Classical Composer Reacts to an EPIC NEIL PEART DRUM SOLO (Der Trommler) | The Daily Doug Ep. 696
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 16 มิ.ย. 2024
- #neilpeart #drumsolo #rush
In this edition of #thedailydoug, I'm reacting to Der Trommler, a percussion solo composed and performed by Neil Peart of Rush. The piece was composed for R30, the band's 30th anniversary tour. I was absolutely spellbound watching Neil play this, and I know you will be too! Enjoy!
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Been to A LOT of Rush concerts and it's fair to say, nobody gets up for a beer during The Drum Solo!! R.I.P. Professor, we all love and miss you!!!
I agree. I saw many a Rush concert, and "The Solo" was always a high point for us. Even in the days before Rush played the whole show with no opener, no one except for the non true fans would leave when Neil played.
I noticed once that people that were walking around stopped in their tracks when his solo started
Yeah. Folks would stop dead in their tracks. I saw more than one worker at shows just forget what they were doing while the solos went on because they were blindsided.
At Genesis gigs would go to loo during the Phil Collins pop songs but definitely not the drum duets which were almost as good as Neil. Almost but not quite. Btw I mean proper drum duets not the weird drumming on a coupla of stools shit they did on the Reunion tour. 1980s Los Endos stuff was epic.
It was hard to go to the bathroom at ANY point during a Rush concert. They always kept us glued to our seats... Well, glued to the spot in front of our seats because everyone stood the whole time cheering.
Yes, Neil triggered every sound himself, including the big band riffs. The electronic side of his kit has several Roland triggers encased in custom DW tom shells, and he also has additional foot triggers. The MalletKat MIDI marimba can also trigger any programmed sound. Neil wore shoes made for drumming by Urbann Boards. They even have a Neil Peart Signature model drumming shoe.
If you go back and listen to all of his major drum solos on the live albums throughout his career, you will hear various familiar elements that have been carried forward as the solo evolved over the years. Some get left behind and new ones get added, some are brought back in later iterations. Neil's drum solo was a dynamic, living work, carefully composed and constantly re-interpreted as his experience in both music and life expanded. The man simply never stopped learning.
And now DWe drums exist. Neil was a true pioneer.
Well said. The only thing I would add (and please correct me if I get this wrong) is that Neil's drum tech, Lorne Wheaton, would load specific effects to be triggered for each song. As you said, Neil had triggers all around his kit to activate pre-loaded samples, but each song had it's own program. So the same trigger, like the round black one you can see above his snare, would activate a different sound depending on what song they were playing. If I understand this all correctly, when Neil got to the big band section of his solo Lorne would activate the program and when Neil would hit a specific drum or dedicated trigger it would play the horn sound or start the entire band at the end.
@@schafn As far as I know, you are absolutely correct. Lorne was responsible for loading the appropriate sound banks at the appropriate times throughout the show, including the solo. Neil had several distinct sound "palettes" that had to be loaded in sequence on the back end.
@somecallmetim2112 ...except one time. Watch the R30 video. I forgot exactly, but he used Roll The Bones effects on the wrong song...and you'll barely notice. It somehow worked .
A singular talent. I don't think I've missed any favourite rock star the way I've missed Neil. Thank heavens we have so many recordings, both musically and lyrically, to enjoy and remind us of his special qualities.
For me it's Jon Lord, Keith Emerson and Greg Lake.
Yep I'm with you there. Still sad that he's gone
For me it's Neil and Stevie!!!
Genius he was!
A fellow Rush fan of mine once said "We don't air-guitar we're Rush fans... we air-drum." So true.
I was sitting about 5 seats away from Mike Portnoy (Dream Theater) at a Rush Concert in Kansas City... even he was air-drumming during Tom Sawyer :)
When I was diagnosed with Carpal Tunnel Symptom and couldn’t play guitar for almost 5 months (couldn’t grip anything), that's when I started to air drum instead of air guitar.
Not just air-drum. There's also table-drum, dashboard-drum, chair drum, knee-drum, drumming on your kids' backs (not as hard as Neil hit his drums, though).
Edit: Oh, and steering wheel-drum.
THIS.
But the Geddy fans among us also do air-bass.
"Some are born to move the world
To live their fantasies
But most of us just dream about
The things we'd like to be"
Losing it - Rush
Rest in Peace Neil
Sadly gone too soon
"When I heard that he was gone
I felt a shadow cross my heart"
Nobody's Hero - Rush (Neil Peart)
Sadder still to watch it die
Than never to have known it
For you the blind who once could see
The bell tolls for thee
Suddenly you were gone. With all the lives you left your mark upon…
If Neil would have dropped a solo album of just him drumming I would buy it.
I totally agree with you He was very special I also like the drum solo by Brian Downey of Thin Lizzy at the end of Bad Reputation And a drum solo by Alex Van Halen
"The independent rhythm of all of his limbs..." what a way to describe it.
The bit starting at 6:15 where his feet are in 3/4 and his hands are doing whatever the hell they want is a quote from a jazz drummer named Max Roach, specifically his piece called "The Drum Also Waltzes," in case anyone's interested in seeing what inspired Neil to do that. Roach was a great experimental, cutting edge percussionist in the jazz space in the middle of the century that deserves a fair bit of respect for pushing the instrument forward.
Interestingly enough, Max Roach WAS NOT HAPPY that someone else had mastered his ostinato!!!
Good info, I didn't even know he got that from Max Roach, another jazz drum pioneer.
He's using a MalletKAT. It's basically a MIDI keyboard that is in the form of a marimba/xylophone/vibraphone, etc. It allows a drummer to trigger any midi sound (Rush used, bells, chimes, marimba, etc.) without having to setup multiple mallet instruments.
Only $1500 back then
Yeah... in the early days, up through maybe Moving Pictures, Neil's kit grew pretty massive - wind chimes, tubular bells, wood blocks, cowbells (which remained throughout the rest of his career), a gong, two kick drums, a triangle or two...
He was able to slim all that down with the advent of MIDI and triggering various sounds.
Then he went and added a complete second kit - the electronic one. This was a man who was most definitely not afraid to try something new, as long as it served his needs.
Thank you. I was going to say the same. I have played (around) with one.
Peart was a student of jazz drumming towards the end of his life. He never stopped learning
He also used it to trigger the drum riser rotation
Speaking as a guitarist, The Prof is about the only drummer who keeps my attention during a drum solo. I was devastated when Neil lost his life, but privileged to have seen Rush a few times. His solos were always a highlight. RIP Prof
Love watching people see Neil play for the first time. They've been doing it for 30 years, the solo is almost 9 minutes and in the middle of a 3 hour concert. The man was a force of nature. Rest in Peace, Neil.
I saw Rush 4 times on 4 different tours (2004-2013) and trust me, no one was getting beer during the drum solo by The Professor
THE ONE...The only...The Professor...Rest in Eternal Power
Music Valhalla had a place of honour long prepared for this man.
People will be talking about Neil Peart hundreds of years from now in the same light as we speak of Beethoven, Mozart, etc.
Nobody does drum solos like Neil. What a legend. RIP.
I agree
Except for Carl Palmer…😮
Neil Peart was simply the greatest rock drummer of all time. He was constantly innovating and changing.
Really one of a kind. Peart: 'I never take for granted that people admire us, so everything we do they'll admire. I always felt we had to earn our audience with each performance'. He was always trying to outdo himself. He's only ever given a couple of interviews, but they're all worth listening.
As Geddy Introduced him....The Professor on the Drum Kit 🥁 ❤🖤
Back in the 70s even
He was so amazing. He will be missed. Burning for Buddy was a passion product for Neil. Certainly one to check out.
Agreed. A fitting tribute from one legendary performer to another.
My friend and I have seen every Rush tour together since 1981. We use to fight over who got the binoculars during Peart's solo.
Holy friggin crap. Could listen to this for hours. Talk about PLAYING the drums. Absolute perfection! He also wrote great lyrics.
The high point of every RUSH concert - dare I say the the ONLY thing I always looked forward to were Neil Peart's drum solos. They NEVER EVER let me down. Always astonishing rhythmic compositions. For a drummer there was nothing better
Neil Produced "Burning for Buddy", a great tribute album with star drummers like Matt Sorum, Simon Phillips, Dave Weckl, Steve Gadd, Steve Smith, etc. He has always been a jazz fan. He's my idol and I have never been as sad as the time when he passed.
the only time I got to see Rush was during this tour. I feel so blessed to be able to witness this drum solo live!
Me too!
His books are amazing! His first one is highly personal and deals with grief due to the deaths of his daughter in a car accident,followed by the death of his wife from cancer a year later and how he dealt with those feelings... Quite intriguing...
Neil will always be my #1 drummer. No question! Some will say there are better drummers out there but his playing and technique shaped who I am as a drummer. Thanks Doug!
If there are those who would say there are better, their voices are very quiet.
@@phantomrider2112 Everyone has an opinion so I was just covering the bases. Lol. Just like ppl who tell me they respect Rush but can't stand Geddy's voice. To me it's the whole package.
While Keith Moon is my "favorite" drummer ever, I would never argue that Neil is, hands down, the "best" ever.
@@Makai77 Keith is an exciting player and it’s hard not to like him for the energy he brought. Neil is the stoic drummer but man his consistent drumming is something I strive for.
Stuart Copeland tells the story of being greeted by fans' as their 2nd favourite drummer.
He’s your favorite drummer’s favorite drummer. This is such a great video for conveying Neil’s intensity. It’s easy to miss just how hard he’s striking his kit.
I think neil is one of the more musical percussionists, it's almost melodic. In the big band section i think he is triggering the horn stabs and later triggers the track to play along with.
Yes, I believe he was triggering the samples with his 2nd E-kick. Saw them a few times and that seemed to be the source of the longer samples.
Neil is a God. I regret every day that I didn't see Rush in concert. This must be Frankfurt. I'll never ever get tired of this performance. Isn't that a xylophone? Neil studied tirelessly with teachers too, even when he was with Rush. That's why he's so good. He rules the world from beyond the grave, along with Jimi Hendrix and Janis Joplin.
It's a mallet controller made by Kat. It's playing samples of marimba or some such over MIDI.
OK thank you@@hubbsllc
A true genius of the art , so smooth and inventive , always a pleasure to listen and watch the Professor at work. Sadly missed .
Thank you for looking into a _drum_ solo. Drummers are often underrated in terms of ability and musicality and you've shed a bit of light on that.
That set up is 2 kits. An electric kit with the black cymbals and an acoustic set. His stage will spin around when he switches to the acoustic kit so he is always facing the crowd.
Ah a late era solo. I think a Presto-era solo might be more fun.
Neil got bored with his grip and style and went to a famous drum teacher Freddie Gruber to "relearn" how to play. His goal was to get rid of the stiffness he'd always relied on, and get some groove. All the greatest drummers were, in Neil's opinion, Jazz drummers who don't just have chops, they have groove. Swing. Neil is all chops, no swing. No groove.
And he wanted to groove, so he went and basically started learning to drum again. The solos from this period are interesting, more Big Band inflected, but I think his early 90s solos are Peak Peart Pyrotechnics.
But, I'm not a drummer. What do I know? Certainly Neil thought there was nowhere left for him to go after he won every Modern Drummer award they had. Props to anyone at that level of skill who refuses to sit on their laurels.
Thirty years of experience in that solo. Bam, The Professor is the man!!!! R30 was a great performance!! I love that he has incorporated all of the previous drum solos in some part as he went on. I love the pieces of eight from the 80's!! This is pretty cool and is close to the drum solo he performed on Letterman on drum solo week. Thank you Neil!
When I first heard Rush. A friend brought over the "All the World a Stage" where I heard the drum solo on that album. Needless to say I was blown away and I thought it was two drummers playing. What can I say, I was 12 years old and didn't know any better. You need to listen to that drum solo. That drum solo made him famous and if you buy the album you'll hear the live 2112 all the way thru that I saw and heard in concert here at home. In person it was a mind blowing experience hearing "We have assumed control". BTW: He's doing a lot of four way independence during this drum solo. Also, when playing drums the first thing we tell the student is to always play relaxed. He plays both match grip and traditional grip and there are a few rock drummers that use traditional grip. I have the DVD...lol That is his tribute to Buddy Rich and he triggers the horns with pads.
Great reaction and summation of Neil, Doug. I was fortunate to see Rush 10 times and no one left their seats for his solos In fact, the air drummers even took a break to simply marvel at his skill.
A girl that had a crush on me in high-school dad won tickets to Rush back on Roll the Bones tour and his solo was phenomenal as you would expect
There will only ever be one Neil and I got to grow up and old with his genius. RIP Professor.
One thing I really love about Doug, is he gets that child like Christmas morning, kid in a candy store, I just got a new bike for my birthday sort of excitement with things he loves.
I do this too, but I can't see it from the outside looking in so I never really notice it, but it's not the same, because you have to watch someone else to appreciate it.
If you're a car guy, Doug acts very much the same as Chris Harris does behind the wheel of a tail happy car. The grins and giggles of appreciation, excitement, and amusement. Nothing like seeing some truly happy.
Be well good sir!
Grateful to my nephew for introducing me to Rush decades back. Neil’s Bravura Virtuoso drumming is in a world all its own!
Wow! His passion for the drum set is the world standard in said technique for how it’s done.
Neil does actually play the Marimbas. Neil used them in his drum solo on the Snakes And Arrows tour which they did release on DVD.
Neil was definitely the biggest influence on me musically, he never failed to amaze me.
I fell in love with Rush and Neil's drumming for the first time after randomly downloading a very low quality clip in the early 00s from YYZ + his drum solo from the Show of Hands tour. I'll never forget the feeling of finding something special that I felt that day.
Yes he’s cueing all those sounds with an extremely elaborate set up
The big band sounds are add ins via a trigger system. They can be programmed individually via a computer into the brain. A lot of modern drummers use this system for effects etc and so on. But neil was a master of this before it got mega popular.
Amazing - can’t wait to watch this in full… rock 🪨 on 🥁
No one goes to the bathroom or for a beer when the Professor is lecturing!!
Well Doug, I was waiting for you to do this. Yes, every electronic sound was que up by him. The big band sound at the end was his "Cottontail" which he did in his Buddy Rich tribute. This was the perfect symmetry of acoustic & electric drums. However, you need to see the live performance of "Xanadu" from the 1981 live show. This was the last tour before any electronic drums. It is a legendary performance by all 3.
The section before the jazz ended, the band were pre-recorded pieces that he developed and were triggered by foot peddles.
Neil was 52 at this time. My age, and I can barely lift my arm from painting and sanding the last few yrs. Lol. This guy is a machine! And simply amazing!!
I've seen Rush twice in concert and both times Neil Peart's drum solos were the highlight of the show.
And the crowd goes absolutely APESHIT!!! I know I certainly did. I personally would have LOVED to see a Neil Peart/Buddy Rich drum-off. That would have been BEYOND epic
He got the award for No1 rock drummer in the world in the 70's. When asked how it felt to be the No1 drummer in the world his reply was .......I don't know you better ask Karen Carpenter.
If you want the definitive drum solo have a look at Carl Palmer's solo in Karn Evil 9 at the California Jam in '73 played on the steel kit from British Steel
This particular drum solo is by far the one that is most reacted to. However, I believe that the solo on "Rush In Rio" is so much better overall.
Doug, your review was absolutely SPOT ON. Coming from a RUSH fanatic having seen over 55 of their shows live since my first show in 1978, Hemispheres, I applaud you 👏👏👏
The electric trigger pad he uses to play the marimba is a Katt Percussion Mallet Katt. It's made up of 3 individual octaves chained together.
This guy air drumming is what most of us Rush fans look like when a Rush song comes on and we're alone.
Thanks Doug! Always love going back and revisiting this solo from R30!
I have been a fan of yours since you "found" RUSH. I have been listening to Rush for the last 42 years. I love seeing the reaction to this band from content creators. Most go from "how the hell do they make that much sound with only 3 people", to "wow (PC version), are they detailed", to "these guys are one of my favorite bands, hands down"
One of the amazing things about Neil's solos is that if you study them, you can see him grow as a player. He first introduced the Waltz section in the early 90s and his playing was very within the 3 beat frame of the waltz, not crossing barlines. By "Different Stages", he was playing across the bar a bit, but still in a 3 feel. On Vapor Trails, he started exploring playing across the bar more including some of the 7/8 accent hints. By R30 (this tour) he was able to demonstrate that higher level of independence to play the waltz in the feet and significantly more complicated material in his hands. As an educator, I love that you can see him grow as a composer and a player with each tour's solo.
You looked like you were having a blast reacting to this! Well Done! Rush was one of my favorite bands of the 70's
So glad you did this review, awesome! I think the Anatomy of a drum solo was back during Test For Echo....1997...
Someone needs to buy Doug that marimba sounding instrument for Christmas. Must be expensive. Loved to see Doug, air drumming and air dancing. What a talented drummer is Neil Peart. How could anyone challenge the Professor. It's just amazing. Thanks for posting this, Doug. Rush was my favorite band and still is, just a shame there aren't any more albums from them.
The electronic marimba part is a segment of a larger piece he did for Modern Drummer Magazine back in 1987 called Pieces of Eight. There are a couple of TH-cam videos where you can hear that whole piece. Definitely worth a listen, too.
Rush was the first band I chose for myself as opposed to simply following because of what my father and older brother listened to. Rush always just resonated with me, and that remains true to this day. While I loved watching Neil Peart’s drumming evolution I must admit some of my favorite work are from Rush’s earlier days when Neil utilized his Hi-hats more. I really liked his set up for Xanadu, even if it meant he had to be limber & quick in getting up and down to all the various pieces for that performance.
Neil's drum solos were a highlight of every Rush show, but you should know that, post-tragedy Neil solos had quite a lot in common with each other. There was plenty of variation in the improvised parts, but the meat and bones were the same, from this tour to the final tour, including the rotating kit, down to the big band ending and the video on the big screen. He gave them various titles, but they were all pretty similar. AMAZING, to be sure. Just don't expect to see a completely different solo if you decide to watch more.
The best part?
He was *SICK* during this part of the tour!
And those band sounds were actually activated by Neil using foot pedals that triggered the sounds!
Very cool to hear your enthusiasm, enjoyment, and admiration of Neil.
Neal Peart was born in 1952, which means he would have listened and learned mostly from jazz drummers of the 1930-1960s - the very best in the business.
Besides the midi-marimba, and the digital midi drum kit, there are at least 2 more midi triggers. His left foot going right to left has the second kick drum, high hat, and a midi trigger petal. At about 10-11 a clock there is a midi pad trigger. Usually it's solid black, but I seen videos where it's solid red, and once with red, white, blue. I initially thought was a curling house, but that has 4 color rings. Turns out it's the British aircraft roundel. There is a 3 part video of Neil giving a drum clinic in 1992. It will answer a lot of any questions on how he did things. Yes Neil likely created the big band samples and played them with his left foot trigger petal at the end of the solo you just posted.
Yes the mini pad is Dauz pad ,mine is painted red but then he changed it to blue, white rings with red dot in middle , tribute to Keith moon
@@randyferron If you notice the horn samples were at different pitches and he actually had different pitches on different triggers. One was his left foot, while he also had the VDrums and the trigger pad on the snare programmed with the horns and you can see him selecting them based on the note he was trying to play for the horns.
This solo, and all the solos towards the end of his career are a history of drumming, both universally and personally...in this edition, he starts off with "primitive" rhythms and does some classical work, jazz ("The Drum Also Waltzes"), bits of his life from the 80's (marimbas and cowbells), rock, and then of course, the big band stuff in tribute to Buddy, Gene, and the jazz greats. A masterwork if you know what you're looking for.
There will never be a drummer like Neil.
Doug, I really appreciate your analysis and insight into popular music. Many who attempt this are not knowledgeable enough to attempt doing what you do. You bring so much background to your work. Thank you!
Neil Peart was in my opinion a genius This is just an awesome drum solo With respect shown to the origins of rock/heavy rock music I think my favourite Rush album is Moving Pictures But Rush never stood still They pushed boundaries And God Bless them for it
Saw R30 in London. I have this on DVD and of course have watched it many times. Still smiling as you did, Doug, when I watch this.
GREAT reaction Doug!! Forever RIP Neil! Of the 9 times I saw Rush - I never left my seat (except to stand and applaud) when The Professor was exhibiting his masterclass solo in percussion!! There's a reason Rush would have an intermission halfway through their show - THAT is when you went to the loo and grabbed another brew!
Neil was an 'event' not to be missed - through the whole show, and especially during his solo! I still deeply miss him - as so many do. His was the first 'celebrity' passing that I broke down and cried for - not just for being a huge Rush fan, his contributions to lyricism & drumming, but for the hardships his life had known (passing of his first wife and child), then finding a new life with a wonderful woman and having another child - THEN getting this death sentence of a disease! My heart was broken - and I still cry when certain songs are played and I think of him!
As you dig deeper Doug, and into his past, you'll see as he expanded his kit, organic instruments (temple blocks, gong, tubular bells, etc.) couldn't fit any longer, so he went the MIDI route and embraced the technology at the time - constantly upgrading his kit & skills.
You're right - kudos on ALWAYS being the student - forever growing & learning! Not many 'seasoned' drummers would have the humility to reinvent themselves 20 years into their career!
Thanks for this! He will forever be missed. Cheers to you and The Professor!
Check out his performance with the Buddy Rich Orchestra. That is an incredible solo with a considerably smaller kit.
Check out the drum solo on The Mule by Deep Purple from Made in Japan played by Ian Paice. It remains my favorite drum solo to this day.
If you listen to the solo Carl Palmer does during Karn Evil 9, 1st Impression from the live Welcome Back album, you definitely hear Carl's influences on Neil, plus Carl introduced the first synthesized drums on Toccata.
This is a very entertaining solo.
Mr. Peart might be the only musician that I've never heard a single criticism of. Ever. A respect that is totally deserved, and a talent second-to-none.
Oh, I've heard many criticisms of Neil, mostly by the same guy on the (now-defunct) Counterparts message board, a Rush fan-run message board from the mid-90's to just a couple years ago. He was a grumpy old ghit from England and basically said nothing after Permanent waves was any good (except maybe Moving Pictures, but usually after a few pints).
Just checked and The Rush Forum is still active. That one, Counterparts, and The Rush Messageboard were the big three fan boards at around the same time frame. TRM went down first, then CP.
He is one of the GODS of drumming. Awesome talent, milestone remark on music history. Highly missed, highly adored... We love you NEILL!
Greatest drummer to walk the earth!!!!!!
Here's the thing, Neil was Done. He was retired before he was sick. Chances are we wouldn't of got any new music from Rush. The great thing is they have a fabulous catalog of music and Many videos and live performances. I do believe he was the GOAT. JMO. Also I believe Ged and Alex will tour Rush again and would Love to see them. I was lucky enough to see Rush Many times. They were Special! RIP Neil.
I saw Rush live every tour from Permanent Waves to the end. I ALWAYS got seats side stage to watch Neil the whole night.
I have watched this 100 times, at least! always watch from end to end! Never get tired of it! It always amazes me!
I was 17 in 1978 when I bought all the worlds a stage so the original Working Man live solo holds a special place in my heart - never forget the intro " and now the Professor on the Drum Kit " - it doesn't hold up to this but it was my first .
Great reaction! Love the insight and passion!
I saw this concert live (Frankfurt), thanks for the journey back in time 😊
Greatest percussionist of all time in my book. His solos were always the highlight of every Rush shows. You could see thousands of « Neil » air drumming in the stands during his drum solos. Every. Single. Time. Just like you did. Epic memories. Thank you Mr Peart, long live the professor. We all miss you. RIP.
For me this is his 2nd best drum solo. I've been a Peart fan since the beginning. I first saw them in 1974, then '75 and '76 in Houston Texas. I think his best solo is the on in Rio de Janerio. The crowd was massive and was extremely reactive to his solo. This drum kit on this video is completely gold plated. The cost of it was a cool 1.5 million dollars.
The limb independence is so impressive. Love this solo.
I always got a recital vibe from this piece, like if you'd prepared to show at your annual with the teacher and their other students.
One of my favorite concerts I have attended. Rush, FLoyd and YES.......mind altering music. All these legendary beath in the energy of the universe.....and exhale it in musical form.
I was fortunate enough to see Rush 3 times. I was blown away on all 3 occasions by the band a whole and by each individual doing their own spotlight performances. Neil though... Wow. The Professor indeed! Enjoyed your review here!
His drumming always so smooth and precise amazing
The Marimba is a MalletKat. Neil actually called it a "MIDI Marimba" himself -- because that's exactly what it is intended for -- although it can be used to trigger many different samples (such as the glockenspiel during "Spirit of Radio"). His drum tech switches the samples behind the scenes for him. During the kit-spin, he sets off some random effects.
As well as the rear e-kit and MalletKat, he also has MIDI pads within easy reach of the acoustic kit. They're hard to spot, but you can easily see a pad just in front of the snare (between the toms). He also has a MIDI foot pedal next to the hi-hat pedal. He uses all those triggers to cue the single-hit horn blasts, as well as cueing the final section of Duke Ellington's 'Cotton Tail' at the end of the solo.
He also used the foot switch during the 3/4 ostinato (boom-cha-cha), triggering a tambourine sample. Although easy to play in and of itself, Neil makes it many times harder by playing complex "floating" rolls around the drums. Those rolls speed and slow down rapidly and fluidly -- but independently of the underlying ostinato. That takes an outstanding amount of independence.
So sad to lose him, but few have advanced the art of the drummer more than he did.
The legend.
The Professor.
RIP
I'm 62 now, and have been a RUSH fan since the mid 70's when in High School. I've been fortunate enough to have seen them live 54 times over the decades, and each time was a special treat, watching Neil do his magic! He was great, yet humble, and it's great to have seen him constantly pay homage to the greats before him, such as Gene Krupa and Buddy Rich. A class act all the way!
The 2 Burning for Buddy CDs are . . . mwah! chef's kiss. and not just Peart. Matt Sorum, Simon Phillips, Steve Gadd, Bill Bruford, Omar Hakim . . . a real feast of great drumming!
I've seen Rush only 5 times, but nobody, not one single person ever got up and left for a beer during Neils solo - in fact, it was a point of discussion and anticipation as to what song he would perform it in during each tour.
I have to say, being in the same "room" (arena) as Neil drumming for us, it was a privilege to watch and hear an absolute master at work.
A great video Doug and really glad you found Rush and their music and talent.
Good on ya,
Love from Dublin, Ireland x
Neil was so much more than a drummer.
He was a “compositional percussionist” and that’s not even including his stellar lyric writing.
RUSH were one of a kind. I miss them everyday and I haven’t been the same since Neil’s death on January 7, 2020.
We miss you Professor. ❤️❤️
One can not understate the importance of Neil to Rush- I can't imagine them without his contributions! They were my first ever concert 1978- Hemispheres and it was a voyage for a 13 year old. I was a instant fan starting in summer of 76 with 2112 and from that point on I was able to see them 6 times in my life- each concert was a amazing live performance. Theirs is some of my favorite music for my whole life. Thank you Neil and Doug for this treat today
Doug this is by far my favorite reaction from you! Every 5 seconds, boom something exciting happens