M&R Rush interview on The Rock n Roll Chicago Podcast
April 30, 2019
Get the inside stories of M&R Rush from their early beginnings until today. The boys join Ray the Roadie and co-host Paul Martin for Episode 4 of the podcast.
Click the picture on the left to hear the whole story!
Written By Ken Voss January 7, 2021
Illinois Rock & Roll Music Archives
M&R Rush
It all started in high school in the early ‘70s for drummer Marty Mardirosian, bass player Roger Hirtz, keyboardist Carl Moszur, along with guitarists Paul Martin and John McFarland. Now, nearly 50 years later the quintet of musicians is still together entertaining Chicago area audiences as M&R Rush.
Growing up in the Roseland neighborhood, like many high school musicians, they had a dream of making it big in the music business. Winning a couple local “battle of the bands,” that dream was starting to become a reality. The visibility got the group signed with VJD Associates, a Chicago-based management company who was at the time also guiding the career of Styx in their early years. Putting M&R Rush on stage as an opening act in front of 1,500-2,000 people, they soon themselves started building a following.
One of the keys to the longevity of M&R Rush’s career is one of the lessons they learned very early – this is a business. As much as they can be great musicians, it takes effective business management to make it work. Under the guidance of Mardirosian’s father, who was acting as their manager, from the start the band had a bookkeeping and accounting system in place, and were even paying taxes on their earnings while they were still in high school.
The other key factor that has kept them together comes from management and communications and understanding one another. Early on, they got the baggage of personality and musical difference of opinion that often has a tendency to destroy bands, out of the way.
The band kept building a following. They played the high school and college circuit. Marketing-wise, they built a mailing list of some 10,000 names (the “social media” marketing of the time). In 1980, Chicago radio station WLUP chose M&R for inclusion on their local artist compilation Chicago Rocks, Volume One with the track “Rock ‘n Roll Chicago,” which became somewhat of a city anthem. They followed that up with their own record, a four-song 10” EP Reach for the Stars. When they were in their 20’s they continued on in the Midwest college circuit and became one of the top drawing acts on the regional club circuit.
The band was on the verge of signing a major label contract when the bubble burst. They were in negotiation with label boss Ron Alexenberg, who had been a top A&R man for Columbia/Epic Records and was heading up the Handshake label in partnership with the Ariola International Group. He contacted the band and asked if they could put together a quick showcase for some of his people in Chicago. Within days, they set up a show on a Wednesday night at a club in Berwyn. As the show ended, Alexenburg told them to give him a call on Monday. The band felt they achieved what they had worked so hard for.
Then Monday came. They called. But did not get the answer they expected. It was the early ‘80s, and the record industry was going through major shakeups. Alexenburg told them that the label was going to be filing bankruptcy, and it wouldn’t be fair to sign the group. Shaken, M&R Rush saw the end of the road in sight.
Martin left and joined with Roman Sawczak in the Dancing Noodles, working with local radio DJ/celebrity Steve Dahl. M&R Rush replaced Martin with guitarist Jeff Luif, who owned the local Star Trax recording studio. A change in band members left them feeling a change in name was necessary and they became Eminar. Their path and following didn’t vary. As Eminar, they released the album Set the Street on Fire in 1984, and a single “Goodbye City Lights” b/w “First Time I Saw Her” in 1986 on their own Ready label.
But they couldn’t find any other major label interest. Facing the reality of the situation, with the guys turning 30 and starting families, they felt they had given it a shot and decided the time had come for them to go out and find real jobs.
Friends since high school days, they remained friends, and each year would get together for a social reunion. After some 16 years, with their kids growing up, the kids were prompting them to do a reunion show so they’d get a better understanding of what M&R Rush was all about. Agreeing, they – all the original members – started rehearsing.
Come 2003 and their friend Jim Lenz at Paradise Artists puts them on a show opening for Foghat in Hoffman Estates. The blood for M&R Rush was flowing again. Suddenly, they’re back, doing 15-20 shows a year.
Another 15+ years has passed, the families have grown, and the band still enjoys playing.
Every couple of years, they release a new album, much of which consists of original material they continue to write. In 2014, they released a DVD – An Evening of M&R Rush Live at the BAC. The most recent release Between the Lines features nine new originals, plus a previously unreleased song written by Jim Peterik, of which Mardirosian comments, “It’s such a great honor that Peterik would feel one of his songs fits us.”
They realize their position in the marketplace and have a specific agenda to keep their yearly schedule down to about 20 dates a year, mostly area summer music festivals and a few headlining shows at smaller local performing arts centers. Mardirosian maintains a marketing plan that includes a complete merchandising package. As the band has continued to record and release new original material, he has succeeded in getting airplay on regional radio stations, and maintains social media contact with their fans offering virtual concerts through their website https://mandrrush.com/.
Discography
1980 Reach for the Stars (DSA 101)
Four-song 10” EP.
2003 Rock & Roll Chicago (Ready 6210-3)
2004 The Thrill of the Chase (Ready 6250-4)
2007 “Keep on Rockin’ (Ready 7030-7)
2011 Alpha (Ready 1006-11)
2015 An Evening With M&R Rush Live at The BAC DVD (Ready 05091-5)
2018 Between the Lines (Ready 0721-18)
Eminar
1984 Set the Streets on Fire (Ready 11148-3)
1986 Goodbye City Lights b/w First Time I Saw Her (Ready 8512)
M&R RUSH -- "Between The Lines" (Eminar Music/Ready Records)
"Between The Lines" is the sixth and latest album by this veteran group who has rocked since the mid-1970s with the original line-up intact. The M&R guys always deliver just what their fans expect of them -- straight ahead guitar-driven rock with a '70s/'80s flavoring that recalls the many arena rock groups who inspired them. What's always been pleasing about M&R albums is how the songwriting is as good or better than that of their more famous, classic rock contemporaries. That holds true again on the dozen tracks here, with the John McFarland-written title track opening on a strong note and setting the tone of what's to come.
"Between The Lines" is different from past M&R albums in that it's more diverse, with songs covering broader ground, such as the Jeff Luif-written "Sky," and Paul Martin's delightfully abstract "When Melvin Drives The Bus." This is a solid collection, enhanced by "Reckless Love," a tune written by Jim Peterik. While they kill it when covering Head East's "Never Been Any Reason" at the end of the album, one wishes they had instead used the space for another of their original tunes. More: mandrrush.com.
- Tom Lounges Review - Top Ten Albums of 2018
“M&R Rush Rock Theatre At The Center! When M&R Rush first took the stage at Theatre at the Center in Munster on August 17th, it was plain for all in attendance to see that the band meant business when they named their 2014 tour “Livin’ for the Music”. The band came out with smiles on their faces and spring in their steps as they rocked the sold out 450 seat venue. What was billed as a two hour show ran for over three hours as the group left the crowd in attendance panting and hungry for more. The very first number the band played was the song that first brought them into local prominence, “Rock and Roll Chicago”, a tune that most bands would have saved for their encore. “Rock and Roll Chicago” was the song selected by the Loop radio station for the station’s first “Hometown” album in 1980, and became the number one requested song on the album. From there the band launched into covers of “Too Much Time” and “Loreli” by Styx, a group M&R Rush used to tour with, and the band’s energy and joy at appearing live before an appreciative audience was immediately apparent. It was obvious from their performance that the boys were just having fun playing together again and the passion they displayed immediately lifted the audience and carried them along for the ride. For the group, with all six original members on stage including the co-founders of the band Marty Mardirosian (the “M” in M&R Rush) on drums, and Roger Hirtz (the “R” in M&R Rush) on bass, and John McFarland, Jeff Luif and Paul Martin on guitar and Carl Moszur on keyboards, it must have felt like the old days in Roseland playing in Marty’s aunt’s basement. Mixing in original material with covers, Luif, McFarland and Martin each took turns delighting the crowd on lead guitar while Hirtz danced his way across the stage playing his bass riffs. The band did not technically take an intermission break, but Carl Moszur allowed his mates a breather as they transitioned from one set to another while Moszur played a fantastic medley on keyboards. Not to be outdone, Mardirosian later transitioned the group from one set to another to let his band mates catch a breather with a riveting, extended drum solo. The end of the show even featured audience participation as Mardirosian brought females fans up on stage as “back-up singers” during an extended version of “Ridin the Storm Out” by REO Speedwagon and “Whole Lotta Love” by Led Zeppelin. All in all, it was a fantastic show. The audience got their money’s worth and left the theatre smiling (along with the band). The venue was perfect, the lighting superb and the acoustics perfectly mixed for the size of the venue. On a scale of 1 to 10, I would rate the show a 9.”
— William Mathews, Northwest Indiana Magazine
“M&R Rush Featured In Chicago Reader Magazine”
“Head East & M&R Rush Live at Viper Alley Viper Alley last Saturday night brought us back to the Seventies with time enduring classics from Head East, a band originally from Carbondale IL. Roger Boyd, the founding member of Head East, is the only performing original member of the band. Darren Walker now heads up the band as the main vocalist, with Glen Bridger on guitar, Greg Manahan on bass and Eddie Jones on Drums. M&R Rush, a band from the south side of Chicago, opened the show with a virtual guitar army of three, along with intense vocal harmonies, as all members were excellent and blended well with each other. A favorite song of the band, Rock and Roll Chicago, which was chosen by the Loop radio station in 1980 to be on the Loop’s first Hometown album, charged the crowd up for Head east. Songs included Queen’s Keep Yourself Alive, and Led Zeppilin’s Whole Lotta Love, and Autograph’s Things Get Better With Rock. Head East opened with Getting’ Lucky into Get Up and Enjoy Yourself, and right into the 1975 hit Flat as a Pancake. They prompted the crowd into movement with a couple of tracks from their new release One Night with Head East, Me and My Whiskey and Raise a Little Hell. Glen Bridger rocked the house with the ripping sounds of lead guitar, into Prisoner, another song off of their new release. Greg then gave his bass to Darren and donned a guitar himself and jammed into Jefftown Creek, named after a place Darren grew up near. During this arrangement Eddie Jones went into a drum solo which included pounding his sticks on the bass. All this was a great transition to Since You’ve Been Gone and Never Been any Reason, the band’s two most well-known hits. Roger Boyd played a cordless keyboard up above his head in an awesome display of enthusiasm and emotion. Head East brought out M&R Rush to add to the enjoyment of the crowd and add to the end of the show. The encore of the show, as the crowd enthusiastically insisted, was the classic Can I Get a Witness, originally by Marvin Gaye, and a new song Elijah, again off of their new release One Night with Head East. Elijah was a superb ending to the show adding incredible vocal harmonies, a trio of head bobbing movements and an intense guitar solo. Viper Alley out did themselves with an awesome night of rock, with M&R Rush and Rock legend Head East, a night of fun I will not soon forget. Reviewed by Lee Bishop on 12/17/11 Rating: 5/5”
— Rock Chicago, Chicago Rock Magazine
“Chicago rockers M&R Rush has left the 70´s sounding pomp/AOR from their previous albums and tuned into a more 80´s AOR/classic rock sound on the new album "Alpha". It´s got a strong production no doubt and I do love their cover of Autograph´s "Turn up the radio", great choice. The first track "He´s a different breed of kat" bring thoughts to the Bon Jovi (New Jersey/Slippery when wet) era, the verse is cool. "The Hour of the Wolf" is really good and sounds like a mix of Giuffria and April Wine, A solid band and the new album is a safe buy if you dig their other stuff.”
— , AOR Magazine
“PRESS RELEASE FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Email: mandrrush1@yahoo.com www.mandrrush.com M&R Rush Releases New CD – ‘ALPHA’ October 25' 2011 The Chicago based band M&R Rush is proud to announce the release of their new 8 song CD titled “Alpha”. The CD was recorded between November 2010 and August 2011 at Star Tracks Music Productions in Homewood IL. and contains 7 new M&R Rush songs as well as one cover song of the band Autograph. Also included on Alpha is a bonus track video of the first single “He’s A Different Breed of Kat” which is posted on YOU TUBE. The release of the CD will be supported by the 2012 ALPHA tour For more information please visit www.mandrrush.com”
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