And you thought Neil Peart was a nice guy . . .

[got_a_matchgrip]

But Peart has one of the most distinctive drum sounds in Rock and Roll. You can identify his playing almost immediately and that makes him unique.
Most music you hear in top 40, you'd have no idea who was playing drums, because it all sounds the same.
The great players, like Krupa, Gadd, Roach, etc. all distinguished themselves by having signature sounds. Neil Peart has a signature sound like it or not.

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">True, that.

I liken it to:
In the world of popular rock music -
NP is to drumming what EVH was to the gtr...

[only Bonzo, Collins, Brufe, Aldridge, & perhaps a scant few others such as CPalmer, Barrie, AVH, Mitchell, Moon, Baker, & Giles can even be considered in that categorization]...

<font color="#a62a2a" size="1">[ April 25, 2005 05:59 PM: Message edited by: got_a_matchgrip? ]</font>

[matricks]

I am coming from an 'i don't care either way' point of view cause Peart was on the verge of being before my time, drumming-wise so i don't really 'own him' like others do.

However, the previous statement, i would have to say one reason you can identify Peart's playing is by the NOTES HE PLAYS, not by how he PLAYS THEM. Most of the time, this is the way with drummers, that is why i think Jeff Porcaro is so damn hip, because it isn't the notes he plays that make you know it is him, it is how he plays those notes.

What i said above wasn't knocking Neil at all... i mean, you can identify my playing VERY easily too... it is the playing with all the mistakes in it [img]wink.gif[/img] Have someone play a groove and then have me play it... i am the one messing up, that is how you know which take has me on it [img]tongue.gif[/img]

However, that is why i think that it is amazing how some drummer's can be indentified by their grooves alone... you have to look deeper than the notes being played, you have to look at HOW those notes are being played.

Just an observation... i think the next level of individuality is being able to play something unique (i.e. the actual notes you play)... then say you have 100 other people sit down and play those same notes... the higher plain is to be able to sound unique while still playing the same stuff on paper that everyone else is, but giving it that quality that you can't put a finger on... standing out in a way that is a cut above the rest. I, for one, can't do that yet (nor anytime soon).

This really wasn't about Neil... that comment just kinda made me think.

Ok, i am done [img]biggrin.gif[/img]

[got_a_matchgrip]

I'm already on this topic too much ;c)

I hear ya, mat. Point taken. It may be debatable that the notes he played indeed dictated the way he played them, & vice-versa [img]wink.gif[/img] He was indeed defined by his selection of notes / accents, & if you saw hm live back "in the day," he appears as a very menacing & authoritative "visual" player, with a "big" presence...arm movements galore [but not exaggerated as in some of the pretensious 80s hair band sense], & sometimes launching a stick into the orbit, I sh** you not, more than halfway to the arena ceiling, & usually catching it, with all those lights flashing around him & in his eyes.

It's darn OK to like or not like the way muso so-&-so plays.

Like I said, NP started me on the kit, like so many others. He was my hero & icon for many years, hardcore.

These days i am a good ways past his drumming influence, but i look back on those years & albums with great fondness, landmark/benchmark for the times in the vocal rock genre. There are no doubt guys around who can play rings around him [including various guys in here], guys that i'd much rather listen to nowadays for sheer drumming inspiration, but that doesn't take away from NPs accomplishments in my eyes. I think he grooves just fine in a straight-rock context, which became an integral part of that band as a whole. He came up with some interesting parts - remember, he's not so much an improv-style drummer [which may be weird to many musos], but rather a thought-out, pre-planned parts type of guy. And in my initial stages, I studied, analyzed, & practiced his parts to those tunes for hours on end, until I had them down.

It was when a friend since grade-school freely gave me the Perm Wavs album [vinyl w all the pops] in early Jr Hi - it set me on the path to all the various wonderful styles & genres [even if Rush themselves seemed to stay within their specific genre since]. For that, I have Rush & NP to thank. It was the intro to Spirit of Radio that first caught my attention. [Geddy's vocals had to grow on me!] But there was no doubt that there was a certain power & excitement brought by NPs drumg & certain lyrics AWA his part in Rush's music. As it did Stv H, it ulimately led me to all the greats, such as VC & DW, & so-forth.

Anyone who wants to hear NP at his BEST, just pick up a copy of the disc HEMISPHERES [the PINNACLE of epic NP; the entire side 1, & containing Cygnus X-1 & La Villa Strangiato]; or A Farewell to Kings [Xanadu!], Permanent Waves [this album is the skit, & started it all for me], Moving Pictures [no need to comment on], or Signals [another great AWA landmark album for Rush].

Honorable mentions go out for the albums Power Windows, Hold Your Fire, Grace Under Pressure [Between the Wheels is a gritty, heavy, deep, & hard-hitting tune], & Roll the Bones. AWA the "older" ones, such as Fly By Night & Caress of Steel. All albums with some strong tunes & strong moments.

Props out to the HODhb bro who mentioned LOSING IT off Signals...possibly [AWA arguably] NP & Rush's FINEST musical & lyrical moment overall.

<font color="#a62a2a" size="1">[ April 26, 2005 02:08 PM: Message edited by: got_a_matchgrip? ]</font>

[JoesMechanic]

When was the last time you sat behind the kit, put on some headphones, and played "Spirit of Radio"??

Well... I just did. Brought back some cool memories. Neil's basic 4 on the floor is definetly un-canny, and is HIS. Like nobody elses.

The tune "La Villa Strangiato" is what did it for me at the age of around 13. Ever since then, it made me seek out guys like Yes, Bruford, Pat Travers, UK, etc.

I never did learn to play "Honky tonk woman" until recently in a T40 classic rock band. Some drunk slutty fat chick sliming her way to the dance floor comes to mind. And then I wonder.... is this why I never all that enthusiastic about playing this tune??

[img]graemlins/wonder.gif[/img]

Thanks Neil for getting me into drumming.