By Meltdown | WRIF Detroit
I finally got the chance to redeem myself.
See, the last (and only) time I met Alex Lifeson was over a decade ago at a Rush meet-and-greet. Out of everything this guy’s done — and there’s a lot — I brought up his appearances on Trailer Park Boys. Classy move, right? So when I had him on the show recently, I got to ask him about that… and a whole lot more.
Turns out, even with decades of platinum albums under his belt, Lifeson still gets recognized most for his role in the Canadian cult comedy. “I get asked that more than anything,” he laughed. “Hey, you’re the guy from Trailer Park Boys, right? Yes. Yes, that’s me.”
Envy of None: A New Chapter, Not a Rush Reboot
Rush may have played their last show in 2015, but Alex is far from done. His latest project, Envy of None, is a far cry from what you’d expect from the guitar wizard of 2112.
“It’s very cinematic, kind of trippy, funky, deep, dark… heavy at times,” he said. But the real MVP? Vocalist Maya. “She sends 25, 26 tracks per song — complete. All the reverbs, everything the way she hears it in her head. It’s uncanny.”
One thing you won’t find on every track? Guitar solos. Yeah, that surprised me too.
“I’ve avoided solos in the last number of years,” he told me. “I didn’t want it to be this flashy moment. A solo has to serve the song.” Spoken like a guy who knows exactly what he’s doing — and isn’t afraid to let the feel lead instead of the fretboard.
“It’s Always About the Song”
We talked about Envy’s title track — where Alex plays a Middle Eastern instrument called an oud. (Yes, I butchered the name, but he was cool about it.)
“It’s fretless, has this exotic tone,” he said. “It just fit. Something different, fresh… international.”
That’s the thing about Lifeson — even post-Rush, the guy is still searching. Still experimenting. Still pushing his own boundaries.
Reflecting on Neil, Geddy, and 50+ Years of Brotherhood
We couldn’t not talk Rush. When I asked about that final show in 2015, Alex got real.
“Neil was done. He didn’t want to tour anymore. He felt like he couldn’t play at 100% and for him, that wasn’t worth it.”
He remembered that last night at The Forum.
“I looked at the wall, at the clock I’d seen 23 other times, at faces I knew I wouldn’t see again. It was powerful. It was sad.”
And yes, Neil Peart did pronounce it Peart, not Pert. (“He can call himself whatever he wants,” I told him. And honestly, yeah. Professors earned it.)
As for Geddy, Alex’s friendship with him runs deeper than just the music.
“We’ve known each other since ‘65. We were in junior high together. I just had dinner with him the other night. He’s my best bud.”
Will We See Envy of None Live?
Maybe. “If the response is strong and there’s an audience that can support it — even for a dozen shows — we’d love to,” Alex said. “I already know who I’d ask to play.”
But don’t expect a giant arena tour. Lifeson seems pretty content these days. “I’m a happy musician. I do little gigs, I record a lot… I’m in a great place.”
Whether he’s strumming an oud, riffing with Bubbles, or reminiscing about the clock at The Forum, Alex Lifeson is still one of the most thoughtful, down-to-earth legends you’ll ever talk to.
And yes — next time I run into him, I promise not to lead with Trailer Park Boys.
