Rush Drummer Neil Peart Dead At 67
• Neil Peart, the brilliantly talented drummer and lyricist of the legendary Canadian rock group Rush, died Tuesday, January 7 in Santa Monica, CA at the age of 67. The cause was brain cancer, which he had been quietly battling for three years, according to Elliot Mintz, a spokesperson for the Peart family. A representative for the band confirmed the news to Rolling Stone.
As also reported by Variety, Peart was among the most admired drummers in rock, famous for his massive drum kits — more than 40 different drums were not out of the norm — as well as his precise style that paid homage to his hero, The Who’s Keith Moon, while going well beyond that example. Peart joined Rush in 1974 alongside frontman and bassist Geddy Lee and guitarist Alex Lifeson. The band played their farewell tour in 2015 culminating in a final show at the Forum in Los Angeles.
According to the RIAA, Rush’s album sales statistics put them third behind The Beatles and The Rolling Stones for the most consecutive gold or platinum albums by a rock band. Rush also ranks 79th in U.S. album sales with 25 million units. Worldwide, the band has moved over 40 million units. Peart is survived by his wife, Carrie Nuttal, and daughter Olivia.
