In October 2025 Anika Nilles surprised the drumming world and progressive rock community with the news she has officially been announced as the new drummer for iconic Canadian progressive rock band Rush. Even Rick Beato and El Estepario Siberiano published videos on the discision.

- Watch: Anika Nilles joins Rush in their new live chapter

So, kudos to Slagwerkkrant for sharing this as soon as possible, while the news gets better. Meanwhile, the magazine's sister publication De Bassist shares in the excitement. It will soon publish an exclusive interview with the legendary Geddy Lee himself.

Here is the first paragraph of the interview in Slagwerkkrant:

Slagwerkkrant is the very first in the world to interview Anika Nilles after she broke her radio silence. On January 19, she travels by train from Mannheim to Berlin. After all, she is still head of the drum department at the conservatory in the city where she has lived for years.

"And later I'll just take the train back again. Six hours."

It all feels almost surreal. But that's how she has been feeling for months now, ever since bassist/vocalist Geddy Lee and guitarist Alex Lifeson called her and asked her to fly over from Germany to Toronto. Anika Nilles receives the Dutch visitors in a very expensive suite. She is wearing a white sweater, wide leopard-print trousers, and sneakers...

- To the full Anika Nilles interview in English
- To the full Anika Nilles interview in Dutch

Geddy Lee, Alex Lifeson and Anika Nilles Talk 2027 Rush Tour Dates
Here is the video from the Rush-YouTube channel, from 23 Februari, 2026. Notice the three of them have fun and enjoying themselves.

Rush on Planet Rock
Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson talked to U.K.'s Planet Rock about the Fifty Something tour, revealing that Nilles already knows about 25 Rush songs. Lee noted it's been "really fun to watch" her get to know the material. It will be their first tour since the 2020 death of drummer Neil Peart.

Rush on UK Tour, Writing New Music, Neil Peart Tribute & The Who Keyboard player
The video starts where Geddy talks about Anika Nilles. Minute 7:08.

"It's one thing to play it for the first time and to work out what are the parts that have to be essentially Neil Peart's parts and what parts she can make her own. And that has been wonderful to watch and really exciting for Al and I because now she doesn't have to think about it."

Lee explained that Nilles didn't know much of their music coming into the gig.

"She knew, of course, a couple of the big songs, and of course every drummer on earth knew Neil and his reputation, he was very respected," Lee said. He noted that Nilles did know their hit Tom Sawyer, but she "was kind of nervous" to play it because it's such an important song.

Tribute to Neil Peart during the show.

"We're gonna do two sets. In each of those sets, we'll take a song and, you know, do a bit of our own way of tributing to Neil, and of course, his presence will be throughout the evening."

Russ Miller's Tribute to Neil Peart
And, while on the subject, when visiting Russ Miller in his studio in Los Angeles, two weeks after Rush-drummer Neil "S.S. The Professor" Peart died on January 7, 2020, we recorded a series of videos with Russ.

In this video Russ Miller pays tribute with a drum lesson and a drum solo to Rush drummer Neil Peart. It is video #6 of his Fundamental Drum Tutorials on Drummerszone.com.

More than appropriate, Russ wanted to give Neil a tribute by talking about what he 'stole' and learned from one of the most influential drummers of the past four decades. Then he pays even more tribute to the legendary Rush drummer by playing a drum solo in Neil Peart his unique and groundbreaking playing style.

Besides Neil Peart's orchestral qualities on the drums, Russ gives you his two main eyeopeners by just listening and understanding Neil Peart with Rush. Of course he also mentions 'YYZ' with a quick drum demo, Tom Saywer and the legendary Rush-album '2112'.

Tribute to Neil Peart (Rush) - a Russ Miller drum lesson and drum solo 

- All Russ his Fundamental Drum Tutorials are featured in this Education Channel with free pdf downloads.

Fifty Something tour dates (as of 25 februari 2026)

Anika Nilles officially plays:

• Beyerdynamic
• Evans Drumheads
• Meinl Cymbals
• Promark
• Roland
• Tama