Neil Peart

Neil Peart is my all time favorite drummer. I know he is not the best in the world, but that does not mean he has not influenced me and helped me become a better drummer. My dad was and still is a HUGE rush fan. He introduced me to Rush at a young age and I was after hearing the first song I was hooked. I was bewildered by the way the drummer on this one track contolled the song. The creativity, the rythms, all these things created a perfect harmony between the song and the drummer. As I got older, I thought alot about why this one drummer could captivate me so much. I figured it out around the time I was eleven years old. Neil Peart can create melodies and back the rest of the bands melodies with the drums, an instrument traditionaly used as a back beat to a song. I relized that if you take Geddy and Alex out of the songs, and Neil was the only one left, he would be able to create songs and melodies from behind that monstorous kit of his. Neil captured people's attention early in his career with his creative rythyms and melodies and wouln't let anyones attention stray away, ever. He will always be inovating, always be creating, always be playing those jaw dropping solos that seem to grow and grow each year. Neil will always be one of the most greatest, most innovative drummers in the instruments long past.
 
For those who don't know yet. David Letterman is doing a "Drum Solos" week starting June 6, 2011. Neil Peart is scheduled and rumor has it that he will be doing a rare tv interview.
 
why is neil peart so special ? He can hit the drums but there is a lot of other drummers like: benny greb, dave weckl, jojo mayer, steve gadd, vinnie caliuta ..... neil peart is nothing comanpared to this guys. He is a good drummer but he is not a LEGEND. Please tell me if im rong. Thanks =)
 
why is neil peart so special ? He can hit the drums but there is a lot of other drummers like: benny greb, dave weckl, jojo mayer, steve gadd, vinnie caliuta ..... neil peart is nothing comanpared to this guys. He is a good drummer but he is not a LEGEND. Please tell me if im rong. Thanks =)
Well for one he can spell. Yes you are wrong. Most people don't have a clue who those other drummers are.
 
why is neil peart so special ? He can hit the drums but there is a lot of other drummers like: benny greb, dave weckl, jojo mayer, steve gadd, vinnie caliuta ..... neil peart is nothing comanpared to this guys. He is a good drummer but he is not a LEGEND. Please tell me if im rong. Thanks =)

You can't just compare all drummers like that. First of all they have different styles,
second they're different generations, and third you have to find out how all drummers
in all generations relate to each other - who learned from whom, who invented what,
who inspired following generations.

I.e. you can't really compare Neil Peart who created his own thing to Benny Greb who
didn't even live then :).

I'm not really a fan of Neil per se, but he sure is special, because he really developed
his own unique style, and for those who like it, he is very compositional.

Plus: If you want to compare drummers with the result of saying XY is "nothing" to YZ,
I'm sure you completely forget music. It's not just about technical abilities. You have
to see and kind of rate the music behind the notes! So I'm sure there is no great drummer
who is "nothing" musically at all.
 
You really have to be bored to follow my posts all the time.
 
I've been listening to older Rush again lately and I've rediscovered what I loved so much about Neil's playing. First of all, what he played sounded fresh and his technique was really clean. But most of all, it's what Neil talked about in that video clip from the Strombolopolous show; his compositional sense. He starts out by stating a theme and then he messes with it all kinds of different ways as the song progresses.

Here's a fun one from A Farewell To Kings: http://youtu.be/cu1UIEQ5QGs

Neil's part really takes off around the 3:13 mark.
 
Sorry, i have another question. For me all the great drummer must be good in all styles. Could Neil Peart play, samba, funk, smooth jazz, d`n´b, and lots of diferent stiles perfectly?. Thanks and sorry for waist your time. =)
 
You can't just compare all drummers like that. First of all they have different styles,
second they're different generations, and third you have to find out how all drummers
in all generations relate to each other - who learned from whom, who invented what,
who inspired following generations.

I.e. you can't really compare Neil Peart who created his own thing to Benny Greb who
didn't even live then :).

I'm not really a fan of Neil per se, but he sure is special, because he really developed
his own unique style, and for those who like it, he is very compositional.

Plus: If you want to compare drummers with the result of saying XY is "nothing" to YZ,
I'm sure you completely forget music. It's not just about technical abilities. You have
to see and kind of rate the music behind the notes! So I'm sure there is no great drummer
who is "nothing" musically at all.

thanks, for the best explanation yet.
 
Sorry for being short with you but I have read a lot of negative stuff on this site lately about Neil. Consider this. He became a Legend in a band that was not even mainstream popular like Led Zeppelin, Beatles, or the Who. There must be a reason so many thought he was so different, to elevate him over so many others. Not just the general public, but many professional drummers. He is a great Rock drummer. You don't have to know how to play all different styles of music to be great. That just makes you versatile. When was he supposed to take the time to learn all these other styles, and why did he have to. He has had a permanent Rock gig for the last 30 years. Not sure you can say that for most other drummers.

He also did not elevate himself to this status. He is a very shy person, that does not run around seeking all kinds of attention with his words like many other artists out there. He did it with his talent. If you haven't already, sit down and listen to his body of work. He has created some pretty amazing drum compositions. He also writes some pretty amazing lyrics. He certainly blows the dumb drummer stereotype out of the water. This guy has some smarts.
 
Sorry for being short with you but I have read a lot of negative stuff on this site lately about Neil. Consider this. He became a Legend in a band that was not even mainstream popular like Led Zeppelin, Beatles, or the Who. There must be a reason so many thought he was so different, to elevate him over so many others. Not just the general public, but many professional drummers. He is a great Rock drummer. You don't have to know how to play all different styles of music to be great. That just makes you versatile. When was he supposed to take the time to learn all these other styles, and why did he have to. He has had a permanent Rock gig for the last 30 years. Not sure you can say that for most other drummers.

He also did not elevate himself to this status. He is a very shy person, that does not run around seeking all kinds of attention with his words like many other artists out there. He did it with his talent. If you haven't already, sit down and listen to his body of work. He has created some pretty amazing drum compositions. He also writes some pretty amazing lyrics. He certainly blows the dumb drummer stereotype out of the water. This guy has some smarts.

thanks, i never said that he is a bad drummer i think he's greate. I just wanted to know why the people like NP so mutch and now i understand the reason. Thanks =)
 
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