In a recent interview with Jonathan Clarke, host of Out Of The Box on Q104.3, New York’s classic rock station, Alex Lifeson of RUSH was asked if he and his bandmate Geddy Lee had ever casually discussed the possibility of finding a new drummer following the passing of their longtime drummer Neil Peart in January 2020. Currently promoting the second album, Stygian Wavz, from his project ENVY OF NONE, Alex explained (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET):

“Yeah, of course we’ve talked about it, but it wasn’t something we were eager to jump into,” Lifeson said. “We were bombarded almost immediately after Neil passed. I mean, it didn’t take long for drummers to start sending us e-mails, thinking we’d just replace a guy who had been with us for 40 years, who wrote all of our lyrics, and who was the heart of what we did. I don’t know what some of these people were thinking.”

Lifeson continued, acknowledging the inevitable nature of these conversations. “But honestly, Ged is my best friend. I talk to him almost every day. We get together for dinner, play tennis, and do charity work together. He’s my best bud. Yeah, we’ll hang out, and we’ll play a little bit — he’ll play bass, I’ll play guitar. But a lot of times, we end up sitting, drinking coffee, and laughing all day long. It’s not all just about RUSH, RUSH, RUSH. I have a deep and loving relationship with this man, and it’s not all about recreating what we did in the past. You never know what life brings you.”

At this point in his life, Alex emphasized his happiness in pursuing his own musical endeavors. “Right now, I’m super happy with what I’m doing. I’m really engaged with a lot of musical projects. I love being a musician, and I love playing guitar. For me, it’s not just a way to make a living; it’s part of who I am. It’s at the core of my essence. So, it doesn’t have to always be about RUSH or ENVY OF NONE. I just do what I do.”