bassist and vocalist RushGeddy Leeexplained why his band didn't choose a famous drummer for the Fifty Something Tour – which will pass through Brazil between January and February 2027 for six shows.
Last October, the group announced that they would return to the stage 's legacy Neil Peart with the historic participation of German drummer Anika Nilles, who will take over the duties of the late musician.
In an interview with Fantástico, Lee revealed the reasons why he and guitarist Alex Lifeson chose a jazz, fusion, and prog drummer to accompany them in their shows, instead of opting for a musician from a tribute band or a renowned rock name like Mike Portnoyfrom Dream Theater. According to the Canadian, the main reason is to shield the band from the inevitable comparisons on the internet.
“Well, there are a few reasons for that. First of all, I think Alex and I wanted to stay away from obvious comparisons. When you work with a drummer from a famous band, it’s very easy for comments to arise. You know how the internet is, you know how fans can create discussions. So, what attracted us to Anika, first and foremost, was seeing how well she plays and her technical skill. And we didn’t really know she came from a different musical genre. We wanted someone new, whose story would be well received by our fans. And I think she fit that profile perfectly,” he commented [transcription via Blabbermouth].
Rush didn't even plan on returning to the stage, Lifeson stated
Asked if the choice of someone from outside the rock scene had been premeditated, Alex Lifeson said that Rush wasn't even planning on returning to the stage. He explained that the idea for the tour arose spontaneously, after two old friends got together to play together again.
“We never talked about it because it was never a concern or a problem. For my part, I was hesitant about the idea of going back on the road. But Geddy and I got together, started playing some things, and inevitably, we played some Rush songs. We had a lot of fun and realized how much we love doing it. After not playing them for a while, they proved challenging, which made it even more fun. The idea of sharing this took on a life of its own, and now here we are with a full tour,” he said.
Geddy concluded: “The short answer, which Alex didn’t give, is that the reason we never discussed what style of drummer we wanted was because we had no plans to go back on the road. When suddenly the story he just told happened, we said, ‘Okay, now we need a drummer. Do you know any?’”.
READ ALSO: Who is Anika Nilles and how did she become the drummer for Rush?
