Rush, the return: “Our music makes us proud”
For years the idea of see Rush back on stage it remained suspended in an almost unreal dimension, like a possibility that belonged more to memory than to the future. After the last concert of the “R40 Live Tour” in 2015, and especially after the passing of drummer and lyricist Neil Peart in 2020the band’s history seemed to have closed definitively. Yet, after some time, something has started to move again. Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson have decided to reopen that chapterbringing the name of Rush back to the stages, supported by new drummer Anika Nilles and new keyboardist Loren Gold. The tour will therefore start from Los Angeles on June 7th”Fifty something tour“, which during the year will visit various cities in the United States, as well as Canada and Mexico, before arriving in Europe in 2027. There is also a date on the calendar at the Unipol Dome in Milan (the new Santa Giulia Arena inaugurated on the occasion of the Milan Cortina Winter Olympics) set for March 30, 2027.
The decision to return came slowly in Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson, after a long period of personal and artistic development. “In the first few years after Neil passed, I think he really was the last thing on our minds. And, frankly, it seemed impossible,” Geddy Lee tells Rockol. What progressively changed the perspective was also the experience of Taylor Hawkins tribute concerts in 2022 (here is the story of the London show), thanks to which the duo realized how much Rush’s music makes them “proud”. Furthermore, the London event to honor the late Foo Fighters drummer gave Lee and Lifeson the opportunity to meet Paul McCartney. “After the concert the first thing he said to us was: ‘You’ll be back on tour, right?‘”, recall the two musicians, narrating a moment that ended up “planting a seed” in their minds, re-emerging forcefully when, at the end of 2024, Lee and Lifeson started to concretely discuss the idea of returning to the stage again. A fundamental step of this new phase was the choice of drummer Anika Nillesmusician coming from a very different context compared to the Rush tradition: “We were very lucky: it was enough for us to just play with her to understand that she was the right drummer”, underlines Lee, extinguishing once and for all the rumors about the candidacies and the possible involvement of other musicians, even famous ones.
For years it seemed unthinkable to see Rush return without Neil Peart. What happened inside you that made you change your perspective? Was it a gradual process or was there a specific moment that led you to reconsider everything?
Geddy Lee: That’s a tough question to answer. It was a very gradual process, and it took a long time to arrive at this decision. And the reasons are many. In the first few years after Neil passed, I think coming back was really the last thing on our minds. And, frankly, it seemed impossible.
Then in 2022 we did those two Taylor Hawkins tribute concerts, which were a really positive experience. And we got to play with four different drummers in the two shows, and that taught us a lot about how to adapt Rush’s music to a new drummer. And it wasn’t always easy, because it is a particular music, very idiosyncratic, full of unusual nuances. But when we played those songs on stage something happened. A certain sense of pride has returned for me. At the end of the concerts we felt very proud of our music, and of the fact that other musicians loved it so much – and loved Neil’s playing so much too. Even though the Taylor Hawkins tribute concerts were a sad event in themselves – because we had lost another friend, another great drummer – they turned into a sort of celebration. That was the first spark.
Alex Lifeson: Also, when Neil decided that touring was over for him, Geddy and I didn’t exactly feel the same way. We still had energy, we still wanted to continue playing live, especially after the ‘R40’ tour, which was a fantastic production. We were very proud of it. And we were playing very well. However, we agreed to stop. But we were quite sad about it. Maybe we hoped that something would change, but that wasn’t the case. And then, Neil got sick, and what happened happened.
Years later, at the Taylor Hawkins concerts, it was really nice for the two of us to be back on stage together and playing. We have been friends since we were kids, we became musicians, co-authors, and we shared so many experiences of life, rock and much more.
Initially, though, when the opportunity to get the band back on track arose, I personally wasn’t sure. Even after those shows, as much fun as we had, I still wasn’t convinced that I wanted to make as big of a commitment as going back on tour with Rush and all that entails. I was working on other things, I was still busy with music. But when, at the end of 2024, Ged and I met to evaluate other projects that required playing Rush songs, we started talking about the concrete possibility of returning. And that rekindled the spark.
What was it like playing together again?
Alex Lifeson: We had a lot of fun playing Rush songs together that we hadn’t played in many years.
Then one thing led to another, and the idea of going back on tour became more and more concrete: we hired new management, we started to schedule the first dates and everything evolved very quickly.
I have to admit that until a few weeks ago, while we were in the rehearsal room, I was still a little worried. During the first rehearsals, in the morning we did a warm-up by playing the songs we had rehearsed in the previous days. And we started playing them really well. At that point I saw a light at the end of the tunnel: I understood that it would be worth it and that it would be an amazing experience, not only for the fans but for us too.
Is your return a celebration?
Alex Lifeson: It’s a celebration of the music we’ve been making together since we were fifteen. Looking at the big picture, the circle of life, I think it really closes the circle for us. And it gives us a great opportunity to do something extraordinary at this stage of our lives. I’m really excited, if only for what it’s offering to my soul.
Regarding your participation in the Taylor Hawkins tribute concerts, there has been a lot of talk about your meeting backstage with Paul McCartney, and the fact that he somehow encouraged you to think about a comeback. How much did that conversation influence your final decision?
Geddy Lee: It’s a curious fact. First of all because Paul McCartney is one of those musicians you can talk about with anyone, in rock, pop or any other genre, in any branch of music of the last sixty years or so. And when you say Paul McCartney’s name, a great sense of respect immediately arises. He is considered not only one of the greatest authors in the history of pop, but also an extraordinary musician, gifted with immense talent. He’s in his eighties and can still do a three-hour show. Furthermore, he is an amazing person and a wonderful man. Not many can truly realize this until they meet him in person. It’s a special experience.
Already during rehearsals for the Taylor Hawkins tribute show in London, he expressed a desire to meet us. I remember Alex and I were rehearsing with Dave Grohl. Dave came up to us and said, “Paul McCartney is here. He said he’s never met the guys from Rush before. Do you want to meet Paul McCartney?” Our response was of course, “Yes, yes, of course.” So we met him, and he was affable from the first moment.
Then the night of the concert, we discovered that he was watching our set from the side of the stage. And after the show he was excited to talk to us and talk about music. And of course the first thing he said was, “You’re going back on tour, right?” And we obviously weren’t sure, because Alex wasn’t very convinced about going back on tour. So I said, “You talk to Alex about it.” I know the two of them had a fun conversation. But, essentially, that moment definitely planted a seed in our minds. Of course we tried to do something about that time, but nothing happened. We abandoned that idea for a while, before picking it up again at the end of 2024. And we started talking about it again.
What did you recognize in Anika Nilles, from a human as well as musical point of view, that made you understand that this return could really work with her as the drummer?
Geddy Lee: I had heard about Anika a few years ago through my bass tech, who was working with Jeff Beck and touring with her. When she came back from that tour she talked to me about how talented she was, but also what a beautiful person she was. And I just kept that in mind, in case one day the opportunity arose to make music together or something like that. When we made the decision to move forward, though, we still weren’t sure it would work. We kept saying to ourselves, “Maybe we want to tour again, but we don’t know if we’re going to do it right.” And then we wondered, “Who could ever take Neil’s place? It’s a huge responsibility.” Luckily, when Anika came to Canada, she was willing to just come and play with us and see what would happen.
And at the end of those five days together we thought she was really exciting. She has a very different background, she has a very different image, she comes from a different musical genre. And he’s obviously also a little younger than me and Alex. He brought a certain humility, great energy and a strong work ethic to our songs. And I think this made Alex and I want to move forward with this project even more.
And now, many months later, here we are. She is becoming a real force of nature on the drums. Every day we rehearse we see her grow more and more into this role, and it’s extraordinary to witness this evolution. From this point of view we were very lucky, because it was enough for us to just play with her to understand that she was the right drummer.
During the preparation of the tour with Anika Nilles did you also discuss how to pay homage to Neil Peart on stage? How will his presence be part of the show?
Alex Lifeson: We’re thinking of doing two sets each night, with an intermission in between. And in each of the two sets there will be a moment dedicated to a tribute to Neil. But we don’t want it to become something sad: the idea is rather to celebrate who he was and his extraordinary talent. Want to smile in that moment on stage, when we do, because that’s how I think of Neil now. The sadness has passed. I think of his slightly funny side, the way he laughed, the way he spoke, certain things he said. In my mind I have very positive memories of him. And this is what I hope we will be able to convey.
Now that Anika Nilles is part of the band, has the desire to write something new also arise in you? Do you have anything in mind to celebrate the 50th anniversary of “2112”?
Geddy Lee: We’ve got a lot on our plate right now trying to learn forty Rush songs, and I don’t think we have the brains to think about the future right now. Of course, once this tour is over anything is possible. But right now the only thing we really need to focus on is putting together a great tour. Alex and I have to be in top shape and play as best, if not better than we ever have before. And we must bring to the stage a show worthy of the people who have been waiting for a long time to see us again. We don’t want to disappoint them. So that’s our focus right now, not what comes next.
