Love all the recommendations! Check out my Rush Playlist for everything I have already reacted to: Rush ua-cam.com/play/PLykGzZ968Jot5peO0P3T4iujNOABaZtJ0.html
Charis, you are correct, Neil was playing out a narrative during his drum solo -- what he said in interviews at the time was that he wanted to give the audience a "history of drumming" in the way he composed the different sections. The first section was ancient drumming, from Africa. Then he went on to military-style drumming, what you would have found later in history, from Europe. Then he switched to his own free-style/improv drumming, over a polyrhythmic beat, then he got into drumming that would be familiar to Rush fans because he has been doing variations on that kind of Rock-styled "onslaught" since Rush released their first live album in 1976 (for which he became instantly famous). He ended up with a "retro" look-back to some excellent Big Band-style drumming, because he was involved with the Tribute to Buddy Rich sessions, in the 1990s. Great stuff, incredible drummer, RIP Neil Peart (remember to extenuate the "ear" sound in his name -- P-EAR-t)!
The hat is a Kufi. These hats are mainly worn in Africa, Asia and Middle East. Neil started wearing it in the nineties and if I recall mainly for his head sweating. And playing like that you can see why he needed one lol
Neil Peart 'The Professor' was not just a skilled rhythm master but also a lyricist and writer... I was blessed to see his drum solos live a few times experiencing Rush in concert - Neil Peart's drum solo was always a highlight of Rush shows. For this drum solo, Peart compiled some of his favorite styles to play on drums... including electronic rhythms... African rhythms... jazz & swing... heavy rock... and even melodic rhythms. Neil Peart said that in his 60's (he passed away at age 67), he was struggling to play his own drum parts on Rush songs because they were challenging to play correctly - the Rush instrumental 'La Villa Strangiato'... set a benchmark for drumming in the 70's... Peart was a perfectionist on the drum kit and if he couldn't give 100% on it, he would not be satisfied... He remarked that he could play Charlie Watts' (The Rolling Stones drummer) drum parts easily because they were so rudimentary but at his age, he was challenged to play his own parts that he had recorded as a young man. The art of drumming is always to make the music move... it's the motion that defines the genre. U could take basic drumming by the likes of Ringo Starr (The Beatles) or Charlie Watts (The Rolling Stones) and notice that their style made the music groove in the 60's... Then, u got the likes of Keith Moon (The Who) who was a maniac on the drums kit, always slamming it during live performances... Ginger Baker (Cream) was another iconic drummer from the 60's... Mitch Mitchell (The Jimi Hendrix Experience) was a jazz-style drummer who was explosive on the kit. Then, we got John Bonham (Led Zeppelin) and he was a monster on the drum kit... Listen to his drum solo on the live rendition of 'Moby Dick' by Led Zeppelin - it was also a highlight of Zeppelin's concerts and he was a huge influence on Neil Peart. Phil Rudd of AC/DC was a strange anomaly... He was not a fancy drummer and always played behind the beat of the music that gave AC/DC a unique 'feel'... His drumming was very simple & rudimentary but his beats were impeccable for sure, if not technical. One of the upgrades to drumming was the addition of double bass drumming, where 2 bass drums were used to play w/ 2 feet which made faster rhythms in heavy metal... We got Judas Priest's drummers like Simon Phillips... Les Binks... Dave Holland... who used double bass drums ... Phil 'Philthy Animal' Taylor of Motorhead was another who revolutionized double bass drumming by the early 80's and inspired the thrash metal blazing fast tempos. Funk drumming is also very commendable to make music practically danceable... Chad Smith of The Red Hot Chili Peppers is a prime example... Brad Wilk of Rage Against the Machine/ Audioslave could make the music bounce w/ his playing... Alex Van Halen of Van Halen does not get enough credit for his ability to make Van Halen's music danceable at certain points.
10:40 While most people notice that he’s crossing his hands over one another, few notice or remark on the fact that he alternates which hand goes above the other. Absolutely wild skill level.
He was a student of percussion, always exploring more of his passion,and That's Why Everybody Called him the Professor!! Great Reaction Beautiful Woman ❤
That's exactly what you were watching....a master of his craft showing you what is possible. The last part was an excerpt from a tribute he did for the legendary Buddy Rich. RIP
Many drum solos in hard rock, or metal are impressive from a technical standpoint, but they aren't very often entertaining. Neil set out to entertain us with this musical masterpiece. He knew he was great. He knew that WE knew he was great, and he wanted the solo to be fun. Fun for him to play, and for us to witness. I had the pleasure of seeing Rush twice. Once on the Roll the Bones tour, and on the Presto tour. They never disappointed their live audiences. My personal take on his crossing his arms back and forth at "ludicrous speed" was something to challenge, and entertain himself. Nobody did it quite like Neil did it. The Professor was one of a kind. 💔
There are pro drummers and drum teachers who watch this and don’t know how he pulls this off. And they know what they’re talking about! Freaks them out too. The Man was badass. He also wrote 99% of the RUSH lyrics! 🤗
In Neils heart of hearts, jazz was his thing. Buddy Rich being Neils inspiration in style and ability. Secondly, the double handed cross overs, also while keeping the beat going dambusters. Cheers you wee drummer you. Seriously, have a great Christmas Charis.
Man, I had the lousiest seats in the house for the Counterparts tour, until Neil's solo. My friend and I were stuck on the lower level behind the lip of the stage. I was looking at the back of Geddy Lee's left shoulder all night. However, I was also looking straight through the side of Neil's kit, right over his hi-hats. My lousy seat turned out to be the best seat in the house for his solo. But wouldn't you know it - how about 30 seconds in, I hear a commotion off to the side, and I look over to see two drunks literally rolling down the steps trying to beat the hell out of each other, with about a half dozen sheriff's deputies rolling along with them. I'm looking at this mess, I'm looking at Neil, I'm looking at this mess, I'm looking at Neil, and in my mind I'm screaming, "Dammit, this is the very moment that I bought my ticket for, and you choose now to have a goddamn rolling brawl six feet away? It's Neil's solo, you barbarians!" Gawd! 😆
I saw Rush for the first time back in the mid 80's. During Neil's drum solo they had his set so hot in the mix I thought my insides were gonna explode. Especially during his rapid double kick fills. It was terrifying and mind blowing at the same time. LOL
I saw Rush live in 2007 and seeing the drum solo live was a religious experience. There's a reason why he was called The Professor, he always strove to get better. In the early 90s, Neil Peart, who was already seen as one of the greatest drummers of all time, took lessons from legendary jazz drummer Freddie Gruber, just so he could improve his technique.
YES CHARIS!!! Thank you!! I was really looking forward to you doing this one! So, fun fact, I can't seem to remember where I heard this, it may have been in Geddys memoir, but Neil believe it or not was not happy with how this solo turned out which is absolutely crazy to me. Just goes to show you that the man really was his own biggest critic. Loving Rushmas!!! Can't wait to see what else you have in store!🤘🤘
It's funny you say that, because being a drummer and listening to all of Neil's solos multiple times for decades now, I can hear a couple of mistakes in this one. It's weird that this is the most reacted to of all his solos. I would tell people to dig "O Baterista" instead.
And the funny thing is that Neil didn’t like his performance that evening. Turns out he had been sick. Guy was so next level that one needed to be an expert to even understand what he thought wasn’t ideal about this performance.
Subdivisions, Spirit of the radio, Xanadu, Tom Sawyer, Middletowndreams, La villa Strangiato... These all are masterpieces! To my sense, Rush is the greatest group of all times (even if my favorite is Supertramp!)! Proficiency and mastering their instruments to the top! Moreover, they are real friends, never got into an ego quarrel like ALL the others... They are the only group that can switch from 4/4 to 7/8 to 5/4 to 9/8 to 3/4 and nobody feels any listening inconfort!!!
Rushmas is reviving my love for Rush! I was lucky enough to see them in 2007 and they had the rotisserie chickens!!! *I recommend the song The Main Monkey Business by Rush
The drummer in the "Big Band Era" at the end was one of Neil's personal Hero's Buddy Rich. He was involved in a Buddy Rich tribute album where they had many modern great drummers come in and play one song of the album. There's a video on UA-cam of the drummer from "The Red Hot Chilli Peppers" talking about Neil asking to come in and redo the drumming for one song. I can't remember if it was a song he had done or that Neil wanted him to replace the original drummer on that song. They became great friends.
Exactly, nobody ever comments on that, because they never knew that Neil, in interview said the best trick an old dog can learn is how to trick himself.
Couple of songs to add to the ever-growing laundry list of Rush tunes to check out... "One Little Victory" - ua-cam.com/video/IftQ6gaCi7M/v-deo.html "Far Cry" - ua-cam.com/video/9OlU0JbOALU/v-deo.html And a bonus song/video...this is the song that cemented my Rush fandom. There were other songs/videos that I had seen/heard before...but after this, it was all over for me. I was 100% in. "Countdown" - ua-cam.com/video/XW-8yCKwhBE/v-deo.html
About the cap... If I remember correctly, I read in one of Neil's books that while biking through Africa and drumming with drummers in the villages he passed through, these drummers wore caps. So I guess it's an African tradition. Happy Rushmas!
I love the story of him stopping in a village and hearing the sound of drums, and coming upon a young white Catholic priest struggling through a lesson with the village drum master, who looked imposing. Neil asked if he could give it a try - "sure, here, you could hardly do any worse" - and the next thing you know, he and the chief are having a jam session, speaking each other's language without saying a word, and the chief is smiling ear-to-ear. When they were finally finished, handshakes and back slaps all around. The priest was stunned, not realizing that one of the world's preeminent drummers had somehow wandered into this village, and asked Neil how on Earth he did that. "Oh... I'm in the business." 😎
I'm glad you enjoyed it. Although only a monster wouldn't... I'd suggest the Stickhits remaster of RUSH's early 80s live performance of The Weapon. IN 3D!
Neil was a student throughout his musical career, taking lessons from Freddie Gruber in his 40s, when he was already widely considered one of the best ever. He was originally inspired by Buddy Rich, the drummer pictured in the black and white footage at the end, whose swing song he was playing along with. That segment is a homage to him. Here's a nice instrumental from them, The Main Monkey Business (live). There are chickens! ua-cam.com/video/mGf9JcSXvCc/v-deo.html
He was already the youngest member of the Modern Drummer readers' poll Hall Of Fame in its history at that point. You made the Hall of Fame by winning drummer of the year in the poll in any one category five times - back in the days before the internet when the only way to vote was to buy the magazine, tear out a postcard, write your votes on it, put a stamp on it, and put it in the mail. Neil got more postcards for rock drummer of the year than anyone else for five years in a row, at which point he became ineligible. And THEN he decided he needed to tear both his kit and his playing completely apart and put them back together in a completely new way, twenty years into what was already one of the most legendary careers in the history of the instrument. The best Professor is always a lifelong student himself.
Ok, I looked at your RUSH playlist and here are some of their songs you don’t know yet. These are not just my personal opinion, most fans would certainly agree with my picks and you are eventually going to hear them anyway. I really tried to hold back and not get too carried away, but I had to limit myself to 6 of their best songs. All are excellent! - Anthem - Closer to the Heart - The Analog Kid - Natural Science - And the powerhouse song that is : - La Villa Strangiato That’s still just a taste, but they are all delicious! I almost forgot! This is a rite of passage for every RUSH fan. The epic masterpiece : 2112 That should keep you going for a while. Please refer to this list as needed. You are going to have some fun with RUSH! 😁👍
To answer your question, yes it’s hard. There probably aren’t 10 people on earth that can do this. The hat is from West Africa it is a kufi cap the traditional hat for men, and is part of the national costume of most of the countries in the region.
He did one of these every concert, usually during the second set after he'd been playing for well over an hour. This isn't even his best solo on UA-cam imo, he was a little under the weather during this concert but you would never know it. My suggestion is Dreamline from this same concert. 😊
Neil's durm solos have developed through the years. So there are a number of different versions. The interesting thing is Neil has had 3 teachers through the years. Freddie Gruber, who Neil worked and studies with in 1994-95, really made a difference. As I learned listening to an intview, Neil basically relearned how to drum, from a technique, point of view. The more I listen and watch Neil, calling him a drummer, is incorrect. He is a percussionist, and used a percussion items from an orchestra. Just examine his drum kit from 1981 when Rush was doing Xanadu. How many drummers can even play that xylophone like, midi device, which was a real instrument in 81. I think or hope you will play "Losing It" from the 'Signals' album. There are Easter eggs, you might enjoy,
I think the rotisserie chicken, and cook, are on “Leave that thing alone” Live in Cleveland. Geddy, (your twin, 😂)goes crazy on his bass at the end of the song. Great reactions, and Happy Rushmas! 👏
First time viewer, and forgive me for an incoming novel of a comment, but your approach as a self-described Theater Kid, and the way you grooved with this while admitting it was outside your particular form of artistry struck a chord with me. I'm not a theater kid, but I'm an artistic close relative - a music kid for sure. Choir, high school rock band, then a bachelor's in arranging, electric bassist for nearly forty years, drummer for over thirty - and you are quite right. I call him Master Neil Peart without one hint of irony. And I can tell you some things about what he did and how he did it that you'll be able to get right away as a theater kid. First of all, Neil Peart was a composer on the drums. Every note you just heard him play was composed and practiced and perfected - this is not improvisation, this is a recital. In theater kid terms, he is following a script, and he is also the author. This is a composed piece of music just like a symphony or a Broadway number. And yes, there is absolutely a narrative being expressed - many of the sounds coming from the electronic pads in the first portion of the solo are samples of various percussion instruments that Neil picked up during his world travels (his secondary story as a globetrotter, explorer, and Ghost Rider is a whole other discussion). And yes, every instrument in that fortress of a drum kit is there on purpose and for a purpose. And yes, for four decades of his career, every Rush song was played the very same way every time it was ever played, note for note. The very same drum part, down to the last micro-quaver, deliberately composed a specific way to draw a certain response from the listener and express the piece of music in its highest possible form. For better or worse, Neil was not a jammer - his forays into legit big band jazz were kinda underwhelming - but for my money, absolutely no drummer who ever lived, or may ever live, ever wrote better drum parts at such a high level, and played them faithfully the same way every last time as though they were the tympani part in The William Tell Overture. Rush's stated goal was to become "the world's smallest symphony orchestra," and Neil Peart was precisely the one-man percussion section that such an enterprise needed. As for "different epochs," there is not only the journey that this performance takes you on, the performance itself was on a journey, continually evolving for 40 years. Rush averaged releasing a live album every four years over their career, and there is a different version of Neil's solo on each of them, and common threads and common figures that run through each of them over the years. If you really want to see the depth and breadth of his craft, listen to his 1976 solo from "All The World's A Stage," then the 1981 solo on "Exit Stage Left, then "The Rhythm Method" from 1989, "O Baterista" from the 90s, then this. It's literally a timeline of everything he wanted to say on the drums. And for me, one song of his that has meant more to me since his passing than ever before - and remember, he wrote nearly every Rush lyric as well - is "Marathon." Any of the available live versions are fantastic. I instantly cried like an old lady when I heard he was gone. He was a special, special man.
If you want to see the other side of Neil's brilliance and lighter side, listen to Anagram. It's one of their deeper tracks, but one of my favorites. Every line in the lyrics is an anagram. And some of them are not just anagram's but brilliant commentary.
Badass! You’re doing RUSH. I’ll get back to you with a recommendation. I’m one of those lifelong, Old School fans. Saw them on 18 different tours, so you know I have some good picks for you. I’ll check out what you’ve already reacted to and then I’ll give you a slam dunk song. They have a few to choose from to put it lightly. 😆 This drum solo has really made the rounds on a lot of channels and has consistently blown minds. 🤯 I was fortunate enough to see him do this several times live over the years. RUSH is a phenomenal live band.
I don't know if it would count for Rushmas but you should, if you like big band stuff, check out Neil Peart playing 'Caravan' in a Buddy Rich tribute vid, he's phenomenal
The rotisserie chickens were on the Snakes and Arrows tour. There’s a bunch of great live videos from that show in Rotterdam Holland. A great one to do would be “Digital Man” from the Snake’s and Arrows tour. You’ll see the rotisserie chickens in that one.
I saw RUSH twice and they were so entertaining. Not my favourite band ever,but you knew when YYZ started it was going to feel like an English hardcore punk gig! I was going to sub you,but I already have!🤣
Keep in mind not only is he doing complicated time signatures, he’s also triggering every musical note you hear!!!🤯and the snakes and arrows tour had the rotisserie chickens.
A superb performance, one of my faves, amongst so many other live performances! By the way, the one recommendation I sent you on Patreon has the rotisserie chickens. The song Malignant Narcissism/De Slagwerker from the Snakes & Arrows tour 😉
What better way to celebrate Rushmas than their fisrt song, off of their first live album "All The World's A Stage ", a song called "Working Man ". It has Neil's first live recorded drum solo at the end!!!!! ua-cam.com/video/ix0UnBHIBtQ/v-deo.htmlsi=3LqvZOFGEy72tcN2
Loving Rushmas! Neil was one of the best! If you want to see the rotisserie chickens please react to Digital Man from the Snakes and Arrows tour It's also a banger song.
Hi Charis, you are adorable and love your Rush reactions. This is an incredible drum solo by him but he's had better, if you can believe that. I've been a life long die hard fan since 1980 and seen them 11 times since the 1990 Presto tour. Keep up the great reactions. And by the way, this was from 2004 and the rotisserie chickens didn't show up until the 2007 Snakes and Arrows tour. Check out anything live from that tour...
The thing that knocks me out about Peart's drum work, is his absurd precision. Look at the strike patterns on the heads of each of the drums, and they are all no more than an inch from dead center!
Not my tempo! LOL... If Fletcher from Whiplash ever met Neil Peart and critiqued him I think J.K. Simmons would have had a cymbal lodged in his head. Charis, if you didn't get that, you seriously should watch the movie Whiplash. It's a masterpiece! It's centered around jazz drumming but the story, acting, drama will pull you in no matter if you're into drumming. It's like how Rocky was a boxing movie about a love story. Whiplash was a drumming movie about dedication and perseverance and extreme opposition. A very powerful movie. Charis, thank you so much for your reactions.
LOVE YOU AND REACTION SOOOOOOO MUCH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ♥♥♥ 1st Chronicles 29:11 Thine, O Lord is the greatness, and the power, and the glory, and the victory, and the majesty: for all that is in the heaven and in the earth is thine; thine is the kingdom, O Lord, and thou art exalted as head above all.
If you want to see the chickens cooking, look up Dreamline from the snakes and arrows tour. You will also see dinosaurs behind Alex on the speakers and Barbie dolls in front of him. Plus he sings backup. Plus you have never done that song.
THE GREATEST DRUMMER IN ROCK HISTORY ...#2 IN THE WORLD WAS NICKO MCBRAIN FROM IRON MAIDEN ...HE JUST RETIRED FROM TOURING ....SO NOW ITS MIKE PORTNOY FROM DREAM THEATRE #1❤
ua-cam.com/video/RTjjAD_fCVM/v-deo.htmlsi=8LoNdPq1KVt0OfCg Anatomy of a Drum Solo by Neil Peart If you are interested in a very deep dive, this is a lonbg form analysis of this solo from the professor himself.
I think he secretly wanted to be a big band drummer. He was probably influenced by them. He has a little clip of, Buddy Rich, that he must have admired.
Love all the recommendations!
Check out my Rush Playlist for everything I have already reacted to: Rush
ua-cam.com/play/PLykGzZ968Jot5peO0P3T4iujNOABaZtJ0.html
Charis, you are correct, Neil was playing out a narrative during his drum solo -- what he said in interviews at the time was that he wanted to give the audience a "history of drumming" in the way he composed the different sections. The first section was ancient drumming, from Africa. Then he went on to military-style drumming, what you would have found later in history, from Europe. Then he switched to his own free-style/improv drumming, over a polyrhythmic beat, then he got into drumming that would be familiar to Rush fans because he has been doing variations on that kind of Rock-styled "onslaught" since Rush released their first live album in 1976 (for which he became instantly famous). He ended up with a "retro" look-back to some excellent Big Band-style drumming, because he was involved with the Tribute to Buddy Rich sessions, in the 1990s. Great stuff, incredible drummer, RIP Neil Peart (remember to extenuate the "ear" sound in his name -- P-EAR-t)!
As Neil used to say: "It's not Pert, Part or Pert...it's Peart!"
ua-cam.com/users/shortsMq84CpHo9cU?si=pcHAvdHuPsYK1XGI
I was lucky enough to see them live several times. One of the only shows where NOBODY goes for a beer during the drum solo.
This isn't simply a drum solo, it is a percussive extravaganza 🤯
The hat is a Kufi. These hats are mainly worn in Africa, Asia and Middle East. Neil started wearing it in the nineties and if I recall mainly for his head sweating. And playing like that you can see why he needed one lol
He rode his bicycle thru Africa, probably saw the Kufi hats there.
It was actually due to the death of his first wife or daughter, I don’t know which one. He wore it in remembrance from then on. 🤙🏻😎
Neil Peart 'The Professor' was not just a skilled rhythm master but also a lyricist and writer... I was blessed to see his drum solos live a few times experiencing Rush in concert - Neil Peart's drum solo was always a highlight of Rush shows.
For this drum solo, Peart compiled some of his favorite styles to play on drums... including electronic rhythms... African rhythms... jazz & swing... heavy rock... and even melodic rhythms. Neil Peart said that in his 60's (he passed away at age 67), he was struggling to play his own drum parts on Rush songs because they were challenging to play correctly - the Rush instrumental 'La Villa Strangiato'... set a benchmark for drumming in the 70's... Peart was a perfectionist on the drum kit and if he couldn't give 100% on it, he would not be satisfied... He remarked that he could play Charlie Watts' (The Rolling Stones drummer) drum parts easily because they were so rudimentary but at his age, he was challenged to play his own parts that he had recorded as a young man.
The art of drumming is always to make the music move... it's the motion that defines the genre.
U could take basic drumming by the likes of Ringo Starr (The Beatles) or Charlie Watts (The Rolling Stones) and notice that their style made the music groove in the 60's... Then, u got the likes of Keith Moon (The Who) who was a maniac on the drums kit, always slamming it during live performances... Ginger Baker (Cream) was another iconic drummer from the 60's... Mitch Mitchell (The Jimi Hendrix Experience) was a jazz-style drummer who was explosive on the kit.
Then, we got John Bonham (Led Zeppelin) and he was a monster on the drum kit... Listen to his drum solo on the live rendition of 'Moby Dick' by Led Zeppelin - it was also a highlight of Zeppelin's concerts and he was a huge influence on Neil Peart.
Phil Rudd of AC/DC was a strange anomaly... He was not a fancy drummer and always played behind the beat of the music that gave AC/DC a unique 'feel'... His drumming was very simple & rudimentary but his beats were impeccable for sure, if not technical.
One of the upgrades to drumming was the addition of double bass drumming, where 2 bass drums were used to play w/ 2 feet which made faster rhythms in heavy metal... We got Judas Priest's drummers like Simon Phillips... Les Binks... Dave Holland... who used double bass drums ... Phil 'Philthy Animal' Taylor of Motorhead was another who revolutionized double bass drumming by the early 80's and inspired the thrash metal blazing fast tempos.
Funk drumming is also very commendable to make music practically danceable... Chad Smith of The Red Hot Chili Peppers is a prime example... Brad Wilk of Rage Against the Machine/ Audioslave could make the music bounce w/ his playing... Alex Van Halen of Van Halen does not get enough credit for his ability to make Van Halen's music danceable at certain points.
10:40 While most people notice that he’s crossing his hands over one another, few notice or remark on the fact that he alternates which hand goes above the other. Absolutely wild skill level.
This solo is legendary. It’s really easy to miss just how hard he’s hitting the kit.
Your favorite drummer's favorite drummer . Rest in Peace Professor. You are truly missed
He was a student of percussion, always exploring more of his passion,and That's Why Everybody Called him the Professor!! Great Reaction Beautiful Woman ❤
That's exactly what you were watching....a master of his craft showing you what is possible.
The last part was an excerpt from a tribute he did for the legendary Buddy Rich. RIP
Many drum solos in hard rock, or metal are impressive from a technical standpoint, but they aren't very often entertaining. Neil set out to entertain us with this musical masterpiece. He knew he was great. He knew that WE knew he was great, and he wanted the solo to be fun. Fun for him to play, and for us to witness.
I had the pleasure of seeing Rush twice. Once on the Roll the Bones tour, and on the Presto tour. They never disappointed their live audiences. My personal take on his crossing his arms back and forth at "ludicrous speed" was something to challenge, and entertain himself. Nobody did it quite like Neil did it. The Professor was one of a kind. 💔
There are pro drummers and drum teachers who watch this and don’t know how he pulls this off. And they know what they’re talking about! Freaks them out too. The Man was badass. He also wrote 99% of the RUSH lyrics! 🤗
All of us drummers aren’t gods, but Neil Peart certainly is, and the rest of us that grew up with him worship him. 🤘🏼❤️🔥
Neil was an octopus. I can't even rub my stomach & pat my head at the same time 😆xx
In Neils heart of hearts, jazz was his thing. Buddy Rich being Neils inspiration in style and ability. Secondly, the double handed cross overs, also while keeping the beat going dambusters. Cheers you wee drummer you. Seriously, have a great Christmas Charis.
"Ladies and Gentlemen,the Professor on the drum kit" if you know, YOU KNOW!
Thank you very much, good night!
I saw him do drum solos live 32 times each time was a concert un to itself.
33 times for me over 35 years.
@lisaharrison1031 my first show was in 75 when they opened for Nazareth. It was dubbed their "Down the Tubes" tour.
Man, I had the lousiest seats in the house for the Counterparts tour, until Neil's solo. My friend and I were stuck on the lower level behind the lip of the stage. I was looking at the back of Geddy Lee's left shoulder all night. However, I was also looking straight through the side of Neil's kit, right over his hi-hats. My lousy seat turned out to be the best seat in the house for his solo.
But wouldn't you know it - how about 30 seconds in, I hear a commotion off to the side, and I look over to see two drunks literally rolling down the steps trying to beat the hell out of each other, with about a half dozen sheriff's deputies rolling along with them. I'm looking at this mess, I'm looking at Neil, I'm looking at this mess, I'm looking at Neil, and in my mind I'm screaming, "Dammit, this is the very moment that I bought my ticket for, and you choose now to have a goddamn rolling brawl six feet away? It's Neil's solo, you barbarians!" Gawd! 😆
I saw Rush for the first time back in the mid 80's. During Neil's drum solo they had his set so hot in the mix I thought my insides were gonna explode. Especially during his rapid double kick fills. It was terrifying and mind blowing at the same time. LOL
He ws a monster on drums. RIP, Neil. Thnaks for reacting to, Charis. Youre incredible! 👏👏👏
Monster? C'mon catdaddy...how about Behemoth, or Hybrid? Thanks Mr Ivan.
I saw Rush live in 2007 and seeing the drum solo live was a religious experience. There's a reason why he was called The Professor, he always strove to get better. In the early 90s, Neil Peart, who was already seen as one of the greatest drummers of all time, took lessons from legendary jazz drummer Freddie Gruber, just so he could improve his technique.
Snakes and Arrows tour was PHENOMENAL!!! Saw it 4 times.
YES CHARIS!!! Thank you!! I was really looking forward to you doing this one! So, fun fact, I can't seem to remember where I heard this, it may have been in Geddys memoir, but Neil believe it or not was not happy with how this solo turned out which is absolutely crazy to me. Just goes to show you that the man really was his own biggest critic. Loving Rushmas!!! Can't wait to see what else you have in store!🤘🤘
I believe I remember hearing Neil had recently had the flu, & was not 100%!
It's funny you say that, because being a drummer and listening to all of Neil's solos multiple times for decades now, I can hear a couple of mistakes in this one. It's weird that this is the most reacted to of all his solos. I would tell people to dig "O Baterista" instead.
And the funny thing is that Neil didn’t like his performance that evening. Turns out he had been sick. Guy was so next level that one needed to be an expert to even understand what he thought wasn’t ideal about this performance.
As it’s sometimes said, Neil Peart is your favorite drummers favorite drummer…. Rushmas 👊🏻
Gentle reminder: It’s Neil “P - ear - T,” not Neil “P-ur-T.”
Subdivisions, Spirit of the radio, Xanadu, Tom Sawyer, Middletowndreams, La villa Strangiato... These all are masterpieces!
To my sense, Rush is the greatest group of all times (even if my favorite is Supertramp!)! Proficiency and mastering their instruments to the top! Moreover, they are real friends, never got into an ego quarrel like ALL the others... They are the only group that can switch from 4/4 to 7/8 to 5/4 to 9/8 to 3/4 and nobody feels any listening inconfort!!!
Rushmas is reviving my love for Rush! I was lucky enough to see them in 2007 and they had the rotisserie chickens!!!
*I recommend the song The Main Monkey Business by Rush
The drummer in the "Big Band Era" at the end was one of Neil's personal Hero's Buddy Rich. He was involved in a Buddy Rich tribute album where they had many modern great drummers come in and play one song of the album. There's a video on UA-cam of the drummer from "The Red Hot Chilli Peppers" talking about Neil asking to come in and redo the drumming for one song. I can't remember if it was a song he had done or that Neil wanted him to replace the original drummer on that song. They became great friends.
Best part is when he goes into two time signatures between is feet and hands around the 7 minute mark.
Exactly, nobody ever comments on that, because they never knew that Neil, in interview said the best trick an old dog can learn is how to trick himself.
Your favorite drummer's favorite drummer ! .. an absolutely amazing human being he was. RIP Neil !! .. we miss you!
Live in FrankenFurt. Wow.
Thanks for the laugh, and the reaction.
Legend has it his mum once asked him why he never smiled when he played. His response, “It’s hard, mum!”
"To everyone who tells me I inspired them to play the drums: I apologize to your parents."
2007 Snakes and Arrows tour is where you'll find your chicken. I highly rec "Natural Science" by Rush. AMAZING song.
I loved your reaction to this. 😊
Couple of songs to add to the ever-growing laundry list of Rush tunes to check out...
"One Little Victory" - ua-cam.com/video/IftQ6gaCi7M/v-deo.html
"Far Cry" - ua-cam.com/video/9OlU0JbOALU/v-deo.html
And a bonus song/video...this is the song that cemented my Rush fandom. There were other songs/videos that I had seen/heard before...but after this, it was all over for me. I was 100% in.
"Countdown" - ua-cam.com/video/XW-8yCKwhBE/v-deo.html
You might enjoy The Necromancer. Shows off different facets of Getty’s voice as well as exhibiting the bands creativeness.
About the cap... If I remember correctly, I read in one of Neil's books that while biking through Africa and drumming with drummers in the villages he passed through, these drummers wore caps. So I guess it's an African tradition. Happy Rushmas!
I love the story of him stopping in a village and hearing the sound of drums, and coming upon a young white Catholic priest struggling through a lesson with the village drum master, who looked imposing. Neil asked if he could give it a try - "sure, here, you could hardly do any worse" - and the next thing you know, he and the chief are having a jam session, speaking each other's language without saying a word, and the chief is smiling ear-to-ear. When they were finally finished, handshakes and back slaps all around. The priest was stunned, not realizing that one of the world's preeminent drummers had somehow wandered into this village, and asked Neil how on Earth he did that.
"Oh... I'm in the business." 😎
@joeday4293 that's a beauty, eh!
I'm glad you enjoyed it. Although only a monster wouldn't... I'd suggest the Stickhits remaster of RUSH's early 80s live performance of The Weapon. IN 3D!
Neil was a student throughout his musical career, taking lessons from Freddie Gruber in his 40s, when he was already widely considered one of the best ever. He was originally inspired by Buddy Rich, the drummer pictured in the black and white footage at the end, whose swing song he was playing along with. That segment is a homage to him.
Here's a nice instrumental from them, The Main Monkey Business (live). There are chickens! ua-cam.com/video/mGf9JcSXvCc/v-deo.html
He was already the youngest member of the Modern Drummer readers' poll Hall Of Fame in its history at that point. You made the Hall of Fame by winning drummer of the year in the poll in any one category five times - back in the days before the internet when the only way to vote was to buy the magazine, tear out a postcard, write your votes on it, put a stamp on it, and put it in the mail. Neil got more postcards for rock drummer of the year than anyone else for five years in a row, at which point he became ineligible.
And THEN he decided he needed to tear both his kit and his playing completely apart and put them back together in a completely new way, twenty years into what was already one of the most legendary careers in the history of the instrument. The best Professor is always a lifelong student himself.
Ok, I looked at your RUSH playlist and here are some of their songs you don’t know yet. These are not just my personal opinion,
most fans would certainly agree with my picks and you are eventually going to hear them anyway. I really tried to hold back and not get too carried away, but I had to limit myself to 6 of their best songs. All are excellent!
- Anthem
- Closer to the Heart
- The Analog Kid
- Natural Science
- And the powerhouse song that is :
- La Villa Strangiato
That’s still just a taste, but they are all delicious!
I almost forgot! This is a rite of passage for every RUSH fan.
The epic masterpiece : 2112
That should keep you going for a while. Please refer to this list as needed.
You are going to have some fun with RUSH! 😁👍
To answer your question, yes it’s hard. There probably aren’t 10 people on earth that can do this. The hat is from West Africa it is a kufi cap the traditional hat for men, and is part of the national costume of most of the countries in the region.
Don't have a comment that others haven't already covered. So this comment is for the algorithm.
We STAN
He did one of these every concert, usually during the second set after he'd been playing for well over an hour. This isn't even his best solo on UA-cam imo, he was a little under the weather during this concert but you would never know it. My suggestion is Dreamline from this same concert. 😊
Neil's durm solos have developed through the years. So there are a number of different versions. The interesting thing is Neil has had 3 teachers through the years. Freddie Gruber, who Neil worked and studies with in 1994-95, really made a difference. As I learned listening to an intview, Neil basically relearned how to drum, from a technique, point of view.
The more I listen and watch Neil, calling him a drummer, is incorrect. He is a percussionist, and used a percussion items from an orchestra. Just examine his drum kit from 1981 when Rush was doing Xanadu. How many drummers can even play that xylophone like, midi device, which was a real instrument in 81.
I think or hope you will play "Losing It" from the 'Signals' album. There are Easter eggs, you might enjoy,
You got it - those were cowbells! Great reaction! Check out Free Will, it’s amazing!
first part is tribal percussions
Roll the Bones should be on your list!
Digital man from the snakes and arrows live tour is a great song and will give you the rotisserie chickens you crave.
You’ll just have to keep watching Rush until you find the chickens!🤘🎸
I think the rotisserie chicken, and cook, are on “Leave that thing alone” Live in Cleveland. Geddy, (your twin, 😂)goes crazy on his bass at the end of the song. Great reactions, and Happy Rushmas! 👏
First time viewer, and forgive me for an incoming novel of a comment, but your approach as a self-described Theater Kid, and the way you grooved with this while admitting it was outside your particular form of artistry struck a chord with me. I'm not a theater kid, but I'm an artistic close relative - a music kid for sure. Choir, high school rock band, then a bachelor's in arranging, electric bassist for nearly forty years, drummer for over thirty - and you are quite right. I call him Master Neil Peart without one hint of irony. And I can tell you some things about what he did and how he did it that you'll be able to get right away as a theater kid.
First of all, Neil Peart was a composer on the drums. Every note you just heard him play was composed and practiced and perfected - this is not improvisation, this is a recital. In theater kid terms, he is following a script, and he is also the author. This is a composed piece of music just like a symphony or a Broadway number. And yes, there is absolutely a narrative being expressed - many of the sounds coming from the electronic pads in the first portion of the solo are samples of various percussion instruments that Neil picked up during his world travels (his secondary story as a globetrotter, explorer, and Ghost Rider is a whole other discussion).
And yes, every instrument in that fortress of a drum kit is there on purpose and for a purpose. And yes, for four decades of his career, every Rush song was played the very same way every time it was ever played, note for note. The very same drum part, down to the last micro-quaver, deliberately composed a specific way to draw a certain response from the listener and express the piece of music in its highest possible form. For better or worse, Neil was not a jammer - his forays into legit big band jazz were kinda underwhelming - but for my money, absolutely no drummer who ever lived, or may ever live, ever wrote better drum parts at such a high level, and played them faithfully the same way every last time as though they were the tympani part in The William Tell Overture. Rush's stated goal was to become "the world's smallest symphony orchestra," and Neil Peart was precisely the one-man percussion section that such an enterprise needed.
As for "different epochs," there is not only the journey that this performance takes you on, the performance itself was on a journey, continually evolving for 40 years. Rush averaged releasing a live album every four years over their career, and there is a different version of Neil's solo on each of them, and common threads and common figures that run through each of them over the years. If you really want to see the depth and breadth of his craft, listen to his 1976 solo from "All The World's A Stage," then the 1981 solo on "Exit Stage Left, then "The Rhythm Method" from 1989, "O Baterista" from the 90s, then this. It's literally a timeline of everything he wanted to say on the drums.
And for me, one song of his that has meant more to me since his passing than ever before - and remember, he wrote nearly every Rush lyric as well - is "Marathon." Any of the available live versions are fantastic.
I instantly cried like an old lady when I heard he was gone. He was a special, special man.
If you want to see the other side of Neil's brilliance and lighter side, listen to Anagram. It's one of their deeper tracks, but one of my favorites. Every line in the lyrics is an anagram. And some of them are not just anagram's but brilliant commentary.
Here is a link to one of their best live performances ever. It's a medley of By-tor and the Snowdog, In the End, In the Mood and Grand Finale. Enjoy
There's a reason Neil is called "The Professor".
Badass! You’re doing RUSH. I’ll get back to you with a recommendation. I’m one of those lifelong, Old School fans. Saw them on 18 different tours, so you know I have some good picks for you. I’ll check out what you’ve already reacted to and then I’ll give you a slam dunk song. They have a few to choose from to put it lightly. 😆
This drum solo has really made the rounds on a lot of channels and has consistently blown minds. 🤯
I was fortunate enough to see him do this several times live over the years. RUSH is a phenomenal live band.
I don't know if it would count for Rushmas but you should, if you like big band stuff, check out Neil Peart playing 'Caravan' in a Buddy Rich tribute vid, he's phenomenal
The Maestro At Work!
The rotisserie chickens were on the Snakes and Arrows tour. There’s a bunch of great live videos from that show in Rotterdam Holland.
A great one to do would be “Digital Man” from the Snake’s and Arrows tour. You’ll see the rotisserie chickens in that one.
I saw RUSH twice and they were so entertaining. Not my favourite band ever,but you knew when YYZ started it was going to feel like an English hardcore punk gig!
I was going to sub you,but I already have!🤣
My favorite solo of his is from the Hold your fire live in 1988, much of this is in it.
Keep in mind not only is he doing complicated time signatures, he’s also triggering every musical note you hear!!!🤯and the snakes and arrows tour had the rotisserie chickens.
A superb performance, one of my faves, amongst so many other live performances! By the way, the one recommendation I sent you on Patreon has the rotisserie chickens. The song Malignant Narcissism/De Slagwerker from the Snakes & Arrows tour 😉
He’s known as The Professor, but I call him The Power Octopus!
Rush - Spirit of Radio live, Snakes & Arrows tour has the chickens
Best drummer/percussionist, also the best lyricist, from the best band...ever.
Talent only surpassed by his intellect. Rush on!
What better way to celebrate Rushmas than their fisrt song, off of their first live album "All The World's A Stage ", a song called "Working Man ". It has Neil's first live recorded drum solo at the end!!!!!
ua-cam.com/video/ix0UnBHIBtQ/v-deo.htmlsi=3LqvZOFGEy72tcN2
Loving Rushmas! Neil was one of the best!
If you want to see the rotisserie chickens please react to Digital Man from the Snakes and Arrows tour
It's also a banger song.
The Grand Master.
You need to listen to "Losing It". There is a special live version of it out there.
Hi Charis, you are adorable and love your Rush reactions. This is an incredible drum solo by him but he's had better, if you can believe that. I've been a life long die hard fan since 1980 and seen them 11 times since the 1990 Presto tour. Keep up the great reactions. And by the way, this was from 2004 and the rotisserie chickens didn't show up until the 2007 Snakes and Arrows tour. Check out anything live from that tour...
That last drumming is a tribute to Buddy Rich
The Pass, The Garden ( live ) Bob & Doug McKenzie & Geddy Lee - Take Off ( imagine Geddy Lee & the guy from " Honey I Shrunk the Kids, Rick Moranis
When you sad you feel like you are going through different epics. The tambourine is with his foot 3/4 time his hands are in 4/4 time.
Wild
The thing that knocks me out about Peart's drum work, is his absurd precision. Look at the strike patterns on the heads of each of the drums, and they are all no more than an inch from dead center!
Not my tempo! LOL... If Fletcher from Whiplash ever met Neil Peart and critiqued him I think J.K. Simmons would have had a cymbal lodged in his head. Charis, if you didn't get that, you seriously should watch the movie Whiplash. It's a masterpiece! It's centered around jazz drumming but the story, acting, drama will pull you in no matter if you're into drumming. It's like how Rocky was a boxing movie about a love story. Whiplash was a drumming movie about dedication and perseverance and extreme opposition. A very powerful movie. Charis, thank you so much for your reactions.
He has an older video he plays with a Buddy Rich tribute complete with awesome drum solo on a drum kit about a quarter of the size of this one.
LOVE YOU AND REACTION SOOOOOOO MUCH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ♥♥♥ 1st Chronicles 29:11 Thine, O Lord is the greatness, and the power, and the glory, and the victory, and the majesty: for all that is in the heaven and in the earth is thine; thine is the kingdom, O Lord, and thou art exalted as head above all.
the stick crossover style of playing goes back to the days of John Bonham's triplets
Sorry, it precedes that by decades. No offense intended.
Hi. Love your reaction channel. Try "Cold Fire" by RUSH. Great song about relationships.
If you want to see the chickens cooking, look up Dreamline from the snakes and arrows tour. You will also see dinosaurs behind Alex on the speakers and Barbie dolls in front of him. Plus he sings backup. Plus you have never done that song.
Man, I wonder how old that music at the start of the video is. I used it in a film school project 20 years ago. Pretty sure it's called Rockzilla.
Neil was a god among gods…
Recommendation: Subdivisions
@@WWNF911 it’s in my Rush playlist!
For the 36,789th time, it's Neil PEERT, not 'Pert'. He's not shampoo!
Great reactions - one note - Peart is pronounced 'Peert'
go deep.... "Different Strings" & "Jacob's Ladder"
new lifeson solo project just dropped Envy Of None - Under The Stars
THE GREATEST DRUMMER IN ROCK HISTORY ...#2 IN THE WORLD WAS NICKO MCBRAIN FROM IRON MAIDEN ...HE JUST RETIRED FROM TOURING ....SO NOW ITS MIKE PORTNOY FROM DREAM THEATRE #1❤
If you have not reacted to Digital man yet you should do it live from the Snakes and arrows tour and you will get your rotisary chickens.
Please react to "The Weapon" from the Album Signals. That's one of the little bit different ones...
you should check out YYZ live from Rio and Danny Carey's Drum Cam video (the drummer from Tool Vic Firth video)
ua-cam.com/video/RTjjAD_fCVM/v-deo.htmlsi=8LoNdPq1KVt0OfCg
Anatomy of a Drum Solo by Neil Peart
If you are interested in a very deep dive, this is a lonbg form analysis of this solo from the professor himself.
Snakes and Arrows touur for rotiserie chicken
Rush with chickens.ua-cam.com/video/mGf9JcSXvCc/v-deo.htmlsi=VEMMy4s0YWNXL2Cx
You didn’t just say Frankenfurt, did you?! 😂
Listen YALL
@ love you longtime ✌🏻
I think he secretly wanted to be a big band drummer. He was probably influenced by them. He has a little clip of, Buddy Rich, that he must have admired.
Who is Neil Pert? I thought his name was Peart?! (Peeart)
not a single accidental rim shot to be found
P-EAR-T 😊