Geddy Lee recently sat down for a chat with The Strombo Show and talked about how things went for Rush after they kicked him out in their early years.
When Ray Danniels became Rush’s new manager in the early ’70s, he removed Lee from the lineup. Asked why he ‘let Alex Lifeson off the hook’ about the matter, the bassist explained:
“Well, I love Alex. I loved him then, and I loved his playing, and we were really good together as players. And I didn’t really blame him. I never really thought he had much to do with it, even though I put him on the spot and asked him point blank when I was writing the book.”
In ‘My Effin’ Life,’ the artist revealed that Lifeson didn’t object to Danniels’ decision. Recalling how he later jokingly confronted his friend for that, Lee went on:
“He was quite embarrassed. He wouldn’t look me in the eye for a few minutes. But I just never blamed him, and I know it was others that were conspiring to get me out of that band. So, it is what it is.”
Rush Were ‘Terrible’ Following His Departure
After Lee’s exit, Joe Perna joined Rush as his replacement. The band, renamed Hadrian for a brief period, played several shows with Perna, but they failed since the new bassist couldn’t keep up with the others. This led the original member back in the lineup:
“Then, I went on, and I had confidence because within a few days, I had hooked up with new musicians, and we were working more than the new Rush was. And the new Rush were terrible. So, I had great comfort in that fact. Then, John [Rutsey] called me and asked me back; I said, ‘Yeah, sure. I’ll do that.'”
Lee Was Hurt About Getting Fired
Although he eventually returned to Rush, Geddy Lee recalled these times of the band with distaste. The bassist called out those responsible for his firing during a chat with the ‘Rolling Music Now’ podcast:
“Whoever’s idea it was, the way they all went about it was deceitful and frankly chickenshit, and I was shocked and hurt. Still, I didn’t want to sit around and feel sorry for myself, so I said to myself, ‘F**k them,’ and resolved to start a band of my own. I’ve always pictured myself as a mousy kid, blowing with the wind and following the crowd, but the mysteries revealed when going back in time to write this book are, well, revelatory!”
Following Lee’s return, Rush made music for decades until their breakup in 2015. After Neil Peart’s passing, they announced the definite end of the band, but the bassist expressed interest in reuniting with Lifeson for new projects.
