Alex Lifeson- Victor 30th Anniversary

Even loyal Rush fans easily could have missed the January 1996 solo project release Victor  by guitarist Alex Lifeson. It was a highly personal rock Rorschach test for the gestalt guitarist, primal scream therapy with a beat. Alex Lifeson lies down on the couch here In the Studio  and reveals his confessions in my ultra-rare classic rock interview. When my opening question implied that he may have felt a musical need left wanting by his role in Rush, Alex politely but firmly schooled me for the assumption.”Well, that would allude to my being frustrated or unhappy with something in Rush. I’m not,” the soft-spoken, thoughtful guitarist/composer made clear.

“I’ve always been very happy (in Rush),” Lifeson continued. “There’s certainly been times over the years that I didn’t feel happy about the way something worked out, but that’s normal, that happens in any relationship, and I only have myself to blame for it. When I look back on those moments, I should have stood up for myself more. But I wasn’t like that, so I’m not going to  cry over spilled milk. Victor  was more of a personal thing for me than a musical thing. It had nothing to do with Rush whatsoever. I mentioned to the other two guys that I would be doing this. I didn’t ask for their blessing or expect it. ”

“The record deals with the dark side of love, the things it leads people to do,” Alex Lifeson explained. “…(The song ) ‘Promise’ really deals with someone who’s been in a relationship that’s smothering, suffocating. And you make promises when you make these relationships, and you try to stick by your promises as best you can. But there comes a time when maybe you have to give up those promises, to break them and make NEW promises for yourself. You have to promise to yourself to be happy, and content, and to be strong, if you want to live your life…Why be stuck in a situation where you’re miserable all the time? So many people are.” –Redbeard