Neil Peart's Taking Center Stage DVD...anyone?

haroldo_psf

Senior Member
Did we talk about this already? I couldn't find anything with the search. Anyway, has anyone seen it yet? I just got done with the first DVD last night.

It is incredibly entertaining, specially for me, as a motorcycle fanatic like Neil, as the DVD starts with him riding his BMW GS though twisties Death Valley, where the interviews take place, where I'll be riding my bike this January :). There are many more moto related bits and pieces throughout, like the numerous moto stickers in his warm up room locker (Ohlins being the most prominent one, any rider knows that brand :), etc.

I love the insight on the songs, the slow motion on key sections and fills, and his descriptions of what he was trying to acomplish by composing the way he did in the studio, and what is his thought process at any stage before and during live performances, etc.

I just started drumming a year ago. Then and now, any rush related playing is waaaay over my head. However, I love that now, a year later, I can at least understand the lingo and get to appreciate the tremendous skill that it takes to do what he does.
 
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We discussed it was coming out soon in the Neil Peart thread, in the drummer forum. but not since then.

It's on my Christmas wish list!
 
Re: Neil Peart's Taking Center Stage DVD...anyone?cY

Well buddy you are learning from one of the greatest. Luckily he was smart enough not to drink or drug himself to death so we could have him around for a while.
 
I have seen MANY footages of Neil playing, however, this is the very first time that I see full live song footages of solely drum camera shots.

This whole time all I remember was how serious and calculist he seems while playing, completely technically oriented, really trying to put out 100% to make for a spotless show.

For the first time, now that I see the complete performance through verious drum camera angles, I was shocked (pleasantly) to see that he, at points during songs, he smiles, bounces, and even slightly and subtlely dances at times when he really gets carried away with his grooves! It was incredible! It changed my perception of him.

another thing that completely blew my mind is the whole background on the song "Working them angels". I always thought there was some tempo trickery going on which I didn't quite understand, yet I knew it was there. Upon watching his interview on this section, he explains that they manipulate the tempo through the song, pulling and pushing, very slightly, to get the right feel, but yet still walking that thin line which, if they are not extremelly precise, about 3 minutes into it, they will be in trouble when all comes together. When they performed it live, I could actually hear what he was explaning, and I just couldn't believe it was humanly possible to manipulate time like that, with such control, which requires extreme precision to make it feel right, and he does it beautifully. What a master.
 
Pretty dang cool. I haven't been as big a fan of Rush since Signals, but their NEW stuff from the last couple CD's is pretty cool.

NP's interview in MD is good too. He's right, his parts are way more intricate and daring NOW, then they used to be. And they were always cool.

I watched disc 1, and all the playing on Disc 3 (thought it was disc 2...).

Worth the money if someone was on the fence on spending the dough.

Kinda weird seeing the Time Machine kit, with all the "stuff" on it, and then watching clips of the S&A kit and it looks plain haha!

I like the Copper hardware plating and the Red base color for the TM kit. Much cooler than the Brass he had back in the day.

I have to watch the interview of the DW guy who did the kit yet. Should be pretty interesting.
 
My buddy is still waiting for his free copy in the mail from Sabian. Then we are both going to watch it on my 110" projector screen in 5.1. Should be fun.
 
I am partway through disc one. Also a long time rider, so I noticed the Ohlins sticker too.
It's incredible the detail that goes into Neil's playing. The DVD is really cool in how it breaks down things I have never quite gotten. Like the intro to Spirit of Radio- he shows how the riff goes from right hand lead to left hand lead.
My only issue was the loooong talking sections. It's almost hard to absorb because he kind of goes on and on. And there are some things he has gone over before in his "Work in Progress" DVD (like the part about "leaving spontaneity to chance" and wearing dancing shoes). I was a little surprised to see him repeating himself.
But I am looking forward to the concert section!
 
I am partway through disc one. Also a long time rider, so I noticed the Ohlins sticker too.
It's incredible the detail that goes into Neil's playing. The DVD is really cool in how it breaks down things I have never quite gotten. Like the intro to Spirit of Radio- he shows how the riff goes from right hand lead to left hand lead.
My only issue was the loooong talking sections. It's almost hard to absorb because he kind of goes on and on. And there are some things he has gone over before in his "Work in Progress" DVD (like the part about "leaving spontaneity to chance" and wearing dancing shoes). I was a little surprised to see him repeating himself.
But I am looking forward to the concert section!

as riders, we get to enjoy it on a different level :)

Like when he was explaining how he avoids messing up live performances with the complicated songs that he plays. He said: "It's like riding. When I'm on the track mid way through turn 6, I'm already thinking about turn 7. I am always thinking about the next verse, always in the zone thinking of the near future, like on my motorcycle, and if anything brings me back to the present moment, like a roadie walking front stage, or a camera flash, anything like that could bring me back to the moment and potentially cause problems..."

It was also interesting (and funny) in a way when he describes what happens when one of the three gets half a beat off, and they stare at each other trying to figure out who will take one for the team. He said, when somebody in the band messes up, he has three options: go forward to catch up, backward, or do nothing...just like riding! When you are midway on a turn and your rear starts sliding, sometimes the best thing to do is nothing, as if you chop the throttle or give it throttle, he may loose even more traction, so sometimes it's best to just keep it steady.
 
as riders, we get to enjoy it on a different level :)

Like when he was explaining how he avoids messing up live performances with the complicated songs that he plays. He said: "It's like riding. When I'm on the track mid way through turn 6, I'm already thinking about turn 7. I am always thinking about the next verse, always in the zone thinking of the near future, like on my motorcycle, and if anything brings me back to the present moment, like a roadie walking front stage, or a camera flash, anything like that could bring me back to the moment and potentially cause problems..."

It was also interesting (and funny) in a way when he describes what happens when one of the three gets half a beat off, and they stare at each other trying to figure out who will take one for the team. He said, when somebody in the band messes up, he has three options: go forward to catch up, backward, or do nothing...just like riding! When you are midway on a turn and your rear starts sliding, sometimes the best thing to do is nothing, as if you chop the throttle or give it throttle, he may loose even more traction, so sometimes it's best to just keep it steady.

Hadn't gotten that far- didn't know he was using riding analogies! Pretty cool. I ride dirt- the last thing you wanna do when your rear end slides is to chop the throttle. Unless you like the taste of terra firma.
I remember in the liner notes to Rush in Rio, when Neil's electronics went out, he said he was already thinking about the next show while he was playing. Now that's planning ahead.
Personally I do all I can to stay in the moment. I get distracted if I am thinking about the upcoming fill or part- lose my focus. But I am probably not as analytical as Neil.
 
Yes, I noticed that too.
His arms are really high for playing the hats and they are pretty far away. Not too good for the circular motion he was talking about in the W.I.P. DVD.

Whatever, he plays how it's comfortable, and it works for him.
 
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