Rush Drummer Neil Peart ‘Not Too Bothered’ By Rock Hall Snub

The members of Rush always have a cunning way of speaking subtly on larger subjects, whether it’s with their lyrics or the way they conduct themselves. Writing an exclusive essay for the Cleveland Plain Dealer, Rush drummer and accomplished author Neil Peart reveals that selecting Cleveland as the filming location for their new ‘Time Machine’ live release was a nice way for the band to thumb their collective noses at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, which continues to ignore Rush on their yearly induction ballot (and Kiss and so many more… don’t get us started!).

Peart says that their warm history with Cleveland made the city a natural selection and he emphasizes that “we never, never, never forget how welcoming Cleveland was to us in the early days.”

“But there was also the impish notion of poking a sharp stick into the eye of a certain other Cleveland institution. With regard to Groucho Marx’s famous remark — “I wouldn’t want to belong to any club that would have me as a member” — I have stated before that personally the three of us are not too bothered about that snub. We have achieved plenty of success and professional respect without those self-appointed judges, thank you very much.

But it does seem petty to make our fans feel like they’re part of something that’s “outside the pale.” (Though maybe, in a way, all of us like being outside the pale?)”

He confirms that the group is now back in the studio in Toronto, continuing work on ‘Clockwork Angels,’ the new album that they started work on nearly two years ago prior to the ‘Time Machine’ tour.

Apparently, the previously released songs from those sessions,  ‘BU2B’ and ‘Caravan,’ were the first two “chapters” of the new album, which Neil calls a “story,” that were previewed for fans during the tour. Now Peart says, “what we’re creating now is the rest of that story, literally and metaphorically.”

While they’re working on the new album, you can enter for your chance to win an autographed Rush lithograph from Ultimate Classic Rock! Just sign up below: