KevShmev's FAVORITE 25 MUSICIANS (#1 now featured!!)

[KevShmev]

6. Geddy Lee



One of the most talented musicians ever and a classy, humble guy to boot.  Given that Alex Lifeson and he pretty much wrote all of the music in wrote, while Neil Peart wrote the lyrics, Alex was always the heart of the band, Geddy always struck me as the brains behind Rush's music, generally speaking (not that either didn't supply a lot of both).  I get why many dislike him and Rush because of his voice, it grew on me and became something I saw as a strength in the band for much of their career.  His singing in the 70s was very shrieky and his singing here in the 21st century has been a bit too yelpy more often than not, but from around 1980 through the mid 90s, his voice was in perfect form, in the studio and live. And his bass playing...I can't say enough good things about it.  I can still listen to certain Rush songs I've heard probably thousands of times and still be floored by his bass lines - Territories, YYZ, Turn the Page, Freewill, etc.  The list goes on and on.  Bottom line: Rush has been my favorite band since late 1991, and Geddy Lee is one of the three reasons why. 

[Anguyen92]

^^ Is it safe to say the other two guys of Rush are going to be revealed in this rest of this list?  Or at least, Alex Lifeson?  That stated, Geddy Lee did a whole lot of stuff for the band, live and studio.  Bass, lead vocals, keyboards/synthesizers.  I would like to think, vocally, he's aged as well as one can be compared to the 70s.  Although, I do think that it peaked around the Snakes & Arrows tour where the tours following that the live vocals kinda went downhill, but he still delivered nicely in the Clockwork Angels album.

That stated, if Rush isn't going to be doing anything in the future, I liked to hear another solo album from him.  I liked My Favorite Headache.

[Cool Chris]

Good choice. I have been turned off by countless bands because of the vocal characteristics of the vocalist, but I never had that issue with Rush.

[Mladen]

Love him. 

[Stadler]

Good call with Geddy.   As someone who has played guitar since I was 15, and even though I've been lucky enough to be a "professional musician" (albeit not full time) for a while, to this day can barely strum and sing at the same time, and for him to play THOSE bass lines, with the pedals/triggers, AND sing, it's freaking crazy to me.   But he made a comment, in an obscure interview about four years ago or so, where he said he WORKS at that.  He plays and plays each line so that he doesn't have to think about it, before he ever gets to the point of singing over it.  Taught me a lesson, and my playing has improved markedly since then.  I would learn a part then move on to the next one, and it never really became "mine".  Now I play them over and over until - like he said - I don't even have to think about it.  The upshot?  I've got a "setlist" of about five or six songs that I can now play AND sing in case I'm ever called on to do so (probably not.  ). 

[erwinrafael]

Geddy Lee as a bassist is amazing. As a vocalist, though, at first I thought I already gained the acquired taste needed for his voice. Then I got to listen to the Subdivisions tribute albun and that's when I admitted to myself that I love listening to Rush songs more when somebody else is singing. Loved Jani Lane's take on Bastille Day. Even Kip Winger was amazing. 

[Stadler]

Geddy Lee as a bassist is amazing. As a vocalist, though, at first I thought I already gained the acquired taste needed for his voice. Then I got to listen to the Subdivisions tribute albun and that's when I admitted to myself that I love listening to Rush songs more when somebody else is singing. Loved Jani Lane's take on Bastille Day. Even Kip Winger was amazing. 

He's not a singer in the sense that Elton John is, or Freddie Mercury.  I don't think you'll ever hear him in the context where you trot out a noted "singer" (though he did sing the national anthem of Canada at the MLB All-Star game once, go figure).  But he's not THAT bad.  He carries the note well, he does not sing in a monotone (like some bad singers...).  I mean, in a genre that has Vince Neil, Anthony Keidis, Lemmy, Bob Dylan, and Leonard Cohen, I think Geddy gets short shrift. 

[erwinrafael]

I don't think Bob Dylan and Leonard Cohen are in the same genre as Geddy.

Kev is correct, though, that there was a run of albums where Geddy's voice was good. I love his singing in Counterparts. In fact, I am listening to it now because of this post.  My favorite Rush album. 

[Stadler]

I don't think Bob Dylan and Leonard Cohen are in the same genre as Geddy.

Kev is correct, though, that there was a run of albums where Geddy's voice was good. I love his singing in Counterparts. In fact, I am listening to it now because of this post.  My favorite Rush album. 

Well, we can argue Bob, but you're probably right about Cohen.  I put him in there because of the reverence that so many hipsters have for him (I don't get it personally) but I won't argue with you on that one.

[KevShmev]

To expand what I said last night, yes, I think Geddy's voice was shrieky in the 70s (how can anyone not think that ), but I still liked it most of the time. For the style of music they were playing at the time, it worked most of the time.  I just meant, from a traditional POV and for non-hardcore fans, his voice in the 80s and 90s was more...listenable.

[Prog Snob]

Agreed. I eventually became more tolerable of the caterwauling of the 70s. His later vocals were definitely more tolerable.

[TAC]

I got into Rush when Moving Pictures came out. I remember a kid on my school bus blasting Rush, and that high pitched voice sounded so cool and different. It really appealed to me, and I count it as the genesis to love singers like Kiske.

Geddy is a great pick on any list.

[King Postwhore]

I had the pleasure to shake his hand outside or the 1st show of the Power Windows tour in Maine.  I was a puddle.

[TAC]

I think the fact that it was 32 years ago, it's probably safe to wash that hand.

[King Postwhore]

It's the hand I.......

[TAC]

...glaze the donuts with?

[Prog Snob]

I had the pleasure to shake his hand outside or the 1st show of the Power Windows tour in Maine.  I was a puddle.

You said the same thing about me when I sent you that mix tape.

[King Postwhore]

...glaze the donuts with?

I'm glad you used plural there.

I had the pleasure to shake his hand outside or the 1st show of the Power Windows tour in Maine.  I was a puddle.

You said the same thing about me when I sent you that mix tape.

All I need is 2 songs. I win the race.

[erwinrafael]

To expand what I said last night, yes, I think Geddy's voice was shrieky in the 70s (how can anyone not think that ), but I still liked it most of the time. For the style of music they were playing at the time, it worked most of the time.  I just meant, from a traditional POV and for non-hardcore fans, his voice in the 80s and 90s was more...listenable.

But would you be like me who would want to hear Kip Winger sing all the Rush songs? 

Kip Winger's Limelight

[KevShmev]

Pass. I didn't like a single song by Winger even back in the day, when I was knee deep in that kind of music.

[erwinrafael]

What is your favorite Geddy Lee song?

[KevShmev]

What is your favorite Geddy Lee song?

If you mean favorite song that Geddy Lee has ever been a part of, the answer is 2112.

If you mean favorite Geddy Lee solo song, the answer is The Present Tense.

If you mean the song that most encapsulates how great Geddy Lee is, in all aspects, the answer is...unclear.  Top of my head, the first song that comes to mind is Tom Sawyer.  Two catchy as heck keyboard parts (intro and the middle section before the guitar solo), some of his catchiest vocal melodies ever, and bad ass bass playing as always.  Call it overplayed, but there is a reason it is so popular.

[King Postwhore]

Slipping and Still are my 2 favs on MFH.

[KevShmev]

I like those both a lot, as well.  The whole album is good, but I gravitate to The Present Tense the most because of that bridge in the middle of the song.

[erwinrafael]

If you mean the song that most encapsulates how great Geddy Lee is, in all aspects, the answer is...unclear.  Top of my head, the first song that comes to mind is Tom Sawyer.  Two catchy as heck keyboard parts (intro and the middle section before the guitar solo), some of his catchiest vocal melodies ever, and bad ass bass playing as always.  Call it overplayed, but there is a reason it is so popular.

Tom Sawyer is also what comes to mind when I think of Geddy at his best.

[?]

Geddy

I find it impossible to pick just one song as Geddy's best performance, but I'd say Hold Your Fire on the whole is his finest hour: his voice sounds great and the vocal melodies and harmonies are awesome, plus his basslines on songs like Force Ten and Prime Mover are cool as hell, and the keyboards are used nicely (though some of that credit goes to Andy Richards).

[TAC]

Pass. I didn't like a single song by Winger even back in the day, 

Best post of the thread! 

(that didn't come out right, Kev. You know what I mean!)

But would you be like me who would want to hear Kip Winger sing all the Rush songs? 

Kip Winger's Limelight

Dude, WTF??

The wuss thread is here:
https://www.dreamtheaterforums.org/boards/index.php?topic=29408.0

[erwinrafael]

  I think I need Brent to back me up.

[KevShmev]

No Winger talk in this thread as we approach the top 5, please.

I find it impossible to pick just one song as Geddy's best performance, but I'd say Hold Your Fire on the whole is his finest hour: his voice sounds great and the vocal melodies and harmonies are awesome, plus his basslines on songs like Force Ten and Prime Mover are cool as hell, and the keyboards are used nicely (though some of that credit goes to Andy Richards).

For sure. 

[TAC]

Looking forward to the Top 5. I know two of them. Maybe 3. But I also know that I am not a fan of them though.

[Tomislav95]

Geddy is just an awesome musician His playing on every album is great but if I had to choose my favorite album vocally, it'd be Grace Under Pressure or something else in that era.

[TAC]

Vocally, I go with Permanent Waves/Moving Pictures.
Playing wise, I go with Hemisheres.

[?]

Power Windows through Counterparts is my favorite era vocally - to me that's when Geddy became a singer. He started utilizing his voice to the fullest, and I feel like Peter Collins and Rupert Hine as producers got the best performances out of him. He sounds good on the first 10 albums as well (apart from the most over-the-top 70s screams ), but there are vocal harmonies on just two or three songs, and I like the maturity that his voice gained over the years.

[KevShmev]

5. Devin Townsend



I am generally not a big metal guy - there are probably only a handful or so of artists I would label as metal that I am a big fan of - but Devin Townsend is one of my favorites from any genre. Not only is he a great songwriter, a great and unique guitar player and a phenomenal singer (and screamer , which I normally do not like), but he is about the most down to earth musician you'll ever come across; he's always super cool and that comes across in every interview he ever does.  Plus, he acts like a big goof at times, which I can certainly relate to!  Life is too short to be dead serious all the time.   His toilet humor doesn't always work for me, even when he occasionally throws it into a song, but everything else about the man is great enough to where I can overlook that.  I mean, the guy gave us Terria and Addicted.  Those two albums alone would make him  in my eyes, and then you realize he has a shit ton of other great music.  I can say the same thing about him that I said about Roine Stolt: he is amazingly prolific, meaning he gives us quality AND quantity. 

[TAC]

There's one that I knew was coming. I have tried, checked out a ton of youtube videos, but he is not for me. Still, he seems like a very creative guy and has made a ton of music.