Neil Peart, beloved drummer of prog-rock gods Rush has announced his retirement from music, stating “There comes a time to… take yourself out of the game.”
After almost twenty records with the band, chronic tendonitis and busy touring schedule, it seems more than reasonable that Peart wants to take the time away from music to spend with his wife and six year old daughter.
He is known for his elaborate drum kit featuring traditional, electronic and exotic drums which, along with his intricate rhythms and over-the-top solos make Peart an unmistakable influence on rock music from the seventies and beyond. On top of this, he was the primary lyricist for the band and has written a number of non-fiction travel books, so maybe his newfound free time will allow him to write and possibly give Rush fans insight on the band by way of tour stories and travel accounts.
Check out their performance of the classic “Tom Sawyer,” taken from their recent R40 tour which marked the 40th anniversary of Peart joining the band.