In his first major interview since the announcement of Rush‘s 2026 reunion tour, Geddy Lee has opened up about the long and emotional process of deciding to return to the stage without Neil Peart. He also detailed how the band’s new drummer, Anika Nilles, was “surreptitiously” auditioned and why she was the right choice for the monumental task.
Speaking with CBC News, Lee admitted to being “a bit overwhelmed” by the massive, sold-out fan response to the “Fifty Something” tour, a comeback that was never a certainty.
“Alex and I took a long time trying to figure out if we could actually do this ever again,” Lee said. “And when we did finally decide, of course people were optimistic, but we really didn’t expect the kind of overwhelming response… It’s just been a remarkable few weeks around our homes, but very exciting.”
The primary “stumbling block,” he explained, was the obvious and profound question of how to move forward without their iconic drummer and lyricist, Neil Peart. “How do we replace the irreplaceable, so to speak?” Lee mused.
The answer came from Lee‘s own bass tech, John “Skully” McIntosh, who had toured with Jeff Beck. “He came home from that tour raving about her,” Lee recalled. The “her” was German drummer Anika Nilles.
“When we made the decision to see what it’s like to play with another drummer, we contacted her… and she came to Canada and we very surreptitiously snuck into a studio and worked out for about a week. And by the end of it, we were convinced that this would be a go for us. Yeah, she’s just a tremendous player,” Lee said.
Lee also admitted that Nilles was “not a Rush fan” and that the band had to walk her through the “idiosyncratic nature” of their complex songs. “At times she was a bit overwhelmed, but she’s an incredibly hard worker. She’s got great technical facility and she’s just got a really positive attitude, and that’s really good for Alex and I to be around right now,” he added.
For Lee, the decision to return was not about chasing the “roar of the crowd,” but about the craft itself.
“The one thing I miss about touring is actually the job itself and that marvelous feeling of being in the middle of a 10-minute song and you’re caught up on your playing and you’re trying your best and everything is working and all your bandmates are clicking,” he explained. “It’s that adrenaline that I miss… But, of course, I’ll be very happy to hear that [crowd] once again.”
Now, Lee and Lifeson are in full preparation mode. “I’ve been playing diligently for about a year and a half now… since we did make the decision to tour, I’m hitting the gym pretty hard, and so is Alex. But we’re gonna be ready. We’re working at it,” he said.
Rush – “Fifty Something” 2026 Tour Dates:
- June 07, 09, 11, 13 – Los Angeles, CA – Kia Forum
- June 18, 20 – Mexico City, MX – Palacio de los Deportes
- June 24, 26, 28, 30 – Fort Worth, TX – Dickies Arena
- July 16, 18, 20, 22 – Chicago, IL – United Center
- July 28, 30, Aug. 01, 03 – New York, NY – Madison Square Garden
- Aug. 07, 09, 11, 13 – Toronto, ON – Scotiabank Arena
- Aug. 21, 23 – Philadelphia, PA – Xfinity Mobile Arena
- Aug. 26, 28 – Detroit, MI – Little Caesars Arena
- Sep. 02, 04 – Montreal, QC – Bell Centre
- Sep. 12, 14 – Boston, MA – TD Garden
- Sep. 17, 19 – Cleveland, OH – Rocket Arena
- Sep. 23, 25 – San Antonio, TX – Frost Bank Center
- Oct. 05, 07 – Denver, CO – Ball Arena
- Oct. 10, 12 – Seattle, WA – Climate Pledge Arena
- Oct. 15, 17 – San Jose, CA – SAP Center
- Oct. 25, 27 – Washington D.C. – Capital One Arena
- Oct. 30, Nov. 01 – Uncasville, CT – Mohegan Sun Arena
- Nov. 05, 07 – Hollywood, FL – Hard Rock Live
- Nov. 09, 11 – Tampa, FL – Benchmark International Arena
- Nov. 20, 22 – Charlotte, NC – Spectrum Center
- Nov. 25, 27 – Atlanta, GA – State Farm Arena
- Dec. 01, 03 – Glendale, AZ – Desert Diamond Arena
- Dec. 10, 12 – Edmonton, AB – Rogers Place
- Dec. 15, 17 – Vancouver, BC – Rogers Arena
