Rush bassist/vocalist Geddy Lee recently explained why he and guitarist Alex Lifeson decided to tour under the Rush name in 2026 without their late drummer Neil Peart. In an interview with Classic Rock magazine, he admitted that the issue was a hot topic of debate within Rush, as Lee said:
“What else do you f**king call it? When the band ended, we said it’s only Rush with Neil in it. Which, of course, is true. Rush as most people know it. But, you know, over five gigs we will be playing forty Rush songs. So what the fuck should we call it, Iron Maiden?”
Having gotten the blessing from Peart’s family for Lee and Lifeson to tour under the Rush name once again, Geddy said that it was natural for them to go use the moniker that they have had for more than five decades.
He said, “We were twisting ourselves into a pretzel to try to avoid using the name that we have had for fifty years, and even before Neil came.”
Lee concluded, “It just seems silly to go on as ‘Lee And Lifeson Present The Music Of…'” Let’s cut to the chase, shall we? Let’s just be who we are and have been for over fifty years.”
Lee and Lifeson’s first official shows under the Rush banner in 11 years is set to commence in June at the Kia Forum in Los Angeles. It is the same site of the last Rush concert on the legendary Canadian band’s “R40” anniversary tour.
The 2026 leg of the “Fifty Something” tour, will cover Canada, USA and Mexico and it initially consisted of 22 dates, which sold out immediately, prompting the addition of more shows. The tour now totals 58 shows across 24 cities, with over half a million tickets sold for 2026.
