In an interview that was conducted by telephone just before the start of the second half of their Snakes & Arrows tour, Rush guitarist Alex Lifeson discussed a number of topics of interest to Rush fans.

There is some talk about how surprised the group was to find out how popular they were in South America after performing in Brazil a few years ago.

The group seems to be enjoying as much or more popularity today than they ever have, with more younger fans showing up in the audience and creating hope for the continuing popularity of the Canadian trio.

Lifeson also spent a little time talking about the legal problems he became involved with following an incident at a Ritz Carlton hotel in Florida back in 2003, which has still not been resolved to Lifeson’s satisfaction.

The group’s drummer, Neil Peart, also comes up during the conversation with some attention given to his lyrics, which often reveal his feelings regarding faith and religion. Frankly, I’m surprised that there does not seem to be more controversy surrounding his lyrics given the strong feelings many people have for that subject.

The future of Rush is also discussed, which included some comments that suggested the group may take a break after the current tour and may or may not tour again in the future, although Lifeson admits that there has already been some talk of another tour between him and Geddy Lee.

Lifeson also has some kind words for Foo Fighters, whom he and Geddy Lee joined on stage recently for a surprise performance in Toronto.

There’s a lot more in the interview which can be read here, and includes a link to the audio from the original telephone conversation.