In a recent interview with The Washington Post, Geddy Lee, the bassist/vocalist of RUSH, discussed reuniting with his longtime bandmate Alex Lifeson for tribute concerts held last year in London and Los Angeles in memory of late FOO FIGHTERS drummer Taylor Hawkins.
These star-studded events featured guest drummers such as TOOL’s Danny Carey, Omar Hakim, Chad Smith from RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS, and Dave Grohl. The gigs prompted a conversation at the after-party with Paul McCartney, who congratulated them and encouraged them to hit the road again.
Addressing the elephant in the room, playing RUSH songs with a third person, Lee expressed how that taboo subject dissipated during the tribute concerts. He shared, “It was nice to know that if we decide to go out, Alex and I, whether we went out as part of a new thing, or whether we just wanted to go out and play RUSH as RUSH, we could do that now.”
Geddy Lee also disclosed that in October 2022, he and Alex Lifeson went down to Lee’s home studio and jammed together, marking the first time in years. Despite Lifeson’s initial excitement about potential opportunities after the Hawkins shows, he underwent surgery in July for longstanding stomach problems.
When asked if he plans to encourage Lifeson to return to the stage, Lee emphasized Lifeson’s need to feel good and healthy before discussing the possibility. The reunion has sparked interest among fans, and the duo seems open to the idea of performing together again in the future.