ALEX LIFESON

(RUSH)

“I feel [my vibrato] is one of the more outstanding characteristics of my playing. I’m heavily influenced by Jimmy Page, and he has a fantastic vibrato. It’s so loose and so emotional. So as vibrato bars got better, I really wanted to create a subtlety in the right hand with the bar that matched my left hand. I would push the left hand a little more, and I would ease off on the right hand. Of course,

I did a lot of dive-bomb stuff in the ’80s, but I always wanted to have a very subtle vibrato on the whammy bar. It takes time, but it’s a very emotional thing.

And very effective.”

“THIS IDEA OF BEING ‘PROGRESSIVE’ IS MISLEADING. I DON’T LIKE THE WORD, ANYWAY”

— STEVEN WILSON