Rush’s Geddy Lee Blasts “Distasteful” Drummers Who Vied for Neil Peart’s Job After His Death

Geddy Lee isn’t a fan of people who tried to insert themselves into Rush after Neil Peart’s death. In an interview with Guitar World, the Rush frontman revealed that many people tried to swoop in after Peart, the band’s drummer, died in 2020.

“There were many other drummers who reached out to me in the aftermath of Neil’s passing that were pushing themselves, and that was most distasteful to me,” Lee said. “It was completely inappropriate timing.”

“People who are close to us—good friends that are successful drummers—would never infer something like that because they have too much respect, not only for Neil and for the situation,” he added. “They were grieving as well, so they wouldn’t be so selfish as to say something inappropriate like that.”

Before Peart’s death, Rush retired from touring in 2015, largely due to the drummer’s deteriorating health. When Peart died, many assumed that Rush was done for good.

However, Lee and guitarist Alex Lifeson didn’t want that to happen. The men first reunited at a Taylor Hawkins tribute show in 2022, and then at a Gordon Lightfoot tribute concert two years later.

In between, they began jamming. They knew nothing big could happen without a drummer, though.

How Rush Found Their New Drummer

“We didn’t really know where to begin to look,” Lee said, before noting that he started with former Jeff Beck drummer Anika Nilles after a personal recommendation from a tech he knew.

“I had done some research on her. I loved her vibe and diverse style,” Lee said. “We didn’t have a list. When Al and I finally said, ‘OK, I guess we’re getting serious. Who’s going to sit in that impossible seat? It’s daunting.’ We started with the name that was already on my mind.”

“We called her up, she came, and we hit it off,” he continued. “She brought a lot to the table, but more than her chops, more than her guts, and her willingness to sit in that hot seat, she brought an intelligence and a story.”

Now, they’re gearing up for the start of their Fifty Something World Tour. Nilles will be behind the drums for the trek, and keyboardist Loren Gold will also play alongside the band.

“We can’t wait to get back to all these cities we haven’t played in so long, as well as hitting some new places we’ve yet to play,” Lee previously said in an Instagram post. “Both Alex and I are loving the hours of rehearsal time we’re spending with Anika and now Loren, learning around 40 songs which will enable us to keep the shows evolving, playing some different songs on different nights.”

“We are thrilled that many of our longstanding crew have come back to help us design the kind of RUSH show that fans have grown accustomed to expect from us,” he added. “We dearly hope you will come along and help us celebrate 50 years of Rush music, while giving Neil the long overdue tribute he so richly deserves.”

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