Back in 1968, Alex Lifeson joined forces with drummer John Rutsey and singer Jeff Jones to create a new band. That band would eventually become the iconic Rush. Throughout the decades, the band released hit songs like “Working Man”, “Freewill”, and “Closer to the Heart.” Selling millions of albums and receiving numerous awards, the band eventually landed in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2013. Often considered one of the greatest rock bands of all time, Rush ended their run on stage. And while many fans want nothing more than a reunion, Lifeson admitted that any type of event surrounding the band would be nothing more than a “money ploy.”
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Speaking with Classic Rock History, Lifeson discussed the massive popularity surrounding Rush and how fans still want more performances. “So many people remember us, and there’s sadness amongst our fans that it ended, and they want more, but you can’t go back. We can’t just go and get another drummer, and go out and play concerts, and make new material. It just would not be the same. It would just be a money ploy.”
Alex Lifeson Still Performs Rush Songs
Although understanding how the fans feel, Lifeson explained how the late Neil Peart struggled those last few years. “We toured for 41 years, and Neil [Peart] was done. He couldn’t play like he did 10 years earlier, and it was very difficult; he did not want to play even one percentage less than perfect. That was understandable. And it was sad when it was over, and all of that, but in retrospect, we went out on a high note, and that’s the legacy of Rush.”
While not looking to take the stage once again, Lifeson still loves to perform Rush songs with bassist Geddy Lee. He told Ultimate Classic Rock, “We decided that we would play some Rush songs. Because, you know, we haven’t played these songs in 10 years. We started that a couple of weeks ago. We get together one day a week over at his place.” Detailing their jam sessions, he added, “We just picked some Rush songs and we started playing them and we sound like a really, really bad Rush tribute band.”
(Photo by Mike Coppola/Getty Images for T.J. Martell Foundation)
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