RUSH are currently in the midst of a massive reunion tour, earning rave reviews from fans and critics alike. But prior to announcing their return, guitarist Alex Lifeson initially dismissed the idea of a reunion, saying they would just be the “top Rush tribute band,” a statement that infuriated singer-bassist Geddy Lee.
Lifeson made the comment in a January 2025 interview with Classic Rock, saying at the time of a possible reunion following drummer Neil Peart’s passing: “RUSH went out on a high note playing as well as ever with one of our best stage shows on [then final tour] ‘R40.’ I guess I’d rather be remembered for that legacy than returning as the top RUSH tribute band.”
In a new interview with Rolling Stone, Lee revealed that he was truly upset by Lifeson’s remarks. “I know how he feels and how he’s felt for a long time,” Lee said. “We’re friends first. But… when I heard this thing about the tribute? It’s like, ‘They’re your songs, motherfucker!’ It’s not a tribute band! We own those songs as much as we did with Neil. And they’re part of us. They’re part of your soul. They’re part of your heart. And when we started playing them together again, that kind of woke up in him.”
Lifeson, meanwhile, suggested that he may have had an ulterior motive with his “tribute band” comment, admitting, “Maybe I was trying to send a bit of a signal. I wanted to create this wall that I didn’t have to climb over, by saying, ‘Oh no, I don’t wanna be in a Rush tribute band,’ blah, blah, blah.”
Ultimately, as the reunion started to take shape with new drummer Anika Nilles, things felt right for Lifeson, who noted, “When we sat down, this was not about being in a RUSH tribute band. This is about being RUSH. In one of its best forms. And that was a whole different kind of thing.”
RUSH’s ongoing North American “Fifty Something” reunion tour extends all the way into December, with tickets available here (use code CONSEQUENCE20 to save $20 off orders of $200 or more at checkout). See Consequence‘s recaps of the tour launch at Kia Forum in Los Angeles and a recent show at Madison Square Garden in New York City.
