John Rutsey
| John Rutsey | |
|---|---|
Rutsey in 1974
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | John Howard Rutsey |
| Born | July 23, 1952 |
| Died |
May 11, 2008 (aged 55) |
| Genres | Hard rock, heavy metal |
| Occupation(s) | Musician |
| Instruments | Drums, percussion |
| Years active | 1963–1974 |
| Labels | Mercury |
| Associated acts | Rush |
| Website | www |
May 11, 2008 (aged 55)
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
John Howard Rutsey (July 23, 1952 – May 11, 2008) was a Canadian drummer, most recognized for being a co-founding member of Rush along with Alex Lifeson and Geddy Lee, and performing on the band's debut album. John Rutsey left the band in 1974, due to musical differences and health problems with type 1 diabetes, and was replaced by Neil Peart. Rutsey's type 1 diabetes was believed to be a complicating factor in his death from a heart attack in 2008. Tape-recorded comments from Rutsey are heard in the 2010 documentary Rush: Beyond the Lighted Stage, and the DVD release includes two performances with him on drums.
Rutsey had two brothers, an older one, Bill, and baseball writer Mike. His father, Howard Rutsey, was a crime reporter for the old Toronto Telegram and died of a heart attack. John lived at home with his mother, Eva, and was a student at St. Paschals School. Unlike Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson, who were more into bands such as Pink Floyd and Genesis, Rutsey was more into bands like Bad Company.
In 1963, Rutsey met Lifeson, while attending St. Paschals School. Rutsey would play hockey with him on the street. Both interested in music, they decided to form a band. The two would be part of the band 'The Projection' with Bill Fitzgerald and "Doc" Cooper.
Ian Grandy stated; "John was the guy who would bug everyone to practice, and I think thought of himself as a "rock and roller". I've said it before and I'll say it again: There would have been no 'Rush' without John... Anyway, John led the guys as far as being 'glam rockers', with really flashy jackets and pants, and eight-inch high boots. One time, he was speaking to me at the Gasworks and I said, 'Didn’t we used to be the same height (5’8”)?' He laughed and said 'Well, maybe a long time ago!'"
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Wikipedia