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John Rutsey (born 1953) founding member of Rush along with Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson. He was the band's drummer from spring 1968 to July, 1974. Rutsey played only on the debut EP, and subsequent eponymous album, after which he quit the band, citing musical and health reasons. He's rumored to still be friends with Alex Lifeson.
Rutsey's parting is very often considered a 'blessing in disguise' by Rush fans. His replacement, Neil Peart ended being one of the most respected drummers and lyricists of all time. Peart would eventually record over 15 studio albums with the band.
Why did John Rutsey leave the band?
He quit because he had different ideas about the band's future than
Alex and Geddy did, and he just wasn't excited about playing in Rush
any more. His diabetes were also a strong argument against extended
tours.
Whatever happened to John Rutsey?
"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." - Alex Lifeson, in the 2/6/89 "Rockline" interview
-taken from a usenet FAQ
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