Geddy Lee: 'Neil Peart hasn't just retired from Rush; he's retired from drumming altogether'

Appearing on SiriusXM's Trunk Nation, Geddy iterated once again that a Rush reunion won’t happen due to Neil’s retirement.

Geddy explained: "(Neil) hasn't just retired from Rush; he's retired from drumming. He's not drumming anymore, and he's living his life. Which is fine. Alex (Lifeson) and I are cool with it.”

The vocalist/bassist continued: “We're all still total pals. In fact, Alex and I were there just a few weeks ago visiting him, and we stay in touch.

“And, of course, Alex lives very near to me, so we're constantly going out to dinner, 'cause he loves to drink everything in my wine cellar. We're still pals, and we all talk, but that period of our life is done."

Pushed as to whether he will make music with guitarist Alex Lifeson again, Geddy said: "I don't know when and what shape that will take. I don't know if Alex and I will do something together.

"People keep me asking me and they want me to be definitive, and I can't be, because I really haven't thought that far.”

Geddy recently released his expansive book in homage to his beloved bass guitar, aptly entitled Geddy Lee's Big Beautiful Book Of Bass.

Rush have been inactive since their 40th anniversary R40 Live tour wrapped up in Inglewood, California in August 2015.

Neil Peart announced his retirement from the band immediately afterwards after being blighted by agonising pain from chronic tendonitis, a foot injury and shoulder problems throughout the 35 shows.

In a blog post for the Globe and Mail in January 2018, Alex Lifeson said the band was over, writing: “It's been a little over two years since Rush last toured. We have no plans to tour or record any more. We're basically done. After 41 years, we felt it was enough."