Neil Peart
Neil Peart
Neil Ellwood Peart, OC, is a Canadian-American musician and author, best known as the drummer and primary lyricist for the rock band Rush. Peart has received numerous awards for his musical performances, including an induction into the Modern Drummer Hall of Fame in 1983, making him the youngest person ever so honored. He is known for his technical proficiency and stamina...
NationalityCanadian
ProfessionDrummer
Date of Birth12 September 1952
CityHamilton, Canada
CountryCanada
Our songs were not written to be listened to in headphones or on the radio. They were written to be played. All of the little infinite detail that went into the arrangements and giving ourselves lots of breathing room in terms of playing what we wanted to play and using up any ideas that we had - all of those were conceived to be performed.
I try not to repeat myself in fills in all the Rush songs unless it is something simple or something I feel is my own characteristic thing.
I am a big fan of Dos Passos' stylistic ability, his poetic approach to prose, but the ideas presented in the songs are quite different from those which he exemplified.
People don't realize the limitations of 200 words, and the way they get chiselled down into a song that has to be sung.
Let your heart be the anchor and the beat of your song.
I don't like lyrics that are just thrown together, that were obviously written as you went along, or the song was already written and the guy made up the lyrics in five minutes.
I love jokes as much as anyone, but I don't want to hear my snail jokes every day. But I might want to hear a good song every day.
If you choose not to decide, you still have made a choice.
When I started playing, I played in R&B bands. I played James Brown, Wilson Pickett, Otis Redding and all that.
Live for yourself -- there's no one elseMore worth living forBegging hands and bleeding hearts will only cry out for more
Well, I know they've always told you/Selfishness was wrong/Yet it was for me, not you, I came to write this song/
What you own is your own kingdomWhat you do is your own gloryWhat you love is your own powerWhat you live is your own story
Lessons taught but never learned,all around us anger burns.Guide the future by the past.Long ago the mould was cast.
When they turn the pages of history,when these days have passed long ago--will they read of us with sadnessfor the seeds that we let grow?