Tag Archives: Alex Lifeson

Rush: Presto

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On November 21, 1989, “Anthem Records” label released “Presto”, the thirteenth Rush studio album. It was recorded June – August 1989, at “Le Studio” in Morin Heights, Quebec, “McClear Place” in Toronto, Ontario, and was produced by  Rupert Hine, Alex Lifeson, Neil Peart and Geddy Lee. The album was certified Platinum in Canada by “CRIA”.

Personnel:

  • Alex Lifeson – acoustic and electric guitars, arrangement
  • Geddy Lee– vocals, bass guitar, synthesizers, arrangement
  • Neil Peart– drums, electronic percussion, arrangement
  • Rupert Hine– additional keyboards, backing vocals, arrangement
  • Jason Sniderman– additional keyboards
  • Stephen W. Tayler– engineer, mixing
  • Simon Pressey, Jaques Deveau, Rick Anderson – recording assistant
  • Matt Howe – mixing assistant
  • Everett Ravenstein – pre-production engineer assistant
  • Bob Ludwig– mastering
  • Hugh Syme– art direction
  • Scarpati – photography
  • Andrew MacNaughtan – portraits

Track listing:

All lyrics by Neil Peart, all music by Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson.

  1. Show Don’t Tell
  2. Chain Lightning
  3. The Pass
  4. War paint
  5. Scars
  6. Presto
  7. Superconductor
  8. Anagram (For Mongo)
  9. Red Tide
  10. Hand Over Fist
  11. Available Light

Porcupine Tree: Fear of a Blank Planet

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On April 16, 2007, “Roadrunner” label released “Fear of a Blank Planet”, the ninth Porcupine Tree studio album. It was recorded October – December 2006, in London and Tel Aviv, and was produced by Steven Wilson, Richard Barbieri, Colin Edwin and Gavin Harrison. In 2007, “Fear of a Blank Planet” won the “Album of the Year” award at “Classic Rock” magazine awards. In 2015, “Rolling Stone”  ranked it at number 39 on its list of the “Best Progressive Rock Albums of all Time.

Personnel:

  • Steven Wilson– vocals, guitars, piano, keyboards, mixing, audio mastering, string arrangements
  • Richard Barbieri– keyboards and synthesizers
  • Colin Edwin– bass guitars
  • Gavin Harrison– drums
  • Alex Lifeson– guitar solo
  • Robert Fripp– soundscapes
  • John Wesley– backing vocals
  • Orchestra – London Session Orchestra
  • Dave Stewart– string arrangements
  • Steve Price – engineer
  • Lasse Hoile– photography

Track listing:

All tracks by Steven Wilson, except where noted.

  1. Fear of a Blank Planet
  2. My Ashes – music by Richard Barbier, Steven /Wilson
  3. Anesthetize
  4. Sentimental
  5. Way Out of Here – music by Richard Barbieri, Colin Edwin, Gavin Harrison, Steven Wilson
  6. Sleep Together

Rush: Permanent Waves

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On January 14, 1980, “Anthem” label released “Permanent Waves”, the seventh Rush studio album. It was recorded September – October 1979, at “Le Studio” in Morin Heights, Quebec, Canada, and was produced by Terry Brown, Gaddy Lee, Alex Lifeson and Neil Peart.

Personnel:

  • Geddy Lee– lead vocals, bass guitar, Oberheim polyphonic, Minimoog, Taurus pedal synthesizer, OB-1
  • Alex Lifeson– electric and acoustic six- and twelve-string guitars, Taurus pedals
  • Neil Peart– drums, timpani, timbales, orchestra bells, tubular bells, wind chimes, bell tree, triangle, crotales, cover concept
  • Erwig Chuapchuaduah – steel drums
  • Hugh Syme– piano, art direction, design, cover concept
  • Terry Brown– arranger, mixing
  • Paul Northfield– engineer
  • Robbie Whelan – engineer assistant
  • Craig Milliner – mixing assistant
  • Adam Moseley – mixing assistant
  • Ray Staff– mastering
  • Deborah Samuel – photography
  • Fin Costello – photography
  • Flip Schulke – photography
  • Paula Turnbull – cover girl
  • Robert Gage – hairdresser to the cover girl

Track listing:

All lyrics by Neil Peart, except where noted, all music by Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson.

  1. The Spirit of Radio
  2. Freewill
  3. Jacob’s Ladder
  4. Entre Nous
  5. Different Strings – lyrics by Geddy Lee
  6. Natural Science

I: Tide Pools

II: Hyperspace

III: Permanent Waves

The Bad Plus: Prog

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On May 8, 2007, “Heads Up” label released “Prog”, the fifth Bad Plus studio album. It was recorded in September 2006, at “Pachyderm Studio” in Cannon Falls, Minnesota, and was produced by Tony Plat, Orrin Evans, Reid Anderson and Dave King.

Personnel:

  • Orrin Evans – piano
  • Reid Anderson – bass
  • Dave King – drums
  1. Everybody Wants to Rule the World – Chris Hughes, Roland Orzabal, Ian Stanley
  2. Physical Cities – Reid Anderson
  3. Life on Mars? – David Bowie
  4. Mint – Ethan Iverson
  5. Giant – Reid Anderson
  6. Thriftstore Jewelry – David King
  7. Tom Sawyer – Pye Dubois, Geddy Lee, Alex Lifeson, Neil Peart
  8. This Guy’s in Love with You – Burt Bacharach, Hal David
  9. The World is the Same – Reid Anderson
  10. 1980 World Champion – Dave King

Alex Lifeson: Victor

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On January 9, 1996, “Anthem” label released “Victor”, debut Alex Lifeson solo album. It was recorded October 1994 – July 1995, at “Lerxst Sound” (Alex Lifeson’s home studio), and was produced by Alex Lifeson.

Personnel:

  • Alex Lifeson- spoken vocals, guitars, keyboards, bass, mandola, programming
  • Les Claypool, Peter Cardinali- bass
  • Bill Bell – guitar
  • Dalbello, Edwin- lead vocals
  • Blake Manning- drums
  • Colleen Allen– horn
  • Charlene Lifeson, Esther – dialogue

Track listing:

  1. Don’t Care – Alex Lifeson
  2. Promise – Alex Lifeson, Bill Bell
  3. Start Today – Alex Lifeson
  4. X – Alex Lifeson
  5. At the End – Alex Lifeson, Adrian Zivojinovich
  6. Sending Out a Warning – Alex Lifeson, Bill Bell
  7. Shut Up Shuttin’ Up – Alex Lifeson, Bill Bell, Charlene Lifeson , Esther
  8. Strip and Go Naked – Alex Lifeson, Bill Bell
  9. The Big Dance – Alex Lifeson, Adrian Zivojinovich
  10. Victor – Lifeson,  H. Auden (based on a poem by W. H. Auden)
  11. I Am the Spirit – Alex Lifeson, Bill Bell

Rush: A Farewell To Kings

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On September 1, 1977, “Anthem Records” label released “A Farewell to Kings”, the fifth Rush studio album. It was recorded in June 1977, at “Rockfield Studios”  in  Wales and was mixed at “Advision Studios” in London, and was produced by Terry Brown, Geddy Lee, Alex Lifeson and Neil Peart.

Personnel:

  • Geddy Lee– vocals, bass and twelve-string guitar, Minimoog, bass pedal synthesizers
  • Alex Lifeson– electric and acoustic six- and twelve-string guitars, classical guitar, bass pedal synthesizers
  • Neil Peart– drums, orchestra bells, wind chimes, bell tree, vibraslap, triangle, tubular bells, temple blocks
  • Terry Brown: spoken vocals
  • Terry Brown, Pat Moran – recording
  • Terry Brown, Declan O’Doherty, Ken Thomas – mixing
  • George Graves – mastering
  • Hugh Syme – art direction
  • Yosh Inouye – photography
  • Roger Stowell – photography
  • Fin Costello – photography

Track listing:

All lyrics by Neil Peart, except where noted, all musis by Alex Lifeson and Geddy Lee, except where noted.

  1. A Farewell to Kings – music by Geddy Lee, Neil Peart
  2. Xanadu
  3. Closer to the Heart – lyrics by Neil Peart, Peter Talbot
  4. Cinderella Man – Geddy Lee
  5. Madrigal
  6. Cygnus X-1 Book I: The Voyage
  • I. Prologue
  • II. 1
  • III. 2
  • IV. 3

Allan Holdsworth

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On April 16, 2017, Allan Holdsworth died aged 70. He was guitarist and composer, known as big innovator in development of the guitar playing. He was one of the most influential guitarists of the 20th Century, cited as influence by many famous guitarists such as  Tom Morello, Yngwie Malmsteen, Eddie Van Halen, Joe Satriani, Greg Howe, Shawn Lane, Richie Kotzen, John Petrucci, Alex Lifeson and Kurt Rosenwinkel. In his four decades long career he released twelve albums as solo artists, and has recorded and performed with many famous musicians and bands including Igginbottom, Nucleus, Tempest, Soft Machine, The New Tony Williams Lifetime,  Pierre Moerlen’s Gong,  Jean-Luc Ponty, Bruford, U.K., Stanley Clarke, Chad Wackerman, Level 42 and K². According to “Guitar World” magazine he is “as influential as Chuck Berry, Jimi Hendrix and Eddie Van Halen”.