R.I.P. Neil Peart

[dropforge]

^The Masked Rider.

[taliesin]

And again, IMO, he didn’t aspire to be. Who took lessons from other drummers, even when they were hugely famous?? NOT Carl, to the best of my knowledge.

Actually I believe he did study with a teacher during the break after BSS - maybe a classical percussionist?

[ronmac]

Who took lessons from other drummers, even when they were hugely famous??

Ginger Baker did.

[SteveSly]

I liked it too but it's heartwrenching.

Agree, considering everything he went through, parts of it are tough to read.

[olias]

I wish I could 'like' so many of the posts here. It's a wonderful commiserative gathering of serious music fans who have all been touched in some way by his life's work.

With Neil's death, Rush is now done with absolute certainty, and I'm sure many have been reflecting on their legacy as a whole. One thing I appreciate is that they never allowed themselves to become an oldies act. Not to pick on Yes, but let's face it, they may as well be the Beach Boys or the Four Seasons. They'll trot out a cursory tune from their latest album if there even is one, but basically a post-Rabin Yes show is little more than a '70s nostalgia fest (and 50%+ is likely culled from their remarkable 3-album run in '71-'72). A latter-day Rush show, on the other hand, would always emphasize their latest album, with a generous helping of tracks from the 2-3 that preceded it. Sure, they had their evergreens (Tom Sawyer, Spirit of Radio), and would often revive songs from older albums (Digital Man, Entre Nous), but anyone expecting mostly a rehash of Exit...Stage Left would be sorely disappointed. As long as Rush existed, I don't think they ever stopped thinking of themselves as active, contemporary artists. That doesn't describe an awful lot of rock stars in their later years.

[olias]

Actually I believe he did study with a teacher during the break after BSS - maybe a classical percussionist?

Carl Palmer studied classical timpani at the Guildhall School of Music in London in 1973. Before BSS was recorded, I think. It's covered in The Manticore Special they put out, which you can find on YouTube.

[dropforge]

I wish I could 'like' so many of the posts here. It's a wonderful commiserative gathering of serious music fans who have all been touched in some way by his life's work.

With Neil's death, Rush is now done with absolute certainty, and I'm sure many have been reflecting on their legacy as a whole. One thing I appreciate is that they never allowed themselves to become an oldies act. Not to pick on Yes, but let's face it, they may as well be the Beach Boys or the Four Seasons. They'll trot out a cursory tune from their latest album if there even is one, but basically a post-Rabin Yes show is little more than a '70s nostalgia fest (and 50%+ is likely culled from their remarkable 3-album run in '71-'72). A latter-day Rush show, on the other hand, would always emphasize their latest album, with a generous helping of tracks from the 2-3 that preceded it. Sure, they had their evergreens (Tom Sawyer, Spirit of Radio), and would often revive songs from older albums (Digital Man, Entre Nous), but anyone expecting mostly a rehash of Exit...Stage Left would be sorely disappointed. As long as Rush existed, I don't think they ever stopped thinking of themselves as active, contemporary artists. That doesn't describe an awful lot of rock stars in their later years.

So true, and I'd certainly 'like' your post if I could.

[Kcrimso]

I like Carl too, but he isn’t and, IMO, never was, on Neil’s level. Again, IMO.

And again, IMO, he didn’t aspire to be. Who took lessons from other drummers, even when they were hugely famous?? NOT Carl, to the best of my knowledge.

Palmer took perkussion lessons at very high level at the time of Brains Salad Surgery.

Edit. Ah, Olias mentioned it already.

[Steve983]

Yup; its the place to start.
They are all very worthwhile.

I have them all except for Travelling Music. But I just ordered that to complete my collection.

In many ways, his least-known book is my favorite. It was his first. It covers his bicycle tour in Africa.

Yep, The Masked Rider is excellent, nothing about music or Rush just an amazing travelogue. My others faves are Travelling Music, Ghost Rider and the last one he did Far and Wide which documents the final Rush tour - essential reading.

[lazland]

So true, and I'd certainly 'like' your post if I could.

Yes, this was an excellent post and point extremely well made.

[strawberrybrick]

Carl's handler have let him down. -1 for his manager.

[Yodelgoat]

In my sadness, I am learning to play the Garden on acoustic Guitar. Sort of a way to grieve and not appear to be grieving. The problem is, I cant get through the song without tearing up. It will be a while before I can attempt to play this in the public domain. Perhaps that's the intent of the song - beautiful in every respect. That song is a lament, and it still hits home.

[UnderAGlassMoon]

I’ve had The Garden in my head for 3 days.

[Progatron]

That's a tough one to get through. Available Light, too. I'm noticing so many little moments in listening back to all these songs that are very moving. The bridge in Good News First really hit me ("...some would say they never fear a thing, well I do...") just now.

[Adv3MP]

I’ve had The Garden in my head for 3 days.

It's been "Entre Nous" for me.
Probably my favorite Rush tune, that.

[oilersfan]

From those that I have read thus far, this is among my favorite tributes to Neil. Too lengthy to copy/paste here so follow the link below. And, please, don't let the name of the site stop you from reading this very thoughtfully written piece.

https://bleedingheartlibertarians.co...eart-and-rush/

[proggy_jazzer]

^^^
Thanks for sharing. Well written, indeed.

[Dana5140]

Well-written but not always right..

The high-brow stuff was more associated with the urban elite, and certainly the rock press, while the lower-brow stuff was clearly working class, though often beloved in a somewhat condescending way by the rock press, usually for its “authenticity.”

Bill Martin would classify the latter as "the blues orthodoxy," which is what he claimed the rock press adored. Not the "elite." In fact, they generally hated the elite, which is where they put prog rock.

But the obit itself was a nice read and heartfelt.

[Fracktured]

One thing I will say about RUSH as far as I'm concerned is that it doesn't matter if you only liked some of their music or all of it, they gave everything they had of themselves on every album for their fans and I always respected that. I can't say that about a lot of other acts through the years.

RIP Neil you will be sorely missed and thanks for all the great music which I will listen to for the rest of my lifetime.

[Yodelgoat]

From those that I have read thus far, this is among my favorite tributes to Neil. Too lengthy to copy/paste here so follow the link below. And, please, don't let the name of the site stop you from reading this very thoughtfully written piece.

https://bleedingheartlibertarians.co...eart-and-rush/

This^ ������

[Gizmotron]

From those that I have read thus far, this is among my favorite tributes to Neil. Too lengthy to copy/paste here so follow the link below. And, please, don't let the name of the site stop you from reading this very thoughtfully written piece.

https://bleedingheartlibertarians.co...eart-and-rush/

Yes, very good. Thank you!

[Sean]

I enjoy reading the tributes and Neil's own words but I really don't care to listen to their music anymore and haven't for a few years now. I won't change the station if they come on, but I have a huge feeling of "been there, done that".

[Baribrotzer]

Well-written but not always right..
"The high-brow stuff was more associated with the urban elite, and certainly the rock press, while the lower-brow stuff was clearly working class, though often beloved in a somewhat condescending way by the rock press, usually for its 'authenticity.'"
Bill Martin would classify the latter as "the blues orthodoxy," which is what he claimed the rock press adored. Not the "elite." In fact, they generally hated the elite, which is where they put prog rock.
But the obit itself was a nice read and heartfelt.

He's lumping rootsy, "authentic" music, like Dylan, with art-school music like Bowie (and prog); then setting them against working-class music like Aerosmith. They're really three different things. Critics loved "authentic" music, usually disliked self-consciously arty stuff, and ignored Aerosmith et al as much as they could, because they were playing blue-collar music, but it wasn't what those critics thought blue-collar music should be. (Bruuuce is what they thought blue-collar music should be.)

That author also said, "there’s a great Gender Studies thesis/dissertation to be written about Rush and masculinity." As well as, presumably, a treatment of just why women famously didn't like them. I have some theories on the matter, but they'd probably get me in hot water if I voiced them; I will observe, though, that Rush were one of the least sexy major bands around - no love songs, no sex-machine rhythms, no presenting themselves as sex objects a la Mick, Robert, Roger, or Rod.
Also, the singer was:
A. Stuck playing bass and keyboards rather than owning the stage,
B. Had a voice that was just strange and yelping rather than Robert Plant's soul falsetto,
C. The homeliest guy in the band, with a jutting chin and a big nose.

[Progatron]

I re-watched the Time Stand Still documentary, and I'll tell ya, that's an emotional one. It already was, but knowing now that shortly after it was filmed and they played that last show, that Neil was diagnosed... it just flattened me. The cruel unfairness of life.

[SteveSly]

I have been listening to all of the Rush albums in order this week from the debut onwards. I am currently up to "Power Windows". This band produced such a great collection of music, and were able to do it by changing their sound and experimenting with a lot of different things over the years. Just an amazing career really.

Curious question........if a few years down the road Geddy and Alex decided to tour with another drummer would you guys go see it? I doubt that they would call it Rush, but I could see something like this happening at some point, now that Neil is gone.