Don't know about the rest of you, but I get a huge charge out of the normie reaction to music pins, which are much more accessible to that crowd than some other themes.

Rush fans can get pretty hardcore as many of you know, and folks like that will love spotting all the fan-service winks and references just in the stock package. You mod wizards are running up the score in that department.

It's a blast to watch a real fan of the band who's oblivious to the pin angle geek out on a music pin. I've had some visitors really get floored. They keep shaking their head saying stuff like "I had no idea" and "this is amazing" and "you should be admitted for inpatient evaluation"

Two thoughts on this:
- first day I had the machine I got a score of 250million by just hitting the lights, now I'm learning the rules most scores are much lower. This is exactly what happened when I got LOTR and JP.

- when you first see the bottom scoop without the blue binders and then with your like wtf!! It looks sooooo much cleaner, nicer and natural without. The Ninja, if it holds up, and it looks 100% on mine is the hands down answer.

I recall an issue with the headphone station working properly with the Rush pins. I have a Cointaker headphone station with volume control I want to add to my Rush. Any know issues or should it work fine? Thanks for the help!

Crazy how that happens, right? I got over 1B at the LAX (someone else’s Premium). Now that I know the rules, I rarely crack 500M.

To those of you using Insider Connect - how consistent is it with actually uploading your game data to Stern? I've been playing the Pro at my local barcade every couple weeks and signing in with IC. There is an access point within 15 feet of the cabinet, and it will somewhat consistently log me in, but even if my IC name is on the screen, it seems like only 1 in 3 or so of my plays are uploaded. Of course it didn't save my 100 million point game the other day It says I have 10 total plays. I suck at the game, trust me - I've pumped way more than 10 plays into the cabinet

This is the only IC enabled cabinet that I've interacted with - do y'all think this is an isolated issue (either interference, poor network set up, poorly placed wifi adapter in the cabinet, etc) or is this common?

I just installed the Stern OEM headphone kit for spike 2 (make sure you get the correct version, the connectors are different for spike 1 and 2) on Rush LE and it works great. The installation causes a number of menu adjustments to appear, including one that controls machine volume with knob.

Half the “info” on here is circular reporting, so take with a grain of salt, but if I recall, one report of the issue was that booting the game with the volume knob between detentes caused some loss of functionality. I believe I read that seating the knob in a detente and rebooting fixes the issue.

I had no problems with functionality, I have never experienced the glitch, and the install was super simple. It might be my favorite mod!

Rules always wreck your score at first BUT supposedly once you get good that's what gets you the "Big Money" scores.

Of course that never happens to me LOL.

Here is the latest mod for my friend Dave’s game. We discuss at the beginning of our podcast: The Classic Pinball Podcast.

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On the window ledge next to Rush…

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So far I've noticed that the few casuals who've played my Rush just keep hitting the dead-end VUK over and over and over and over. My wife was getting annoyed that it was the only thing she could hit...but then she kept doing it lol.

Well...that's a quick way to finish a mode if you are in Spirit of Radio, otherwise not so helpful in terms of progression

Yes! I have to tell them: “Stop shooting that, it’s not worth anything unless it’s lit.” Lol

It's definitely an issue with the game. I always have to point out to non-pinball people to shoot elsewhere but to be fair a lot of the shots are a bit tuff.

It’s always nice, to be looking through multiple storage containers, for something completely different, and come across a purchase from 20+ years ago

Completely forgot about these....

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Quick! Get that Queensryche away from the others before the cross contamination sets in!

I've had my All the World's a Stage CD since 1990, high school days. It's a survivor.

I'd buy a Operation:Mindcrime or Empire pin in a heartbeat. Both great concept albums. Everything after that from them, not so much.

Your might not be as old as you make yourself out to be.

Are you hitting on me?
Cause I like it LOL

Never say never but I can't freaking stand Queensryche. Always despised them and Geoff Tate looks like a fucking Sleestak

All my metal buddies love em, don't give a shit.
Jukebox SKIP

I don't think they're doing it on purpose...there's just something about that shot that's really easy for casuals to accidentally keep hitting.

You ended up liking some Rush songs you weren't previously into...maybe now you become a Queensryche fan!

Dude! Operation Mindcrime is a classic!

I was one of the ones that experienced the detente issue, and it occurred with both the Stern OEM as well as the Pinballlife version. Craiger described it and the workaround perfectly.

Not that there’s anything wrong with that

FreeWill Mulitiball drain out;

Anyone have Geddy say; “ A Celestial Voice Says ‘You Suck’”

My only problem with this game is that I constantly have Rush songs running through my head. Not the worst problem to have, though!

SCHMOOPIE!

No. Just no.

Speaking of Rush and jukeboxes....

Jammin' to Rush right now on one of my jukeboxes.
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The wiki pulled together some of the accolades:
Classic Rock named it among the "10 essential progressive metal albums"

Loudwire ranked Operation: Mindcrime as the best heavy metal album of 1988. (this was significant because the ranking happened in 2017, so the music holds up)

Rolling Stone placed it 67th on their list of 'The 100 Greatest Metal Albums of All Time.

Give it some time. Operation Mindcrime is an unmistakably great album. Empire is also very good, just not quite as good as Mindcrime.

My friend Daryl would like a word...
I CAN'T GO FOR THAT.

If you’re quoting Hall and Oates then you’re right. Operation: Mindcrime might not be for you.

SAY IT ISN'T SO?

MANEATER.

I CANT STOP THINKING BIG
I CAN'T STOP THINKING BIG

You guys crack me up!

Fact: Queensryche sucks.
More Rush please!

Yes. But which Queensryche?

I have a lot of catching up to do!

https://loudwire.com/top-progressive-metal-albums-all-time/

Same here. Need to listen to other things to get it out from time to time

ALL THAT YOU CAN DO IS WISH THEM WELL

It’s ok Gryz, I know you’re only a 1/3 of the way through the Rush catalog, still plenty more music to enjoy

I almost fully agree with PinMonk, except I’d go one album further, Promised Land was a great album all the way through as well. From their EP to PL, I’m a fan. Much beyond that, I still have a hard time getting into it.

Queensryche and Rush, were great stamina builders, when practicing drumming.

OUCH lol

Honestly I'm stuck on Clockwork Angels.
Happy as hell that their last and final album was one of their finest.

Operation Livecrime was an amazing concert!!

for those of you have the game figured out, are there certain modes or times where the time machine stops catching the ball and allows it to go all the way through instead of catching and kicking it out to the right? Mine had done that a few times intermittently, usually during multi ball. But tonight and one other night it seemed like after I’ve been playing for a while the magnet it just quit catching it was just allowing the ball to go through. Was wondering if this is a problem or a feature?

It is a great album, as much as you’re starting to give these other albums a listen, spin Test For Echo a few times. I’d really be surprised if you didn’t start getting into that. There’s no way you can listen to it, and not start grooving on a few of the songs right away.

I will say with Rush, seeing them perform the material live, gives it a whole different dimension. To see and feel what they were attempting with the recording, completely changes the game. I wasn’t a huge fan of Snakes & Arrows or Vapor Trails, until I saw those tours, and witnessed the songs live. As much as I love the band, their studio recordings, just doesn’t represent them well enough. The talent is definitely there, but the mixing is a little dry.

Luckily there are pro shot blurays for the last few tours. I try to watch one of those every few weeks. The Clockwork Angels tour bluray with the string ensemble is classic, was lucky enough to see that tour at the ACC in 2012.

Lucky you. The Garden alone is phenomenal live.
We watch this one often.