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Geddy Lee’s opinion on Soundgarden and Chris Cornell
One of the most important members of Rush, the bassist, singer, and keyboardist Geddy Lee, alongside Neil Peart and Alex Lifeson, helped to take the band to another level of success and influence with the release of their classic albums, especially in the 1970s and 1980s. They inspired not only Progressive and Hard Rock musicians but also artists from many other genres, thanks to their exceptional instrumental skills and songwriting.
Although their music was quite unique and mostly influenced by bands that came before them, Geddy always kept an eye on what was happening in Rock and Roll. Over the years, he gave his opinion on many bands, including Soundgarden and their late legendary singer Chris Cornell, who was a big fan of Rush.
What is Geddy Lee's opinion on Soundgarden and Chris Cornell
From all Grunge bands that came out of Seattle, Soundgarden has always been Geddy Lee's favorite one. "They could be heavy, they could be riff-oriented, Kim's (Thayil) guitar part evolved way beyond that. (He has an) amazing range. I was fortunate enough to have Kim interview me on my book tour when my memoir came out. We found out a lot about each other and some commonality there."
"I was always impressed with how thoughtful a person he is. Throughout that conversation, it was very clear how thoughtful he was. I think that now when I listen to his playing after knowing him like that I hear that in the way he's constructing his parts. He really put a lot of time and thought into building his soundscape, I really appreciate that. (When) you hear 'Badmotorfinger', wow, there's a real step-up in production value. Matt Cameron, he is the most unobtrusive drummer in Rock and Roll. 'Hey, look at me, look at me', he's not that kind of drummer."
Geddy Lee continued:
"He figures out exactly where he needs to be (in a song). I can sing high, but man, that guy (Chris Cornell), can sing really high and he can bring it down. He's got so much soul. They created pieces of work that will live forever as great masterpieces of Rock. If you're going to listen to any record of these 2025 inductees, I would say (you should listen to) 'Badmotorfinger'."
"Because it was a record that Soundgarden solidified all the great things we knew were coming in that band. They all came together on that record. It just stands the test of time exceedingly well, Geddy Lee said in an interview for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2025 when Soundgarden was inducted (Transcribed by Rock and Roll Garage).
Soungarden's song structure was what impressed Geddy Lee the most
Curiously, according to Geddy the biggest Grunge fan in Rush was actually Neil Peart. Lee said that Soundgarden was the band that impressed him the most, especially because of their song structure. "With the advent of grunge from the American Pacific Northwest, attitudes towards rock and recording were reverting to a heavier, less corporate sound. We loved what we heard in the music of bands like Nirvana, Pearl Jam and Soundgarden."
"To be honest, I wasn’t as well-versed a grunge freak as Neil was. But I dug the energy and the live-off-the-floor vibe. Soundgarden’s power and song structure were particularly impressive. While to my ear Nirvana played with a freewheeling, reckless abandon, they weren’t so much “heavy” as a grungy yet melodic pop sensation. But most important, a ton of what came out of the Seattle scene was fresh, exciting and inspiring—a new take on the American sound," Geddy Lee said in his memoir "My Effin' Life" (2024).
In 2000 when he recorded his only solo album "My Favorite Headache", Geddy invited Soundgarden's drummer Matt Cameron to play on the album. At the time he was a member of Pearl Jam and recorded the drums for 10 of the 11 songs. Besides Kim Thayil, Cameron also interviewed the Rush frontman during his spoken-word tour to promote his memoir.
Chris Cornell said Rush was one of his favorite bands of all time
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pBZs_Py-1_0
The late legendary Soundgarden frontman also was a huge fan of Rush. Back in 2013 when Rush was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, the Seattle group Heart was also being honored. The sisters Nancy and Ann Wilson helped a lot the Grunge bands from the city in the beginning of their careers and a friendship was created. Chris Cornell was one of their best friends and he was the one they invited to induct them into the Hall that night.
Before the ceremony, Cornell said in an interview that he was once again admiring the institution since they were inducting bands like Heart and Rush. He revealed that the Canadian group was one of his favorites of all time.
"I think for me as a fan and for me as a guy in a band, now I feel there is more integrity in terms of the organization. Because they're recognizing a band like Heart, a band like Public Enemy tonight. (Also a) band like Rush, which is one of my favorite bands of all time. So it makes me more excited about the possibility of my future induction if it happens. Because now I believe in it a little bit more after tonight," he said (Transcribed by Rock and Roll Garage).
When the musician tragically died in 2017 at the age of 52, Rush released a statement, praising his career. "This is shocking and terribly sad news. Chris Cornell was not only an amazing musician but also a generous spirit that will be sorely missed. Soundgarden, Temple of the Dog, Audioslave, solo. What a voice. What a body of work. Our thoughts are with his family, bandmates, friends and fans. Truly heartbreaking. R.I.P. Chris," Rush said.The post Geddy Lee’s opinion on Soundgarden and Chris Cornell appeared first on Rock and Roll Garage.
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