The end of much-loved Canadian rockers Rush was sealed with the death of drummer Neil Peart in 2020 – but Geddy Lee, their remarkably dextrous bassist, singer and keyboardist, is still immersed in the world of the band. On 14 November he’s publishing a memoir titled My Effin’ Life, which charts his career and journey, and going on a book tour, where he’ll discuss the memoir with audiences across the UK.
Lee was born in Toronto, Canada, to Jewish parents who were Holocaust survivors from Poland. He started playing music at school and took a liking to guitars, basses, and fretboard techniques, and joined Rush in September 1968 at the request of his friend, guitarist Alex Lifeson. After starting out as a bluesy power-trio, the band flourished as one of the great prog rock acts, and achieved worldwide commercial success by the early 1980s with key albums including Moving Pictures and Permanent Waves. Lee wowed fans with technically impressive basslines, and as the band progressed further, he tested out ways of playing bass with his hands while controlling (sometimes numerous) synthesisers with foot pedals and singing into multiple microphones.
Rush took a four-year hiatus in 1997, but regrouped in 2001 and released three more studio albums. During the hiatus, Lee released his only solo album My Favourite Headache; other work outside Rush has included appearing in charity supergroup Northern Lights and Bob and Doug McKenzie’s hit comedy single Take Off. His forthcoming memoir isn’t his first book, as in 2018 he released Geddy Lee’s Big Beautiful Book of Bass – which showcases his own collection of more than 250 instruments, features interviews with bassists and gives recommendations of songs.
Lee has inspired generations of bass players and musicians of all stripes, so there’s plenty to ask him. Ahead of the book tour starting in Wolverhampton on 10 December, post your questions by 4pm on Tuesday 31 October – we’ll publish his answers in the 17 November edition of the Film & Music section, and online.
