Rush is a Canadian rock band formed in August 1968, in the Willowdale neighbourhood of Toronto, Ontario. The band is composed of bassist, keyboardist, and lead vocalist Geddy Lee, guitarist and backing vocalist Alex Lifeson, and drummer, percussionist and lyricist Neil Peart. The band and its membership went through a number of re-configurations between 1968 and 1974, achieving their current form when Peart replaced original drummer John Rutsey in July 1974, two weeks before the group's first United States tour. Rutsey's departure stemmed primarily from health concerns regarding his diabetes.

Since the release of the band's self-titled debut album in March 1974, Rush has become known for its musicianship, complex compositions, and eclectic lyrical motifs drawing heavily on science fiction, fantasy, and philosophy. Rush's music style has changed over the years, beginning with blues-inspired heavy metal on their first album, then encompassing hard rock, progressive rock, and a period with heavy use of synthesizers. They have been cited as an influence by various musical artists, including Metallica,Primus, and The Smashing Pumpkins, as well as progressive metal bands such as Dream Theater and Symphony X.

James David Maslow (born July 16, 1990) is an American actor, singer, and dancer. He is best known for playing the role of James Diamond on Nickelodeon's Big Time Rush and is a member of the boy music group with the same name.

Maslow was born in New York and grew up in La Jolla, California. He was raised Jewish (in an interview with Clevver TV, when asked his favorite holiday, he replied Hanukkah). At the age of six, Maslow began training as a singer when his parents placed him in the San Diego Children's Choir. He attended La Jolla and Torrey Pines elementary schools, Muirlands Middle School, and San Diego School of Creative and Performing Arts. He had a small role in the San Diego Opera's production of La bohème when he was 10 years old. He attended acting camp at the La Jolla Playhouse, got his first agent when he was 14, and performed as Marius in a production of Les Misérables. Quitting the School of Creative and Performing Arts mid-way through the 10th grade, Maslow switched to Coronado School of the Arts (CoSA). He graduated from CoSA in 2007 in the musical theater department.

Kendall Francis Schmidt (born November 2, 1990) is an American actor and singer-songwriter. He is best known for playing Kendall Knight in Big Time Rush and has played small roles on several TV shows such as ER, Without a Trace, Phil of the Future, Ghost Whisperer, and Frasier.

Schmidt was born in Wichita, Kansas to Kent and Kathy Schmidt and raised in Andover, Kansas. He is the youngest of three boys. His two older brothers are Kevin Schmidt, an actor, and Kenneth, an entertainment lawyer. Schmidt began acting because his brothers wanted to act. His family moved to California, and Schmidt began acting at the age of ten and started singing at the age of three. Kendall has three tattoos. He got the two on his back when he was 18 years old. He recently got a new tattoo in the shape of a heart on his left shoulder. He is also Roman Catholic.

Schmidt began his acting career at age five, appearing in a Chex television commercial. When he was nine years old, he was one of two young actors who were hired to be Haley Joel Osment's stand-in and body double (they shared the same agent) in the Stephen Spielberg film, A.I. Artificial Intelligence. He celebrated his birthday on the set, and Spielberg and the cast surprised him with a birthday cake decorated with Star Wars figures. Schmidt also appeared in Ghost Whisperer, Phil of the Future, ER, and Frasier. In 2009, Schmidt was cast as the fourth and final co-lead of the TV show Big Time Rush. Schmidt portrays Kendall Knight, the calm and relaxed leader of Big Time Rush.