A Timeless Wavelength: Spin Interview With Alex Lifeson
Spin Magazine just published an interview with Alex Lifeson in which he reflects on Rush’s journey, the myth of celebrity, and staying happy. A couple of excerpts:
The assumption is that the R40 tour is the band’s farewell tour. Assuming that’s true, have you found yourself being more reflective than usual of Rush’s incredible journey?
“Yeah, I think we all have. In the past when we’ve celebrated our anniversary — like, for example, our 30 tour ten years ago, it was a bit of a retrospective as well. We kind of tried to reach back and balance the live set with material from our entire career. But this time we focused a lot more on looking back from the present right back to the very beginning… It’s kind of fun to present it that way, and for us as a band playing, stripping it down to that last half hour or so where the keyboards are gone, and it’s just the three of us jamming away – it’s really a lot of fun and every night is a high point for us.”
What’s been the primary takeaway for you from the whole Rush story? What’s taken you from being that kid in the garage back in Willowdale to what may very well be the closing chapter for Rush?
“I think perseverance is the key thing. I’ve come to learn that if you wanna be good at anything, you have to put in your 10,000 hours and stick with it and never give up. As difficult as it seems sometimes, don’t give up if it’s truly something you want to do. I spent the afternoon with one of my friends today, and he was talking about his kids, and he was talking about how they’re growing up and the conversations that he’d had with them, and how he instilled in them that whole sense of it doesn’t matter how much you make or how successful you are at something. The true measure of success is being happy, and if you’re happy being a gardener, then do it. If you’re happy being a bank executive, do it. If you’re happy being a musician, do it. But make sure you do it. I’m glad to hear people are still thinking that way.”