RIP Neil Peart

[lefty goldblatt]

There's going to be no one left soon.

Phil will ALWAYS be with us

 

[big gaz]

When someone as good as Neil took lessons off Freddie Gruber and Pete Erskine so he could improve as a player says a lot about the man.
Been a Rush live albums all day.

 

[OB1]

When someone as good as Neil took lessons off Freddie Gruber and Pete Erskine so he could improve as a player says a lot about the man.
Been a Rush live albums all day.

I made do with All the World's a Stage, which is where my love affair with Rush started. Probably the most memorable first listen to a band / album I've ever enjoyed (Xmas Day 1976).

In the stuff going round about Neil I noted that Rolling Stone placed him at number 4 in their top 100 drummers of all time. That's quite an accolade when you see some of the drummers just behind him on the list. Ahead of him, somewhat predictably, they had Bonzo, Moon & Baker.

Baker wouldn't make my personal top three but of the other two, I only saw them live once a piece; whereas I must have seen Peart over 20 times, which would be more than any other drummer and made him very special to me.

I should add, I loved his lyrics too, whether it was the sc-fi fantasy stuff of the more personal.

 

[BlueMoonRisin’]

Neil Peart crashed too soon.

May he forever Rest In Paiste.

 

[chesterbells]

So glad I made the R40 tour now. Guess Alex and Geddy must of known as in interviews they were so adamant that Rush wouldn't tour again. God bless hope you find peace.

statement said a 3.5 year battle, so mid 2016 diagnosis? I’d love them to have come to Europe and done just one show at Wembley Stadium or something, just to say goodbye over here too.

 

[chesterbells]

I made do with All the World's a Stage, which is where my love affair with Rush started. Probably the most memorable first listen to a band / album I've ever enjoyed (Xmas Day 1976).

In the stuff going round about Neil I noted that Rolling Stone placed him at number 4 in their top 100 drummers of all time. That's quite an accolade when you see some of the drummers just behind him on the list. Ahead of him, somewhat predictably, they had Bonzo, Moon & Baker.

Baker wouldn't make my personal top three but of the other two, I only saw them live once a piece; whereas I must have seen Peart over 20 times, which would be more than any other drummer and made him very special to me.

I should add, I loved his lyrics too, whether it was the sc-fi fantasy stuff of the more personal.

Agreed re the lyrics, and I’d actually place him above those 3 as a drummer. His dexterity was unsurpassed, but he could also hit has hard as Bonham

 

[TueartsOHK]

I made do with All the World's a Stage, which is where my love affair with Rush started. Probably the most memorable first listen to a band / album I've ever enjoyed (Xmas Day 1976).

In the stuff going round about Neil I noted that Rolling Stone placed him at number 4 in their top 100 drummers of all time. That's quite an accolade when you see some of the drummers just behind him on the list. Ahead of him, somewhat predictably, they had Bonzo, Moon & Baker.

Baker wouldn't make my personal top three but of the other two, I only saw them live once a piece; whereas I must have seen Peart over 20 times, which would be more than any other drummer and made him very special to me.

I should add, I loved his lyrics too, whether it was the sc-fi fantasy stuff of the more personal.

I find that top 4 surprising. Bonham was a power house and his bass drum playing (before pedals allowed drummers to use double hit pedals) puts him in the top 4. The other two are undoubtedly decent drummers but not top 4 for me - I only ever saw Peart live (Stafford on the Signals tour)

Agree on Peart’s lyrics, Rush were one of the few bands where I could listen to an album whilst reading the lyrics start to finish like reading a classic novel.

 

[chesterbells]

I find that top 4 surprising. Bonham was a power house and his bass drum playing (before pedals allowed drummers to use double hit pedals) puts him in the top 4. The other two are undoubtedly decent drummers but not top 4 for me - I only ever saw Peart live (Stafford on the Signals tour)

Agree on Peart’s lyrics, Rush were one of the few bands where I could listen to an album whilst reading the lyrics start to finish like reading a classic novel.

Yep, shame they never toured over here after that till ‘88

 

[TueartsOHK]

Agreed re the lyrics, and I’d actually place him above those 3 as a drummer. His dexterity was unsurpassed, but he could also hit has hard as Bonham

I think what set him apart from them was that he wasn’t just a drummer but a percussionist. His use of wood blocks, chimes etc on tracks like Xanadu took their music to another level.

 

[OB1]

I find that top 4 surprising. Bonham was a power house and his bass drum playing (before pedals allowed drummers to use double hit pedals) puts him in the top 4. The other two are undoubtedly decent drummers but not top 4 for me - I only ever saw Peart live (Stafford on the Signals tour)

Agree on Peart’s lyrics, Rush were one of the few bands where I could listen to an album whilst reading the lyrics start to finish like reading a classic novel.

I'm surprised you find that top 4 surprising. I was a bit surprised they ranked Peart so high even though I think it's more than merited; the other three were as I predicted having seen the caption on a Tweet that Peart was number 4.

I know Baker more through reputation although I have some Cream and Blind Faith in my music collection and I even saw him play drums very briefly a couple of years ago. I am going to see the tribute show to him that Clapton has arranged next month. Anyway, I personally rate Peart more highly.

When it comes to Moon and Bonham, I'm not keen to try and place them in 1, 2, 3 order with Peart; although I usually say that Bonham is the greatest rock n roll drummer ever. As you mentioned, his kick drum work was exceptional and I'd say the best I've heard. He also developed a style that was all his own and he wasn't just about power, he could swing and get funky. Bonzo definitely had the best beats.

Peart was heavily influenced by Moon and they are more obviously spectacular drummers. Moon was incredible, truly gifted. Peart took the sort of thing he was doing and refined it.

Whether Bonham, Moon and Peart are the three greatest drummers of all time doesn't much matter to me but they are my favourite three.