Rush's Alex Lifeson says he no longer wants to play music following Neil Peart's death
Rush guitarist Alex Lifeson says that he no longer feels motivated to play music, following the death of the band’s drummer Neil Peart earlier this year.
Speaking on the sports radio program Talkin’ Golf (via Rolling Stone) Lifeson was asked whether Rush would continue without their influential percussionist.
“After Neil passed in January, I’ve played very little guitar. I just don’t feel inspired and motivated,” he said.
“I don’t know if the motivation is there for us to really do anything now. We’re certainly proud of our track record, and we still love music. But it’s different now.”
Lifeson likened his emotions to those he felt when Peart’s daughter died in a car crash in 1997, followed by the death of the drummer’s wife from cancer a few months afterwards.
“I didn’t really play for about a year [after that],” he said. “I just don’t feel it in my heart right now. Every time I pick up a guitar, I just aimlessly mess around with it and put it down after 10 minutes.”
Peart died in January after a three year battle with brain cancer, prompting tributes from across the world of music, among them Dave Grohl, who called him “An inspiration to millions with an unmistakable sound who spawned generations of musicians – like myself – to pick up two sticks and chase a dream. A kind, thoughtful, brilliant man who ruled our radios and turntables not only with his drumming, but also his beautiful words.”
