Written by: Alex Green

“I didn’t know that painters and writers retired,” Lawrence Ferlinghetti once wrote. “They’re like soldiers – they just fade away.”

While the great poet certainly had a point, sometimes artists are in the rare position where they don’t have to fade away and can call it a day on their own terms.

Rush are in that position.

The legendary band has made their retirement official today, though many speculated their rock and roll tenure had ended after their R40 tour wrapped up back in 2015.

Although many hoped drummer Neal Peart–who in addition to health issues also voiced his desire to spend time with his family–would decide to pick up the sticks again, Rush are indeed done.

“We have no plans to tour or record any more,” guitarist Alex Lifeson told Canada’s Globe and Mail. “We’re basically done. After 41 years, we felt it was enough.”

“Lately Olivia has been introducing me to new friends at school as ‘My dad– He’s a retired drummer.’ True to say–funny to hear,” Peart revealed to Drumhead Magazine in 2016 about how his young daughter sees him. “And it does not pain me to realize that, like all athletes, there comes a time to… take yourself out of the game.

Over the course of their career, the Ontario outfit sold close to 75 million albums worldwide, were selected for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and the Canadian Music Hall of Fame, garnered seven Grammy nominations, won a handful of Juno awards and were even honored with their own Canadian postage stamp.

Lifeson and singer/bassist Geddy Lee are said to be working on a project together and Lifeson will be appearing on the new Fu Manchu record.