[luftfluss]

Rush Drummer Neil Peart Dead at 67 - Rolling Stone

Neil Peart, the virtuoso drummer and lyricist for Rush, died Tuesday, January 7th, in Santa Monica, California, at age 67, according to Elliot Mintz, a family spokesperson. The cause was brain cancer, which Peart had been quietly battling for three-and-a-half years. A representative for the band confirmed the news to Rolling Stone.
Peart was one of rock’s greatest drummers, with a flamboyant yet utterly precise style that paid homage to his hero, the Who’s Keith Moon, while expanding the technical and imaginative possibilities of his instrument. He joined singer-bassist Geddy Lee and guitarist Alex Lifeson in Rush in 1974, and his musicianship and literate, philosophical lyrics – which initially drew on Ayn Rand and science fiction, and later became more personal and emotive – helped make the trio one of the classic-rock era’s essential bands. His drum fills on songs like “Tom Sawyer” were pop hooks in their own right, each one an indelible mini-composition; his lengthy drum solos, carefully constructed and packed with drama, were highlights of every Rush concert.

[7.62lew]

Sad news indeed...Prayers out to the family and all of the Rush fans...

[paulh]

A true virtuoso and master of his craft. His playing had a huge impact on me. RIP Neil.

[luftfluss]

First album I ever bought with my own money was Caress of Steel... I was in 3rd grade or something and brought the record to school for Show and Tell and my teacher was like what the hell is this...

[monochrome]

Never listened to Rush until they showed up on period rock radio. In 1974 I was listening to the Four Tops, Ink Spots, Drifters, Sam Cooke, James Brown, Junior Walker & The All Stars and that genre.

And Bob Dylan.

[RGlasel]

First album I ever bought with my own money was Caress of Steel... I was in 3rd grade or something and brought the record to school for Show and Tell and my teacher was like what the hell is this...

I was more limited in what I could listen to when I was in 3rd grade (which for me was 1968-69), but if Mrs. Borden had heard Geddy Lee screaming the lyrics to I Think I'm Going Bald and Bastille Day in falsetto, she would have had a stroke on the spot.

My first exposure to Rush was 2112 on late night progressive FM radio and my first purchase was Farewell To Kings. Rush has always been an acquired taste, I went by myself to their concerts in the late seventies and early eighties because I didn't know anyone else who listened to them. A friend of mine went to high school in London, Ontario and Rush had played at his school during their pre-2112 period.

[Racer X 69]

A sad day indeed. The world will be a poorer place with his passing.

[timb64]

A great drummer and a gent.RIP.

[luftfluss]

Never listened to Rush until they showed up on period rock radio. In 1974 I was listening to the Four Tops, Ink Spots, Drifters, Sam Cooke, James Brown, Junior Walker & The All Stars and that genre.

And Bob Dylan.

Pretty good lineup

Bob Dylan and my wife's late father were somewhat friendly, and when my wife was a wee lass she had the good fortune of having Mr. Dylan sing "Happy Birthday" to her.

[monochrome]

Pretty good lineup

Bob Dylan and my wife's late father were somewhat friendly, and when my wife was a wee lass she had the good fortune of having Mr. Dylan sing "Happy Birthday" to her.

That’s what we danced to in college; if a boy could dance to that stuff he could get a date.

That’s way cool about mrs luftluss. My wife and older daughter would have done unimaginable things to have had That experience.

I took my wife to see Dylan and Merle Haggard at St. Louis’ restored Fox Theater on her actual 50th birthday. Dylan was of course unintelligible, but the band was fabulous and seeing Merle Haggard live and mostly solo was a real thrill. Mrs monochrome still talks about that concert and the tour poster hangs in a hallway of our home. The acoustics are so good at The Fox that amplified sound was only one original Fender floor amp / instrument and two pillars of small loudspeakers hung above the stage. Dylan played keyboard and faced away from the audience. The second-best concert I have ever seen (to Mark Knopfler, also at the Fox - three hours, two sets).

At this point in my life I’ve completed my bucket list except Johnny Cash, which I will forever regret. We subscribe to a Bluegrass series at another restored, acoustically perfect concert hall, but those guys are getting pretty old now. We’ve had Green Room passes from a friend who plays guitar for Emmylou Harris and Del McCoury off and on; recently we were there for Marty Stuart and the Fabulous Superlatives and Gary played and did the warmup set with his local band. The candid playind and singing after the concert was pretty special (especially to hear our friend let his hair down picking in counterpoint to Marty’s mandolin).

We make a pilgrimage to Nashville every couple years and have opened my son-in-law’s eyes.

Clearly my music roots are not the same as most people on the Forum. I never listened to rock music and didn’t even know Rush existed. At the time I think Dylan was still Folk - at least until Joan Baez happened.

My uncle was a Pentecostal pastor who toured with a tent in a panel van and Gospel/Grass is in my genes. I played accordion at gatherings until my parents changed religions, sent me to prep school and their noses went up. Episcopalians just don’t do such things

[SSGGeezer]

My first exposure to Rush was 2112 on late night progressive FM radio and my first purchase was Farewell To Kings.

Listening to 2112 in my MP3 player as I type this in memory of him. Great lyricist as well as an amazing percussionist.

[monochrome]

@luftfluss In National Review, of all places, though perhaps not such a surprise given Peart’s libertarian, self-reliant, (supposed) Ayn Randian undercurrents.

RIP Neil Peart, 1952?2020: Rush Drummer Was One-of-a-Kind Musician, Lyricist | National Review

[Just1MoreDave]

I have a theory which I am going to call "Musical DNA". At some point, you will hear music that becomes part of you. The connection is so strong, it's like it was written into your DNA. This is not total BS - scientists like Oliver Sacks have documented many cases of people with some kind of brain decline, doesn't matter which disease, that can still perfectly recall music better than their own name.

Unfortunately people waste a lot of time arguing about the superiority of their particular music vs. the crap other people like, without recognizing that the other people have a different musical DNA.

[timb64]

I have a theory which I am going to call "Musical DNA". At some point, you will hear music that becomes part of you. The connection is so strong, it's like it was written into your DNA. This is not total BS - scientists like Oliver Sacks have documented many cases of people with some kind of brain decline, doesn't matter which disease, that can still perfectly recall music better than their own name.

Unfortunately people waste a lot of time arguing about the superiority of their particular music vs. the crap other people like, without recognizing that the other people have a different musical DNA.

I love this idea.There is certain music I return to again and again and will do,probably, until my dying day.Pink Floyd,Yes,Rush,The Beatles are among my favourites and they just seem to touch a nerve. Maybe it’s my age but very little music made in the last few years resonates to anywhere near the same degree. Ed Sheeran is incredibly popular and respected in the UK at present but I can’t name one of his songs or think in 40 years time people will still be playing him.

[RGlasel]

people with some kind of brain decline, doesn't matter which disease, that can still perfectly recall music better than their own name.

This is true, as long as the sense of hearing isn't damaged. As amazing as the human brain is, the connection between new stimuli and stored memory needs to be instinctive, not cognitive. I suffered from a gradual decline in my hearing for 10 years, then I lost almost all of my hearing over the course of three days for reason(s) unknown. I ended up getting an operation for a cochlear implant and 10 months after losing my hearing, the implant was turned on. I did some initial tests with my audiologist and went home thinking I would be able to recognize at least some of the music on my favorite LPs. I put on Beatles 62-66 and couldn't decipher anything until I got to the opening guitar riff of Day Tripper. I was by myself, so I allowed the tears to come; you have no idea how much music means until it all sounds like random screeching and wailing. My artificial hearing of conversation is now better than it was when I got my first hearing aid in 2008, but new music that my brain has no memory of or music with lots of third order harmonics (Led Zeppelin, for instance) still doesn't sound very good at all.