was the band's first all-new, original studio album in five years. It took another five years for the arrival of the studio follow-up "Clockwork Angels," but the wait was worth it for fans and critics alike: besides, fans were able to tide themselves over with one of a host of Rush's live performance albums.

The documentary "Beyond The Lighted Stage" shed light on the musicians themselves. The 2010 production was tagged as "The Band You Know. The Story You Don't."

One of the incredible back stories of Rush involves Lee's parents - Holocaust survivors both - and how that fact shaped the composer's world view. His music for "Red Sector A" (from "Grace Under Pressure") coupled with Peart's lyrics after hearing the story, came straight from the depths of the band's soul.

There's a certain amount of justice inherent in Rush's induction into the Rock And Roll Hall of Fame, and it just might open the Rock Hall doors for other obvious, deserving bands that should have already been inducted. Will the obvious stigma associated with progressive rock acts finally fade where the Rock Hall is concerned? Only time will tell. For now, we'll settle for Geddy Lee's take on the Rock Hall, life on tour and pop culture's growing love affair with all things Rush.



Goldmine: Congratulations on finally being elected into The Rock And Roll Of Fame! How did you feel when you first heard the news?

Geddy Lee: I was pleased, y'know? It wasn't one of those fist-pump things or anything, but I was especially pleased and relieved for our fan base, who made it into a real cause célèbre for the last couple of years. I know how much it means to them. I was pleased they could finally get the monkey off their back. I was also happy and honored to hear this news.