Rush still aren't in the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame, and Alex Lifeson isn't losing sleep over it. © Brian Patterson/Corbis
With the release of their brand-new concept album Clockwork Angels, Rush are swimming in a sea of praises. (And, of course, we're big fans: check out our track-by-track review of the set right here.)
However, there's one accolade that still eludes the Canadian superstars: induction into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame. There's even online petitions to right what legions of the band's fans see as an egregious wrong.
But if you think Rush are sweating the snub, think again. In a new interview with Rolling Stone, guitarist Alex Lifeson takes on the controversy head on. "Honestly, we really, really don't care about it," he said. "It's someone's thing, and they can do whatever they want with it. They can have whomever they like. It's their thing."
Recently, the group was awarded the Governor General's Performing Arts Award in Canada, which Lifeson says is "the highest accolade you can get in this country for the performing arts, and it's recognized nationally, and I felt so proud as a Canadian to be in this esteemed group of artists that have been there for the last 20 years."
As to whether Rush would show up at the ceremony were they to be inducted, Lifeson said, "I think we'd consider it at the time and just see where we're at. I mean, you don't want to be rude, and we're Canadians, and we find it very difficult to be rude as much as we'd really like to."
He continued by saying that "there are a lot of other bands that should be in there before we should be in there... If the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame doesn't want us in there, that's fine. I don't care. It really, really doesn't matter at the end of the day. It's probably better left the way it is. There's more controversy for them and for us."
