Neil Peart - A Newfound Appreciation

Bluesfest it was! I was incredibly lucky to be about 30 feet from the stage, with a miraculously unobstructed view (I'm pretty short)!

I'm glad to hear so many of you have had the chance to see them live as well, and are of the same opinion. It really makes all the difference seeing it all happen for yourself!

Me too, just to the left of center stage. May have even seen you there :)
 
I saw them once at the OC Fairgrounds (Pacific Amphitheater) on the Presto tour. One of the best concerts I've ever seen. His drum solo just blew my mind, and I remember this giant white rabbit.
 
I never understood the negative comments I've heard about Neil...no feel Neil is the one I remember the most....He made some iconic drum parts. No one is good at everything. It's hard enough to be great at even one thing. I've always like his Rush drumming. If it was possible to put Buddy Rich in Neil's place in Rush, Buddy probably wouldn't fit. Everybody is geared for what they are geared for. The guy's drum parts are iconic.
 
I never understood the negative comments I've heard about Neil...no feel Neil is the one I remember the most....He made some iconic drum parts. No one is good at everything. It's hard enough to be great at even one thing. I've always like his Rush drumming. If it was possible to put Buddy Rich in Neil's place in Rush, Buddy probably wouldn't fit. Everybody is geared for what they are geared for. The guy's drum parts are iconic.

I don't think I'm being negative, just honest. Considering how worshipful people are with Neil and how many non-drummers think he's "the best drummer in the history of mankind", I have to at least make comparisons. I think Rush might be one of the greatest rock bands of all time, which makes him one of the greatest rock drummers of all time. I will attest to this and agree, but rock isn't the only kind of music in the world and frankly when I've seen Neil OUTSIDE of Rush, he was utterly unimpressive, especially sharing a stage with the likes of Steve Smith, Dennis Chambers, Vinnie and Weckl, who are all considered highly versatile drummers. I would venture to even say Vinnie is THE most versatile and has THE widest range of styles played, of any drummer in history: Zappa, Joni Mitchell, Don Henley, Jeff Beck, Megadeth, Van Halen (tribute record), Herbie Hancock, Chaka Khan, Karizma, Jing Chi and also of course played with the same Buddy Rich Big Band. Neil does Rush music INGENIOUSLY and I think I made that clear. Me, personally, having seen him live, simply find his physical movement awkward when compared the other guys I listed. That isn't to say the SOUND he creates and the drum parts he puts forth aren't perfection in the rock and roll sense. When somebody says that Neil is "the best drummer ever" I simply can't agree. That's OK. Everybody has their place and Vinnie can't be the drummer for every band. ;)
 
The thing about Neil that I'm most impressed with (besides his playing of course) is just how well spoken and intelligent he is. Few people are at the level he is in terms of intellect and personality. He stays incredibly humble and sincere, even though he knows full well that he is in the elite group of musicians. Interviews with him leave me really impressed because he's just so intelligent and poised, but at the same time not elitist. He's just a regular guy who happens to be immensely and amazingly talented.
 
...I don't really enjoy watching him play. He seems so stiff and mechanical; almost machine like. Maybe it takes that type of concentration to pull it off, but he sure doesn't look like he is having much fun. Compare him to someone like Steve Smith, who is so smooth, relaxed and happy looking while performing. Both exceptional players and I really like what I HEAR each of them doing; I just prefer to WATCH the ease with which someone like Steve Smith plays over Neil's look. Not sure if this makes much sense to some; just my .02 worth!

I get that. Just saying, if you see him up close in person, you realize it is pure concentration. While it may be mechanical, up close in person, you realize how difficult it is to be that mechanical with that much power and precision for 3 hours a night. Much like watching an athlete pull off an amazing game. It may not inspire you to take up the same game, but dang, it's impressive.


I will attest to this and agree, but rock isn't the only kind of music in the world and frankly when I've seen Neil OUTSIDE of Rush, he was utterly unimpressive, especially sharing a stage with the likes of Steve Smith, Dennis Chambers, Vinnie and Weckl, who are all considered highly versatile drummers.
True, but even Neil admits this. He has admitted numerous time he knows he didn't play well at the Budd Rich tribute show. Which is why he financed the the Burning for Buddy project out of his own pocket, to sort of try to make up for his self admitted horrible performance. And it from that session that he noticed how much better Steve Smith was getting over time, and that's what lead him to go take lessons with Gruber, because Steve had studied with him.

Not that you said it, but I've seem someone people over the years say "those Gruber lessons didn't do him any good, because he sucked at the Buddy tribute show" and it's actually the other way around, he knows he sucked, which is how he ended up seeking lessons.
 
I've seen Rush play a number of times myself, and Neil has been a huge inspiration to me.

My first drum teacher was a big Rush fan, and he introduced me to their music. The first time I heard Tom Sawyer, it was like "holy s**t", I didn't know you could do that on drums. Keep in mind this was the mid-80's and at the time I was mostly listening to U2 and post-punk stuff like Bauhaus, so this was a revelation to me, and my introduction to technical drumming and prog rock :) We spent a whole summer just going through Drum Techniques of Rush. It was a little early for me to play that material well, but I have to say that I learned a TON from that book. Drum set chops, reading music, and listening while following a transcription...I still benefit from that experience today.

I personally like Neil's playing style...his "mechanical" approach. I see it in a positive way, he is very deliberate, purposeful and methodical. You've probably all heard the stories about how he practices his drum parts at home and then goes into the studio and nails it on the first take. I really admire that. And he is a very intelligent individual, as you can tell from his writing and his interviews. Well-read and insightful, a classic introvert.

I think the reason a lot of people like to bash Neil is just because he's so iconic and idolized, that he has become overrated by a lot of rock drummers. But I think his (and Rush's) biggest contribution is how much they inspired SOOOO many of today's musicians. It's hard to find a drummer alive today who hasn't picked up a lick or two from Neil, or at least heard his stuff and said "yeah, that's cool!"
 
. Neil gets a bad rap from some folks, but I really enjoy his power and precision, and the composition of his drum parts.

The only bad rap Rush and Neil ever did was that part in "Roll the Bones" ...

Rush must be seen live in concert to really appreciate. Three absolute legends and ultra-talented musicians.
 
I've said before, even if you don't like Rush and find their music to be fingers on a chalk board, you should see Neil live in person at least once.

This is %100 true.
I'm not sure Rush would have survived if Neil didn't join the band.
He's amazing.
 
I find it interesting that drummers discuss "world's greatest drummer" more than other instrumentalists and their instrument. I think it's because percussion exists somewhere between music and athleticism, and who is more athletic than Neil?
 
He is definitely one of the greats...

But after his solo that made its rounds (I think was on Letterman), I started to feel bad for him. He seems way past his prime. His musical ability (both technical and creative) is outstanding, but his chops left a little something to be desired.
 
I don't quite get the bashers of NP and the competitive nature of some.

To quote Weckl at one of his clinics: "Drumming is not a competitive sport, it is an art form". I mean really now, bashing other drummers for their specialized skill, instead of applauding it? During the Sabian cymbal vote sessions, Weckl complimented Portnoy on his playing (check YouTube on it), he didn't have to, but he did it because he liked what he heard, pretty simple, humble and non-elitist...

Neil is "the" drummer for Rush, period, Geddy and Alex wouldn't sound good with anyone else, and Neil wouldn't sound good in any other band. I guess that's what has made them stand the test of time and show what true musical chemistry is.

I'm actually not a Rush fan. I used to be when I started playing as a teen (he was my hero as a drummer and intellect) and I was in an excellent and accurate Rush cover band back then. In college, I was turned on to Allan Holdsworth, Jack D, Clyde Stubblefield, Tony Thompson, Will Calhoun, Fish and etc. and it changed everything: sold the 21 pc, set, chimes and all, and learned how to play all over again and formed an identity, but that's just me... :)

Essentially that's what makes us all different and unique as drummers: the musical journey that brought us to where we are now - circling back to Weckl's point: it's an art form...
 
I like Neil's compositions.

Listening to Hemispheres and acknowledging that a large proportion of how the songs move are due to the drum selections he made puts it in perspective.

I learned loads listening to how he approaches a song...literary techniques abound...

I wouldn't have developed the limb independance that I have and my fluidity with odd times if it were not for his works with RUSH.


Anyone voicing negativity re: any musician is purely espousing their own short-coming.

Not liking someones playing is one thing....but trying to reduce someone because of your dislike of their playing is quite another...a real reflection of your own self in the distortion of your ego.
 
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Anyone voicing negativity re: any musician is purely espousing their own short-coming.

Not liking someones playing is one thing....but trying to reduce someone because of your dislike of their playing is quite another...a real reflection of your own self in the distortion of your ego.

I disagree.

I have seen quite a lot of people perform in many different disciplines. I believe some are better than others. If we agree there, as a result - some are worse than others (relatively). And saying that someone isn't as good does not necessarily mean that the person critiquing is at fault, or thinks too much of one's self. It is simply a self-defined observation based on personal criteria.
 
This REALLY sounds corny, but the day my buddy put 2112 on his turntable, my life was changed forever.

I actually wrote my senior thesis on 2112 and its influences. Of course, it was pretty new back then...
 
Come on Man! A turntable is that thing that you put your favorite choice of meat on the dinner table during those special occasions. Geez.....
 
I got Taking Center Stage for Xmas last year. I watched it one time, then loaned it to my friend and borrowed his Steve Gadd video. After watching the Gadd video, I gave it back to him, but he said he still hadn't seen the NP video yet. So I said something like, "hey, no problem, just get it to me when you can". That was in February, I finally got the thing back (as he is moving away), then I left it overnight at the studio and now another friend wanted to borrow it, so I said OK. I'm not sure if I'll ever get to see it again. Dammit!
 
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