Narps Posted March 16, 2014 Share Posted March 16, 2014 It's not his precise cutting rhythm guitar or his soaring solos that amaze me but those crazy time signature, syncopated riffs that are his trade mark such as in Jacob's Ladder after, "All at once..." or after the solo in La Villa Stangiato. My absolute favorite Alex Lifeson moment is that exact part in Jacob's Ladder. I've never heard anyone else say this. Its good to hear someone else here's the beautiful melodic soulful riff in that part. It's so ambient with so much feel. The reality is Rush is Rush because of Alex. There's no way they ever would have made it to this legendary point without him whereas I think they might have made it without Neil,or geddy. He takes odd times signature and comes up with something accessible. A freaking genius He's not the fastest, not the most technical and not the most innovative, but he has the best tone and most emotion and soul in his playing . No one can touch him :tsk: All three need each other. And... I'm sorry... without Geddy? No chance. I used to like Geddy until he started expressing himself as a "Joe Cool" primadonna. ? I don't get this either. Of all the people in the world I would say Geddy is at the bottom of that list. I see the "joe cool" thing in his fashion only, but primadonna? Never!One of the biggest reasons I love this band is because they're the humblest rock stars you'll ever find!Not sure if others are like this too but personalities have a huge impact on how much I like artists.. It might even partly be the reason I stopped listening to Kiss and Aerosmith decades ago.. Well, I think Geddy has mellowed with age, but Rush were definitley somewhat elitist music snobs back in the day.. There's that clip from around 79,80, in the studio, where Geddy talks about bands going back to basics " cause all they know are the basics" .. In a very condescending tone.. Rush were Prog snobs I remember that interview. I always took that comment to mean that he felt that a lot of musicians were sort of resting on their laurels and not trying to improve technically as musicians. Just playing basic three or four chord songs. AC/DC comes to mind. Nothing wrong with it if that's all you want to do as a musician. (A lot of simple basic music is popular) Nothing wrong with trying to improve. I think that's one reason why they're still around today is that they've always looked forward and try to push themselves. It's always a challenge for them.I must admit in that interview he seems really snobby and full of himself. Just say'in...... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EagleMoon Posted March 16, 2014 Share Posted March 16, 2014 It's not his precise cutting rhythm guitar or his soaring solos that amaze me but those crazy time signature, syncopated riffs that are his trade mark such as in Jacob's Ladder after, "All at once..." or after the solo in La Villa Stangiato. My absolute favorite Alex Lifeson moment is that exact part in Jacob's Ladder. I've never heard anyone else say this. Its good to hear someone else here's the beautiful melodic soulful riff in that part. It's so ambient with so much feel. The reality is Rush is Rush because of Alex. There's no way they ever would have made it to this legendary point without him whereas I think they might have made it without Neil,or geddy. He takes odd times signature and comes up with something accessible. A freaking genius He's not the fastest, not the most technical and not the most innovative, but he has the best tone and most emotion and soul in his playing . No one can touch him :tsk: All three need each other. And... I'm sorry... without Geddy? No chance. I used to like Geddy until he started expressing himself as a "Joe Cool" primadonna. ? I don't get this either. Of all the people in the world I would say Geddy is at the bottom of that list. I see the "joe cool" thing in his fashion only, but primadonna? Never!One of the biggest reasons I love this band is because they're the humblest rock stars you'll ever find!Not sure if others are like this too but personalities have a huge impact on how much I like artists.. It might even partly be the reason I stopped listening to Kiss and Aerosmith decades ago.. Well, I think Geddy has mellowed with age, but Rush were definitley somewhat elitist music snobs back in the day.. There's that clip from around 79,80, in the studio, where Geddy talks about bands going back to basics " cause all they know are the basics" .. In a very condescending tone.. Rush were Prog snobs I remember that interview. I always took that comment to mean that he felt that a lot of musicians were sort of resting on their laurels and not trying to improve technically as musicians. Just playing basic three or four chord songs. AC/DC comes to mind. Nothing wrong with it if that's all you want to do as a musician. (A lot of simple basic music is popular) Nothing wrong with trying to improve. I think that's one reason why they're still around today is that they've always looked forward and try to push themselves. It's always a challenge for them.I must admit in that interview he seems really snobby and full of himself. Just say'in...... Well at the time progressive music was going by the wayside and simpler stuff was becoming popular. I remember that time pretty well and musically I have to agree with him. People seemed to be selling out left and right. That was probably the impetus behind the statement. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MMCXII Posted March 16, 2014 Share Posted March 16, 2014 It's not his precise cutting rhythm guitar or his soaring solos that amaze me but those crazy time signature, syncopated riffs that are his trade mark such as in Jacob's Ladder after, "All at once..." or after the solo in La Villa Stangiato. My absolute favorite Alex Lifeson moment is that exact part in Jacob's Ladder. I've never heard anyone else say this. Its good to hear someone else here's the beautiful melodic soulful riff in that part. It's so ambient with so much feel. The reality is Rush is Rush because of Alex. There's no way they ever would have made it to this legendary point without him whereas I think they might have made it without Neil,or geddy. He takes odd times signature and comes up with something accessible. A freaking genius He's not the fastest, not the most technical and not the most innovative, but he has the best tone and most emotion and soul in his playing . No one can touch him :tsk: All three need each other. And... I'm sorry... without Geddy? No chance. I used to like Geddy until he started expressing himself as a "Joe Cool" primadonna. ? I don't get this either. Of all the people in the world I would say Geddy is at the bottom of that list. I see the "joe cool" thing in his fashion only, but primadonna? Never!One of the biggest reasons I love this band is because they're the humblest rock stars you'll ever find!Not sure if others are like this too but personalities have a huge impact on how much I like artists.. It might even partly be the reason I stopped listening to Kiss and Aerosmith decades ago.. Well, I think Geddy has mellowed with age, but Rush were definitley somewhat elitist music snobs back in the day.. There's that clip from around 79,80, in the studio, where Geddy talks about bands going back to basics " cause all they know are the basics" .. In a very condescending tone.. Rush were Prog snobs I remember that interview. I always took that comment to mean that he felt that a lot of musicians were sort of resting on their laurels and not trying to improve technically as musicians. Just playing basic three or four chord songs. AC/DC comes to mind. Nothing wrong with it if that's all you want to do as a musician. (A lot of simple basic music is popular) Nothing wrong with trying to improve. I think that's one reason why they're still around today is that they've always looked forward and try to push themselves. It's always a challenge for them.I must admit in that interview he seems really snobby and full of himself. Just say'in...... Well at the time progressive music was going by the wayside and simpler stuff was becoming popular. I remember that time pretty well and musically I have to agree with him. People seemed to be selling out left and right. That was probably the impetus behind the statement. Ya I actually remember the elitist snob thing, there's also the interview around '80 or so where Geddy's outside and the wind keeps blowing his hair into his face, This interview gives me the same impression. But hey they were young and they knew they were the best players around plus I'm sure they felt above all the drug addicted party animals too. Compare that to a Steven Tyler interview though.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Narps Posted March 16, 2014 Share Posted March 16, 2014 It's not his precise cutting rhythm guitar or his soaring solos that amaze me but those crazy time signature, syncopated riffs that are his trade mark such as in Jacob's Ladder after, "All at once..." or after the solo in La Villa Stangiato. My absolute favorite Alex Lifeson moment is that exact part in Jacob's Ladder. I've never heard anyone else say this. Its good to hear someone else here's the beautiful melodic soulful riff in that part. It's so ambient with so much feel. The reality is Rush is Rush because of Alex. There's no way they ever would have made it to this legendary point without him whereas I think they might have made it without Neil,or geddy. He takes odd times signature and comes up with something accessible. A freaking genius He's not the fastest, not the most technical and not the most innovative, but he has the best tone and most emotion and soul in his playing . No one can touch him :tsk: All three need each other. And... I'm sorry... without Geddy? No chance. I used to like Geddy until he started expressing himself as a "Joe Cool" primadonna. ? I don't get this either. Of all the people in the world I would say Geddy is at the bottom of that list. I see the "joe cool" thing in his fashion only, but primadonna? Never!One of the biggest reasons I love this band is because they're the humblest rock stars you'll ever find!Not sure if others are like this too but personalities have a huge impact on how much I like artists.. It might even partly be the reason I stopped listening to Kiss and Aerosmith decades ago.. Well, I think Geddy has mellowed with age, but Rush were definitley somewhat elitist music snobs back in the day.. There's that clip from around 79,80, in the studio, where Geddy talks about bands going back to basics " cause all they know are the basics" .. In a very condescending tone.. Rush were Prog snobs I remember that interview. I always took that comment to mean that he felt that a lot of musicians were sort of resting on their laurels and not trying to improve technically as musicians. Just playing basic three or four chord songs. AC/DC comes to mind. Nothing wrong with it if that's all you want to do as a musician. (A lot of simple basic music is popular) Nothing wrong with trying to improve. I think that's one reason why they're still around today is that they've always looked forward and try to push themselves. It's always a challenge for them.I must admit in that interview he seems really snobby and full of himself. Just say'in...... Well at the time progressive music was going by the wayside and simpler stuff was becoming popular. I remember that time pretty well and musically I have to agree with him. People seemed to be selling out left and right. That was probably the impetus behind the statement. Ya I actually remember the elitist snob thing, there's also the interview around '80 or so where Geddy's outside and the wind keeps blowing his hair into his face, This interview gives me the same impression.But hey they were young and they knew they were the best players around plus I'm sure they felt above all the drug addicted party animals too. Compare that to a Steven Tyler interview though..I thought of that interview too. They were both part of BTLS. Seemed full of himself somewhat. Trust me I would be too were I him.... :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slack jaw gaze Posted March 16, 2014 Share Posted March 16, 2014 The way the guy phrased the question nearly assured the answer he got. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snyder80 Posted March 17, 2014 Share Posted March 17, 2014 Referring to the Geddy being a prog-snob: good for him. The truth may hurt but it doesn't make it less true. There are a lot of other musicians in the world I like listening to. However, I'd love to see AC/DC or Aerosmith or .38 Special pull off Natural Science. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ged Lent's sis Posted March 17, 2014 Share Posted March 17, 2014 (edited) This "prog-snob" thing deserves its own thread. I have much to say about it but really don't feel comfortable sullying the original post with the distraction. Summarizing my comment on the OP:Alex is underrated because he was overshadowed by the reputations Neil and Geddy—respectively garnered by way of impressive musicianship on instruments that are don't usually elevate their players to god-status in the genre of rock the way guitar has done. Even I underrated him until about 1980, when it became more obvious to me that what he does and had been doing was in sense even more impressive than his colleagues. Edited to add this link to the prog snob topic:http://www.therushforum.com/index.php?/topic/87041-prog-snobbery/ Edited March 17, 2014 by Ged Lent's sis 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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