Geddy Lee has a quietly astute sense of himself as a musician. He might not be the rock star we all dream of being when we’re starry-eyed and lost in wonderment at what such a life might be like, but his position as a man in the know is undeniable.
He’s never been concerned with popularity or what is seen as ‘cool’, Lee is one of the foremost musicians of the 20th century, having defined a genre with his work with Rush, and that is all that matters. Bassist and singer for the band, Lee was at the forefront of the prog rock movement, but above all else, he is a lover of music.
These two factors have combined over the years to ensure that Lee has shared, on many occasions, his favourite songs, albums and bands. Across the myriad of interviews he has given about the subject of music, two bands remain in pole position as his most adored: Led Zeppelin and Pink Floyd.
Two icons of the rock world, they operate on different ends of the spectrum. Led Zeppelin are bold and brutish, extroverted to the last and unafraid to grab the spotlight. Pink Floyd, however, are the antithesis of this, they hang in the shadows, observe and share with refrained dignity. Lee loved them both.
One thing that does unite the band, however, is their incredible lead guitarists. Jimmy Page and David Gilmour might well be different kinds of players, with each player replicating the stature of their respective bands, Lee has a lot of love for both of them, especially their most famed solos.
Speaking to Classic Rock in 2021, Lee proclaimed those solos the greatest ever. “On one hand you’ve got ‘Stairway To Heaven’. That and ‘Comfortably Numb’ vie for the greatest guitar solo ever recorded,” he said.
‘Stairway To Heaven’ isn’t only one of Jimmy Page’s best moments on the guitar, despite being endlessly repeated, it may be the best guitar work in rock. Every facet of Page is on display throughout this track, and it’s a beautiful piece of art that doesn’t seem to relinquish in that beauty, no matter how much time passes or how many times people listen to the song.
There isn’t much about ‘Comfortably Numb’, the song which was founded on an argument between Waters and Gilmour, that Floyd fans won’t know. It’s quite simply their Magnum Opus. While on record it ranks as one of the finest moments of The Wall, it was performing the song live that the vision of the track truly came to life.
Both of the solos deserve their place in the bassist’s heart and in the history books, and Lee recognises that, despite any worry of popularity, greatness is unavoidable.
