Don Lauder, bassist with San Diego thrash metal titans Nukem, told us about his Geddy Lee "YYZ" love...

Don Lauder: The first time I think I actually noticed bass guitar was when I first heard Rush’s song "YYZ" back in 1981. My brother’s best friend was/is a huge Rush fan and so when Moving Pictures came out he played it for us. When "YYZ" played, I was confused because I had never heard a musical pattern like that. I was only 8 but still I recognized that something was way different and in a very cool way.

When it got to the part where Geddy plays his killer lead licks, I initially thought it was Alex on guitar doing that until I was corrected. I was even further confused because I couldn’t wrap my head around the idea of bass playing anything other than holding down the rhythm. From that moment on, my idea of what bass guitar was and could be was forever changed. Music in general became much bigger for me and that lead me in a new direction that got me to where I am today.

Nukem's "Tactics of Terror" single is out now. The album The Grave Remains drops in April.

The post The Bassline That Blew My Mind: Nukem in a Rush first appeared on Music Connection Magazine.