Tom Cochrane, one of Canada's most decorated rock musicians, has announced a new EP set for release in September 2011. The four-track project features Alex Lifeson, the guitarist of Rush, in a collaboration that marks a significant moment for Canadian rock. The two artists recorded the sessions at a Toronto studio over several weeks, producing material described by both as rooted in blues-rock with layered guitar arrangements.
Cochrane rose to prominence as the frontman of Red Rider in the late 1970s and through the 1980s, a band known for polished album rock with a sharp melodic sensibility. His solo work reached a global audience with "Mad Mad World" in 1991, an album that included the enduring "Life Is A Highway" - a track that has since become one of the most recognized Canadian rock songs internationally. The song's placement in the 2006 Pixar film "Cars," rerecorded by Rascal Flatts, introduced it to a new generation, though Cochrane's original version remains the defining take for most CanRock listeners.
Alex Lifeson has been the guitarist of Rush since the band's formation in 1968. His playing style is recognized for its tonal range and architectural approach to arrangement, moving comfortably from clean arpeggiated passages to dense, distorted rhythm work. Rush have been one of Canada's most consistently successful rock exports for more than four decades, with a catalog spanning progressive rock, hard rock, and arena rock. Lifeson's work outside Rush has been relatively limited, making this collaboration with Cochrane a noteworthy event in the Canadian rock calendar.
What to Expect from the EP
Details on the EP's track listing have not been released, but both artists have indicated the material leans toward a blues-rock foundation with an emphasis on live-sounding performances. Recording was completed without the extensive overdub layers that characterized some of Cochrane's more produced solo work, with the sessions reportedly focused on capturing a direct, unvarnished sound between two players comfortable in each other's presence.
Cochrane and Lifeson have crossed paths at various points in the Canadian music industry over the decades, though a formal recording project between the two had not previously materialized. The EP is expected to be released through Cochrane's existing label arrangement, with distribution through Canadian and international channels. Exact release date and pricing details had not been confirmed at time of publication.
The pairing of Cochrane's road-tested vocal authority with Lifeson's guitar architecture is the kind of collaboration that Canadian rock rarely sees. Two artists, both at the peak of their respective strengths, working without a net.
The Canadian Rock Context
The announcement comes at a moment when Canadian rock's visibility internationally has been a recurring conversation. Nickelback's global commercial success has kept Canadian rock in the charts through the 2000s and into the 2010s. Acts like Arcade Fire, who won the Grammy for Album of the Year in February 2011, have raised the international profile of Canadian music more broadly, though in a different direction. The Tragically Hip continue to represent a specifically Canadian rock identity that resonates deeply at home without seeking significant crossover beyond the border.
Cochrane and Lifeson sit firmly within that older tradition - artists who built their reputations through album craft and live performance over many years, long before the era of streaming and social media promotion. A collaboration between them carries a weight of accumulated credibility that newer artists are still building toward.
The EP will be reviewed in a forthcoming issue of RockStar Magazine. Concert dates tied to the release have not been confirmed.
