NEIL PEART, 1952-2020

Neil Peart, drummer for Canadian rock band Rush and one of the most influential rock drummers of the last few decades, has died of brain cancer, manager Elliot Mintz and publicist Meg Symsyk have confirmed. He was 67.

Peart had quietly battled brain cancer for three-and-a-half years.

Peart joined Rush in 1974, replacing original skinsman John Rutsey. His intricate playing made him an icon for countless drummers and progressive-rock fans. He also became the band's lyricist and was responsible for its fantasy-influenced and libertarian imagery and ideas.

Peart, who died on 1/7, had retired from drumming in 2015, having been sidelined by arthritis.

Rush called it quits after a final tour wrapped in the summer of 2015, largely due to the drummer feeling the physical demands of touring were too much. He also wanted to spend more time with his wife and daughter.

As Rush’s lyricist, he brought rock opera ambitions and sci-fi concepts to their music, beginning with 1976’s 2112. Rush was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2013.

Peart also produced to tribute albums to Buddy Rich in the 1990s and started taking jazz drumming lessons that added to his repertoire. He wrote several books, among them 1996’s The Masked Rider: Cycling in West Africa about a bicycle tour in Cameroon.