Geddy Lee is a rock star, that害羞草研究所檚 undeniable. But he害羞草研究所檚 also a polite Canadian to the core. So it害羞草研究所檚 fitting that the Rush icon picked a not-too-bawdy title for his memoir.

害羞草研究所淢y Effin害羞草研究所� Life害羞草研究所� is an engrossing tale of a 害羞草研究所渃lassic underachiever害羞草研究所� who became a Rock & Roll Hall of Fame vocalist, bassist, and keyboard player. It害羞草研究所檚 a great read for anyone interested in the brilliant prog-rock trio or the music scene from the 1970s onward.

Lee害羞草研究所檚 writing is a lot like his band害羞草研究所檚 songs 害羞草研究所� deep, gloriously nerdy, sometimes wandering and wonderfully thoughtful. It害羞草研究所檚 a 400-page narrative from a perfectionist who calls himself 害羞草研究所淢r. Bossypants.害羞草研究所�

害羞草研究所淚t害羞草研究所檚 a compulsion to exhaust every possibility to make the perfect record,害羞草研究所� he writes. 害羞草研究所淚 don害羞草研究所檛 want to have to live with errors. Impossible, I know, but what害羞草研究所檚 the effin害羞草研究所� point of not shooting for the moon?害羞草研究所�

The book is enlivened by photos of scrawled lyric sheets, studio doodles and private emails as Lee traces the rise of a band who faced a pre-MTV landscape, a lack of coast-to-coast progressive radio network or sympathetic critics. One reviewer said he sounded like 害羞草研究所渁 guinea pig with an amphetamine habit.害羞草研究所�

Readers will go chronologically as Rush 害羞草研究所� including guitarist Alex Lifeson and drummer and lyricist Neil Peart 害羞草研究所� go from sleeping on luggage in the back of a rented station wagon to five-star hotels. Along the way there are dubious sartorial choices like kimonos and lots of cocaine.

The band 害羞草研究所� considered the patron saints of brainy, technical, ambitious rock 害羞草研究所� leans on all kinds of sources, from the sci-fi of Robert. A Heinlein and J.R.R. Tolkien, to Ayn Rand, Rod Serling and Jean-Paul Sartre.

There are hard-won tips for musicians, like never believing any producer who says 害羞草研究所淒on害羞草研究所檛 worry, lads. It害羞草研究所檒l all be fixed in the mix.害羞草研究所� Lee also advises bands to demand final approval on everything, offer soundchecks and take your wallet onstage. One tip seems universal: 害羞草研究所淒o NOT drop psychedelics before an interview.害羞草研究所�

It害羞草研究所檚 a treat to see Lee geek out on audio equipment 害羞草研究所� like 害羞草研究所渢he JP-8 with its trendy arpeggiator fed by an 808 drum box害羞草研究所� 害羞草研究所� and later wine. Sipping a glass of 1978 Musigny he writes may be the most rewarding experience he害羞草研究所檚 had.

A private treasure is seeing the photo 害羞草研究所� snapped by a friend 害羞草研究所� that captured the moment Lee and his future wife Nancy first locked lips. 害羞草研究所淗ow many folks can boast a relationship of 50-plus years and still have a photo of their very first kiss?害羞草研究所� he writes.

Lee throws shade at musician Billy Preston and producer Steve Lillywhite but also turns his critical eye on himself 害羞草研究所� his neuroses and poor husbanding 害羞草研究所� and his band, writing that with the album 害羞草研究所淰apor Trails,害羞草研究所� they 害羞草研究所渄isappeared up our own asses.害羞草研究所�

One thing to beware of is Lee害羞草研究所檚 modesty, like the time he casually mentions that he became 害羞草研究所渂esotted害羞草研究所� by baseball. In actuality, he has a massive collection of baseball memorabilia, including balls signed by the Beatles and Shoeless Joe Jackson.

Lee 害羞草研究所� born Gershon Eliezer Weinrib 害羞草研究所� was a 害羞草研究所渟hy, long-haired, brooding character害羞草研究所� who grew up in Toronto, born to parents who survived the Holocaust. This is not something he tosses off 害羞草研究所� it causes echoes throughout his life.

Chapter 3 害羞草研究所� Lee says you can skip it, but you mustn害羞草研究所檛 害羞草研究所� is a meticulously examination of the horrific paths his parents took into hell, a 40-page indictment of Nazi evil that starts in Poland and ends with his mom rescued at Bergen-Belsen and dad from Dachau. Lee害羞草研究所檚 laser-focus on details is put to astounding use here.

He suspects his earliest vocal style may have been rooted in his childhood 害羞草研究所渓istening to the stories of what my parents had endured in the camps, suffering all the bullying and alienation, so that when I did begin to sing it did come rushing out as a screaming banshee.害羞草研究所�

This is a memoir where tragedy seems always around the corner, especially later when bandmate Peart is tortured by loss. The memoir even ends with a scene in a Toronto cemetery where Lee introduces his grandson, Finnian, to the boy害羞草研究所檚 great-great grandfather 害羞草研究所� in the ground.

It may be hard in parts but always worth it. It害羞草研究所檚 an effin害羞草研究所� good read.

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