Rush have been what Geddy Lee calls a “big venue band” for most of their career. But of course they did play small places at the start.
When they weren’t busy temporarily firing their new frontman (“Still sore!” jokes Lee), they took whatever infrequent gigs they could, graduating from high schools and bar mitzvahs to bars and clubs.There were some mismatched pairings along the way. Especially the time they opened for lipstick-smeared proto-punk pirates the New York Dolls at Toronto’s Victory Theater in October 1973.
It was a hometown show, so Rush were on relatively safe ground – or at least they assumed so. Afterwards, Alex Lifeson and a buddy decided to hitchhike to their home north of Toronto, rather than take the subway and a bus with the stage equipment they were carrying.
“It was a rainy night and thankfully this couple pulled over to offer us a lift,” the guitarist says. “We got in the back seat and we were driving along. I said, ‘What have you been up to?’ just to make conversation.
“The driver said, ‘We went to see the New York Dolls.’ And his girlfriend said, ‘Yeah, and the opening act was so awful, we couldn’t believe it!’” Lifeson mimics the woman looking down at his guitar case, and realising what she’s said.
“We got to the bottom of the hill and I said, ‘This is fine – we’ll get out here.’ We end up walking the rest of the way in the rain. I was thinking: ‘Oh my God, I’m gonna be a plumber for the rest of my life!’”
Despite all the ups and downs of such a long time together, school friends Lee and Lifeson insist they’ve hardly ever exchanged angry words. “We’ve never had any kind of serious argument about music,” says Lee. “Other shit, yes. Some stupid things.”
He turns to Lifeson. “I remember one time during Grace Under Pressure when I wanted to borrow your car, and you got all pissy with me. I was, like, ‘What the fuck, man?’”
Lifeson: “Really?”
Lee: “Yeah.”
Lifeson [looking genuinely apologetic]: “Oh, sorry, man!”
Maybe there’s more to be told. Prog asks Lifeson: “Geddy’s done his book, Alex – when do you do yours? “Oh, as soon as I learn how to write,” he says cheerfully.