RIP Neil Peart

It's a good damn thing they're in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

 

I learned to play a right-handed kit left-handed. Never had a chance.

 

No fucking shit.

 

I just realized he never showed off.

Just playing those songs was showing off enough.

 

Stop. You're validating Jann Wenner with this. Don't do that.

 

Thing is, in spite of this ugly aftermath, had a pretty smooth day at work. Go figure. Listened to nothing but Rush all day while putting stuff together. Nothing really went awry, which is really unusual. A co-worker was really cooperative, and that was a big help.

Came home with two basketball games and a hockey game on the DVR, intending to watch them all before nodding off. The hockey team is playing as consistently well as it has in at least a decade.

Couldn't watch them. Watched the documentary "Time Stand Still" still on the DVR. Rush fans were hoping this wasn't the end. It's about four years old, and Neil was really cooperative for the production and looked fine.

Needed that. This shouldn't bother me so much, but it does.

 

I wish I learned to play the piano better, learned to read and write music. Being a writer is good, but people still have to make a conscious decision to read your work and know the language you are writing in. Music endures. We're still singing Christmas songs from 13th C. You hear music even if you don't want to hear it or understand the language. Plus - you write a good song and it will outlive you and probably provide for you and your loved ones long after you're gone and keep putting smiles on people's faces. That's pretty cool. Peart's artistic and technical prowess will endure and continue to inspire.

 

@DanOregon I am musically literate but have zero talent. That's just not where my gifts are. However, I love it and cannot do without it. If I had to choose between books and music, it would be very hard.

One of the delights of being an aunt (of sorts) to my friends' kids and grandkids is witnessing their incredulous responses to Neil Peart, Keith Moon, Ringo Starr, Buddy Rich, Clem Burke, and so on. Especially where Peart and Moon are concerned, the young'uns sometimes can't believe that's one person on a kit. They say there has to be some studio magic going on, even with the live performances. (Who knew being a tribal elder could be so much fun?)

 

I'd add Ringo's son, Zak Starkey, to this list.

 

Saw an interview with Geddy Lee where he said they added the bells in "Closer to the Heart" so Lifeson would have time to switch from acoustic to electric onstage.

 

Oh, goodness, yes!

I have a bizarre affection for Geddy Lee. I think it was hearing him interviewed on NPR back in the late 70s(?) that got me interested in Rush in the first place.

 

This is one of my fondest memories with my dad. We would go to Vegas occasionally. He loved it. Our plan was go gamble and meet in the lounge bar at 5 for a good cocktail before dinner. A solo lounge singer with a guitar and some percussion stuff is playing. He turns on some gizmo that provides a beat and starts singing. My dad leans over to me and asks, "Where is the fucking drummer?"