Alex Breaks Down the Limelight Solo

Slim · July 13, 2023, 07:50:30 PM

Wasn't familiar with this YouTube channel, but Alex has done a webcam interview with them to talk about his solo in Limelight. Alex does this interview from the studio / guitar mancave of his 24th floor apartment.

Note the LERXST brand on the headstock of his Strat-a-like.

Thenop · July 13, 2023, 08:39:09 PM

Oh Chris Shiflett the Foo Fighter

I like the other band he plays is a bit: Me First and the Gimme Gimmes. Doing popular songs in a punky jacket.

Seeing Alex speak of this solo needing to be fragile does make me miss them as a live outfit...

captainkurtz · July 13, 2023, 09:16:31 PM

Thanks for posting, will watch this properly soon. I love alex. Big fan of Chris too - seems like a really nice guy and he certainly doesn't rest in his laurels...

Slim · July 13, 2023, 09:38:42 PM

I got a bit emotional for a moment listening to Alex talking about the first UK tour. But his anecdote 55 minutes in is misremembered - it was Bastille Day, not Finding My Way.

Geoff Barton wrote about that same incident in a gig review in Sounds. This is a scan from my own copy.

https://www.cygnus-x1.net/links/rush/images/scans/sounds-06.11.1977.pdf

".. a hush fell over the hall, a painfully long hush that was only broken by an abrupt - KER-ANNG!"

David L · July 13, 2023, 11:29:50 PM

That was absolutely brilliant! The best Alex interview I've ever seen.
Thanks!

Fishy · July 14, 2023, 11:43:46 AM

Enjoyed that.... 👍All that gear in a flat..? Blimey...

Slim · July 14, 2023, 01:45:48 PM

I wonder why Alex has a base in Toronto? I remember seeing an article about his beautiful house one the edge of a forest, years ago. Just found it:

https://www.theglobeandmail.com/life/home-and-garden/architecture/take-a-tour-of-rush-guitarist-alex-lifesons-country-home/article13545914/

The Picnic Wasp · July 14, 2023, 03:29:43 PM

I haven't watched it all the way through (maybe I'm missing a reveal) but I keep getting distracted by the guy in the reflection of Alex's guitar. I thought at first it was just of a still photo on the opposite wall, but around about nine minutes in it seems to move. A guy with glasses I think. Geddy? Maybe I just need to watch more.

David L · July 14, 2023, 06:49:49 PM

What a lovely guy Chris Shiflett is

Slim · July 14, 2023, 06:58:58 PM

Quote from: The Picnic Wasp on July 14, 2023, 03:29:43 PMI haven't watched it all the way through (maybe I'm missing a reveal) but I keep getting distracted by the guy in the reflection of Alex's guitar. I thought at first it was just of a still photo on the opposite wall, but around about nine minutes in it seems to move. A guy with glasses I think. Geddy? Maybe I just need to watch more.

Yes, I noticed that as well. A man with headphones on. Seems odd to me that Alex would need a sound engineer for what is a pretty simple webcam appearance but I can only assume that's what it is.

Slim · July 14, 2023, 10:49:35 PM

Quote from: Slim on July 14, 2023, 06:58:58 PMYes, I noticed that as well. A man with headphones on. Seems odd to me that Alex would need a sound engineer for what is a pretty simple webcam appearance but I can only assume that's what it is.

The Picnic Wasp · July 15, 2023, 10:24:35 AM

Ah, good capture. I wonder if anyone will figure out who he is.

Slim · July 15, 2023, 01:34:30 PM

There's a lot of interesting stuff to unpick in this video. At 43:05 talks about the A chord with the "colour note" and he has to think about what it is. He thinks about it and then calls it, hesitantly, an "added second". Whereas a player with a more muso background would instantly say "added ninth" there without thinking about it.

The Picnic Wasp · July 15, 2023, 05:18:59 PM

Yes I like that about Alex and it's always funny when he throws in his F# or whatever chord thingy it is. It's just so indelibly Rush. I read something years ago where Gene Simmons asked Geddy to play a certain few notes of a Rush bass line he liked and Geddy replied that he didn't know what the notes were, he just played them if they sounded good. I bet he knows them all now though.

Slim · July 18, 2023, 11:10:04 PM

Turns out Alex did a video demonstration of the Limelight solo in 2005 or 2006. About 23 minutes in. He uses a clean tone here which certainly makes it a lot easier to follow while he's going through it, but it certainly sounds a bit stark.

Embedding disabled on this one, but it's here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t5JTBmx3xpc

He does play the solo with the appropriate effects 32 mins in.