Article content continued

Peart told his bandmates that he was finished with music. He locked up his house, got on his motorcycle and started riding, without any particular destination in mind. He travelled almost 90,000 km, with stops as far north as Alaska and as far south as Belize, and wrote a book about the experience — Ghost Rider: Travels on the Healing Road. When he finally returned to Canada, he was ready to return to work with Rush (the resulting album, Vapour Trails, was released in 2001). The always shy Peart became even more private after his return, not having any interest in being constantly asked about the loss of his family. He later married American photographer Carrie Nuttal, and their daughter Olivia Louise, was born in 2009.

Playing in front of tens of thousands of fans wasn't a big deal, but a compliment? That wasn't for him.

Rush continued to perform and tour until 2015. By then, Peart, suffering from tendonitis and shoulder problems, felt that he could no longer play at the level he expected of himself. The band’s final tour, in the spring and summer of 2015, included two shows in Toronto (this journalist made a point of attending one of them). Rush officially disbanded and retired in 2018, but the three band members stayed in touch, and were consistent when asked about the band’s future — Rush was finished, having done, in 41 years, all they wished to.

There had been speculation that Peart was unwell, but no indication that his life was in danger — just his ability to play three-hour rock concerts. The news that he had died this week was a shock to millions of fans around the world.

But it shouldn’t have been. Peart liked to slip out of his concerts without drawing any attention so he could ride off on his own, finding his centre again. It’s no surprise he chose to exit this life the same way.

Neil Peart was 67.

National Post

magurney@postmedia.com

Twitter.com/Mattgurney