Neil Peart, the drummer and lyricist for Rush, died on Tuesday, January 7th, in Santa Monica, California at age 67, according to Elliot Mintz, a family spokesperson. The cause was brain cancer, which he had been quietly battling for three-and-a-half years. A representative for the band confirmed the news to Rolling Stone…
…In a statement released Friday afternoon, [Peart’s bandmates] [Geddy] Lee and [Alex] Lifeson called Peart their “friend, soul brother and bandmate over 45 years,” and said he had been “incredibly brave” in his battle with glioblastoma, an aggressive form of brain cancer. “We ask that friends, fans, and media alike understandably respect the family’s need for privacy and peace at this extremely painful and difficult time,” Lee and Lifeson said. “Those wishing to express their condolences can choose a cancer research group or charity of their choice and make a donation in Neil Peart’s name. Rest in peace, brother…”
…Rush finished their final tour in 2015; Peart was done with the road and eager to spend more time with his wife, Carrie Nuttal, and daughter Olivia.
Read more at Rolling Stone.
18 Responses
Speechless. Thank you 4 posting. Had no clue.
First , Rob T what a beautifully written comment –
This death hit me very hard , harder than I expected really – Neil had lived through some really tragic things , and then to be attacked by cancer …. it just feels so horribly wrong for this wonderful creative kind and loving man husband and father to be stolen out of existence this way . …. I’m sick about it
Thank you, Rob Davenport.
Really, besides Neil’s ensemble drumming, he was a concise writer and keen observer. Besides memorizing a whole lotta Rush lyrics I also enjoyed his travelogue books and the openness in his writings. So yes I try to take something from that whenever I write something.
Right there with you brother. It’s a cruel world that would allow such a beautiful human being to be taken down this way.
Playing a RUSH tribute to “ The Professor “ on SiriusXM on Channel 27, Deep Tracks. Not sure for how long. Hoping to catch Eddie tomorrow on Hair Nation.
I plan to read the travel books he published.
Rob, I have the same feeling. All the memories watching videos on MTV and air drumming in my living room. Being a Sci-fi fan I enjoyed the lyrics he wrote. Funny he is probably up in heaven feeling embarrassed of all the attention “I just hit things with sticks” he’d did it the best out of em all.
A lifelong Rush fan, I first saw them in concert during the “Hemispheres” tour and was in awe ever since. He was easily, and I mean easily, my favorite drummer. R.I.P.