John Rutsey
Encyclopedia
John Howard Rutsey from Ontario
, Canada
was a former drummer, most recognized for being a co-founding member of Rush
along with Alex Lifeson
and Jeff Jones
, and performing on the band's debut album.
, Lee and Lifeson both acknowledged that during the writing and recording sessions for the band's debut album Rutsey was given the role of chief lyricist; however, come time to record the songs Rutsey did not deliver any lyrics. In interviews, Lee and Lifeson have both said that Rutsey was dissatisfied with what he had written and tore up the lyric sheets.
Soon after the band released its debut album, Rutsey left the band, due to health concerns related to diabetes, which may have posed potential problems with extended tours. His final performance with the group was on July 25, 1974 at Centennial Hall in London, Ontario. He was replaced by Neil Peart
.
Rutsey maintained a low media profile after leaving the band. In a 1989 Rockline
interview, Lifeson remarked, "John's still around. I see John quite often. He gave up playing shortly after he left the band and went into bodybuilding. He competed on an amateur level for a while, doing that for a few years, and has sort of been in and out of that, but he still works out, and I work out with him a few times a week at a local gym - at a Gold's, here in Toronto." In a more recent interview on the VH1 Classic
show "Hangin' With," Alex said that he had not seen John since around 1990.
On May 11, 2008, Rutsey died in his sleep of an apparent heart attack, related to complications from diabetes. Rutsey's family wished to keep the funeral a private affair, although an obituary posted in the Toronto Star
on May 15 suggested those wishing to pay tribute to Rutsey could do so by making a donation to the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation of Ontario.
After Rutsey's death, former bandmates Geddy Lee
and Lifeson released this statement: "Those years spent in our teens dreaming of one day doing what we continue to do decades later are special. Although our paths diverged many years ago, we smile today, thinking back on those exciting times and remembering John's wonderful sense of humour and impeccable timing."
Rutsey's part in the band's early history is acknowledged in the 2010 documentary Rush: Beyond the Lighted Stage
. Tape-recorded comments from him are heard during the film, and the DVD release includes two performances with him on drums in its bonus features.
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
was a former drummer, most recognized for being a co-founding member of Rush
Rush (band)
Rush is a Canadian rock band formed in August 1968, in the Willowdale neighbourhood of Toronto, Ontario. The band is composed of bassist, keyboardist, and lead vocalist Geddy Lee, guitarist Alex Lifeson, and drummer and lyricist Neil Peart...
along with Alex Lifeson
Alex Lifeson
Aleksandar Živojinović, OC, better known by his stage name Alex Lifeson, is a second generation Serbian-Canadian musician, best known as the guitarist of the Canadian rock band Rush. In the summer of 1968, Lifeson founded the band that would become Rush with friend, drummer John Rutsey...
and Jeff Jones
Jeff Jones (musician)
Jeff Jones is a Canadian bass guitar player. He first gained fame as a member of the gospel rock band Ocean. Their million-selling 1971 single "Put Your Hand in the Hand" was penned by Gene MacLellan. The gramophone record received a gold disc awarded by the Recording Industry Association of...
, and performing on the band's debut album.
History
In 1963 Rutsey met future Rush guitarist Alex Lifeson in school. Both interested in music, so they decided to form a band. Rutsey played drums in Rush from summer 1968 until July 1974 (culminating with the self-titled Rush debut album). It was during this time that he played on the "Not Fade Away"/"You Can't Fight It" single and the band's eponymous debut LP. According to the Rush biography Contents Under Pressure: 30 Years of Rush at Home & Away written by Martin PopoffMartin Popoff
Martin Popoff is a Canadian-born music journalist and critic who covers the genre of heavy metal music. The senior editor and co-founder of Brave Words & Bloody Knuckles magazine, he has additionally written over twenty books that both critically evaluate heavy metal and document its history...
, Lee and Lifeson both acknowledged that during the writing and recording sessions for the band's debut album Rutsey was given the role of chief lyricist; however, come time to record the songs Rutsey did not deliver any lyrics. In interviews, Lee and Lifeson have both said that Rutsey was dissatisfied with what he had written and tore up the lyric sheets.
Soon after the band released its debut album, Rutsey left the band, due to health concerns related to diabetes, which may have posed potential problems with extended tours. His final performance with the group was on July 25, 1974 at Centennial Hall in London, Ontario. He was replaced by Neil Peart
Neil Peart
Neil Ellwood Peart , OC, is a Canadian musician and author. He is the drummer for the rock band Rush.Peart grew up in Port Dalhousie, Ontario . During adolescence, he floated from regional band to regional band in pursuit of a career as a full-time drummer...
.
Rutsey maintained a low media profile after leaving the band. In a 1989 Rockline
Rockline
Rockline is a nationally syndicated radio interview program hosted by Bob Coburn that broadcasts live via satellite every Monday and Wednesday night from 8:30pm-10pm PT to radio stations in the United States. Founded in 1981, it is considered to be the longest running, uninterrupted program in rock...
interview, Lifeson remarked, "John's still around. I see John quite often. He gave up playing shortly after he left the band and went into bodybuilding. He competed on an amateur level for a while, doing that for a few years, and has sort of been in and out of that, but he still works out, and I work out with him a few times a week at a local gym - at a Gold's, here in Toronto." In a more recent interview on the VH1 Classic
VH1 Classic
VH1 Classic is a television network, launched on May 8, 2000. It is operated as part of MTV Networks, a subsidiary of Viacom and primarily features music videos and concert footage from the 1970s through the mid-1990s, though it formerly included a wider range of genres and time periods...
show "Hangin' With," Alex said that he had not seen John since around 1990.
On May 11, 2008, Rutsey died in his sleep of an apparent heart attack, related to complications from diabetes. Rutsey's family wished to keep the funeral a private affair, although an obituary posted in the Toronto Star
Toronto Star
The Toronto Star is Canada's highest-circulation newspaper, based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Its print edition is distributed almost entirely within the province of Ontario...
on May 15 suggested those wishing to pay tribute to Rutsey could do so by making a donation to the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation of Ontario.
After Rutsey's death, former bandmates Geddy Lee
Geddy Lee
Gary Lee Weinrib, OC, better known as Geddy Lee , is a Canadian musician, best known as the lead vocalist, bassist, and keyboardist for the Canadian rock group Rush...
and Lifeson released this statement: "Those years spent in our teens dreaming of one day doing what we continue to do decades later are special. Although our paths diverged many years ago, we smile today, thinking back on those exciting times and remembering John's wonderful sense of humour and impeccable timing."
Rutsey's part in the band's early history is acknowledged in the 2010 documentary Rush: Beyond the Lighted Stage
Rush: Beyond the Lighted Stage
Rush: Beyond the Lighted Stage is a 2010 documentary film directed by Scot McFadyen and Sam Dunn. The film offers an in-depth look at the Canadian progressive rock band Rush, chronicling the band's musical evolution from their progressive rock sound of the 1970s to their current heavy rock style...
. Tape-recorded comments from him are heard during the film, and the DVD release includes two performances with him on drums in its bonus features.