Neal Peart had died

C

Cypress

Well-known member
Neal Peart has died

A sad day for head bangers, rockers, and drummers.
In my opinion, he was the best drummer in the pantheon of rock music, by a country mile. And what a lyricist. The most cerebral song writer in rock, bar none.

Free Will
Music by Lee and Lifeson
Lyrics by Neil Peart

There are those who think that life
Has nothing left to chance
A host of holy horrors
To direct our aimless dance

A planet of playthings
We dance on the strings
Of powers we cannot perceive
The stars aren't aligned
Or the gods are malign
Blame is better to give than receive

You can choose a ready guide
In some celestial voice
If you choose not to decide
You still have made a choice
You can choose from phantom fears
And kindness that can kill
I will choose a path that's clear
I will choose free will

There are those who think that
They've been dealt a losing hand
The cards were stacked against them
They weren't born in Lotus-Land
All preordained
A prisoner in chains
A victim of venomous fate
Kicked in the face
You can't pray for a place
In heaven's unearthly estate

You can choose a ready guide
In some celestial voice
If you choose not to decide
You still have made a choice

You can choose from phantom fears
And kindness that can kill
I will choose a path that's clear
I will choose free will

Each of us
A cell of awareness
Imperfect and incomplete
Genetic blends
With uncertain ends
On a fortune hunt
That's far too fleet

You can choose a ready guide
In some celestial voice
If you choose not to decide
You still have made a choice
You can choose from phantom fears
And kindness that can kill
I will choose a path that's clear
I will choose free will
 
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Entre Nous
Lyrics by Neal Peart
Music by Lee and Lifeson

We are secrets to each other
Each one's life a novel
No-one else has read
Even joined in bonds of love
We're linked to one another
By such slender threads

We are planets to each other
Drifting in our orbits
To a brief eclipse
Each of us a world apart
Alone and yet together
Like two passing ships

Just between us
I think it's time for us to recognize
The differences we sometimes feared to show
Just between us
I think it's time for us to realize
The spaces in between
Leave room
For you and I to grow

We are strangers to each other
Full of sliding panels
An illusion show
Acting well-rehearsed routines
Or playing from the heart?
It's hard for one to know

Just between us
I think it's time for us to recognize
The differences we sometimes feared to show
Just between us
I think it's time for us to realize

The spaces in between
Leave room
For you and I to grow
We are islands to each other
Building hopeful bridges
On a troubled sea
Some are burned or swept away
Some we would not choose
But we're not always free

Just between us
I think it's time for us to recognize
The differences we sometimes feared to show
Just between us
I think it's time for us to realize
The spaces in between
Leave room
For you and I to grow
 
Rush was the second rock concert I ever went to. The thing that struck me most about them is how much of an outlier they were in the pantheon of rock bands. They were cerebral, they put on no affectations, they did not party or do drugs, and they had fierce integrity to their music.
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Cypress said:
Rush was the second rock concert I ever went to. The thing that struck me most about them is how much of an outlier they were in the pantheon of rock bands. They were cerebral, they put on no affectations, they did not party or do drugs, and they had fierce integrity to their music.
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We share that in common. My second concert was Rush. 1977 a Farewell to Kings.
 
And for you youngsters who don’t understand what a treasure we have just lost listen to Neal combine Rock, Jazz and Big Band influences in this classic solo:

 
Cypress said:
I think my favorite album was Hemispheres
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I’ll go with 2112.

You know what made 2112 so unique, besides its length?

It was probably the last hit album that was promoted almost purely by word of mouth as it received no airplay or press from the music media. The word of this very interesting thematic album spread by word of mouth and it saved their careers as they were very close to being cut by their label when they decided to gamble on a 23 minute song that had no hope what so ever of getting any airplay. What balls but they produced a masterpiece.
 
Mott the Hoople said:
I’ll go with 2112.

You know what made 2112 so unique, besides its length?

It was probably the last hit album that was promoted almost purely by word of mouth as it received no airplay or press from the music media. The word of this very interesting thematic album spread by word of mouth and it saved their careers as they were very close to being cut by their label when they decided to gamble on a 23 minute song that had no hope what so ever of getting any airplay. What balls but they produced a masterpiece.
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I agree ...2112 was groundbreaking.

It took balls to make that album, because of its style and concept Peart, Lee, and Lifeson undoubtedly knew it would get no airplay and be boycotted by radio stations

But Rush did not care. They were going to execute their musical vision on their own terms.
 
I like this Graphics Artist version of 2112. What I don’t understand is why this song isn’t the standard of those who oppose the radical left neomarxist. The entire song is an anthem to the individual vs. the collective.
Hmmm maybe the song is to intellectual or the allegory goes over their heads or is the song just too damned long? ;)
 
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Mott the Hoople said:
I like this Graphics Artist version of 2112. What I don’t understand is why this song isn’t the standard of those who oppose the radical left neomarxist. The entire song is an anthem to the individual vs. the collective.

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He may have been intrigued with Ayn Rand in the 1970s, but later in life he disavowed any affinity with Rand and referred to himself as a bleeding heart libertarian
 
Cypress said:
He may have been intrigued with Ayn Rand in the 1970s, but later in life he disavowed any affinity with Rand and referred to himself as a bleeding heart libertarian
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In many ways Peart was an odd man. A brilliant musician and showman but also an extremely introverted man bordering on reclusive who uncomfortable around strangers and suffered unimaginable personal tragedies in the later part of his life.

But what I do really admire about the man is he never stopped learning and growing in his profession.
 
Mott the Hoople said:
In many ways Peart was an odd man. A brilliant musician and showman but also an extremely introverted man bordering on reclusive who uncomfortable around strangers and suffered unimaginable personal tragedies in the later part of his life.

But what I do really admire about the man is he never stopped learning and growing in his profession.
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Too right you are, an introverted, cerebral, well-read, and humble man who was the polar opposite of the jack ass, egotistical rock star.

I liked that about him.

He was so humble that he kept taking drum lessons throughout his life, though he was widely considered the most talented drummer in rock, bar none.
 
Mott the Hoople said:
In many ways Peart was an odd man. A brilliant musician and showman but also an extremely introverted man bordering on reclusive who uncomfortable around strangers and suffered unimaginable personal tragedies in the later part of his life.

But what I do really admire about the man is he never stopped learning and growing in his profession.
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I cranked "Closer to the Heart" today, and I practically wimped out and got a little teary-eyed.


Closer To The Heart

And the men who hold high places
Must be the ones who start
To mold a new reality
Closer to the heart
Closer to the heart

The blacksmith and the artist
Reflect it in their art
They forge their creativity
Closer to the heart
Yes closer to the heart

Philosophers and plowmen
Each must know his part
To sow a new mentality
Closer to the heart
Yes closer to the heart, yeah, oh
Whoa whoa

You can be the captain
And I will draw the chart
Sailing into destiny
Closer to the heart
Closer to the heart
Well closer to the heart, yeah
Closer to the heart
 
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RB 60 said:
A master indeed.
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You hit the nail on the head my friend!

Drummers are just like guitar players. Many will master their craft- and become masters at which makes them equal to many other masters.

Gotta love Neal for being one of the master drummers that played until his body wore out from just age alone. And even though he was great, he would be the first one to remind you that there were many other great drummers- such as Carl Palmer, John Bonham, Alex Van Halen, and too many more to list.
 
Adolf_Twitler said:
You hit the nail on the head my friend!

Drummers are just like guitar players. Many will master their craft- and become masters at which makes them equal to many other masters.

Gotta love Neal for being one of the master drummers that played until his body wore out from just age alone. And even though he was great, he would be the first one to remind you that there were many other great drummers- such as Carl Palmer, John Bonham, Alex Van Halen, and too many more to list.
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Many put Buddy Rich at the top, and for good reason, he started playing professionally at what, age 4?
That said, yes, Peart was a master of his craft. I saw Rush twice, you just had to be there to revel in the experience.
 
RB 60 said:
Many put Buddy Rich at the top, and for good reason, he started playing professionally at what, age 4?
That said, yes, Peart was a master of his craft. I saw Rush twice, you just had to be there to revel in the experience.
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I was only fortunate to see Rush once in concert, but I've been an instant fan of Rush since they were still doing covers back in the 60's.

THANK GOD FOR YOUTUBE! LOL!
 
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