So I was bumbling around on YEWCHOOB this morning, as is my wont, checking out various videos on geopolitics, when I found something in my recommendations from Rick Beato that claimed the legendary Canadian band RUSH have a new drummer:

If you have ever wanted something stronger than coffee to wake you up – that, right there, will do it. For sure. Guaranteed.

It has been nearly six years since Neil Peart very sadly left us. I was devastated when I learned he was dead. I have been listening to RUSH since I was a teenager. As far as I am concerned, Neil was the man who taught God how to play the drums. So, when I first learned that RUSH were going back out on the road, with a new drummer – and a woman, to boot – I simply did not know what to think about it.

After all, it is simply not possible to replace someone like NEIL FREAKIN’ PEART.

However, as the statement from his widow and daughter make clear, this is not about replacing him. It is about honouring his legend, legacy, and incredible life:

“Neil’s musicianship was singular,” Carrie Nuttall-Peart and Olivia Peart, Peart’s widow and daughter said in a statement. “Compositions of intricacy and power that expanded what rhythm itself could express. As both drummer and lyricist, he was irreplaceable. Inimitable in his artistry, and unmatched in the depth and imagination he brought to the lyrics that inspired and moved so many, he profoundly shaped how fans connected with him and the band, giving voice and meaning to their own lives. As the band enters this new chapter, it promises to be truly unforgettable. We are excited to see how their new vision unfolds, and to hear this legendary music played live once again.“

Now, I, personally, would rate about a half-dozen drummers in the pantheon of rhythm gods as being potentially worthy heirs to The Professor on the Drums. The names are like a Who’s Who of drumming – Mike Portnoy, Mike Mangini, Danny Carey, Marco Minneman, Jason Bittner, Aquiles Priester, Steve Gadd, Simon Wright, and a handful of others come to mind. Of all these names, ONLY Tool’s Danny Carey strikes me as being a true slot-in for The Professor.

Just watch him playing “Pneuma” live – I’ve watched and listened to this video several dozen times, and I still cannot understand how the hell he manages to pull off most of what he does:

That is not a song. It is a multidimensional calculus problem.

I have seen RUSH play live something like, I think, 7 times. I am pretty sure the ONLY band I have seen play live more often than that, is IRON MAIDEN (8 or 9 times, and counting). To say that they had a big influence on my thoughts about music, is a colossal understatement.

So, of course, I am deeply sceptical that anyone can bring Neil’s polyrhythmic drumming to life and do it justice.

But… based on the evidence in that video up top, and the clips that I have seen so far of Ms Niles drumming… she might just be able to pull it off. I mean, this lady has serious chops:

Ultimately, though, all of this scepticism is probably unwarranted. Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson are professional musicians, and the work of a professional musician is to play music, live in front of other people. A studio environment is great and all, for the purpose of recording albums, but the true test of musicianship and skill, is playing that same music live in front of an audience. There is nothing like it.

And, after more than ten years out, it is truly time for RUSH to return to the big stage.

So, all I can say is, I am delighted to learn that they will indeed be back on the big stage – even if only for a limited time.

After all, the best way to honour the greatest drummer in rock history, is to play his music live.

And that is because, as we all know:

So let it be written, so let it be done: