Reunited Rush Drummers Rutsey and Peart

On my walk through Mount Pleasant Cemetery in Toronto, I reunited Rush’s drummers—John Rutsey and Neil Peart.

It was a quiet, reflective moment among the trees and gravestones, standing where both men’s stories now rest. Though they never played together, they remain forever connected in the rhythm of one of Canada’s most iconic bands.

John Rutsey met Gary Weinrib and Alex Zivojinovich—who would later become Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson—while in high school in Toronto. The three formed Rush, and in 1974, John played drums on their self-titled debut album. His style set the initial tone for the band, but health challenges led to his departure shortly after the album’s release.

Neil Peart stepped in and changed everything. With his precision drumming and philosophical lyrics, he helped redefine Rush and shape its legacy for decades to come.

 Neil Peart Playing Drums, 1969

Though their paths within the band barely crossed, Rutsey and Peart each left a mark—one by founding it, the other by transforming it.

John Rutsey died in Toronto on May 11, 2008. He was 55.

Neil Peart died in Santa Monica, California on January 7, 2020. He was 67.