In a recent interview, Alex Lifeson, the iconic guitarist of Rush, opened up about his decision to play fewer guitar solos in the band’s later years, revealing that it was a conscious choice. Known for his intricate and powerful guitar work throughout the ’70s, Lifeson’s approach to playing evolved as Rush moved into the ’80s and beyond, a shift that some fans noticed with the increased presence of synthesizers and less prominent guitar solos.
While speaking to Tom Power on Q, Lifeson confirmed that the change in his guitar playing didn’t occur as early as the ’80s, but rather in the final years of Rush’s career. He explained:
“I was reluctant even in Rush towards the end, I was not playing nearly as many solos,” Lifeson shared (transcribed by Ultimate Guitar). “That was part of the way we did things. There was always a spot for a solo, whether we used it as a solo or not. It was there. And I would do a solo.”
However, Lifeson admitted that, in the later years, he deliberately moved away from focusing on solos. “I just wanted to get away from that. Because I didn’t want to bring so much attention to that. I don’t know, maybe I was thinking crazy, but it just seemed that way at the time,” he confessed. Lifeson went on to explain that, with the shift in direction, he felt it was important to adopt a new role within the music:
“So, going into this [Envy of None], the music was so different. I just wanted to be in the background. And my job was to be a part of this thing. Not this guy from Rush.”
The “later years” that Lifeson refers to would have included albums such as Snakes & Arrows (2007) and Clockwork Angels (2012), which turned out to be Rush’s final studio releases before the band’s retirement in 2015. Tragically, any hopes of a Rush reunion were put to rest in January 2020 when drummer Neil Peart passed away.
Lifeson’s shift in musical approach continued with his post-Rush project, Envy of None. Their second studio album, Stygian Waves, is set for release on March 28, 2025, marking a continuation of his more subdued, background-oriented guitar style in this new phase of his career.
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