While I totally agree with your point, is underrated the right term? Or is he just less famous? The entire band seems to have influenced a lot of major players on each of their instruments. I've heard that a reporter asked Eddie Van Halen what it was like to be the world's greatest guitar player, he replied: "I dunno. Ask Alex Lifeson." And Eddie does sound a lot like he came out of a school where there were only two teachers, Satriani and Lifeson. These aren't just people that play well. They invent whole new ways of playing.
@@d.a.w.975 Yeah, I agree with reading about those influences too, and I was ambiguous in my description of the LIfeson story because I hadn't verified it. As for styles of influences, EVH would have only been about 15 when Rush was starting to get big so, still being a kid, I doubt he had much chance yet to develop what we all know as that patented style yet. Some of the gear hadn't even been invented yet, because a lot of his genius is in how he uses pedals and FX. But for sure I agree with your uncertainty about that specific statement. I've only seen that second hand and I haven't seen the piece of actual journalism that says that, so I can totally believe it's just a myth.
It's due to the era that Rush's greatest success came in. Alex is certainly among the best *technical* guitar players, but in an age when almost every rock song had an extended guitar solo and music videos tended to showcase flamboyant guitarists doing power-slides across the stage or playing with their teeth, Alex was never showcased like that, and the average listener is going to be more impressed with antics and solos than with simple technical skill. Not to mention that he's overshadowed by being in a band with the greatest rock drummer of all time and a top-5 bass player.
Alex Lifeson is the guitarist's name. Please check out La Villa Strangiato official music video. It is also an instrumental but based on a series of nightmares that Alex Lifeson had. Alex is a master guitarist along with being a painter and a pilot. All three of them are brilliant. Cheers
@@Devon_Rismay The whole song is a masterpiece piece and Alex's guitar playing will blow you away! Please use the official video; there is another one from Pink Pop but it isn't the full song. The official video is from the late 70's. You won't be disappointed. 😀
You correctly acknowledge Neil and Geddy are among the best drummers and bass players ever. As a guitarist yourself you should also know that you can't share a stage with musicians of that caliber without being one of the baddest MF guitarists around. Alex Lifeson is all of that.
I'm not into ranking guitarists but Lifeson is one of the best guitarists ever. His choices and ability to implement them are at the top of the heap. You are a guitarist. You have to listen if not react to La Villa Strangiato. Go listen to the studio version dammit. lol
Watch Rush Workingman live in Cleveland, see how three Guys in their Fifties rock out after a three hour concert , Even if you heard the studio version, you will never forget the Guitar players name again after watching this
Alex Lifeson is an amazing guitar player, hands down. But what makes him even more amazing to me is the fact that he never had a single professional lesson in guitar before he joined RUSH.
A crowd at a music festival, so a crowd made up of people of all ages, and varying musical interest, singing to a 40 year old instrumental in Rio, that never got any radio play. That is influence.
@@lvgelfling72 lately though I have been listening to so much Lovebites the songs play in my dreams ]:P I'm in love with an all female metal band from Japan lol not just because they sing in English they all are extremely talented Miyako on Guitars and Pianos Midori on Guitars Asami can sing Haruna on the Drums they call her the Pocket Nuke since she's 4'9 and Miho the bassist and founder holds everything together or at least she did till she left after losing a family member.
@@primemoverelectrical3586 you're right It may be because I was so used to it after Tom Sawyer that I'd hear it after YYZ also no telling how my mind works it gets dislexic at times
That would be Alex Lifeson giving that band such a thick sound. Like everyone else here is saying, underrated...totally. All three, masters of their craft. RIP Professor.
YYZ is the morse code call sign for the Toronto airport which is their home airport. The opening rhythm of the song is the morse code YYZ. This song is all about the excitement of coming home.
The first major entry of prog rock into mainstream was Roundabout by Yes in 1971. A song you should definitely react to seeing as how insane it is that it was on the charts and being played on am radio at the time. You listen to the song and imagine how someone like me at 12 years of age was hearing it like people are hearing hit music today. 71 is when Stairway To Heaven came out also but it wasn't released as a single.
One of the things that makes Rush so good is that none of them had an ego. They all gave their 150% every single time, and they all gave each song exactly what it needed from each of them. Sometimes that meant a little less guitar, or bass or whatever, and they never complained. Because it was about the music and their friendship. Absolute legends all 3 of them, top tier in their instruments.
The intro is the only odd time "prog rock" section. The boys are in 5/4, and the invisible keyboard player (pedos de Geddy) is in 4/4. The 5/4 part is Morse code for "YYZ". I'll let the next guy tell that story.
YYZ is the airport code for Toronto Pearson Airport, the band's home airport. If you listen the the triangle in the beginning of the tune, that is the Morse Code for YYZ. RIP Neil!
Alex is just as talented as Geddy and Neil, but rock has a lot more well known guitarists than it does drummers and bass players so he always received much less attention from music media back in the day. When RUSH received any attention at all from the music media back in the day.
I think the difference is Neil and Ged are both on everyone's top five ever list, Alex is more of a top-20 guy. Jeff Beck, Jimmy Page, Jimi Hendrix, and Eric Clapton are pretty much universally thought of it as the top 4, So there are the 16 other top 20 guys that are battling for that fifth spot. But remember everything is personal preference. My favorite guitarist is Mark Knopfler who is a definite top-10 guy but he's not going to crack that top 4 ever.
If you are interested in Alex's real hard shredding and songs that showcase some of the greatest guitarwork in rock, check out their first four albums: -Rush (debut 1974) -Fly by Night -Caress of Steel -2112 recommended tracks: -Working Man -Anthem -The Necromancer -2112 ( full length) -By-tor and the Snowdog
Rush: Prog, but not as we know it Jim! Rush are Rush. It never ceases to amaze me how just 3 guys can turn out such intricate, complex and full-sounding masterpieces live on a stage. Check out La Villa Strangiato, and most definitely Xanadu (Exit Stage Left). Working Man and maybe Anthem for something a little more straight-ahead rock. Spirit of Radio for something uplifting with many classic Rush-style transitions.
I couldn't tell you how many times I've watched the dvd of this concert (which was the final gig on the "Vapour Trails" tour) but it still blows me away how a trio performing an instrumental number can get over 50,000 people to sing along with an instrumental piece of music. Honestly, have you ever seen this before?).
Listen to Debbie Plato. Once you hear La Villa Strangiato, you will never forget the name Alex Lifeson again. RUSH is simply the greatest band that has ever existed. As a band and as individual musicians they are what every other aspires to be. My only wish is that everyone got a chance to see them play live. If you did you already know what I am trying to say.
Ahh let Nanna tell ya!welcome to the world of Rush our three Canadian Masters. YYZ is our airport here at home. Toronto On Canada. 40 + years of three soul friends playin music No Crap they never fought. Just played 🎶. Spirit of the Radio, Xanadu, Freewill, La Villa Strangiato.... The rabbit hole is an awesome ride!!! Cheers Young Man. Also u gotta check out Mr Joe Bonamassa he played with BB King at 12. Works with so many Blues artists. Check out. I'll take care of You with Beth Hart. Cheers
Best Live Performance RUSH - Xanadu - Live In Montreal 1981 (2021 HD Remaster 60fps) Alex Lifeson - 6 string guitar, 12 string guitar, pedal synthesizer, volume pedal; Geddy Lee - Vocals, bass guitar, 6 string guitar, foot pedal synthesizer, electric piano/synthesizer; Neil Peart - Lyrics, Drums, orchestra bells, tubular bells, wind chimes, crotales, timbales, timpani, gong, temple blocks, bell tree, triangle, and melodic cowbells. Based on Kubla Khan (Xanadu) by Samuel Taylor Coleridge Coleridge composed his poem, ‘Kubla Khan’, in a state of semi-conscious trance either in the autumn of 1797 or the spring of 1798 and published in 1816. The whole poem is pervaded by an atmosphere of dream and remains in the form of a vision. The vision embodied in Kubla Khan was inspired by the perusal of the travel book, Purchas His Pilgrimage. Coleridge had taken a dose of opium as an anodyne, and his eyes closed upon the line in the book, “At Zanadu Kubla Khan built a pleasure palace.” But this opened his creative vision, and the poem of about 200 lines was composed in this state of waking dream. On being fully awake, he wrote the poem down. The theme of the poem is unimportant. It describes the palace built by Kubla Khan, the grandson of Chengis Khan, the great rule of central Asia. ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-2byjJkN_nVY.html
Glad you like this ! Alex Lifeson is amazing ! I gonna suggest 3 tracks that showcase his diverse style 1) Limelight. 2) Available Light 3 ) The way the wind blows. A bit of blues guitar style in the last 2 tunes,,,,,Rush on !!!
1968, "full-blown progressive rock" was not yet in existence, but three bands released albums who would later come to the forefront of the music: Jethro Tull, Caravan and Soft Machine. The term "progressive rock", which appeared in the liner notes of Caravan's 1968 self-titled debut LP, came to be applied to bands that used classical music techniques to expand the styles and concepts available to rock music.[75][76] The Nice, the Moody Blues, Procol Harum and Pink Floyd all contained elements of what is now called progressive rock, but none represented as complete an example of the genre as several bands that formed soon after.[77] Almost all of the genre's major bands, including Jethro Tull, King Crimson, Yes, Genesis, Van der Graaf Generator, ELP, Gentle Giant and Renaissance, released their debut albums during the years 1968-1970. Most of these were folk-rock albums that gave little indication of what the band's mature sound would become, but King Crimson's In the Court of the Crimson King (1969) was a fully formed example of the genre.[74][nb 7] Critics assumed the album to be the logical extension and development of late 1960s work exemplified by the Moody Blues, Procol Harum, Pink Floyd and the Beatles.[78] According to Macan, the album may be the most influential to progressive rock for crystallising the music of earlier bands "into a distinctive, immediately recognizable style". Most of the genre's major bands released their most critically acclaimed albums during the years 1971-1976.[80] The genre experienced a high degree of commercial success during the early 1970s. Jethro Tull, ELP, Rush, Yes and Pink Floyd combined for four albums that reached number one in the US charts, and sixteen of their albums reached the top ten.[81][nb 8] Mike Oldfield's Tubular Bells (1973), an excerpt of which was used as the theme for the film The Exorcist, sold 16 million copies. Emerson, Lake & Palmer were one of the most commercially successful progressive rock bands of the 1970s. They are seen here performing in 1992. Progressive rock came to be appreciated overseas, but it mostly remained a European, and especially British, phenomenon. Few American bands engaged in it, and the purest representatives of the genre, such as Starcastle and Happy the Man, remained limited to their own geographic regions.[87] This is at least in part due to music industry differences between the US and Great Britain.[57][nb 9] Cultural factors were also involved, as US musicians tended to come from a blues background, while Europeans tended to have a foundation in classical music.[90] North American progressive rock bands and artists often represented hybrid styles such as the complex arrangements of Rush, the hard rock of Captain Beyond, the Southern rock-tinged prog of Kansas, the jazz fusion of Frank Zappa and Return to Forever, and the eclectic fusion of the all-instrumental Dixie Dregs.[91][92][93][94][95][text-source integrity?] British progressive rock acts had their greatest US success in the same geographic areas in which British heavy metal bands experienced their greatest popularity. The overlap in audiences led to the success of arena rock bands, such as Boston, Kansas, and Styx, who combined elements of the two styles.[91] Progressive rock achieved popularity in Continental Europe more quickly than it did in the US. Italy remained generally uninterested in rock music until the strong Italian progressive rock scene developed in the early 1970s.[96][nb 10] Progressive rock emerged in Yugoslavia in the late 1960s, dominating the Yugoslav rock scene until the late 1970s.
Neil Peart drum solo in Frankfort he does a 3/ 4 timing with his feet a 4/4 timing with his hand name an other drummer like that and he doesn’t loose time
Take a minute to notice that not only is everyone in the stadium jumping up and down, but they are “singing” along with an instrumental. I wish audiences here in the US were like this. Most people are too busy trying to record a video with their phone instead of just listening to the music and enjoying themselves.
Love Alex Lifeson. 🎸 Those were big shadows cast over him. Another Canadian guitarist that was popular in the 70’s is Randy Bachman. Suggest you check “UnDun” from his time with The Guess Who, and “Blue Collar” from Bachmann-Turner Overdrive.
If I had to pick a band that was before Rush that they sound like a little it is hard because they are so unique. !st 3 albums have a little bit of Zeppelin vibe to them. After that, I would say Yes is the closest comparison in style. Good to see a young man enjoy non-computer driven music.
Everybody says La Villa Strangiato and hell yeah but there’s another great one if you can find the greatest intro they do… I think it leads to Limelight but idk, I was too blown away with how they weaved all that other stuff so perfectly. Must see🔥🤘😎🤘🔥
It is perhaps forgivable that you forgot Alex Lifeson's name, and that as an American you mispronounce the song title (Wye Wye Zed)... but the drummer's name does NOT rhyme with hurt: it is pronounced PEERT. You seem like a bright young man, I've given you a Like and a Sub- so we'll see next time. And the drummer that both Peart and Bonzo patterned themselves on is The Who drummer Keith Moon (R.i.P.) (for Rock: Neil cleaved towards the Big Band sound, and Bonzo was also into Jazz). Greetings from Rush's home, Canada- peace and be safe.
John "Thunder Fingers" Entwhistle, from THE WHO and Chris Squires, from YES, were two of Geddy's Bass player influences. But, this isnt early prog rock. Really not much prog in the song. Maybe the beginning...sort of....but, If you want to hear what real Prog Rock sounds like by RUSH, , listen to, THE FOUNTAIN OF LAMNETH, THE NECROMANCER, BY TOR AND THE SNOW DOG, A FAREWELL TO KINGS, LA VILLA STRANGIATO (prog metal instrumental) and their Masterpiece prog song, 2112. RUSH's prog songs have "Chapters". Neil wrote them like the books he read. They had a beginning, middle and end. They used change of pace transisitons to signify one chapter ending and another beginng. And used instrumentas in songs to be the describer of action in a song. By tor has 3 chapters. strangiato has 12 chapters. 2112 has 7 chapetrs, etc...For a perfect introduction, look for the official 40th anniversary lyric video of 2112. It tells the story to the song in comic book format. Perfect for a new listener. Peace out and RUSH on!
I would certainly encourage you to check out the Phil Keaggy videos. he is considered one of the best guitar players in the world by the other best guitar players in the world. He is a master of virtually any style both acoustic and Electric. He is also a noted songwriter and singer. A great example of his work is either the video -- Phil Keaggy - Cajon Pass or Phil Keaggy - Castle's Call / Pilgrim's Flight
RUSH is simply amazing! Please react to RUSH "Working Man"-Live in Cleveland Time Machine Tour "Xanadu"-Exit Stage Left (1981 Live) Incredible performances that will blow your mind!🤯 Awesome reaction! Thank you very much! RUSH=SUBSCRIBED Til the next ☮ 💯🔥💜🎼🤘 RIP Neil Peart Can you also please check out my favorite band Alter Bridge who has 2 amazing guitar players as well in Mark Tremonti & Myles Kennedy who is the lead singer, but Mark also sings too! They are extremely talented & completely underrated here in the US even though they are based out of Florida. Please react to Alter Bridge "Addicted To Pain" "Cry Of Achilles" "Blackbird"-Live in Amsterdam 2008 Thanks again!💯🤘
Jim, if you follow some of the recos here and listen or react to La Villa Strangiato - make sure you react to the studio version from their Hemispheres album, or the live version from Exit Stage Left, and NOT the official video where Alex limps through the performance with a broken finger. 😊
Prog rock began in the 60s. Yes, Genesis, King Crimson, Led Zeppelin were all influential on Rush. This song however came much later. The early period of Rush was much heavier taking there prog roots in a harder rock direction, which helped them be tagged as the progenitor or the Prog Metal genre, though it is hard to shoehorn Rush into the genre of Metal, or most any other for that matter. Many consider the best label to attach to this band is “Rush”, and maybe that’s the way to go, eh? 👍🏻
Here's a suggestion for you (as a guitar player) - When Eddie Van Halen was once asked, "What's it like to be the greatest guitar player alive?" Eddie responded, "I don't know, go ask Alex Liefson..." (The Rush guitar player you don't know the name of....). Now I'm not sure I think Alex is better than Eddie, but he is certainly one of the most underrated guitar players of our time. You SHOULD know his name.
Oh, puh-leeze! That story has been around soooo long! In the original version, it was Jimi Hendrix being asked, and the supposed "greatest guitarist" was Phil Keaggy. There's lots of great guitarists to enjoy, but that story is pure "fill-in-the-blanks" bunko.
Alex lifeson guitarist is one of the best guitarists ever. Even Eddie van Halen thought he was the best. For drummers, Neil was my #1. Check out Danny Carey from Tool. Danny is my #2 favorite. Watch the drum video for the song Pneuma
There was progressive bands before rush. The who, yes, zeppelin to some extent on certain songs, and there were others. The thing about rush was they were never really pioneers, they kinda just did what a lot of others around them were already doing, they just did it better. That was their thing. Not being innovative, just being better.
Young Bruh, Been listening 👂🏾 to Rush for 40 years! Absolutely nobody get down like “The Boyz”…Don’t ever disrespect the 🎸🐐 ever again. Alex Lifeson is the top of the guitar food chain! Apparently, you weren’t clued in properly. What do your ears tell you? Do your due diligence on Mr. Lifeson and get back with me. 3 G.O.A.T’s in this band period!✊🏾
