“He asked, ‘Will you guys ever tour again?’ We said, ‘We’re going out in 2026.’ The crowd laughed – then realised we weren’t kidding”: How Rush transformed from political pariahs to comeback kings

Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson.

Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame induction ceremony, Los Angeles, 2014: Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson both agree that the best time to have been in Rush was in the early 1980s, around the time of Permanent Waves and Moving Pictures.

“A Farewell To Kings and Hemispheres were both intense records to make, and we felt like we were starting to repeat ourselves,” says Lee. “We decided, ‘OK, we’re going to change what we do and not get tied up in all these large ‘C’ concepts.’ And it freed us up. The music on Permanent Waves, to me, is really joyful.” He laughs. “Well, as joyful as we get.”