Writes Amanda Petrusich in "The Misfit Awesomeness of Neil Peart and Rush" (The New Yorker). Here's that viral photo:
January 13, 2020
"Since Peart’s death, photos of his drum kit—an expansive, fascinating structure of drums, cymbals, and assorted percussive tools—have been circulating around social media."
"Trying to make sense of its maze of components is nearly impossible for anyone not intimately acquainted with drum gear, yet the kit nonetheless communicates, in a glorious and unambiguous way, Peart’s vigor. It must have felt so excellent, ensconcing himself in that golden tower, an ever-expanding assemblage of surfaces to whack!... For decades, the band was hugely uncool. It’s fun to look up the early reviews—peeved critics huffing and puffing about bombast and pretension. How dare this band try so hard!"
Writes Amanda Petrusich in "The Misfit Awesomeness of Neil Peart and Rush" (The New Yorker). Here's that viral photo:
Writes Amanda Petrusich in "The Misfit Awesomeness of Neil Peart and Rush" (The New Yorker). Here's that viral photo:
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My favorite band. My favorite lyricist. I basically don't have a cynical bone in my body - Peart's sincerity spoke very clearly to me.
^^^Canadian^^^
Oh, and watching him work that kit was astonishing.
Heh... Actually I was born in Wisconsin, but I do have a hefty chunk of French Canadian ancestry...
Given all the glowing obits, I decided to try to listen to Rush. The tune I chose was 11 minutes long and started with over a minute of portentous drone tone. I gave up.
I'm with the Stones. "It's Only Rock and Roll." All attempts at art rock, English major rock, concept rock, etc., leave me cold. Give me 3 chords, blues progressions and songs about girls and cars.
Yesterday, I provoked general dismay on FB by asking which is the absolutely worst, somewhat known rock band ever, The Fugs or Frank Zappa? Choose your poison.
The pic of Peart's drum kit is, however, impressive.
Does the Canadian government still issue Moving Pictures to every boy on their thirteenth birthday?
Ann, as someone who travels and likes to read, you might check out Neil's book, Ghost Rider, which you can get on Kindle. It covers his 55,000 mile motorcycle journey after his daughter and wife passed away.
Isn't it just 4-5 drumkits for different genres of music put together in a circle? If a drummer plays different styles frequently, then it makes sense. For a single genre drummer, e.g., in a small jazz ensemble or a heavy metal drummer, not so much.
"Yesterday, I provoked general dismay on FB by asking which is the absolutely worst, somewhat known rock band ever, The Fugs or Frank Zappa?"
Frank Zappa.
(The Fugs weren't really a band in the sense of being a cohort of professional musicians; they were wise-ass beatnik poets making a "punk" DYI gesture by setting their poetry and anti-establishment/anti-war lyrics to primitive tunes, with a big dollop of humor.They were actually enjoyable, and there are/were many "pro" bands far less pleasurable to listen to.)
I never listened to RUSH, and know only their one song that received much airplay, (I think it was "Tom Sawyer").
I had gone through my (short) Prog Rock infatuation by the time Rush got big. Looking at them now, the songs don't really do much for me. Lee's bass playing is very good - not in love with his voice. Peart's drumming is better than very good, he's one of the best. I think the incredible drum kit (which isn't just for show) is a big part of his reputation. Here's a clip of him describing it:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EJqxiWmH76E
Shouting T, you're not wrong... But my earliest exposure to Rush was making out to their album Hemispheres, so I have rather unusual mental and emotional associations with "The Trees." Possibly that experience primed me to listen to long, earnest, wordy prog rock with a distinctly unjaundiced ear, so to speak.
"Hugely uncool" among critics, I suppose, but not in my orbit of people that actually listened to music. We also liked ELP and Yes.
A lot of cymbalism in that photo...
I was introduced to Rush on the first day of band practice in 9th grade (late summer, 1980). Every member of the percussion section was a huge Rush fan. A couple years later, I had a German exchange student stay with me for a couple weeks. He was a drummer and a huge Rush fan. He was totally excited when he came to school because he'd never met another Rush fan before.
Not a real big fan of Rush, mainly due to Geddy’s vocals, but they had a BIG sound for a trio and this fella was a great drummer and - from what I’ve read - an even better human being.
Richie Hayward (Little Feat) is my favorite rock drummer.
FYI, the two comments by "Unknown" at 6:46 and 6:47 am are mine.
Early Yes was waaayyy cool, stevew!
Zappa was great- on multiple levels. Not so much in creating hot hits for top 40 radio. Lizzo could not do his music. Nor would she want to. He was part great musician, part commenter on society. And he made fun of all of it. Every piece of it. He was not for everybody. I tried to get my wife to listen to "We're only in it for the money.". That lasted about 20 seconds.
As for Rush....I love drums/percussion. I have my favorites over the years from rock and jazz/latin jazz. I was unfamiliar with Peart because I could not listen to Rush. I tried. Multiple times over the years. I couldn't get past the vocals. So after reading all of the gushing reviews on Peart's drumming skills, I went back to try to listen to Rush again. I still could not do it. Unfortunate. I guess he was an amazing drummer. And, it sounds like he was a more interesting person. Very bright, self-taught man.
Prog rock? No to Rush, yes to Yes...
And, don't forget Sparks...
Zappa was great- on multiple levels.
Now, Zappa was sort of interesting as a comedian and satirist. His forte was juvenile male potty and fart jokes. I did appreciate his jabs at the general shitty-ness and exploitation of the music biz.
He was the Tom Lehrer of rock. His music, however, was preposterously ugly and annoying, and intentionally so.
His stuff was worth one listen, for the sake of getting the joke. After that... why bother?
For those who can’t deal with Geddy’s vocals, try the instrumentals. YYZ is epic.
Prog rock is always accused of being pretentious but I’ve always loved its adolescent sincerity. There’s a purity about it. These guys weren’t in it for the groupies or the fame. I know of no modern band with that mixture of talent, intellect, and heart.
RIP.
Never a huge fan but always appreciated the talents of Peart and Lifeson. Saw them live once and enjoyed the show. Their music was very ambitious for a three piece.
What unknown said.
the Fugs came up a couple weeks ago in the comments in a discussion about horniness and what gets them horny (moon on the shore, Marianne Moore, Piano legs)
I have one of the albums, bought in about 1969, but nothing to play it on. So I went to YouTube to refresh my memory. Yeah, pretty horrible but they never really pretended to be musicians. They were mainly trying to outrage folks. I seldom disagree with you on music, ST but I'm going to make an exception. Judged by what they were trying to do they were pretty good. Judged as music, not so much.
Frank Zappa was a serious musician with a long successful career. In 1966 California some of us long-hair bums looked on Freak Out as holy write handed down from high. Yeah, I was pretty stupid then. That's why I was a long hair bum in California. (Not sure how much better I am now)
I've listened to a couple of his things in the years since and think: Why?
John Henry
Maybe not clear, I am agreeing with ST on Zappa.
And nobody tell Ann, but I think Bob Dylan, as a singer is way overrated. Pretty good writer, though.
I still have about 10 of his albums from the 60s and early 70s. I liked him a lot then. Not so much now.
I don't know that I have ever heard anything by Rush. Not because I didn't know who they are, not because I didn't want to, just never cared and, unless it was on background on MTV or VH1, just never listed to that much of that type music after the 80s.
John Henry
I wonder how many libs got real excited last week when there was news that someone associated with the word "Rush" had died.
Rush was one of those bands that many women have a hard time understanding the appeal.
"Do you want to get some Neil Peart all up in you?"
Tom Sawyer
https://youtu.be/9x4bfHllX2A
My drummer did as much with four pieces.
Much more impressive.
Lived to 67, pretty good for a drummer. Of course Ringo is still alive, right? (too lazy to google). I didn't know who he was so did wikipedia - which has turned into a left-wing SWJ hell hole. A whole paragraph on Pert's "politics". yes, because what's more important than the political views of a Rock n. Roll drummer. Fortunately, the guy watched his words, and we don't have another paragraph about how he said something racist, sexist, bigoted, homophobic 39 years ago.
rock and roll lyricist. Which is funny since half the time, you can't even understand the words.
I listened to multiple recordings of RUSH Saturday AM after hearing the news of Peart's passing and confirmed my previous impression : dry preachy, proclamations about this and that important intellectual/philosophical topic (i.e.'free will') all set to furiously busy instrumental music, that while complex and technically difficult to play, is essentially tuneless and un-musical. A lot of prog-rock is like this. More like an elaborate exercise than a musical composition.
Peart, for his part, is magnificent, driving through odd tempos and poly-rythmic sequences with ease. His playing is precise and noticeably square- no swing whatsoever.
"And don't forget about Sparks"
LOL... I saw the Mael Bros. in '81. They had a tight, rockin' band and they were hilarious!
Shouting Thomas said...
"Zappa was worth one listen, for the sake of getting the joke. After that... why bother?"
This is why this man isn't worth listening to, even on a passing-conversation-on-the-street level. I shudder to imagine his music.
Frank Zappa is one of the few Rock artists I can return to, endlessly, to hear something fresh and new - even in songs I've wore a rut in already. Many of Zappa's pieces can be listened to as whole musical phrases, by bar, or by beat, and there's literally WORLDS erupting from, and within, them. He was an exacting composer, of intricate precision, and just as demanding a band leader, but what he wasn't was pretentious. At least, not his music - and not even him, in the conventional sense, though he was a raging asshole much of the time, a natural result of being surrounded by idiots.
But I won't name any names.
Not being a huge rock music fan, I can only say that particular bands affected me I different ways mostly by accidental exposure to them at different points in my life. I wouldn’t even be commenting if Zappa hadn’t come up. I was exposed to his music during my years as an enlisted sailor in the late 70’s. Certainly if you have an “ideal”:of what rock music should be he wasn’t it. He said things in his lyrics that you were intentionally offensive, and he paired those words with dissonant notes that were equally offensive. sometimes.
His music insulted both your mind and your ears. Sometimes that’s what you need.
My knowledge of rock drummers is exceedingly limited, however I remember sometime last year that another drummer died (Ginger Baker):
And at the time I watched some Youtube of him. Same for Peart. I’m no judge of drummers, Peart was probably better, but I’d choose Baker simply because he seemed less predictable. In 2014 there was actually a poll which asked the question which of the two drummers was better. (While they were both still alive)
Given a choice between Baker and Mitch Mitchell, I'd go with Mitchell.
I wasn't a Rush fan (like others here because of Geddy Lee's voice) but a friend of mine, who I really respect, loved them so I knew there was a more there than I thought. The last couple of years I watched a documentary about them and listened to more of their music. Still can't get past his voice, but a heck of a good band. During that I decided I would find and read Peart's book but I haven't yet. Maybe this will spur me on. That New Yorker piece was weak Check out Damon Linker if you want a proper obit/tribute: https://theweek.com/articles/888980/death-rocks-master-craftsman
The only Zappa I ever liked was "Shut up and play yer Guitar" He should have taken his own advice
Zappa was a funny, talented guitarist, composer and arranger - a musician's musician - his appeal was admittedly limited. Back in the day, his house up in the canyon was truly something to see.
Levi Starks said...
"Peart was probably better, but I’d choose Baker simply because he seemed less predictable. In 2014 there was actually a poll which asked the question which of the two drummers was better. (While they were both still alive)"
I usually get pushed into these comparisons, because I like artists for what each brings to the table. While Peart would probably win many contests for technicality, and John Bonham was probably the best consistently good Rock drummer I ever heard (he was playing Rap beats before it had arrived) thanks to technology and time marching on, neither of them can now hold a candle to The Winston's "Amen Break" for influence.
It's a whole new world.
A weak New Yorker piece, say it ain't so...
Hey, Crack Emcee, nobody has anything on Billy Cobham. I saw him with the Mahavishnu Orchestra in the early 70s, the guy was jaw-droppingly good.
I never knew much about Rush, so picked a semi-random youtube song and it turned out to be Paint it Black with a different name. Don't like it.
Zappa was a funny, talented guitarist, composer and arranger - a musician's musician - his appeal was admittedly limited.
Plenty of his music was too weird to be popular, but about half of Uncle Meat and 90% of Cruisin' with Ruben and The Jets (Cheap Thrills) more than make up for the rest of it.
Iman said...
"Hey, Crack Emcee, nobody has anything on Billy Cobham."
Prince would've begged to differ but I hear ya.
Zappa had a day job with a rock act that played large venues and traded on bathroom humor and what the Brits call 'knob jokes'. This lucrative gig financed the recording of his jazz and modern orchestral compositions (Edgar Varese anybody?). Zappa's instrumental recordings are really good. The fusion stuff swings and the orchestral music is both sophisticated and distinctive.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4ceVq2v3nVs
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vP1tz4qMjrI
For me, FZ stopped being funny in 1969 with We're Only in It For the Money.
I personally love Rush and Neil Peart, but I totally understand why some people don't. They're definitely a bit of an aquired taste. Geddy Lee's high, nasally vocals can be a bit off putting and their long songs with lots of overly muso digressions can often be boring for non musicians or people who just tire of excessive riffage in general. If you like your rock music to be more straightfoward and visceral, Rush is probably not for you.
They're often considered a prog band, but to me they're more like a hard rock band with prog affections. Yes, King Crimson, ELP, and Gabrial era Genesis are prog.
Lee's voice was ruined by helium abuse.
I can't remember where it was said, but I once read Lee's voice described as "Robert Plant on helium." Still makes me laugh.
I am a classically trained singer. It is absolutely LUDICROUS that I like Rush. Yet... here I am!
I know some people didn't enjoy live Rush because they stuck too close to their recorded sound. I loved watching them because it was so impressive to see HOW they got so close, considering that they were always and only a trio (I guess in "Time Stand Still" they did add Aimee Mann - I can't remember how they managed her vocal part live, but it was probably a key on Lee's keyboard if I had to guess). It was so fun to see Lifeson wearing multiple guitars or having yet another guitar basically thrown over his head by a roadie, Lee managing his bass and keyboards and pedals, Peart practically invisible behind that kit of his... They couldn't really move around the stage because each one had too much instrument paraphernalia, so it was all a very static display compared with, you know, Van Halen. But I loved those concerts.
This is why this man isn't worth listening to, even on a passing-conversation-on-the-street level. I shudder to imagine his music.
I play in front of a substantial audience every week and I get paid.
A check. That beats your opinion, Crack. I can put the check in the bank.
I played two Christmas concerts this past season in front of larger audiences that you've seen in your entire life.
And I got paid. With a check.
I've never bothered to listen to a thing you've done, Crack.
That thug, "authentically black" crap you blabber about is juvenile stupidity.
Your pic conveys this stupidity, too. You've got a ten ton chip on your shoulder. Everything about you is unpleasant, stupid and mean. I've got you beat in the most significant way... I know how to create a great life surrounded by people who love me.
I lived in Woodstock among dozens of guys like you who constantly proclaimed their genius and had infantile obsessions similar to yours.
I made more money than they did, too. When they gave me the jealous crap you dish out, I showed them my checks.
Odl said:
Ann, as someone who travels and likes to read, you might check out Neil's book, Ghost Rider, which you can get on Kindle. It covers his 55,000 mile motorcycle journey after his daughter and wife passed away.
It's a powerful book. In six months, Peart lost his 19 year old daughter in a car crash and his wife through cancer. Trying to make sense of it all and attempting to put his life back together, Peart hit the road on his motorcycle. It’s a fascinating account as Peart reflects on what he sees, the people he meets, his reading and his losses. This is almost two travelogues in one book: the external journey and the inner one.
I couldn't never tell Rush from Styx. I only knew to immediately change the station
His drum kit reminds me of another musician's love for his musical instruments.
Liked the song 'Red Barchetta'
It was about a future dystopia where gas powered cars were outlawed. The singer visits his uncle's farm where the Red Barchetta is hidden, and they take the car out for joy rides, evading the pursuit of 'air cars'.
Also liked when Geddy Lee sang on 'Take Off!'.... to the Great White North.
Given all the glowing obits, I decided to try to listen to Rush. The tune I chose was 11 minutes long and started with over a minute of portentous drone tone. I gave up.
Considering you think rock and roll died in 1973, your opinion is duly noted.
It's incredible how many non-Rush fans are chiming in on a Rush thread to declare how much they don't like Rush.
Well, some of us liked the band. Even got used to Geddy's voice and appreciated how they were one of the few bands that never got into love songs or relationship crap. How we could like their stuff and also not have to worry about them ending up on the front cover of a magazine for all the wrong reasons.
Maybe you could use another thread to get it out of your system?
"Maybe you could use another thread to get it out of your system?"
Can't help it. Rush was such a major presence on the radio that you can't avoid them.
Rick Beato recently did a video breaking down another band that was ubiquitous and loved/hated in equal measures: Journey (yes, he broke down "Don't Stop Believing").
At least the opinions here are on the order of "not my cup of tea" instead of Greta Thornberg like "How dare you!"
Like many, I could never get past the vocals. Just horrible.
And almost every time drums got enough of my attention to turn the album over to see who it was.....it was Steve Gadd.
I realized something - well, maybe I confirmed what I always thought - about the internet:
The Internet was created by the Rushinati to discuss any and all things Rush.
We lost The Professor last week. Like many of the Rushinati, I have ricocheted between sadness at losing "a long-awaited friend" and celebrating 40+ years of what the Canadian Triumvirate did and gave us.
I have read many, many posts from fans, musicians, critics, writers, and everyone in between. All refect what Neil did and what Rush achieved.
My take away is that Neil Peart did, in fact, live a life a consequence. The contribution he, Alex, and Geddy made to the world is boundless. We, the Rushinati, have known this from the very beginning (and, yes, I do include John Rutsey in that mix, for without his steady drumming "Working Man" would not have had the propulsion to push the band to the forefront). We, the Rushinati, knew it before Rolling Stone (jerks!), the RARHOF (assholes), Hollywood (idiots) and the Walk of Fame even had any idea.
We, the Rushinati, are a hard-to-please group. But, Rush always honored and respected our commitment to the band; they never dialed in a performance or a release. They confirmed that nice guys do, in fact, finish first. To Rush I say a heart-felt thank you. To the Rushinati, I say, celebrate the moment.
To Alex, Geddy, Neil's family and all their friends, We, the Rushinati, share in your loss and celebrate, openly and honestly, all that is Rush. You are in our thoughts and prayers.
Neil may be the Ghost Rider, but we are aboard Rocinante, wheeling the galaxies that are Rush.
jvb
Got into The Mothers via Freak Out followed thru to the White Album @ the Fillmore. Two things I recall from the olden days with the London Symphony Orchestra was that all of his music was scored and copyrighted, and that Eric Clapton considered Frank to be the best contemporary guitarist in one Creem interview. YMMV.
"Maybe you could use another thread to get it out of your system?"
Sorry, I had no idea this was a RUSH-fan-only thread.
Can't help it. Rush was such a major presence on the radio that you can't avoid them.
HAHAHAHAHAHA
Thanks, Bill. Nice to have a good laugh after a trying day at work.
I play in front of a substantial audience every week and I get paid.
Hey. You know who else plays in front of a substantial audience at least every week and gets paid?
Justin Bieber.
Britney Spears, too.
OH, so they don't play instruments, you say? Well how about wedding singers?
While the band wasn't my tops, I had some favorites among their tunes. They were a heck of a bunch of good guys, especially Neil. And I've never met any drummer, or anyone who needed a good drummer, or really anyone who played an instrument competently enough for anyone else to admire, who didn't respect Rush and especially Peart. The only way to not respect Peart is if you think anyone actually cares to hear you jerk off your axe without a drummer.
Plus, he rode a motorcycle better and had much better road stories than some old toy band crooner whose greatest musical interest or inspiration comes from singing about how much he doesn't like anal sex.
That's deep stuff, there. And entertaining - to two-year olds.
I've never bothered to listen to a thing you've done, Crack.
That thug, "authentically black" crap you blabber about is juvenile stupidity.
Your pic conveys this stupidity, too. You've got a ten ton chip on your shoulder.
LOL!
Just to re-cap, black guys have chips on their shoulder. Bitchy old white farts like ST who complain about everything have no resentments in life whatsoever. HAHAHAHAHA. Talk about no self-awareness personified.
Everything about you is unpleasant, stupid and mean. I've got you beat in the most significant way... I know how to create a great life surrounded by people who love me.
Lemme guess. These lovers who surround you and this life you "created" love you for being pleasant, intelligent and kind.
ROFLMAO.
Hey, Tommy. I found a guitar that perfectly suits the style of music you excel at. Over here. It definitely makes that trademark S. Tommy sound.
You should do Ann a solid favor and see if you can purchase it on Amazon.
I've not read Ghost Rider (yet) but would be honored to wind my way through it. Peart was a humble, articulate genius and I've never watched an interview with him that didn't leave me impressed.
Whatever you think of his lyrics, he shouldered the burden in a decades-long trio of writing them. Everyone in that band held their weight, but the weight was especially great given his standing as a drummer. He's always been ranked the best at it, by the very people who do it - the drummers themselves.
There's no way all those things don't say a hell of a lot about the man - and that's before even considering the horrible tragedies he endured and still had the spirit and generosity to share with us. Not just the events themselves, but a grief and healing process as American as it gets - tripping thousands of miles of road on a motorcycle. Meeting people, sharing their stories.
Another one of humanity's finest talents and just all-around great people gone.
RIP.
It's called a drum "set". We aren't English.
Here's video of Neil Peart himself explaining what his drum kit consists of
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