In a recent Rolling Stone interview, Rush's Alex Lifeson shared insights that have left fans both excited and wistful. He revealed he has been playing a lot of Rush songs with his longtime bandmate, Geddy Lee, at Lee's house in Toronto. "We're together in a room like we've always been," Lifeson said. However, once again, any hopes of a full-fledged Rush reunion tour were swiftly dashed.
Lifeson made it clear: "There's no chance that we're going to get a drummer and go back on the road as the rebirth of Rush or something like that. And if we wanted to write new material, nobody cares about new material anymore. They just want to hear the old stuff from guys like us."
When the interviewer suggested that Rush fans might still care about new material, Lifeson reflected, "Maybe the feeling is that it's just really about taking people back to an earlier time in their lives that they have very fond and vivid memories of, and I get it and that's great. And then you do it for the money. And that's not what we were ever about or what we would want to do. Offers come in all the time, but I don't know. I don't think that's something that we're really interested in."
Lifeson also addressed why performing with a new drummer is not an option. He expressed concerns that doing so might tarnish the band's legacy. "I just don't know if doing something like that would wreck it. Or wreck the legacy that Rush has left. When it happened, it was disappointing for us. And then Neil got sick and all of that stuff, but our legacy is intact, we went out on a high note. That tour was great. It looked great. We played really well. We bonded even more so with our audience. I'd rather have that and the sadness of not doing it again, than doing it again and sitting on a chair on stage because I can't stand. I'd rather be remembered for that than something that's more current."
Despite these reservations, Lifeson acknowledged the ongoing discussions he has with Geddy Lee about potentially performing together again. "We talk about it, but at the same time, he's my best friend and he loves me and he cares for me," Lifeson said. "He knows that I do have issues both physical and emotional with this whole idea. And he respects that we have so much respect and love for each other. I would do something like that, that he wanted to do because I love him and I want to make him happy. But he knows that I wouldn't be happy. It's the bond that we have."
Lifeson emphasized that his priority is maintaining the integrity and legacy of Rush, rather than succumbing to lucrative offers. "I don't think I would be happy in my heart if we were to do something like that. I really would feel like we were doing an injustice to our fans and that would be just a money grab. We get offers all the time, and they're pretty substantial, but I don't know. It's not enough for me. How much do you need? I'm trying to get rid of stuff. I sold the bulk of my guitars. I had some cars. I sold those. I had a house in the country that I sold. I want to be slimmer and a little tighter, in my life with fewer anchors around my neck."
In essence, while the iconic duo of Lifeson and Lee continues to play together in private, the chances of seeing a Rush reunion tour remain nonexistent. The memories of their past performances and the music they created will have to suffice for fans longing for the days of Rush's monumental presence on stage.
