Rush Reflect on ‘Incorrect’ Decision to Shorten Their Final Tour

The surviving members of Canadian progressive rock outfit Rush have mirrored on their closing tour, sharing their regrets that the tour didn’t lengthen to the likes of the U.Ok. and Europe.

Shut to 10 years on from their closing run of exhibits, Rush bassist Geddy Lee and guitarist Alex Lifeson spoke to Basic Rock journal in regards to the group’s final gigs, apologizing to the British and European followers who didn’t get an opportunity to see them carry out stay.

“I’d pushed actually exhausting to get extra gigs in order that we may do these further exhibits and I used to be unsuccessful,” Lee stated of the band’s R40 Dwell Tour. “I actually felt like I let our British and European followers down. It felt to me incorrect that we didn’t do it, however Neil [Peart] was adamant that he would solely do thirty exhibits and that was it.

“That to him was an enormous compromise as a result of he didn’t need to do any exhibits. He didn’t need to do one present.”

Rush’s R40 Dwell Tour kicked off in Tulsa, OK in Could 2015, and featured a complete of 35 exhibits throughout the U.S. and the band’s native Canada, ending in August of that 12 months. Finally, whereas Rush’s devoted fanbase referred to as out for extra dates to be added, these would develop into the ultimate performances from the veteran band. Regardless of releasing their closing album, Clockwork Angels, in 2012, Rush’s dissolution wasn’t confirmed till the loss of life of longtime drummer Neil Peart in January 2020.

Whereas Lee would element the band’s closing tour in his 2023 memoir, My Effin’ Life, he admitted to being very cautious in regard to how he discussing Peart’s loss of life, however strived to be as candid as he may in order to provide Rush’s viewers the closure they wished in regards to the band’s finish.

“I simply form of felt I owed a proof to them, the viewers,” Lee defined. “It’s a part of why I went into the element I did about Neil’s passing within the e-book, was to let followers in on what went down. That it wasn’t a straight line.

“That is how sophisticated the entire world of Rush turned since August 1 of 2015 till January seventh of 2020 when Neil handed. These have been very uncommon, sophisticated, emotional occasions. Followers invested their complete being into our band and I assumed they deserved a considerably straight reply about what occurred and the way their favorite band got here to finish.”

Lifeson additionally expressed his disappointment about Rush being unable to tour a few of their favorite markets as a part of their closing run, noting that whereas Peart’s scheduling calls for and well being points made additional exhibits unattainable, an extra “dozen or so” dates might have made the surviving members “a bit extra accepting”.

“There was some extent the place I feel Neil was open to perhaps extending the run and including in a couple of extra exhibits, however then he obtained this painful an infection in certainly one of his toes,” Lifeson added. “I imply, he may barely stroll to the stage at one level. They obtained him a golf cart to drive him to the stage. And he performed a three-hour present, on the depth he performed each single present.

“That was wonderful, however I feel that was the purpose the place he determined that the tour was solely going to go on till that closing present in LA.”

Having shaped in Toronto in 1968 by Lee, Lifeson, and unique members John Rutsey and Jeff Jones, Rush started to search out widespread fame all through the ’70s, with Peart changing Rutsey following the recording of their 1974 self-titled debut.

Whereas a lot of Rush’s touring was confined to the U.S. and Canada, the U.Ok. was their subsequent hottest market, with European international locations akin to Germany and the Netherlands following behind. Curiously, Rush hardly ever ventured past these territories, with international locations akin to Australia by no means internet hosting the band on their shores.