Geddy Lee of Rush discussed the band’s upcoming performances with drummer Anika Nilles and his recent attendance at a Toronto Blue Jays playoff game in a new interview. The bassist revealed Nilles was recommended by a member of Jeff Beck’s crew and that the band spent a week secretly rehearsing with her in Canada before deciding to move forward.
Lee explained the challenge of introducing Nilles, who wasn’t previously a Rush fan, to the band’s complex catalogue. “We had to go through each song and explain the nuances of the song and the idiosyncratic nature of how our songs are put together,” he said. He praised Nilles’ work ethic, technical skill, and positive attitude, noting its beneficial impact on himself and guitarist Alex Lifeson. The interview also touched on Lee’s experience witnessing George Springer‘s series-winning home run for the Blue Jays, describing the stadium atmosphere as “electric.”
“And we have been fortunate to have been introduced to the name Anika Nilles through one of my road crew – my bass tech Skully, who was on tour with Jeff Beck – and she was the drummer for Jeff Beck on his last tour. And he came home from that tour raving about her. And so when we made the decision to see what it’s like to play with another drummer, we contacted her, and she’s just a fantastic person. And she came to Canada and we very surreptitiously snuck into a studio and worked out for about a week. And by the end of it, we where convinced that this would be a go for us. Yeah,she’s just a tremendous player.”
Lee continued,”When she first came over here [to Canada] we started playing some of the songs,trying to translate rush music to someone who didn’t really grow up as a Rush fan; she was not a Rush fan. She knew, of course, of Neil’s playing – every drummer knows who Neil is, or Neil was, I should say – so it was a bit of a daunting task.And we had to go through each song and explain the nuances of the song and the idiosyncratic nature of how our songs are put together. So at times she was a bit overwhelmed, but she’s an incredibly hard worker.She’s got great technical facility and she’s just got a really positive attitude, and that’s really good for Alex and I to be around right now.”
it hasn’t been all tour prep for Lee as the bassist was photographed sitting behind home plate and enjoying a pivotal moment the Blue Jays’ run to the World Series earlier this week.”I’ve never heard a crowd that loud, that electric, and that on cue,” Lee said of when the Blue Jays’ George Springer hit a series-deciding home run to advance Toronto to the World Series.
