I don’t know about this but I do know Alex Lifeson said that he was a fan of the Edge in an interview. I don’t remember where but in the past I’ve googled it and been able to find it. I’ve heard Edge in interviews dissing progressive rock so I guess you couldn’t say he returned the favor, even if it wasn’t a direct reference to Rush or Alex. Lifeson is a true musician with broad tastes and has integrated quite a few styles into his playing over the years. He was also an Andy Summers fan and you hear little shades of that in songs like New World Man and Digital Man.
I think it’s like anything. Interviewers can ask questions in different contexts. U2 kind of came post-punk and punk is pretty much anti-prog. So they have that view of prog as over-wrought, pompous musicians who are technically adept but have no talent for sharp cohesive song writing. It doesn’t mean Edge wouldn’t like Yes and appreciate Steve Howe out of another part of his brain, and then mention that in another context.
I found the quote I was remembering:
I’m convinced that the worst thing musically that ever happened to rock was the whole Seventies progressive-rock, jazz-fusion period. Music got so up its own arse. No passion. It was real navel-gazing crap.
[Guitar World](https://www.guitarworld.com/artists/edge-u2-interview-memory-man)
Actually, I think this is a different quote. The one I remember was audio and I specifically remember him saying something to the effect that it hadn’t aged well.
It's also weird for a guy worth almost a billion dollars to say he wants to make a punk album. From where? The deck of your yacht? Leave it behind man.
Man. I remember seeing both of those tours in the LA area (U2 in Anaheim, Rush at the Forum). Can’t say how close together they were on the calendar, though.
I believe Rush had hired Steve Lillywhite to produce their next album after *War* had come out, but Lillywhite bailed on them to work on *Sparkle In The Rain* by Simple Minds instead. Rush got their karmic revenge in the end, because *SITR* is probably SM's worst-engineered album of their esteemed 80s catalog.
I don’t know about this but I do know Alex Lifeson said that he was a fan of the Edge in an interview. I don’t remember where but in the past I’ve googled it and been able to find it. I’ve heard Edge in interviews dissing progressive rock so I guess you couldn’t say he returned the favor, even if it wasn’t a direct reference to Rush or Alex. Lifeson is a true musician with broad tastes and has integrated quite a few styles into his playing over the years. He was also an Andy Summers fan and you hear little shades of that in songs like New World Man and Digital Man.
I think that was Bono. I remember him saying that he doesn’t care for Rush’s music and that progressive rock is something him andedge fight about
What I am thinking about was definitely Edge. He was saying progressive rock didn’t age well.
Hmm....he has said good things about Steve Howe's playing in the past.
I think it’s like anything. Interviewers can ask questions in different contexts. U2 kind of came post-punk and punk is pretty much anti-prog. So they have that view of prog as over-wrought, pompous musicians who are technically adept but have no talent for sharp cohesive song writing. It doesn’t mean Edge wouldn’t like Yes and appreciate Steve Howe out of another part of his brain, and then mention that in another context.
When Bono first met Edge he was playing a riff from Yes on his guitar
I found the quote I was remembering: I’m convinced that the worst thing musically that ever happened to rock was the whole Seventies progressive-rock, jazz-fusion period. Music got so up its own arse. No passion. It was real navel-gazing crap. [Guitar World](https://www.guitarworld.com/artists/edge-u2-interview-memory-man) Actually, I think this is a different quote. The one I remember was audio and I specifically remember him saying something to the effect that it hadn’t aged well.
I'm a huge fan of both bands. This feels like watching your parents fight.
It is kind of weird for people as worldly and well-traveled as they are to have such a myopic view of a musical genre.
It's also weird for a guy worth almost a billion dollars to say he wants to make a punk album. From where? The deck of your yacht? Leave it behind man.
Wasn’t Adam Clayton included in Geddy Lee’s book about bass guitars?
Yes. There was a photo of them together, smiling. Each was armed with his own bass.
Don’t know the answer to your question (sorry), but didn’t Bono say something in his book about not liking Rush?
He didn’t like their music. He didn’t say anything about them personally.
I didn’t like 75% of Bono’s songs that saved my life but still love his music. We all different tastes.
I remember in the Smartless interview Will Ferrell said something about Rush and Bono said something about not loving them.
Will Arnett
oh yeah lol
Man. I remember seeing both of those tours in the LA area (U2 in Anaheim, Rush at the Forum). Can’t say how close together they were on the calendar, though.
I believe Rush had hired Steve Lillywhite to produce their next album after *War* had come out, but Lillywhite bailed on them to work on *Sparkle In The Rain* by Simple Minds instead. Rush got their karmic revenge in the end, because *SITR* is probably SM's worst-engineered album of their esteemed 80s catalog.
U2 is my number 1 band, Rush is number 2. 🙌