Heard this song hundreds of (a thousand) times. Never heard the isolated drum track. Doing so has given me a new appreciation for the song and Neil's well-honed skills.
Even Neil's ghost notes are metronomic!! Mindblowing😳 The song was done in 3 sections, because at the time they wrote it, It was beyond their capability...
I felt like I’ve been at plateau skill-wise for the past couple years, because I always played the same songs. Always loved rush since a kid because of my dad but never thought about playing their songs because I thought I wasn’t good enough. Now I’ve been playing rush only for about 4-5 months and I’ve never been a better drummer. Still not as precise of course as Neil but I’m getting closer everyday, and he’s introduced me into so many news styles of playing and I can never get enough of this one. Rip the greatest to do it, Neil’s who inspired me to play in the first place, and I’m honored every time I play along to him
Every drummer should study Neil Peart if they want to learn how to *write* great drum parts. He was hands-down the greatest composer of drum parts that rock drumming has ever seen. He composed every single note he ever played, and played every drum part for every Rush song the exact same way for years and years, until very late in his career. He would figure out the perfect note to put in the perfect place every time, then he would faithfully reproduce that perfect drum part at every performance, as though he were reading off the page behind the Toronto Symphony Orchestra. There's never been anyone better at that.
@@joeday4293 couldn’t have said it better myself. He just knew what it needed and nailed it. It’s one thing to mimic, an entire other realm to write it. I’ve been playing strangito almost everyday since I made that comment lol.
@@losthor1zon I think he may have "borrowed" the phrase from Cameron Hawkins of FM, who used to say that FM intended to be a three man orchestra. Of course they blew that by added a guitarist 😉
Dont know if you guys cares but if you are stoned like me atm then you can watch pretty much all the latest movies and series on InstaFlixxer. Been watching with my gf during the lockdown :)
I've listened to this song for decades but never heard the drums isolated on this or any other Rush song. Mr. Peart was not of this world, simply superhuman. Maybe one of the reasons they've always been my favourite band.
In a documentary, Ray Danniels said they tried very hard to record this song in one take...if I remember correctly, they recorded it in three parts. So very impressive.
not over-dubbed! See him on youtube live. He does all this and more. Watch him do a solo and witness the set of drums first hand. They were an amazing live band, and were true to the recordings all the way. Watch "Tom Sawyer" sometime. The ultimate air drummer song. Each man is a virtuoso at his instrument(s). This isn't from your average fan. Buddy Rich was my Godfather and I spent my entire life surrounded by jazz musicians and Rush is probably the only band out there that the old guard cats would like.
Buddy Rich was your godfather? Wow 😳 that man was born with sticks in his hands. The doctor said what the hell? Buddy’s dad ran out and bought him a kit the next day!!
Lord Jesus his drums sound great here! I’ve known the song by heart since it came out in 78, so not hearing much of the rest that’s happening doesn’t even bother me. By the way, Alex’s guitar playing is also astonishing on this one!
Rush changed my life in 1980. I heard Spirit of Radio for the first time and I was hooked instantly. Then I found out there was only 3 band members and I was blow away.
To learn more about Rush's story and especially Neil's incredible life story, I would suggest watching the great documentary Rush: Beyond The Lighted Stage.
This was recorded with all 3 on the floor but after several attempts, of getting it in one take, they ultimately had to do 3 separate takes and piece it together
Andrew, I played this for my son who is an aspiring drummer (and he's good - and no, that's not just a father's bias - being a musician myself - trumpet player, my wife's a classically trained pianist, we agree, he's got a natural rhythm & feel), and he was floored! He hasn't tried tackling this yet, but he's done Subdivisions and YYZ(ed) (Hey, I'm Canadian eh!). He's 13 years old now, started when he was 9. I LOVE hearing him play! Neil was truly a gift! RIP. Merry Christmas - all the best to you and yours! Here's to a great 2021! I'm sure there are a bunch of artists from NZ that are amazing, but due to geography and exposure, we regretfully never get to experience!
ANY song, and I absolutely mean ANY song, Neil does not ever choose the easy way out! He always, always, always layers in such elaborate, comprehensive and supremely complex beats, all while keeping a stern and precise metronome-like tempo throughout the songs. Just when you think he will go for the doors, he will hit the toms, or he will slap 2 crashes and he is very strict in his rhythm keeping. Bear in mind, he is not spontaneous or unsuspecting. Whether in studio or live, he is usually the exact same clockwork performance as when he wrote the songs and played in the studios. And what still blows me away is his crystal clear memory! He remembers exactly how he wrote each song and he will recite the beats as if he was in the studio again. And! And! Neil can recite any song without Geddy or Alex accompanying him! He has many videos on UA-cam that he will just roll out each song from his head without any help or other instruments to guide him. Just only the drum cage set, nothing else. His brain was extremely accurate! So, yes, he wrote the lyrics, but he pretty much wrote the basic melodies and then had Geddy and Alex ad-lib and come up with what sounds good for the riffs and bridges to carry over the different stanzas. I do not believe any other man could have generated so much lyrics and various percussion experiments. I have seen a video that a fan will play two videos of Neil playing side by side and the beats are dead-on exact to each other. I kid you not! There are many other music groups that if you listen to their entire album, every song sounds the same and just using different lyrics. Not with Rush. They have explored so many genres and styles of playing. They had a lot of synths, then they reduced or eliminated the synths and played just pure instruments. Neil experimented with electronic percussions and many samples of delicate and historical instruments that he has collected over the decades. It's been a year already and I miss him so much.
Just for your information I heard that they recorded it live and tracked it 40 times before they were satisfied. You got very good instinct of knowing what's happening with his band you're always right on top of it it's awesome
No mention of the ride at 10:55? One of my favorite things about this tune is how at that point, you can hear Peart using two different playing areas on the ride. Beats 1-4 of each measure are one pitch on the ride cymbal, beats 5-7 are another. Mastery.
This is one of the most fascinating and inspiring parts to his playing. I remember hearing this and just being blown away by the artistic choice and creative brilliance of this ride cymbal part.
Alex lifeson, in an interview(that are on youtube), said that it's not true. He said, that they played the music in only one take. And he said, that he used only one overdub to re-do the "main" solo.
As a bassist who started playing over 40 years ago after hearing Geddy, I can't thank you enough for your posts, insights, and holy s$it the isolated tracks which give me even more admiration for his unique style and mastery. For me, the true beauty of music is the diifferent ways in which each player approaches a song, gifting us with their unique fingerprint and expression. I'll never dare to argue or even express who is best - I'm not qualified. I have favorites (Derek effin' Trucks!) but I don't dare judge or rate. I digress - your Rush playlist has made me smile LOTS this week. Thank you and CHEERS from North Carolina! Suggestions: By-Tor and the Snow Dog, Carter Beaufort, Dave Weckl, Dennis Chambers, Omar freakin' Hakim!, Bill Bruford, an isolated When The Levee Breaks... I can do this all day but I won't. : )
This was a masterpiece. As I understand it this was pieced together from studio takes. However, when they brought it to the stage they performed it flawlessly as a band. This was one of the most impressive songs to see them do live on stage. Fortunately I got to see them do it..!
They were never able to get this down on tape during the original album recording. They ended up splicing the parts together. Neil has mentioned this in several interviews. He stated when it did come time to rehearse for the Hemispheres tour they were able to play it all the way through but just couldn’t it done in the studio.
Wow first time I've heard the drums isolated on this song and all I can say is wow, wow,wow. Still amazes me always will. RIP..or R.I.Loud A.F drumming.
This was a notoriously hard album to record, for one because it was composed in keys that were hard for geddy to sing, but also because they did mostly everything in one take. Insanity. One of my favs is the pink pop video of this, there’s this youthful raw agression in the performance, it’s a hell of a treat that that video exists. It’s also the best recorded performance of Alex’s parts IMO, and he has a busted finger! I’m arriving late to the party, but I was missing Neil today, and this definitely scratched an itch!
When Rush recorded La Villa Strangiato they had to do it in three different takes for the album because they were over achieving they said later years they learned to play it all at once
I saw an interview with Alex years ago where he said when recording La Villa initially, they did indeed do the album track in one take. He did say in preparing to record that they often got lost in where they or others were in the song and had to start from the start again. Peart said on this track they certainly felt like they bit off more than they could chew back then. Yeah... right. :)
@@AndrewRooneyDrums cheers mate. I found your channel the other day and always love seeing people 'discover' Rush. I just can't believe the boys never made it in Ehn Zed. ;)
Happy to report I’ve seen both Rush and Flight of the Conchords at my local venue, Red Rocks, perhaps the most iconic outdoor venue in the world. I also studied in New Zealand for two years back in the day. I’m a bass player and Geddy was my hero growing up. Neil and Alex are pretty good, too. 😁
It was actually Alex's "fault" as the song came from a period hrcwas suffering from nightmares and insomnia and would sit and play along with cartoons. When they realized what had happened Rush, being the classy guys they are, immediately apologized to Scott's family and offered $30K. The family was impressed by the gesture and never demanded any sort of credit or royalties.
Hey, Andy! Ordered your cool drums & coffee mug and gave it to my drum enthusiast brother for Christmas. He says he likes it and will take it to work as his coffee break mug. One of the best things about 2020 for me was discovering your channel. Merry Christmas and happy new year from over here in Finland!
It was recorded as live as they could but according to docs, they had outdone themselves in writing it SO they bit the bullet and divided it into 3 sections to get it down. I have to say that hearing this has doubled down on the spacious building guitar solo halfway through thanks
Love this. I remember the first time listening to yyz isolated drum track. Even more appreciation for Neil’s masterful work. I knew he was great but to hear everything that he’s doing just blew my naïve mind.
I vaguely remember it was tracked live .. but there were maybe 3 sections live glued together .. without googling it but it was definately recorded as a band ..never heard this isolated before didn t realise how much was in it !! even for a number 1 fan geek like me .. Peace and love brother 👍🏻☮😈 edit ...good old Google, yes recorded in 3 sections but all done as a band together ...👍🏻❤❤❤❤❤☮
@@tradjick I found an interview, Geddy said it was recorded in 3 sections .But of course each section could be multiple takes to find the right ones ..Amazing they could play it live all the way through so well thought the years .. Well not amazing really as it's Rush . I can't begin to imagine being that talented but have been inspired by them and many others ..my offerings are a nod to all my heroes from 70s and 80s but with a thousandth of the genius and talent ! 👍🏻☮❤
@@tradjick This is a great historical artefact (ok it's an interview , calm down Springy !) .. Hemispheres is my favourite Rush album , but I chose Springy 2112 as my channel name because "Springy Hemispheres Cygnus x-1 book 2 prelude the battle of hearts and minds" etc etc was not so catchy ..😲.. Thanks again peace and love brother 👍🏻☮❤
The problem with isolated drum tracks with Rush is that often times it's actually Alex Lifeson keeping the timing, letting Neil and Geddy play off the beat.
Except for The Spirit of Radio... Alex said (on the “How To Play TSOR” video) that he can get a bit too quick on the signature lick of the song... he relies on Neil to maintain his timing.
when I was learning this song on bass guitar, having been learning other Rush songs, it was just 'this is how the song goes.' Listening to the middle section of the song's drum part now, and thinking back to when I was able to play it properly on bass, I remember thinking 'they never shut up.' I think Geddy once said he wished he got paid by the note...... same for Neil, paid by the hit
For the stereo effect on the toms and cymbals, I learned in recording class to pan the overhead mics hard right and left respectfully. As a drummer I would have to remember to pan opposite from playing position for audience perspective.
Neil was a huge Gene Kruppa fan, but also notice that while he's an incredibly tasteful drummer, he can also be incredibly busy, since he was also a huge Keith Moon fan!
It was recorded at Rockfield studios, Monmouth, South Wales and mixed at trident in London, I seem to remember they played a lot with the accoustics at Rockfield, it wasn't a traditional recording studio, it was an old dairy farm, and so had lots of old buildings with lots of different sounds
YYZ or YYZED interpretation don’t matter at all...And it’s clear and obvious your reaction to only just hearing Rush is pure genuine and indeed a joy to see your reaction.....Great reactions totally keep exploring Rush it only gets better 👍
Love your channel. As a Rush fan, so glad you went down the rabbit hole and discovered their music, and as a fellow resident of Planet Drum, seeing your mad respect for Neil Peart. Please do a response/breakdown on his last (and perhaps greatest song), The Garden.
@@AndrewRooneyDrums I'm just becoming aware, and I'm happy for you. The drum isos you do are really interesting. I play trumpet for 13 yrs, not drums but they are informative. I just love watching Rush reaction videos from all kinds of musicians including you. Thank you.
They did do the studio version live, but after 11 days of trying to get it in one shot, they had to break it into 3 parts. They admitted they had written music a bit beyond their abilities. They eventually could play it live… obviously.
This was recorded live. They recorded the sections separately then glued them together. In interviews they spoke about how difficult it was to pull this off and get live takes they were happy with.
Your question about "Might there be overdubs?" reminds me of the time Modern Drummer magazine interviewed him, and asked how many overdubs he used on "Red Sector A" (from "Grace Under Pressure"), and when he told them he didn't do any overdubs, they basically didn't know what to do. And I was lucky enough to see that tour and watch him do it in person. :)
What I've heard is they spent a week trying to do it all flawlessly in one take, but ended up having to piece it together from the best bits of what they recorded.
Neil’s drumming on this track is just incredible. It actually took Geddy & Neil about 40 takes to get the sound that they really wanted, and I’ve heard that Neil’s drums on this track are actually from different takes and they just put them together, but don’t quote me on that because I don’t know if that’s entirely true. Also, according to Neil (from interviews I’ve seen) this and Tom Sawyer are the hardest songs to play live. RIP Neil.
The drum track was recorded in multiple passes. Not any overdubs per se but it wasn't recorded in one take either. I believe Geddy said they recorded the bed track together and then did overdubs where needed.
I think I've watched every Rush reaction you've done today and I've watched a couple of them twice. It's easy for me or Anybody to say he was the greatest But with that being said, it's not fair to other greats that mabey we've never seen or heard. But I think the fair thing to say is at least for a progressive Rock music drummer, he was the most influential. But what do I know, I'm not even a drummer 🤣😂. Love your vids bro. Your the best I've seen at reaction vids👍. Keep the Rush coming my friend. My personal favorite song by Rush is red barchetta 🔥🎶🎵
I've played bass for 43 years because I heard Geddy. I've discovered a ton of incredible players across all genres since then but, when I hear recordings of my playing, Geddy's influence is obvious. I'm not in any way comparing myself to him, I wouldn't dare, just acknowledging the undeniable impact of immesring in his style. Anyway, all of that to say this: I don't dare to call anyone the "best" or greatest. 1st, who am I to judge and, 2nd and more importantly, art is not a competition. For me, the beauty of music is in each players unique approach, hearing their musical expression of what they feel. I ditched "best" a long time ago and replaced it with "favorite" which is comical becuase I could not name a single favorite on any instrument with the possible exception of Derek effin' Trucks. Cheers!
They tracked it in a drum room - If you watch the video of LIMELIGHT you can see the setup they used at Le Studio for their album Moving Pictures. Neil didn't just play drums - he COMPOSED his tracks.
That's what I heard too. Clearly they practiced it a lot after that to be able to play it live but it was a brand new composition when they recorded it and after attempting to record it live several times they realized that it was gonna take way to long to get it down and studio time ain't cheap. Sometimes you just gotta do what you gotta do. 🤷♂️
Hard to believe that you haven't done a reaction for By-Tor & the Snow Dog yet!!! Fantastic to hear & see live, but your first reaction to it should be the full LP version with lyrics. Then you can another reaction to them performing it live. Neil's first LP with Rush (Rush's 2nd LP) & Neil's lyrics of course.
Geddy and Alex would do their parts in different takes. But when Neil came into the studio, he listened to their playing in one headphone and some metronome clicks in the other. if you watch the vids out there of his tech and the audio guys from the tour, they would tell you what he liked in his mix.
Lately, It’s sad to see what’s happening to the great country I was born & raised in. Not too long ago, Canadians had much to be proud about. For such a relatively small country population wise, we have turned out some of the greatest bands / performers of all time. I wouldn’t even know where to begin…from Neil Young, Joni Mitchell, Leonard Cohen, Gordon Lightfoot, Guess Who, Steppenwolf, April Wine, Triumph, Brian Adams, Celine Dion, Alanis Morissette, Tragically Hip, Nickelback, Shania Twain, Drake etc x 1000. I’m also old enough to have seen some great bands in their infancy - some went on to international fame: Rush, Triumph, Guess Who, etc But I also got to see some ultra talented bands who didn’t get much recognition outside of Canada. If you’re not Canadian or never heard of The Stampeders, Tragically Hip, Chilliwack, Blue Rodeo OR MY FAVORITE, April Wine, give a listen, you won’t be disappointed!
I believe the original track was laid down in pieces (not all in one take) as the time signature(?) changes alone made things difficult. In one of his (or Geddy's) interviews, he stated that they weren't going to do this song live because it was so difficult. Thankfully for the rest of us mortals, that didn't always hold true. I'm fairly certain that Neil's drumming didn't have anything dubbed over.
_Sing sing sing_ ... _Gene Krupa_ good guess for those days! In fact it’s from Raymond Scott 1937 _Powerhouse_ and Scott’s drums arrangements are jungle enough to reflect Krupa’s work indeed.
Dude it doesn't matter but I am in Canada right this moment and we call it Zee. That dude doesn't know. ..about the band not getting played on radio in NZ I 100% know that's true as well. Back in the day being interviewed Geddy said we have everything we could ever want and the most loyal fans a band could ask for, the only thing that could make it better would be to take our music to Asia, Australia and New Zealand. Africa too. Someday. That was in the 1980s.
They're fadihg him in... on the mix... No. No, that's Neil. There's no fading or mixing. AND NO there's no overdubs. So in light of that explain to me how this is not proof of Neil's immortality: 16:00 to 16:04 that second snare fill. How is that even possible? Can you explain that to me? I mean technically what the heck? Give it to me straight, does he have an octopus with him?
Heard this song hundreds of (a thousand) times. Never heard the isolated drum track. Doing so has given me a new appreciation for the song and Neil's well-honed skills.
Excellent!!!
it's completely mind-blowing what he's playing in this song...so much energy...
Should be easier to learn how to drum it.
agreed - it puts a new dimension on what is behind the drums when its isolated against the bass. keyboards and guitar.
Me too. Maybe not a thousand times, but close ;-) Very cool to hearing the drum track for the first time!
Neil is hands down the best drummer that ever lived! RIP!
I share your opinion
Mans is preaching the good lords word.
Eeeeeeeeyuuuuup!
Yes
Even Neil's ghost notes are metronomic!! Mindblowing😳 The song was done in 3 sections, because at the time they wrote it, It was beyond their capability...
No shock literally Rush ahead of it's time lol
I felt like I’ve been at plateau skill-wise for the past couple years, because I always played the same songs. Always loved rush since a kid because of my dad but never thought about playing their songs because I thought I wasn’t good enough. Now I’ve been playing rush only for about 4-5 months and I’ve never been a better drummer. Still not as precise of course as Neil but I’m getting closer everyday, and he’s introduced me into so many news styles of playing and I can never get enough of this one. Rip the greatest to do it, Neil’s who inspired me to play in the first place, and I’m honored every time I play along to him
Every drummer should study Neil Peart if they want to learn how to *write* great drum parts. He was hands-down the greatest composer of drum parts that rock drumming has ever seen. He composed every single note he ever played, and played every drum part for every Rush song the exact same way for years and years, until very late in his career. He would figure out the perfect note to put in the perfect place every time, then he would faithfully reproduce that perfect drum part at every performance, as though he were reading off the page behind the Toronto Symphony Orchestra. There's never been anyone better at that.
@@joeday4293 couldn’t have said it better myself. He just knew what it needed and nailed it. It’s one thing to mimic, an entire other realm to write it. I’ve been playing strangito almost everyday since I made that comment lol.
Rush: the world's smallest orchestra.
I said this as a joke once. Then I heard Geddy Lee say it in an interview!
@@losthor1zon I think he may have "borrowed" the phrase from Cameron Hawkins of FM, who used to say that FM intended to be a three man orchestra. Of course they blew that by added a guitarist 😉
Fantastic way to describe them
Dont know if you guys cares but if you are stoned like me atm then you can watch pretty much all the latest movies and series on InstaFlixxer. Been watching with my gf during the lockdown :)
@Miller Kyler yup, been watching on instaflixxer for since november myself :D
I've listened to this song for decades but never heard the drums isolated on this or any other Rush song. Mr. Peart was not of this world, simply superhuman. Maybe one of the reasons they've always been my favourite band.
Drumeo can do that for all rush songs. Not many reactions don’t care about the isolated drums.
In a documentary, Ray Danniels said they tried very hard to record this song in one take...if I remember correctly, they recorded it in three parts. So very impressive.
As an amateur drummer, I can't say how much I loved this.! Never heard the drum track seperated from the song. Lovin it! Niel is my GOAT drummer!
not over-dubbed! See him on youtube live. He does all this and more. Watch him do a solo and witness the set of drums first hand. They were an amazing live band, and were true to the recordings all the way. Watch "Tom Sawyer" sometime. The ultimate air drummer song. Each man is a virtuoso at his instrument(s). This isn't from your average fan. Buddy Rich was my Godfather and I spent my entire life surrounded by jazz musicians and Rush is probably the only band out there that the old guard cats would like.
Buddy Rich was your godfather? Wow 😳 that man was born with sticks in his hands. The doctor said what the hell? Buddy’s dad ran out and bought him a kit the next day!!
Simply put, Neil Peart is the greatest drummer that has ever lived.
Lord Jesus his drums sound great here! I’ve known the song by heart since it came out in 78, so not hearing much of the rest that’s happening doesn’t even bother me. By the way, Alex’s guitar playing is also astonishing on this one!
Rush changed my life in 1980. I heard Spirit of Radio for the first time and I was hooked instantly. Then I found out there was only 3 band members and I was blow away.
To learn more about Rush's story and especially Neil's incredible life story, I would suggest watching the great documentary Rush: Beyond The Lighted Stage.
Absolutely! By far one of the best documentaries ever made.
This was recorded with all 3 on the floor but after several attempts, of getting it in one take, they ultimately had to do 3 separate takes and piece it together
2 takes, I do believe. Thanks for this, was great for my ears.
Awesome Jason!
Andrew, I played this for my son who is an aspiring drummer (and he's good - and no, that's not just a father's bias - being a musician myself - trumpet player, my wife's a classically trained pianist, we agree, he's got a natural rhythm & feel), and he was floored! He hasn't tried tackling this yet, but he's done Subdivisions and YYZ(ed) (Hey, I'm Canadian eh!). He's 13 years old now, started when he was 9. I LOVE hearing him play!
Neil was truly a gift! RIP.
Merry Christmas - all the best to you and yours! Here's to a great 2021!
I'm sure there are a bunch of artists from NZ that are amazing, but due to geography and exposure, we regretfully never get to experience!
Fantastic Darren! Thanks for that :)
Cool story. I'll be waiting to hear something from your boy.
ANY song, and I absolutely mean ANY song, Neil does not ever choose the easy way out! He always, always, always layers in such elaborate, comprehensive and supremely complex beats, all while keeping a stern and precise metronome-like tempo throughout the songs. Just when you think he will go for the doors, he will hit the toms, or he will slap 2 crashes and he is very strict in his rhythm keeping. Bear in mind, he is not spontaneous or unsuspecting. Whether in studio or live, he is usually the exact same clockwork performance as when he wrote the songs and played in the studios. And what still blows me away is his crystal clear memory! He remembers exactly how he wrote each song and he will recite the beats as if he was in the studio again. And! And! Neil can recite any song without Geddy or Alex accompanying him! He has many videos on UA-cam that he will just roll out each song from his head without any help or other instruments to guide him. Just only the drum cage set, nothing else. His brain was extremely accurate! So, yes, he wrote the lyrics, but he pretty much wrote the basic melodies and then had Geddy and Alex ad-lib and come up with what sounds good for the riffs and bridges to carry over the different stanzas. I do not believe any other man could have generated so much lyrics and various percussion experiments. I have seen a video that a fan will play two videos of Neil playing side by side and the beats are dead-on exact to each other. I kid you not! There are many other music groups that if you listen to their entire album, every song sounds the same and just using different lyrics. Not with Rush. They have explored so many genres and styles of playing. They had a lot of synths, then they reduced or eliminated the synths and played just pure instruments. Neil experimented with electronic percussions and many samples of delicate and historical instruments that he has collected over the decades. It's been a year already and I miss him so much.
There is a video of Tom Sawyer there they drop the studio version into the live track for a drum isolation. It is ALL on the grid.
@8:03youarecorrect. Geddy and Alex played along helping Neil
Just for your information I heard that they recorded it live and tracked it 40 times before they were satisfied. You got very good instinct of knowing what's happening with his band you're always right on top of it it's awesome
Thank you for the info and kind words!
6:45 The beginning of Neil's famous ride bell, snare and kick pattern "Strangiato" groove combo!
are you kidding with the "overdubs" comment... this is The Professor
No mention of the ride at 10:55? One of my favorite things about this tune is how at that point, you can hear Peart using two different playing areas on the ride. Beats 1-4 of each measure are one pitch on the ride cymbal, beats 5-7 are another. Mastery.
This is one of the most fascinating and inspiring parts to his playing. I remember hearing this and just being blown away by the artistic choice and creative brilliance of this ride cymbal part.
They took more time recording this song than the entire fly by night album
Oh wow!
Alex lifeson, in an interview(that are on youtube), said that it's not true. He said, that they played the music in only one take.
And he said, that he used only one overdub to re-do the "main" solo.
It's pronounced with a soft G. Stran GEE ahto :-)
As a bassist who started playing over 40 years ago after hearing Geddy, I can't thank you enough for your posts, insights, and holy s$it the isolated tracks which give me even more admiration for his unique style and mastery. For me, the true beauty of music is the diifferent ways in which each player approaches a song, gifting us with their unique fingerprint and expression. I'll never dare to argue or even express who is best - I'm not qualified. I have favorites (Derek effin' Trucks!) but I don't dare judge or rate. I digress - your Rush playlist has made me smile LOTS this week. Thank you and CHEERS from North Carolina! Suggestions: By-Tor and the Snow Dog, Carter Beaufort, Dave Weckl, Dennis Chambers, Omar freakin' Hakim!, Bill Bruford, an isolated When The Levee Breaks... I can do this all day but I won't. : )
Great suggestions Clint!
Will take that on board :)
Carter Beauford is a phenomenal drummer and to me, by far the best talent in the Dave Matthews Band. I never get tired of syncopation.
This was a masterpiece. As I understand it this was pieced together from studio takes. However, when they brought it to the stage they performed it flawlessly as a band. This was one of the most impressive songs to see them do live on stage. Fortunately I got to see them do it..!
Oh awesome. Great memories for you
They were never able to get this down on tape during the original album recording. They ended up splicing the parts together. Neil has mentioned this in several interviews. He stated when it did come time to rehearse for the Hemispheres tour they were able to play it all the way through but just couldn’t it done in the studio.
Wow first time I've heard the drums isolated on this song and all I can say is wow, wow,wow. Still amazes me always will. RIP..or R.I.Loud A.F drumming.
This was a notoriously hard album to record, for one because it was composed in keys that were hard for geddy to sing, but also because they did mostly everything in one take. Insanity.
One of my favs is the pink pop video of this, there’s this youthful raw agression in the performance, it’s a hell of a treat that that video exists. It’s also the best recorded performance of Alex’s parts IMO, and he has a busted finger!
I’m arriving late to the party, but I was missing Neil today, and this definitely scratched an itch!
When Rush recorded La Villa Strangiato they had to do it in three different takes for the album because they were over achieving they said later years they learned to play it all at once
I saw an interview with Alex years ago where he said when recording La Villa initially, they did indeed do the album track in one take. He did say in preparing to record that they often got lost in where they or others were in the song and had to start from the start again. Peart said on this track they certainly felt like they bit off more than they could chew back then. Yeah... right. :)
Nice one John! 🙌
@@AndrewRooneyDrums cheers mate. I found your channel the other day and always love seeing people 'discover' Rush. I just can't believe the boys never made it in Ehn Zed. ;)
According to the film, Geddy said they "gave up" and did it in three sections pieced together.
Happy to report I’ve seen both Rush and Flight of the Conchords at my local venue, Red Rocks, perhaps the most iconic outdoor venue in the world. I also studied in New Zealand for two years back in the day. I’m a bass player and Geddy was my hero growing up. Neil and Alex are pretty good, too. 😁
Interesting to hear the isolated drums, I've heard this song so many times it's easy to hear the rest of the instruments in my mind.
Fantastic Gerry!
The “Monsters” section of this is lifted straight from Powerhouse by Raymond Scott. Neil especially was heavily influenced by the jazz legends of old.
ua-cam.com/video/qaC0vNLdLvY/v-deo.html
Excellent Paul!
It was actually Alex's "fault" as the song came from a period hrcwas suffering from nightmares and insomnia and would sit and play along with cartoons.
When they realized what had happened Rush, being the classy guys they are, immediately apologized to Scott's family and offered $30K. The family was impressed by the gesture and never demanded any sort of credit or royalties.
If you are an old fart like me, you have heard that tune many times on Looney Tunes cartoons.
I've never heard the isolated drum track for this!
Sooo cool. 🥁
💜💫✌🏼🎵
Can’t wait to do another one! 🥁👌
Hey, Andy! Ordered your cool drums & coffee mug and gave it to my drum enthusiast brother for Christmas. He says he likes it and will take it to work as his coffee break mug. One of the best things about 2020 for me was discovering your channel. Merry Christmas and happy new year from over here in Finland!
WOW! That's too kind!
Such a brilliant drummer.
WOW! I loved hearing only the drum track. That was awesome ! tyty
I love the isolated drum tracks too Jon!
It was recorded as live as they could but according to docs, they had outdone themselves in writing it SO they bit the bullet and divided it into 3 sections to get it down.
I have to say that hearing this has doubled down on the spacious building guitar solo halfway through
thanks
They tried to do this one live but they ended up recording it in 3 different parts together as a band.
Love this. I remember the first time listening to yyz isolated drum track. Even more appreciation for Neil’s masterful work. I knew he was great but to hear everything that he’s doing just blew my naïve mind.
I vaguely remember it was tracked live .. but there were maybe 3 sections live glued together .. without googling it but it was definately recorded as a band ..never heard this isolated before didn t realise how much was in it !! even for a number 1 fan geek like me .. Peace and love brother 👍🏻☮😈
edit ...good old Google, yes recorded in 3 sections but all done as a band together ...👍🏻❤❤❤❤❤☮
Tracked together is still impressive as hell!
@@AndrewRooneyDrums yes indeed I think it would have four hundred splices (edits for the young viewers) if I tried to record it ..👍🏻☮❤
@@tradjick
I found an interview, Geddy said it was recorded in 3 sections .But of course each section could be multiple takes to find the right ones ..Amazing they could play it live all the way through so well thought the years .. Well not amazing really as it's Rush . I can't begin to imagine being that talented but have been inspired by them and many others ..my offerings are a nod to all my heroes from 70s and 80s but with a thousandth of the genius and talent ! 👍🏻☮❤
@@tradjick
This is a great historical artefact (ok it's an interview , calm down Springy !) ..
Hemispheres is my favourite Rush album , but I chose Springy 2112 as my channel name because "Springy Hemispheres Cygnus x-1 book 2 prelude the battle of hearts and minds" etc etc was not so catchy ..😲..
Thanks again peace and love brother 👍🏻☮❤
The problem with isolated drum tracks with Rush is that often times it's actually Alex Lifeson keeping the timing, letting Neil and Geddy play off the beat.
Nice one Scott!
I think that later than this piece though,mostly when the synths started to take centre stage on the likes of Subdivisions and the Weapon
Except for The Spirit of Radio... Alex said (on the “How To Play TSOR” video) that he can get a bit too quick on the signature lick of the song... he relies on Neil to maintain his timing.
Thought I remember hearing that Alex liked to get ahead of himself and so they put a delay into his ear from the drums. Don’t know if that’s true
when I was learning this song on bass guitar, having been learning other Rush songs, it was just 'this is how the song goes.' Listening to the middle section of the song's drum part now, and thinking back to when I was able to play it properly on bass, I remember thinking 'they never shut up.' I think Geddy once said he wished he got paid by the note...... same for Neil, paid by the hit
For the stereo effect on the toms and cymbals, I learned in recording class to pan the overhead mics hard right and left respectfully. As a drummer I would have to remember to pan opposite from playing position for audience perspective.
Neil was a huge Gene Kruppa fan, but also notice that while he's an incredibly tasteful drummer, he can also be incredibly busy, since he was also a huge Keith Moon fan!
I was at hemisphere concert in Toronto, amazing stuff, didn't know what I was witnessing. Geddy and Alex left the stage, must gone on for 15 minutes
The favorite drummer of your favorite drummer is Neil Peart!!
HAHA I love that!
By that logic my favourite drummer Neil Peart's favourite drummer would be Neil Peart
It was recorded at Rockfield studios, Monmouth, South Wales and mixed at trident in London, I seem to remember they played a lot with the accoustics at Rockfield, it wasn't a traditional recording studio, it was an old dairy farm, and so had lots of old buildings with lots of different sounds
My phone just reminded me to listen to Neil, it needs to update the clock's accuracy. Damn ghost notes are unbelievable.
RIP PROFESSOR
HAHA awesome!
Neil is basically 3 differently timed click tracks all playing at the same time
yes, they recorded this while plating toghether in two different occasons
Cheers Vittorio!
YYZ or YYZED interpretation don’t matter at all...And it’s clear and obvious your reaction to only just hearing Rush is pure genuine and indeed a joy to see your reaction.....Great reactions totally keep exploring Rush it only gets better 👍
Love your channel.
As a Rush fan, so glad you went down the rabbit hole and discovered their music, and as a fellow resident of Planet Drum, seeing your mad respect for Neil Peart.
Please do a response/breakdown on his last (and perhaps greatest song), The Garden.
When🤞🏻you get around to Rush week you should include some of Neil’s Buddy Rich tribute material.
For sure Paul!
Cottontail!
The best track on "Burning For Buddy" is Kenny Aronoff on "Straight No Chaser." Mastery.
Thank you for doing Rush. RIP PROFESSOR PEART
I've got a whole rush playlist!
@@AndrewRooneyDrums I'm just becoming aware, and I'm happy for you. The drum isos you do are really interesting. I play trumpet for 13 yrs, not drums but they are informative. I just love watching Rush reaction videos from all kinds of musicians including you. Thank you.
Any song from Rush in Rio is perfect live
Agreed. Rio was transcendent, as Neil said.
I Love Flight of the Conchords too! And Rush. And you. ❤️🤘👍thank you
Rock on! 🤘
They did do the studio version live, but after 11 days of trying to get it in one shot, they had to break it into 3 parts. They admitted they had written music a bit beyond their abilities.
They eventually could play it live… obviously.
Greatest guitar solo(s) ever in this song.
Love it Kris!
This was recorded live. They recorded the sections separately then glued them together. In interviews they spoke about how difficult it was to pull this off and get live takes they were happy with.
Your question about "Might there be overdubs?" reminds me of the time Modern Drummer magazine interviewed him, and asked how many overdubs he used on "Red Sector A" (from "Grace Under Pressure"), and when he told them he didn't do any overdubs, they basically didn't know what to do. And I was lucky enough to see that tour and watch him do it in person. :)
Recorded or live. The same.
Best band ever.
I’ve listened to this song so many times I know exactly where they’re at without guitar and bass playing haha!
I love that Zach!
What I've heard is they spent a week trying to do it all flawlessly in one take, but ended up having to piece it together from the best bits of what they recorded.
Love your channel. As an US citizen I can tell you I understand both zed and zee for Z. Carry on.
The band played together in three separate parts for the album track.
👌
Neil’s drumming on this track is just incredible. It actually took Geddy & Neil about 40 takes to get the sound that they really wanted, and I’ve heard that Neil’s drums on this track are actually from different takes and they just put them together, but don’t quote me on that because I don’t know if that’s entirely true. Also, according to Neil (from interviews I’ve seen) this and Tom Sawyer are the hardest songs to play live. RIP Neil.
Thanks for the info!
The drum track was recorded in multiple passes. Not any overdubs per se but it wasn't recorded in one take either. I believe Geddy said they recorded the bed track together and then did overdubs where needed.
I think I've watched every Rush reaction you've done today and I've watched a couple of them twice. It's easy for me or Anybody to say he was the greatest But with that being said, it's not fair to other greats that mabey we've never seen or heard. But I think the fair thing to say is at least for a progressive Rock music drummer, he was the most influential. But what do I know, I'm not even a drummer 🤣😂. Love your vids bro. Your the best I've seen at reaction vids👍. Keep the Rush coming my friend. My personal favorite song by Rush is red barchetta 🔥🎶🎵
I've played bass for 43 years because I heard Geddy. I've discovered a ton of incredible players across all genres since then but, when I hear recordings of my playing, Geddy's influence is obvious. I'm not in any way comparing myself to him, I wouldn't dare, just acknowledging the undeniable impact of immesring in his style. Anyway, all of that to say this: I don't dare to call anyone the "best" or greatest. 1st, who am I to judge and, 2nd and more importantly, art is not a competition. For me, the beauty of music is in each players unique approach, hearing their musical expression of what they feel. I ditched "best" a long time ago and replaced it with "favorite" which is comical becuase I could not name a single favorite on any instrument with the possible exception of Derek effin' Trucks. Cheers!
They tracked it in a drum room - If you watch the video of LIMELIGHT you can see the setup they used at Le Studio for their album Moving Pictures. Neil didn't just play drums - he COMPOSED his tracks.
you might like the yt vid rush pre gig warmup which shows neil drumming and twirling his drumsticks.
They tried to record it all on in one long take as a group but I believe they ended up having to split it into 3 sections.
That's what I heard too.
Clearly they practiced it a lot after that to be able to play it live but it was a brand new composition when they recorded it and after attempting to record it live several times they realized that it was gonna take way to long to get it down and studio time ain't cheap.
Sometimes you just gotta do what you gotta do. 🤷♂️
@@ericisprobablyfullofshit7797 yeah if you watch beyond the lighted stage that's what they say
Neil's hi-hat work on this piece is world class.... Vinnie and Gadd level :)
Hard to believe that you haven't done a reaction for By-Tor & the Snow Dog yet!!! Fantastic to hear & see live, but your first reaction to it should be the full LP version with lyrics. Then you can another reaction to them performing it live. Neil's first LP with Rush (Rush's 2nd LP) & Neil's lyrics of course.
You should do the camera eye. His fill work on that song is absolutely mind numbingly complex and awkard, in a good way.
And i still miss The Professor so much!!!🤘🇧🇷♥️🤴
good drinking game,take a shot every time there's a ghost note on the snare
HAHA
End up in the hospital getting your stomach pumped.
1978 yes recorded live at Rockfield Studios Wales, spot on
Geddy and Alex would do their parts in different takes. But when Neil came into the studio, he listened to their playing in one headphone and some metronome clicks in the other. if you watch the vids out there of his tech and the audio guys from the tour, they would tell you what he liked in his mix.
The stereo thing could be because Neil sometimes recorded with a stereo pzm mic taped to his chest.
Wow! Awesome info Kevin. Thank you!
This Rush album was mostly recorded live. Doing so convinced the guys to start writing shorter, more radio-friendly songs.
"pretty outlandish fills" - yes ... 😂
HAHA!
Lately, It’s sad to see what’s happening to the great country I was born & raised in. Not too long ago, Canadians had much to be proud about. For such a relatively small country population wise, we have turned out some of the greatest bands / performers of all time. I wouldn’t even know where to begin…from Neil Young, Joni Mitchell, Leonard Cohen, Gordon Lightfoot, Guess Who, Steppenwolf, April Wine, Triumph, Brian Adams, Celine Dion, Alanis Morissette, Tragically Hip, Nickelback, Shania Twain, Drake etc x 1000. I’m also old enough to have seen some great bands in their infancy - some went on to international fame: Rush, Triumph, Guess Who, etc But I also got to see some ultra talented bands who didn’t get much recognition outside of Canada. If you’re not Canadian or never heard of The Stampeders, Tragically Hip, Chilliwack, Blue Rodeo OR MY FAVORITE, April Wine, give a listen, you won’t be disappointed!
These isolated tracks are awsome. There is isolated base-track of yyz, blows my mind. And I have been listening to Rush for decades.
I hope to check it out!
Picked up the "name" Enzedd from Robert Heinlein "Friday."
Isolated drums of Scars off of Presto. There is stuff going on in that, that will blow your mind.
The stereo effects are done in the post...and all because they were beautifully recorded in the first place. Recording drums in 1978...the golden age.
I believe the original track was laid down in pieces (not all in one take) as the time signature(?) changes alone made things difficult. In one of his (or Geddy's) interviews, he stated that they weren't going to do this song live because it was so difficult. Thankfully for the rest of us mortals, that didn't always hold true. I'm fairly certain that Neil's drumming didn't have anything dubbed over.
Cheers Jim!
i do belive this was the new years eve show in canada were the opening act was max webster another canadian band
_Sing sing sing_ ... _Gene Krupa_ good guess for those days! In fact it’s from Raymond Scott 1937 _Powerhouse_ and Scott’s drums arrangements are jungle enough to reflect Krupa’s work indeed.
Found myself playing air bass along with this 😂
Canadian band and YYZ is the airport code for Toronto Pearson airport. Definitely zed.
it was 1978 and they try to do the whole album in one take back then were close 3 times but not Quite
They usually do it all in one take but this song they had to break it into three parts because of the length and the Dynamics of the song
No studio overdubs n trucks just pure Neil!! U need to watch vids of Rush in action. What u hear on the album u get the same live!!!
Watch Working man live in Cleveland...awesome
Will do. Thanks for the tip!
@@AndrewRooneyDrums you seem to appreciate and understand the tracks...😀 happy Christmas
the thing about rush is they were all masters of there instruments
Dude it doesn't matter but I am in Canada right this moment and we call it Zee. That dude doesn't know. ..about the band not getting played on radio in NZ I 100% know that's true as well. Back in the day being interviewed Geddy said we have everything we could ever want and the most loyal fans a band could ask for, the only thing that could make it better would be to take our music to Asia, Australia and New Zealand. Africa too. Someday. That was in the 1980s.
The clocks are there because it was the clockworks angels tour and Alex the guitarist is into steampunk things
Nice Chip! Love it
Hope you guys are safe and sound down there after the quakes rolled through
@@chipschoepfer710 Yes mate. Was a ways from us. But fragile little islands in terms of earthquakes jeez!
I have been through a few of them and it is something you never get used to, but yet the people who live in California do get used to them
They're fadihg him in... on the mix...
No. No, that's Neil. There's no fading or mixing.
AND NO there's no overdubs. So in light of that explain to me how this is not proof of Neil's immortality: 16:00 to 16:04 that second snare fill. How is that even possible? Can you explain that to me? I mean technically what the heck?
Give it to me straight, does he have an octopus with him?
The Tom runs you wonder if they're over dubbed?
Watch him play it live. It sounds the same.