Geddy Lee launches the Canadian leg of his Big Beautiful Book Of Bass Tour today, May 22, in Victoria, BC. The Rush legend spoke with Jane Stevenson for the Toronto Sun, and an excerpt from the chat follows:

Q: You’re touring again but in a different way. Do you miss touring with Rush?

Geddy Lee: "I don’t miss leaving (my family). But I miss those three hours on stage with my buddies. That, especially in the last 10 years of touring, was so much fun and so gratifying."

Q: Did you all know that the last show of the R40 tour would be the last ever or was it a wait-and-see situation?

Geddy Lee: "(Drummer) Neil (Peart) insisted that that was his last gig. And you know, Alex (Lifeson) and I would look at each other and go, ‘Yeah, yeah, yeah, he’s just saying that.’ So I think we kind of knew, we should have known, it was the last show. But I think being eternal optimists we hoped that after a break we would be back out there. That never materialized."

Q: Do you see the three recording together going forward or will it be individual projects?

Geddy Lee: "I don’t really know. Alex is turning into this super session guy. He loves playing on other people’s records without the responsibilities of having to write anything other than his solo. I know he’s really digging that. I’ve been doing this project, but we talk, quite a lot. We see each other quite a lot. And we visit with Neil quite often. So we’re all close but I don’t think we would ever do a project — the three of us. It’s certainly possible that Alex and I would do something down the road. I can’t see the three of us ever really doing anything."

Q: You must get approached with Rush ideas all the time?

Geddy Lee: "I get hit up with a lot of ideas on how to keep Rush music out in the public eye, so we listen. But there’s nothing we can announce at this point. But as I said, I’m reluctant to leave my family again. So for me to do another musical project that would involve touring etc., it would have to be something I feel really strongly about. I’m not saying I wouldn’t do it. But I would have to be so charged up about it, it’s worth that separation."

Read more at Toronto Sun.

Event tickets for Geddy's Canadian dates are available now in select markets at Rush.com/geddylee.

One special stop on the tour will be in Calgary where Geddy Lee will open Geddy Lee’s Big Beautiful Bass Exhibition at Studio Bell at The National Music Centre (NMC), highlighting a selection of his rare and iconic bass guitars

Following Geddy Lee’s Big Book of Bass Exhibit at the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland, Studio Bell is hosting the first Canadian exhibit of the artist’s bass guitars, with 26 instruments curated by Lee himself.

Lee has spent years collecting hundreds of vintage bass guitars-a passion which became the inspiration for Geddy Lee’s Big Beautiful Book of Bass. To celebrate the release of his new book, NMC is launching a feature exhibition at Studio Bell that will coincide with Lee’s cross-Canada book tour. NMC will host an exclusive event with Geddy Lee that includes a special Q&A followed by a book signing on May 25th with exhibit opening to the public on May 26, 2019.

“The instruments featured at Studio Bell are a combination of rare vintage basses from the Golden Age of guitar production as well as significant ones that I’ve used throughout my career. Basses that I’ve scoured the world to get my hands on,” said Geddy Lee. “This exhibition gives people a look into the origins and the earliest years of the instrument that help shape popular music … as well as the ones that I’ve lovingly held in my hands for over 40 years as I developed a sound that I could call my own.  It’s the largest display of basses from my personal collection ever and I’m excited to share this with my fans in Canada.”

Visitors will get an up-close look at some of Lee’s guitars from his four decades with Rush, as well as a selection of his historically significant and beautifully crafted collectors’ items. Exhibition highlights include Lee’s iconic Rickenbacker 4001, which appeared on numerous Rush recordings from the 70’s and 80’s, his signature 1972 Fender Jazz bass, heard on “Tom Sawyer” as well as many of Rush’s more recent recordings; a 1952 Fender Precision bass: an early example of the world’s first mass-produced electric bass; a 1961 Höfner “Cavern” bass, identical to Paul McCartney’s signature instrument used during the Beatles’ early days in Liverpool; Rare and eccentric instruments from around the world and so many more.

Geddy Lee’s Big Beautiful Bass Exhibit is accessible with paid admission to Studio Bell, and will run from May 26 to September 2. Studio Bell will be open seven days a week from May 20 until September 2 and is open from 10 AM to 5 PM. Regular admission to Studio Bell is $18 for adults, $14 for students/seniors, $11 for children (3-12 years of age), and free for children under 3 years of age.

Tour dates:

May
22 - Victoria, BC - Bolen Books (Signing 7 PM)
23 - Vancouver, BC - Indigo Metrotown (Signing 7 PM)
25 - Calgary, AB - NMC - Q&A & Signing/Bass Exhibit VIP 1 PM
26 - Calgary, AB - NMC - Geddy Lee’S Big Beautiful Bass Exhibit Opens To Public
26 - Edmonton, AB - Costco 1112 West Edmonton (Signing 2 PM)
27 - Winnipeg, MB - Costco 549 Winnipeg South (Signing 5 PM)
28 - Toronto, ON - Indigo Bay And Bloor (Signing 7 PM)
29 - Ottawa, ON - Centrepointe Theatre (Interview with Signing 7 PM)

June
1 - Richmond Hill, ON - Cosmofest (Signing 1 PM)
3 - Oakville, ON - Oakville Centre For The Performing Arts (Interview with Signing 7 PM)
4 - Montreal, QC - Rialto Theatre (Interview with Signing 7 PM)

* Note that Geddy Lee will personalize & sign each BBBoB at the book signings but time will not permit signings of any Rush memorabilia.