tas7 Posted May 17, 2013 Share Posted May 17, 2013 (edited) Alex Lifeson has been a huge influence on my guitar playing and it's not always the obvious solo's that have given me the most pleasure. Here's a selection of bits, some I can play and in order of album.1.The rhythm guitar of Beneath, Between & Behind. I like playing the chords and the lead riff.2.The guitar solo in The Necromancer. On vinyl it used to shriek across the speakers, never the same on CD.3.Discovery, easy to play but gives you a big grin, and when you play it to people who've never heard of Rush they always ask what's that?4.Intro to Xanadu, who's not played it all over the fretboard but whenever I hear it, it gives me goosebumps. Always expect the wind to come blowing through the house as it kicks in.5.The harmonics at the beginning of Cygnus x-1, quite tricky to get right.6.The lead break in the third part of Natural Science, possibly my favourite bit of lead guitar by Alex.7.Thechords in the verse of Red Barchetta.8.The chorus of The Analog Kid, and the middle of The Weapon9.Guitar solo in Kid Gloves10.Middle bit of Marathon11.Jangly bit in the middle bit of Mission Edited May 17, 2013 by tas7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hammerofthor Posted May 17, 2013 Share Posted May 17, 2013 Love what he plays in the intro to The Camera Eye, particularly at around the 1:54 mark. Love the ESL version of La Villa, the solo rips and is so much smoother than other versions. Love his playing on the first album, sorry. His solo on By tor from atwas is phenomenal. Signals has some vastly underrated pkaying on it. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tas7 Posted May 17, 2013 Author Share Posted May 17, 2013 Know what you mean about The Camera Eye, like a harmonic with a shriek. Sure that used to sound better on vinyl, compressed on CD. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ILSnwdog Posted May 17, 2013 Share Posted May 17, 2013 I love Alex's more explosive stuff. I love Grand Finale, almost all of La Villa and YYZ, and the solos in Analog Kid and Time And Motion. I also like how he is out in front on Far Cry. :haz:Â And I love the bluesy solo he does on live performances of Bravado. The feel is amazing. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tas7 Posted May 17, 2013 Author Share Posted May 17, 2013 I love the arpeggio in Clockwork Angels, there's that extra note before Geddy starts singing. Pity the mixing wasn't a bit more subtle as the dynamic would have been greater. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
custom55 Posted May 18, 2013 Share Posted May 18, 2013 I've been focusing on "Far Cry" and "Cut to the Chase" this week. He blew me away last Saturday in Atlantic City with Far Cry so that's stuck in my head. :finbar: Cut to the Chase is just plain brilliant. :guitar: 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tas7 Posted May 18, 2013 Author Share Posted May 18, 2013 Some other bits; That note that rings off Alex's guitar in New World Man never reproduced to my satisfaction live. The middle section of The Big Wheel. The middle section of Driven, what is it with those middle sections. That Permanent Waves type riff in The Anarchist. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Animate Posted May 18, 2013 Share Posted May 18, 2013 Alex has a lot of bits that I like :PÂ (Guitar bits of course) 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheWinslowOfWillowdale Posted May 18, 2013 Share Posted May 18, 2013 No particular order:1) Opening riff in Working Man2) Lessons -- The whole song3) Solo in Something for Nothing4) Intro to AFTK's5) This is crazy!! I could go on all night!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bathory Posted May 19, 2013 Share Posted May 19, 2013 solo to kid gloves Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lifeson90 Posted May 19, 2013 Share Posted May 19, 2013 yeah i love the solo in the live version to kid gloves going around, but otherwise too many to mention really the guy's obviously a god but i'll throw out the solo bit in time & motion for arguments sake Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amy Farrah Fowler Posted May 19, 2013 Share Posted May 19, 2013 Alex has a lot of bits that I like :PÂ (Guitar bits of course)Â LOL I read it quickly and I'm thinking "Alex's bits??? Where??!??" :P 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Animate Posted May 19, 2013 Share Posted May 19, 2013 Alex has a lot of bits that I like :PÂ (Guitar bits of course)Â LOL I read it quickly and I'm thinking "Alex's bits??? Where??!??" :PThe title of this thread is *ahem* distracting! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
driventotheedge Posted May 19, 2013 Share Posted May 19, 2013 All of La Villa for starters............ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tas7 Posted May 19, 2013 Author Share Posted May 19, 2013 The idea was not to list the obvious solos but to list those little bits of guitar work that give you goose bumps. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HowItIs Posted May 21, 2013 Share Posted May 21, 2013 All of the above! Â Alex can do so much with even a few notes... In Force Ten, after the break and right after Geddy sings "look out for the force without form...: and Alex plays three notes there... THREE notes! And they are sublime. I miss them in the live versions. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Del_Duio Posted May 21, 2013 Share Posted May 21, 2013 My first thought was the awesome scream towards the middle of the guitar solo in Emotion Detector. You'll know it when you hear it. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Del_Duio Posted May 21, 2013 Share Posted May 21, 2013 6.The lead break in the third part of Natural Science, possibly my favourite bit of lead guitar by Alex. Do you mean the part where he comes out of the 1st guitar solo and it flows back into the verse "Wheels within wheels, in a spiral array"?The guitar leads that goes: DOO DOO DOO DOO do doDOO DOO DOO DOO do do? I love that part!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JARG Posted May 24, 2013 Share Posted May 24, 2013 yeah i love the solo in the live version to kid gloves going around, but otherwise too many to mention really the guy's obviously a god but i'll throw out the solo bit in time & motion for arguments sake No argument from me. It's one his most amazingly creative solos. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tas7 Posted May 24, 2013 Author Share Posted May 24, 2013 6.The lead break in the third part of Natural Science, possibly my favourite bit of lead guitar by Alex. Do you mean the part where he comes out of the 1st guitar solo and it flows back into the verse "Wheels within wheels, in a spiral array"?The guitar leads that goes: DOO DOO DOO DOO do doDOO DOO DOO DOO do do? I love that part!!No, During the Science without nature can also be tamed ...blah blah blah bit there's a lead break. He doesn't play it in the live versions Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andreww Posted July 23, 2013 Share Posted July 23, 2013 Anybody that doesn't start their list with La Villa is nuts. After that my favorite bits are... 1. Descending 12 string power chords at the start of Xanadu2. Spirit if Radio intro/chorus3. Harmonic bits of Red Barchetta Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
greyfriar Posted July 23, 2013 Share Posted July 23, 2013 just a few... Here Again - whole songMiddletown Dreams - the boy walks with his best friend...HopeBroon's Bane - The TreesThe Garden - SoloStart Today - SoloEarthshine - Opening RiffClockwork Angels - Intro Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coventry Posted July 23, 2013 Share Posted July 23, 2013 1. The beautiful infinitely held note from the end of the solo to the end of the song on "Limelight". It fades back in the mix, but is there to hear throughout. 2. His chords in the chorus of "Totem"- only Alex can ever make that tone. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
greyfriar Posted July 23, 2013 Share Posted July 23, 2013 Oh how could I forget the Jacob's Ladder part on E...SL, right after "all at once the clouds are parted". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OneLittleVictory Posted July 23, 2013 Share Posted July 23, 2013 camera eye intro Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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