Alex Lifeson Reveals His Top 10 Tracks Of All Time

Being one of the underrated yet most prolific guitarists of this century, Alex Lifeson sure knows how to associate himself to a good tune. Together with Neil Peart and Geddy Lee, their three-man band Rush brought a different level to music that only the trio could create. We have Lee’s distinctive voice and quality bass tones, Peart’s massive beats and seemingly unreachable drumming ability, and Lifeson, the man who’s more than qualified to bring in the rhythm of the guitar instrument.

Lifeson’s taste for music is just like the rest of us: Rolling Stones, The Who, The Beatles, Yes, and more. Below, we’ll give you his top 10 favorite songs of all time, and the mere reason why he adores it after all.

 

“Rain” – The Beatles (1966)

Albeit The Beatles were known for their “lighter music,” “Rain” perhaps is among the few songs that contained heavier bass and drum tones. Lifeson often plays the song during his younger years.

“Wish You Were Here” – Pink Floyd (1975)

Pink Floyd appeared more prominent than Rush when it comes to commercial success, but overall, they’re among the greatest prog-rock bands you could ever find. For Alex Lifeson, that’s another term to describe them, but he’s still serious about his respect for Pink Floyd.

“I’ve Seen All Good People” – Yes (1971)

Geddy Lee might be the biggest fan of Yes out of all the three members, but Alex Lifeson couldn’t hide his admiration for the band. Inside Rush’s progressive approach to music, you could see the influence of Yes on different angles.

“(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction” – Rolling Stones (1975)

Lifeson agrees that Stones’ riff for “Satisfaction” is truly life-changing. “I remember running out and buying a single,” the guitarist said.

“My Generation” – The Who (1965)

Calling the band as his “favorite” among the many, it’s quite obvious that the Canadian rocker would bow down over The Who classic such as “My Generation.” For him, the anthem was just as fantastic as Pete Townshend’s incredible manipulation of guitar riffs.

“Spoonful” – Cream (1966)

“‘Spoonful,’ I remember, was one of the first songs that I actually sat down and figured out the guitar solo that Clapton played,” Lifeson said. Repeating and repeating the song until he’s satisfied, it’s the track that the guitarist surely admires the best.

“How Many More Times” – Led Zeppelin (1969)

After a period of getting lost too many styles from musicians, Lifeson found his panache on Led Zeppelin’s “How Many More Times.” Gone are the basic riffs that he’d learn from the others, as he embraced a more mature one from Jimmy Page.

“Riders of the Storm” – The Doors (1971)

Of all the bands that Rush could associate with, The Doors might be the bottom of their list. However, there’s no stopping his love for the band. “They were such a unique band,” Lifeson recalled.

“Mississippi Queen” – Mountain (1970)

Where did Lifeson get his inspiration to play heavy, distorted guitar riffs? Mountain. Their heavy influence on blues-rock as well as its impact blew the artist away.

“Purple Haze” – Jimi Hendrix (1967)

Alex Lifeson is blown away the moment he first heard of legendary guitarist Jimi Hendrix as most musicians do. For him, it’s the moment of truth as a fellow guitarist.