Derived from the recording sessions for Geddy Lee’s inaugural solo album, “My Favorite Headache”, both “Gone” and “I Am…You Are” have emerged as previously unreleased tracks
These compositions have undergone fresh mixing and mastering by David Bottrill, the same producer/engineer renowned for the 2013 remix of RUSH‘s 2002 album “Vapor Trails“.
Geddy Lee expresses his enthusiasm for the release of these “lost demos,” emphasizing his enduring affection for the songs. Lee remarks, “I loved the songs when they were written, and in some ways, they feel as fresh and perhaps more relevant all these years later.” Shedding light on the origin of Gone, Lee reveals that it was initially penned shortly after the tragic passing of Selena, the daughter of the late RUSH drummer Neil Peart, in 1997.
“It was the first song we wrote for My Favourite Headache,” says Lee. “We demoed it, but it just felt – it was beautiful – but I felt it was too raw. It was too close to the bone. I didn’t think it was appropriate to release it, out of respect for Neil and the way he was. I didn’t feel it was right. So we shelved it.
“And the other one was a song that we had left sort of incomplete, but most of it had been recorded. It was called I Am… You Are, and it was about relationships. And it’s about me in the midst of a difficult conversation with my wife, which happened more than once in my life.”
This unveiling of “Gone” and “I Am… You Are” coincides with a bustling period for Geddy Lee. His upcoming journey to Europe for the UK leg of the In Conversation series is marked by readings from his recently published autobiography, My Effin’ Life, and engaging Q&A sessions.
Additionally, Lee hosts Geddy Lee Asks: Are Bass Players Human Too?, a captivating series delving into the lives of notable bassists like METALLICA‘s Robert Trujillo, former NIRVANA bassist Krist Novoselic, PRIMUS bassist/vocalist Les Claypool, and former HOLE/SMASHING PUMPKINS bassist Melissa Auf der Maur, set to premiere on Paramount+ this week.