LRRC EP884: Rick Beato with Alex Lifeson & Anika Nilles, RUSH in LA, RUSH Set List

Alex Lifeson:

Relearning his old material

Guitars: Les Paul, double neck, Telecaster. 

String gauge

amps… marshalls 

Getting their advance from Mercury records on going shopping

100 watt Marshall stacks cry baby and Maestro phase

High watt stacks

Then for Marshall combos inspired by Allen Holdsworth

Discovered chorus on farewell to Kings and used it ever since

Using fractal axeffex now

tonex… amplitube.. modeling his own sounds 

striving not to repeat himself on each album 

Simplifying his playing to work with Geddy and Neil

Doesn't like doing too many takes

Recording the solo to Limelight… put the speaker cabinet outside

finger picking… took classical guitar lessons as a teenager

Spontaneity

challenge to work around keyboards 

Change writing guitar part approach and went from Les Paul type guitars to stratocasters with single coils and even active pickups

Getting back to rock with counterparts with kevin Shirley…. Recording in the room with the amp versus In the control room.

Video with his parents when he was 17.

about the guitar:

“Not just a piece of wood with metal strings it's a being”

Was hoping they could just make it for 5 years and that would be pretty good lol

2112: “our protest record”

Moving pictures their magnum opus

I'm not crazy about the production on signals.

Grace Under Pressure was a difficult album for them

Spirit of Radio. Electric mistress. Tribute to radio.

We playing the hits for this tour. But also playing some songs I just want to play and want to surprise people.

Anika Nilles:

new drum kit

reverse ride tom configuration 

loose heads… bottom heads higher pitch

dry sound

bubinga kit… same as jeff beck tour… perfect for big rooms

How to learn a lot of songs… learn it step by step… learning parts… then the feel

dad was a drummer… ambitious hobby musician..  taught by dad..  then Music school

Jeff Beck's guitar tech introduced her to Geddy Lee.

influence:

Toto,

The importance of technique to sort of keep up with the guys

 started making rehearsals later and later into the evening so that they would be more prepared for when they would have to play the shows

social media… lost interest during the pandemic… a lot of pressure… interrupted her practice