THIS happened today!

[HemiBeers]

9 minutes ago, Rod in Toronto said:

 

They asked me to keep the interview focus on Envy Of None, so I didn't want to push him on the Rush stuff. I did ask a thing or two about Rush, and other stuff like the beer, his acting roles etc. And if I was to ask him specific questions about his solos, Cut to the Chase would DEFINITELY be one of them. I can play the rhythm part of the song, but that solo? Forget it!

...and that's why you're the pro Rod. I'd be hitting him with the weirdest left field questions he ever dealt with.

[JARG]

26 minutes ago, HemiBeers said:

I think they've said in the past that alot of his solos and playing are shoot from the hip and just keep the tape rolling in case the magic happens. Geddy and Terry Brown prune the magic from the rest. For example, the Tom Sawyer solo were bits and pieces of solos that Geddy and Terry pasted together. You'll also find a live Tom Sawyer  recording pre-moving pictures where Alex is just shredding like the Freewill solo.

I've heard it. It's just awful. Yes, there's some amount of improv in many of his solos, but there also seems to be a fair amount of form. When I'm working on a solo for a song, I mostly start out just "feeling" my way around (and like Alex, it's just awful). After a few passes a form begins to suggest itself, and from that point on, I switch to a more compositional approach, keeping what I liked from previous takes and expanding from there.

[taurus]

Congratulations Rod! Nice work, I look forward to reading the interview. 

[ytserush]

On 3/26/2025 at 3:16 PM, Union 5-3992 said:

 

I'd ask Alex where he is on his memoir

 

Alex has said there will be no memoir. Not his thing.

[lerxt1990]

On 3/25/2025 at 1:41 PM, Rod in Toronto said:

After several years trying, I FINALLY interviewed Alex! We spoke about Envy of None, R50, the Rush beer, his disappointment with the synth era, and much more! I'll post the link here when it's published...

 

HOLY COW THATS GREAT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[lerxt1990]

On 3/25/2025 at 1:41 PM, Rod in Toronto said:

After several years trying, I FINALLY interviewed Alex! We spoke about Envy of None, R50, the Rush beer, his disappointment with the synth era, and much more! I'll post the link here when it's published...

 

iTS LIKE BY YOU INTERVIEWING HIM WE ALL DID HAHAHAAA

[Rod in Toronto]

On 3/30/2025 at 10:50 AM, lerxt1990 said:

iTS LIKE BY YOU INTERVIEWING HIM WE ALL DID HAHAHAAA

I do feel that way! Been here in TRF since at least 2010, and I think I represented us well in the chat with Alex.

 

It comes out later today, and I hope you all watch it, like it, comment on it, and share it! I'll post the link here shortly.

[Rod in Toronto]

Here it is! I think for now, as I post this, only the interview transcript is showing, but the video will come out soon: https://www.sonicperspectives.com/interviews/interview-with-alex-lifeson/

 

I apologize in advance for so many ads on the page...and if you can read it, watch it, comment on it, share it etc. etc, that would be MUCH appreciated!

[Rod in Toronto]

Here's the video!!! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uYeh03mlgqs 

[liquidcrystalcompass]

I couldn’t pull it down homie.

[Rod in Toronto]

28 minutes ago, liquidcrystalcompass said:

I couldn’t pull it down homie.

 

You mean you don't have access to it? How come?

[JARG]

It was a fine interview, Rod. Congratulations.

[Rod in Toronto]

37 minutes ago, JARG said:

It was a fine interview, Rod. Congratulations.

Glad you liked it!

[HemiBeers]

Well done Rod! Great job throwing in some obscure questions. So many of these interviews ask the same questions. 

[Rod in Toronto]

14 minutes ago, HemiBeers said:

Well done Rod! Great job throwing in some obscure questions. So many of these interviews ask the same questions. 

Thanks so much!

[grep]

I still wish I knew who bought the white ES-355 and Hentor Sportscaster at auction.

[Rod in Toronto]

I shared the interview with Andy Curran, who is Alex' bandmate and was Rush's A&R for years. He liked it!

[Bahamas]

Before I watch, thank you very much Rod for posting this. And congratulations! 

[liquidcrystalcompass]

13 hours ago, Rod in Toronto said:

 

You mean you don't have access to it? How come?

I got it.  Good interview Rod.  Thank you for sharing 

[Derek19]

Rod, for your interview with Alex, once the recorded live interview was posted on-line, you wanted us to watch it, make comments about it, like it, and share it.  I've been able to watch it, put likes on it, and now, would make some comments about it.  I do like it, I would feel even more honored being able to get the chance interviewing him, and have the interview as the best one I've done.  If it were me, before the interview, I would try to be myself, and not be nervous.  Congratulations, for having the chance to do it, and thank you, for representing us, and sharing it on here. 

Edited April 16, 2025 by Derek19

[Rod in Toronto]

1 hour ago, Derek19 said:

Rod, if you do read this, for your interview with Alex, once the recorded live interview was posted on-line, you wanted us to watch it, make comments about it, like it, and share it.  I've been able to watch it, put likes on it, and now, would make some comments about it.  I do like it, I would feel even more honored being able to get the chance interviewing him, and have the interview as the best one I've done.  If it were me, before the interview, I would try to be myself, and not be nervous.  Congratulations, for having the chance to do it, and thank you, for representing us, and sharing it on here. 

My pleasure man! Really glad you liked it!

[PurpleHayes]

One question I've always wanted to ask...

 

"Why is By-Tor the bad guy on Fly By Night, but is the good guy in 'The Necromancer' on CoS?"

 

Did he have a "Come To Snowdog" epiphany?

[Digital82]

13 hours ago, PurpleHayes said:

One question I've always wanted to ask...

 

"Why is By-Tor the bad guy on Fly By Night, but is the good guy in 'The Necromancer' on CoS?"

 

Did he have a "Come To Snowdog" epiphany?

This very question was posed to Geddy during his May 21st, 1984 appearance on “Rockline”, and this was Geddy’ answer, verbatim: “Well, it’s interesting twist.  You see, when By-Tor first comes on the scene, he’s this real vicious dog, you see, and he was real upset. But, he saw that he was a bad guy, and decided that, hey, I’ve had enough of this. And, the necromancer is such a bad guy that I’ve gotta come back and show him something.  So, uh, he just sort of turned it around, ya’ know.  He saw the light.”   

[Blue J]

On 7/10/2026 at 2:24 AM, Digital82 said:

This very question was posed to Geddy during his May 21st, 1984 appearance on “Rockline”, and this was Geddy’ answer, verbatim: “Well, it’s interesting twist.  You see, when By-Tor first comes on the scene, he’s this real vicious dog, you see, and he was real upset. But, he saw that he was a bad guy, and decided that, hey, I’ve had enough of this. And, the necromancer is such a bad guy that I’ve gotta come back and show him something.  So, uh, he just sort of turned it around, ya’ know.  He saw the light.”   

 

Funny about By-Tor and the Necromancer- I've always just listened to them and thought of them as completely separate things. The two songs have totally different feels (to my ears anyway) and I don't even think of any characters overlapping. To me the two pieces are individual entities.

[JCW555VT]

Yeah, By-Tor and The Necromancer have such different feelings that I have to remind myself that they're related songs sometimes.