Swiss Matthias
Platinum Member
I like your post, MikeM, good points.
There is no " ' " in all the plural's !
hey there,
just been watching some Peart Videos online, and after i thought about speaking my mind on him for a few years now actually, i decided to finally do so.
On a personal level, i really like the guy (from what i can tell through interviews etc.). Also i think he has a very good attitude towards his instrument and " to always be learning." I think you have to admire a person who carries himself that way (sorry for my english....)
But also - and unfortunately for him, because i bet he didnt start the myth and wouldnt want himself to be considered the best or anything like that - he is one of the most overrated drummers of all time, at least in my opinion. I want to explain this by adressing some of the most popular arguments about his playing:
1. His technical skills are amazing.
He has good technique - at the things hes playing (wich i'll get to later). But any Drummer who practices regulary and the right way can achieve Pearts level of technique in a relatively short amount of time (I'd say about 5 years, if not less, but thats debatable). Since he doesn't do any advanced independence or polyrythmic stuff it just boils down to pure hand and feet speed. I think his singles are pretty good, his doubles are not that fast though. His feet are ok. Keep in mind this is all IMHO. And dont give me the "Playing over 3 is hard "(regarding one of his foot ostinatos hes playing all the time, RLL) - it's just not.
2. He's totally creative and comes up with Stuff no one can come up with
Well i actually think hes creative. At least he was once in his life when i came up with that solo hes been playing for a gazillion years now. And maybe at the Time this stuff was innovative. But now it isnt anymore. I'd like to make one point clear though: i'm speaking to drummers here (i hope). So i think you guys should understand that writing or performing a drumsolo which makes an audience go crazy - a good thing and something i admire about peart - does not necessarily mean its the most creative or expressive solo. Like in Language theres things certain people just dont understand because of a lack in vocabulary. A perfect example would be the a tony royster jr. solo video that appears on the side of a peart video on youtube and leads a lot of peart guys to it - in that video tony plays a great solo but incorporates a lot of advanced stuff like overrideng and/or playing polyrithmic patterns. In the Comments of that clip you see a lot of Peart Comparisons, where fanboys write that to them it sounds like random banging on the drums without concept, which is ridiculous. Drummers at the level of Royster (just an example, I'm not even mentioning greats like vinnie or dennis chambers) could write and perform a solo like pearts while sleeping. They just dont do it because their vocabulary is much bigger and they like to express their emotions on a much more complex level. To a person who can understand these concepts and the patterns/phrases they play, their solos are much more touching, creative and awe inspiring than anything Mr. Peart could do. I'm not saying that i want constant Polyrithmic wanking or 10 minutes of blistering fast double bass playing. But these things can make a solo much better played at the right spot. And sorry to say this, Mr.Peart just simply cant play them, so he doesnt even have the option, wich in itself IMO should clear out any doubts about if he's the best. hes just playing the same patterns and phrases over and over again, nothing creative to me there nowadays. And im not even starting about his humongous kit. I'd like to see Mr.Peart play a solo on a 3 Piece kit and see what "great phrases" he comes up with. Even at the buddy rich memorial he had to bring those cowbells, so he could play his lame signature doubles/melody phrase thing. How creative is that? Please.
I'd like to close my statement with the Fact that i would never in my Life write such a post, if there wasn't this gigantic hype around the man. I respect him and his playing and i wish him all the best and success. But i think its a slap in the face to all those guys that have invested much more time and energy in developing their craft and have deliverd so much more interesting efforts on the instrument, to say that he is the best Drummer ever or anything even remotely close (btw out of all the "overrated drummers - Portnoy, Jordison, Barker, etc- i still like him the most )
Best wishes
Mitchi
I can remove them if it's an issue
Gotta (I know, I know) admit Swiss.........I'd rather see a few misplaced " ' " than the constant barrage of symbols, simbles, thrown's and base drum pettals that are all too prevalent on the forums.
But most people who worship Peart don't do so for his drum solo ability, and probably would list his solo ability near last in the reasons they like him.
hey there,
1. His technical skills are amazing.
Since he doesn't do any advanced independence or polyrythmic stuff
I guess your not a Rush fan because he re-wrote the book on that stuff.
I guess your not a Rush fan because he re-wrote the book on that stuff.
Thats exactly what i was speaking about in my previous posts. He re-wrote the book on that stuff?! COME ON! But if you really think so please elaborate on the intricacies of his highly sophisticated polyrhythmic structures and demanding independence involving grooves. Because im not perfect and i would be glad if somebody proved me wrong. Seriously.
Keep in mind that when Neil hit the Scene, Vinnie was already playing with Zappa...
Again, i just look at pure skill and technique here, his other achievements in music and drumming are absolutely legit. But this post below is exactly why i wrote something in here in the first place...
Best wishes
Mitchi
Keep in mind that when Neil hit the Scene, Vinnie was already playing with Zappa...
So i just listened to mystic rythms and am really interested in where you think that song contains any polyrythms or stickings/grooves that require more than average independence. This song shows nothing of those. Maybe you just confuse some expressions here though...
Memorizing many different Song parts and playing odd Time signatures does not equal playing the above said stuff...
This is what i'm talking about: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6IY9xuwe6EE
I like the Song btw , except of Geddy Lees Hairstyle, but maybe that was just the 80s
And honestly, who gives a flying you-know-what whom is a better drummer anyway?
Are you freakin crazy! Pepsi is the best. Coke sucks. By the way Chicago PIzza is betterPretty much sums up my feelings on it all.
Since when did, drumming/drummers/music in general ever become a competition?..........oh that's right....DAMN YOU.....'Idol'.....X-Factor.....(insert your nation)'s Got Talent!!
"I didn't come to the Grammy's to watch anyone win or lose......I came to watch everyone play" - Ringo Starr. Sage words indeed.
Now, for the real test. What is the BEST soft drink.....Coke or Pepsi? Surely EVERYONE knows it's Coke.....I HATE friggen' Pepsi!!
Not really true.
Vinnie joined Zappa in 1978. Joe's Garage came out in 1979
Neil joined Rush in 1974. Fly By Night came out in 1975.
So, technically, Neil was first.
Now if you said Terry Bozzio, you might be on to something.