About M&R Rush

M&R Rush - Remember them? They're back....Don't miss their 2008 Summer Tour!!!

M&R Rush had its beginnings in the early 70's, when a group of five high school friends from Chicago's Roseland neighborhood had a dream of becoming the best rock band in Chicago. It wasn't long before M&R Rush had won a couple of "Battle of the Bands" contests and started to build a following.

Within a year M&R Rush was signed by the same Chicago based management company who was guiding another local Chicago group called Styx. M&R Rush opened a string of high school and college concerts for the band prior to Styx becoming national recording artists. This gave M&R Rush instant recognition with the 1,500 to 2,000 fans that came to the shows.

The word was now out about this hot new band and high schools and colleges were booking M&R Rush based on their reputation to put on a great show and draw a huge crowd. During the early 70's, M&R Rush performed at over 100 different schools and colleges to sell out crowds nightly. Some of the most memorable Chicagoland dates included Mendel, Marist, Gordon Tech, St.Pats, St. Xavier, St. Rita, Joliet Catholic, New Trier East, Bogan H.S. and Thorton Fractional South.

As the band matured they took their show on the road to the college club scenes in Illinois, Indiana, Wisconsin, Ohio and Iowa . There they rocked the Red Lions in DeKalb, Champaign and Normal. McCabe's and McFly's in Carbondale, Ted's Warehouse in Mattoon, Headliners in Madison, Wis and Junies in Dubuque, Iowa just to name a few. The management of these establishments were not prepared for the crowds that came to see M&R Rush and on many occasions asked, "Who are these guys"?

Moving into the Chicagoland club scene, M&R Rush joined the likes of other local bands such as Survivor, Cheap Trick and Tommy Shaw before he joined Styx, looking for that national recording contract. During this time M&R Rush drew packed houses at Haymakers in Wheeling, The Spirit in Downers Grove, Haywires in Burbank, Point East in Lynwood, Monopoly in Palatine, B'Ginnings in Schaumburg(owned by the drummer from the group Chicago), Thirsty Whale in River Grove, Mothers and Huey's in Chicago.

As the band's following continued to grow, their mailing list also grew to over 10,000 fans. (No such thing as E-mail then.) The band used this to their advantage to book their own sold out shows at various theaters through out Chicagoland.

In 1980, "The Loop" radio in Chicago chose M&R Rush to be on their first hometown album. The song "Rock & Roll Chicago", written and performed by M&R Rush, became the most requested song off the album and finished at #45 for the year at that station.

With their popularity high, M&R Rush released an EP titled "Reach For The Stars" and promoted its release by performing in their hometowns at Chicago Fest, Loop Fest, Hammond Fest, Oak Lawn Fest, Chicago Ridge Fest, Berwyn Fest and more while also hitting the road performing in a fourteen state area in the Midwestern United States.

During this time M&R Rush opened shows for Styx, Survivor, Sammy Hagar, Judas Priest, Black Oak Arkansas, Head East and the Go Go's.

With the music industry changing and record companies looking for new acts who sounded like Flock of Seagulls or at the other extreme Motley Crue and other hair bands, M&R Rush disbanded in 1987.

The band members kept in close contact at an annual golf outing for the former road crew and band. Every year at the outing the question would be asked, "When are you guys getting back together?"

At the 2002 outing, thanks to an impromptu jam session, it was decided that the summer of 2003 would mark the return of M&R Rush. With the help of Jim Lenz from Paradise Artists, M&R Rush performed nine dates at summerfests and clubs as they embarked on their "Rock and Roll Chicago Summer Tour 2003". The response was tremendous as performances included shows with Foghat and Jim Peterik of Survivor as well as second generation M&R Rush musicians. Coinciding with the tour, the band released a compilation CD titled "Rock & Roll Chicago". The disk features re-mastered M&R Rush music from vinyl and cassette releases from the 70's and 80's. 2003 also marked the return of M&R Rush to the airwaves as the CD's title track and the holiday release "Heavy Metal Christmas" received air play in the Chicago Metro area.

With the help of the internet M&R Rush music is now being played in Europe. Amazingly the band is selling more CDs on line across the pond than here in the states with European fans classifying the late 70's & early 80's style of M&R Rush as Pomprock.

In the summer of 2004 the band returned to the stage to promote the release of "The Thrill Of The Chase", their first new studio release in 15 years. The "Pomprock Tour 2004" included shows with Survivor and Heartsfield as well as two unplugged performances live on X-Rock 103.9FM in Northwest Indiana. Chicago radio legend Mitch Michaels stopped by one of the shows to introduce "Rock & Roll Chicago". Mitch was the Program Director and on-air personality at The Loop, WLUP-FM in 1980 when "Rock & Roll Chicago" was chosen to be on the "Chicago Rocks" Hometown Album. Near the end of the 2004 baseball season, when it looked like the Chicago Cubs might be headed for the playoffs, ESPN Radio in Chicago began playing "I'm Dreamin", the first single off "The Thrill Of The Chase". "I'm Dreamin" is a tribute to the Chicago Cubs players of yesterday and today. (If only the Cubs would have...Never mind!!!)

In 2005 the band embarked on the "Reach For The Stars" Tour 2005. This tour included 12 shows in the Chicago metro area and Northwest Indiana including a show with REO Speedwagon and a benefit performance at the Star Plaza Theatre in Merrillville, Indiana with Chicago legends The Buckinghams, The Cryan Shames and others to benefit The American Red Cross Hurricane Katrina Relief Fund.

In 2006, the "Tight Tour" included two shows in Roger's new hometown of Indianapolis, a special Roseland Reunion show at Villa De Bruno in Lynwood, Illinois and first time appearances at the Beverly Arts Center in Chicago and CD's & Me in Frankfort, Illinois.

In 2007, M&R Rush performed on their "Keep On Rockin'" Tour 2007 which promoted the release of their new studio CD of the same name.

Due to the success of the first five summer tours, M&R Rush is currently performing on their 2008 "Ticket To Kick It" summer tour. Check the "Tour" section for all tour dates!!

Call or e-mail your friends and tell them that M&R Rush is back!!!!