Alex Lifeson Remembers His Solely Stoned Rush Rehearsal

Alex Lifeson recalled the one time he tried to play a Rush rehearsal whereas underneath the affect of marijuana.

The guitarist had a joint whereas making ready to run via a live performance set with colleagues Geddy Lee and Neil Peart. In a brand new episode of Home of Strombo (obtainable under), he revealed the expertise was sufficient to make sure he by no means repeated it.

“It was onerous to play,” Lifeson stated of Rush’s music. “We had been very disciplined when it got here to exhibits — not even a beer in the course of the drum solo. … I smoked a joint earlier than a rehearsal as soon as, and we jammed for about 20 minutes, like psychedelic surf music. And it was so nice. I used to be having such a good time, after which it was like, ‘Okay, let’s do the present now.’ We begin enjoying, and it was like… every part sounded loopy, and my fingers would not converse to my mind. Ged saved trying over at me like, ‘What the hell’s happening with you there?’

“We had been making mistake after mistake,” Lifeson continued. “I could not await it to be over. However I discovered a vital lesson: Do not smoke a joint earlier than a gig.”

Lee admitted Rush lived via durations once they used too many medicine after exhibits, particularly once they had been “operating on fumes” amid hectic schedules. “We had our moments the place we had been doing too many gigs in a row, and the medicine had been coming at us quick and livid, however in some way or one other we saved our shit collectively via all of it,” he stated. “Ultimately we valued our work. We valued the standard of our gigs. So we by no means let it intrude.”

When reminded that Kiss star Gene Simmons as soon as visited Rush’s lodge room and was bewildered to see all three members quietly studying, Lee responded with amusing, “Yeah, however we had been actually excessive.”

Watch Alex Lifeson and Geddy Lee on ‘Home of Strombo’