Throughout his career, Rush frontman, bassist, and keyboardist Geddy Lee has publicly professed his enthusiasm for a wide range of musical genres. As a master of his trade, Lee’s musical interests range from classic rock performers like Cream and Led Zeppelin to current innovators like Björk and Radiohead.
Radiohead, in particular, became an important part of Lee’s life. He especially felt this after he first heard their music and regained his passion for the familiar strains of progressive rock. “To me, Radiohead carried on the tradition of bands like Yes,” he told The Quietus. “They are always ambitious and demanding, but they have truly stayed ahead of the game. I like how they combine old and new, incorporating modern beats and instrumentation.”
Similarly, Lee once stated that Led Zeppelin “was a huge, huge influence on us,” and their ability to push conventional rock norms to unprecedented heights became a significant driving force for the band. However, as their music became more intricate and difficult to perform, they eventually abandoned attempts to cover several tunes. ‘Livin’ Lovin’ Maid‘ remained in their live repertoire for a while.
Geddy Lee previously told Rolling Stone that Cream was his favorite band when he was growing up and honing his musical skills. The band included Jack Bruce, Eric Clapton, and Ginger Baker. “[Cream] was far and away my favorite band when I got old enough to appreciate rock music, and I was getting more and more into rock,” he told me. “Cream was such an influence on early Rush and me as bass player.”
In discussing attempts to replicate their appeal, Lee stated, “We would produce our version of ‘Spoonful‘. We’d play at coffee shops, high school dances, and other events. We attempted to replicate Cream in the early days of Rush, so Jack Bruce’s playing meant a lot to me.
Although Geddy Lee has professed his adoration for Cream on several occasions, Clapton is not his all-time favorite guitarist. Surprisingly, the title belonged to Jeff Beck, his friend and successor in The Yardbirds. In a 2009 Guitar World interview, Lee was asked about the songs that impacted Rush’s style. He explicitly mentioned Beck’s cover of Willie Dixon’s ‘I Ain’t Superstitious‘.
He stated, “If I had to name my favorite guitarist of all time, it would be Jeff Beck. Is there a greater guitar sound ever? I believe this was the first great Jeff Beck moment. The first time you heard something and knew it could only be him. He was such an incredible pioneer. Simply an incredible stylist. The notes he gets out of that device with a whammy bar, a volume control knob, and his fingers are just astounding.”
