By: Jesse Striewski
I can vividly recall the first time I ever really heard Rush and listened to the basslines of frontman Geddy Lee – not to mention Iron Maiden’s Steve Harris – not long after having just picked up the bass guitar myself, and knew I really needed to step up my game (it should come as no surprise to anyone that I did not ever reach the same skill level or heights on the instrument as the two mentioned bassists). Still, my interest was more than just a tad piqued to learn more about one of my personal bass heroes via his new biography, My Effin’ Life.
Granted, the title may not be the most eloquent (I personally like and respect the fact that Lee uses the term “eff” in place of the F-word itself, something I’ve been known to do myself from time to time in place of stooping to vulgarities), but his story of awkward small town Jewish kid rising to eventual rock God status is nothing short of phenomenal.
Perhaps the most unique and surprising moment found in My Effin’ Life though is the third chapter, which is solely dedicated to his parents’ story of actually meeting while in a concentration camp during the Holocaust. It’s both a heartbreaking, yet triumphant and encouraging story of bravery that touches anyone connected in anyway to that dark period of history (my grandfather, Herman, along with his three brothers – one of which was killed in action in Serrig and buried in Luxembourg, Germany – all proudly served in the U.S. Army and Air Force during World War II, so the subject tends to hit home on a personal level for me as well).
But I digress, Lee’s journey is one that resonates in a multitude of ways, and it’s more than just a little relieving to hear that him and former Rush bandmate Alex Lifeson are still close to this day. The stories involving late drummer Neil Peart and the tragedies he experienced (many of which I was not aware of prior) are nothing short of amazing themselves. The casual fan may only find a limited amount of interest within the pages of My Effin’ Life, but the die hard should no doubt find it more than a tad difficult to even put down at all.
Rating: 5/5 Stars
