January 10th, 2020 at 4:49 PM ^
Sorry, Neil Peart. Typo.
January 10th, 2020 at 8:17 PM ^
This news sucks. Hopefully pasting this video here so those who don't know who he was can get a quality taste. RIP professor
January 10th, 2020 at 4:50 PM ^
Sad news
Absolutely amazing drummer
January 10th, 2020 at 7:22 PM ^
IMHO the greatest drummer ever. RIP
January 10th, 2020 at 7:34 PM ^
He can battle John Bonham for all of eternity for that title.
RIP Neil.
January 10th, 2020 at 9:47 PM ^
It's no battle. Neil Peart was operating on another level from every rock and roller who ever lived. Not only was he the greatest drummer of all time, he also wrote every Rush story. It's like Jimi Hendrix if Castles Made of Sand was ten albums long.
January 10th, 2020 at 4:50 PM ^
That sucks. Rush is one of my favorite bands and in pretty much every show I’ve seen they always looked like they were having fun. One show in Boston went almost four hours because they didn’t want to leave the stage.
RIP at the feet of the Drummer God.
January 10th, 2020 at 5:17 PM ^
Might sound odd but Rush to me was always the sound of the Auto industry from the 80s. RIP
January 10th, 2020 at 4:51 PM ^
Wow. Not really a Rush fan but he was a top 3 all time drummer.
January 10th, 2020 at 5:35 PM ^
me too - really talented rock drummer. Along with Phil Collins (seriously), Bill Bruford, and a few others (Bonham, Copeland etc.) he was a real innovator and talent. RIP.
January 10th, 2020 at 6:07 PM ^
I have always heard people say that Phil Collins was a very good drummer, but I can't forgive him for using so many synthesized drum tracks in his songs. There are a few other rock drummers I would put ahead of him for sure.
January 10th, 2020 at 6:16 PM ^
This is a fair criticism of Phil Collins' later work. However, his prior work with early Genesis (while Peter Gabriel was still a member of the band) and Brand X was / is impressive and worth a listen.
January 10th, 2020 at 6:38 PM ^
you know I don't think in my adult life that a conversation about Rush didn't at some point get to Gabriel Genesis(the only acceptable Genesis)
January 10th, 2020 at 8:01 PM ^
When “talent” includes vocals and song writing, Phil is the best. Listening to a playlist of Genesis live recordings now. Domino is one of my favorites.
January 10th, 2020 at 7:55 PM ^
Good to hear another person who is familiar with his work in Brand X. Man that guy could drum. Also, in my opinion, why can't we appreciate both eras of Genesis for being distinctly different but good in their own way? I love Gabriel era and Collins era Genesis equally, but I know that's pretty rare. The underrated stuff is right after Gabriel left the band, like Trick of the Tail.
January 11th, 2020 at 11:22 AM ^
UM85 nails it - some brilliant work from ~ 1970-1978; after that Phil became a pop star
January 12th, 2020 at 2:51 PM ^
"Phil Collins was an enormous influence on my drumming in the '70s, and thus remains a part of my playing even today. His recorded drum parts with Genesis and Brand X in those years were technically accomplished, yet so musical - even lyrical. His rhythmic patterns were woven into the intricacy of the music, while lending a smooth, fluid pulse to the songs and extended instrumentals. His fills were imaginative and exciting, alive with energy and variety, while the refined technique was always in the service of the music. Even within those fills, Phil applied a jazz drummer's sense of dynamics, which also guided his ensemble playing, and inspired me to try to incorporate that sensibility into my own triple-f approach. Plus, his drums sounded so good. Good-sounding drums are always the result of a good-sounding drummer, and speak of the player's touch."
---- Neal Peart April, 2011
January 11th, 2020 at 10:28 AM ^
Mt Rushmore of greatest rock drummers: Neil Peart, Bill Bruford, John Bonham and Stewart Copeland.
I always felt like Peart played like an octopus, like he had eight arms. Had an awesome set of drums, a surround of 360 degrees and played them all.
Peart will be missed. He left too early. So sad-RIP.
January 11th, 2020 at 11:21 AM ^
I'd want a fifth head for Phil Collins - but agree with those choices
January 10th, 2020 at 4:51 PM ^
Sad.
first concert ever, at cobo, about 1973.
January 10th, 2020 at 6:47 PM ^
If you were going to Cobo in ‘73, you must be nearly as old as I am. Unless your folks took you there as a toddler...
January 10th, 2020 at 8:59 PM ^
guys on my hockey team. one of the moms drove us. it was a big deal. we had '70's hair, too.
January 10th, 2020 at 9:45 PM ^
My first concert too but it was Flint IMA in 1977. I was blown back and went to 6 more Rush shows. Back in the day, a pretty big band like them would play in Flint and Saginaw. I enjoyed the hell out of the shows. Thanks to Neil for the good memories.
January 10th, 2020 at 11:40 PM ^
It was supposed to be my first concert but some lucky free tickets to Jefferson Starship/38 Special fell into my lap the week before. Rush was one of the best groups ever and Neil was the backbone of it. Sad
January 11th, 2020 at 10:24 AM ^
Good God, dude - did you delouse after the Jeff Starship/38 Special concert? That sounds like hell on earth LOL
January 10th, 2020 at 4:52 PM ^
This was my band. I wont tell you how many times I saw Rush. Or how many hours I've listened to them. Because that number is massive. Fuck.
Neal Peart was precise and true to his art. I wish I could do anything 10% as good as he played his instrument. I don't know what to say.
January 10th, 2020 at 4:52 PM ^
An amazing percussionist. The fortune hunt was far too fleet.
January 10th, 2020 at 4:59 PM ^
No man has ever been "air-drummed" more. I remember several concerts where 1/3 - 1/2 of the people were sitting/standing with their eyes closed, simply air-drumming his part.
He suffered through numerous tragedies, too, in the 90s when his wife and daughter died. Simply took off on a motorcycle and rode across North America one day, if I recall correctly. Rejoined Rush after, put his life back together.
Canada might be closed this weekend.
Amazing man. Rest in peace.
January 11th, 2020 at 12:06 AM ^
It's been a hella bad week for Canada. First, the plane shot down with so many Canadians and now Neil Peart. Wow.
January 10th, 2020 at 5:00 PM ^
Thanks for posting OP.
When I would get into discussions about best bands/guitarists/drummers/etc with people over the years I would always start the drummer part off with "Let's all agree Neil Peart is in his own class. Now let's discuss what drummer meant the most to their band." I seldom received any arguments to this.
January 10th, 2020 at 8:29 PM ^
For as long a Pearl Jam has be making music and touring, they’ve gone through at least five drummers. Tip of the hat to all the great drummers that had longevity with one band.
January 10th, 2020 at 5:00 PM ^
Oh man, sad news, RIP Mr. Peart.
To me, he is the best drummer of all time, Bonham, Moon and Copeland are certainly up there for me too, so Peart has to at least be considered top 5 on most people's list.
January 10th, 2020 at 5:01 PM ^
I guess there was a reason the retirement stuff felt so final, dang. Teenage me sure did need them, he was a true virtuoso. Will be missed. Now go wrap all of Above & Beyond in bubble wrap I can only handle so much.
January 10th, 2020 at 5:10 PM ^
Damn, one of my favorite drummers. RIP.
Fuck cancer.
January 10th, 2020 at 5:12 PM ^
Experience slips away...
Time stands still.
One of the greatest drummers ever. RIP, Neal Peart.
January 10th, 2020 at 5:19 PM ^
It ain’t easy being cheesy
Edit: Family Guy reference where the Cheeto guy said “there is no f-ing better drummer than Neil Peart!”
January 10th, 2020 at 7:58 PM ^
I also really liked the Futurama: "It's Saturday night, I have no date, a two liter bottle of Shasta, and my all Rush mix-tape. Let's Rock."
January 10th, 2020 at 5:19 PM ^
The best drummer ever. One of the best songwriters ever.
January 10th, 2020 at 5:21 PM ^
Wow , I am shocked by this. Big fan of Rush.
This man had so many highs and lows in his life .
January 10th, 2020 at 5:24 PM ^
There are those who think that life
Has nothing left to chance
A host of holy horrors
To direct our aimless danceA planet of playthings
We dance on the strings
Of powers we cannot perceive
The stars aren't aligned
Or the gods are malign
Blame is better to give than receiveYou can choose a ready guide
In some celestial voice
If you choose not to decide
You still have made a choiceYou can choose from phantom fears
And kindness that can kill
I will choose a path that's clear
I will choose free will
January 10th, 2020 at 6:19 PM ^
Neil wasn't just the greatest drummer, he was the main lyricist by far for Rush.
After he lost his 19 year old daughter in a single car crash in '97, he lost his wife to cancer 10 months later. He took a sabbatical & drove his motorcycle, alone, 55,000 miles throughout North & Central America to reflect. He wrote the book "Ghost Rider: Travels on the Healing Road" to chronicle his emotional & physical journey.
I have got to read this book.
January 10th, 2020 at 7:00 PM ^
Tunneler, thanks for the heads up on the book. After reading the excerpt on amazon I plan on picking up a copy when funds allow.
Here's the excerpt from amazon:
Outside the house by the lake the heavy rain seemed to hold down the darkness, grudging the slow fade from black, to blue, to gray. As I prepared that last breakfast at home, squeezing the oranges, boiling the eggs, smelling the toast and coffee, I looked out the kitchen window at the dim Quebec woods gradually coming into focus. Near the end of a wet summer, the spruce, birch, poplars, and cedars were densely green, glossy and dripping.
For this momentous departure I had hoped for a better omen than this cold, dark, rainy morning, but it did have a certain pathetic fallacy, a sympathy with my interior weather. In any case, the weather didn’t matter; I was going. I still didn’t know where (Alaska? Mexico? Patagonia?), or for how long (two months? four months? a year?), but I knew I had to go. My life depended on it.
Sipping the last cup of coffee, I wrestled into my leathers, pulled on my boots, then rinsed the cup in the sink and picked up the red helmet. I pushed it down over the thin balaclava, tightened the plastic rainsuit around my neck, and pulled on my thick waterproof gloves. I knew this was going to be a cold, wet ride, and if my brain wasn’t ready for it, at least my body would be prepared. That much I could manage.
The house on the lake had been my sanctuary, the only place I still loved, the only thing I had left, and I was tearing myself away from it unwillingly, but desperately. I didn’t expect to be back for a while, and one dark corner of my mind feared that I might never get back home again. This would be a perilous journey, and it might end badly. By this point in my life I knew that bad things could happen, even to me.
I had no definite plans, just a vague notion to head north along the Ottawa River, then turn west, maybe across Canada to Vancouver to visit my brother Danny and his family. Or, I might head northwest through the Yukon and Northwest Territories to Alaska, where I had never travelled, then catch the ferry down the coast of British Columbia toward Vancouver. Knowing that ferry would be booked up long in advance, it was the one reservation I had dared to make, and as I prepared to set out on that dark, rainy morning of August 20th, 1998, I had two and a half weeks to get to Haines, Alaska — all the while knowing that it didn’t really matter, to me or anyone else, if I kept that reservation.
Out in the driveway, the red motorcycle sat on its centerstand, beaded with raindrops and gleaming from my careful preparation. The motor was warming on fast idle, a plume of white vapor jetting out behind, its steady hum muffled by my earplugs and helmet.
I locked the door without looking back. Standing by the bike, I checked the load one more time, adjusting the rain covers and shock cords. The proverbial deep breath gave me the illusion of commitment, to the day and to the journey, and I put my left boot onto the footpeg, swung my right leg high over the heavily laden bike, and settled into the familiar saddle.
My well–travelled BMW R1100GS (the “adventure–touring” model) was packed with everything I might need for a trip of unknown duration, to unknown destinations. Two hard–shell luggage cases flanked the rear wheel, while behind the saddle I had stacked a duffel bag, tent, sleeping bag, inflatable foam pad, groundsheet, tool kit, and a small red plastic gas can. I wanted to be prepared for anything, anywhere.
Because I sometimes liked to travel faster than the posted speed limits, especially on the wide open roads of the west — where it was safe in terms of visible risks, but dangerous in terms of hidden enforcement — I had decided to try using a small radar detector, which I tucked into my jacket pocket, with its earpiece inside the helmet.
A few other necessities, additional tools, and my little beltpack filled the tankbag in front of me, and a roadmap faced up from a clear plastic cover on top. The rest of the baggage I would carry away with me that morning had less bulk, but more weight — the invisible burdens that had driven me to depart into what already seemed like a kind of exile.
RIP Neil, may you find peace in the afterlife.
January 10th, 2020 at 8:52 PM ^
If it wasn't for the need for sleep I would have read it straight through.
I could relate and was envious of his escapism from tragedy.
January 10th, 2020 at 11:57 PM ^
For those interested there is free, legal, pdf download of Neil Peart's Ghost Rider book located at epdf:
https://epdf.pub/ghost-rider-travels-on-the-healing-road.html
January 11th, 2020 at 10:18 AM ^
Great read.
January 10th, 2020 at 6:38 PM ^
Yep - a classic song...so much fun to blast
January 11th, 2020 at 9:35 PM ^
My favorite Rush song! The bass, drum, guitar interaction on the instrumental is phenomenal. Limitless talent. Thank you God God Rush. RIP Neil.
January 10th, 2020 at 5:26 PM ^
He is the greatest drummer ever. I will fight anyone who questions this.
RIP
January 10th, 2020 at 5:34 PM ^
Wtf! What a legend. Such a sad, sad day. RIP Neil! Thank you!
January 10th, 2020 at 5:36 PM ^
Grew up with my dad listening to Rush. Neil was a hell of a drummer. I’m going to sound like an old guy but “they sure don’t make music now like they used to.” The art of being an awesome musician seems to be dying. RIP Neil Peart