Paul McCartney played a key role in Rush's reunion tour. The band officially announced last Monday, the 6th, a reunion tour for 2026 with founding members Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson , and also announced the new drummer Anika Nilles .
In an interview with Rolling Stone , Geddy recounted that it all began in 2022, during the Taylor Hawkins tribute concert in London, when Dave Grohl introduced Geddy Lee to Paul McCartney.
Geddy Lee recalled [via Ultimate Classic Rock ]: “Dave was so kind. He came up to us at rehearsal and said, ‘Paul McCartney is out there rehearsing next to us,’ and he said to me, ‘Dave, I’ve never met anyone from Rush before.’”
Then McCartney arrived and started chatting with the other musicians who were also there for the tribute show. Lee commented that he thought the Beatle didn't know much about Rush: “He's just a lovely man. A very positive person. I got the impression that he knew who we were and had heard of us. He had never heard of us. Then, at the show, he was there. He watched the show. I think he was very curious, because people had probably talked about us to him.”
After the show, McCartney, Lee, and Rush guitarist Alex Lifeson spent a good amount of time together, and on that occasion, Paul McCartney spoke about a Rush reunion: “After the show, he was incredible. He was so warm, welcoming, and positive. He came over, sat down, and had a drink with us. We all got tipsy. And he was very emphatic, saying, 'You know what Ringo always says: That's what we do.'”
Geddy told Paul how stubborn Alex was: 'Talk to Al, because he's stubborn.' And then he started lecturing Al about how great touring is. 'You have to do it, man. You have to get back in the game, man.' And Alex said something like, 'I'll do it, if you're our manager.' And McCartney replied, 'I'll manage you, man!'"
Following the death of drummer Neil Peart in 2020 , Lee and Lifeson stated they would not continue with the band, but McCartney tried to persuade them to reconsider, and Paul's words marked Gleedy Lee forever.
“It was a lot of fun, very funny, but he was right. That’s how he approaches life. He’s ageless because he truly believes he was born for this. That’s what you do. And you just do it. You don’t question it. And I think we all sometimes forget that,” confessed Geddy Lee.
Rush announces reunion tour for 2026.
The tour celebrates the band's 50th anniversary and will be dedicated to the memory of the late drummer Neil Peart. The first show will take place on June 7th at the Kia Forum in Los Angeles, and will include stops in Mexico, Texas, Illinois, New York, Ontario, and Ohio.
In an official statement on Rush's website , Geddy Lee commented on the new lineup:
“It’s been over 10 years since Alex and I played Rush songs alongside our late bandmate and friend Neil. A lifetime of music into which we poured our accumulated hearts and souls, writing, recording, and playing together on stage. And then, after everything that’s happened since the last show, Alex and I did some serious introspection and came to the conclusion that we miss it terribly and that it’s time for a celebration of Rush’s 50-plus years of music. So, in 2026, my best friend Lerxst (also known as Alex Lifeson) and I will hit the road once again to pay homage to our past and to Neil, playing a vast selection of Rush songs in a few cities. It’s not an easy task, because, as we all know, Neil was irreplaceable.”
READ ALSO: Who is Anika Nilles and how did she become the drummer for Rush?
