Rush may be remembered as one of rock’s biggest arena bands, but Alex Lifeson and Geddy Lee have not forgotten the strange and difficult small-club days that came before their success.
In a recent interview, Lifeson looked back on one especially awkward night from the band’s early years, when Rush opened for the New York Dolls at Toronto’s Victory Theatre in 1973. It was a hometown show for Rush, but that did not mean the crowd was on their side. The New York Dolls had a very different audience, and Rush were still far from becoming the major progressive rock name they would later be.
The mismatch became painfully clear after the show.
Lifeson said he and a friend decided to hitchhike home north of Toronto instead of taking public transport with their equipment. It was raining, and a couple eventually stopped to give them a ride.
“It was a rainy night and thankfully this couple pulled over to offer us a lift,” Lifeson said. “We got in the back seat and we were driving along. I said, ‘What have you been up to?’ just to make conversation.
“The driver said, ‘We went to see the New York Dolls.’ And his girlfriend said, ‘Yeah, and the opening act was so awful, we couldn’t believe it!’”
According to Lifeson, the woman then noticed his guitar case and realized what she had just said. The moment became so uncomfortable that he decided to get out before they reached his destination.
“We got to the bottom of the hill and I said, ‘This is fine – we’ll get out here.’ We end up walking the rest of the way in the rain. I was thinking: ‘Oh my God, I’m gonna be a plumber for the rest of my life!’”
The story shows how uncertain Rush’s early career could be. Before becoming a band known for big venues, complex albums, and one of the most loyal fanbases in rock, they were still trying to win over audiences that did not always understand them.
The New York Dolls show was also a clear example of a bad pairing. The Dolls were connected to glam rock and early punk energy, while Rush were moving toward a more technical and ambitious rock sound. For some fans in the room, Rush simply did not fit the night.
Geddy Lee and Lifeson have often spoken about how difficult the early years were. Before becoming successful, the band played schools, small events, bars, and clubs. They also dealt with financial pressure and doubts about whether they could continue. Lifeson recently recalled that before 2112, Rush were heavily in debt and had to decide whether to quit or fully commit to their own direction.
That decision eventually saved the band. Instead of chasing trends, Rush became more committed to their own identity. Their long-term success proved that the same qualities that confused some early audiences later became the foundation of their legacy.
The story also comes as Rush are preparing for a new chapter. Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson are returning to the stage under the Rush name for the “Fifty Something” tour, with drummer Anika Nilles joining them after the death of Neil Peart in 2020. The tour is set to begin in Los Angeles in June.
Looking back now, the insult in the car feels almost funny. But at the time, it clearly hit Lifeson hard. He was a young guitarist trying to build a future in music, only to hear directly from a concertgoer that his band had been terrible.
Decades later, Rush’s history makes the moment even more ironic. The band that once made one New York Dolls fan want to leave became one of the most respected names in rock history.
