[FurnaceFace]

Cancer sucks. I’d argue top drummer right up their with Neal’s idol Buddy Guy.

Besides his immense drummer skills and precision, he was a master lyricist and writer. If you haven’t read his books I’d strongly recommend doing so. I found them all very interesting.

Story only a Rush fan might appreciate:

Spoiler!

Years ago I was in the outskirts of London for work with some American colleagues. We had a cab driver pick us up and as I settle down in the backseat I hear Rush coming from the speakers. I look closer and realize our driver is playing a mix tape of Rush...and with his long hair he could pass for Geddy Lee’s brother. I make some comment about the tape (they are my favourite band after all) and he asks where I’m from. He finds out I’m Canadian and then “Chas” ends up being my best friend. We talk Rush basically the whole way to the hotel. Turns out Chas is a Rush fanatic, only listens to them, and proceeds to tell me about a meet and greet opportunity he had on the prior tour and how he met his long distance girlfriend who lived in Carolina off a Rush fan site. Clearly we have bonded, while my coworkers just smiled and held back their laughter.

We were heading for dinner later and Chas asked what time, and said he’d pick us up. Sure enough he was at the hotel door. I’ve now been promoted to the fron seat and as we drove to where we were meeting our London colleagues Tom Sawyer comes up on the playlist. I think we were stopped at a light for most of the drum solo and both Chas and I are both hand drumming along to it. My coworkers thought it was hilarious, and it’s clearly stuck with me for 15 years. Of all the cab drivers in London we ended up with a Geddy Lee lookalike Rush Fanatic. Chas Buddy, wherever you are, I feel your pain brother.