IE : You ’ ve singled out “ The Garden ” from Clockwork Angels as your own favorite Rush track . Why ? GL : There ’ s just so much of it that reflects the wisdom of a life lived . “ The fullness of time ” is such a beautiful concept and a mature concept . That ’ s not a line you can sing when you ’ re 21 years old , because you have no fucking idea what the fullness of time brings or means . the local bar where he quaffed an inordinate number of beers . All my Blue Jays stuff , I ’ m keeping for my grandson . So , I ’ m not bereft of wonderful baseball articles or memories .
Rush : Neil Peart , Geddy Lee , Alex Lifeston
IE : Shifting topics to baseball : There are amazing items at the Christie ’ s site in your upcoming memorabilia auction . I spotted signatures by Babe Ruth , Mickey Mantle , Willie Mays , Jackie Robinson , Rube Waddell , astronauts , presidents , and more . I was floored by the fully autographed Beatles baseball from 1965 at Shea Stadium . After being such a dedicated collector , how can you part with such important pieces ? GL : Collecting is a younger person ’ s game . As you get older , you ’ re trying to simplify your life , not complicate it even more . I ’ m very bad at that . I appear to have really complicated a part of my life that should be much simpler than it is , but that ’ s my nature . A number of years ago , the fellow who I built my collection with passed on . I really have not bought a significant item [ since then ]. Collections need to be fed , and I was no longer tending to my baseball collection . I was busy buying bass guitars and learning about vintage instruments . So , I just thought , nothing lasts forever . We ’ re just a custodian of these things until we pass them to the next custodian . Let ’ s make these things available that have not been on the market for years , and [ let the collectors ] have at it . I still have a huge collection of baseball ephemera that has meaning to me .
IE : What ’ s an example of a ball that ’ ll never leave your house ? GL : I have a ball from Roy Halladay ’ s no-hitter that I would never sell . He was my favorite pitcher . I have a ball that Randy Johnson gave me from his 300th win . I have the great Bill Lee ’ s uniform that after his friend Rodney Scott was traded from the Expos , he took it off in the locker room and tore it in half in disgust and then marched across the street to
IE : When your book tour nears its conclusion , your TV series Geddy Lee Asks : Are Bass Players Human Too ? will launch . That casts you back in the interviewer role you had when talking to noteworthy folks for the Big Beautiful Book of Bass , and it incorporates your love of travel . That sounds fun , and I have to imagine four episodes won ’ t be the end of it . GL : We ’ ll see where life takes me . I didn ’ t expect to have so much fun doing it . When we finalized that idea , I honestly put it out of my mind because I didn ’ t think anyone would really want to make such a strange show . It appears I was wrong , so then I had to go do it . I had a great time . I had to learn how to be the guy on the other side of the camera . That was a challenge , and I really like doing things I haven ’ t done before . I like breaking ground . It ’ s what makes life interesting .
IE : Last year , you and Alex were introduced as Rush when you joined your friends in Foo Fighters for the Taylor Hawkins tribute concerts in London and Los Angeles . You honored Taylor ’ s memory , and also honored Neil ’ s memory . Apparently , an actual Beatle told you that you ought to continue . How did that conversation with Paul McCartney go ? GL : Paul was just effusive and generous and kind . From the minute we were at rehearsals in London , he wanted to say hello to us . It ’ s not because he knew our music , it ’ s because I think so many people had bugged him saying , “ Have you heard [ Rush ’ s ] music ?” I think he had a great curiosity about us , I think . Being very close with Dave [ Grohl ], he probably heard Dave talk about us . When we did meet , I was so blown away by his candor and his positivity . During the show , I guess he stood beside the stage to watch us . He ’ d been listening to us at rehearsal through the halls , but he came and watched the set , and I guess he just loved it . He
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