NEIL PEART Documentary Maker: ‘We Wanted To Make A Film’ About RUSH Drummer ‘That Only Featured People Who Knew Him Personally’
The documentary *Neil Peart: No One’s Disciple* focuses on the late Rush drummer through the memories of people who knew him personally. Director Sam Dunn says the approach suited Peart, who was a celebrated musician but was not always comfortable with fame and praise, and gives the film a more personal tribute.
The 96-minute film premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival on 16 September and was screened publicly on 19 September before airing on Canada’s CBC on 23 September. It includes Rush co-founders Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson, as well as drummers Chad Smith, Stewart Copeland, Danny Carey and Gavin Harrison, who perform Rush songs and share stories about Peart; Dunn said Peart had admired their work.
- The documentary centres on people who knew Neil Peart personally.
- Rush’s Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson appear and perform with four guest drummers.
- Director Sam Dunn says the approach reflects Peart’s close ties to fellow musicians.
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Rush were a Canadian rock band formed in 1968 by singer and bassist Geddy Lee and guitarist Alex Lifeson. Neil Peart joined in 1974 and became known for his precise, complex drumming and for writing many of the band’s lyrics.
Peart remained with Rush until the band stopped touring in 2015. He died in 2020, aged 67, after living with brain cancer. His fame sat alongside a preference for privacy, which is part of the context for a film built around memories from people who knew him.
The other drummers featured are musicians whose work Peart admired. Their performances and recollections, alongside Lee and Lifeson’s, offer personal perspectives on his influence and his relationships with fellow musicians.