Hello all, my name is Dave Capodanno, guitar player for the Long Island based Rush tribute band…”RUSH HOUR”. .


Over the years I have been given an arsenal of names (some pretty cool - Lerxst2, Analog Kid, that Italian Rush guy, and some I reluctantly have had to tolerate – Alex Lifeson Wannabe, Blade, Rush Nazi, Guitar Center’s biggest customer.

I remember when I was about 4 years old, a relative asking “and what instrument does David want to play when he grows up?” I quickly interjected “ the guitar, of course”. So I followed through and have been playing ever since. What better way to relieve stress. Playing on eleven in the basement all the time and hearing my beloved father scream “okay, enough is enough…tell him to shut up already”! My parents quickly realized I was on a mission. Come the adolescent years (1979 – 1983) hooking up with other friends with music interests was how I chose to have my fun.
At this time I was starting to attend my first concerts. RUSH was becoming popular in high school. I recalled a number of “cool kids” in 8th grade attending a concert in support of the Hemispheres album. This made me curious. So come May of 1980 three of us set out to see Rush at the Nassau Coliseum in support of Permanent Waves. What memories! Seeing Spirit of Radio, Freewill, Natural Science and other gems performed for the first time was truly amazing. Alex had his Dutch boy haircut, Geddy with his wide rimmed glasses (I am glad there are no RUSH HOUR requirements that we actually have to look like these guys!) Anyway, the band has had such an impact on me that I have since made up my mind to spend my spare time trying to learn how to play every RUSH song ever recorded. I must add, the material these three individuals have created is music that I find impossible to get tired of. I still listen to The Camera Eye, Hemispheres, and many others with the same interest and attentiveness as always. They are a band that adapted to each decade in their 30+ career. The new material is just as good as the old.
Anyway, this put me on a RUSH path that has still not ended…and its only getting better … and I’ve only just begun. Which brings us to today…
Not long ago a friend of mine (and most excellent drummer) was snooping around Craigs List when he came across an “Alex Lifeson Needed” classified ad for a Nassau based Rush Tribute. My good friend had it in his heart to think of me and prompted me to take a looksie. Although I have other projects going on, I figured it might be a missed opportunity or grave sin not to respond to this. So I left Bob Daniels and Gene Drum of RUSH HOUR a message and was excited when my call was returned and I was invited for an audition. The first session was extremely comfortable and I was very impressed with these guys. Here were two gentlemen that obviously have been down the same RUSH path I have been and make their tribute to the band a focus point in their life. I was very happy to be asked back for a second audition and returned with my RUSH resume in hand and eagerness to jam again. In the end, I was invited to join their team and since have been the happiest RUSH dude in the world.

Equipment
I make my life difficult by lugging more equipment then I’ll ever need. For instance, a Marshall stack. Why would I do this? Is it necessary in this day and age of great equipment? I don’t know. I do not think anyone ever figured this out. I guess it looks cool. Better yet, it beats using Maytags and chicken rotisseries on stage…get it Rush Fans?!?! It comes down to this…If I do not sound good, at least I know I look good! This is how we do it (in order of necessity and importance):

1 Caring, Understanding, Tolerant, Trustful and Beautiful Wife
3 wonderful children (David, Christopher and James – Lerxsts #3, 4 and 5 in the making)
PRS Custom 22 Singlecut Trem McCarty 10 Top Amber (Good to be single again!!!)
PRS Custom 24 Trem Black Cherry (24 frets…for that extra push over the edge!!!)
Gibson Les Paul Custom Wine Red
Gibson Les Paul 2003 Classic Goldtop 60’s Re-Issue
Fender Stratocaster 1989 Ultra Wine Red With Fishman Piezo System
Gibson EDS 1275 SG Double Neck 12-String Alpine White
Gibson ES 335 1977 Classic Sunburst
Taylor 714-CE 6-String Acoustic
Marshall JCM2000 Triple Super Lead 100 Watt Head
Marshall 4x12 Stack 1960AV Vintage Speaker Celestion Cabinets Roland KC-550
Boss GT-6 Effects Processor (For than beloved Lerxst in Wonderland sound!!!). This thing has it all (Amplifier Simulators, Chorus, Flange, Overdrive, Delay, Phase, Pitch Shift, Wah Wah, Tuner, any combination thereof…did I miss anything???)
Morley A/B Router Switch
1 RCD Labs Gizmotron 2000 (Unpatented )
Roland PK-5A Dynamic MIDI Foot Controller
Moog Taurus Pedals (Yep, just like the kind Rush used)
Yamaha Motif ES6 Sequencer
Dean Markley Blue Steel Regular .10-.46 Gauge Strings
Too many Fender medium guitar picks
Coffee
1 million bottles of water
Many other electric/acoustic guitars (Why? Why Not!)
 

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