If you are a fan of Rush or a future drummer, you may find interresting things you may not know about drummer Neil Peart. I'll told his story and explain it with drawings just like a Draw my Life !
You will discover then what were his first drumsticks, why he sherrished his Radio, how the Rush auditions goes for Neil as drummer. How rush started to be recognised once Neil arrived, their famous songs, who wrote them, the story of his impressive drumset and many more stories about the Professor of Drums aka, Neil Peart !
1.Illustrated Biography of Neil Peart
For thoses who don't like to read and prefer a great video to know all about Neil Peart, take a seat for 5 minutes of intricated drawings and stories !
2.Neil Peart Young
Cast out.
Neil grew up in a Farm in Ontario, Canada. He didn't play ice hockey neither do ice skating due to his fragile ankles, a terrible thing for a Canadian. This may have forge his strong willed character and Cast out experience (Subdivision song).
Chopsticks to drumsticks.
Following a meal in a Chinese restaurant, he will kept the chopsticks and start drumming everywhere in his house. At 13, his parents gave him a real pair of drumsticks and a practice pad and if he trains for at least one year, he will get a real drumkit!
Follower of Moon and Bonzo
He was used to live on a very tight budget, and Neil can't replace his broken drum sticks. So the idea was to flip them over and play with the other end. As a matter of facts, playing with the sticks upside down, allows a more powerful sound.
Just like his favorite drummers : Keith Moon and John Bonham !!!
3.A very original gift for Neil Peart Fan.
If you don't know what to offer to a Neil Peart fan, who allready owns plenty of Drum gear, you can think about a piece of Art
This is plenty of anecdotes to the Late Rush Drummer and still plenty of details to discover everytime you pass near the picture, Details a real fan will truly appreciate and understand !
4.Neil Peart of Rush
The interview for drummer position
1974, back in Canada, Neil Peart applied for the position of drummer for the Canadian group RUSH.
He goes there in shorts, with his dilapidated Ford pinto "BBQ" and his drum kit stored in garbage cans, The two fellows are very skeptical !
But his impresive drumming technic immediately conquered Gedy Lee the bassist and singer and Alex lifeson the guitarist.
Forever friends
From 1974 to 2020, Geddy Lee, Alex Lifeson and Neil Peart remains good friends, sharing different looks, tons of concerts and recording many albums, they remains friends forever !
5.Neil Peart on Drums
Professor says : Fail, Train, Rehearse.
Neil Peart philosophy is just about continuous training. According to Geddy Lee, Neil is one of the few people who rehearse rehearsals ! And got the nickname of "Professor of Drums" since he always is at the top of technique !
A work in progress.
He works even more since his buddy rich tribute concert in 1991 that he had not prepared enough and took lesson from Freddie Gruber in 1991 : Not easy to play Jazz when you're used to Rock.
It ends up into a complete rethink of his drum play. A story told in the video tutorial "A work in progress", A way to apologize to Buddy Rich !
Rotating Drum Kit.
Neil Peart has a strong desire to progress : he constantly expands his drum kit.
And the toms, cymbals, chimes, bells, gong, xylophone, etc end up surrounding it completely.
It will turn into a rotating drum kit with an acoustic side and an electronic side.
6.Neil Peart Death
After the R40
Neil kept his private life very secretely and prefers anonimity instead of Fame (he wrote the lyrics of the song Limelight). But fans started to see the band going slower after the 40th birthday of the Band in 2014 : Neil begins to suffer from arthritis and chronic tendonitis.
Disband and Death
Rush annouce the end of the Band in 2018, few months after Neil had been diagnosed a Brain Cancer. This was a closely guarded secret until his death.
Peart died on January 7, 2020.
More facts about Neil Peart ?
The biography portrait of Neil is plenty of other little details, featuring his passion for motorbike, the Rush songs and the lyricist Neil, the Dark tunnel Era, his London stay, and many many more ! You can get the print here.