NOVEMBER 30 • 2023 | 71 were separated when she was sent to Bergen-Belsen and he to Dachau, but after the war Morris found her in a displaced persons camp. They married and immigrated to Canada along with surviving members of their extended families. Lee also shares an emotional remembrance about him, his brother and sister accompanying their mother to the 50th anniversary commemoration of Bergen-Belsen in 1995. “My parents and those relatives aren’t here anymore,” notes Lee, whose familiar first name came from his mother’s mispronunciation of Gary. “I grew up hearing about the horrors of World War II, you know? I’m here because they survived. I have a responsibility to tell their story.” There’s further trauma as Lee’s father passed away when he was 12, a loss he acknowledges was “emotionally unattended” over the years, until he began writing the book. There are happy memories as well, of family gatherings and traditions and growing up in a Jewish neighborhood (Willowdale) in Toronto, and Lee drops enough Yiddish throughout the book to make his entire family tree proud. Assisted by Daniel Richler, son of the late Canadian novelist Mordechai Richler, Lee made sure those remain- ed in the book even after the 1,200-page first draft was being edited. “I don’t think the description of Yiddish food was in the first cut,” he explains. “I thought it was important to bring some of that personality back in.” Lee does chronicle antisemitic encounters as a youth, particularly in school at the hand of “jerks trolling the streets and hallways for Jews to torment.” And when he tried to quit attending Hebrew school before his bar mitzvah, Lee was supported by a man in the neighborhood who helped usher him through the process. (A photo of his bar mitzvah painting is included in My Effin’ Life). RENAISSANCE MAN Lee, of course, went on to rock ‘n’ roll stardom with Rush, receiving an Officer of the Order of Canada honor in 1996. He’s been cited as a key influence by the generations of bass players that followed, contributed a guest vocal on the 1981 hit “Take Off” by the comedic McKenzie Brothers (including early classmate Rick Moranis) and released a solo album, “My Favourite Headache,” in 2000. Lee also became a noted baseball enthusiast and memorabilia collector, occasionally providing commentary for game broadcasts. He also is an avid wine connoisseur and birdwatcher. His bass guitar collection led to Geddy Lee’s Big Beautiful Book of Bass, and, on Dec. 5, he’ll premiere Geddy Lee Asks: Are Bass Players Human Too?, a four-part docuseries on Paramount+. Rush last toured during 2015 and came to an end in 2018. Drummer Neil Peart’s death in January 2020 as well as his mother’s worsening dementia put Lee in “a funk” that encouraged him to write the memoir. It also rekindled Lee’s interest in making more music; he recently released a pair of demos from “My Favourite Headache” and plans to do more recording with Rush guitarist Alex Lifeson. “There were some cathartic things about writing this book that, in a way, clarified my thinking and helped me step out of that fog,” says Lee, whose wife, Nancy, converted to Judaism when they married in 1976. His grandson Finnian refers to him as Zaidy. “I’m excited to be onto the next stage of my life after this.” DETAILS Geddy Lee talks about My Effin’ Life at 8 p.m. Monday, Dec. 4, at the Fillmore Detroit, 2115 Woodward Ave. Doors at 7 p.m. (313) 961-5451 or thefillmoredetroit.com. was in the first cut,” he was important to bring some of that personality antisemitic encounters as a youth, particularly streets and hallways for DETAILS His bass guitar collection led to Beautiful Book of , and, on Dec. 5, he’ll premiere Are Bass Players Human Too? Headache” and plans to do more recording with Rush at 7 p.m. (313) 961-5451 or thefillmoredetroit.com. PHOTOS COURTESY GEDDY LEE ARCHIVE/HARPER BOOKS Young Geddy with his mother and brother Allan display early Canadian Beatles LPs Twist and Shout and Beatlemania. Young Geddy Lee with his father and sister Manya