AlexLifeson
Rush's architect of ringing chords and exotic, effects-drenched solos
Alex Lifeson
Rush's architect of ringing chords and exotic, effects-drenched solos
Aleksandar Živojinović was born in Fernie, British Columbia, in 1953 to Serbian immigrant parents and grew up in Toronto. His stage name is a loose translation of his surname, which means roughly son of life. As a teenager he befriended drummer John Rutsey, and in 1968 the two formed Rush; within weeks Geddy Lee had joined on bass and vocals. The trio spent years grinding through Ontario bars and high-school gyms, honing a hard, Led Zeppelin-inspired blues-rock sound.
Rush's self-titled debut appeared in 1974, and that summer Neil Peart replaced Rutsey, bringing ambitious lyrics and complex arrangements. Lifeson's playing grew with the band's scope, from the conceptual 2112 through the sprawling A Farewell to Kings and Hemispheres, where the instrumental La Villa Strangiato showcased his range. With Permanent Waves and Moving Pictures at the turn of the 1980s, Rush tightened its songwriting, and tracks such as Limelight and Tom Sawyer turned the trio into arena headliners with radio staples.
Through the 1980s synthesizers claimed more space in Rush's music, and Lifeson adapted by leaning into chorus-drenched textures, suspended chords and rhythmic chiming rather than fighting for the spotlight. The band returned to a more guitar-forward sound in the 1990s with albums such as Counterparts. In 1996 Lifeson released his solo project Victor, and that same year the members of Rush were made Officers of the Order of Canada. After a long hiatus following tragedies in Peart's life, the band came back with Vapor Trails in 2002.
After the 2012 album Clockwork Angels, Rush entered the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2013 and wrapped up touring with the R40 tour in 2015. Peart's death in 2020 seemed to close the story, and Lifeson turned to new projects, including the atmospheric band Envy of None. Outside music he is a licensed pilot, a painter and an occasional actor. In 2025 Lifeson and Lee surprised fans by announcing that Rush would return to the stage with drummer Anika Nilles.
The 10 greatest Alex Lifeson solos
- 1Rush · solo by Alex Lifeson · 1981
- 2Rush · solo by Alex Lifeson · 1978
- 3Rush · solo by Alex Lifeson · 1980
- 4Rush · solo by Alex Lifeson · 1977
- 5Rush · solo by Alex Lifeson · 1974
- 6Rush · solo by Alex Lifeson · 1976
- 7Rush · solo by Alex Lifeson · 1980
- 8Rush · solo by Alex Lifeson · 1984
- 9Rush · solo by Alex Lifeson · 1981
- 10Rush · solo by Alex Lifeson · 2012
The sound
Lifeson's signature is the ringing, open-voiced chord: he builds huge sounds from suspended and add-nine shapes that let open strings drone against moving notes, a trick that fills the space left in a power trio. His solos can be fiery and bluesy, as on early Rush records, but his best ones are exotic and unpredictable, borrowing modal and Spanish-flavoured phrasing and wrapping it in flanger, chorus and long delays. He treats effects as compositional tools, and he is equally at home strumming a twelve-string acoustic or unleashing a dramatic whammy-bar dive.
- Gibson ES-335 / ES-355 (guitar) Semi-hollow Gibsons were his mainstay through much of the 1970s.
- Gibson EDS-1275 double-neck (guitar) Used live to switch between six and twelve strings on epics such as Xanadu.
- Gibson Les Paul (guitar) A return to Les Pauls defined his heavier later-era tone, including signature Axcess models.
- Fender Stratocaster (guitar) Strat-style guitars were prominent during Rush's synth-heavy 1980s.
- Hiwatt (amp) Powerful British heads behind his classic 1970s sound.
- Hughes & Kettner signature series (amp) His signature amps, with royalties donated to UNICEF.
- Electro-Harmonix Electric Mistress flanger (effect) Key to the swirling, jet-like textures of late-1970s Rush.
- BOSS CE-1 Chorus Ensemble (effect) Helped create the shimmering chordal wash of the early 1980s.
Covers
- Not Fade Away, originally by Buddy Holly and the Crickets Rush's very first single, a raw, riffy take on the rock and roll standard.
- Summertime Blues, originally by Eddie Cochran A heavy, Blue Cheer-style stomp that opens Rush's covers EP.
- Crossroads, originally by Robert Johnson Lifeson clearly relishes channelling the Cream arrangement he grew up on.
- For What It's Worth, originally by Buffalo Springfield A faithful, warmly textured version with chiming guitar lines.
- The Seeker, originally by The Who A punchy homage to Pete Townshend's power-chord style.
- Heart Full of Soul, originally by The Yardbirds He recreates the song's famous sitar-like guitar hook with relish.
Timeline
- 1953 Born Aleksandar Živojinović in Fernie, British Columbia
- 1968 Co-founds Rush in Toronto
- 1974 Rush's debut album released; Neil Peart joins
- 1976 2112 becomes the band's breakthrough
- 1981 Moving Pictures makes Rush arena headliners
- 1996 Releases solo album Victor; named Officer of the Order of Canada
- 2013 Inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame with Rush
- 2015 Rush completes its R40 farewell tour
- 2022 Envy of None releases its debut album
- 2025 Rush announces a return to the stage with drummer Anika Nilles
Facts
- His stage name Lifeson is a rough translation of his Serbian surname Živojinović, meaning son of life.
- He is the only musician who was a member of Rush for the band's entire history.
- He is a licensed aircraft pilot.
- He is also a painter and has acted on screen.
- He co-owned the Toronto bar the Orbit Room until it closed in 2020.
- Asteroid 19155 Lifeson was named in his honour.
- Royalties from his Hughes & Kettner signature amps were donated to UNICEF.
- Rush were the first rock band to be named Officers of the Order of Canada as a group.
- He composed the theme music for the science-fiction TV series Andromeda.
- He has guested on records by Porcupine Tree, Fu Manchu and Tom Cochrane, among others.