Rush’s new drummer Anika Nilles, who replaced the late Neil Peart for the band’s ‘Fifty Something’ tour recently talked opened up about her experience working with Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson in a recent interview.
In a new interview with Thomann’s Drum Bash, Nilles opened up about her personal and musical chemistry with the two legendary musicians, describing them as humble and approachable personalities.
“If you know those two guys, they are so funny and they’re so human. And that made it really easy to connect to each other,” Nilles said.
“So they treated me immediately, from first minute on, on the same level. I mean, they are legends. They could be whatever — whatever, arrogant or whatever. They are not. They are funny. They are so human.”
She then added that their shared passion for music made the collaboration feel natural.
“And this is a way where you have easy access to each other. But also they love to play music. They are very enthusiastic when it comes to play music. They love working on details. They are detailed when they work together, and you see them having fun and the energy they both have together, and I really can connect with that attitude.”
Nilles also disclosed how she approached the challenging task of stepping into Neil Peart’s role, emphasizing her respect for his legacy.
“I treat the music with great respect to the guys and also to Neil’s parts, because Neil is a big part of the music. And so I try to make careful decisions with a great deal of sensitivity of what I’m playing original and where there is room for me to play more free or more me or more improvising.”
Nilles explained that she prepared by learning every song from scratch, treating each track as a blank page. She studied Peart’s drum compositions carefully and made deliberate decisions about which parts to play faithfully and where to add her own touch.
