Neil Peart

Huge fan, love the playing, the writing, the wisdom, the humor of this man. Great influence on my playing, and my attitude toward music in general. Play what you love, not what sells. Push yourself to be the best you can be, don't rest on your laurels.
 
Had to comment, even though this thread has been around for ages. I enjoy listening to Peart even now, although it's different that when I listened 25 years ago.

One of the things that people touch on over and over again is his consistency of delivery. But while I am sure he vamped a lot when they were writing and testing out new songs, there is something else at play here. One of the things I really respect about Neil is his composition of the drum track. By his own admission, he scores his own work like a dancer or ice skater would learn a new routine. It's all about telling the story, no different than how the vocalist or guitarist tells it. I learned from him that scoring a part can help transport the listener or it can hinder them. There are rules within music theory as well as popular music. They are important because they are the history of vocabulary by which you start telling your story. Do you push the song or do you pull it? Straight time, double time or half time? All of these choices play into the mood you create for the listener. He builds his groove, building his fills as well and sometimes breaking down the groove altogether the second time through. Others known for progressive styles have tried this. Some succeeded and some failed in their telling of the story. It is that grasp of the theory and history of drumming that excites me when I hear Neil.

The other thing that impressed me is that he has continued to seek out others who would help him hone his craft. Even after all these years, he continues to look up other drummers who might help him learn a thing or two.
 
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Any comments on Neil Peart?

He is one of my favs, and considered one of the greatest drummers.

If you want, check out the book "Taking center stage." One of my fav drum books.

My fav rush songs include "Tom Sawyer", "Subdivisions", "Spirit Of The Radio" and "Fly By Night". But my two absolute favs are "Presto" and "Bravado". I also like "The Trees" and "New World Man".
 
I think the thing that I am most impressed with by Neil Peart is how his drum solos evolved over the years, I have the R30 dvd (is it Der Troemlerr?) and there are parts of that, crafted, piece which were in his work back in the day.
I haven't seen Anatomy of...but I should imagine it's real interesting. PLUS his work with Buddys band, plus the fact that he changes between grips...great drummer.
 
The thing about Neil is that you won't hear a simple rock beat repeat for the whole song. He has his ways of changing it up. R30 Overture is one of my favourites just because of the mix of songs. I've always been a fan of his ride pattern from spirit of radio, subdivisions etc.
 
The thing about Neil is that you won't hear a simple rock beat repeat for the whole song. He has his ways of changing it up. R30 Overture is one of my favourites just because of the mix of songs. I've always been a fan of his ride pattern from spirit of radio, subdivisions etc.

Neil Peart is the god of all Gods in drumming, however, i am not sure what you say is true when I hear his drumming, he seems to play exactly like it was recorded and he wants everything written as well...i am not saying thats bad....
 
Newfound appreciation for Peart here. I've read criticisms that his playing is too mechanical, nevertheless it's perfect for Rush. Anything else would sound too generic, or too aggressive, or just out of place, etc etc.

I do a lot of improvising to many kinds of music (just for practice). When I try this with Rush it sounds rediculous. Stray too far from Neil's style and it just does not work with their music. And nailing the drums as written really is enjoyable for me, more so than any other band.

Listening to Peart has possibly improved my own playing more than anything else. While I don't actually play like him, I certainly have incorporated much of his style.
 
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Peart fits perfect for Rush... simple as that!
 
I'm a Rush fan and a Neil Peart fan. I kinda lost interest in Rush with Roll The Bones and never really gravitated toward anything after.

In recent year's I've come to like Neil's more fluid playing style and the changes he started to make after the Burning for Buddy stuff and Buddy Rich memorial show he participated in. He really saw his own playing limitations while working on that stuff and observing top shelf players.

He's much more fluid than before and doesn't just power his way through everything like before. He'll never be a Dennis Chambers or Steve Smith, but you can really see the progression in his playing and technique.
 
objectively, I think Neil really created a new and large vocabulary based around what fit Rush . Of course he borrowed, but his early playing style and even now is quite verbose. Personally, I love it and am not worthy :)

I don't think he can really be compared to anyone else....better, worse, equal....does not matter, he developed an outstanding kind of different.

When you really objectively think about the three greatest known drummers of the last 50 or 60 years...and you look at originality, innovation, ability and library it's hard not to say Buddy, Bonzo, Neil.

Neil is/was a very concise, accurate and loud talking drummer with very distinctive parts.
 
When you really objectively think about the three greatest known drummers of the last 50 or 60 years...and you look at originality, innovation, ability and library it's hard not to say Buddy, Bonzo, Neil.
That's interesting because I wouldn't put Bonham or Peart in that type of class. Maybe Buddy since he was ridiculously skilled and admired.
 
Peart fits perfect for Rush... simple as that!
I agree... He perfectly fits in Rush...he is the professor, the best talented drummer in my honest opinion.

but he never fits for any Who songs....his playing of the Who cover songs does sound more defined and clearer and not "sloppier" and more lively like Moonies works..
 
I agree... He perfectly fits in Rush...he is the professor, the best talented drummer in my honest opinion.

but he never fits for any Who songs....his playing of the Who cover songs does sound more defined and clearer and not "sloppier" and more lively like Moonies works..

Very true...Keith Moon cannot be recreated; what an original, bombastic and unique voice. He was a real gift to the drumming community.

Of course old Keith would not have a snowball's chance recreating the Professor's unique and challenging works either. By definition that makes them both stand out even more and means each had/has their own very unique voice.
 
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