A great tribute to a great man. RIP Professor, the world was a better place because you were in it. Thankfully we can still see a part of who you were.
@1kewlglamma I had adjusted to no more albums or tours. I figured Neil earned his retirement, but to have him go out like that so soon after retiring and leaving a 5 year old daughter just fucking kills me. Its not right
As much as his death has saddened me- as it has so many other family, friends, musicians around the world, I think Neil would say the show must go on. My personal take away is to remember how Rush and Neil filled me with a sense of chasing dreams and one day roping them. Of being a good human, with dignity and honor and inspiring those around us. Cumulatively small changes we each make shape the world to drive it in a better direction. If I can inspire and touch the world in but a fraction of what Neil did, mission accomplished. So let's do something great! Let us aspire to be the best version of ourselves we can be! Thanks to Neil and Rush for showing the way.
Neil Peart will always be my biggest hero. After having a "tragedy" of my own and searching for my own healing road.... I happened upon his book Ghost Rider. No family, friends or therapist could console my wounded heart the way Neil's book did. I can say that I am only here today...because of Neil. Only a hero can write a book about some very tough life tragedies. Thank you Professor, you made every day count, and that serves me as inspiration to not only survive, but to strive to thrive! RIP my good man.
Thanks Chris. Yes it doesn't seem fair that Neil, who had such a beautiful and amazing mind died from brain cancer. His lyrics.. So much more than just songs. Poetry, proverbs, lessons, guides, portents, wisdom, knowledge and more. I hope he is in his Tai Shan. All love my brother. X
Reading these comments leads me to a truth: this humble man has touched all with intelligence, inspiration and thoughtfulness. What greater gift can anyone hope to bestow?
His lyrics saved my life at 12 when my mom died. The Pass. I'm humbled to just have been smart enough to know how much more the Professor is larger than life. I learned from him so much from a distance. Forever in gratitude.
Just when I had gotten to the point that I could listen to something about Neil Peart without shedding tears, I hear this one. This was a beautiful tribute - thank you for posting.
So many words have been spoken about Neil. I could add mine but I am at a loss due to the millions who knew or studied his style. I would add this though. If drummers were cars, lol, some sound like the rod bearings were getting ready to bust through the motor block. Some sound like the trash truck when workers repetitively bang metal trash can lids to clean them. Some sound like they barely get over the hill. With Neil's playing, it would sound as smooth as a Rolls Royce, with a Cadillac styling. You would never notice the shift of the transmission until he had already left you a mile back. Even with simple rudiments, Neil could execute them with a precision that would make other drummers stop & listen. Yes, millions of words are & will always be spoken of Neil Peart but Neil himself always said he wasn't a master drummer but a master student. He never stopped studying the instrument. He sought to experiment using different styles, set ups, changing the notation, always seeking new vistas in percussion. He left us all with a challenge, to never be static on regards to drumming. The Professor of Percussion may be gone, but his collectivism is etched indelibly until the end of time.
I am a die-hard RUSH fan & I am STILL not “over” the loss of our “heartbeat” . Thank you for this video. I am crying again & it’s been over a year since the loss. NEP & RUSH FOREVER!!!!
You're welcome! I feel your pain too. It's been hard for me to wrap my head around how someone I never met had such an affect on me during his life and after.
amen to that. Amazing man. Every time I hear Rush, I think about how much he influenced me and others. When I do play, I try to put the spirit of him in it. I try to think how he would possibly play it. I know I'll never be as great as he was, but who could.
I am a Sabian cymbals artist/endorser out of Canada and my dealings with Chris have always been fantastic. A top-notch human who Neil himself spoke highly of in his books…I am touched by his words and also truly sorry for his loss. I love the glass of The Macallan on the table, too!
Being a Friend, without expectation and keeping shared moments JUST THAT was I’m assuming all too rare. Through Neil, learning how he kept away from Fans, never out of spite, prepared me in how to act around people like him, (NFL & MLB). Seeing photos of Neil enjoying himself outside of the bombast is special. I don’t read books, but I read most of Ghost Rider while flying to Mexico in ‘04. It changed me. As a father of two daughters, it was easy to place myself in his shoes, but impossible to feel his pain. I picked up Chops after hearing 2112 and his solo on ESL. These wooden sticks lifted me from nerd to the next level, (the nerve to ask an upper classmate to go with me in 8th grade/1982, her in 9th, her later telling me she likes my chest in the yearbook band photo😂). TMI. Just wanted to confirm the stories that most of us Rush Fans have. What a story, legacy and legion of Air Drummin Bandfags He’s created! Oh, and if I ever purchase a Bike, BMW’s all the way, just without the Diesel Dibacle. 🤘🏼
Beautiful words and touching tribute! It appears you were a good friend to him and for a private guy...he needed that, I'm guessing. touching to read the comments below and how Mr. Peart affected all of our lives! What a great role model for me growing up! What I like to know....Are you Brutus?
Neil's lyrics and genius talent on the drums is part of the fabric of my youth. I'm 57 now and have been a Rush fan from the first album. My wife and I still spend time walking our dogs on the beach at Lakeside Park in Port Dal - a big part of Neil's early days. They've named the new pavilion in the park after him - the Peart Pavilion. I doubt it'll happen...but I dream that maybe Geddy and Al will play a special concert at the pavilion while seeing the 'willows in the breeze' across the way. That would really be something special.
I'm 58, same here! Been following Rush since the beginning, and as a drummer myself, I was always amazed by Neil's creative approach behind the skins. Rest in peace my friend.
I saw Rush live only once - several decades ago in Los Angeles (Lakers Stadium). One of the greatest moments of my life. I am now 54, married with two daughters. When I heard Neil had passed away I cried like I don't remember myself crying. Greatest drummer of all time imo and what a great guy. Been through so much tragedy and hardship and also so much joy and fulfillment. RIP Professor.
He was our generation's Buddy Rich or Gene Krupa. He showed us where music meets art and science. For those contributions, he's in a class that very few others belong to. He is missed!
Thanks Tim, stories like the ones you just shared with us bring me closer the beautiful one of a kind rare souls of Neil, The Proffesser. thnx again Tim !
This was one helluva tribute. I had no clue how much of an influence Neil had on me until I heard that news. He’s the only person non family or friend wise that I literally cried over, he was that extraordinary. My son, who is 17 now, is so into Rush now and I’m sad that he’ll never get to see the force that was Neil play. After being a fan for so many years, I miss that cycle of a new album coming out and reading those lyrics and the tour that followed. What a band they were.
@@TheMrCC21 I think you may have misinterpreted the intent behind his statement. I took it as "More views" as in more people in the music community and drumming community would love this tribute video if they could find it or see it. By no means did I read it as a dick comment and that the number of views was critical. After all he ended with "Best 5 min. I've spent on my phone in a long time". I just now stumbled onto this gem today, yet it was released in April. Sometimes some of the best video's get washed out because of the other garbage that takes center stage on this video platform. Lastly, what motivation would Stephen Neville gain from more views? He was not the original author or creator of the video, so zero income is generated by his comment. One could say your response is the true "Dick comment". I tend to be in that category. Maybe reread his comment and digest it from a different perspective.
@@TheMrCC21 dude, what the fuck! Hahahaha! What the hell are you talking about? All I meant was more rush geeks like myself need to see this. This was one of Neil’s best friends! He was such a private person we don’t have the same perspective as fans. That 5 min. Was gold as far as I’m concerned.
More than anything, we learned here to simply be good humans! Thank you Chris for great words for an unknown friend of many! I got to see NP while passing by his house a few yrs back...dressed in black with African hat...having a smoke on his balcony in Santa Monica. Eye contact, but didnt bother that legend one bit that day..Cheers Neil...I raise a glass of Macallan in your memory
My sympathy and heart goes out to Chris for having the last name Stankee. I can't imagine the teasing and crap he had to take his whole life for something that wasn't his fault and he was born with. Godspeed Chris and keep your head up.
I've been keeping it together for over a year, but that anecdote about him listening to all of his daughter's drum lessons out of sight? Doing Make a Wish visits despite otherwise disliking meeting fans? Fuck. He deserved so much more than what life gave him.
When a great musician dies, I usually mourn the loss of the music I am denied, of that would have come, music the world will never hear. I cried when, without warning (to me), Neil's passing was announced. But my pain is ameliorated as I discover the fullness of his life, and what a truly good man he was. RIP, Neil!!! You will always be a long-awaited dear friend -- I'll see you' in Xanadu!!!
All these years and it still effects me. In principal and in practice, I could certainly do worse when looking up to someone. He was a unique guy and ALWAYs true to himself. He did not sell out his art, his ethic or his ethos.
Rush was my very first concert I went to with Primus opening up at the San Diego Sports Arena. That night changed my life and gave it purpose after seeing The Three Stooges live. A few years later I got a drum set! All three of them are the perfect example of what great band is. To become a successful three piece band is tough but to be one of the greatest three piece band ever inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall Of Fame sounds nearly impossible to most bands. That is unless you're names are Geddy, Alex or Neil. With the amount of success and fame they've achieved in their career spanning over 30+ years you would think that would change a person into someone like an "Axle Rose" lead singer mentality ( * "Ass Kicking Axle" from "Appetite For Destruction" not the new Axle version 2 Plus size we've heard and seen in more recent news). Not these Canadians. It's always good to see that they are all still close friends and are very humble "Kings." Thank you Neil for being a part of my life's sound track growing up. It's sad that we had to say "a farewell" to one... but you never know. Maybe we will meet each other in our next life. Sometime in the future. Could be in 2112 in a place high up in the misty mountains where the sunlight dances and the soft wind stirs through all the leaves in place called Rivendell.
Best drummer ever, and a humble good man. World needs more men like him. Will be missed! Edit to add, he would dismiss almost everything I said, that's just the kind of guy he was!
I used to chuckle at reading his stories about his love of milkshakes in his books. It made him human, relatable and approachable. Not that I ever would. Like him, I never had a desire to meet those I admired and he was certainly near the top of that list. I liked our relationship as it was: He the writer and me the reader. He the entertainer and me the audience. It worked. From 1982-2015 and 49 shows, it worked. I was age 12 at show #1 and age 45 at the final show #49. That's a lot of life to live. They "boys" started out as almost superheroes, then simply, "the band" and then in later years, almost distant friends who would stop by every couple of years to catch up. And the new material was what they were catching me up on. And through all of those shows I never felt ripped off, cheated or that they weren't all in on the night. It was a privilege to have seen them grow and evolve through all of those years. How many fans of bands can say it was a "privilege"? Rush fans can. I remember the final show I saw in Greensboro, NC in 2015, I had left a bit early to avoid the 'rush' of people and traffic (a sure sign of middle-age!!) and couldn't find my car for awhile. Turns out, when I finally did get in the car and head for the exit, there's a bus in front of me with three police cars waiting to navigate the bus onto Route 85. It was Neil's because of the trailer hitch on the back for his and his guard's (Michael, I think) bikes. I put my hazards on and trailed close behind to escape the same traffic they were escaping and somehow, it worked! I headed back towards the Charlotte area and he the opposite direction. I smiled and thought "how cool. They just saved me 15 minutes of traffic!! It was close as I'll ever get and as close as I'll ever want to get". "I thanked him aloud and that was that as I knew it was the end. Then he went his way and I mine. I think he would have liked it that way.
At 65, Neil was, IS.....one of my drummer heroes; he made a huge impression upon my own playing. And although I can't anymore, his "lessons" stay with me. Beyond the music, this guy was one of THE most intelligent souls I've come across in any field of endeavor. That's reflected in his lyrics and complexity/time signatures of his own playing. And as the narrator states, Neil was looking forward to retirement- and the fact that he had so little time once there....is among the saddest of endings. This was a beautifully told story. Thank you.
Back in 1984, i walked into the general store in Morin Heights, and there was my hero, Neil up at the deli counter. My friend asked me are you gonna get his autograph ? I replied No I'm gonna leave him alone, turns out that was my one and only chance to meet him. He certainly deserved a better retirement than that after giving his best for so many years (thanks God!) so sad, but at least he did more stuff than most people could do in a thousand lifetimes.
I drove by his house in Santa Monica a few years back....there he was on his 2nd floor balcony having a smoke at 7 am...made eye contact, but there was zero chance that I would bother him then....Same scenario the next morning
Thank you for this. When I was young I idolized him for his drumming and song compositions. I remember being a young adult when Counterparts came out, and I loved the music, but I think a lot of the lyrics on that album kinda flew over my head at the time. Years later I would hear Cold Fire just after a long drawn out end to a relationship, and it all clicked. I had to experience things before I could understand fully the weight of what Neil was conveying. Of course as time passed, more experiences were apprehended, and Neil's body of lyrics during various moments in his career continue to grab me today with all new and fresh importance. In this way he is still with us, letting all of us who thought he was some kind of God know that, alas, he was also a mere mortal human being too, with all the doubts and fears and frustrations and yearnings and trials and travails as the rest of us. Miss you Neil. Thanks so much Mr. Stankee for sharing the memories and photos.
Thank you for sharing this Chris. I used to play hockey in metro Detroit. We used to play every Friday, right across from Martin Luther King Jr. high school. One of my amazing buddies lived downtown, he owned almost the whole block. He had an apartment set up and one of the rooms had a rudimentary drum kit in it. They didn't pay much attention when I sat behind the toms until they figured out I was playing Tom Sawyer... then it was all hands on deck lol. R.I.P. Neil
I was a Rush fan from 1977 when a new friend turned me on to them , even though I never got the chance to meet Neil I went to all the Rush shows that came thru my city , I guess you could say Rush's music was the soundtrack of my youth and after Neil passed away I feel as if I lost a friend I've grown up with I still miss him very much RIP Neil my friend ❤️
What an unbelievably amazing drummer, The Professor, but more importantly what an amazingly caring man. His legacy and music with Rush will live on. Hopefully all of us can learn a lesson from him…be caring, loving and compassionate and always put the needs of others ahead of our own. Rock On! RIP Mr. Peart.
That was a WONDERFUL tribute. I hope he realizes that he wasn't just a drummer to his fans. I don't think I've ever seen anything quite like it. We never idolized Neil because Neil was far to grounded. We had and continue to have IMMENSE respect for Neil, not just as a master drummer, but as a wonderful human being.
My older brother died of cancer back in the early 80's - just as Rush had become a huge band. We went to many great shows together - but sadly not Rush. There is never enough time - but I think NP made the most of his anyway.
Neil one time said he couldn't understand how fans could be so emotional over their idols as they were people they never met. I don't think he realized at the time what it's like on our side. With a band like Rush, these aren't musicians we would hear occasionally or see on videos now and then. They're people we have seen, in person, for decades. We watched their interviews, saw their expressions on-stage in reaction to things around them, and even though we may never have met them, we do get to know at least a part of them. My soulmate and life partner of 24 years passed away in 2004. I was devastated and lost. Very, very lost. For 24 years, I was half of a couple and didn't know how to be a single person. The world felt strange, everything seemed different, and I didn't know how to go on. Rush went on their R30 tour that year, and I almost didn't go, but remembered something my partner said. I told him I always wanted to see Rush in their hometown, and he said I should do it when I get the chance. So I forced myself to get a ticket for their final show in Toronto. I went and I felt alone and depressed and very much like a stranger in a strange land. Then they came on stage and started playing, and a warm feeling spread through me. It was like a balm for my soul. These were the guys I would watch on stage, playing those same songs, years before I had ever met my partner. It was familiar. It was like coming home. It was the one constant in a now-changed life! For the first time that year, I was smiling and grinning... and honestly meaning it. Neil may not have known me, but I knew him. A little. And for a very long time. I cried when he died because even though I may not have met him in person, he was a part of my life and helped me when I needed it.
Rush is my favorite all time band. I... absolutely.. LOVE this. Thank you!! Few people know the fun humanity of Neil because he wasn't always the one up there in interviews and discussions.
Thank you for that wonderful memory into his personal side. I was lucky enough to see 20 tours, and never dropped the stick. Who does that? PS: I am truley sorry for your loss.
I grew up on Rush from the first album on! Neil inspired me to play drums and work at bettering myself on them, Thanks for a wonderful tribute to the Professor!!!!! Rock on!!!!
Literally got goosebumps while listening to your story. I didn't personally know him buy loved him very much. I was devastated when he passed. Thank you for posting.
What a wonderful tribute! Ive been a fan since I was 13, Im 53 now.. my 1st show EVER was Rush at Radio City in 1983 ! I WAS THERE! So much music and sound from 3 guys from Canada! Neil is Missed terribly! We All Mourn him.. As Ive Said he is Jammin in Heaven for sure!
Wonderful tribute, Chris. Man, I so miss Neil, but I think more for his writing. His words got me through some horrendous times, and Rush is still the only band that has ever made me pick up a dictionary.
I've been a Rush fan since 1994. Almost every song they've recorded makes me cry. It's gotten to where my gf is threatening to leave me because I cry so much while listening to their music. She told me during an argument once that I should have been born female. She also said she'd be buying me a purse real soon so I can have a place to carry my vagina around.
That doesn’t make any sense. Girls never liked Rush all that much. You are right for missing him, but when I feel sad about our loss, I remember what he said in his last book about Rush coming to an end: “I’m not sorry that it ended, but I’m grateful that it happened.”
This is a nice tribute. You've had a unique point of view. RUSH were the masters. Neil lived like every second mattered, because he always had a good time (Pun intended.)
i miss him very very much alot i always wondered about his private life i knew it would be special thank you for these inside stories wonderfull-also i was thinking i might have just met the man to help RUSH continue a bit further maybe just in the studio that be ultra cool
That was really nice, made me cry. I'm sure that a bio documentary of The 'Professor's' life and musical legend will SURELY be produced soon. Hopefully it will include more of Chris Stankee's stories about his friendship with Neil.
Thank you Tim. This is beautiful and I am in tears after watching it. My lifeWith Rush goes way back to southern Ontario where Rush with John on drums played at my High School. When Neil replaced John it elevated the trio immensley. They where with me in my heart every step of the way through life. Awesome drummer, Awesome human. Thanks again for this video
Chris thank you for sharing the real Neil Peart with the rest us that loved his playing and as a human being..I truly love hearing how humble and down to earth he was..
Thank you, Chris.You're a great guy.
It’s comforting to know that Neil lived his last days living life to its fullest
I've been in mourning for a stranger for 17 months. Neil is a loss I'll never get over.
Yes William I am right there with you on that brother.
You're not alone, friend, I still can't get my head around it.
A great tribute to a great man. RIP Professor, the world was a better place because you were in it. Thankfully we can still see a part of who you were.
@1kewlglamma I had adjusted to no more albums or tours. I figured Neil earned his retirement, but to have him go out like that so soon after retiring and leaving a 5 year old daughter just fucking kills me. Its not right
As much as his death has saddened me- as it has so many other family, friends, musicians around the world, I think Neil would say the show must go on. My personal take away is to remember how Rush and Neil filled me with a sense of chasing dreams and one day roping them. Of being a good human, with dignity and honor and inspiring those around us. Cumulatively small changes we each make shape the world to drive it in a better direction. If I can inspire and touch the world in but a fraction of what Neil did, mission accomplished. So let's do something great! Let us aspire to be the best version of ourselves we can be! Thanks to Neil and Rush for showing the way.
Neil went out like a trooper! Never felt sorry for himself A true Warrior!
Neil Peart will always be my biggest hero. After having a "tragedy" of my own and searching for my own healing road.... I happened upon his book Ghost Rider.
No family, friends or therapist could console my wounded heart the way Neil's book did. I can say that I am only here today...because of Neil.
Only a hero can write a book about some very tough life tragedies. Thank you Professor, you made every day count, and that serves me as inspiration to not only survive, but to strive to thrive!
RIP my good man.
Me also. GREAT, GREAT READ
Thanks Chris. Yes it doesn't seem fair that Neil, who had such a beautiful and amazing mind died from brain cancer. His lyrics.. So much more than just songs. Poetry, proverbs, lessons, guides, portents, wisdom, knowledge and more. I hope he is in his Tai Shan. All love my brother. X
And we are far poorer without his shining life…… Miss you!
Great work here Chris. Neil was truly one of a kind. His passing still hurts. RIP Professor.
Reading these comments leads me to a truth: this humble man has touched all with intelligence, inspiration and thoughtfulness.
What greater gift can anyone hope to bestow?
His lyrics saved my life at 12 when my mom died. The Pass. I'm humbled to just have been smart enough to know how much more the Professor is larger than life. I learned from him so much from a distance. Forever in gratitude.
That's very cool Jason. 🙏
A nice sentiment.
The Pass. Yes. That' hit me in a soft place with sentimental ease' Beautiful.
A similiar experience for me. All of Presto is incredible.
Saved my marriage too! Presto was the album that supported me.
There is NOTHING like jamming in the woods. Different woods= different character.
Just when I had gotten to the point that I could listen to something about Neil Peart without shedding tears, I hear this one. This was a beautiful tribute - thank you for posting.
🥲
So many words have been spoken about Neil. I could add mine but I am at a loss due to the millions who knew or studied his style. I would add this though. If drummers were cars, lol, some sound like the rod bearings were getting ready to bust through the motor block. Some sound like the trash truck when workers repetitively bang metal trash can lids to clean them. Some sound like they barely get over the hill. With Neil's playing, it would sound as smooth as a Rolls Royce, with a Cadillac styling. You would never notice the shift of the transmission until he had already left you a mile back. Even with simple rudiments, Neil could execute them with a precision that would make other drummers stop & listen. Yes, millions of words are & will always be spoken of Neil Peart but Neil himself always said he wasn't a master drummer but a master student. He never stopped studying the instrument. He sought to experiment using different styles, set ups, changing the notation, always seeking new vistas in percussion. He left us all with a challenge, to never be static on regards to drumming. The Professor of Percussion may be gone, but his collectivism is etched indelibly until the end of time.
I am a die-hard RUSH fan & I am STILL not “over” the loss of our “heartbeat” .
Thank you for this video.
I am crying again & it’s been over a year since the loss.
NEP & RUSH FOREVER!!!!
You're welcome! I feel your pain too. It's been hard for me to wrap my head around how someone I never met had such an affect on me during his life and after.
Drink to that, my friend..cheers!
amen to that. Amazing man. Every time I hear Rush, I think about how much he influenced me and others. When I do play, I try to put the spirit of him in it. I try to think how he would possibly play it. I know I'll never be as great as he was, but who could.
Same. Still in disbelief that he is gone.
Very well stated and I feel exactly the same way. I cry frequently as well.
That was real, thank you Chris for the insight. You were a good friend.
A touching tribute. While he couldn't pretend a stranger was a long awaited friend, he clearly forged great and long lasting friendships.
I am a Sabian cymbals artist/endorser out of Canada and my dealings with Chris have always been fantastic. A top-notch human who Neil himself spoke highly of in his books…I am touched by his words and also truly sorry for his loss. I love the glass of The Macallan on the table, too!
how did you get in contact with Chris?
Being a Friend, without expectation and keeping shared moments JUST THAT was I’m assuming all too rare.
Through Neil, learning how he kept away from Fans, never out of spite, prepared me in how to act around people like him, (NFL & MLB).
Seeing photos of Neil enjoying himself outside of the bombast is special.
I don’t read books, but I read most of Ghost Rider while flying to Mexico in ‘04. It changed me. As a father of two daughters, it was easy to place myself in his shoes, but impossible to feel his pain.
I picked up Chops after hearing 2112 and his solo on ESL. These wooden sticks lifted me from nerd to the next level, (the nerve to ask an upper classmate to go with me in 8th grade/1982, her in 9th, her later telling me she likes my chest in the yearbook band photo😂). TMI.
Just wanted to confirm the stories that most of us Rush Fans have. What a story, legacy and legion of Air Drummin Bandfags He’s created!
Oh, and if I ever purchase a Bike, BMW’s all the way, just without the Diesel Dibacle. 🤘🏼
Amen. I think I'll always miss the hero I never met. Long live the King.
Its not his loss that hits me anymore. As the father of 2 daughters, its Olivia's loss that still can hit. RIP Pratt
Fantastic. Chris is an amazing person.
Beautiful words and touching tribute! It appears you were a good friend to him and for a private guy...he needed that, I'm guessing. touching to read the comments below and how Mr. Peart affected all of our lives! What a great role model for me growing up! What I like to know....Are you Brutus?
Thank you for sharing your friend with us, his fans.
Thank you for sharing, I know how private Neil was, and I have all of his books, but I'm sure "Bubba" would approve. RIP Professor
Chris, you are a class act,,,,,,,,,
Neil's lyrics and genius talent on the drums is part of the fabric of my youth. I'm 57 now and have been a Rush fan from the first album. My wife and I still spend time walking our dogs on the beach at Lakeside Park in Port Dal - a big part of Neil's early days. They've named the new pavilion in the park after him - the Peart Pavilion. I doubt it'll happen...but I dream that maybe Geddy and Al will play a special concert at the pavilion while seeing the 'willows in the breeze' across the way. That would really be something special.
👍👍👍👍 from a dutch RUSH fan greetz fron the Netherlands
I'm 58, same here! Been following Rush since the beginning, and as a drummer myself, I was always amazed by Neil's creative approach behind the skins. Rest in peace my friend.
Art as expression,
Not as market campaigns
Will still capture our imaginations
Given the same
State of integrity
It will surely help us along
I saw Rush live only once - several decades ago in Los Angeles (Lakers Stadium). One of the greatest moments of my life. I am now 54, married with two daughters. When I heard Neil had passed away I cried like I don't remember myself crying. Greatest drummer of all time imo and what a great guy. Been through so much tragedy and hardship and also so much joy and fulfillment. RIP Professor.
He was our generation's Buddy Rich or Gene Krupa.
He showed us where music meets art and science.
For those contributions, he's in a class that very few others belong to.
He is missed!
PLUS A kick as lyricist
Thanks Tim, stories like the ones you just shared with us bring me closer the beautiful one of a kind rare souls of Neil, The Proffesser. thnx again Tim !
How this guy was able to tell this story without breaking up is beyond me because right now I'm in tears.
God bless Glen and Betty
Wow, Chris, you knew him so well. Thank you for sharing.
This was one helluva tribute. I had no clue how much of an influence Neil had on me until I heard that news. He’s the only person non family or friend wise that I literally cried over, he was that extraordinary. My son, who is 17 now, is so into Rush now and I’m sad that he’ll never get to see the force that was Neil play. After being a fan for so many years, I miss that cycle of a new album coming out and reading those lyrics and the tour that followed. What a band they were.
I know what you mean. All the way from MOVING PICTURES up through CLOCKWORK ANGELS, my adult life was measured out in Rush albums. Alas.
You both are preaching to the choir ! I saw them seven times he is missed
And yea. This needs a lot more views. Best 5 min. I’ve spent on my phone in a long time.
"This needs a lot more views." Such a dick comment. You care more about views than what he was saying. Pathetic.
@@TheMrCC21 I think you may have misinterpreted the intent behind his statement. I took it as "More views" as in more people in the music community and drumming community would love this tribute video if they could find it or see it. By no means did I read it as a dick comment and that the number of views was critical. After all he ended with "Best 5 min. I've spent on my phone in a long time". I just now stumbled onto this gem today, yet it was released in April. Sometimes some of the best video's get washed out because of the other garbage that takes center stage on this video platform. Lastly, what motivation would Stephen Neville gain from more views? He was not the original author or creator of the video, so zero income is generated by his comment. One could say your response is the true "Dick comment". I tend to be in that category. Maybe reread his comment and digest it from a different perspective.
@Stephen Neville I couldn't agree more
@@TheMrCC21 dude, what the fuck! Hahahaha! What the hell are you talking about? All I meant was more rush geeks like myself need to see this. This was one of Neil’s best friends! He was such a private person we don’t have the same perspective as fans. That 5 min. Was gold as far as I’m concerned.
@@robertbryant9380 wow did he take my comments the wrong way, thanks for backing me up rush brother! Just a rush fan here 🙄
More than anything, we learned here to simply be good humans! Thank you Chris for great words for an unknown friend of many! I got to see NP while passing by his house a few yrs back...dressed in black with African hat...having a smoke on his balcony in Santa Monica. Eye contact, but didnt bother that legend one bit that day..Cheers Neil...I raise a glass of Macallan in your memory
Your the luckiest guy in the world to have such a great friendship with Neil. Great memories thanks for sharing.
Long live the King!
My sympathy and heart goes out to Chris for having the last name Stankee. I can't imagine the teasing and crap he had to take his whole life for something that wasn't his fault and he was born with. Godspeed Chris and keep your head up.
Wow, an amazing tribute. I will never forget the day I heard of his passing. I still can’t watch some concert videos of them.
Beautiful story. How are all the other Rock legends doing up there Pratt? Have any of them said, "FINALLY, WE HAVE A DRUMMER?!"
I've been keeping it together for over a year, but that anecdote about him listening to all of his daughter's drum lessons out of sight? Doing Make a Wish visits despite otherwise disliking meeting fans?
Fuck. He deserved so much more than what life gave him.
When a great musician dies, I usually mourn the loss of the music I am denied, of that would have come, music the world will never hear. I cried when, without warning (to me), Neil's passing was announced.
But my pain is ameliorated as I discover the fullness of his life, and what a truly good man he was. RIP, Neil!!! You will always be a long-awaited dear friend -- I'll see you' in Xanadu!!!
All these years and it still effects me. In principal and in practice, I could certainly do worse when looking up to someone. He was a unique guy and ALWAYs true to himself. He did not sell out his art, his ethic or his ethos.
Rush was my very first concert I went to with Primus opening up at the San Diego Sports Arena. That night changed my life and gave it purpose after seeing The Three Stooges live. A few years later I got a drum set! All three of them are the perfect example of what great band is. To become a successful three piece band is tough but to be one of the greatest three piece band ever inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall Of Fame sounds nearly impossible to most bands. That is unless you're names are Geddy, Alex or Neil. With the amount of success and fame they've achieved in their career spanning over 30+ years you would think that would change a person into someone like an "Axle Rose" lead singer mentality ( * "Ass Kicking Axle" from "Appetite For Destruction" not the new Axle version 2 Plus size we've heard and seen in more recent news). Not these Canadians. It's always good to see that they are all still close friends and are very humble "Kings." Thank you Neil for being a part of my life's sound track growing up. It's sad that we had to say "a farewell" to one... but you never know. Maybe we will meet each other in our next life. Sometime in the future. Could be in 2112 in a place high up in the misty mountains where the sunlight dances and the soft wind stirs through all the leaves in place called Rivendell.
Best drummer ever, and a humble good man. World needs more men like him. Will be missed!
Edit to add, he would dismiss almost everything I said, that's just the kind of guy he was!
I used to chuckle at reading his stories about his love of milkshakes in his books. It made him human, relatable and approachable. Not that I ever would. Like him, I never had a desire to meet those I admired and he was certainly near the top of that list. I liked our relationship as it was: He the writer and me the reader. He the entertainer and me the audience. It worked. From 1982-2015 and 49 shows, it worked. I was age 12 at show #1 and age 45 at the final show #49. That's a lot of life to live. They "boys" started out as almost superheroes, then simply, "the band" and then in later years, almost distant friends who would stop by every couple of years to catch up. And the new material was what they were catching me up on. And through all of those shows I never felt ripped off, cheated or that they weren't all in on the night. It was a privilege to have seen them grow and evolve through all of those years. How many fans of bands can say it was a "privilege"? Rush fans can.
I remember the final show I saw in Greensboro, NC in 2015, I had left a bit early to avoid the 'rush' of people and traffic (a sure sign of middle-age!!) and couldn't find my car for awhile. Turns out, when I finally did get in the car and head for the exit, there's a bus in front of me with three police cars waiting to navigate the bus onto Route 85. It was Neil's because of the trailer hitch on the back for his and his guard's (Michael, I think) bikes. I put my hazards on and trailed close behind to escape the same traffic they were escaping and somehow, it worked! I headed back towards the Charlotte area and he the opposite direction. I smiled and thought "how cool. They just saved me 15 minutes of traffic!! It was close as I'll ever get and as close as I'll ever want to get". "I thanked him aloud and that was that as I knew it was the end. Then he went his way and I mine. I think he would have liked it that way.
At 65, Neil was, IS.....one of my drummer heroes; he made a huge impression upon my own playing. And although I can't anymore, his "lessons" stay with me. Beyond the music, this guy was one of THE most intelligent souls I've come across in any field of endeavor. That's reflected in his lyrics and complexity/time signatures of his own playing. And as the narrator states, Neil was looking forward to retirement- and the fact that he had so little time once there....is among the saddest of endings. This was a beautifully told story. Thank you.
Just heard story of him listening to daughter's drum lessons every week for three years. I'm in tears. RIP NP
I've been youtubing a lot today and this is the best 5 minutes of my whole day.
Amazing share ! Rushly touching !
Back in 1984, i walked into the general store in Morin Heights, and there was my hero, Neil up at the deli counter. My friend asked me are you gonna get his autograph ? I replied No I'm gonna leave him alone, turns out that was my one and only chance to meet him. He certainly deserved a better retirement than that after giving his best for so many years (thanks God!) so sad, but at least he did more stuff than most people could do in a thousand lifetimes.
I drove by his house in Santa Monica a few years back....there he was on his 2nd floor balcony having a smoke at 7 am...made eye contact, but there was zero chance that I would bother him then....Same scenario the next morning
It truly broke my heart when I heard the news. Thank you professor.
VERY nice......and well done.
Thank you for sharing.
Can't believe I never saw them live.....what a bummer.
Thank you for this. When I was young I idolized him for his drumming and song compositions. I remember being a young adult when Counterparts came out, and I loved the music, but I think a lot of the lyrics on that album kinda flew over my head at the time. Years later I would hear Cold Fire just after a long drawn out end to a relationship, and it all clicked. I had to experience things before I could understand fully the weight of what Neil was conveying. Of course as time passed, more experiences were apprehended, and Neil's body of lyrics during various moments in his career continue to grab me today with all new and fresh importance. In this way he is still with us, letting all of us who thought he was some kind of God know that, alas, he was also a mere mortal human being too, with all the doubts and fears and frustrations and yearnings and trials and travails as the rest of us. Miss you Neil.
Thanks so much Mr. Stankee for sharing the memories and photos.
This is one of the greatest rock music stories I have ever heard. Thanks for this mate. Unforgettable. Can't wait to tell others.
God what a beautiful hommage to Neil from Chris. Almost brought me to tears. What an amazing life Neil had.
Great remembrance. Thanks you.
Thank you for sharing this Chris. I used to play hockey in metro Detroit. We used to play every Friday, right across from Martin Luther King Jr. high school. One of my amazing buddies lived downtown, he owned almost the whole block. He had an apartment set up and one of the rooms had a rudimentary drum kit in it. They didn't pay much attention when I sat behind the toms until they figured out I was playing Tom Sawyer... then it was all hands on deck lol. R.I.P. Neil
May 17, 1978 Salt Lake City. My first RUSH concert. A life changing event for me. Thank you Chris for your story!
How cool is this? A perfect homage to a man I had no chance of meeting. Thanks for speaking for a million fans of a legend. You put it perfectly.
I was a Rush fan from 1977 when a new friend turned me on to them , even though I never got the chance to meet Neil I went to all the Rush shows that came thru my city , I guess you could say Rush's music was the soundtrack of my youth and after Neil passed away I feel as if I lost a friend I've grown up with I still miss him very much RIP Neil my friend ❤️
OMG, thank you SO much Chris ❤
Thank you for sharing. I cry over the loss of a man I never met. RIP Professor
What an unbelievably amazing drummer, The Professor, but more importantly what an amazingly caring man. His legacy and music with Rush will live on. Hopefully all of us can learn a lesson from him…be caring, loving and compassionate and always put the needs of others ahead of our own. Rock On! RIP Mr. Peart.
He was the best drummer in the world..he was so amazing to watch live..nobody plays with the power and stamina like Neil did..
That was a WONDERFUL tribute. I hope he realizes that he wasn't just a drummer to his fans. I don't think I've ever seen anything quite like it. We never idolized Neil because Neil was far to grounded. We had and continue to have IMMENSE respect for Neil, not just as a master drummer, but as a wonderful human being.
My older brother died of cancer back in the early 80's - just as Rush had become a huge band. We went to many great shows together - but sadly not Rush. There is never enough time - but I think NP made the most of his anyway.
This is an amazing inside tribute. Thank you for sharing Chris.
Wonderful tribute.
Dude, I am weeping. I love Neil so much. Rest in eternal peace, my friend and idol, Neil Peart. Thank you for magical music.
Neil one time said he couldn't understand how fans could be so emotional over their idols as they were people they never met. I don't think he realized at the time what it's like on our side. With a band like Rush, these aren't musicians we would hear occasionally or see on videos now and then. They're people we have seen, in person, for decades. We watched their interviews, saw their expressions on-stage in reaction to things around them, and even though we may never have met them, we do get to know at least a part of them. My soulmate and life partner of 24 years passed away in 2004. I was devastated and lost. Very, very lost. For 24 years, I was half of a couple and didn't know how to be a single person. The world felt strange, everything seemed different, and I didn't know how to go on. Rush went on their R30 tour that year, and I almost didn't go, but remembered something my partner said. I told him I always wanted to see Rush in their hometown, and he said I should do it when I get the chance. So I forced myself to get a ticket for their final show in Toronto. I went and I felt alone and depressed and very much like a stranger in a strange land. Then they came on stage and started playing, and a warm feeling spread through me. It was like a balm for my soul. These were the guys I would watch on stage, playing those same songs, years before I had ever met my partner. It was familiar. It was like coming home. It was the one constant in a now-changed life! For the first time that year, I was smiling and grinning... and honestly meaning it. Neil may not have known me, but I knew him. A little. And for a very long time. I cried when he died because even though I may not have met him in person, he was a part of my life and helped me when I needed it.
Thanks for sharing Chris.
What a great tribute, thanks for sharing, Neil was a one-off his music will live on.
Rush is my favorite all time band.
I... absolutely.. LOVE this.
Thank you!!
Few people know the fun humanity of Neil because he wasn't always the one up there in interviews and discussions.
Great Tribute !!!
Beautiful tribute for a great guy who just happened to be the most incredible all-around drummer the world will ever know
What a great upload. Thank you. RIP to the "new guy".
A beautiful tribute to one of the best humans to wander the face of the earth. RIP Professor.
Thank you for sharing. ❤
Thank you for that wonderful memory into his personal side. I was lucky enough to see 20 tours, and never dropped the stick. Who does that? PS: I am truley sorry for your loss.
I grew up on Rush from the first album on! Neil inspired me to play drums and work at bettering myself on them, Thanks for a wonderful tribute to the Professor!!!!! Rock on!!!!
Chris, thanks for sharing this
Rush moving pictures during high school...how lucky was I tumbling out of the head parking lot before school !!!
Literally got goosebumps while listening to your story. I didn't personally know him buy loved him very much. I was devastated when he passed. Thank you for posting.
thanks for sharing
What a wonderful tribute! Ive been a fan since I was 13, Im 53 now.. my 1st show EVER was Rush at Radio City in 1983 ! I WAS THERE! So much music and sound from 3 guys from Canada! Neil is Missed terribly! We All Mourn him.. As Ive Said he is Jammin in Heaven for sure!
Wonderful tribute, Chris. Man, I so miss Neil, but I think more for his writing. His words got me through some horrendous times, and Rush is still the only band that has ever made me pick up a dictionary.
You're a lucky man Mr.Stankee. Thanks for the stories.RIP Prof.
I've been a Rush fan since 1994. Almost every song they've recorded makes me cry. It's gotten to where my gf is threatening to leave me because I cry so much while listening to their music.
She told me during an argument once that I should have been born female.
She also said she'd be buying me a purse real soon so I can have a place to carry my vagina around.
Did she get you a purse ?
That doesn’t make any sense. Girls never liked Rush all that much. You are right for missing him, but when I feel sad about our loss, I remember what he said in his last book about Rush coming to an end: “I’m not sorry that it ended, but I’m grateful that it happened.”
This is a nice tribute. You've had a unique point of view. RUSH were the masters. Neil lived like every second mattered, because he always had a good time (Pun intended.)
i miss him very very much alot i always wondered about his private life i knew it would be special thank you for these inside stories wonderfull-also i was thinking i might have just met the man to help RUSH continue a bit further maybe just in the studio that be ultra cool
That was really nice, made me cry. I'm sure that a bio documentary of The 'Professor's' life and musical legend will SURELY be produced soon. Hopefully it will include more of Chris Stankee's stories about his friendship with Neil.
Oh lord
What a tribute
We miss you dearly, but your percussion and lyrics stay with us forever. It's timeless. Just like you.
On top of all of his other accomplishments, he was a gifted writer as well. Greatly missed.
Thank you Tim. This is beautiful and I am in tears after watching it. My lifeWith Rush goes way back to southern Ontario where Rush with John on drums played at my High School. When Neil replaced John it elevated the trio immensley. They where with me in my heart every step of the way through life. Awesome drummer, Awesome human. Thanks again for this video
Wow that was beautiful 🤘
Thanks for sharing.
Chris thank you for sharing the real Neil Peart with the rest us that loved his playing and as a human being..I truly love hearing how humble and down to earth he was..
Such a gift that you were able to experience so many things together! 👍👍❤️❤️