Rush bassist Geddy Lee has silenced any hopes of a band reunion, explaining that longtime drummer Neil Peart has given up his instrument completely.
Ask any musician who the greatest drummers of all time are, and you’ll likely get an answer that includes Neil Peart. Joining Rush in 1974, Peart played on almost all of the band’s albums, and carved a reputation as one of the greatest drummers of all time.
However, while Rush fans were definitely disappointed to learn that the band has called it quits for good, they’ll undoubtedly even more devastated to learn that Neil Peart has apparently set down his drumsticks for the final time.
Speaking to Eddie Trunk on SiriusXM (via Blabbermouth), bassist Geddy Lee reminded us that the classic trio are unlikely to ever tour or record together again.
“Neil is retired,” Lee explained. “He hasn’t just retired from Rush; he’s retired from drumming. He’s not drumming anymore, and he’s living his life. Which is fine — Alex [Lifeson, guitarist] and I are cool with it. We’re all still total pals.”
“In fact, Alex and I were there just a few weeks ago visiting him, and we stay in touch. And, of course, Alex lives very near to me, so we’re constantly going out to dinner, ’cause he loves to drink everything in my wine cellar. We’re still pals, and we all talk, but that period of our life is done.”
Check out Geddy Lee’s discussion with Eddie Trunk:
Earlier this year, Rush’s Alex Lifeson admitted that the band was “basically done”, noting that they hadn’t toured for a while, and had no plans to do so again.
“It’s been a little over two years since Rush last toured,” Lifeson told The Globe And Mail. “We have no plans to tour or record any more. We’re basically done. After 41 years, we felt it was enough.”
While Geddy Lee later echoed these sentiments, he didn’t rule out the idea of making more music with Lifeson in the future. “I would say there’s no chance of seeing Rush on tour again as Alex, Geddy, Neil,” he explained. “But would you see one of us or two of us or three of us? That’s possible.”
However, with Neil Peart no longer pounding the skins, Lee explains that he’s still unsure whether he’ll hit the studio with his other Rush bandmate.
“Is there more music to come from myself and from Alex?” Lee questioned while talking to Eddie Trunk. “I don’t know when and what shape that will take. I don’t know if Alex and I will do something together.
“People keep me asking me and they want me to be definitive, and I can’t be, because I really haven’t thought that far.”
Even though the likes of Dave Grohl have been suggested as a replacement for Neil Peart, it sounds as though this is truly the end of the line for Rush fans. A damn shame too, especially considering Aussie fans never got the chance to see the band play live.
Check out Rush’s ‘Tom Sawyer’:
