Foo Fighters drummer Taylor Hawkins counts himself among the multitude of Rush fans hoping the surviving members of The Holy Triumvirate find a way to continue making music together in the wake of Neil Peart's death early this year.

Rush co-founders Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson have been rumored to have a new project in the works since not long after the band's final tour, 'R40,' concluded in 2015. While nothing has materialized, the longtime bandmates and childhood friends have both publicly expressed their hopes to return to music at some point.

"I hope that Geddy and Al play together, and I hope they can find someone to do something with them," he said in a recent radio interview. "But no one will ever be Neil Peart; it's just impossible. And I think Geddy and Alex know that, and they feel the same way. But I want them to play — I really, really do. I know they wanna play — I don't know that, like, personally..."

Hawkins quickly cautioned that he doesn't know Lee or Lifeson "that well," and has no insider knowledge of their plans.

Following Rush's final bows in 2015, Lee spent much of the next few years compiling his Big, Beautiful Book of Bass while Lifeson pursued session work, collaborating with other artists.

In a fan Q&A last summer, the pair confirmed that they hoped to make music together again, but they refrained from suggesting any release was imminent.

The coronavirus pandemic and Peart's death in January may well has resulted in further delays of a Lee-Lifeson project, if it ever comes to fruition.

Lifeson explained in interviews following Peart's passing that he had temporarily lost his motivation to play guitar after getting the sad news. He added that he's been through similar doldrums before after tragic losses, but as recently as June he suggested the "motivation" for him and Lee to write music together again might be gone for good.

"We're certainly proud of our track record, and we still love music. But it's different now," he said.

Lifeson has been clear over the past few years that while he's open to writing new music he has little desire to tour again, after spending much of the previous 40 years on the road with Rush. Lee has been more open to playing live, having last performed in front of an audience in the spring of 2019 with the Claypool-Lennon Delirium in Toronto.

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Ken Dashow

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