Rush guitarist Alex Lifeson has revealed he and longtime bandmate Geddy Lee jam on a weekly basis - but they have no plans to resurrect the Canadian prog icons with a new drummer to replace the late Neil Peart.
Speaking exclusively in the brand new issue of Classic Rock in an interview to celebrate 50 years of Rush, Lifeson said that he and bassist/vocalist Lee still play together and even record their jams.
“It’s good to jam with friends as you get older,” says the guitarist. “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.”
Rush played their final show on August 1, 2015 at the of the R40 tour, and Neil Peart died in 2020. Lee and Lifeson reunited in 2022 to play at a pair of shows in London and LA in honour of late Foo Fighrers drummer and Rush fan Taylor Hawkins. They peformed three Rush songs: the Overture part of 2112 plus Working Man and YYZ, with various drummers sitting in, including Foo Fighters’ Dave Grohl, Chad Smith of the Red Hot Chilli Peppers, Tool’s Danny Carey and former David Bowie drummer Omar Hakim.
“The energy was fantastic around that show, I know, and some days I wake up wanting to go out and tour again and some days I don’t,” says Lifeson. “For forty years Rush included Neil, and I don’t think putting some new version together would have the same magic.
“After those two gigs and the months of prep Ged and I went through, I was excited by the response and to be in the dressing room again with so many fellow artists in Wembley and LA I respected and felt a kinship towards. But after a few weeks that wore off and it occurred to me that despite all 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. I guess I’d rather be remembered for that legacy than returning as the top Rush tribute band.”
While he effectively rules out a Rush reunion, Lifeson reveals how his involvement with a new band, Envy Of None, has inspired him to keep playing and stay connected to music.
“The Envy of None project has been very important to me,” he tells Classic Rock. ‘Since the last Rush tour, it has provided me with purpose. I love writing and working with other very talented musicians. I love how it has forced me to think in different terms about the role guitar has in modern music. It has inspired me to play daily and investigate uncommon tones and colours.”
Envy Of None were formed by Andy Curran, formerly bassist with Canadian rockers Coney Hatch, and mixer/engineer Alfio ‘Alf’ Annibalini. They recruited Lifeson in 2016, and singer/multi-instrumentalist Maiah Wynne in 2018, releasing their self-titled debut album in 2022. A follow-up, Stygian Wavz, is out on March 14.
“I love music and its power,” he tells Classic Rock. “Being that guy from Rush who plays like some guy not from Rush is liberating and allows me to share my love of the instrument that has been vital to my existence.”
Read the full interview with Rush’s Alex Lifeson and Geddy Lee in the brand new issue of Classic Rock, onsale now. Order it online and have it delivered straight to your door.
