
Rush Drummer Neil Peart Dead at 67 - coloneltcb
https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/neil-peart-rush-obituary-936221/
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tnecniv
My first day in undergrad, I made one of those friends you hang out with for
the first month or so before inevitably drifting apart to different social
circles. His dad happened to have (really expensive) tickets through work to
see Rush in our city the next month on the Clockwork Angels tour but couldn't
use them. I'd never been to a concert before at that point.

Holy crap! That show changed and enhanced what I appreciated in music so much.
It's still easily the most technically impressive show I've seen. I don't
listen to Rush as much as I used to but I think about them and that concert
often.

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cschmidt
Sad to hear. I played the drums, and he was my hero growing up. Modern Drummer
magazine had a "drummer of the year" in different categories, and eventually
they made a hall of fame, so it wouldn't just be Neil.

By their reckoning, the third best drummer ever:
[https://www.moderndrummer.com/article/march-2014-50-greatest...](https://www.moderndrummer.com/article/march-2014-50-greatest-
drummers-time/)

~~~
vanusa
Bonham, Moon, Starr -- and Peart -- all above Max Roach?

Umm, okay.

~~~
microtherion
I was fearing the worst when I saw Buddy Rich at #1 — he's usually the token
Jazz drummer on rock-oriented lists. But to my pleasant surprise, the list
actually represented Jazz drummers fairly (disregarding the rankings, which
are bound to be more subjective).

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ilamont
There was a documentary 10 years ago about the history of the band. IIRC the
band's first drummer was very talented but for whatever reason wasn't working
out. The drummer had an unusual role for rock drummers -- he was actually kind
of the "frontman" in the sense he would handle the audience patter,
introducing the band, etc.

They found Peart working in his uncle's animal feed shop out in the
countryside. He was an amazing drummer, technically speaking. Unlike his
predecessor, Peart seemed to be a total introvert, and also didn't seem to
mesh well with Lee and Lifeson (best pals since middle school). Nevertheless,
he proved himself to be a creative leader, writing many of the band's most
memorable songs, and crafting lyrics with meaning that go beyond what most
hard rock bands were putting out at the time (see _2112_ and _Moving Pictures_
).

He took a long hiatus from music about 15 or 20 years ago after the deaths of
several family members, and toured North America on his motorcycle. I always
wondered about that trip, and what he was able to discover.

~~~
tedajax
He actually wrote a book about those travels:

[https://www.amazon.com/Ghost-Rider-Travels-Healing-
Road/dp/1...](https://www.amazon.com/Ghost-Rider-Travels-Healing-
Road/dp/1550225480)

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amoorthy
Like many commenters here Rush defined so much of my teen years. Songs like
Subdivisions, Limelight, both written by Peart, captured much of what I saw in
my life. So sad to see Peart gone but the Rolling Stone article outlines how
much sadness he had in his life. May he find some peace in the afterlife.

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jlv2
He was amazing.

This video is a favorite of his playing. He breaks a stick and replaces it
without losing a beat. It's hard to notice!

 _Neil Peart Breaks a Stick_
[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6UweV2Av7RE](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6UweV2Av7RE)

~~~
Mediterraneo10
While Peart was a virtuoso, breaking (or dropping) a stick is so common that
decent drummers quickly get used to making up for it without raising notice
among the audience.

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wmij
"The treasure of a life is a measure of love and respect The way you live, the
gifts that you give In the fullness of time It's the only return that you
expect".

\- Neil Peart, The Garden

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smitty1e
You've taken care of everything,

The beats we feel, the words we scream,

And now you've gone to your eternal rest.

Those inclined to think and feel,

In all good ways did love you Neil,

And know you truly were among the best.

------
geddy
Holy shit. I've been listening to Rush since I was 5 years old and I always
thought of these guys as immortal. Just.. wow. RIP to one of the most talented
drummers and songwriters of all time.

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sgt
This is really sad news. RIP. I actually learned about Rush through Craig
Federighi's references to the band during Apple keynotes. I'm sure he's sad
today as well.

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leeoniya
:(

> Selena’s mother – Peart’s common-law wife of 23 years

not sure how to feel about this not-exactly-wife tidbit being thrown in there;
just call her his wife - these aren't legal proceedings.

~~~
Mediterraneo10
This is how the late woman was always mentioned in press coverage. That they
chose to never formalize their relationship was considered a big part of that
relationship.

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innocentoldguy
I grew up on Rush and love Neil’s lyrics and drumming. One of the best rock
trios ever. RIP.

~~~
geddy
Same here man. I remember exactly the scene when I first heard them -
Subdivisions it was. On a music video, on VH1, 1992. Spent the next decade and
more listening to absolutely everything they did and would do.

Happy to say I saw them in concert for their 30th anniversary tour, and
another time on my birthday where they played the entirety of Moving Pictures.
To this day, there hasn't been a concert experience like either of those days.

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taylodl
I started listening to Rush in 1976 with the release of 2112. I was completely
blown away. They've always been one of my favorite bands ever since.

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vondur
What a sad day. One of rock's best drummers from one of rock's best bands. So
fortunate to have seen them on their farewell tour. RIP Mr. Peart.

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acheron
Sad news. RIP. I haven't listened to Rush for a few years, maybe time to pull
some of the albums back out and do some air-drumming.

~~~
geddy
I'm so happy we live at a time where we can go on Youtube and pull up footage
from pretty much any concert they ever played - including ones that we've been
to. Which is exactly what I'm doing now!

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brandonfro
"God, there is no fucking drummer better than Neil Peart!"

[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KkQydoiDY28&feature=youtu.be](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KkQydoiDY28&feature=youtu.be)

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xenospn
One of the very best. Inspired countless musicians and changed the world
forever.

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AndrewBissell
Had the good fortune to see Rush concerts in 2004, 2007, and 2015. The scalper
outside Madison Square Gardens who sold me a concert ticket was calling out,
"if you've never had your prostate checked, you're too young to go to this
concert!" Glad I ignored the tongue-in-cheek advice -- their shows never
failed to amaze.

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anta40
Very shocking news indeed. Rush is not Rush anymore without him. Definitely
one of the drummers that raised the bar.

RIP Neil.

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psychanarch
Incredible loss for the music world. Perhaps the GOAT of rock drummers. RIP.

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ufo
It seems that it was only now revealed that Neil had been battling brain
cancer over the last 3 years. He had always valued keeping his private life
separate from his public persona.

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ChrisMarshallNY
Oh wow. He was a god to every drummer I ever played with.

Lots of black armbands.

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undefined_user6
RIP. One of the best drummers and lyricists of all time from one of the best
bands of all time.

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JeanMarcS
It’s a tragic loss on so many levels...

RIP Neil...

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manaskarekar
A major loss. One of the giants. Thanks for all the music and influencing
hundreds of bands.

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codewritinfool
This is awful news. Too young.

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abakker
What a loss. I’ll be listening to his music for the rest of my life.

