Geddy Lee on My Effin’ Life, Rush, and the story of Neil Peart’s audition

Geddy Lee is a class act!

Great guys, great friends, great music. Thank you

Most boring book ever.

I always wondered how they found Peart out in the middle of nowhere.

I’ve always felt lucky to be a Rush fan. It felt like I had discovered something that other people couldn’t appreciate or marginalized because it wasn’t “cool”. As I’ve gotten older I’ve realized that the magic of Rush has always been possible because of how genuine these three men have been. Ego non-existent, down to earth, genuine family men. It’s the only thing I’ve experienced in my life that seemed too good to be true and wasn’t.

The best book I read in 2023.

Very humbling

Great interview, Tom Power.

I got my book today 12/28/23. Can't wait to start it. I love Geddy doing Interviews he is funny and serious at the same time. Thank You Mr. Lee.

That was great.

Loved these guys since 1974 what else can one say! So sad we have lost Neil! Never met these guys but so much impact to so many young Canucks! Bytor and snowdog awesome LOL way to go Neil!

How could anyone not LOVE Rush? All three are and were amazing human beings. Thank you Rush for all the music and memories of seeing you guys live. So many amazing concerts over the years. I will always love you guys.

Yes, thank you so MUCH, Geddy!

“Working man” is like Dream Theaters’ “pull me under”. 😅 amazing interview!

Gary 😳

Mr. Power is one hell of an interviewer.

Can someone give me a time stamp on the story of Neil's audition?

You talked about Rush being told to straighten up and fly right, which reminds me of my favorite Rush story. I heard that Rush was called down to the US to the record label offices and threatened after the unimpressive commercial response to Caress of Steel. What I love is that after being told the label wants short radio ready tunes, they went back to the studio and wrote and recorded 2112!

The Greatest gift a man can recieve is knowing your loved before you leave this world, The 2nd greatest gift is knowing the one who leaves loves you more!

When you can remember that Neil Peart arrived with trash bags full of drums to audition for you, you know you have had an amazing career :)))

I can't express how much I admire this man. Brilliant musician, wonderful human being.

Love this! I was captivated by Rush as a child in Chiliwack; and Geddy seemed magical. Now I see how his connection with his mom deepened him emotionally beyond his years.

Thank you!

In tears hearing Geddy talk about Neil . I so look forward to reading Geddy’s book . ❤️ Rush forever

I drank 6 beers and smoked 3 large joints after Neil passed. It was at Lakeside Park. Rush was the greatest band ever and everyone in Willowdale knew it.

At the end of the movie, beyond the lighted stage, They show a girl Just balling her eyes out. And I couldn't control myself

The story of his mother in the holocaust is also echoed by the stories in MAUS, a graphic novel by Art Speigelman. That really reinforced the veracity and horror of those chapters for me.

Rush. Man what can i say. I just turned 60. Rush was, is my band my songs, my joy. Thanks guys, you made my life better

These men are a treasure to Earth. We are all better off as a result of their life’s work.

Geddy telling the story of Neil retiring,becoming a librarian at his daughter’s school to be close to her and then getting sick after everything he went through, broke my heart dude. So sad. 😞 Love this band so much.

I remember reading some not so nice comments about Neil around 2016, when he would have been first diagnosed with glioblastoma, but we didn't know of course. These comments were calling him selfish, saying that there were surgeries for tendonitis and shoulder. Saying that he retired because he wanted to be with his family, well maybe he shouldn't have had a family. Basically demanding him to stop being reclusive and give the fans what they want. I found those comments to be incredibly rude and disrespectful! The people who made those comments, they're not Rush fans, imo!

This is going to sound dumb as hell! This interview just might have made me a better person. ✌️❤️🤘

Beautiful and intimate. A truly wonderful interview Tom. As a fan of Rush, thank you so much for this amazing gift. And thank you too Geddy for opening up ❤

What a captivating, emotional interview that was. But it was also depressing for me to listen to, because I know I've never had a friendship like these three men in Rush had with each other. They were very influential to me, and my characteristic of rugged individualism, not caring what other people might think of me, but doing what I felt was right.
I have loved all of these men, who were and are exceptional individuals who have left their mark on the world, not only musically, but also in the way that they loved each other.

Love Geddy so much!

😪

One of my favorite memoirs ever….i was moved to tears more than once

Brilliant interview. He should be so proud of what rush have achieved and the positive impact it has had on people of the years. Not to sound too corny but I’m proud to call myself a rush fan

Why would a concentration camp be allowing marriages let alone letting men mingle with women? Why was there concertos and olympic sized swimming pools at concentration camps? There's so much odd goings on at these death camps. I can't figure it out.

Geddy unlike Phil Lesh from the Grateful Dead is a stand up guy. Allegedly Phil Lesh would drop deuces in every urinal of the venue he played at. That's a lot of deuces that people had to clean up. That's such a creepy thing to do.

Glad to hear he’s looking forward to doing interesting things. He’s a genuinely interesting guy who does interesting stuff 👍🏼

Powerful

This was a great interview.....

I had a deaf friend named Gary, but he pronounced it Deddy. That's what we always called him.

The holocaust, his parents, his youth...what a story. Very moving.
Great job by the interviewer. He was smart enough to know when to stop talking and give Getty lee space.


Rush was one of the very best rock bands ever.

A great band for sure but also what three great men. Very interesting guys with three distinct personalities. Geddy is such a geniune, honest man who’s is amazingly untainted from all the success he and the band had.

I enjoyed hearing about the drummer auditions.

My father grew up in St Catharine's and played guitar, working the local scene there. He was asked by a local drummer to play a farewell concert for Neil Peart when he left to join Rush. My dad, my late uncle, and their friend played with that drummer, eventually kicking him off stage after the second or third song.

Little did my dad know, Neil would be his son's biggest influence in music.

Rest in peace, Neil. Thank you, Geddy, for this really cool interview

EDIT: I wrote this part way through the interview. I have been sitting here, crying when he spoke about Neil and the lead up to his passing. All the emotions are just so strong.

Love ya man

Wow!

❤