Rush came close to extending their 2015 farewell tour beyond the 35 shows drummer Neil Peart agreed to, guitarist Alex Lifeson recalled.
The band’s R40 road trip was negotiated at a point when Peart already wanted to retire. In a new interview with Classic Rock, bassist Geddy Lee said the situation was representative of the “very unusual, complicated, emotional times” leading up to Peart’s death in 2020.
“I’d pushed really hard to get more gigs,” Lee said, “and I was unsuccessful. I really felt like I let our British and European fans down.
READ MORE: Geddy Lee Admits He Resented Neil Peart After Rush’s Final Show
He continued: “It felt to me incorrect that we didn’t do it, but Neil was adamant that he would only do 30 shows and that was it. That, to him, was a huge compromise because he didn’t want to do any shows. He didn’t want to do one show.”
Lee’s feelings were the reason he offered some detail about Peart’s death in his 2023 memoir My Effin’ Life. “I just kind of felt I owed an explanation to them, the audience. … That it wasn’t a straight line.
“Fans invested their whole being into our band and I thought they deserved a somewhat straight answer about what happened and how their favourite band came to end.”
Lifeson added: “Ged and I were disappointed that Neil demanded playing only a limited number of dates, which precluded a U.K. and European run. I think a dozen or so more dates would have made us a bit more accepting.”
Neil Peart Motorcycle Comes With Pair of Used Drumsticks
He continued: “And there was a point where I think Neil was open to maybe extending the run…but then he got this painful infection in one of his feet. I mean, he could barely walk to the stage at one point.
“They got him a golf cart to drive him to the stage. And he played a three-hour show, at the intensity he played every single show.”
Meanwhile, one of the motorcycles Peart used to travel between Rush shows will be auctioned on Feb. 1, and it’s expected to go for $40,000-50,000. The BMW R1200GS comes complete with the original purchase receipt, signed by the drummer, a pair of his used sticks, a set of panniers and a tank bag. Potential bidders can register online.
Potential Collaborators for Rush’s Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson
Who’s to say that they would stick with the tried-and-true trio format?
Gallery Credit: Nick DeRiso
