Chaz and Schatz are cracking the Haggis Shack doors for our annual deep dive into Bubba Bash, the celebration that honors Neil Peart with musicianship, camaraderie, and the kind of backstage family energy that only Neil's personal friends can generate. This isn’t a memorial; it’s a living, breathing night of joy, excellence, and community.

Michael Mosbach, Neil’s close friend of 25 years, joins us. Michael is the guy who helped Neil keep a normal, peaceful life by managing privacy, safety, and everything in between. Not a bodyguard—don’t even start. He’s a threat-management and privacy-protection pro who made sure Neil could live without a spotlight in his face. He arrives not as a celebrity guest, but as part of the Bubba Bash family, bringing clarity, humor, and stories grounded in friendship, not mythology.

Tim Starace, bassist for YYNOT and co-architect of the Bash, takes us behind the scenes on how this whole thing came to life—from one frantic phone call to a full-blown annual tradition that sells out even in Pennsylvania snowstorms. Tim breaks down the passion, the planning, the near-misses, the late-night texts, the chaos, and the joy behind making Bubba Bash happen.

Cathy Rankin, the metal mistress herself and the host of Bubba Bash, talks about stepping into the whirlwind that first year, balancing the emotional weight of the event with the electric energy of the musicians and fans, and how the backstage vibe evolved into a genuine family reunion—complete with nerves, laughter, and maybe a few tears during “Losing It.”

Together, this power trio walks us through:

• How Bubba Bash began—and why it exploded

• The outrageous level of musicianship (and the zero rehearsals)

• The guest artists flying in on their own dime

• The mission: raising funds for glioblastoma research

At the heart of it is the purpose: honoring Neil through action, generosity, connection, and community. Just people coming together to celebrate someone they loved by doing something good.

This episode is Bubba Bash as told by the people who build it, live it, and feel it every year. This is the conversation Rush fans rarely get to hear.

GET INVOLVED!

4th Annual Bubba Bash, celebrating Neil Peart

January 10, 2026 • Keswick Theatre, Glenside, PA

Anchored by YYNOT:

Tim Starace, Billy Alexander, Mike Hetzel, Adi Argelazi

Guest Artists:

Jonny Dinklage • Jason Bittner • Ed Toth • Joe Bergamini • John Wesley

Tyler Warren • kOko pOwell • Alex Figueroa • Rodney McG

Mike Orlando • Fer Velasco • Greg Russell • Jack Gibson • Tyme Rogers

Hosted by:

Cathy Rankin, the metal mistress herself

DONATE & GET TICKETS

Donate directly to Cedars-Sinai in memory of Neil:

https://support.cedars-sinai.edu/fundraiser/5043373

Grab tickets before it sells out (it always does and we got ours):

https://www.axs.com/events/1160303/bubba-bash-tickets

SCHATZ'S SCRATCH LIST - RUSH TRIBUTE BANDS

Scratch your itch to hear RUSH music played live by going to check out any of these great RUSH Tribute Bands - these bands are keeping the community and the music alive - the most current, curated, and rockin' list of RUSH Tribute Bands in the world! Yeah!

⁠⁠⁠⁠Click here: ⁠Schatz's Scratch List⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠(And say it 5 times fast!)

GO BONELESS

Certified boneless in the state of Ohio by the Boneless Podcasting Network. Go Boneless. Boneless Makes a Better Podcast.

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