Neal Peart had died

[RB 60]

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!

Neil wasn't Rush's first drummer. He didn't appear on their first album. He joined in 1974. He was worth $42 million when he died (imagine what the record company made!).

 

[Cypress]

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.

I maintain that a great drummer is at the heart of a great rock band, and Neil Peart is the foundational lesson here.

Aerosmith was a good rock band that was prevented from being a truly great rock band by the thoroughly mediocre, plodding drumming of Joey Kramer. Drummers like Peart and Bonham really drive the energy and sound of their respective bands.

Bands can even have mediocre guitar players and still get away with it, if they have a talented, powerhouse drummer, aka The Who, Green Day, Nirvana.

 

[Adolf_Twitler]

I maintain that a great drummer is at the heart of a great rock band, and Neil Peart is the foundational lesson here.

Aerosmith was a good rock band that was prevented from being a truly great rock band by the thoroughly mediocre, plodding drumming of Joey Kramer. Drummers like Peart and Bonham really drive the energy and sound of their respective bands.

Bands can even have mediocre guitar players and still get away with it, if they have a talented, powerhouse drummer, aka The Who, Green Day, Nirvana.

To imply that Pete Townshend was somehow a mediocre guitar player is a misnomer. Although known primarily as a guitarist, he also plays keyboards, banjo, accordion, harmonica, ukulele, mandolin, violin, synthesiser, bass guitar, and drums, on his own solo albums, several Who albums and as a guest contributor to an array of other artists' recordings. He is also in Rolling Stones Magazine's opinion- One of the Top 10 guitarists in the history of Music.

Neil Peart was a great drummer, one of Rock's best, and he will be missed dearly, along with many other great drummers and musicians over the history of modern music.

 

[freshsea]

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

Indeed. I saw RUSH in Philadelphia once and Neal's drum solo blew me away.

 

[freshsea]

To imply that Pete Townshend was somehow a mediocre guitar player is a misnomer. Although known primarily as a guitarist, he also plays keyboards, banjo, accordion, harmonica, ukulele, mandolin, violin, synthesiser, bass guitar, and drums, on his own solo albums, several Who albums and as a guest contributor to an array of other artists' recordings. He is also in Rolling Stones Magazine's opinion- One of the Top 10 guitarists in the history of Music.

Neil Peart was a great drummer, one of Rock's best, and he will be missed dearly, along with many other great drummers and musicians over the history of modern music.

Pete Townshend was a mediocre guitar player. He was more of a rhythm guitar player than a soloist. Their bass player was John Entwistle. Who was one of the best. He took up the slack. I haven't had time much for music in a while. But some of my favorite guitar players were people like Allan Holdsworth, Yingwie Malmsteen, John McLaughlin, Steve Howe, etc. There are many really good guitar players out there.

 

[Cypress]

Pete Townshend was a mediocre guitar player. He was more of a rhythm guitar player than a soloist. Their bass player was John Entwistle. Who was one of the best. He took up the slack. I haven't had time much for music in a while. But some of my favorite guitar players were people like Allan Holdsworth, Yingwie Malmsteen, John McLaughlin, Steve Howe, etc. There are many really good guitar players out there.

Townsend was a very influential guitarist, stylistically. Who didn't try to copy the power chords, feedback, volume, and overall sonic assault on the senses?

As for technique, he was pretty average and cannot even be considered as a virtuso in the league of Page, Clapton, or Hendrix