The moment Alex Lifeson lost all desire to play music: “It wasn’t the same”
There are a lot of things which are necessary for bands and musicians to be successful. There needs to be talent, influence and an audience waiting to hear from them; however, none of this matters if an artist doesn’t have any passion. One of the best prog rock bands out there, who have always been driven by passion, is Rush.
Cream were one of the first bands to open the door to what we now know as prog rock. Ian Anderson once spoke about their impact and how they originally introduced people to this form of rock, which was close to the mainstream genre but operated outside of it. The possibilities from that point on seemed limitless, as the doors for rock ‘n’ roll were kicked wide open.
Geddy Lee also felt the ripple effect that was caused by Cream, as the minute he heard the band’s excellent music, he knew that he also wanted to write songs. They were such a huge influence that when Rush started to make music, they played most covers of Cream.
“Cream sort of changed my life,” recalled Lee. “They blew my mind and I remember they were coming to Toronto. I couldn’t get any of my friends interested to go see them; they were playing at Massey Hall, and I went down and bought a ticket, and I went by myself […] I just had to see them, they were such an important band to me.”
While Cream might have been the first band that sparked a love for music for Rush, there were a number of other bands who inspired them and that helped them progress to make some of the most exciting prog rock ever released. However, the main band that Rush have to thank for their success is themselves. They have really used the idea of prog rock to their advantage, as it has allowed them to constantly push themselves creatively and make music that expands into a range of different styles.
Whether you’re listening to elongated pieces that build slowly and allow an atmosphere to rise, or some of their sharper and more chart-friendly songs, the band don’t have many limitations. Inspiration certainly helps them write these songs, and that influence from Cream still seeps through in every track; their talent will also help them, but we falter back to the passion that drives them more than anything else. The only time any of the band members have struggled to make great music is when that passion wasn’t there anymore, and while that hasn’t happened much, when it does, it can be devastating.
Tragedy has never been too far away from Rush. In 1997, drummer Neil Peart’s daughter died after being involved in a serious car accident. Neil Peart passed away in 2020 as a result of brain cancer. Both of these events had a huge impact on Alex Lifeson, who struggled to make music after, as his passion for what he was doing seemed to dwindle. While tragedy can often be a form of inspiration for many people, for Lifeson, it was the exact opposite, as he couldn’t even pick up a guitar afterwards.
