RUSH vocalist/bassist Geddy Lee says that he and Alex Lifeson have openly discussed touring with another drummer
Decades ago, the pioneering progressive rock ensemble RUSH, hailing from the Toronto suburbs and comprised of guitarist Alex Lifeson, bassist/vocalist Geddy Lee, and drummer Neil Peart, solidified its status as Canada’s most iconic rock band, boasting a remarkable record of over 40 million albums sold.
In a recent interview with “CBS News Sunday Morning” correspondent Jim Axelrod, Lifeson and Lee, who has authored the new memoir “My Effin’ Life,” delved into the unique blend of their musical prowess, stagecraft, and lightheartedness. The conversation touched upon the band’s journey, the profound impact of tragedy with Peart‘s passing, and the potential direction for RUSH‘s future.
Touching on what “the next chapter” might look like for him and Lee without Peart, Lifeson said: “Yeah, it’s difficult to figure out what that chapter is without him.”
When asked if he and Alex have ever talked about, “Let’s go get one of the great drummers and tour again”, Geddy said: “Have we talked about it? Yeah.” Pressed about whether it will happen, Lee said: “It’s not impossible, but at this point, I can’t guarantee it.”
Alex added: “It’s just not in our DNA to stop.”
Geddy also said: “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.”
Last month, Geddy was asked by the Los Angeles Times if there could ever be another RUSH show, to which he responded: “There could be a show that paid tribute to the songs of RUSH. I would never say there will never be another RUSH show. We get approached all the time.”
When asked if drummers ever say, “If you continue without Neil, I’m available”, Geddy replied: “Again, all the time. At the Taylor Hawkins tribute concert [in September 2022], Alex and I played with Dave Grohl and a bunch of other drummers. Neil would have loved it. I know he was looking down at us — or looking up at us [laughs] — and thinking, ‘Fuck, that would have been fun.'”
Lee previously discussed the possibility of making new music in a separate interview with Long Island Weekly. During that chat, he said: “I recently discovered a couple of songs that had been left off my solo album [2000’s ‘My Favourite Headache’). Listening to them was really quite fun and I decided that I wanted to see about fixing those up and just breathing some fresh air into them. And that experience reminded me of how much fun I have in the studio.
“So of course, my lifelong buddy and bandmate Alex and I would like to get back into the studio together and see what might happen. I have ideas that I’d like to flesh out on my own too. Once I finish all this crazy crap that I agreed to do — the book tour and the TV show and find some space for myself — I’d certainly like to start playing something.
“But I can’t tell you right now because I’m just book touring it until I drop. And then I’ll see where I land after I have a nice holiday with my wife and we’ll go from there. I don’t like to plan too far ahead anymore. I was scheduled up the wazoo with my partners in RUSH for over 45 years. Now, I have to prioritize other things.”
Neil Peart succumbed to glioblastoma, an aggressive form of brain cancer, in January 2020, concluding a three-year battle. He was 67 years old. The band, mourning the loss, took three days to announce Peart‘s passing, eliciting widespread shock and an outpouring of sorrow from fans and fellow musicians worldwide.
Released on November 14 by HarperCollins, “My Effin’ Life,” edited by Noah Eaker, spans 512 pages and is accessible in both hardcover and e-book formats.
