RUSH Guitarist ALEX LIFESON Says 'There's A Real Great Future For' GRETA VAN FLEET

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During a question-and-answer session between RUSH members Alex Lifeson and Geddy Lee at the January 19 Rush Fan Day event at the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame in Cleveland, Lifeson named GRETA VAN FLEET as a contemporary band that he has been listening to lately. "At first, I thought — you know, obviously, the influence of LED ZEPPELIN," he said (see video below). "But it's a new time for them, so many decades later, so they're developing their own audience. But what really struck me about them is their musicianship, their desire to become better players, their arrangements — all of those things. As young players — I think they're all in their early 20s — there's a real great future for them as they develop their own style. Much like we did. I mean, we were a bar band, really. We had our influences, and certainly ZEPPELIN was a big influence for us. But once we got out and we got a chance to play and develop our own stuff and start writing our own material … well, you know, that's history. And I see that with them too. They're young enough that they can carry that banner for a rock band into the future." A video replay of the entire question-and-session is available below. Last year, GRETA VAN FLEET guitarist Jake Kiszka told FaceCulture that LED ZEPPELIN was not a major influence on the group despite close similarities between the two bands' styles. He explained: "I think that we've become more conscious of it, because I don't think before we ever really realized, in a lot of senses, the similarities or the commonalities that we share with that group." He added: "I think it's one of the greatest compliments that could ever be given to a young band like ourselves. They're arguably one of the greatest rock bands of all time, so that is humbling and inspiring and honorable, in that sense... Even if it exactly wasn't an overwhelming influence of ours, it still was influential and we can certainly see it. But overall, it doesn't really affect the writing of our music." Jake told The Pulse Of Radio about GRETA VAN FLEET's main influences: "Blues is that glue that bonds us, you know. I'm a guitarist, so I have to have influences from people like Eric Clapton, Jeff Beck and [Jimi] Hendrix — he's another good one — yeah, like, a lot of the British blues players and even the American blues players like Elmore James. And yeah, so, a lot of blues for me — well, for all of us." GRETA VAN FLEET's first album, "Anthem Of The Peaceful Army", debuted at No. 3 on the Billboard 200 chart in July despite earning a lukewarm 53/100 score on review curation site Metacritic. Last month, GRETA VAN FLEET scored four Grammy Award nominations, one for each major rock category — "Best Rock Album", "Best Rock Song", "Best Rock Performance" — and a "Best New Artist" nod.

Hall of Fame Interview with Alex Lifeson & Geddy Lee of Rush
We sit down with Rush members Alex Lifeson and Geddy Lee at the museum for a live interview with fans. Submit your questions for the fan Q&A below.

Posted by Rock & Roll Hall of Fame on Saturday, January 19, 2019​

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