I actually met Alex in a convenience store around 1978 in February and asked him about what Rush was up to, and he stated that they were working on Hemispheres and how complicated the production was. Apparently Neil came up with the name way back to compare the hemispheres of the brains to Greek mythology about the battle between the gods Apollo and Dionysus. Overall, he was very zany and easy to talk to.
Alex has always been the same in interviews from 1975 to 2020+. Super polite, gracious, gentlemanly, confident yet humorous and very honest. He’s the real deal. 🫡✊🥇
I love Alex's second interview so much. As a Rush aficionado it's awesome to hear about the process and his insights and as a female I love his face and the sound of his voice 🤤
A tour through Alex's personal gallery of Gibsons! I believe that first interview was done in Sept '77 during a three night stand in Portland, OR with UFO and Max Webster. About four months later that cherry double neck would get crunched by a PA horn falling on it at a BOC show at Nassau Coliseum 1/13/78. Some of the pickups and bridges got sheared off and the body gouged. The horn then fell over that prized '68 ES-335. As a result, the doubleneck got replaced by the white one and the 335 got retired to keep it safe, replaced as a backup guitar initially by the black '78 Strat (that would undergo heavy modification), and then later by the Tobacco burst ES-345 we would see on the Hemispheres tour and on display in the video from Pink Pop.
Interesting how much more intense he sounds in the second clip than the first, with all the adaptations he had to make to the role of the guitar in the band. Torwards the end of his time with Rush of course he was back to the relaxed and carefree style of his youth again really, and - blah blah blah!
Signals is a great album and has some great songs. But you can't deny that it was the beginning of the end of the classic Rush style that I love so much. People like to deny that the additional keyboard focus came at the expense of the guitars, but here ALEX HIMSELF is saying it in his own words. He literally says "but the guitar suffered". It doesn't get any clearer than that. And of course, it can't come from a more authoritative source than Alex himself.
@@carlschneider689 it’s not even about the solos. Alex still had some great solos in the “keyboard era”. It was the thin sound and lack of power chords that I really missed
@@ruthylopez Ever since Rush visited Cape Canaveral to witness a space shuttle launching and their producer Terry Brown left after Signals, they've never been the same.
In the first interview, it looks like he's wearing the same mechanic's uniform that Michael Schenker and Phil Mogg wore on the album cover of UFO's "Lights Out." Schenker and Lifeson also looked very similar.
@@ytthrowaway4584Strongly Disagree. He has a HEAVY Canadian Accent in that 1985 interview whereas in the 1970s interview, and now, it’s just not present. He could pass as American to me if I didn’t know who he was.
I actually met Alex in a convenience store around 1978 in February and asked him about what Rush was up to, and he stated that they were working on Hemispheres and how complicated the production was. Apparently Neil came up with the name way back to compare the hemispheres of the brains to Greek mythology about the battle between the gods Apollo and Dionysus. Overall, he was very zany and easy to talk to.
Wow!
Stuck my hand out as a polite 17yr old, Alex put his pen in his mouth and shook my hand!!! Radio City NYC Sept ‘83 post show backstage door.❤
I always enjoy hearing Alex talk about creative process, and music in general.
If you're a fan like myself, these are gold. Thanks!
Alex has always been the same in interviews from 1975 to 2020+. Super polite, gracious, gentlemanly, confident yet humorous and very honest. He’s the real deal. 🫡✊🥇
Was really an amazing thing....to be born and grow up at the same time RUSH happened
Same here. Great memories of firing up the bong with 2112!
I love Alex's second interview so much. As a Rush aficionado it's awesome to hear about the process and his insights and as a female I love his face and the sound of his voice 🤤
1:47 to 2:05 this is some of the best video recording in all of cinematic history
Alex : the man who always knew he was going to be a rockstar
First interview shreds, I never seen that before..Thank you!
You’re welcome!!
A tour through Alex's personal gallery of Gibsons!
I believe that first interview was done in Sept '77 during a three night stand in Portland, OR with UFO and Max Webster.
About four months later that cherry double neck would get crunched by a PA horn falling on it at a BOC show at Nassau Coliseum 1/13/78. Some of the pickups and bridges got sheared off and the body gouged. The horn then fell over that prized '68 ES-335.
As a result, the doubleneck got replaced by the white one and the 335 got retired to keep it safe, replaced as a backup guitar initially by the black '78 Strat (that would undergo heavy modification), and then later by the Tobacco burst ES-345 we would see on the Hemispheres tour and on display in the video from Pink Pop.
I enjoyed that. Alex' class was, as always, on show. Excellent...
Interesting how much more intense he sounds in the second clip than the first, with all the adaptations he had to make to the role of the guitar in the band. Torwards the end of his time with Rush of course he was back to the relaxed and carefree style of his youth again really, and - blah blah blah!
The first guitar Alex talks about (355) he donated to charity and sold at auction in 2022 for $385,000.
Yes, RUSH incorporated more rhythm and keyboards in Subdivisions, but the guitar solos in Analog Kid and Chemistry are Alex's best.
Chemistry kicks ass
#RUSH4EVER
Signals is a great album and has some great songs. But you can't deny that it was the beginning of the end of the classic Rush style that I love so much. People like to deny that the additional keyboard focus came at the expense of the guitars, but here ALEX HIMSELF is saying it in his own words. He literally says "but the guitar suffered". It doesn't get any clearer than that. And of course, it can't come from a more authoritative source than Alex himself.
@@ruthylopez Got it. The guitar solos on Analog kid and Chemistry are (for the record) NOT Alex's best.
@@carlschneider689 it’s not even about the solos. Alex still had some great solos in the “keyboard era”. It was the thin sound and lack of power chords that I really missed
@@ruthylopez Ever since Rush visited Cape Canaveral to witness a space shuttle launching and their producer Terry Brown left after Signals, they've never been the same.
Wow, Mystery Man, nice find! Love it. What a cutie.
Glad You enjoyed! Thanks very much for watching, and have a good day!
Alex is one of the best ever! Rush is the best band ever for me and all hardcore Rush fans!
In the first interview, it looks like he's wearing the same mechanic's uniform that Michael Schenker and Phil Mogg wore on the album cover of UFO's "Lights Out." Schenker and Lifeson also looked very similar.
Who's the cartoon character interviewing Alex here? Gadzooks!
Hoping the camera operator filming the 1st segment found a new job that he's actually good at.
Haha
His Canadian accent just magically appears in 1985
@@ytthrowaway4584Strongly Disagree. He has a HEAVY Canadian Accent in that 1985 interview whereas in the 1970s interview, and now, it’s just not present. He could pass as American to me if I didn’t know who he was.
🎸🐐
1st video: Rig Rundown before it even existed.
Rumor has it he still boils his strings out of habit..
Woah where did you find that first clip!
It can be found on RUclips, although the original version of the clip is much more faded. Thanks for watching!
Lerxst