His drumming is intricate and explosive, expanding Rush’s power-trio dynamics. His lyrics transformed the band’s songs into elaborate suites.
Neil Peart, the spectacle drummer and high-concept lyricist for the Canadian progressive-rock trio Rush, passed away on Tuesday in Santa Monica, Calif. According to reports, the cause was brain cancer.
Rush makes history— as the trio of Geddy Lee on vocals, keyboards and, bass, Alex Lifeson on guitars and Mr. Peart on drums after Mr. Peart replaced the band’s founding drummer, John Rutsey, in 1974.
Mr. Peart’s lyrics transformed the band’s songs into multi-section suites exploring science fiction, magic and, philosophy, often with the libertarian sentiments that informed songs like “Tom Sawyer” and “Freewill.” And Mr. Peart’s drumming is intricate and explosive, pinpointing odd meters and expanding the band’s power-trio dynamics countless drummers admired his technical prowess.
In a recording career that continued into the 2010s, Rush headlined arenas and have more than a dozen platinum albums. Mr. Peart is Author, writing books about his travels and his memoirs. After a Rush tour in 2015, he retired from performing, citing its physical toll. According to the band’s statement, He Being suffering from brain cancer for three and a half years.
After playing in rock bands during his teens, he moves to England at 18. But in 1972 he returned to Canada, where he worked at his father’s farm-equipment dealership and played with local bands.
Rush finished his final tour in August of 2015, after releasing their last album, Clockwork Angels, in 2012. Peart was done with the road. He asked whether he could stay physically capable of playing his demanding parts, and was eager to spend more time with his wife, Carrie Nuttal, and daughter Olivia.
On August 10th, 1997, Peart’s 19-year-old daughter, Selena, died in a single-car accident on the long drive to her university in Toronto. Five months later, Selena’s mother Peart’s common-law wife of 23 years, Jackie Taylor was diagnosed with terminal cancer, Peart told his bandmates to consider him retired, and embarked on a solitary motorcycle trip across the United States. He remarried in 2000 and found his way back to Rush by 2001.
Neil Peart is a good drummer for the type of music he plays but his technique is limited to mostly single stroke rolls in creative sticking patterns and time signatures on a large drum set. Peart has cultivated A large popularity following through relentless touring, some memorable performances and by carefully managing his image and brand. Peart and his bandmates were made Officer of the Order of Canada in 1996. The trio were the first rock musicians to be bestowed the highest civilian honor by the Canadian government. He was inducted into the Canadian Songwriter Hall of Fame along with bandmates Lifeson and Lee. On April 18, 2013, Rush was inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame.
After the death of his first daughter, Neil took a long respite to mourn and reflect, and traveled extensively throughout North and Central America on his motorcycle, covering miles.
