12/2/2023 0 Comments Play neil peart from rush drummerWhen each new son turned 8 years old, we went to a Rush concert. When it came time to introduce my sons (4 of them) to “proper” music, I took them to a Rush concert. “When we burn our wings, flying too close to the sun when the moment of glory is over before it’s begun…” In the many years that have since passed, I have listened to hours upon hours of Rush, listening primarily to Neil’s incredible grooves, fills brimming with a musicality that most drummers can only aspire to, and his intriguing lyrics. “Who’s that drummer?” I asked, “he’s incredible!” And thus I was properly introduced to Neil Peart. He played a live version of “Mystic Rhythms”. I was somewhat familiar with tunes like “Red Barchetta” and “Tom Sawyer” and liked them well enough, but not enough to really seek out more from the band. Then, a casual acquaintance asked me to listen to his favorite band, Rush. Megadeth, Suicidal Tendencies, Pantera, Slayer… these were the bands that got my blood pumping. When I was 17 years old, I was a total metal-head. It can truly be said of Neil, without hyperbole, that he was one of the most important drummers of all time- a genius, an innovator, a trailblazer. And there are so many examples like this of his exceptional drumming- “YYZ”, “La Villa Strangiato”, “Limelight”, “Spirit of Radio”, not to mention the legendary “Tom Sawyer”, which might feature one of the most well known drum solos ever featured in a rock song. I don’t think I ever completely hit it note for note, but it was a masterclass in itself in how to play with elegance, technique, and flare. It might be one of the songs that I’ve heard the most, because it took me several months. I remember first hearing “Subdivisions” as a teenager and deciding to play it every day until I learned every one of Neil’s hits and fills. If you wanted to impress your musician friends, you learned literally ANY Rush tune on the drums.Īs a young drummer, Neil was my guide. He was the bar, the gold standard, he was the guy. As Dave Grohl said to Rolling Stone a few years ago, ” I heard the drums. Some of the greatest modern drummers claim Neil as their primary inspiration. And his playing has inspired, and will continue to inspire, musicians all over the world in this same way. It had some ineffable quality, a spark, that would make the listener want to run over to the nearest drumset and try it. It made something in millions of young blossoming artists say: “I want to play like him”. It didn’t just impress or dazzle the listener like so many of the greats. But there was something magical about Neil’s drumming. In the early 70s, the music world was full of them. We at Proglodytes love Rush and will deeply miss Neil Peart. He was an accomplished writer, teacher, and so many other things. He was also the primary lyricist of Rush, a band that was well known for its literate and eloquent lyrics. Neil’s mastery on the drums was only one facet of his brilliance. Like the Buddy Rich of rock and roll, he figured out how to combine technique and spectacle in a way that was rarely rivaled, all with a professorial demeanor. I think it goes without saying that Neil Peart is one of the most influential drummers of the 20th century. Photo by Mediapunch/Shutterstock (4915019g) Neil Peart Rush in concert at MGM Grand, Las Vegas, America –
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