: : Great drummers

Peart Neil

Musicians or bands:

Rush

Biography and commentary:

Born in 1952, Neil Peart joined the progressive rock band Rush in 1974 (he then also writes the lyrics), now totaling more than 40 million albums sold, being the most popular Canadian band in the USA. Neil does not shine for the originality of his playing or his music (except by "funky" asymmetrical measures , the band's style being heavily influenced by the English progressive rock from Led Zeppelin (John Bonham) in the begenning, to gradually deviate and find his own style, with more complex compositions and written and addition of electronic sounds, which is not without still reminding King Crimson and Rick Wakeman (Bill Bruford) or Genesis (Phil Collins )) but we must recognize that he has a technique perfectly mastered and sharp, which he improves with each new album by integrating the mastery of new styles, such as jazz, lately (rare quality, even among the best professionals). His talent holds in my opinion especially in the quality of his educational videos in which he describes perfectly fairly difficult concepts to decipher by ear and rarely explained (fast and complex ornamentation integrating the feet, for example). Mike Portnoy (Dream Theater) considers him as one of his main influences, like many current progressive metal drummers. Neil had the honor of participating in a Buddy Rich Memorial Scolarship Concert, where he plays a solo of anthology, very cultured and virtuosic passing with an impressive mastery, from the most classical jazz solo “à la” Buddy Rich, precisely, to the most recent Metal, “à la” Joey Jordison. He has produced himself a continuation of this experience, "Burning for Buddy" (1994 and 1997 cd and video), by inviting the best drummers in the world in all styles, to play in studio with the Buddy Rich Big Band (Matt Sorum (Guns N Roses), Kenny Arronoff (Lynyrd Skynyrd), Bill Bruford (King Crimson), Manu Katché (Sting), Mino Cinelu (Miles Davis), Joe Morello (Dave Brubeck), Simon Phillips (Toto), Dave Weckl (Chick Corea), Billy Cobham, Max Roach, Rod Morgenstein, Omar Hakim, Marvin "Smitty" Smith, Steve Smith, Steve Ferrone, Ed Shaughnessy, and himself! In other words, a "must" for any serious drummer).

Marc De Douvan, publication in French: January 3, 2006 (for the translation in English: July 12, 2015)

Official website

Link to Drummerworld or other