Rush guitarist Alex Lifeson says their recent North American run of shows wasn’t long enough and didn’t feel like a true finish to their live career.
He, Geddy Lee and Neil Peart hit the road throughout the summer in what’s thought to be the band’s last large-scale tour.
And Lifeson says although he went into the 35-date trek thinking it would indeed be their last, he’s now not so sure.
He tells Prog: “I don’t know if I do still feel that way now. I thought the tour was great. I thought we played really well, the turnout was fantastic, I thought the set was great, the songs we chose were right.
“There was so much about it that was so positive and I think going into it there was the thought that this is the last one – a nice way to go out on top. But once we were in the middle of it or even towards the end of it, it seemed like it was just too short.”
He continues: “I just wish we’d been able to do another 20 shows or so and it’s too bad that we’re going to miss the UK particularly. It just feels a little shy of a true finish, a complete resolution. But if that’s the way it is, then we’ll adjust to it.”
Lifeson reiterates that drummer Peart’s chronic tendonitis was a contributing factor in their tour schedule and adds: “I think we need to have a little space, a little time off to regroup and think about what we want to do in the future.
“If and when we want to record another record and if there’s a possibility of us doing something in the future, I don’t know. The ball is in Neil’s court, clearly.”
Rush will release R40 Live on 3CD/Blu-ray, 3CD/DVD, 3CD, Blu-ray and DVD on November 20. It was filmed in their home town of Toronto in June.
The full interview with Lifeson appears in the new issue of Prog, also featuring Opeth, Tame Impala, Gazpacho, Caligula’s Horse and more. It’s out now in print, online and via TeamRock+.
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