Geddy Lee has made an explanation about the accusations against Rush.
In a new interview with Mojo, Rush’s 1978 interview about fascist comments was mentioned. The rocker seems to be sick of the allegations since he responded with the following while denying the accusations:
“It’s amazing how long that mud stuck. Part of the way we used Rand’s inspiration was defiantly anti-totalitarianism, as played out in the sci-fi plot of ‘2112.’ And, fairly obviously, we were never fascists. Thatcherism was rising in Britain. The left were understandably freaked out, and I didn’t blame [Miles] for having the belief system he had. But to suggest that ‘2112’ was suckering kids into a right-wing mantra with fascistic overtones was wrong-headed and irresponsible.”
What Really Happened in the 1978 Interview?
In 1978, Rush was involved in a notorious interview with the English music publication New Musical Express, which appeared in the March 4 issue of the magazine. In this interview, journalist Barry Miles accused the band of promoting what he considered to be ‘proto-fascism.’
This accusation arose during a discussion about political ideologies and economics. The conversation was ignited by the fact that the late drummer Neil Peart had credited ‘the genius of Ayn Rand’ in the liner notes of their 1976 album ‘2112,’ citing inspiration from the novelist’s 1937 work, ‘Anthem.’
At one point in the interview, Miles used the phrase ‘Work makes us free’ to comment on Peart’s arguments regarding capitalism while being fully aware that it was displayed at the entrance to Auschwitz concentration camp. Additionally, in his article, Miles claimed that Rush was ‘advocating’ it both on stage and on record, and ‘no one was questioning it.’
Neil Peart Felt ‘Totally Betrayed’
Geddy Lee was not the only member to speak about the accusations. In a 2017 interview, Neil Peart, too, shared his thoughts about both politics and this matter. Apparently, before the interview, the two parties had such a good time, that they felt betrayed during the interview when they heard Miles’ words.
Although they were just ‘having a conversation,’ the drummer referred to the incident as a classic case of misinterpretation.
