“That sounds corny”: The 1981 song Alex Lifeson will never get tired of playing
As a trio of virtuoso musicians, there aren’t many things that you can fault Canadian prog-rockers Rush for in terms of their respective abilities on their instruments.
Frontman and bassist Geddy Lee is so frequently found juggling multiple complex parts in the band’s work, with his vocal acrobatics somersaulting over the top of some intricate melodic basslines. On top of this, there have even been times when he throws in synths triggered by foot pedals as well for good measure, as if to demonstrate that nothing is beyond the realms of his capabilities.
Their late drummer, Neil Peart, was also known for his wild approach, always perched behind a very busy-looking kit and making good use of all of the different components of it. No matter how big a rack of toms he was armed with, he knew how to get the best out of his instrument and make it stand out alongside Lee’s parts in the rhythm section.
Guitarist Alex Lifeson is, however, often overlooked, which is unusual for a guitarist, given how they’re normally front and centre of the attention of audiences, but that’s not to say that his contributions are in any way inferior, and the fact that he’s still able to demonstrate his brilliance now as the band continue to tour only goes to show just how essential he’s always been to the trio.
In fact, some of the greatest elements of the band’s songs were conceived by Lifeson, and during a 2020 interview with Music Radar, he spoke about how his lead break in ‘Limelight’ is the one solo that he’s conjured up that he never tires of playing live.
“I love the elasticity of the solo,” Lifeson argued, evidently beaming with pride at his own masterwork. “It’s a very emotional piece of music for me to play. The song is about loneliness and isolation, and I think the solo reflects that. There’s a lot of heart in it.”
However, Lifeson also insisted that with all other lead breaks, you’ve got to get yourself into the right headspace to be able to nail the feel of it, but that because of the song’s emotional resonance, there’s never been a stiffness to it. “I never had that problem with ‘Limelight,’” he added.
“The first time I laid it down in the studio, I felt a real attachment to it, and I could tell it was special”.
“Even now, it’s my favourite solo to perform live,” he declared. “I never get tired of it. Each time I’m about to play it, I take a deep breath, and I exhale on that first note. I guess that sounds corny, but for me, it releases something.”
There are undoubtedly some remarkable moments that Lifeson has managed to display over the course of 50 years in the band, and the fact that even though this one in particular has been part of their repertoire for over 40 of those years, the idea that he still finds joy in playing it speaks volumes about how good it is.
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