When Geddy Lee talks about music, numbers matter. He once said The Beatles’ “Taxman” was the start of heavy metal, pointing straight to its thundering opening riff. Imagine the shock: a band known for love songs suddenly hammering out something jagged and sharp. Years later, Lee carried that same spirit into Rush’s Counterparts.
Counterparts marked a turning point. Lee explained how the group stripped away layers of keyboards and went for a louder, harder edge. It was not about perfection. It was about hitting harder, sounding bolder, and showing a tougher side of Rush. All of this was influenced by The Beatles’ heavy metal sound before heavy metal was even a thing. A band opened the gates to an entire genre of music, and Rush chose to walk through the doorway.
Geddy Lee on Why Rush Changed Their Sound for Counterparts
Fans caught on to the Beatles’ influence on Rush’s new sound right away. Some loved how the record felt alive and less polished. One listener said, “This feels like Rush kicking through the door that The Beatles opened.” Another called the album a reminder that even legends still chase growth and inspiration from other legends.
Hearing Lee reflect on that change makes it easier to trace his influences back. The same man who wanted an “in-your-face” sound from Rush also admired how George Harrison turned frustration with taxes into a biting anthem. Moving from Counterparts to “Taxman” feels like following a thread: rebellion through rhythm, honesty through loudness.
Taxman (Remastered 2009)
“Taxman” itself was not polite. Harrison’s words about losing nineteen out of every twenty pounds to taxes landed with sarcasm and bite. For The Beatles, it was a political strike hidden inside a pop record. Fans later called it fearless, pointing out how naming politicians in a song at that time was as bold as the riff itself.
Looking at both, you see why Geddy Lee connected the dots. His own music with Rush often pushed against limits, whether sonic or personal. And his admiration for “Taxman” shows how rebellion can live in a riff or a lyric. Follow Rush on Facebook, Instagram and YouTube. Their story still teaches us how sound itself can fight back.