# Back in the Studio with Rush! **Source:** Stern Pinball **Type:** video **Published:** 2022-01-04 **Duration:** 4m 0s **Beat:** Pinball **URL:** https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Au-QC5QFTkQ --- ## Analysis Stern Pinball studio session featuring voice-over work for the upcoming Rush pinball machine. A voice actor discusses recording 309 lines of callouts three times each, with commentary on the creative process, taunt mechanics, and interaction with Rush band member Alex Lifson who also provided voice work for the game. ### Key Claims - [HIGH] The voice actor recorded 309 lines of callouts, each done 3-4 times, completing roughly 15 minutes of work per batch — _Direct statement from voice actor: 'I've done 309 lines times three because I do three or four takes in fifteen minutes'_ - [HIGH] Alex Lifson from Rush provided voice work for the Rush pinball machine — _Direct reference to 'Alex do his part' and closing statement 'And that's a wrap on Alex Lifson for the Rush pinball machine'_ - [HIGH] The game includes taunt mechanics where the machine taunts players during gameplay — _Voice actor states: 'I particularly love it when a pinball machine taunts you' with example callouts like 'You missed, hoser!'_ - [HIGH] Playfield artwork was not yet finalized during voice recording sessions — _Voice actor notes: 'So this doesn't have the playfield artwork' when discussing target callouts_ ### Notable Quotes > "People hit pinballs, pretend the ball is a long-awaited friend that owes you money." > — **Voice actor (opening narration)**, Opening > _Humorous framing of pinball gameplay mechanics_ > "I've done 309 lines times three because I do three or four takes in fifteen minutes. That's how fast I work." > — **Voice actor**, Mid-session > _Quantifies the scale of voice recording work for the game_ > "I particularly love it when a pinball machine taunts you. Yeah, and a lot of good players do, yeah." > — **Voice actor**, Mid-session > _Identifies taunt mechanics as a key game feature_ > "It was weird listening to Alex do his part saying the word Getty—like, saying my name. He hasn't called me by my actual name in like 50 years because we have so many nicknames for each other that we use regularly." > — **Voice actor (Getty)**, Mid-session > _Personal insight into the collaborative creative process and band dynamic_ > "Best director I've ever worked with in my life for pinball." > — **Voice actor**, Late session > _Praise for the pinball director/producer Ed, establishes professional quality standards_ ### Entities | Name | Type | Context | |------|------|---------| | Rush | game | Upcoming Stern pinball machine featuring Rush band theme with voice work from band members | | Stern Pinball | company | Manufacturer producing the Rush pinball machine | | Alex Lifson | person | Rush band member who provided voice work/callouts for the Rush pinball machine | | Getty | person | Voice actor recording callouts and narration for Rush pinball; longtime friend/collaborator with Alex Lifson | | Ed | person | Director/producer of Rush pinball machine, praised as 'best director for pinball' by voice actor | ### Topics - **Primary:** Voice recording and callout design for pinball games, Taunt mechanics and player interaction in pinball, Collaboration with licensed IP personalities (Rush band members) - **Secondary:** Studio production workflow and creative process, Playfield design and target mechanics ### Sentiment **Positive** (0.85) — Voice actor expresses enthusiasm for the project, appreciation for the director, and enjoyment of the creative process. Tone is lighthearted and professional throughout. No negative commentary about the game, manufacturer, or creative direction. ### Signals - **[community_signal]** Stern Pinball producing behind-the-scenes studio content showing creative process and production transparency (confidence: high) — Official video release showing voice recording sessions, production methodology, and director/talent interactions - **[design_philosophy]** Taunt mechanics positioned as important gameplay feature with personality and player engagement focus (confidence: high) — Voice actor emphasizes that 'a lot of good players' appreciate taunting; game includes contextual trash talk callouts ('You missed, hoser!' etc.) - **[announcement]** Official Stern Pinball studio content revealing Rush pinball machine in active production with voice recording underway (confidence: high) — Formal studio session video from Stern Pinball official channel documenting voice-over work with band member Alex Lifson - **[licensing_signal]** Rush band member (Alex Lifson) actively involved in voice work and creative direction for pinball machine, indicating deep IP partnership (confidence: high) — Direct participation of Rush member in voice recording with personal anecdotes about creative collaboration --- ## Transcript Welcome back to 21.12 FM, your home for odd time signatures and unreasonably long instrumental tracks. And we're back. Hey, look at that—a perfect silver sphere in the arcade halls. People hit pinballs, pretend the ball is a long-awaited friend that owes you money. The professors on the drum kit. So here I am doing my voice-over for a Rush pinball game. Uh, I do this, you know, a few times a week. Do touch that dial. I have a little uh list of voices and I check them off, and today I picked uh pinball voice. My wife said, "You know, you might want to take your radio voice as well," and I thought, "You know what? I'll add a little bit there. There'll be a few lines like that." But uh, I'm sure I can fit them in as well. You know, we're all big kidders. So I look at this as a kind of same idea—just have fun with it. Birkenstocks are the most comfortable shoes because you're on your feet all day. There's no rest for the voice-over artist when you're in the studio and you're doing powerful lines over and over again. Five hundred thousand, six hundred thousand. So as a rule, I do it three times—two or three times—just so we have different energies to the read. More is better, okay? So I've done 309 lines times three because I do three or four takes in fifteen minutes. That's how fast I work. "Is this voice really enough for you? Is this voice friendly enough for you? This just boys friendly enough for you?" I particularly love it when a pinball machine taunts you. Yeah, and a lot of good players do, yeah. So it's a big part of the game. Like, when you're being taunted: "You missed, hoser! Hey, Getty, you owe me a quarter with interest. That's almost two quarters! He never calls me again! Hey, Alex, the time machine is ready." It was weird listening to Alex do his part saying the word Getty—like, saying my name. He hasn't called me by my actual name in like 50 years because we have so many nicknames for each other that we use regularly. So to hear him say "Getty, blah blah"—like, who's he talking to? Here we go. So this doesn't have the playfield artwork. There's times you'll say, "You know, shoot Rush to do this" or whatever those targets are going to represent the letters R-U-S-H. When you're saying "shoot the scoop," that's the scoop. I'm amazed at how much Ed knows about all this stuff. Have you seen his collection? I would like to see it with Ed. Best director I've ever worked with in my life for pinball. Big points if you nail the drum solo. Let's see those air drums. And that's a wrap on Alex Lifson for the Rush pinball machine. He set the bar high, yet. Okay, I'll see if I can lower it. You know, I do my bit for the pinball industry. All Rush all the time. It's 100 Rush, eh. _(Acquisition: youtube_auto_sub, Enrichment: v1)_ --- *Exported from Journalist Tool on 2026-04-13 | Item ID: 2ea7fb97-952a-4d90-ada9-1788c954c6d9*