Neil Peart, the drummer for Canadian prog-rock group Rush, died at age 67, according to reports on Friday, triggering an outpouring of condolences on social media.
His publicist told the CBC and Rolling Stone that he died on Tuesday in California. His cause of death was brain cancer, of which he was battling for the past three years, Elliott Mintz, a spokesperson for the Peart family told the magazine.
Rush finished their final tour in 2015.
Neil Peart was a true master of his art. An irreplaceable talent. R.I.P..
— Adam Proteau (@Proteautype) January 10, 2020
In an interview in 2015, Peart mentioned that his young daughter Olivia, who was born in 2009, “has been introducing me to new friends at school as ‘My dad — he’s a retired drummer.’ True to say — funny to hear. And it does not pain me to realize that, like all athletes, there comes a time to … take yourself out of the game.”
Neil Peart died on the 4-year anniversary of David Bowie’s death. Looks like the afterlife supergroup (Bowie, Prince, and Lemmy) finally got their drummer. https://t.co/1mN1o6TU2M
— Duran Duran Dreger (@DuranDreger) January 10, 2020
On social media, a number of users offered their condolences to his family.
According to Allmusic.com, “Over the course of their decades-spanning career, Canadian power trio Rush emerged as one of hard rock’s most highly regarded bands; although typically brushed aside by critics and rarely the recipients of mainstream pop radio airplay, Rush nonetheless won an impressive and devoted fan following, while their virtuoso performance skills solidified their standing as musicians’ musicians.”
It noted that Peart joined the band in 1974.
Neil Peart, the drummer and primary lyricist for Rush, has died.
He was inducted into the Modern Drummer Hall of Fame in 1983, making him the youngest person ever so honoured. pic.twitter.com/AsSSRbTlQU— Eric Alper ???? (@ThatEricAlper) January 10, 2020
Wow… speechless… stunned.. RIP Neil Peart @rushtheband as per Rolling Stone: Drummer Neil Peart Dead at 67 – Rolling Stone https://t.co/uvmIIP5BEV
— Eddie Trunk (@EddieTrunk) January 10, 2020
RIP Rush’s Neil Peart, dead of brain cancer at age 67. https://t.co/xu2UFUE0Sd
— Alan Cross (@alancross) January 10, 2020
“With Peart firmly ensconced, the band returned in 1975 with a pair of LPs, Fly by Night and Caress of Steel. Their next effort, 1976’s 2112, proved their breakthrough release: a futuristic concept album based on the writings of Ayn Rand, it fused the elements of the trio’s sound,” the writeup says.
From The Epoch Times