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Alex Lifeson Reflects on Rush’s Legacy and Future
“I’d rather be remembered for that legacy than returning as the top Rush tribute band,” stated guitarist Alex Lifeson as he contemplates the future of his musical career.
A little over a year ago, Geddy Lee shared with Rolling Stone his hopes of reuniting with Lifeson for a tour, which would mark their first together since Rush’s last tour in 2015. Lee acknowledged Lifeson’s health concerns, noting, “it’s very hard for him to get his head around the idea of doing a tour,” while expressing his reluctance to move forward without the late Neil Peart, the band’s legendary drummer. “So I just keep working on him,” Lee added.
In a recent interview with Classic Rock, Lifeson reiterated his stance against touring, despite the strong bond he shares with Lee and their successful performances at the Taylor Hawkins tribute concerts in 2022. He reflected, “The energy was fantastic around that show… some days I wake up wanting to go out and tour again and some days I don’t.” Lifeson emphasized the significance of Peart’s role within Rush, stating, “For forty years Rush included Neil, and I don’t think putting some new version together would have the same magic.”
He further shared his thoughts following their tribute shows. “After those two gigs and the months of prep Ged and I went through, I was excited by the response… But after a few weeks, it became clear that despite the pain of loss, Rush went out on a high note playing as well as ever with one of our best stage shows on R40.” He expressed a desire to be remembered for that remarkable legacy rather than embarking on a tribute-style tour.
Lifeson and Lee continue to stay connected, living in the same neighborhood of Toronto and regularly meeting for private jam sessions. Lifeson remarked, “It’s good to jam with friends as you get older. I need to play. Once a week I go to Ged’s – it’s in the calendar – keep my fingers moving, play Rush stuff, new jams. We do record it, but I couldn’t even begin to tell you where it’ll go.”
Since Rush’s farewell, Lifeson has shifted his creative focus to another band, Envy of None, which released its self-titled debut in 2022. They are set to launch their follow-up album, Stygian Wavz, on March 14. Meanwhile, Geddy Lee has been busy as well, having released a coffee table book titled Geddy Lee’s Big Beautiful Book of Bass in 2018, followed by his memoir, My Effin’ Life, two years ago.
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