last rush tour

• Statistics Stats
• You are here:

RIP Neil Peart! Rush Played 26 Songs at Final Show in 2015

• General News
• Last updated: 12 Jan 2020, 1:07:10
• Published: 12 Jan 2020, 1:06:00
• Written by: Hannah Cotter
• Photography by: Mat Hayward
• Categories: General News Tagged: Rush Neil Peart Rush at The Forum

The music community is mourning the loss of legendary drummer Neil Peart, who passed away Tuesday after a private, three and a half year battle with brain cancer.

Peart was the drummer and lyrical mastermind behind Canadian rock band Rush, who spawned classics "Tom Sawyer" and "Limelight." Peart completed the Rush trifecta in 1974, six year's after the band's original formation, joining founding member Alex Lifeson and Geddy Lee. For years, he served as the band's heartbeat, offering new techniques and perfecting the art of the in-concert drum solo.

Aside from his masterful drumming technique, Peart was also an accomplished wordsmith. He cited literature as a heavy influence in his lyrics, with themes ranging from the philosophical to the mythological. He also penned several books – both fiction and nonfiction – documenting stories from the road and from his personal life.

Peart dealt with many layers of grief in his personal life, after his wife and daughter tragically died just 10 months apart. He transferred his pain into his 2002 memoir "Ghost Rider," which documented his remedial motorcycle journey across the United States.

In 2015, Rush performed their last show together. They were on the road celebrating Peart's 40th anniversary in the band, on a trek dubbed the R40 Live Tour. They took the stage at The Forum in Inglewood on August 1st and performed a 26-song set, stacked with a variety of songs spanning their entire career as well as some sweet, sweet drum solos.

They opened with a pair of songs off their nineteenth and final album, Clockwork Angels: "The Anarchist" and "Headlong Flight" (the latter featuring a mini "Drumbastica" drum solo).

The rest of the first set included songs like "Far Cry," "One Little Victory" and "Animate," as well as a special guest appearance by violinist Jonathan Dinklage (yes, actor Peter Dinklage's brother!) during "Losing It."

The second set commenced with fan-favorites "Tom Sawyer" and "Red Barchetta" before getting into cosmic tracks from 1976's 2112 and 1977's A Farewell to Kings like "2112 Parts I-VII" and "Xanadu."

They returned for an encore of "Lakeside Park," "Anthem" and "What You're Doing," before performing their last song together, "Working Man."

Check out the full setlist below:

In a statement, Lee and Lifeson wrote, in part, "It is with broken hearts and the deepest sadness that we must share the terrible news that our friend, soul brother and bandmate of over 45 years has lost his incredibly brave battle with brain cancer."

Neil Peart will be remembered as one of the most inventive drummers of our time and will be truly missed.

Latest News

Pearl Jam Kicks off New Tour with Live Debuts and Covers

1.6 Million Brazilians Amass for Madonna's Final Celebration Stop

Live Debut: Olivia Rodrigo Adds "So American" To "GUTS" Tour Set

Foo Fighters Kick Off World Tour with Texas-Sized Tributes

Most played songs.

• Drum Solo ( 1549 )
• 2112 Part II: The Temples of Syrinx ( 1393 )
• 2112 Part I: Overture ( 1377 )
• Closer to the Heart ( 1309 )
• The Spirit of Radio ( 1295 )

More Rush statistics

Gigs seen live by

13,259 people have seen Rush live.

ltobin markjacobson kereealazer chuckmckissock Missa_merica Vapoo2112 Counterpart MusiKing McFrooty chasepodmore Commandert96 Lethean Huge_Ackman Roboto heyjoe RussShaw drumrnerd keezles_d puma02uk Socalpatch thathippieguy greatchickendoc sabb2112 fb:100000399371126 erccr RyanGWU82 rfshort718 evilsugar25 frontrowbeach z-man esorrevets ikepgh guitarmeister68 gcoleman99 kayemar Scoots666 James211210 Dcirush Carrieseydel oxnard bluco22 bicycledaynoise Nathan721 Imahaggardone bruceevan mlapovich Mikekingjr Usmclcpl89 fester420 danrodrigue

Showing only 50 most recent

More from this Artist

• More Setlists
• Artist Statistics
• Add setlist
• Setlist Insider See the artists dive into their own setlist data.
• Live Debuts Witness the first time a song is performed live.
• Setlist.fm Exclusives Videos, photos and interviews - see it here first.
• Covers Better than the original? You decide.
• Guest Appearances Keeping track of the on-stage cameos.
• Setlist History Looking back on moments in music history.
• Tour Dates How to catch your faves: The who, what, where and when.
• Festivals News about the multi-artist, multi-day extravaganzas.
• General News Other music-related news.
• May 5, 2024
• May 4, 2024
• May 3, 2024
• May 2, 2024
• May 1, 2024
• Apr 30, 2024
• FAQ | Help | About
• Terms of Service
• Ad Choices | Privacy Policy
• Feature requests
• Songtexte.com

• Songs Almost Ruined Classic LPs
• Pearl Jam Launches 2024 Tour
• Vince Neil Falls at Crue Show
• Eddie Van Halen Not Soulmate
• Top 200 '70s Songs
• Heart's Biggest Hit Not Heart

Reliving Neil Peart’s Final Rush Concert

The death of Neil Peart of Jan. 7, 2020 cemented a truth that rock fans had been coming to terms with for years; that the classic lineup of Rush will never take the stage together again.

As somber as that statement is, it also elevates the historical significance of Rush’s final concert , Aug. 1, 2015.

The performance marked the band’s 25th appearance at the Forum in Los Angeles. The final date of their R40 tour saw the band reaching back throughout their catalog, delivering an assortment of classic hits and fan favorites.

Of course, even before the band hit the stage that night, the writing appeared to be on the wall. Though no one wanted to use the term “farewell tour,” it appeared as though R40 was indeed a goodbye trek. “It’s clear we are at a point in our career that we have to slow down, and slow down dramatically,” frontman Geddy Lee told VH1 at the time of the tour. “I’m not a guy who’s in love with the farewell tour idea – but it’s clear this is going to be the last big tour we’re going to do, for a while anyway.”

Of all the voices calling for the end of touring, Peart’s was the loudest. The drummer was already suffering physical ailments due to his demanding life on stage. Peart was also determined to spend more time at home with his family, especially his young daughter. “It’s a true dilemma,” the drummer told Prog magazine. “Should I be excited about leaving my family? No, and no one should. I’ve been doing this for 40 years. I know how to compartmentalize. I can stand missing her, but I can’t stand her missing me. I’m causing pain.”

And so R40 would serve as both a farewell and retrospective, giving fans a chance to celebrate Rush’s revolutionary influence on prog rock spanning 40 years. The set list largely stayed the same throughout the tour, opening with 2013 single “The Anarchist” before progressing through songs like “Far Cry,” “Distant Early Warning,” “Roll the Bones” and “Subdivision.”

Following a video interlude, the band would return to the stage for a second set, launching with the signature song “Tom Sawyer,” the powering through a bevy of classic tracks, including “The Spirit of Radio,” “Closer to the Heart” and “2112.”

Though this wasn’t the first time Rush had delivered a career spanning performance, Lifeson would later admit that R40 had a different feel. "In the past when we’ve celebrated our anniversary — like, for example, our 30 tour 10 years ago, it was a bit of a retrospective as well. We kind of tried to reach back and balance the live set with material from our entire career," the guitarist explained. "But [with R40] we focused a lot more on looking back from the present right back to the very beginning."

The stage production also reflecting this “looking back” theme, with the set continually changed to echo various moments in the band’s storied career. By the time Rush returned for their encore, the trio was performing in front of a simple red curtain with one guitar amp and one bass amp on stage. The curtain was eventually lifted, revealing a high school gym with a basketball hoop on the video screens, an image harkening the the band’s humble beginnings. The last song performed by Rush would be “Working Man,” the classic track from their self-titled 1974 debut album .

With their final note played, the Rush bandmates took their bow. A capacity crowd -- including  the Red Hot Chili Peppers ’ Chad Smith , Tool ’s Danny Carey, Foo Fighters ’ Taylor Hawkins, the Doors ’ Robby Krieger , comedian Jack Black and South Park creator Matt Stone -- roared with approval and appreciation.

Lee thanked the audience for “40 amazing years," before giving fans a final parting thought: "I do hope we meet again sometime.”

The Best Song From Every Rush Album

More from ultimate classic rock.

Alex Lifeson on life after Rush and finding a new sound with Envy of None

The legendary Rush guitarist is taking a scaled-down approach to his new project but, as he explains, making “ear candy” that suits the song takes focus – and lots of it

Alex Lifeson’s place in music history as a premier prog player cannot be understated. Across five decades with Rush, the Toronto-based guitarist delivered thrill-rides of dramatic arpeggios, quixotic whammy-play and irregular hooks galore. 

But seven years on from Rush’s final concert performance – and two since the tragic loss of drummer/lyricist Neil Peart to glioblastoma, a form of brain cancer – Lifeson returns this spring with music from his much-anticipated, and stylistically divergent new project, Envy of None. 

The fledgling group’s sonic aesthetic is quite a pivot from what longtime Rush fans may be expecting from the Canadian guitar hero – some of the darkly cinematic, synthesized soundscapes of the quartet’s 11-song, self-titled effort arguably hew closer to the moody swerve of Violator-period Depeche Mode or Nine Inch Nails than the soaring prog elasticity of, say, YYZ or La Villa Strangiato.  

Though not without its giant guitar moments, Lifeson’s purview within Envy of None’s first album was to play with texture more so than high-flying, trem bar-heavy lead work.

“I feel like I’ve fully explored the whole area of soloing,” Lifeson tells Guitar World . “I think I have a particular style and character to my solos, [and] there’s lots of variation in my soloing, but I think at this point in my life it’s more about servicing the song. Not being too distracting, or shining a light on any particular thing. It’s just getting into the groove, tapping your foot and feeling connected with the song itself.”

Though Lifeson is excited to be taking himself in a new sonic direction, Envy of None’s debut album nevertheless follows Rush’s staggeringly impressive and iconic body of work – Canada’s greatest power trio left a wholly immeasurable imprint on music fans across 19 full-length albums and countless mind-bending live performances. 

While Lifeson revealed in 2018 – some 50 years after forming Rush as a teenager – that the group were basically done, he clearly hadn’t closed the book on music altogether. At the time of that announcement, he’d already been drafting the original passes of tunes like Envy of None’s Kabul Blues , an evocatively sandy sway of back-masked guitar tricks and slack, snapped banjo licks. 

Get The Pick Newsletter

All the latest guitar news, interviews, lessons, reviews, deals and more, direct to your inbox!

“After the last Rush tour in 2015, I made sure I started writing immediately. I didn’t want to lose it; I didn’t want to feel like that was the end. So I continued to write, just for my own benefit,” he says. “A few of those tracks are on my website, some of them are on the Envy of None album.”

As Lifeson was developing song sketches on his own, longtime friend and bassist Andy Curran – previously of Toronto hard rockers Coney Hatch, and a former A&R person who spent time on the road with Rush – also approached the guitarist about playing on a clutch of electronics-spiked tunes he’d been working on with guitarist/programmer Alfio Annibalini. 

Lifeson agreed, casually sending files back and forth with Curran for a few years before Portland, Oregon-based vocalist Maiah Wynne added her dramatic vibrato to the pieces. 

The singer was the X-factor Lifeson and co. needed to put the band on the front burner. While initially conceived as an EP, by 2021 Envy of None got serious about their songbook, ramping up their productivity to produce a full-fledged album. 

“You need to have a focus like this,” Lifeson suggests of finding inspiration within Envy of None. “It’s one thing to pick up the guitar and play for 10 to 15 minutes a day; it’s another thing to devote a whole day to recording and developing a part.”

Fittingly enough, Lifeson is explaining this while seated in front of a couple dozen guitars hanging from the walls of his Toronto-area home studio. This includes a beauty, butterscotch ’52 reissue Telecaster from 1980 that Lifeson wagers he wrote “at least 70-80 percent of Rush’s material on” and a prized 1953 J-50 acoustic that Geddy Lee gave him on his 65th birthday.

The deep brown body of another Tele was made out of a door that once hung at the long-gone Le Studio facility in Morin-Heights, Quebec, where Rush recorded seven albums between 1980 and 1993. While sizable, the collection used to be a whole lot bigger, with Lifeson explaining that he’d recently sent off 63 guitars to be sold at auction.

The 355 was the last guitar to go. The case was wrapped in bubble wrap, and I sat in the mudroom in my house just holding it, talking to it and kissing the bubble wrap

Amongst the cull was a prized white ES-355 he’d picked up from Gibson’s then Kalamazoo-based factory in 1976, along with a Dove acoustic and a double-necked 1275. 

Lifeson refers to the semi-hollow ES-355 as the “quintessential Alex Lifeson guitar” – Gibson had reproduced the gold-plated character piece as a Lifeson signature in 2008, though the guitarist notes that the neck was a bit fatter on the repro than his Norlin-period original – and it was featured on every Rush album from 1977’s A Farewell to Kings through 1996’s Test for Echo .

While he was ready to let go of the guitar, downsizing his collection ended up affecting him more than he’d expected.  

“My god, that was one of the most emotional, difficult things I’ve ever done in my life. I thought it would be easy. I worked it all out in my head, but I was a mess when I did that.

“The 355 was the last one to go. The case was wrapped in bubble wrap, and I sat in the mudroom in my house just holding it, talking to it and kissing the bubble wrap – it was pretty pathetic. Then I carried it out to the truck and said goodbye to it.”

The Envy of None album did, however, give Lifeson the opportunity for one last dance with the ES-355, which surges through chunked-up chord work on the record’s bruising Enemy. 

Elsewhere, Lifeson’s prismatic, delay-distanced sculpting plays a more supportive role, as on first single Liar , one of many moments that crackles via Curran’s in-your-face fuzz bass. “I feel like I’m catching a break, to be honest with you,” Lifeson says of providing textural “ear candy” while his Envy of None counterparts step to the forefront. 

When it came to the interplay between he and Annibalini – the latter musician juggling beatmaking with alt-pop guitar performances on Never Said I Love You – Lifeson quickly realized he wasn’t there to go wild on the tracks as a lead player. 

He explains: “I got the sense that [Andy Curran] wanted me to be the guitar player, but I kept [listening to] Alf’s guitar parts in Never Said I Love You , for example, which is a great, hooky, poppy kind of song. When I first heard it, I thought, ‘There’s nothing wrong with the guitars on here; I’m not going to replace stuff that I don’t need to.’ 

“It’s effective; it’s his style. Maybe I wouldn’t have played that, but it suits the song and it’s great. Who am I, a big shot? Forget it. I’ll just play some nice, big acoustic in the chorus, lift it up and make it hookier in that sense. I was perfectly happy with that.”

Throughout the making of Envy of None, Lifeson was likewise blissing out on the perception-distorting peel of backwards guitar. It’s a go-to flavor on the aforementioned Kabul Blues , as well as Old Strings , a striking cosmic ballet. 

Throughout most of the track, Lifeson’s volume pedal conjures elegiac, mock-pedal-steel styling. He shifts gears in the second verse, though, dovetailing a Hendrix-inspired ripple of back-masked licks around Wynne’s softened vocal, Lifeson envisioning the co-mingling “as this swirling dance between her and I”.

“Anything that’s backwards sounds unusual, and if you process it, it sounds even more unusual,” he elaborates of the aesthetic, while noting that he’d flipped Wynne’s vocals to more accurately match her performance rather than just add some “random” backwards melody. “I clued in on that being a more concise way of making something backwards sound like it’s connected to the song. It adds so much emotion and character to the part.”

Gear-wise, Lifeson played around with plugins through most of the effects-heavy sessions, but he admits to bringing out his Electro-Harmonix Electric Mistress to achieve some of Envy of None’s wettest tones. One guitar that still sits in Lifeson’s collection is a ’57 Les Paul Goldtop, which he gloriously puts to use through a dexterously mountain-scaling set of runs that conclude Spy House . 

“That was the first song I wrote at the end of the Rush tour,” Lifeson says. “It has a solo because it was a natural thing for me to go into [at the time] – it’s the only solo on the record, I believe. It was written from that point of view, [so] it is more guitar-centric. I mean, I love having those contrasts of spacey, dreamy stuff happening and a few moments [like] that.”

Beyond the album’s big solo, Lifeson ultimately found favor weaving his unique guitar flavor around his Envy of None bandmates, who also had a hand in reconfiguring some of Lifeson’s ideas. 

Kabul Blues had been premiered as a Lifeson instrumental in the summer of 2021, but was remodeled for the Envy of None album to include Wynne’s delay-dripping vocal melodies – Lifeson also revamped his transcendent wriggling on the piece to better fit the singer’s aesthetic. 

While he’d initially brought a “simplistic” four-string rhythm to the demo, he gladly got Curran to provide supple low-end work on the piece to give it “a bass player’s sensibility”. 

I visited Neil when he was ill. I was on his balcony watching the sunset and found inspiration. There’s a finality about a sunset that kinda stayed with me throughout the whole process

In the case of Old Strings , the song initially existed as an up-tempo number with a “rootsy sort of swing to it” before Curran and Annibalini brought down the pace – Lifeson hints at the original version being earmarked for a future solo album from Wynne. 

A roots-rustic twist remains on the LP, however, via the inclusion of closing track Western Sunset . Following the eerily fuzz-forward, post-industrial pound of Liar or Enemy , the burnt ochre haze of acoustic strums and brushed snare hits stands as an understated, bittersweet instrumental, which Lifeson dedicated to departed friend, Rush bandmate and eternal drum icon Neil Peart.

“I visited Neil when he was ill,” Lifeson had previously explained in a press release. “I was on his balcony watching the sunset and found inspiration. There’s a finality about a sunset that kinda stayed with me throughout the whole process. It had meaning. It was the perfect mood to decompress after all these different textures… a nice way to close the book.”

While the first Envy of None album was recorded remotely, earlier this year the quartet convened in Toronto for a listening party with family and friends – it had been the first time all four members of Envy of None has listened to the album together.

My touring days are over, but we would certainly put together a group of musicians that could go on the road with Maiah and present a really cool show

Despite this, they didn’t carve out any extra time to hit up a rehearsal room and work out the arrangements in-person. Lifeson suspects Envy of None could start touring at some point in the future – for that matter, he also notes that a few song ideas currently hovering in the digital ether could take shape eventually. 

That said, Lifeson is also quick to note that if Envy of None roll up in your town, there’s a damned good chance he’s not the one who’ll be riffing it up alongside the rest of the band. 

“My touring days are over, but we would certainly put together a group of musicians that could go on the road with Maiah and present a really cool show. I would maybe do a couple of dates here and there [but] I’m certainly not going to go on the road for 200 days a year on a tour bus,” he says, adding with a learned, knowing chuckle, “been there, done it.” 

• Envy Of None is out now via KSCOPE.

Thank you for reading 5 articles this month**

Join now for unlimited access

US pricing $3.99 per month or $39.00 per year

UK pricing £2.99 per month or £29.00 per year 

Europe pricing €3.49 per month or €34.00 per year

*Read 5 free articles per month without a subscription

Prices from £2.99/$3.99/€3.49

Gregory Adams is a Vancouver-based arts reporter. From metal legends to emerging pop icons to the best of the basement circuit, he’s interviewed musicians across countless genres for nearly two decades, most recently with Guitar World , Bass Player , Revolver , and more – as well as through his independent newsletter, Gut Feeling . This all still blows his mind. He’s a guitar player, generally bouncing hardcore riffs off his ’52 Tele reissue and a dinged-up SG.

“They probably only made two or three of them, but there’s a signature Burns Chris Stein Scorpion out there somewhere”: Ahead of a new Blondie album, Chris Stein talks folk and jazz influences, fighting with early effects, and his MIDI future

“Keyboards started coming up a lot more, and so there was a little more of a fight for space with the guitar”: Alex Lifeson looks back on the difficult creation of Rush’s 1984 classic, Grace Under Pressure

Make like Joe Satriani and craft silky smooth, effortlessly fast, and highly impressive solos with our legato video masterclass

Most Popular

Rush's Alex Lifeson Still Doesn't Have The Itch To Tour, Perform Live Again

By Andrew Magnotta @AndrewMagnotta

July 7, 2021

Rush guitarist Alex Lifeson has remained busy with music since the band's final tour, collaborating with other musicians and doing session work, but the desire to perform live has not returned.

The Rock and Roll Hall of Famer tells Ultimate Classic Rock that since the 'R40' tour wrapped in 2015, he hasn't missed performing.

"I haven't really considered [playing live]," he said. "It's been almost six years [since the last Rush tour]. After touring at that level [for decades], not to mention the six years before that of spending weeks in small bars and small towns, I'm not in a big hurry to go back on the road."

Lifeson recently confirmed a new project called Envy of None with Coney Hatch bassist Andy Curran , which should have an album coming out this year. He acknowledged that he would consider doing "a handful of specific shows" with the project, but the idea of another lengthy tour still doesn't appeal to him.

His feelings on touring have changed dramatically since 'R40.' While Lifeson initially felt Rush pulled the plug on its career early, after some time at home, he began to enjoy a more domestic life and career.

Following the tragic death of drummer Neil Peart last year , followed by the coronavirus pandemic and the death of Geddy Lee 's mother Mary Weinrib last week (July 2), Lifeson underscored the point that, while music is still important to him, his priorities have changed.

"We've just gone through a pandemic, which has really changed our consciousness a lot," he said. "I feel pretty blessed and happy with where I am."

© 2024 iHeartMedia, Inc.

• Privacy Policy
• Terms of Use

ALEX LIFESON Says 'There's No Way RUSH Will Ever Exist Again', Believes Band's Final Tour 'Couldn't Have Been Better'

During a June 30 appearance on SiriuxXM 's "Trunk Nation With Eddie Trunk" , Alex Lifeson discussed the possibility of playing with his longtime RUSH bandmate Geddy Lee again in some capacity. The two haven't performed together since the completion of RUSH 's final tour, "R40" , which commemorated the 40th anniversary of drummer Neil Peart joining the band. Peart died in January 2020 after a three-year battle with glioblastoma, an aggressive form of brain cancer. He was 67 years old.

" Geddy and I started writing together when we were — I don't know — 14 years old, I guess," the guitarist said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET ). "And we are best friends; I love the guy so much, [and] he means so much to me. And we've had this amazing experience of working together as well as being buddies.

"I talk to Ged every couple of days or so," he continued. "We try to get together for dinner. That's been a more challenging thing lately. But we did get out once recently. It's great, 'cause mostly we're pals.

"If there's something that comes up in the future — an opportunity for us to do something — we'll decide over a cup of coffee what that'll be. But there's no urgency or there's no pre-planned thing now. He's doing whatever he's doing, I'm doing whatever I'm doing, and we keep each other informed and stuff like that, but, God, we had such a great history and did so much great stuff together, it's not really a big deal if, for the rest of our lives, we're just best friends.

"I know RUSH fans are a unique bunch, and I love them," Lifeson added. "And certainly everything that we've done, we've always done to satisfy ourselves before anybody else, and I think RUSH fans understood that and were always very supportive — very critical at times too, but always supportive. And that was the nature of our relationship with our fans — it was a really good two-way relationship. But I think, really, RUSH ended in 2015. There's no way RUSH will ever exist again because Neil 's not here to be a part of it. And that's not to say that we can't do other things and we can't do things that benefit our communities and all of that. I have lots of plans for that sort of thing that don't necessarily include Geddy .

"I get asked this all the time — are we gonna do this, or are we gonna do that? Who knows? All I know is we still love each other and we're still very, very good friends, and we always will be."

Lifeson also reflected on RUSH 's final tour, which concluded on August 1, 2015 at the Forum in Los Angeles. Peart indicated at the time that he wanted to retire while he was still able to play well, along with a desire to spend more time at home with his young daughter.

"We were in our early 60s when that tour ended," Alex said. "After the number of dates that we did do, which was about half of what we would normally do, we were all starting to feel the fatigue, as you normally would. And had it been a normal tour, we have gone out for probably another month and then taken a month off, or maybe a couple of months off, and then picked it up for another three or four months.

"I think personally, and I think the same for Ged , we were really excited about the show, the presentation of the show, the whole concept of going back through our history," he continued. "I thought we were all playing really, really well, and I probably could have continued to do another 30 shows, and I think Geddy felt the same way. But it was becoming really difficult for Neil to play at that level, and unless he could play a hundred percent at that level, he really didn't wanna do any more shows, and he didn't wanna be that person that should have taken it. And it was hard for him — a three-hour show playing the way he played. It's a miracle that he was even able to play. And he had some issues through that tour — he had an infection on his feet and he could barely walk, never mind playing the bass drum the way he did. And he never complained or anything like that. So, it was time. And in retrospect, it couldn't have been better, because we were playing great, and we finished on such a high note. The fans were so happy — I mean, with the performance. All things were right. That was the great way to ensure our legacy and be remembered for those guys, for being that band that played that way. I honestly would hate to be working now, for example, and not being able to play a song because my fingers are just killing me and not playing as well and making all these mistakes. I made enough mistakes — way too many. So, all in all, it really turned out to be the opportune time for us to end a long career. Not a lot of bands lasted 40 years of that regular touring and many, many, many albums and all of that stuff."

RUSH waited three days to announce Peart 's passing, setting off shockwaves and an outpouring of grief from fans and musicians all over the world.

Peart joined RUSH in 1974. He was considered one of the best rock drummers of all time, alongside John Bonham of LED ZEPPELIN ; Keith Moon of THE WHO ; and Ginger Baker of CREAM . Peart was also RUSH 's primary lyricist, drawing inspiration from everything from sci-fi to Ayn Rand .

Comments Disclaimer And Information

BLABBERMOUTH.NET uses the Facebook Comments plugin to let people comment on content on the site using their Facebook account. The comments reside on Facebook servers and are not stored on BLABBERMOUTH.NET. To comment on a BLABBERMOUTH.NET story or review, you must be logged in to an active personal account on Facebook. Once you're logged in, you will be able to comment. User comments or postings do not reflect the viewpoint of BLABBERMOUTH.NET and BLABBERMOUTH.NET does not endorse, or guarantee the accuracy of, any user comment. To report spam or any abusive, obscene, defamatory, racist, homophobic or threatening comments, or anything that may violate any applicable laws, use the "Report to Facebook" and "Mark as spam" links that appear next to the comments themselves. To do so, click the downward arrow on the top-right corner of the Facebook comment (the arrow is invisible until you roll over it) and select the appropriate action. You can also send an e-mail to blabbermouthinbox(@)gmail.com with pertinent details. BLABBERMOUTH.NET reserves the right to "hide" comments that may be considered offensive, illegal or inappropriate and to "ban" users that violate the site's Terms Of Service. Hidden comments will still appear to the user and to the user's Facebook friends. If a new comment is published from a "banned" user or contains a blacklisted word, this comment will automatically have limited visibility (the "banned" user's comments will only be visible to the user and the user's Facebook friends).

Hi, what are you looking for?

Metal Injection

• New Albums Out This Week
• Top Tracks Of The Week
• Top Stories Of The Week
• Upcoming Releases
• Funny Stories
• Photo Gallery
• Latest Videos Listing
• Music Videos
• Metal Injection Exclusives
• Live Footage
• Funny Videos
• Slay At Home
• ASK THE ARTIST
• Kids In Metal
• Mashups & Covers
• Rockumentary
• View All Channels
• Apple Playlists
• Spotify Playlists
• Tour Roundup
• Los Angeles

Latest News

Rush comments on returning to the last venue they played a show with neil peart.

Rush played the Taylor Hawkins tribute show, which was at the same venue.

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Rush (@rush)

Want More Metal? Subscribe To Our Daily Newsletter

Enter your information below to get a daily update with all of our headlines and receive The Orchard Metal newsletter.

Sponsored Links from Around the Internet

You may also like.

RUSH's ALEX LIFESON On Reuniting With GEDDY LEE: "Without NEIL, It Can Never Be RUSH"

"By necessity, it has to be something different."

GEDDY LEE Names The Hardest RUSH Song To Play & Sing

It's not an old one.

GEDDY LEE Talks The Agony Of The Mixing Process & Nearly Throwing Out "Tom Sawyer"

"Some of the things, maybe the nuances you've fallen in love with, maybe there's no room for them anymore. And I find that very...

GEDDY LEE Clarifies That RUSH Is Not Starting Up Again

"People run to the conclusion that Rush is starting up again. That is not the case."

MUSHROOMHEAD Announces US Tour With UPON A BURNING BODY

SILENOZ On New DIMMU BORGIR: "It Takes Us A While"

ROBERT TRUJILLO Recalls The Chaos Of His First Few METALLICA Shows

BRANN DAILOR On Why LARS ULRICH Was So Important To Him Learning Drums

SLAYER Isn't Planning New Music Or Tours, According To KERRY KING

STEVE VON TILL Explains The Sonic Ideas Behind NEUROSIS' Through Silver In Blood

VINCE NEIL On MÖTLEY CRÜE's Generation Swine: "I Still Hate That Record"

Dunupa Lipa, Tyler, The Creator, Chris Stapleton Lead 2024 Austin City Limits Music Festival Lineup

LISTEN: Melissa Carper Shares Twangy Throwback Jewel “Lucky Five” off Forthcoming Album ‘Borned In Ya’

Tuesday’s Gone: Pixies Live at VPRO Studios 1988

The Sisters of Mercy Announce Fall North American Tour With Blaqk Audio

Molly Miller of Jason Mraz Band on Staying In Motion on New Trio LP ‘The Ballad of Hotspur’ (INTERVIEW)

Austin Troubadour JM Stevens Transforms His Songwriting and Vocal Approach For New LP ‘Nowhere To Land’ (INTERVIEW)

New Orleans Funk Legend John “Papa” Gros Talks Jazz Fest & Dr. John Tribute (INTERVIEW)

Multi-Faceted Singer-Songwriter Liz Brasher’s ‘Baby Damn’ Captures a Life In Motion (INTERVIEW)

Album Reviews

Saxophonist Troy Roberts Leads Elite Quartet (Patitucci, Bollenback, Macbride) With Vibrant ‘Green Lights’ (ALBUM REVIEW)

Show Reviews

Waxahatchee Lays Rich & Twangy Soundtrack At Orlando’s Beacham (SHOW REVIEW/PHOTOS)

Television & Film

Music World Gives Payback To An Overlooked Legend On ‘Lee Fields: Faithful Man’ (FILM REVIEW)

DVD Reviews

1982’s ‘Around The World’ Covers The Police On Their First World Tour (DVD REVIEW)

Other Reviews

Bill Janovitz Chronicles the Story of Leon Russell in ‘The Master of Space and Time’s Journey Through Rock & Roll History’ (BOOK REVIEW)

Film Reviews

‘Licorice Pizza’ Can’t Carry Weight Of Its Parts (FILM REVIEW)

‘Loki’ Gives Us Loki vs. Loki in Episode 3 (TV REVIEW)

All the Movie Trailers from Super Bowl LIV

Commentary Tracks

2021 Holiday Movie Preview: ‘Ghostbusters: Afterlife,’ ‘The Power of The Dog,’ ‘House of Gucci’ & More

Happy 78th Birthday Bill Kreutzmann

VIDEO PREMIERE: Boulevards Celebrates Love with Groove-laden Disco-funk on “What We Live For”

Judas Priest Rocks Minneapolis’ Armory With Dynamic Metal Clinic (PHOTOS)

John Fred Young Of Black Stone Cherry Serves Up Another Round of Candid Hard Rock Insights (INTERVIEW)

20 Years Later- Los Lobos Thrives With Durable ‘The Ride’

Vinyl Lives

Portland’s Record Pub Serves Up Vinyl, Brews & Weekly Gatherings (VINYL LIVES)

These Walls

Amherst’s The Drake Is Making New Musical History In The Pioneer Valley (THESE WALLS)

Vintage Stash

The Replacements’ ‘Tim’ Let It Bleed Edition Proves Worth As Discerning & Durable Retrospective

TIME OUT TAKE FIVE: Falkner Evans, Franco Ambrosetti, Jan Hammer & More

One Track Mind

Emerging Artist J.S. Ondara Makes Voyage From Kenya to Minnesota & Astounds With ‘Tales of America’ (INTERVIEW)

Suds & Sounds

Suds & Sounds: Beale Street Brewing Co. Celebrates Memphis Music Through Craft Beer

Hidden Track

Movie Review: Louis C.K.’s ‘Tommorow Night’

SONG PREMIERE: Parker Smith Offers Heartland Rocker Ode with Clever Tune “Mothers”

SONG PREMIERE: Rebecca Frazier Straddles Bluegrass and Country with Fine Picking and Lyricism on “Available”

VIDEO PREMIERE: Ordinary Elephant Discover Self-love Through Warm and Soulful Folk Harmonies on “The Prophet”

• August 1, 2023

Eight Years Ago Today – Rush Performed Their Last Ever Concert To Conclude R40 Tour

Eight years ago today (8/1/15), Rush performed their last-ever show at the Forum in Los Angeles at the conclusion of the 35-date R40 tour Although the trio at the time never announced it as their last, everybody had an inkling that this very well could be the finale. The band’s setlist was composed of a career retrospective starting with their newer songs first and working backward to “Working Man” as the stage would change form from elaborate to simple. T Sadly, of course, this would end up as the final tour as drummer Neil Peart would die from cancer in January 2020. Check out the final setlist below and the final ever song “Working Man”

Related Content

Recent posts, new to glide.

Saxophonist John Helliwell (Formerly Of Supertramp) On A Life Of Jazz After Prog-Pop (HEY YOU/INTERVIEW)

Keep up-to-date with Glide

Email Address*

• Festival Report
• Album Reviews
• E.P. Reviews
• DVD Reviews
• Concert Reviews
• Festival Reviews

Subscribe To Our Newsletter

Get The Latest Rock & Metal News Straight To Your Inbox!

Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson Confirm RUSH Touring Plans With A New Drummer

• Owais 'Vitek' Nabi
• December 4, 2023
• 1 minute read

In a recent interview with “CBS News Sunday Morning,” the iconic progressive rock band RUSH, formed in the Toronto suburbs decades ago by guitarist Alex Lifeson, bassist/vocalist Geddy Lee, and drummer Neil Peart, explored their legendary musical journey.

With over 40 million albums sold, RUSH stands as Canada’s most revered rock band. Lifeson and Lee engaged with correspondent Jim Axelrod, discussing their unique blend of musicianship, stagecraft, and humor, as well as the profound impact of Peart’s tragic passing on the band’s dynamic.

As they pondered what the future holds without Peart, Lifeson expressed the challenge of envisioning the next chapter:

“Yeah, it’s difficult to figure out what that chapter is without him.”

When questioned about the possibility of recruiting another drummer and touring again, Lee acknowledged:

“Have we talked about it? Yeah.”

Pressed on whether it’s a definite possibility, Lee responded:

“It’s not impossible, but at this point, I can’t guarantee it.”

In contrast, Lifeson conveyed a more optimistic sentiment, emphasizing their innate drive to continue:

“It’s just not in our DNA to stop.”

Lee added a philosophical perspective, highlighting the importance of staying true to oneself:

“Do what you believe, because if you do what someone else believes, and you fail, you’ve got nothing. If you do what you believe, and you fail, you still have hope.”

Related Topics

Metal Wani's Boss aka Chief Operating Dude aka Proghead \m/

You May Also Like

Marty Friedman Addresses The Possibility Of Rejoining MEGADETH

• May 4, 2024

JUDAS PRIEST’s Ian Hill Says ‘People Have Been Trying To Kill Heavy Metal Now For About 35, 40 Years’

• May 1, 2024

Nikki Sixx Says Mick Mars Put MOTLEY CRUE In A ‘Horrible Situation’; Says He Made The Right Decision To Hire JOHN 5

Vince Neil Slams MOTLEY CRUE’s ‘Generation Swine’ Album: “I Hate The Album. It Sucks”

Producer Bob Rock Praises MOTLEY CRUE: “The Best They Have Ever Been”

Fans Blast MOTLEY CRUE For Signing To Big Machine Records Who Ripped Off Taylor Swift

• April 27, 2024

147 comments

This would be the greatest thing. I have been with my Husband 38 years n the first day i meet him he played Rush on his Guitar for me n it was the best.

George Hickey, a legendary drummer and specialist in prog rock.

Let Alex & Geddy do the picking on who’s replacing Neil just like the Foo Fighters did,,,let’s just respect their decision if we’re truly Rush’s Fan.

too bad the fanatics will not like it i for one have questions after alex said Rush was no more. I can only hope for the future and hope then make wonderful and beautiful music.

I would be happy with Tommy Aldridge! Who disagrees?

i BET TOMMY LEE OR PETER CRISS OR EVEN JASON BONHAM COULD HANDEL THE JOB

You evidently don’t listen to RUSH.

Mike Mangini.. the only one

I can hear them now. What are these other drums for?

Meg White will come out of retirement and handle the percusions.

Don’t call it Rush or play Rush songs start fresh or don’t do it too much ego and greed

Your outta your freakin mind

?????? No sabes nada de bateristas

I don’t think so…Need someone like Danny Carey, Mike Portnoy, or Dave Grohl. That’s just my opinion…

It’s going to be Danny Carey. He’s the who played the shows they already did late last year.

I think it’s Danny Carey. Alex has been playing with them on the tool tour.

Dave couldn’t handle it…Portnoy..yes.

Mike Portnoy seems like he’s up to the task

It will be Danny but I think Mike would be a better fit seeing the catalog of Rush he played.

I would have picked Taylor Hawkins if he was still with us! Now I think I would pick Herb from Primus!

Definitely Portnoy

LOL THOSE GUYS COULD NOT HANDLE THE JOB

Tommy Lee would need backing tracks… he’s out

What about Chad Smith Phil Ehart

With Phil’s recent health issues, he is probably not a candidate, but I’m pretty certain he has the chops. I still think Portnoy would fit beautifully.

those guys are already in bands.

These are bets you would lose. Also, it’s not 1998. You should learn to type without ALL CAPS.

Neil is rolling over in his grave…. Tommy Lee what blasphemy you speak. Tommy Lee couldn’t stay in the same hotel with Geddy and Alex let alone take Neil’s place.

Only EL Estepario could maybe hang with Neil’s drumming. That’s about it. No one else could.

Agreed. El Estepario is good enough.

Give your head a shake please. Lee can’t even play with his own band let alone take Neil’s place.

Lol, not a chance of either of those drummers sitting on that stool. They’re both respectable amd good drummers but they are not that level.

You can be serious,none of these guys could remotely cover Neil. Impossible

maybe carey or thomas lang. no peter criss, tommy lee. dave grohl joke. phil ehart i don’t think so… maybe he is retired… i think if carey already played with them it would be him. tommy lee is a garbage can drummer… not even near peart. lol…

Absolutely a huge Peart fan ………..but Mike Portnoy although also older these days, could elevate the Rush repertoire over what level Neil was playing in the later years. Just saying 😉

Dave Groul would be the only option from Foo Fightees

There is no way Dave could play this…

Danny Carey, Mike Portnoy, Stewart Copeland, Gavin Harris (is that his name? Porcupine Tree) I know there are others

Gavin would be great on drums. Besides, Alex likes Porcupine Tree.

Peter Criss wasn’t even the best drummer in KISS. Please leave his name out of this conversation.

Tommy Lee! Seriously? That dude doesn’t have the chops to come close playing like Neil… He be better off setting up the drums for someone who can play

Ok, this is pathetic. Lee is terrible. Criss is worse.

Carey can more than handle Rush but would not leave Tool for Rush. Kind of a step down moving to band that hasn’t made anything that good in a few decades. Rush is like Def Leppard and other 80s greats living on past. I live old Rush. New stuff is formidable but nothing without old foundation.

Grohl isn’t that good but Foo Fighters are a huge band and whywould he leave that?

Dream Theater is also bigger and Portnoy has waited 13 years to get back into the band he founded.

The OBVIOUS Answer in

MIKE MANGINI who is an upgrade tp Peart.

Upgrade? There wouldn’t be a Mangini without Peart

No way… Tommy Lee isn’t good enough

Tim Alexander from Primus would be at the top of my list

Jason Bunyan is a good drummer but not for Rush. Tommy Lee and Peter Criss are washed up clowns who aren’t even in the same league as Neil Peart…

I’ve heard a Foo Fighter – DG may be a possibility

Peter Criss? Are you freakin serious? WTF is wrong with you?

Not even close!

Not even close dude. You’re gonna have to dig deeper than that.

Those drummers don’t have the chops to play Neil’s part in like 90% of Rush’ catalogue.

Ha! Not even remotely close…

Mike Portnoy the only choice

Those 3 can’t play even close to Neil. Think before giving your opinion …

Peter Criss can’t even play KISS songs let alone Rush songs. What are you smoking?

Peter kris??? Come on. We’re talking about Neil pert. They need a real drummer.

None of those 3 could handle Neil’s riffs – they’ll hire someone much more technical / talented.

impossible mit takes better drummer than these, i’m an experienced drummer and i know ….it takes not less good than Simon Phillips…

Tommy Lee!!!!?????? Are you kidding me???? His name doesn’t even belong in the same sentence as Neal Peart. Let alone being considered to replace him in Rush. Tommy Lee..,……. SMH!!!

as long as they don,t call whatever they do rush,i,m fine with it cause rush died with neil.

You beat me too it. Rush, for me anyway, has to include Neil. So while I hope very much Alex and Geddy continue I”d be somewhat saddened if they used the name. I’m sure they’re ever so concerned with what I think. LOL

I think they were already Rush before they picked up Neil.

Rush died when the ‘new guy’ passed away?

There was John Rutzy before Neil and there will be someone else after Neil.

Neil would want them to go on as RUSH. Journey went on as Journey w/o Steve Perry and Lynyrd Skynyrd went on with the same name after half the band was killed in a plane crash. With all things set aside, the band is still a business. And they’re doing it to make $$$. And the money is in the already established name of Rush.

Neil Peart, he was known as the New Guy by the guys. so, it is natural that they would do this. Alex has already had produced an Album and performed in many guest appearances.

The band was formed with original drummer, John Rutzy, who is on the first album. The Professor was recruited for the band afterwards.

I’ve been a big fan of RUSh since their second album.

Because of Neil, I wanted to learn to play drums. But health issues’s (Type 1 Diabeties) stopped this hopes!

I simply enjoyed Geddy, Alex and Neil’s work!

Neil was and will always be my drummer Rock God!

R.I.P. Neil

John B. Lawson Sr.

I would love to see Danny Carey or Chad Smith sitting behind Alex and Geddy. Both of them idolized and loved Neil. It would be a great tribute to Neil if the band forged ahead in his memory.

Would love to see Mike Mangini fill Neil’s spot. I think he would be a great addition to the band!!!

All the way Mike Mancini is the best fit can’t see anyone else getting the job done with honor for Neil Peart

This is a job cut out for Mike Portnoy. Pretty much nobody else.

A couple of years ago I saw Kim Mitchell in concert. He had a young drummer who was amazing, I know he could cut it.

Two words!!! DAVE GROHL

I agree!! Dave appreciates RUSH and as a previous drummer understands.

I think they will do great. Neil was the GOAT. Noone wil compare but. They can make new music and still call it Rush if they play the old stuff too!

Neil was over qualified for the job. The 40 year audition went real well but it’s time to move on. Rest in peace professor and goat

I love Rush. It’s difficult to imagine replacing Neil; he was the lyricist on all but the first album, and a legendary drummer. Will a new drummer simply mean that Rush is a cover band of themselves, or will they write new songs?. TBH, I’d go see them if they were not writing, but it is the big question I have.

I know a drummer who would make Neil proud! 😁

Honestly I think it would be healthy for them to go to the next chapter.

My pick for a replacement drummer would be Mike Portnoy He can do the job, He has a great deal of respect for rush ,(Neil) and face it Neil and Mike both are professors . Yep . That’s my take on it !.

I 100% agree, maybe even Mike Mangini or Marco Minneman

I nominate Gavin Harrison.

It’s Alex’s band. He can hire anyone he wants and call it RUSH.

Tools drummer. Danny Carey is the latest I read.

I agree, He could bring a whole different rhythm to the new stuff they could produce AND is talented enough to bring a Neil’esque build for the group on the original songs.

What would Neil want them to do??

El Estepario Siberiano could do it. Thus is the closest to Neil you will ever get. Thus guy could play anything.

He would definitely be my top choice.

That dudes a total shredder on the drums! Be nice if he took up the challenge

Please stop.. tge internet drummer makes great vids.

But stop with Neal is irreplaceable.

Danny Carey uis a better drummer.

Mangini is a better drummer

Portnoy is a better drummer.

Oeart was king once upon a time but in time the talent gets better. EVH was king now 100s of guys are better

The guy for the job no question is Tool drummer Danny Carey hands down

Danny Carey did the shows with them last year. He’s the one.

Here’s my unpopular opinion, and it’s based on what Geddy said while on The Strombo Show in January 2024. Geddy and Alex will never again “TOUR” as Rush. Geddy and Alex will never again TOUR at all! Geddy and Alex have “RETIRED FROM TOURING!” Touring is a lot of work and neither of them want to be away from their families or the “new” lives they become accustomed to! However, they have not ruled out writing, possibly recording and possibly playing a show here and there! All of this is “POSSIBLY!” Yet it is also possible that nothing will happen!!! According to Geddy, him and his wife will be going on a long post tour vacation and when he returns it is POSSIBLE that him and Alex may do some messing around. (Which means nothing may ever come of it!) Opinion: all of us Rush fans would love to hear more from them, however retirement is RETIREMENT! And they deserve to be retired with no pressure from labels, management, fans, anything. It just happens that they still live playing, so it could be as much as what is stated above or as little as the two just jamming, without going beyond that.

I’ve been a fan since the 80’s. Learned ever bass, keyboard and pedalboard part that Geddy ever played. Also EJ’s need many songs on the drums and guitar! I absolutely love Rush and miss them every day! But Rush ended when Neil retired! ……..

Get this kid. (He is 9) You guys and your drummer conversations. There are literally thousands of people that could do this. It’s much easier to copy than produce.

https://youtu.be/7XZbzweWKnc?si=uJ2Bzo8gaupKb4mZ

Waiting for some comments like “yeah, he’s good, but not exactly like The Professor.” Lol. There are many many drummers that learned through Rush. For people to say that no one “could handle it” is just head in the sand.

The only currently available drummer I could see coming close to the professor would be Mike Mangini

Only Todd Sucherman could pull it off technically

Gil Moore of Triumph would be their best fit should they do it. Great drummer, Canadian, and available. No one could ever replace Neil.

I find it incredible that no one mentions larnel lewis he’d fit right in and he’s from Toronto

Carmine Appice

Gavin Harrison or Danny Carey. These two only.

Headline doesn’t actually match article. They didn’t confirm anything other than they’ve talked about it. That is not confirming touring plans.

My guess – they will do some shows with other bands like they did for the Taylor Hawkins tribute – just sitting in for a few songs here and there with various people filling in on drums and I really like the ideas of great players coming in for 1-2 songs because it reinforces the message that one person CAN’T replace Neil.

Todd Sucherman. He is the most accurate drummer today and a worthy replacement for the incredible Neil Peart.

This guy would be able to handle Peart’s complex drumming. Jorge Garrido (a.k.a. El Estepario Siberiano) https://youtu.be/a_vD1FWP6W4?si=DpAQO1cOYKeo5aIR

This guy would be able to handle Peart’s complex drumming. Jorge Garrido (a.k.a. El Estepario Siberiano)

Danny Carey All Day would Be my suggestion..Amazing Drummer

Terry Bozzio.

I would love to see another Canadian icon at the drum kit. I think Gil Moore from Triumph would be awsome . Another amazing Canadian icon Johnny Fay from the tragically hip

Dave Grohl could do it. But NOBODY can replace the great Neil. Master.

Get Mike Mangini! And Tour Europe please!

Keeping the original roots Canadian. I would consider the drummer from Terra Cotta 2.0 Hopefully the boys will get out a couple of more times to put closure to a chapter that touched the world 🌎.

Gavin Harrison is the man for the job.

Stewart Copeland could be a good fit in my opinion.

DAvid Garibaldi

no Mike Mangine should be the one to do the job he would be perfect!

I think replacing the professor is a tall task for anyone but,I don’t think any of the modern drummers would be the answer. I’m willing to bet that there are drummers out there that can do a reasonable job

There are no drummers who can replace Neil. If the guys want to keep going they need to find a drummer who is strong enough to stand on their own. Not even try to be Neil Peart.

I’m not saying they shouldn’t ever play Rush songs again but I Couldn’t imagine putting on a traditional Rush concert without Neil Peart or Alex or Getty Some drummers are capable of playing some rush songs correct but no one can play all the songs correctly like Peart done even if someone Manages to play all the right notes ,beats and Rhythms it still wouldn’t sound as good without Peart’s unique style and personality that came across in his playing. I don’t think Geddy and Alex would settle for second best. He was a perfectionist throughout his entire Career without showing off or a bunch of flair while making the impossible look easy . Not everyone is replaceable

Danny Carey would improve Rush immensely

Not being facetious, but Omar nailed it and would have made Neil really proud…

What about Carl Palmer (ELP) ?

Carl Palmer would be able for sure. No doubt.

I’ve got a roland TR and I’m available!

Did you see when Grohl played with Rush during their induction into the rock and roll hall of Fame? Pretty impressive.

Greg Bissonette

Deen Castronovo could do it. He’s a beast, and could sing background vocals, too, not that Rush has many of those.

Please let be Stewart Coupland.

If he’s available and up for it, I’d love to see Virgil Donati fill the role.

I’m sorry… Tim Alexander has been playing Rush with Rush for years. He’s got the chops, stamina and groove that Alex and Geddy love.

It’s Gotta be Tim!

I think precision is what will count when trying to perform these masterpieces. Thomas Lang is about the only person who comes to mind for me.

Carter Beaufort could handle the job. He is seriously underrated but is a fine and creative percussionist. IMHO

Let’s not forget, Neil was not the first drummer for Rush. Why should he be the last?

What about Carl Palmer?

Tommy Aldridge! Thats all you need to know!

wHO ELSE BILL BRUFORD

Typical speculation, enjoy it or not when this project comes to fruition. Don’t have any expectations because you will be disappointed.

I’d say Rory Dolan or Kris Myers. None of the rock drummers are good enough

Correction. Neal was not a founding member, John Rutsey was the original drummer,

they need Simon Phillips

Stewart Copeland

Just thinking outside the box here…..Any thoughts on Dennis Chambers?

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

Notify me of follow-up comments by email.

Notify me of new posts by email.

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed .

Input your search keywords and press Enter.

Get Latest Rock & Metal News Delivered Straight To Your Inbox!

Made with Mailchimp

Could Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson reunite for Rush's 50th anniversary next year?

Alex Lifeson's Envy of None band mate Andy Curran discusses the possibility of Lifeson and Geddy Lee working together again

It's the 50th anniversary of the release of Rush 's debut album next year, and the possibility of remaining band members Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson getting together again has reared its head after Lifeson's Envy Of None band mate Andy Curran was asked about the possibility of the the pair working together again on the Rock History Music YouTube channel. You can watch the full interview below.

"I’m going to answer that in two ways," Curran said, when asked about the possibility of the pair working together again. "I’m going to say, I hope they do [reunite] as a Rush fan. I hope those boys do because I see that there’s   a lot of race left in both of those horses. Those guys are extremely creative guys… I would be shocked if they didn’t do something together; that’s maybe the hopeful side of me.

"I think [they are] enjoying being their own guys with a bit of freedom right now, so I don’t think it’s [the reunion and recording new music] imminent… But the interesting thing is the 50th anniversary of Rush is next year, so I think if there’s ever going to be a time, then we might see something happening next year.”

Lee has been busy writing his autobiography , which will be launched in November, whilst Lifeson has returned to active music duty with the dark pop/prog band Envy Of None, who released their self-titled debut album last year and have just announced a new EP, That Was Then .

"I do know that Geddy is spending a lot of time and has just announced the release of his book, his memoirs; he’s got a TV show that he’s working on," former Coney Hatch man Curran added. "Alex is an avid golfer, and I think that the boys are enjoying the time away from that very sort of ‘write-tour-record-tour, rinse and repeat."

Prog Newsletter

Sign up below to get the latest from Prog, plus exclusive special offers, direct to your inbox!

Writer and broadcaster Jerry Ewing is the Editor of Prog Magazine which he founded for Future Publishing in 2009. He grew up in Sydney and began his writing career in London for Metal Forces magazine in 1989. He has since written for Metal Hammer, Maxim, Vox, Stuff and Bizarre magazines, among others. He created and edited Classic Rock Magazine for Dennis Publishing in 1998 and is the author of a variety of books on both music and sport, including Wonderous Stories; A Journey Through The Landscape Of Progressive Rock.

“When the line-ups changed I thought it was getting a bit stale. But they reinvented themselves… what an incredible thing”: Steve Stevens has loved Yes since he was 14, and always will

Pattern-Seeking Animals sign new record deal with GEP

"We got to see up close how things work in this country.. It didn’t kill us, but it was quite an experience": Eddie Vedder on Pearl Jam's battle with Ticketmaster, 30 years on

Most Popular

Billie Eilish launching Hit Me Hard and Soft tour this fall, sets three Forum shows

• Show more sharing options
• Copy Link URL Copied!

Billie Eilish will hit the road once again on her just-announced Hit Me Hard and Soft: The Tour, which kicks off in arenas this fall.

The Grammy- and Oscar-winning musician, who will release her third studio album, “Hit Me Hard and Soft,” on May 17, will launch the tour Sept. 29 in Montreal, then weave her way across the continental United States. The North American leg of the tour will close out with three shows at the Kia Forum in Inglewood Dec. 15-17.

This is what Billie Eilish talks about when she’s not promoting ‘Barbie, Barbie, Barbie’

Billie Eilish says she needed a break from the constant ‘Barbie, Barbie, Barbie’ questions that came at her on the movie’s press tour and the awards circuit.

April 25, 2024

Eilish’s other California stop is a two-night stint at the SAP Center in San José on Dec. 10 and 11, Live Nation announced Tuesday. The complete schedule is available on Live Nation‘s and Eilish’s websites.

After the North American dates, the tour will continue in to Australia for a dozen shows in February and March 2025. Then Eilish wiil make her way through Europe and the U.K, closing out that leg of the tour with two shows in Dublin on July 26 and 27, 2025.

The American Express presale for tickets begins Tuesday, with additional presales running throughout the week. Remaining tickets will be sold starting Friday .

View this post on Instagram A post shared by BILLIE EILISH (@billieeilish)

Eilish is said to explore different sounds and more mature themes on her upcoming album, a 10-track production that has been described as “her most daring body of work to date,” and again pairs her with her brother Finneas. In a Rolling Stone interview last week, the duo teased that the opening track of the new album mirrors their “Barbie” smash hit “What Was I Made For?” In fact, it was written before the somber Oscar- and Grammy-winning tune.

The 15 best things we saw at Coachella 2024

From Paris Hilton playing cornhole at Vampire Weekend’s set to No Doubt’s reunion, these are the best things our team saw at Coachella 2024.

April 15, 2024

The “Ocean Eyes” and “Bad Guy” singer said she also recognizes that she’s been working nonstop since she broke through as a teen.

“I had this moment of like, ‘Oh, my God, I haven’t had fun in seven years.’ Truly. I had this illusion that I had, because who experiences going to the Grammys at basically 17 and winning five ?” she told the magazine. “But in life, I realized I had really not experienced that much. I didn’t go outside for five years. How was I supposed to have any experiences?”

The 22-year-old hitmaker’s latest tour will continue her long-standing partnership with the environmental nonprofit REVERB , which has yielded $1 million in donations to environmental, greenhouse-gas reduction and climate justice projects and more than 150,000 fan actions, Live Nation said. Sustainability efforts for the upcoming tour will include reducing greenhouse-gas pollution, decreasing single-use plastic waste, supporting climate action and updating concession offerings to promote and encourage plant-based food options with Support+Feed .

More to Read

Aerosmith farewell tour is back on with new L.A. date, months after Steven Tyler injury

April 10, 2024

Jennifer Lopez cancels several stops on This Is Me...Now tour, but SoCal is still a go

March 14, 2024

Busta Rhymes cancels 2024 Blockbusta tour less than a week before launch

March 8, 2024

The biggest entertainment stories

Get our big stories about Hollywood, film, television, music, arts, culture and more right in your inbox as soon as they publish.

You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.

Nardine Saad covers breaking entertainment news, trending culture topics, celebrities and their kin for the Fast Break Desk at the Los Angeles Times. She joined The Times in 2010 as a MetPro trainee and has reported from homicide scenes, flooded canyons, red carpet premieres and award shows.

More From the Los Angeles Times

Madonna’s Celebration Tour pulls record 1.6M fans into the groove at Rio’s Copacabana

May 6, 2024

Mick Jagger sounds off at New Orleans Jazz Fest, starting a feud with Gov. Jeff Landry

May 3, 2024

Willow Smith, Will and Jada’s daughter, says nepo baby ‘insecurity has driven me harder’

Country singer Sara Evans reveals struggles with body dysmorphia, eating disorder

Rush Announce Dates for ‘Likely Last Major Tour of This Magnitude’

• By Andy Greene

Andy Greene

After months of rumors, Rush  have announced tour dates for their 40th anniversary tour. They plan on hitting 34 cities across North America, kicking off May 8th in Tulsa, Oklahoma and wrapping up August 1st in Los Angeles. “These not-to-be-missed concerts will highlight four decades of the band’s music,” the group said in a press release. “[This] will most likely be their last major tour of this magnitude.”   Tickets go on sale January 30th.

The tour commemorates the 40th anniversary of drummer Neil Peart joining the band, even though that actually happened in 1974. Last year, however, they had just wrapped up a long tour in support of their album Clockwork Angels and opted to celebrate the anniversary in 2015.

The Clockworks Angels tour centered around new material and songs from their 1980s catalog, leaving aside their 1970s work until a 2112 medley that wrapped up the night. This tour will likely give more weight to all eras of their career, especially since the band is not promoting a new album. “I’ve always wanted to do some rarer Rush material,” guitarist Alex Lifeson told  Rolling Stone last year. “And this should be a good opportunity to do that.”

Frontman Geddy Lee spoke with Rolling Stone about the tour last November, noting, “I would think if we’re going to do some sort of anniversary thing, it’ll probably be a ‘trip through the years’ kind of thing.” When pressed, he said he was open to performing such rarities as the two books of “Cygnus,” “Cut To The Chase” and “Chemistry.”

On Rush’s 2010-11 Time Machine tour, they played their 1981 LP Moving Pictures straight through. As of now, they have not indicated whether or not they plan on reviving any complete albums on this tour.

The Results Are In: Kendrick Lamar Won the Great Rap War

Everything that's happened in the drake-kendrick beef, tommy lee wins round in helicopter sexual assault lawsuit, tom brady briefly forgets what a roast is after jeff ross' robert kraft massage joke.

R40 Live 40th Anniversary Tour Dates :

5/8 – Tulsa, OK @ BOK Center 5/10 – Lincoln, NE @ Pinnacle Bank Arena 5/12 – St. Paul, MN @ Xcel Energy Center 5/14 – St. Louis, MO @ Scottrade Center 5/16 – Austin, TX @ 360 Amphitheater 5/18 – Dallas, TX @ American Airlines Center 5/20 – Houston, TX @ Toyota Center 5/22 – New Orleans, LA @ Smoothie King Arena 5/24 – Tampa, FL @ Amalie Arena 5/26 – Atlanta, GA @ Verizon Amphitheater 5/28 – Greensboro, NC @ Greensboro Coliseum 5/30 – Bristow, VA @ Jiffy Lube Live 6/8 – Columbus, OH @ Nationwide Arena 6/10 – Buffalo, NY @ First Niagara Center 6/12 – Chicago, IL @ United Center 6/14 – Detroit, MI @ The Palace of Auburn Hills 6/17 – Toronto, ON @ Air Canada Centre 6/21 – Montreal, QC @ Bel Centre 6/23 – Boston, MA @ TD Garden 6/25 – Philadelphia, PA @ Wells Fargo Center 6/27 – Newark, NJ @ Prudential Center 6/29 – New York, NY @ Madison Square Garden 7/9 – Kansas City, MO @ Sprint Center 7/11 – Denver, CO @ Pepsi Center 7/13 – Salt Lake City, UT @ Maverik Center 7/15 – Calgary, AB @ Scotiabank Saddledome 7/17 – Vancouver, BC @ Rogers Arena 7/19 – Seattle, WA @ Key Arena 7/21 – Portland, OR @ MODA Center 7/23 – San Jose, CA @ SAP Center at San Jose 7/25 – Las Vegas, NV @ MGM Grand Garden Arena 7/27 – Phoenix, AZ @ US Airways Center 7/30 – Irvine Meadows, CA @ Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre 8/1 – Los Angeles, CA @ The Forum

Editor’s picks

Every awful thing trump has promised to do in a second term, the 250 greatest guitarists of all time, the 500 greatest albums of all time, the 50 worst decisions in movie history, hear the journey tune steve perry re-recorded with steve lukather's son.

• Return of The Voice

Taylor Swift and Scooter Braun's Music Feud to be Explored in New Docuseries

• By Larisha Paul

“They Weren’t Beatles Anymore.” Director Michael Lindsay-Hogg on the Return of 'Let It Be'

• speaking words of wisdom
• By Rob Sheffield

Pour Out the Fireball: Florida Georgia Line's Nashville Bar Has Closed

• The Party's Over
• By Joseph Hudak

Alex Lifeson and Geddy Lee Are Playing Rush Songs Again — For Their Ears Only

• By Brian Hiatt

Most Popular

Abc news meteorologist rob marciano out at the network, victoria justice shot 'first ever sex scene' on day one of filming new movie and thought: 'really we're gonna schedule this for the first day', king charles’ latest appearance has body language experts predicting a 'problem' in future events, ancient egyptian pyramids, sphinx close to public for tech billionaire's lavish wedding, you might also like, ‘wednesday’ season 2 announces full cast as filming kicks off, percy hynes white dropped from series, pamela anderson gets the ‘best of both worlds’ for met gala debut in pandora’s white and pink lab-grown diamonds and oscar de la renta crinkle gown, the best yoga mats for any practice, according to instructors, here’s how much disney is cutting its marvel production, msg playoff runs earn dolan second look from fans, investors.

Rolling Stone is a part of Penske Media Corporation. © 2024 Rolling Stone, LLC. All rights reserved.

Verify it's you

Please log in.