I agree with most here. Lifeson is great, but not godlike or anything. I like his late 70s playing best, especially on the Hemispheres album. Just listen to the first five minutes of the title track, the depth and breadth of is sound, in combination with great riffs. Some say he deteriorated after this, but I'd say his 80s playing is just as great, just in a different way. Not many riffs to speak of. Instead he's more like a soundscape guy. His echoed, clean playing accents the otherwise synth-dominated music brilliantly ("The Weapon" from the Signals album is a great example). In this period I'd say he's fully comparable to, say, Andy Summers. A high point is his solo in "Red Sector A". So simple, yet beautiful!

esky wrote: Woah - slow down a bit. Lifeson's in a different league of guitarists than Fripp, Hackett, and Howe (don't know much about DiMeola). He's much more in the vein of a rock guitarist than prog guitarist, and the comparison falls flat because of it.

He play too cleanly and less originality, I think... Compare him with Steve Hackett! See why I don't like him a little... 

Lifeson???


he is no god... but I find it refreshing that is isn't considered one.  Geddy and Peart get worship enough as it is. 

they are great musicians... but are merely great musicians in a world (not to mention a genre) full of them. but their strength is as a team.  There are far better individual guitars, bassists, and yes.. even drummers.  What makes them so great, sets them apart,  are how they work together for as long as they have.

Lifeson is a excellent guitarist, i would never call any musician god like though. He is up their with Hackett, Fripp, Howe and Di Meola. 

when i think 'god' i think of someone that tops the genre, OR does something very innovative and DIFFERENT

Something I like about Lifeson is that he is able to play stuff that sounds more complicated than it is to play, if you know what I mean. Deceptively simple, I guess you could say. He is able to play a entire range of styles and notes without all the mumbo-jumbo too many shredders these days use.

Maybe it's just me who recognizes this about him, but I found myself quite shocked at how straightforward his playing style actually is, if you watch him play live, yet the intricacy he can still pull off is phenominal.




Edited by p0mt3 - July 17 2009 at 21:16

I remain unimpressed by him.  He writes some nice riffs though

A good guitarist sure, but not a god. I find his solos a bit w**ky and sloppy (with the exception of La villa Strangiato, which is pristine). He is a very tasteful rhythm man though. 

Love Rush...that's no surprise. But Alex, I just don't see him as a guitar god. He writes some great stuff, but it is due to Ged and Neil that Rush's music is as good as it is.