When Rush was promoting its first albums, Geddy Lee, Alex Lifeson and Neil Peart had the chance to open for many famous bands, including ZZ Top, Kiss, Blue Öyster Cult, Status Quo and Aerosmith.
They formed a particularly strong bond with Kiss, whom they said many times over the decades treated them really well and served as an inspiration in terms of professionalism while touring. However, they did not get along with all the bands, including Aerosmith, whom Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson even said treated them “like shit.”
Why Aerosmith treated Rush like “shit” according to Geddy Lee
Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson did not enjoy the experience of opening for Aerosmith back in the 1970s because the band never allowed them to do a soundcheck, and although they were told to wait because they would eventually get one, that promise was never fulfilled. “It was very rare in those days to get a soundcheck as we learned opening for Aerosmith for like two months, where we didn’t get a single soundcheck. But Kiss made everything they could to make sure we got a soundcheck.”
“So that was a good lesson of professionalism,” Geddy Lee during his book tour while being interviewed by Alex Lifeson. The guitarist then said: ‘Who else treated us like shit? (laughs). Geddy replied: ‘Well (Aerosmith), only at first and then later (laughs). That was ok, they were ‘doing their own thing, man’. Yeah, whatever,” he said (Transcribed by Rock and Roll Garage).
In his autobiography “My Effin’ Life”, the Geddy talked more about that, saying:
“Nonetheless, the opener has the right to be seen and given a soundcheck if at all feasible. Even if support bands are dicks or you just don’t dig their music, it’s the professional thing to do. But Herns (Rush’ tour manager) used to speculate that to him it seemed like Aerosmith’s system was heavily loaded on overhead trusses to purposely put any opener at a disadvantage, leaving us minimal selection of side lights and a couple of spots, and the dozen or so times we supported them we weren’t once given a soundcheck either.”
“Every day we waited patiently in the stands, but it never happened. Some days we were told we’d definitely be getting one, only to watch our allotted time tick away. (Then) hear the announcement: ‘Doors are opening in five minutes’. Was it an intentional snubbing? I prefer to think it was simply that they didn’t have their shit together. Of course it’s all water under a very old bridge now, but back then it was frustrating and dispiriting. We were young musicians trying to build a reputation in a strange new world,” Geddy Lee said in his autobiography.
Rush made sure Joe Perry got everything he needed when he opened for Rush
Curiously, only a couple of years later, when Joe Perry decided to leave Aerosmith and start his solo career, he ended up opening for Rush when they were promoting “Moving Pictures” (1981). However, the Canadian band treated him as well as possible. Geddy Lee told him about how they had felt during their experience with Aerosmith.
After some time on the road with the guitarist, Geddy stopped by his dressing room. He asked if he had everything he needed. After Perry confirmed that everything was great, Lee said: “Good, that’s great. Because I’d never want you to feel the way I felt when we were touring with Aerosmith, and I was opening for you.”
When asked about Geddy’s allegations in an interview with Rolling Stone in 2015, Perry said he did not remember what happened at the time regarding Rush not being allowed to do a soundcheck. “Frankly, I don’t remember playing with Rush. The competition between bands was stiff, the competition between crews even stiffer, so I don’t doubt Geddy’s word. (We were always given) the short end of the stick (when opening for British bands. So we always told our crew to) take care of our openers.” he said.
Aerosmith did not really have a history of treating their opening acts badly. AC/DC credited them as the band that helped them the most when they were trying to promote their music in the American market. That’s why they chose Steven Tyler to induct them into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2003.