John Rutsey
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(Rush LP back cover, 1974)
John Rutsey (born 1953) was a founding member of Rush along with Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson. He was the band's drummer from spring 1968 to July, 1974. Rutsey played only on the "Not Fade Away"/"You Can't Fight It" single and the eponymous debut LP, after which he quit the band, citing health (possibly diabetes[1]) reasons and creative differences.
Rush's self-titled debut album was released in March 1974. Their first show with replacement drummer Neil Peart was on August 14th, 1974. Peart has barely modified the original drum parts initially laid down by John Rutsey.
Rutsey's parting is considered pivotal by Rush fans, as the band's style then changed from Led Zeppelinesque blues-rock to progressive rock. Neil Peart became the primary lyricist, and contributed a very different drumming style that is one of the band's defining and popular characteristics.
In a 1989 Rockline interview, Alex Lifeson remarked, "John's still around. I see John quite often. He gave up playing shortly after he left the band and went into bodybuilding. He competed on an amateur level for a while, doing that for a few years, and has sort of been in and out of that, but he still works out, and I work out with him a few times a week at a local gym - at a Gold's, here in Toronto." In a recent interview on the VH1 Classic show "Hangin' With," Alex revealed that he had quit seeing John around 1990.
[edit] References
| Rush |
|---|
| Geddy Lee • Alex Lifeson • Neil Peart
John Rutsey Albums: Rush • Fly by Night • Caress of Steel • 2112 • A Farewell to Kings • Hemispheres • Permanent Waves • Moving Pictures • Signals • Grace Under Pressure • Power Windows • Hold Your Fire • Presto • Roll the Bones • Counterparts • Test for Echo • Vapor Trails • Feedback (EP) • Snakes & Arrows (May 1, 2007) Live Albums: All the World's a Stage • Exit...Stage Left • A Show of Hands • Different Stages • Rush in Rio Compilations: Archives • Chronicles • Retrospective I • Retrospective II • The Spirit of Radio: Greatest Hits 1974-1987 • Gold Related articles
The Rush Portal • Rush discography • History of Rush • Rush instrumentals Victor • My Favourite Headache • A Work in Progress • Anatomy of a Drum Solo • "Fear" series • Cygnus X-1 series • Hugh Syme |
