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"Alex Lifeson speaks on moving away from his aggressive playing style seen in Rush, embracing a new sound with Envy of None, and his embracement of digital effects."

Exploring the sonic terrain of Alex Lifeson's second album under his prog project, Envy of None, we venture into its auditory dimensions.

"Alex Lifeson, a member of the band Rush, expresses that he has moved away from his past style of...
"Alex Lifeson, a member of the band Rush, expresses that he has moved away from his past style of intense shredding and wild playing. He suggests that numerous individuals on Instagram now possess this knack, and for his new project, Envy of None, he plans to introduce sonic surprises and is committed to utilizing digital plugins."

"Alex Lifeson speaks on moving away from his aggressive playing style seen in Rush, embracing a new sound with Envy of None, and his embracement of digital effects."

In the world of rock music, the name Alex Lifeson is synonymous with Rush, the legendary Canadian band he was a part of for nearly five decades. However, after the passing of drummer Neil Peart in 2020, Lifeson sought a fresh creative outlet, leading to the formation of Envy of None.

This new band, which made its debut in 2022, is a collaboration between Lifeson, Andy Curran of Coney Hatch, producer/engineer Alfio Annibalini, and singer Maiah Wynne. The band's unique sound, a blend of prog and pop with ethereal vocals, was showcased on their debut album, "Stygian Wavz," released earlier this year via Kscope.

Lifeson, known for his versatile guitar skills, used a variety of instruments for the album. His arsenal included Martins, Gibsons, Larrivées, a PRS Angelus, a mandola, an oud, a Multi Oud Encore Nylon, two 335s, a Rickenbacker 12-string, two Les Pauls, a good old reliable '57 Tele, and a Godin [Lerxst] Limelight. He also employed effects such as his Electro-Harmonix Electric Mistress, various plug-in effects, a Big Muff, a Boss OC-2 Octaver, and other wilder and crazier effects to create the distinctive sound of Envy of None.

The band's formation was somewhat unexpected. Lifeson was initially asked by Curran to put some guitars on some of Curran's work. This collaboration led to the creation of "Stygian Wavz," with Lifeson being particularly impressed by Wynne's voice. He decided to redo all the guitars on the song "Liar," which is on the first record, and work more closely with her.

Wynne, a contestant in a talent contest that Curran was judging, approached him to work on a song together after being impressed by his background. One of the songs Lifeson worked on was "Liar," which Curran sent back to Lifeson after Wynne added her vocals.

Envy of None has gained a high profile since the release of their debut album. The band, which uses two amps in Lifeson's studio—a Bogner and a Mesa/Boogie Mark V—has also employed plug-ins and UAFX amp pedals, such as the Dream ['65 Reverb Amplifier], the Enigmatic ['82 Overdrive Special Amp], and the Lion ['68 Super Lead Amp].

While the band has discussed the possibility of touring the new album, they have never played together. This would involve a lot of work, as they would need to put together a set from the two albums. Despite this, Envy of None represents a new chapter in Lifeson's career, combining his guitar artistry with contributions from collaborators he chose to work alongside post-Rush.

[1] Guitarist magazine [2] Interview with Alex Lifeson [3] Maiah Wynne's talent contest [4] Andy Curran's background

  1. Alex Lifeson, known for his work with Rush, showcases his versatile skills on various guitars, including Martins, Gibsons, Larrivées, a PRS Angelus, a mandola, an oud, a Multi Oud Encore Nylon, two 335s, a Rickenbacker 12-string, two Les Pauls, a good old reliable '57 Tele, and a Godin [Lerxst] Limelight.
  2. He also employs effects such as his Electro-Harmonix Electric Mistress, various plug-in effects, a Big Muff, a Boss OC-2 Octaver, and other wilder and crazier effects to create the distinctive sound of Envy of None.
  3. The band, which uses two amps in Lifeson's studio—a Bogner and a Mesa/Boogie Mark V—has also employed plug-ins and UAFX amp pedals, such as the Dream ['65 Reverb Amplifier], the Enigmatic ['82 Overdrive Special Amp], and the Lion ['68 Super Lead Amp].
  4. Lifeson was initially asked by Andy Curran to put some guitars on some of Curran's work, leading to the creation of Envy of None.
  5. Maiah Wynne, who was a contestant in a talent contest that Curran was judging, approached him to work on a song together.
  6. One of the songs Lifeson worked on was "Liar," which Curran sent back to Lifeson after Wynne added her vocals.
  7. Lifeson, being particularly impressed by Wynne's voice, decided to redo all the guitars on the song "Liar," which is on the first record, and work more closely with her.
  8. Envy of None, a blend of prog and pop with ethereal vocals, uses effects pedals, guitars, and amps to create their unique sound, representing a new chapter in Lifeson's career after Rush.

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