Neil Peart

[Rimshot]

I've always liked and appreciated his work

I think that your choices are far too black and white, To go from drumming God to over rated to crap does an injustice to the musician. He always has something interesting to say, he is dedicated to his art and his craft and he is a musician that is worthy of all of our respect.
That's how I feel about him. I always want to hear what he is doing. He has always gotten my interest and he seems like he still has that "fire in his belly" about the art of drumming. How can anyone say anything bad about that? Archangel. maybe........... but God? that's real strong.

 

[Elton Bear]

I was just fed up with so many drummers idolising him, I've heard him described as 'God' on numerous occasions, I just don't get it personally. To me he's like Thomas Lang; incredible technicality but I'd rather listen to Darryl Pierce or Steve Jordan in a band situation.

The poll is B&W because I wanted a quick response, I didn't really envisage it being such a hot topic

 

[Supercreep]

Man, it’s been 24 years. I was rehearsing with a singer/song writer a few months back and he started in on 2112. I couldn’t even remember all the figures in the intro, correctly. If I had a chart maybe…Another time I was playing drop the needle with a few guys and they broke out my old Rush LPs and I started bragging about how I knew most of the parts and the all the lyrics in the Jr HIgh School. But when they quizzed me I couldn’t remember most of the lyrics either. It’s pretty much gone and that’s a good thing. In my opinion, anyone over the age of 30 that is still a huge Rush fan has become complacent in their growth as a musician. That stuff appeals mostly to adolescent white boys. By the age of 16 or 17 I had completely lost interest in Rush. Unfortunately their influence proved much more long-lived. Whenever I sat down to compose a rock tune, it would sound like Rush, which was discouraging. They are not exactly great song-smiths. I’d much rather hear an Elliott Smith influence.
But hey, that’s a good challenge and of course, I don’t have any recordings from 1982 to post. And I sure as hell don’t have the desire or the time to re-learn that stuff. It would be kinda fun though…for about 30 minutes.

I'm an old Rush fan too. I'm just sayin' - if you're gonna make a claim like that.....

 

[Supercreep]

The best thing about NEP is that he's the drummer for RUSH.

One isn't all that much without the other.

 

[NightFlight]

I could play all the parts when I was 14. With one hand tied behind my back!

They only came to Brazil once, and I was there!!! Not Rio, though, I saw them in Sao Paulo. What a great, perfectly executed, incredibly musical show. We had to wait a long time to see them.

Many of us grew up hearing Rush, when they were at their best. And started playing because of Peart, Ian Paice, John Bonham, Stuart Copeland, and others. That's my case. One of my first vinil albums was "Permanent Waves". ANother was "Made in Europe". Even though, I am now aware there are many better, more techincal drummers. In my town, there are many drummers like the one in the link a few pages back, who really play well. In the US there are thousands. I was recently impressed by jazz drummer Matt Wilson, from Arts & Crafts. myspace/mattwilsonartsandcrafts

Anyway, would these better drummers have created what Niel Peart did? They might have played better, or not, but never the same. Makes me think of Jimi Hendrix. I listen to his work, and just love it.

Many young drummers grew up hearing Portnoy, or prefer double kicks, and maybe Rush sounds "obsolete"?

 

[Incanus]

In my opinion, anyone over the age of 30 that is still a huge Rush fan has become complacent in their growth as a musician. That stuff appeals mostly to adolescent white boys.

Wow. What a narrow and highly judgemental view. In my opinion, it sounds like you appreciate only one tiny little portion of everything that music is. Too bad for you.





Poll choice: None of the above

 

[Supercreep]

pwned by Incanus.

 

[Elton Bear]

True. I don't like Neil Peart, and Rush have some very good songs but are generally not my thing; However, I have not and do not plan to make any judgements about their fans.

 

[drumzealot]

Wow. What a narrow and highly judgemental view. In my opinion, it sounds like you appreciate only one tiny little portion of everything that music is. Too bad for you.

Its not so much my view as it is an observation. Most of the avid Rush fans I know are not well versed in anything other than rock music from the late 60’s to the mid 90’s. Every Rush concert I went to was attended by primarily young white males. Also, most of the people I know who lost interest in Rush did so after expanding their taste in music. We have a support group. You are welcome to come.

My appreciation of music is far from narrow. Quite the opposite. It was the expansion of my studies that drew me away from Rush. My LP/CD/MP3 collection and my professional experience is probably more eclectic than most.

 

[mwthompson]

Jimi and Jimmy would kick his ass on a guitar.

 

[Incanus]

Its not so much my view as it is an observation. Most of the avid Rush fans I know are not well versed in anything other than rock music from the late 60’s to the mid 90’s. Every Rush concert I went to was attended by primarily young white males. Also, most of the people I know who lost interest in Rush did so after expanding their taste in music. We have a support group. You are welcome to come.

My appreciation of music is far from narrow. Quite the opposite. It was the expansion of my studies that drew me away from Rush. My LP/CD/MP3 collection and my professional experience is probably more eclectic than most.

Whatever you say, chief. The Rush shows I've been to were attended mostly by people in their 30's and 40's. Your observations don't seem to match mine.

But it sounds like you've got it all figured out. You know who's complacent and who's not from someone's interest in one particular band.

Makes sense to me

 

[Supercreep]

Its not so much my view as it is an observation..

I understand.

This is a case where the observation tells you more about the observer than his subject.


"most rush fans I know" doesn't equal "I know most rush fans".

I don't see how you could know enough people or have attended enough shows to offer an opinion on the subject, let alone a genuine observation.

 

[Incanus]

Obervation, view, opinion--whatever.

I'm beginning to suspect that drumzealot had his heart broken by a rush-fan girl-friend, or was abandoned by rush-fan parents, or something like that.

He seems to be irrational and biased and judgemental.

 

[drumzealot]

Whatever you say, chief. The Rush shows I've been to were attended mostly by people in their 30's and 40's. Your observations don't seem to match mine.

But it sounds like you've got it all figured out. You know who's complacent and who's not from someone's interest in one particular band.

Makes sense to me

Could have something to do with Rush's inability to garner a new fan base. The last Rush concert I went to was in the late 80's. I would imagine that the average age of Rush's fan base has increased over time. So it makes sense that a Rush concert in the late 90's to now would largely be attended by 30-40 year old musically stagnated white males. Most of whom are probably either plumbers, programmers or cops.

I bet that if one were to survey the 30-40 year old white males who attend Rush concerts about their knowledge of music one would find a deep ignorance of anything other than Prog Rock and Classic Rock from the late 60's to the mid 90's. They would, however, score very high in their ability to air-drum verbatim to just about every song performed that evening.

 

[drumzealot]

Obervation, view, opinion--whatever.

I'm beginning to suspect that drumzealot had his heart broken by a rush-fan girl-friend...

Ah, the mythological female Rush fan. I think I saw a PBS documentary about her.
Talk about irrational. You’re probably more likely to meet a talking unicorn than meet a woman who digs Rush.

Show me a girl who likes Rush and I’ll show you a girl who's in a relationship with a guy who likes Rush.

In the constellation of Cygnus, there lurks a mysterious invisible force. The 6 chicks who dig Rush.

You’re still welcome to check out our support group. Eventually, you’re gonna hafta deal with your denial and accept Neil for what he is…a very decent Prog Rock drummer. Not only will you feel better about life but you'll find that your understanding of groove and taste will deepen. Its OK dude! Don't feel bad! We've been there and we are here to help. But you have to be willing to admit your problem and accept help. Change is hard. It's painful. But you can do it! We believe in you.

 

[drumzealot]

I understand.

This is a case where the observation tells you more about the observer than his subject.

This is the case were the observation of the observer of the observer tells you more about the observer of the observer that his subject.

Look up observation in the context of statistics.

 

[Supercreep]

Ah, the mythological female Rush fan. I think I saw a PBS documentary about her.
Talk about irrational. You’re probably more likely to meet a talking unicorn than meet a woman who digs Rush.

Show me a girl who likes Rush and I’ll show you a girl who's in a relationship with a guy who likes Rush.

.

I'm married to one, I guess that makes it more than a passing fancy.

 

[Supercreep]

Look up observation in the context of statistics.

I have Merriam's. Is that close?

You don't know enough rush fans to perform a statistical analysis based on the observation test.

Your best bet is sampling.

 

[drumzealot]

I have Merriam's. Is that close?

You don't know enough rush fans to perform a statistical analysis based on the observation test.

Your best bet is sampling.

Now look up sample.

 

[drumzealot]

I'm married to one, I guess that makes it more than a passing fancy.

Show me a girl who likes Rush and I'll show you a girl who is in a relationship with a guy who likes Rush.

There’s room for you too in our support group. But like everyone else, rigorous honesty is a requirement. You’ll eventually come to accept Neil as an ok drummer, Rush as an OK band and move on to more interesting things. You have the courage deep inside. Do you have the will to make the leap?