Rush drummer Anika Nilles talks about Neil Peart’s playing

Drummer Anika Nilles, who made her live debut with Rush at this year’s Juno Awards show at the TD Coliseum in Hamilton, Ontario, late last month, has spoken about her predecessor, the great Neil Peart.

“His playing was very energetic, and I really like that,” Nilles says in an interview in the new issue of Classic Rock. “That’s something I feel very comfortable with. I also love playing in a very energetic way. That’s the first thing that comes to mind, and something I really appreciate about his playing.

“He also had an incredible range of tonal colours. He had a very melodic approach to drumming and used a wide variety of sounds to achieve that. That set him apart and made him stand out to many drummers, for whom he was – and still is – a role model. He had a very distinctive way of playing the ride cymbal. When you listen to the music, that cymbal always stands out prominently.