1 00:00:00,440 --> 00:00:03,000 Speaker 1: Taking a walk, and you're never finished, you know, so 2 00:00:03,120 --> 00:00:07,000 Speaker 1: long as you have the spirits and the passion and 3 00:00:07,240 --> 00:00:09,440 Speaker 1: whatever it is that you're doing, you're not dead yet. 4 00:00:09,720 --> 00:00:13,080 Speaker 1: You can treat it like it's a new day every day. 5 00:00:13,280 --> 00:00:16,960 Speaker 2: Welcome to the Taking a Walk Podcast hosted by Buzz Night, 6 00:00:17,480 --> 00:00:20,320 Speaker 2: the show where Buzz speaks with some of music's greatest 7 00:00:20,400 --> 00:00:24,880 Speaker 2: legends about their music, their influences, and their latest work. 8 00:00:25,520 --> 00:00:28,560 Speaker 2: His guest today is the great Alex Lifson from the 9 00:00:28,600 --> 00:00:31,960 Speaker 2: band Rush. Alex his new music out with his band 10 00:00:32,360 --> 00:00:36,720 Speaker 2: Envy of None, called Stygian Waves. You'll hear the inside 11 00:00:36,760 --> 00:00:39,400 Speaker 2: story of his new music, along with some stories from 12 00:00:39,440 --> 00:00:43,880 Speaker 2: his amazing days with the Canadian power trio Rush. Buzz 13 00:00:44,000 --> 00:00:47,360 Speaker 2: Night is joined by Alex Leifson on the Taking a 14 00:00:47,400 --> 00:00:49,440 Speaker 2: Walk Podcast right now. 15 00:00:51,159 --> 00:00:54,400 Speaker 3: So, Alex, welcome to Taking a Walk. It's such an honor. 16 00:00:54,440 --> 00:00:57,720 Speaker 3: We're going to talk about your new music from Envy 17 00:00:57,720 --> 00:01:01,880 Speaker 3: of None. We might touch on this little power trio 18 00:01:02,440 --> 00:01:06,319 Speaker 3: name Rush as well in your career. But since the 19 00:01:06,360 --> 00:01:09,320 Speaker 3: podcast is called Taking a Walk, I did want to 20 00:01:09,360 --> 00:01:12,840 Speaker 3: ask you if you could take a walk with someone 21 00:01:13,280 --> 00:01:17,080 Speaker 3: living or dead could be involved with music, doesn't have 22 00:01:17,160 --> 00:01:20,080 Speaker 3: to be Is there someone you would like to take 23 00:01:20,080 --> 00:01:22,520 Speaker 3: a walk with and where would you take a walk 24 00:01:22,520 --> 00:01:22,880 Speaker 3: with him? 25 00:01:23,720 --> 00:01:25,480 Speaker 1: I would love to take a walk with my dad. 26 00:01:27,200 --> 00:01:32,720 Speaker 1: My dad died twenty one years ago, but I think 27 00:01:32,760 --> 00:01:36,839 Speaker 1: of him often, as we do when we've lost a parent, 28 00:01:37,600 --> 00:01:42,200 Speaker 1: and I would love to ask him if I did, okay, Dad, 29 00:01:44,240 --> 00:01:46,440 Speaker 1: if I if I became the man you hoped I 30 00:01:46,440 --> 00:01:50,080 Speaker 1: would become and did the things that make a difference 31 00:01:50,120 --> 00:01:53,200 Speaker 1: in the world. And I think he'd be proud of me. 32 00:01:54,040 --> 00:01:56,720 Speaker 3: I dare say he would for sure, because you have 33 00:01:56,840 --> 00:02:00,920 Speaker 3: made a difference and you're still making a difference, and 34 00:02:00,360 --> 00:02:04,160 Speaker 3: the beauty of the music that you continue to give 35 00:02:04,240 --> 00:02:08,880 Speaker 3: us is amazing. So thank you, thank you, thank you. 36 00:02:10,280 --> 00:02:14,800 Speaker 3: Can you talk about the earliest guitar influences and how 37 00:02:14,840 --> 00:02:18,880 Speaker 3: they shaped your playing style? And by the way, thank 38 00:02:18,919 --> 00:02:22,520 Speaker 3: you for gracing us with the wonderful wall of guitars 39 00:02:22,560 --> 00:02:23,680 Speaker 3: back there. It's amazing. 40 00:02:25,080 --> 00:02:32,880 Speaker 1: It's my toolbox, you know. I started seriously listening to 41 00:02:33,040 --> 00:02:35,560 Speaker 1: music when I was probably about ten or eleven years old. 42 00:02:36,520 --> 00:02:39,160 Speaker 1: I got my first guitar when I was twelve. 43 00:02:39,200 --> 00:02:39,600 Speaker 2: It was. 44 00:02:41,080 --> 00:02:44,120 Speaker 1: A Kent my parents paid five dollars for it was 45 00:02:44,320 --> 00:02:50,800 Speaker 1: an acoustic guitar. A year later, I begged for an 46 00:02:50,840 --> 00:02:53,480 Speaker 1: electric guitar and I got a Canora, which was fifty 47 00:02:53,560 --> 00:02:57,000 Speaker 1: nine dollars. That was a really big move. It was just, 48 00:02:57,600 --> 00:03:00,720 Speaker 1: you know, obviously an expensive Japanese guitar, but I loved 49 00:03:00,720 --> 00:03:03,520 Speaker 1: it at night. I have it here in my Iraq. Actually, 50 00:03:03,520 --> 00:03:06,799 Speaker 1: on the other side, I had it refurbished and it's 51 00:03:06,800 --> 00:03:09,560 Speaker 1: back to its original But for me, the influences that 52 00:03:09,639 --> 00:03:12,560 Speaker 1: I listened to in the very beginning, where you know, 53 00:03:12,639 --> 00:03:15,560 Speaker 1: I listened to the Beach Boys, listened to the Stones. 54 00:03:16,000 --> 00:03:18,160 Speaker 1: I was not a big Beatles fan, but I did 55 00:03:18,320 --> 00:03:24,560 Speaker 1: like the variety in George Harrison's playing. Always great sounds 56 00:03:24,639 --> 00:03:28,239 Speaker 1: that they had. But of course it all changed when 57 00:03:28,360 --> 00:03:32,560 Speaker 1: Jimmy Hendrix arrived. And I remember clearly being in John 58 00:03:32,880 --> 00:03:36,160 Speaker 1: Retzi's he was our original drummers in his basement with 59 00:03:36,280 --> 00:03:39,560 Speaker 1: his brothers when we first got that Are You Experienced album? 60 00:03:39,600 --> 00:03:41,800 Speaker 1: Put it on and we were speechless. No one made 61 00:03:41,800 --> 00:03:45,040 Speaker 1: a sound through the whole thing. We were just so 62 00:03:45,320 --> 00:03:49,600 Speaker 1: shocked and blown away by what we were hearing. Jimmy 63 00:03:49,600 --> 00:03:51,640 Speaker 1: Henderson was not a direct influence on me, but he 64 00:03:51,760 --> 00:03:56,520 Speaker 1: was certainly his sensibilities made a big impression on me. 65 00:03:57,000 --> 00:03:59,800 Speaker 1: I went on to Jeff Beck and Jimmy Page they 66 00:03:59,800 --> 00:04:05,160 Speaker 1: were or Pete Townsend was an enormous influence. I loved 67 00:04:05,160 --> 00:04:08,720 Speaker 1: his rhythm playing and his acoustic playing. And as years 68 00:04:08,720 --> 00:04:11,280 Speaker 1: went on, you know, I listened to a lot of 69 00:04:11,320 --> 00:04:16,720 Speaker 1: different guitar players. Again in the early days, uh Steve 70 00:04:16,800 --> 00:04:21,640 Speaker 1: Howe from Yes and uh Steve Hackett from Genesis. So 71 00:04:22,040 --> 00:04:24,080 Speaker 1: there's been a long line, but those few in the 72 00:04:24,160 --> 00:04:27,120 Speaker 1: very beginning, we were very, very impactful for me. 73 00:04:27,839 --> 00:04:32,279 Speaker 3: I've heard you discuss the the science of guitar constructions, 74 00:04:32,400 --> 00:04:37,359 Speaker 3: such as the the nuances of a solid body versus 75 00:04:37,680 --> 00:04:43,240 Speaker 3: a hollow body. Who helped grow your you know, immense 76 00:04:43,839 --> 00:04:47,240 Speaker 3: curiosity to this day of the instrument. And can you 77 00:04:47,320 --> 00:04:52,200 Speaker 3: talk about how, maybe over some instances you have reworked 78 00:04:52,240 --> 00:04:54,920 Speaker 3: some guitars to suit your very needs. 79 00:04:57,080 --> 00:04:58,919 Speaker 1: Yeah, you know, the stuff that I'm doing now with 80 00:04:59,040 --> 00:05:04,719 Speaker 1: envy of non I go, you know, I, you know, 81 00:05:04,760 --> 00:05:06,279 Speaker 1: I spin a round in my seat and I look 82 00:05:06,320 --> 00:05:09,080 Speaker 1: and I sort of look at the wall, and I go, okay, yeah, 83 00:05:09,120 --> 00:05:11,600 Speaker 1: that one's going to work on this song. So I 84 00:05:11,640 --> 00:05:15,680 Speaker 1: start there. I've always been kind of a bit of 85 00:05:15,680 --> 00:05:21,800 Speaker 1: a technical person. I don't know if I've learned a 86 00:05:21,839 --> 00:05:26,360 Speaker 1: lot directly from other guitar players or any specific guitar player. 87 00:05:27,320 --> 00:05:33,120 Speaker 1: I've always been intrigued by effects and how to manipulate 88 00:05:33,160 --> 00:05:34,640 Speaker 1: them and how to get the most out of them. 89 00:05:34,960 --> 00:05:37,479 Speaker 1: The stuff that I'm doing with Envy of None is 90 00:05:37,520 --> 00:05:40,320 Speaker 1: quite a departure from the stuff that Alex Slipston did 91 00:05:40,320 --> 00:05:44,159 Speaker 1: with Rush. It's a very different palette and I get 92 00:05:44,200 --> 00:05:47,919 Speaker 1: to make or create sounds that are not guitar like 93 00:05:48,200 --> 00:05:51,200 Speaker 1: on a guitar The first album was probably seventy percent 94 00:05:52,800 --> 00:05:56,640 Speaker 1: like that, where I made an effort to really create 95 00:05:56,720 --> 00:06:02,080 Speaker 1: sounds that were on guitar like unlike anything, and I 96 00:06:02,160 --> 00:06:08,560 Speaker 1: really enjoy that experiment. It's challenging, it's gratifying when you 97 00:06:08,720 --> 00:06:11,320 Speaker 1: when you're successful with it and you do some good 98 00:06:11,320 --> 00:06:14,880 Speaker 1: stuff and create some great sounds, And that's really kind 99 00:06:14,880 --> 00:06:17,159 Speaker 1: of where my head's at. I've always been inside the 100 00:06:17,200 --> 00:06:21,359 Speaker 1: instrument because I have such a background. I've been playing 101 00:06:21,360 --> 00:06:26,920 Speaker 1: since I was twelve years old, so over fifty years. 102 00:06:25,480 --> 00:06:29,920 Speaker 1: I understand what the difference is between a solid body 103 00:06:29,960 --> 00:06:36,280 Speaker 1: and a holibody, the tonality, the riz and strings and 104 00:06:36,320 --> 00:06:40,400 Speaker 1: how it's projected in the body, or whether it's a 105 00:06:40,440 --> 00:06:43,840 Speaker 1: solid body or a holl of body. It's just it's 106 00:06:43,839 --> 00:06:46,320 Speaker 1: always been a fascination for me, and I play every day. 107 00:06:46,400 --> 00:06:49,560 Speaker 1: I probably play a few hours a day, and I 108 00:06:49,600 --> 00:06:53,080 Speaker 1: always reserve an hour before I go to bed to play. 109 00:06:53,160 --> 00:06:55,720 Speaker 1: I keep a couple acoustic guitars in my bedroom and 110 00:06:55,760 --> 00:06:57,280 Speaker 1: it's the first thing I do when I walk into 111 00:06:57,279 --> 00:06:58,880 Speaker 1: that room before going to bed, as I play for 112 00:06:58,920 --> 00:07:01,960 Speaker 1: an hour, so I'm in a really good space. Guitar wiss. 113 00:07:02,800 --> 00:07:06,839 Speaker 3: You know Russia's evolution over the years from album to 114 00:07:06,960 --> 00:07:12,560 Speaker 3: album as a fan, it really always kept me really 115 00:07:12,720 --> 00:07:17,080 Speaker 3: thirsty for, you know, the band's next great moment. I 116 00:07:17,120 --> 00:07:19,560 Speaker 3: was hoping we could jump across a few album to 117 00:07:19,640 --> 00:07:22,960 Speaker 3: album periods and kind of get your reflection on what 118 00:07:23,160 --> 00:07:26,440 Speaker 3: changed from from one to the other in that in 119 00:07:26,480 --> 00:07:31,280 Speaker 3: the terms of that evolution, if that's okay, first of all, 120 00:07:31,320 --> 00:07:37,280 Speaker 3: from Hemisphere to Permanent Waves, what was going on and 121 00:07:37,360 --> 00:07:40,559 Speaker 3: evolving in your mind and in the band's mind. 122 00:07:40,600 --> 00:07:44,840 Speaker 1: Then Hemispheers was a very challenging record to make. We 123 00:07:44,880 --> 00:07:48,440 Speaker 1: wanted to make one last attempt, or take one last 124 00:07:48,440 --> 00:07:52,760 Speaker 1: attempt at doing a concept record, much like twenty one 125 00:07:52,800 --> 00:07:56,760 Speaker 1: to twelve was. You know, we always were conceptual in 126 00:07:56,800 --> 00:07:59,360 Speaker 1: the way we put records together. They were always thematic 127 00:07:59,400 --> 00:08:03,840 Speaker 1: in terms of Neil's writing, they were always thematic with hemispheres. 128 00:08:04,040 --> 00:08:08,400 Speaker 1: We wanted to do that and really make it a 129 00:08:08,560 --> 00:08:12,320 Speaker 1: powerful concept piece, but it was very, very difficult. The 130 00:08:13,440 --> 00:08:16,120 Speaker 1: key that we chose to work in was a key 131 00:08:16,120 --> 00:08:18,160 Speaker 1: that was just outside of Getty's range, so it was 132 00:08:18,240 --> 00:08:21,760 Speaker 1: really difficult for him to do the vocals, and he 133 00:08:21,800 --> 00:08:25,280 Speaker 1: spent a great deal of time doing that. It was 134 00:08:25,440 --> 00:08:28,960 Speaker 1: quite an effort on his part. Once the record was finished, 135 00:08:29,000 --> 00:08:32,680 Speaker 1: we toured it. We really wanted to take a break 136 00:08:32,720 --> 00:08:35,600 Speaker 1: and reinvent or not reinvent ourselves, but just move forward. 137 00:08:35,640 --> 00:08:35,760 Speaker 2: You know. 138 00:08:35,800 --> 00:08:37,760 Speaker 1: We were always very progressive in the way we tried 139 00:08:37,800 --> 00:08:41,319 Speaker 1: to do things, and when we started writing the material 140 00:08:41,480 --> 00:08:47,520 Speaker 1: for Permanent Waves, it seemed to be quite It was fresher, 141 00:08:47,640 --> 00:08:52,240 Speaker 1: and the songs in general were shorter and more kind 142 00:08:52,280 --> 00:08:57,000 Speaker 1: of impactful and pointed, and that was really a departure 143 00:08:57,080 --> 00:09:02,280 Speaker 1: for us, and it was really the precursor for movie pictures. 144 00:09:02,320 --> 00:09:03,880 Speaker 1: You know, I don't know if we would have made 145 00:09:03,880 --> 00:09:06,440 Speaker 1: but we could just if we hadn't made that record. 146 00:09:07,160 --> 00:09:09,760 Speaker 1: You know, great memories of those two records, and things 147 00:09:09,760 --> 00:09:13,480 Speaker 1: were changing, you know, music was changing. We were always 148 00:09:13,920 --> 00:09:15,720 Speaker 1: had a finger on the pulse of what was happening 149 00:09:15,760 --> 00:09:18,760 Speaker 1: around us, and we used to say we were We 150 00:09:18,760 --> 00:09:21,200 Speaker 1: were never in the mainstream, but we were sort of 151 00:09:21,240 --> 00:09:23,040 Speaker 1: on the bank, walking along with it. 152 00:09:23,720 --> 00:09:27,160 Speaker 3: What was going on. From Signals to Grace under Pressure, 153 00:09:27,800 --> 00:09:29,960 Speaker 3: that was another amazing evolution. 154 00:09:31,840 --> 00:09:35,520 Speaker 1: Signals also was a bit of a difficult record to make. 155 00:09:37,080 --> 00:09:41,960 Speaker 1: We struggled with mixing that record. We thought that perhaps 156 00:09:42,040 --> 00:09:45,480 Speaker 1: this was the time for us to look at different producers, 157 00:09:45,520 --> 00:09:47,400 Speaker 1: working with different people. We'd worked with Harry for a 158 00:09:47,480 --> 00:09:52,040 Speaker 1: lot of records it loved him and had such a 159 00:09:52,040 --> 00:09:55,520 Speaker 1: great time making records with them, great results. We felt 160 00:09:55,559 --> 00:09:59,480 Speaker 1: if we didn't, you know, take that leap at that time, 161 00:09:59,520 --> 00:10:00,800 Speaker 1: that we were I ever going to know what it 162 00:10:00,840 --> 00:10:02,760 Speaker 1: was like to work with someone else and what their 163 00:10:02,800 --> 00:10:05,480 Speaker 1: influence might be on the work that we were doing. 164 00:10:06,200 --> 00:10:09,920 Speaker 1: So we decided to work with a different co producer, 165 00:10:10,640 --> 00:10:15,599 Speaker 1: Peter Henderson on Grace and then that was full of 166 00:10:15,640 --> 00:10:20,720 Speaker 1: its own set of promise. That was also a difficult 167 00:10:21,600 --> 00:10:23,439 Speaker 1: record to make. We were in Quebec in the winter 168 00:10:23,440 --> 00:10:26,720 Speaker 1: and it was minus forties for weeks when we were 169 00:10:26,800 --> 00:10:29,200 Speaker 1: up there, and we made the best of it, but 170 00:10:29,480 --> 00:10:33,160 Speaker 1: we found that we had to work a lot harder 171 00:10:33,200 --> 00:10:40,160 Speaker 1: on that record as producers, and Peter was more of 172 00:10:40,200 --> 00:10:43,160 Speaker 1: a great engineer to work with, but when it came 173 00:10:43,200 --> 00:10:47,040 Speaker 1: to making decisions about production, he was not quite up 174 00:10:47,080 --> 00:10:47,520 Speaker 1: to snuff. 175 00:10:48,480 --> 00:10:52,079 Speaker 3: So the Envy of None, the new project, Stitchy in Waves, 176 00:10:52,320 --> 00:10:56,560 Speaker 3: the excitement of your collaboration really just leaps out of 177 00:10:56,600 --> 00:11:02,120 Speaker 3: the speakers, Alex, it really does. It's bold, it's moody, 178 00:11:02,520 --> 00:11:08,320 Speaker 3: it's unique. The album, you know, follows your twenty twenty 179 00:11:08,320 --> 00:11:11,440 Speaker 3: two self titled debut, and then of course the EP 180 00:11:11,840 --> 00:11:16,679 Speaker 3: as well. Can you first talk about how Envy of 181 00:11:16,760 --> 00:11:18,120 Speaker 3: Nune first came together. 182 00:11:19,120 --> 00:11:22,880 Speaker 1: Sure, it's kind of a cool story. We were, you know, 183 00:11:23,000 --> 00:11:26,680 Speaker 1: Rush finished in twenty fifteen, the last tour, and I 184 00:11:26,760 --> 00:11:28,880 Speaker 1: just kind of hung out, you know, I was taking 185 00:11:28,920 --> 00:11:32,920 Speaker 1: time off, I wasn't playing a whole lot, but I 186 00:11:32,920 --> 00:11:37,520 Speaker 1: didn't completely abandon it. I don't know, probably about eight 187 00:11:37,559 --> 00:11:41,040 Speaker 1: months later, sometime in twenty sixteen, Andy Current approached me. 188 00:11:41,040 --> 00:11:43,040 Speaker 1: And I've known Andy for over forty years and he 189 00:11:43,120 --> 00:11:45,520 Speaker 1: worked in our office for twelve years, so you know, 190 00:11:45,559 --> 00:11:48,600 Speaker 1: we were very close. And he played in Cony Hatch, 191 00:11:48,920 --> 00:11:52,000 Speaker 1: you know, a quite well known big hair band in Canada, 192 00:11:52,720 --> 00:11:56,760 Speaker 1: and he asked me if I would put some guitars on, 193 00:11:56,880 --> 00:11:59,679 Speaker 1: just scratch guitars on some stuff that he was working on. 194 00:12:00,640 --> 00:12:02,920 Speaker 1: And yeah, sure I did that, and I did. I 195 00:12:02,920 --> 00:12:06,200 Speaker 1: did a few songs and they were scratched. I mean, 196 00:12:06,240 --> 00:12:09,440 Speaker 1: I didn't spend a whole lot of time on the sound. 197 00:12:09,600 --> 00:12:13,360 Speaker 1: I just used plugins sent it to him, uh, And 198 00:12:13,400 --> 00:12:16,240 Speaker 1: so it was kind of like enough of a work 199 00:12:16,760 --> 00:12:20,160 Speaker 1: tape for him. He was invited to be a judge 200 00:12:20,160 --> 00:12:23,360 Speaker 1: at a talent contest and Maya Win was one of 201 00:12:23,400 --> 00:12:27,000 Speaker 1: the contestants, one of one of his contestants, and he 202 00:12:27,000 --> 00:12:28,600 Speaker 1: said to her, you know you should What you should 203 00:12:28,600 --> 00:12:31,480 Speaker 1: do is as advice. What you should do is work 204 00:12:31,520 --> 00:12:34,920 Speaker 1: with other people, you know, learn more about yourself and 205 00:12:34,960 --> 00:12:39,280 Speaker 1: how you work, and and go from there. And she said, well, Andy, 206 00:12:39,480 --> 00:12:42,400 Speaker 1: I googled you, uh, and I know your background, So 207 00:12:42,400 --> 00:12:44,680 Speaker 1: why don't we work together? And he kind of laughed 208 00:12:44,679 --> 00:12:47,960 Speaker 1: and thought, Yo, that was pretty ballsy, and he said, Okay, 209 00:12:48,200 --> 00:12:50,240 Speaker 1: I'll send you a song that would kind of work 210 00:12:50,800 --> 00:12:54,520 Speaker 1: I'm kind of working on and and see what happens 211 00:12:54,559 --> 00:12:56,920 Speaker 1: we sent that. He sent her the song Liar, which 212 00:12:56,960 --> 00:12:59,959 Speaker 1: was on the first record that we had another fear 213 00:13:00,280 --> 00:13:03,840 Speaker 1: singer sing on with very very different style, and she 214 00:13:03,920 --> 00:13:08,080 Speaker 1: did her vocal sent it back and Andy said to 215 00:13:08,080 --> 00:13:09,560 Speaker 1: me said, you have to you have to hear this. 216 00:13:10,120 --> 00:13:12,360 Speaker 1: I listened to it. I wrote back to him, erase 217 00:13:12,440 --> 00:13:14,480 Speaker 1: everything that I did. I'm going to redo all the 218 00:13:14,480 --> 00:13:18,199 Speaker 1: guitars for real. We have to work with this woman. 219 00:13:18,360 --> 00:13:19,880 Speaker 1: We have to work with this girl. She was only 220 00:13:19,960 --> 00:13:23,440 Speaker 1: nineteen at the time, and I went on to use 221 00:13:23,480 --> 00:13:25,320 Speaker 1: her for another project that I was working on, and 222 00:13:25,320 --> 00:13:28,880 Speaker 1: then we just dove into what became Envy of None. 223 00:13:29,120 --> 00:13:32,920 Speaker 1: And I think that our sophomore record the difference. The 224 00:13:32,920 --> 00:13:36,480 Speaker 1: first one is very cinematic and it's very moody and tonal, 225 00:13:36,559 --> 00:13:40,240 Speaker 1: and but this second one has a lot of funk 226 00:13:40,280 --> 00:13:44,120 Speaker 1: in it. It's also cinematic and has lots of power. 227 00:13:45,000 --> 00:13:49,200 Speaker 1: But I think we are more of a unified band, 228 00:13:49,520 --> 00:13:51,400 Speaker 1: for lack of a better term. The first record, I 229 00:13:51,400 --> 00:13:53,920 Speaker 1: always said, you know, we're just four musicians getting together 230 00:13:54,360 --> 00:13:58,199 Speaker 1: to make music. But this second album, I think it's 231 00:13:58,679 --> 00:14:02,880 Speaker 1: it's indicative of the unity that we feel and the 232 00:14:02,920 --> 00:14:06,880 Speaker 1: closeness that we feel as friends and as writers. 233 00:14:07,360 --> 00:14:11,960 Speaker 3: Yeah, there's obviously this great spirit of joyous collaboration, and 234 00:14:12,040 --> 00:14:15,400 Speaker 3: you know, each of you challenging each other in a 235 00:14:15,440 --> 00:14:19,200 Speaker 3: wonderful way. And I mean, look, it's I give the 236 00:14:19,240 --> 00:14:23,240 Speaker 3: great you know, progressive rock alert for everybody on this, 237 00:14:23,400 --> 00:14:26,960 Speaker 3: but it's not just that. It goes beyond progressive rock, 238 00:14:27,040 --> 00:14:29,880 Speaker 3: which I love it. So I wanted to highlight some 239 00:14:29,960 --> 00:14:34,720 Speaker 3: of the songs in particular. First of all, the song 240 00:14:35,280 --> 00:14:41,240 Speaker 3: not Dead Yet, which is pretty amazing and powerful. I 241 00:14:41,280 --> 00:14:44,760 Speaker 3: see it as a look at agism and women in 242 00:14:44,840 --> 00:14:50,280 Speaker 3: the business and maybe in some regard, a mysterious poke 243 00:14:50,360 --> 00:14:54,960 Speaker 3: in the eye to the unfortunate reality in the world. 244 00:14:55,440 --> 00:14:56,840 Speaker 3: Do you want to talk about that song? 245 00:14:57,640 --> 00:15:02,520 Speaker 1: Yeah, you know, and started working on that song lyrically, 246 00:15:03,120 --> 00:15:10,400 Speaker 1: as you know, a voice that you're never finished, you know, 247 00:15:10,600 --> 00:15:14,040 Speaker 1: so long as you have the spirit and the passion 248 00:15:14,680 --> 00:15:17,080 Speaker 1: and whatever it is that you're doing, you're not dead yet. 249 00:15:17,440 --> 00:15:20,800 Speaker 1: You can treat it like it's a new day every day. 250 00:15:21,680 --> 00:15:25,920 Speaker 1: When a Maya got it, she looked at it more 251 00:15:26,000 --> 00:15:28,680 Speaker 1: from a female's point of view. She understood where we 252 00:15:28,680 --> 00:15:30,680 Speaker 1: were coming from with it, and then she brought that 253 00:15:30,800 --> 00:15:34,000 Speaker 1: slant to it about a woman, particularly in the industry, 254 00:15:34,760 --> 00:15:37,360 Speaker 1: has a lot to say and it's a man's world 255 00:15:37,640 --> 00:15:41,720 Speaker 1: at times. It can be very, very different difficult. Yeah, 256 00:15:41,880 --> 00:15:44,400 Speaker 1: you know, it's it's never over and I can just 257 00:15:44,440 --> 00:15:48,440 Speaker 1: speaking for myself, I just feel rejuvenated. This is a 258 00:15:48,480 --> 00:15:51,280 Speaker 1: renaissance for me working on this material. I had some 259 00:15:51,320 --> 00:15:53,440 Speaker 1: health issues for the last couple of years, and I 260 00:15:53,480 --> 00:15:57,080 Speaker 1: went to a clinic and Ousta called Viva Meyer m 261 00:15:57,160 --> 00:16:01,240 Speaker 1: A White, and I had an amazing experience and I 262 00:16:01,280 --> 00:16:05,280 Speaker 1: came I left there a changed person. I learned how 263 00:16:05,280 --> 00:16:07,360 Speaker 1: to eat properly. I learned how to deal with the 264 00:16:07,760 --> 00:16:11,240 Speaker 1: problems that I have that are chronic and a way 265 00:16:11,280 --> 00:16:13,720 Speaker 1: to live with it. And I feel like I'm not 266 00:16:13,800 --> 00:16:15,400 Speaker 1: even close to being dead yet. 267 00:16:16,280 --> 00:16:21,800 Speaker 3: Amazing, amazing. Another one I love is the story. What 268 00:16:21,960 --> 00:16:27,600 Speaker 3: a great vibe to that one. Maya's vocals I think 269 00:16:28,080 --> 00:16:31,560 Speaker 3: are hints a bit of Amy Man but also of 270 00:16:31,880 --> 00:16:35,680 Speaker 3: Amy Lee from Evan Essence. I mean, they're really cool. 271 00:16:36,400 --> 00:16:38,320 Speaker 3: Can you talk about the story. 272 00:16:38,960 --> 00:16:44,840 Speaker 1: Yeah, story was primarily from Maya. It's you know, obviously 273 00:16:46,800 --> 00:16:52,240 Speaker 1: Maya's gone through a lot. She's during the recording of 274 00:16:52,280 --> 00:16:55,040 Speaker 1: this project, she went to India for a month. She 275 00:16:55,360 --> 00:17:01,000 Speaker 1: went as a chaperom for a adolescent you know thing 276 00:17:01,640 --> 00:17:08,200 Speaker 1: northern India, and it was it was an inspiring trip 277 00:17:08,240 --> 00:17:14,200 Speaker 1: for her. You know, she's had issues with a lot 278 00:17:14,200 --> 00:17:17,960 Speaker 1: of different things, and she's survived them and she's come 279 00:17:18,040 --> 00:17:21,480 Speaker 1: out of them glowing. You know, since she did this 280 00:17:21,560 --> 00:17:25,159 Speaker 1: trip and since we made the record and she rearranged 281 00:17:25,160 --> 00:17:28,600 Speaker 1: things in her life and got things sorted out. I 282 00:17:28,640 --> 00:17:30,800 Speaker 1: think what she was getting at with that song is, 283 00:17:31,440 --> 00:17:34,080 Speaker 1: you know, you want to be so good. I don't 284 00:17:34,160 --> 00:17:36,400 Speaker 1: mean good in a nice way. You just you want 285 00:17:36,440 --> 00:17:38,960 Speaker 1: to be good at everything, and you want to feel 286 00:17:38,960 --> 00:17:41,000 Speaker 1: good about yourself, and you want to be positive and 287 00:17:41,040 --> 00:17:45,080 Speaker 1: do the right things. And there's something in us that sabotages. 288 00:17:45,119 --> 00:17:47,280 Speaker 1: That's that little devil that sits on your shoulder that 289 00:17:47,760 --> 00:17:52,679 Speaker 1: sabotages you know, your your best intentions. And she wanted 290 00:17:52,720 --> 00:17:55,560 Speaker 1: to speak about that. But it's really one of my 291 00:17:55,600 --> 00:17:57,679 Speaker 1: favorite songs, and I get the solo on it. You know, 292 00:17:57,720 --> 00:18:00,720 Speaker 1: I've avoided playing solos because I don't want solos to 293 00:18:00,760 --> 00:18:05,639 Speaker 1: seem like a show off thing where I'm there in 294 00:18:05,680 --> 00:18:07,320 Speaker 1: the service of the song. But it was nice to 295 00:18:07,359 --> 00:18:09,760 Speaker 1: be able to play some solos on these records where 296 00:18:09,800 --> 00:18:14,240 Speaker 1: I thought they could be tastefully implemented to service the 297 00:18:14,280 --> 00:18:20,000 Speaker 1: song in the best way. So that song is really 298 00:18:20,000 --> 00:18:22,119 Speaker 1: a high point for me because I think that solo 299 00:18:22,600 --> 00:18:26,480 Speaker 1: really says a lot about the song, and it's really 300 00:18:26,520 --> 00:18:30,359 Speaker 1: the follow up part of that song after the solo 301 00:18:30,560 --> 00:18:34,960 Speaker 1: where we really drive the point home that's the most 302 00:18:35,000 --> 00:18:35,720 Speaker 1: powerful for me. 303 00:18:36,640 --> 00:18:40,199 Speaker 3: And then the title tracks Digion Waves, which is just 304 00:18:40,320 --> 00:18:48,920 Speaker 3: so big and cinematic and just quintessential. Talk about that 305 00:18:48,960 --> 00:18:49,600 Speaker 3: one as well. 306 00:18:50,359 --> 00:18:53,159 Speaker 1: Dijon Waves was the last song that we worked on, 307 00:18:54,280 --> 00:18:58,560 Speaker 1: and earlier on it was gonna be another song, and 308 00:18:58,560 --> 00:19:01,280 Speaker 1: then we decided that maybe we'll just treat it as 309 00:19:01,280 --> 00:19:05,159 Speaker 1: an instrumental and when Maya heard that, she said, great, 310 00:19:05,280 --> 00:19:09,280 Speaker 1: I'd like to really let loose a bit for her 311 00:19:10,160 --> 00:19:12,199 Speaker 1: and just do vocalizations in it. You know, there's a 312 00:19:12,200 --> 00:19:14,880 Speaker 1: little bit of a line that she picked up from 313 00:19:14,920 --> 00:19:17,920 Speaker 1: her trip to India, but other than that, it's just vocalizations. 314 00:19:18,320 --> 00:19:20,639 Speaker 1: And Maya, I got to tell you, when she delivers 315 00:19:20,840 --> 00:19:23,719 Speaker 1: vocal tracks, it's not like five tracks with a vocal 316 00:19:23,760 --> 00:19:27,080 Speaker 1: and a double and two or three harmonies. She sends 317 00:19:27,359 --> 00:19:32,200 Speaker 1: twenty or twenty five tracks of the most incredible stuff. 318 00:19:32,280 --> 00:19:35,760 Speaker 1: Everything is fully produced, so all the effects are on it. 319 00:19:35,760 --> 00:19:40,480 Speaker 1: It's exactly the way she hears it, and it is astounding. 320 00:19:40,640 --> 00:19:45,840 Speaker 1: I mean, honestly, she's she's bordering on genius at times 321 00:19:45,920 --> 00:19:48,480 Speaker 1: with this record, and it is just such a great, 322 00:19:49,280 --> 00:19:52,600 Speaker 1: great thing to work with her. We dance together, and 323 00:19:52,600 --> 00:19:57,000 Speaker 1: that's one song where we really danced well together. It 324 00:19:57,000 --> 00:20:03,199 Speaker 1: has flavors of for trippern in Middle Eastern flavors, heavy industrial, 325 00:20:03,600 --> 00:20:05,920 Speaker 1: like a lot of things. It's a very active song, 326 00:20:06,040 --> 00:20:08,480 Speaker 1: lots of stuff going on, and melody's going on is 327 00:20:08,480 --> 00:20:11,919 Speaker 1: whipping around and power, and it was really a great 328 00:20:11,960 --> 00:20:16,000 Speaker 1: way to finish the record. And like the Stygian Waves 329 00:20:16,640 --> 00:20:21,679 Speaker 1: at the Gates of Hell, it's chaotic, it's turbulent and 330 00:20:21,680 --> 00:20:25,080 Speaker 1: and I think we we did exactly what we wanted 331 00:20:25,119 --> 00:20:27,840 Speaker 1: to do with our closing number with Stigion Waves. 332 00:20:28,800 --> 00:20:32,679 Speaker 3: It's fantastic, it really is. And when I think of 333 00:20:32,760 --> 00:20:36,320 Speaker 3: the future, I know you have worked on some things 334 00:20:36,840 --> 00:20:44,359 Speaker 3: with Andy that have been soundtrack related projects. Is that 335 00:20:44,480 --> 00:20:48,959 Speaker 3: something still in your in your mind to pursue at 336 00:20:49,040 --> 00:20:52,480 Speaker 3: some point? And additionally, I know the band has not 337 00:20:52,640 --> 00:20:58,919 Speaker 3: been seen live on stage. Is there a future out 338 00:20:59,040 --> 00:20:59,960 Speaker 3: on the stage as well? 339 00:21:01,160 --> 00:21:03,399 Speaker 1: Yeah, so Andy and I have done some things together. 340 00:21:03,720 --> 00:21:08,440 Speaker 1: It's it's a very competitive area of music to get into, 341 00:21:09,200 --> 00:21:12,320 Speaker 1: but it's really a lot of fun and we did 342 00:21:12,359 --> 00:21:14,280 Speaker 1: a few things. I've done a few things with someone 343 00:21:14,280 --> 00:21:18,359 Speaker 1: else that that is a writer for, you know, that 344 00:21:18,480 --> 00:21:21,320 Speaker 1: sort of work. We're hoping that we can get placement 345 00:21:21,400 --> 00:21:23,360 Speaker 1: with some of these Envy of Nun songs. We did 346 00:21:23,359 --> 00:21:26,920 Speaker 1: get placement on that song Liar on a Netflix series, 347 00:21:27,520 --> 00:21:30,920 Speaker 1: so there's that I would I would like to do it. 348 00:21:30,560 --> 00:21:34,440 Speaker 1: It's great to work to a visual, but right now 349 00:21:34,480 --> 00:21:36,560 Speaker 1: I've been so busy with Envy of Nun and a 350 00:21:36,600 --> 00:21:40,800 Speaker 1: few other projects that I'm working on, so I'm not 351 00:21:40,840 --> 00:21:45,919 Speaker 1: really missing that part so far. And playing live, I 352 00:21:45,960 --> 00:21:48,320 Speaker 1: think we've talked about it. We'd love to do it 353 00:21:48,359 --> 00:21:50,879 Speaker 1: because we think we could put on an amazing evening 354 00:21:50,880 --> 00:21:53,960 Speaker 1: of music. To play the both records in a nice 355 00:21:53,960 --> 00:21:57,160 Speaker 1: hall with a nice pa and light show. It could 356 00:21:57,160 --> 00:22:02,920 Speaker 1: be really a great evening of music. But the logistics 357 00:22:02,920 --> 00:22:06,600 Speaker 1: are not so easy. You know. It's a different industry 358 00:22:06,640 --> 00:22:09,960 Speaker 1: now from the one I grew up in at my 359 00:22:10,119 --> 00:22:13,800 Speaker 1: age at seventy one years old and my history. I'm 360 00:22:13,840 --> 00:22:15,680 Speaker 1: not ready to jump in a van and drive around 361 00:22:15,720 --> 00:22:20,159 Speaker 1: the country playing you know, nightly shows. If there was 362 00:22:20,200 --> 00:22:21,400 Speaker 1: some way to do it where we could go into 363 00:22:21,400 --> 00:22:23,199 Speaker 1: a city and do some multiple shows and maybe a 364 00:22:23,200 --> 00:22:27,160 Speaker 1: couple of cities, that's a possibility. At the same time, 365 00:22:27,240 --> 00:22:31,479 Speaker 1: we're relatively unknown, so to get the interest it's hit 366 00:22:31,560 --> 00:22:33,960 Speaker 1: and missed, and to get a promoter interested, we did 367 00:22:33,960 --> 00:22:36,920 Speaker 1: some numbers. We spoke to our agent and we looked 368 00:22:36,920 --> 00:22:39,199 Speaker 1: at some numbers, and we would only lose thousands of 369 00:22:39,240 --> 00:22:44,280 Speaker 1: dollars by doing something like a live show. So until 370 00:22:44,320 --> 00:22:46,760 Speaker 1: the conditions are a little bit better, I don't think 371 00:22:46,800 --> 00:22:50,080 Speaker 1: it's possible, but we're certainly interested in doing it. 372 00:22:51,119 --> 00:22:56,000 Speaker 3: I'm so glad your health is well after your trip there, 373 00:22:56,200 --> 00:22:59,880 Speaker 3: and I'm so inspired by you were you know, cre 374 00:23:00,000 --> 00:23:04,520 Speaker 3: creative confidence and happiness with envy of none and it's 375 00:23:04,680 --> 00:23:07,120 Speaker 3: just such a fan of your work. I'm so appreciative 376 00:23:07,160 --> 00:23:08,600 Speaker 3: that you were on Taking a Walk. 377 00:23:08,680 --> 00:23:11,520 Speaker 1: Alex Lifson, thank you so much fun. It's been a pleasure. 378 00:23:12,920 --> 00:23:15,399 Speaker 2: Thanks for listening to this episode of the Taking a 379 00:23:15,440 --> 00:23:19,360 Speaker 2: Walk podcast. Share this and other episodes with your friends 380 00:23:19,440 --> 00:23:22,880 Speaker 2: and follow us so you never miss an episode. Taking 381 00:23:22,960 --> 00:23:26,840 Speaker 2: a Walk is available on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, 382 00:23:27,040 --> 00:23:29,320 Speaker 2: and wherever you get your podcasts.