Geddy Lee, the bassist from the band Rush, recently shared a story about a phone call from Dave Grohl, the leader of Foo Fighters. In a chat with Classic Rock, Geddy explained how Dave wanted to honor their friend Taylor Hawkins, who had passed away. “Dave called me one day and said, ‘Hey, we’re doing two tribute shows for Taylor in September 2022, and Taylor would’ve loved for you and Alex to join us,’” Geddy said.
Geddy was excited right away. “I said yes as soon as he asked!” he added. He also praised Dave, saying, “Dave is super smart. He told me, ‘We’ll have more than one drummer so no one thinks this is just Rush all over again.’” Dave didn’t want people to feel like they were copying Rush, and Geddy thought that was a clever idea.
To make it work, Dave brought in another drummer, Omar Hakim, and they all went to Toronto to practice with Geddy and Alex Lifeson, Rush’s guitarist. “Alex and I were nervous about playing as Rush again,” Geddy said. “But Dave and Omar made everything easier and helped us feel comfortable.”
Later, Geddy posted about the tribute show on Instagram. He said it reminded him of losing his own bandmate, Neil Peart, Rush’s drummer, who died in January 2020 from brain cancer at age 67. Neil had retired in 2015, and Rush stopped playing soon after. “What a week in London!” Geddy wrote. “So many talented musicians came together, all so different but united to honor Taylor Hawkins.”
He went on, “We were all there for one reason—to celebrate Taylor. Even though the Foo Fighters and Taylor’s family were still sad, Dave Grohl’s kindness and talent brought us together. For Alex and me, it was also a chance to think about Neil, our brother who’s gone. It was a day I’ll never forget. I can’t wait for the next tribute in Los Angeles on September 27!”
So, with Dave’s help, Geddy and Alex joined the tribute to say goodbye to Taylor while remembering their own friend Neil. It was a special moment of music and friendship that touched their hearts.
