Rush pays tribute to their late producer Peter Collins

Rush has paid tribute to their late producer Peter Collins, who passed away recently at the age of 73.

Collins produced four Rush albums: 1985's Power Windows, 1987's Hold Your Fire, 1993's Counterparts and 1996's Test for Echo.

"We loved seeing him in Nashville when we came through on tour. He had a mischievous, beaming smile and great sense of humour," the band writes. "He will be so missed…. RIP Mr. Big."

Frontman Geddy Lee and guitarist Alex Lifeson also shared personal tributes on their Instagram accounts, with Geddy calling Collins “a dear, dear friend.”

"During periods in the 80's and 90's [sic] we had some incredible musical adventures together, in various studios across the globe. He truly was our Mr. Big…with his ever present cigar and constant good humour," he writes. "After hitting the record button, I can still hear him say 'OK boys, from the topping … no stopping!'"

Lifeson added, "Peter Collins will forever live in my memory as Mr. Big, sitting at his control centre beside a recording console with his ubiquitous tools: a legal pad, an ashtray and a Monte Cristo No. 2."