Rush’s Geddy Lee recently revealed disturbing details about drummers who approached him after Neil Peart’s death. He addressed the inappropriate timing of their outreach in a statement shared on Guitar World.
Lee explained the stark difference between respectful friends and opportunistic musicians who reached out following the legendary drummer’s passing.
“People who are close to us – good friends that are successful drummers – would never infer something like that because they have too much respect, not only for Neil and for the situation,” Lee said. “They were grieving as well, so they wouldn’t be so selfish as to say something inappropriate like that.”
The Rush frontman expressed his disgust with other drummers who saw Peart’s death as an opportunity.
“There were many other drummers who reached out to me in the aftermath of Neil’s passing that were pushing themselves, and that was most distasteful to me,” he continued. “It was completely inappropriate timing.”
This revelation sheds light on the challenges the surviving Rush members faced while grieving their longtime bandmate and friend.
Lee’s comments provide insight into the difficult period following Peart’s unexpected passing. The death caught many in the music world off guard due to the private nature of his illness.
Wikipedia reported that Peart died of glioblastoma on January 7, 2020, at age 67. He had battled the aggressive form of brain cancer for three and a half years. The diagnosis appears to have occurred shortly after Rush’s final tour in 2015, marking the end of an era for the legendary Canadian rock trio.
The drummer’s illness was kept remarkably private throughout his battle with the disease. Rachael Hanel’s blog noted that his condition was known only to his family, close friends, and medical team until after his death. This explains why the music community was largely unaware of his health struggles.
Following Peart’s passing, his surviving bandmates paid tribute to their longtime collaborator. Moffitt Cancer Center documented that Lee and Alex Lifeson described Peart as their “friend, soul brother and bandmate over 45 years.” They called him “incredibly brave” in their official statement after his death.
The private nature of Peart’s illness and the sudden announcement of his death created a vacuum that some drummers apparently tried to fill inappropriately. This led to the uncomfortable situations Lee recently described. His revelations highlight the delicate balance between professional opportunity and personal respect during times of grief in the music industry.
