In an exciting announcement for RUSH fans and rock enthusiasts alike, Anthem Records in Canada and Rhino Records will reissue the first-ever solo albums of Alex Lifeson and Geddy Lee.
”My Favourite Headache”, GEDDY LEE’s only solo album to date, was initially released on November 14, 2000. This 2024 reissue marks its first vinyl pressing since a limited-edition Record Store Day exclusive in 2019, and will be available on CD as well.
Produced by Lee, Ben Mink, and David Leonard, the album includes contributions from Mink (guitar), drummers Matt Cameron (Soundgarden / Pearl Jam) and Jeremy Taggart (Our Lady Peace), and more.
Lee said of the album, “I think I backed into this project. I’ve never had a great desire to make an individual statement, and I certainly didn’t want any more attention. I satisfy so much of my musical self in the context of Rush, so I don’t have any great frustrations from that point of view. But once in a while, you’d wonder, ‘What’s it like out there? What’s it like to work with other people?”
Of course, the first track on album – the title track – begins with big, fat bass line showcasing this is Geddy Lee. And sure, the entire ”My Favourite Headache” sounds and feels like RUSH in one way or another.
In the early ’90s, Rush were the biggest cult band in the world. The rise of grunge and then nu-metal had no impact on them. With such a huge and loyal following, the band could still sell out arenas, and their albums from that decade – Roll The Bones, Counterparts and the stupendous Test For Echo – all went gold or platinum in the US and Canada.
In the late Ninetiess, however, drummer Neil Peart was shattered by the death of his daughter Selena in a car crash and the loss of his wife Jacqueline to cancer.
Rush were on hold, and no one – least of all the band members – knew when they might return.
“That was a real interesting period,” said Geddy Lee. “I had planned to do some jamming with my dear friend Ben Mink [longtime k.d. Lang collaborator]. We always planned that some time we’d get together and see what happened. We were planning to do that, and suddenly tragedy struck Neil’s life. Everything got really weird and it was just a horrible period”.
“I decided, after a few months, this idea of working with Ben might be a real tonic for me – I didn’t know whether there would be another Rush album. People get through tragedies in different ways. I was going crazy and needed something to focus on.”
”My Favourite Headache” was originally released in November 2000. Two months later, Lee, Peart and guitarist Alex Lifeson met up and decided to go back to work as Rush.
So this remains as Lee’s only solo album. And well worth this reissue as it’s a really fine album, proggy, very Rush-ish.
The album-opening title track is very interesting – a progressive piece with s hard rock section that switches with a laid-back, symphonic piece – while such rockers as ‘The Present Tense’ (a highlight), ‘Working At Perfekt’, ‘Home Of The Strange’, and the ballad ‘Slipping’ could’ve easily fit on such ’90s Rush albums as Counterparts and Test For Echo.
Musically, this record is what you would expect from the guy who’s been the voice of Rush for decades. Without the stylish noodling of Lifeson or the technical drum flares and winking word play of Neil Peart, it sounds like a Rush record with less arty lyrics and more of a hard rock edge.
Geddy’s singing voice continues here to have the engaging warmth he developed on the 80s albums, but is still plenty to strong enough to belt out anthems like ‘Moving To Bohemia’ and ‘Runaway Train’, and nuanced enough to make you appreciate it on ballads like ‘Slipping’ and midtempo pop-rocker ‘Still’.
Highly Recommended
1. My Favourite Headache
2. The Present Tense
3. Window To The World
4. Working At Perfekt
5. Runaway Train
6. The Angels’ Share
7. Moving To Bohemia
8. Home On The Strange
9. Slipping
10. Still
11. Grace To Grace
Vocals, Bass, Piano, Guitar – Geddy Lee
Guitar, Violin, Viola – Ben Mink
Drums – Matt Cameron
Percussion – Chris Stringer
Drums – Jeremy Taggart (track 8)
Steel Guitar – Waylon Wall (track 3)
Cello – John Friesen (track 4)
Backing Vocals – Pappy Rosen (track 9)