The Lee/Lifeson Fantasy Mystery Tour

[JohnnyBlaze]

If Lee and Lifeson were to tour following a new album, what would you like to see them play?

 

In this fantasy, they're not touring under the name 'Rush'. If you're hung up on a name, then let's say they're going to tour under 'The JohnnyBlaze Band'.

 

The focus of this thread is on what you guys would like them to play live and, to a lesser extent, who you'd like them to play with.

 

Some rules...

 

1) It'll be a 20 song setlist, 8 of which will be set for the tunes off the new album.

2) Given #1, it means you'll have to think of 12 songs you'd like them to play.

3) No Rush tunes from ANY Rush release can be chosen.

4) 1 song choice can be no longer than 8 minutes. Soooo, if you're choosing some massive 24 minute epic, that'll count as 3 songs.

 

Are you going to choose all 12 songs from Victor and My Favorite Headache? Would you have them cover some rock classics? Would you have them cover something modern?

 

Also, would you still have them as a three piece? Would you add a second guitarist? A keyboardist?

 

Would Geddy still be the lead vocalist? Or would he play second fiddle as the singer?

 

This is just for fun. I don't have high hopes for something like this actually happening...though I do think it's at least possible.

[blueschica]

Ooh, a fantasy band! Fun idea! No Rush tunes makes it a little tough. I will leave the actual playlists to Fraroc, :) but I wouldn't mind some acoustic tunes and some covers, even. I loved when they did the acoustic Heart Full of Soul on R30, and their cover of Paint It Black at SARStock was awesome, IMO.

 

I vote nothing from Victor or MFH, just because I would rather hear new solo material. I do think Geddy could benefit at this point (and I am a huge fan of his vocals) from some help/backup in the vocal dept. I know, too much Beach Boys, but when we saw Brian Wilson and also Chicago this year both Al Jardine and Robert Lamm had vocal help. Very subtle, but they had one or two backup singers and if you looked closely during the high pitched parts the background voice was doing the work. It was to the overall benefit of the music and experience so I didn't mind.

 

An awesome keyboard other person would add an interesting twist on things! Now just get out and get those dates booked, JB!

Edited April 15, 2018 by blueschica

[thizzellewashington]

My guess would be that it would include some MFH stuff and maybe a couple of Rush songs that Geddy wrote, like Different Strings. Maybe a reprise of the acoustic Resist.

[diatribein]

First, there is NO WAY I would see them if the project is going to be called The JohnnyBlaze Band. I am definitely boycotting that! As for the rest of your question:

 

Set List:

 

01. New Song

02. New Song

03. The Present Tense

04. Moving to Bohemia

05. New Song

06. Working at Perfekt

07. Still

08. Shut Up Shuttin’ Up

09. New Song

10. New Song

11. Runaway Train

12. Home on the Strange

13. The Angels' Share

14. New Song

15. Slipping

16. Window to the World

17. New Song

18. Grace to Grace

 

Encores

 

19. My Favourite Headache

20. New Song

 

Geddy is the lead vocalist on all songs except Shut Up Shuttin’ Up, which obviously has Alex's spoken word lead.

I would have them perform as a four-piece, possibly with Ben Mink playing guitar and other string instruments as well as some synthesizer along with Geddy.

I also think your rules aren't quite right. They would definitely play a few RUSH songs even if the project isn't called RUSH.

If they do play a few RUSH tunes,I would take out Geddy solo songs, not because I don't love them, but because this set list is too bias to his solo stuff as constructed.

 

 

 

.

Edited April 15, 2018 by diatribein

[Lucas]

I don;t see how anyone would think Geddy has retired from music .. Everything thing he has said points to, at some point in the future, making music again ..

 

We've all seen and heard the interviews - Geddy especially - there will be music coming from him, and I don;t see why Alex would not be involved .. Of the three, Alex has made the most appearances on stage with other bands - showing up at clubs just to get on stage and play ..

 

I know Alex is ( up for making another Rush album )

 

I'm not going to sit still for too long

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=34wk_onk50E

 

 

With all that said, I would bet that Geddy and Alex making music together is a no brainer YES, and considering that Geddy has expressed regrets about not giving the fans a proper goodbye with Rush, a tour supporting any new album would be in store ...

 

It wouldn;t be called "Rush" ( obviously ), but I think Geddy and Alex will play again together - both in a recording setting and on stage

Edited April 15, 2018 by Lucas

[thizzellewashington]

I'd honestly just be down for another Geddy solo album whether or not Alex is involved.

[JohnnyBlaze]

First, there is NO WAY I would see them if the project is going to be called The JohnnyBlaze Band. I am definitely boycotting that!

 

 

Nah. You’d certainly go just to bitch about it.

 

:P

[Planet X-1]

No way there's a full Lee/Lifeson Tour without Rush tunes being played...Rush is Alex and Geddy...

 

A tiny glimmer of hope is 1%, so I chose option 1 (which coincidentally is the same likelihood Neil ever plays the drums again ;) )

[JohnnyBlaze]

No way there's a full Lee/Lifeson Tour without Rush tunes being played...Rush is Alex and Geddy...

 

A tiny glimmer of hope is 1%, so I chose option 1 (which coincidentally is the same likelihood Neil ever plays the drums again ;) )

 

I’m not saying they wouldn’t play Rush tunes.

 

I’m saying this is fantasy land so pick non-Rush songs.

 

I’m saying if you guys had the choice of Rush songs or not, you’d pick Rush. Of course you would. But we’ve picked Rush songs for a set list a billion times over.

[Relayer2112]

I think that both Geddy and Alex already know the can of worms that would be opened if they did anything together musically from here on out. I could certainly see them both jamming with another act live, but as far as recording something together and/or touring together, the chance would be practically non-existent.

[Planet X-1]

No way there's a full Lee/Lifeson Tour without Rush tunes being played...Rush is Alex and Geddy...

 

A tiny glimmer of hope is 1%, so I chose option 1 (which coincidentally is the same likelihood Neil ever plays the drums again ;) )

 

I’m not saying they wouldn’t play Rush tunes.

 

I’m saying this is fantasy land so pick non-Rush songs.

 

I’m saying if you guys had the choice of Rush songs or not, you’d pick Rush. Of course you would. But we’ve picked Rush songs for a set list a billion times over.

 

My bad, I took number 3 literally...

 

3) No Rush tunes from ANY Rush release can be chosen.

[JohnRogers]

Skip this non-sense. I signed Lee, Lifeson, Mann and Rockenfield to tour as the John Bon Rogers Band. I'll be on tambourine and do backing vocals.

 

We'll do 20 minutes of Rush during our 90 minute set. What do you want to hear???

[vaportrailer]

Skip this non-sense. I signed Lee, Lifeson, Mann and Rockenfield to tour as the John Bon Rogers Band. I'll be on tambourine and do backing vocals.

 

We'll do 20 minutes of Rush during our 90 minute set. What do you want to hear???

 

The Camera Eye twice.

[rftag]

I always thought it would be interesting to hear Rush cover the Police and U2 songs they think were most influential on them. This influence was at its peak apparently when they were recording Signals and GuP.

 

The Police influence is apparent on some Signals and GuP songs, though I always thought the U2 influence was much less apparent.

 

Particularly with U2, if they covered some of their songs from that period it would perhaps provide a better sense of what they were hearing in the music of those bands and make its influence on them more apparent.

 

I also always thought it would be really interesting to hear Rush do some (classic Dickinson era) Iron Maiden covers. I realize that would present a challenge for Geddy at this point but after all its a fantasy, right?).

 

I'd also like to hear them cover some Metallica songs from "Master of Puppets" since Geddy was once presented with the opportunity of producing the album that would become "Master of Puppets".

 

[sounds crazy I know but here's a link supporting this curious footnote in rock history:

 

http://www.blabbermouth.net/news/rushs-geddy-lee-says-he-almost-produced-metallicas-master-of-puppets-album/ ]

 

It might provide some idea of what the album may have sounded like if Geddy decided to produce the album.

 

Frankly, I'm glad Geddy passed on the opportunity. I don't think synth era Geddy would be a good fit for Metallica, then at the heights of their metal driven sound. After all, Master of Puppets, their third album, is quintessential Metallica, considered their best album by many, and is the album that established them as superstars. I don't think that was the time in their career to put out an album produced by a PoW era Geddy Lee. It most likely would have been a much softer album which would not have gone over well with their fan base, and not have been the breakthrough to large scale commercial success that it was, in which case Metallica might never have achieved the heights of fame they did.

 

It would still be very interesting to hear a Master of Puppets album produced by Geddy; it raises the spectre of an interesting alternative history for Metallica...

Edited April 16, 2018 by rftag

[JohnnyBlaze]

Skip this non-sense. I signed Lee, Lifeson, Mann and Rockenfield to tour as the John Bon Rogers Band. I'll be on tambourine and do backing vocals.

 

We'll do 20 minutes of Rush during our 90 minute set. What do you want to hear???

 

What?!! No hologram?!!!

 

I would’ve expected more from the Little River John Bon Rogers Band!!!