S. Colbert inverviews Rush on 7/16/08, after 33 years of not playing on TV.
(SC - Stephen Colbert / GD - Geddy Lee / AL - Alex Lifeson / NP- Neil Peart / Rush: all)


SC Welcome back, everybody. My guests tonight have 24 gold and 14 platinum records.
In today's economy I'm guessing they're considering melting them
down. Please welcome: RUSH

SC - Geddy, Neil, Alex, thak you so much for joinning us.
I just want to remind everybody that this is your first appearance on American television in 33 years.

Rush - Yes
SC - And I just want to apologize I'm sorry it took me so long
to get my show together. But thank you for waiting.

Geddy- Our pleasure

SC As you heard, my director Jimmy is a huge, huge fan. of you guys.
What are your fans called... "rushians"?
Do you guys have a special name for your fans?
GL: Not really, no.
NP: They have their own names.
SC: That's nice, that's very thoughtful of you.

Well, I have questions I want to ask you, but Jimmy's got some
questions he insisted that I asked you also, so I'll start with one of his.

You've been touring for over 30 years, do you ever get tired of being
so awesome and kicking so much ass?

GL- Well that's very nice, no, I think we've gotten used to it.

SC: You got used to it now? ok, great, ok. Here's one of mine:
Your album is called Snakes and Arrows, which are two things that go great
together. And, you're touring right now in support of this album...
Is my show gonna end up on the tour Tshirt? Is it going to be like
Chicago, Boston, The Colbert Report?
Rush: yeah! I think so. Good idea!

SC: OK, here's another Jimmy question. Neil, what's your favorite color?
NP: red
SC: red? ok
All right. Who were your influences when you were starting out?
GL: Well, early days it was bands like The Who and Cream, and John Mayall
and the Bluesbreakers mostly I think English kind of rockers, and through
the years more progressive bands and now it's, you know, so diverse it's hard to really pin them down.

SC: You're known for some sort of long songs.Have you ever written a song so epic, that
by the end of the song, you were actually being influenced by yourselves at the beginning
of the song, because it happened so much earlier in your career?
Rush: (laugh) yeah.
GL: Yeah, that's good.

SC Yeah? ok.Ok.
Here's another Jimmy question:
Will you sign my host? I guess he wants you to sign me. Uhm... Would you mind signing me?
It's for Jimmy.
GL: Where would you like that?
SC: Just do it on my hand, that's fine.
AL: Who should I make it out to?
(mumbles)
NP: I don't wanna see that on E-bay

SC: Neil, how many drums do you have here on your kit, right here?
NP : I haven't counted them, but there's enough.

SC: Neil, is there any chance that you have a drum dependency?
This is an intervention, Neil, that's what you are here. You're back on television the
first time in 30 years, because all this people love you.

NP- I feel it, I feel it. What can I do?
SC: We want to get you down to a snare and maybe a triangle.
NP: Triangle is good.

SP: I've got a last question here from Jimmy.
You are yet to be inducted in the Rock and Roll hall of fame.
Is there any chance your next album is going to be called: "That's Bullshit"?

We've gotta take a break, but will you do a song when we come back?
Jimmy says we have time to do it now.
Ok, ladies and gentleman, Rush.