Yesterday, the MTV Newsroom Blog celebrated the birthday of Soulja Boy, who turned 20 years old. Today, we are throwing a virtual fete for a musician who literally may be the exact opposite of the "Crank That (Soulja Boy)" rapper. It's a new calendar for Rush bassist and singer Geddy Lee, who turns 57 years old today. If you described the Canadian virtuoso to somebody or wrote down the details of his career on paper, you probably wouldn't believe his existence was possible. But over the course of 35 years, Lee has fashioned himself into a great prog rock icon — and possibly the greatest who ever lived.
Along with his two bandmates (guitarist Alex Lifeson and drummer Neil Peart), Lee has crafted an incredibly deep career as a member of Rush. They are beloved not only because of their technical mastery (each member is considered something of a virtuoso, especially Peart, who is often thought of as one of the best rock drummers of all time) but also because they have crafted some of the most definitive anthems of the late '70s and early '80s rock era. With its keyboard-heavy fills and bottom-heavy thump, "Tom Sawyer" is an incredible construction, with hooks so big you don't realize that the time signature seems to change a dozen times and there's no real chorus. "Time Stand Still" is a majestic epic, and "The Spirit of the Radio" is a total smash.
Rush have continued to roll out albums every few years, and they continue to sell out massive venues around the world. They're truly gigantic, and a big part of their success falls to Lee, whose voice is one of the most unique in rock. It's an incredibly high-pitched squeak that should be grating but actually services the songs incredibly well. His incredible instrument is displayed extremely well on "Closer to the Heart," from the band's 1977 album A Farewell to Kings.