Rush’s new touring drummer Anika Nilles has opened up about how unfamiliar she was with the band’s deeper catalogue before being tapped to step into the role long associated with the late Neil Peart. In a new interview, the German drummer described recognising Peart’s influence as a player but said she hadn’t spent years listening to Rush’s records prior to joining rehearsals for the upcoming shows.
In an interview on Slagwerkkrant, Nilles said that while she knew Peart “of course” as a drummer—particularly through “Tom Sawyer,” which she called “a real classic in the drumming world”—she was candid about her personal listening habits: “But I’ll be honest, I never really listened to Rush’s music.”
She explained that her musical upbringing leaned toward rock and progressive, symphonic styles, yet she had not seriously explored Rush’s output until the offer arrived. According to Nilles, she first focused on learning the specific songs the band wanted to try, then began digging into the broader catalogue, with her attention now fixed on the set lists intended for the concerts.
“Of course I knew Neil as a drummer, especially because of the song Tom Sawyer, which is a real classic in the drumming world,” Nilles said. “But I’ll be honest, I never really listened to Rush’s music.”
“I grew up with rock music and progressive symphonic music, but I hadn’t really delved into Rush’s repertoire,” she continued. “When I was asked, I first focused on the songs they wanted to try. Then I dove into their catalog, but right now it’s all about the set lists for the concerts we’re going to do.”
Her comments follow earlier discussion about how she plans to honour the band’s history, including her insistence that she won’t “undermine” Neil Peart while approaching the material with her own feel where appropriate.
Nilles stepping into the Rush camp underscores the scale of the challenge involved in playing parts that have long been held up as a gold standard for rock drumming, particularly in a live setting where every nuance is scrutinised.
With rehearsals focused on shaping the tour-ready arrangements, her next test will be translating that rapid learning curve into performances that satisfy both the band and a fanbase deeply attached to Peart’s legacy.
