In 1969, Geddy Lee, just 16 years old, struggled with the emotional chaos of losing his father at a young age. This pain embedded in him a deep insight into how temporary life can be, driving him to wholeheartedly seek his desires. Despite his mother’s worries, he dropped out of school to become a musician.
His mother’s doubt didn’t dishearten him; instead, it ignited his dedication. He turned his basement into a haven for rock music which he shared with his grandmother’s kitchen. The unrelenting power of their practice sessions once generated such a disturbance that it resulted in glasses being shot off the shelves and landing in her pot of chicken broth.
Driven by his ambitions and a desire for a broader experience, Geddy Lee was excited by the opportunity to attend The Rock Pile concert in Toronto, which featured the then-rising band Led Zeppelin. Together with Alex Lifeson and their first drummer, John Rutsey, withstood hours in line to take tickets.
Led Zeppelin, fronted by Jimmy Page, owns the stage. They were not yet famous, but they gave a presentation that no one would forget. Geddy and the early Rush members waited a long time in the sun, but they got front-row seats. Led Zeppelin’s show was so jaw-dropping that plaster fell from the ceiling by the encore.
Led Zeppelin transformed Lee’s music forever. Lee saw Led Zeppelin as the band that changed his musical direction during his learning years.
On the day Led Zeppelin released their debut album, Lee and his friends were the first ones at the record store. They rushed back to Lee’s room and were enchanted by the resonating rhythms of “Communication Breakdown.”
Led Zeppelin’s impact on Rush was obvious, but the young band struggled with to mimic their sound. They trained hard in their basement, but Led Zeppelin’s music was difficult to perform, especially at their early bar gigs.
Lee said that their efforts to mimic Led Zeppelin had played a crucial role in forming Rush’s unique sound. As they combined various influences into their creations
“Led Zeppelin researched areas that other metal bands neglected. Perhaps Robert Plant’s grand, Tolkienesque lyricism doesn’t with everyone, but to me, it felt like magic.”.
