Neil Peart passed away. 67

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Rush was a musicians band and two got the appreciation they deserved from their peers, Neil, for some reason I never understood, got a lot of flack from the drumming community (overplayed, show off, couldn't swing, stuck up, etc etc etc) How could anyone not see his talents and not appreciate what he brought to us ?

RIP Mr Peart, you will be sorely missed.
 
Heartbeat said:
Several years ago, a good friend of mine worked production for the Rush concert in Raleigh. After setting up the PA and lights, she helped Neil's tech set up his kit. My friend also rides motorcycles, so Neil asked her to ride with him. They spent an hour on the roads and he shared some road stories with her. She then got to watch him play from 50 feet above his kit in the lighting truss, and he gave her his sticks, which she showed me. Like all of us, she's in shock, but grateful for that time she got to spend with him.
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Cool story thanks for sharing.
 
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Beatnik said:
Rush was a musicians band and two got the appreciation they deserved from their peers, Neil, for some reason I never understood, got a lot of flack from the drumming community (overplayed, show off, couldn't swing, stuck up, etc etc etc) How could anyone not see his talents and not appreciate what he brought to us ?

RIP Mr Peart, you will be sorely missed.
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I don't want to take this thread off the rails, but as someone who worshiped Neil as a kid and cried at the death of this man I never met, Neil was not perfect. He was the perfect drum hero for doing the things that some criticized him for. His playing wasn't overly sophisticated even if busy and over the top, but it was quite accessible to the lay person. Anyone could hear Rush and come away thinking "that drummer is really good!" That's what inspired thousands and thousands of kids to pick up the sticks.

As drummers grow, we often mature in our musical tastes or at least broaden our horizons. Sometimes we look back at our past heros with too much of a critical eye and forget what they gave to us. I am certainly guilty of that. That's all I'm going to say on this.
 
I’ll be honest, I’m a huge rush and Neil fan, pretty much a daily listener. My stories for my love of Neil and rush are no different than your stories. The death of Ronnie James Dio and Chris Squire hit me a little harder than neils death. The fact that they kept this a secret for 3 1/2 years is more shocking to me than his death. Neil Peart the person died last Tuesday, but Neil Peart the drummer( the guy we all know) died on August 1st 2015.
 
Sometimes people need their privacy in times like this, Neil seems to be this way. He didn't ask for sympathy when his first wife and daughter passed, just to be left alone to recover best he could in his own way. He had three years left to be with his current daughter/wife and chose to do that instead of deal with media/fans.

This was obviously what he wanted and I can respect that.
 
Beatnik said:
Sometimes people need their privacy in times like this, Neil seems to be this way. He didn't ask for sympathy when his first wife and daughter passed, just to be left alone to recover best he could in his own way. He had three years left to be with his current daughter/wife and chose to do that instead of deal with media/fans.

This was obviously what he wanted and I can respect that.
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I totally get it, things have a way of leaking though, this just shows what a tight ship the rush organization runs!
 
Given his preference for privacy, and the inner circle of trust, it wouldn't surprise me if they already had the funeral before the news was made public. And with the particular type of brain cancer, it was only surprising how long he lasted with it. Folks were prepared well in advance, arrangements finalized, peace with it made.

When my father's dementia went full-on, I said goodbye to him in my head and heart, as he was basically gone, mentally, though there were the occasional moments of clarity, however rare and fleating.

That said, when he physically passed, it still hurt, just differently.

Glad Mr. Peart's suffering is over, and thank him and the whole crew for everything they gave me over 40+ years...and wish all his surviving loved ones peace and blessings as they carry on without him being physically present.
 
Guys anit gonna lie...this is hitting me harder than I would have imagined. Thinking of Neil and the memories I associate him with, from my youth. Listening to the entire RUSH catalog yesterday & today with tears in my eyes. I tried to play of few RUSH tunes and broke down. Remembering my drum brother that I lost 7 years ago...we spent hours working out Neil drum parts. Both are rocking heavens band now...R.I.P.

Lakeside Park
Willows in the breeze
Lakeside Park
So many memories
 
In 2008 I was fortunate enough to spend about 2 hours around Neil Peart at the Motorcycle Hall of Fame.
His R30 drum set and BMW R1100GS motorcycle were on display there as part of a special celebrity exhibition.
On the morning after Rush's Columbus, OH show on the Snakes and Arrows tour, he stopped by the museum for a tour.
I was one of four people who took a guided tour through the museum early that morning.
Neil, his bodyguard Michael, his bus driver Dave,....and me.
Knowing how Neil shuns fans, I pretended that I didn't know who he was.
I kept my mouth shut and just observed. He was just a normal guy looking at, and talking about motorcycles.
I managed to sneak a couple photos.This was before iPhones, so I had to be very discrete with my camera use.
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I asked my drum instructor who the best rock drummer was and he responded it was Neil Peart of Rush. At the time I wasn't familiar with Rush beyond seeing pictures of them in Circus magazine. Not long after that, I heard a live recording of Rush for the first time. I didn't have to ask who this was, the drumming was so over the top amazing it had to be Neil Peart. I went out and bought "All the World's a Stage" after that and played the grooves off that album. It's one of my all-time favorite drum solos.

Neil Peart was my first big time influence. RIP Neil, your music will live on for ever.
 
Randy Johnson gets a free Neil Peart drum set...
(8:01)
 
bigbonzo said:
I just realized that I have a drum head that was signed by Neil, Alex and Geddy after the Cleveland concert in 2011. It was gotten for me by Jim Fox the drummer for The James Gang.
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Hope you have that framed.
 
Never been a fan of Neil Peart or Rush, but you can't overestimate the impact Neil had on drumming and drum business. And to air drumming!

Passed far to early and he will be missed for sure. RIP.
 
doubleroll said:
Guys anit gonna lie...this is hitting me harder than I would have imagined.
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This has been the most stunned I've been by a death outside my family. I was listening to tributes to NP on XM radio Friday afternoon while I was riding my mountain bike. When a commentator reminded me of his young daughter Olivia, I literally started bawling as I was riding my bike... straight up ugly crying, thinking about a girl losing her father at such a young age.

I hope...selfishly...that she becomes one badass drummer.
 
Beatnik said:
Rush was a musicians band and two got the appreciation they deserved from their peers, Neil, for some reason I never understood, got a lot of flack from the drumming community (overplayed, show off, couldn't swing, stuck up, etc etc etc) How could anyone not see his talents and not appreciate what he brought to us ?

RIP Mr Peart, you will be sorely missed.
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I've been watching a lot of YouTube videos on Neil. It simply seems that a lot of the flack that he received was due to his shyness. He would become anxious around people that wanted to grab him and tell him how great he was. He said to Eddie Trunk in an '06 interview, "I'm just a guy, beating on things with sticks." Amazingly intelligent. I'm going to buy at least ONE of his books if not all at some point. Those that called him eccentric, simply didn't understand him, nor did they really respect him.


mfryed2112 said:
I’ll be honest, I’m a huge rush and Neil fan, pretty much a daily listener. My stories for my love of Neil and rush are no different than your stories. The death of Ronnie James Dio and Chris Squire hit me a little harder than neils death. The fact that they kept this a secret for 3 1/2 years is more shocking to me than his death. Neil Peart the person died last Tuesday, but Neil Peart the drummer( the guy we all know) died on August 1st 2015.
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I'm not going to argue with you. I see what you're getting at. But maybe, that's when he REALLY LIVED? He made the decision after finding out about his brain cancer, that he didn't want to trot around the globe with his pains and sicknesses, but rather spend as much time with those he loved.

I have MUCH more respect for Neil now, after seeing actual videos of him. You know, as a human being and not some revered drum god. Seeing him on TV was like seeing a unicorn, rather rare. So catching the YT vids, quite a treat.

I'm not a die hard RUSH fan. I was disappointed in the one show I saw to a point, because they didn't do a greatest hits show. But played a TON of new music. I guess I enjoyed the show, just, not the music? You have to be a real fan to appreciate ALL of their music. I'm just not. BUT, N.Peart was a huge influence on me after I started drumming. I don't know how many hundreds of times I played Tom Sawyer, Limelight and Red Barchetta back in the 80s, trying to learn YYZ---SO laughable, I wasn't close.

With all of that said, I simply found Neil Peart inspiring. I was inspired as youngster to emulate what seemed to be the greatest drumming album ever, Moving Pictures. And recently I found his intelligence and his loyalty inspiring.
 
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