Who is has been the biggest influence

[treeduck]

Alex Lifeson is an excellent guitar player and has a definitely distinctive and identifiable style. He does show his influences though, right through his career more or less. So based on his playing on the various Rush albums, which guitarist is Alex most influenced by in your judgement?

[Luca2112]

Jimmi Page

[treeduck]

QUOTE (Luca2112 @ Sep 5 2006, 01:04 PM)

Jimmi Page

I wonder if Jimmi Page is a strange combination of Jimi Hendrix and Jimmy Page...

 

[dakota2112]

Alex has cited Steve Hackett (formerly of Genesis) as an influence. Too bad he isn't included in the poll, unless I missed him among the five hundred others listed

[treeduck]

QUOTE (dakota2112 @ Sep 5 2006, 01:24 PM)

Alex has cited Steve Hackett (formerly of Genesis) as an influence. Too bad he isn't included in the poll, unless I missed him among the five hundred others listed

I'll just put two options in for you next time to make it nice and easy for you...

 

[the masked drummer]

I was going to vote page, but then went with andy summers for the sustained clean chords he's been using for quite some time. Now I see it's tied between those two and Hendrix (all 33.3% right now). Funny. I don't see the Hendrix influence, but I'm only a dumb drummer anyway... (crickets chirping, no argument)

[Fridge]

I think it took him some time to develop his own individual style, and the first four albums certainly owe a large debt to both Iommi and Page.

 

He started to emerge from this round about AFTK when the increasingly progressive nature of their music demanded that as a three piece they fill out the sound as much as possible. He started using a lot of large, open ringing chords such as F# 11 to fatten the overall sound. With the introduction of more effects, he also started to get more of a signature sounfd as well.

 

The next major change stylistically began with Vital Signs in Moving Pictures which was definitely influenced by the Police. Again, Andy Summers style lent itself to filling out a trios sound, so was a good choice for him to adopt.

 

From then on, I think he has gradually developed his own unique style, though the Jimmy Page "sloppiness" is sometimes still evident.

[_pete_]

According to Alex it's Jimmy Page.

 

Speaking as a guitarist, I think you are most influenced by other players when you're first starting out. The people you enjoy the most in the first couple years are the ones who most strongly influence you.

When I first started playing the two guys I listened to most were Alex and Robin Trower. I can still clearly hear the influence of both of them in my own playing.

Alex has picked up bits and pieces from many of the others listed but I wouldn't say they were a main influence other than Page.

 

 

 

What's with all the polls anyway? Are you writing a term paper on Rush?

[GeddyRulz]

Zoso.

[nebbish]

Page

[mortkort]

Alex also said that when he and Geddy sat down to select which songs to play on the R30 tour(i think it was that), he realised that Pete Townshend was a big influence on him to, on his rythm playing.

[_pete_]

QUOTE (mortkort @ Sep 5 2006, 04:10 PM)

Alex also said that when he and Geddy sat down to select which songs to play on the R30 tour(i think it was that), he realised that Pete Townshend was a big influence on him to, on his rythm playing.

You're right! I forgot about Townshend but he was a big influence on Lifeson.

PT's influence can be heard strongly on a lot of Alex's work.

[dakota2112]

QUOTE (_pete_ @ Sep 5 2006, 04:44 PM)

QUOTE (mortkort @ Sep 5 2006, 04:10 PM) Alex also said that when he and Geddy sat down to select which songs to play on the R30 tour(i think it was that), he realised that Pete Townshend was a big influence on him to, on his rythm playing. You're right! I forgot about Townshend but he was a big influence on Lifeson. PT's influence can be heard strongly on a lot of Alex's work. I think Between Sun and Moon is a nod to The Who and PT isn't it?

[Maddy]

He's said Jimmy Page was one of the biggest in interviews - you can kind of hear it on their first album...

[treeduck]

I think he started of sounding like Page in the early days but incorporated other guys ideas along the way. When he came to record The Seeker for Feedback he realised just how much of an impact Townshend's playing had had on him...

[GeddyRulz]

QUOTE (dakota2112 @ Sep 5 2006, 04:52 PM)

QUOTE (_pete_ @ Sep 5 2006, 04:44 PM) QUOTE (mortkort @ Sep 5 2006, 04:10 PM) Alex also said that when he and Geddy sat down to select which songs to play on the R30 tour(i think it was that), he realised that Pete Townshend was a big influence on him to, on his rythm playing. You're right! I forgot about Townshend but he was a big influence on Lifeson. PT's influence can be heard strongly on a lot of Alex's work. I think Between Sun and Moon is a nod to The Who and PT isn't it? No, you probably only think that because - on the opening night of the VT tour - Geddy dedicated "Between Sun and Moon" to John Entwistle, who had died the day before.   The Who, Cream, and Led Zeppelin were all big early influences on the guys. And to a certain extent, Yes and Genesis.

[Kudzu]

QUOTE (GeddyRulz @ Sep 5 2006, 03:23 PM)

QUOTE (dakota2112 @ Sep 5 2006, 04:52 PM) QUOTE (_pete_ @ Sep 5 2006, 04:44 PM) QUOTE (mortkort @ Sep 5 2006, 04:10 PM) Alex also said that when he and Geddy sat down to select which songs to play on the R30 tour(i think it was that), he realised that Pete Townshend was a big influence on him to, on his rythm playing. You're right! I forgot about Townshend but he was a big influence on Lifeson. PT's influence can be heard strongly on a lot of Alex's work. I think Between Sun and Moon is a nod to The Who and PT isn't it? No, you probably only think that because - on the opening night of the VT tour - Geddy dedicated "Between Sun and Moon" to John Entwistle, who had died the day before.   The Who, Cream, and Led Zeppelin were all big early influences on the guys. And to a certain extent, Yes and Genesis. Don't forget Black Sabbath, too.   I've gotta go with Townshend just for how they can make that guitar pitch soar.

[dakota2112]

QUOTE (GeddyRulz @ Sep 5 2006, 05:23 PM)

No, you probably only think that because - on the opening night of the VT tour - Geddy dedicated "Between Sun and Moon" to John Entwistle, who had died the day before.

Alex Lifeson (Guitar Player, December 1993): "Pete Townshend can make an acoustic sound so heavy and powerful. I've always admired that. On 'Between Sun And Moon' there's a musical bridge before the solo that's very Who-ish. I even throw Keith Richards in there. The song is really a tribute to the '60s."

[treeduck]

One guy that no one's mentioned here is Allan Holdsworth. In the first two R30 interviews 1979 and 1980 when asked who he and the band listen to Geddy said Bill Bruford both times. Who was the guitarist in the band? Holdsworth. Now you can't be a guitarist and listen to Holdsworth and not be influenced. I know Alex doesn't sound anything like Holdsworth, but who does? If you tried to cop Allan's shit it'd be obvious in a second and you'd just come off as pure rip-off merchant clone and a fraud, for one thing most people don't understand Holdsworth's high level harmonic language. Even Steve Vai said he doesn't understand what Holdsworth's doing. so to copy the style would be to create totally counterfeit music...

 

Having said all that you can still take little things and ideas and Holdsworthian nuances and incorporate them into your style. In Alex's case it would be subtle whammy bar bends mostly. Joe Satriani admitted in an interview that after hearing Tony William's Believe It, he took a lot of ideas from Allan as well...

[_pete_]

QUOTE (treeduck @ Sep 5 2006, 06:06 PM)

One guy that no one's mentioned here is Allan Holdsworth. In the first two R30 interviews 1979 and 1980 when asked who he and the band listen to Geddy said Bill Bruford both times. Who was the guitarist in the band? Holdsworth. Now you can't be a guitarist and listen to Holdsworth and not be influenced. I know Alex doesn't sound anything like Holdsworth, but who does? If you tried to cop Allan's shit it'd be obvious in a second and you'd just come off as pure rip-off merchant clone and a fraud, for one thing most people don't understand Holdsworth's high level harmonic language. Even Steve Vai said he doesn't understand what Holdsworth's doing. so to copy the style would be to create totally counterfeit music... Having said all that you can still take little things and ideas and Holdsworthian nuances and incorporate them into your style. In Alex's case it would be subtle whammy bar bends mostly. Joe Satriani admitted in an interview that after hearing Tony William's Believe It, he took a lot of ideas from Allan as well...

The solo in YYZ (legato style, pull offs and hammer ons) was Holdsworth influenced.

Alex also said he started using the 2x12 Marshall combo amps around that time because he saw Holdsworth used them and got such a great sound.

[madra sneachta]

I went with Andy Summers.

 

Alex was influenced by Page, Townsend and countless others in the late 60s/early 70s, but I think from PeW on, he's left the standard riff/solo/riff pattern behind, and developed what is a really unique style which has, IMO, primarily been influenced by Summers.

 

The hallmark of Summers' playing is space, and that's the approach that has been adopted by Alex (too enthusiastically at times perhaps).

 

Page was his prime influence at the start, but I think exposure to Summers made him what he is.

[treeduck]

QUOTE (madra sneachta @ Sep 5 2006, 06:47 PM)

I went with Andy Summers. Alex was influenced by Page, Townsend and countless others in the late 60s/early 70s, but I think from PeW on, he's left the standard riff/solo/riff pattern behind, and developed what is a really unique style which has, IMO, primarily been influenced by Summers. The hallmark of Summers' playing is space, and that's the approach that has been adopted by Alex (too enthusiastically at times perhaps). Page was his prime influence at the start, but I think exposure to Summers made him what he is.

Don't forget The Edge, it was Summers and The Edge in the 80s that Lifeson was inspired by...

[strangiatoman]

I could be wrong, (and I'm sure I'll find out soon enough if I am!) but I thought I remembered reading one time that Alex first picked up a guitar or at least became interested in playing after hearing the opening feedback on the Beatles "I Feel Fine". Now, that was actually a Lennon addition to the song, but I went with George Harrison simply because of the connection and seriously, what guitarist from that era wasn't enormously influenced by Harrison?

[treeduck]

QUOTE (strangiatoman @ Sep 5 2006, 10:24 PM)

I could be wrong, (and I'm sure I'll find out soon enough if I am!) but I thought I remembered reading one time that Alex first picked up a guitar or at least became interested in playing after hearing the opening feedback on the Beatles "I Feel Fine". Now, that was actually a Lennon addition to the song, but I went with George Harrison simply because of the connection and seriously, what guitarist from that era wasn't enormously influenced by Harrison?

I'm sure he must have mentioned him somewhere...

[kooma]

If you listen to the debut then you can only conclude mr. Page!!