Regardless of being recognized for his intricate guitar riffs in Rush, Alex Lifeson admitted in a brand new interview with Guitar World that he’s not all for exhibiting off his spectacular expertise by “shredding.”
As Lifeson explains, his lack of need to “shred” (together with in his band Envy of None) is a results of the large quantity of different guitarists who’re doing so on-line. As an alternative, Lifeson is extra all for utilizing his skillset selectively, including solos provided that it enhances the piece of music he’s engaged on.
“I’m really soloing extra, supplied that it’s in service of the music,” he stated, evaluating Envy of None’s latest album to the band’s 2022 predecessor. “If the solo suits and does one thing to boost, or performs a job within the association of a music, then I’m all for it. However my days of shredding and taking part in like a loopy maniac are over. There are 1,000,000 individuals on Instagram that try this now.”
He continued: “For me, I simply like to method the guitar from a distinct angle. I like doing issues that individuals don’t count on me to do. I strive to not be Alex Lifeson from Rush, ? I attempt to create sounds on a guitar that aren’t guitar-like, which is type of enjoyable, camouflaging the instrument. On this file, I’m taking part in much more conventional stuff.”
Lifeson went on to explain his taking part in as being extra textural and atmospheric.
“I believe that’s all the time been part of me. I imply, I’ve all the time thought in these phrases, ? [In Rush] Geddy [Lee] and Neil [Peart] have been actually lively as a rhythm part and it type of pressured me to drag again a bit. I believed, ‘If these guys are going to play like this, I can’t play like that anyway.’ It could be loopy and it wouldn’t service the music. So I actually developed a method that’s extra chordal and broad.
“I take advantage of refrain rather a lot in my sound, simply to get a extra expansive type of tonality and character to the guitar sound, and it was excellent for Maiah [Wynne, Envy of None vocalist]. She’s a singer who has an attractive, very nuanced voice that may sit on high of something; the heaviest stuff, the darkest stuff, the bluesiest stuff… she simply suits on something, so it frees all of us up.”
