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My brother says Neil Peart is the greatest rock drummer ever (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter timschochet
- Start date
dmac37
Footballguy
drummer
Footballguy
I like Tommy Lee. I liked the rawness of Crue's first album, and the cowbell and cymbal chokes in the breaks on Live Wire are perfect IMO. He really hit a peak with Dr. Feelgood too. Maybe not having proper fundamental skills worked to his advantage. That, and having a large stick.
drummer
Footballguy
Here is a really great live show from Billy Cobham in 1974. Has the Brecker Brothers and John Abercrombie playing some psychedelic funk rock:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=59lBywfO_yo
ETA: I like the boogie sections with Cobham laying into the swish knocker.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=59lBywfO_yo
ETA: I like the boogie sections with Cobham laying into the swish knocker.
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Amused to Death
Footballguy
Cool, Abercrombie. Don't hear much about him, but I have 1 live show of his from '81 with Jack DeJohnette on drums.
Ghost Rider
Footballguy
Well, he really shouldn't garner much chatter in a thread about rock's greatest drummers. He is similar to Alex Van Halen: a very good drummer, but not even close to being among the best.
joey
Footballguy
for Copeland fans, I heard from a drummer friend of mine that he's going to be on The Tim Ferris Experiment.
I've never seen the show but it's supposed to be about a dude who tries to learn a difficult skill in a very short period of time. In this case, Stewart teaches Ferris how to play drums in 4 days for some kind of performance. Who knows if it'll be good or not but I just set my TiVo just to see Copeland spew some drum advice.
Andy Dufresne
Footballguy
joey
Footballguy
Twice as good as when the Def Leppard drummer had both his arms.
Now he's maybe four times as good?
BroncoFreak_2K3
sucker for Orange
drummer
Footballguy
After listening to this album when it came out:Gr00vus said:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dBIBgS5HgMY
I got totally into Hakim, especially due to the second track "D-Flat Waltz", which is a totally smooth and funky groove in 3/4 time. Here is it live (audio quality ain't that great though):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8gOlLf4VHeE
drummer
Footballguy
For the prog rock FBGs, here is a small doc on Virgil Donati's latest album. Dunno if it's released yet, but Virgil has become one of the most popular prog and modern drummers out there today. He's been playing for years, mostly with his own groups and recently with Steve Vai and then Allan Holdsworth. He's a technical monster who uses metric modulation like it was easy as making coffee.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YEMp1BW-YGs
Here he is in a Planet X rehearsal:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w4aEz_nr8p8
Here he is live with Allan Holdsworth:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HR0GA1jrmWU
And live at the Baked Potato:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DGs62yh8-58
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YEMp1BW-YGs
Here he is in a Planet X rehearsal:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w4aEz_nr8p8
Here he is live with Allan Holdsworth:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HR0GA1jrmWU
And live at the Baked Potato:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DGs62yh8-58
McGarnicle
Footballguy
We're talking about guys who beat things with sticks. Lee got the most A-list tail, therefore he is the best IMO.Ballstein said:
drummer
Footballguy
Been a fan of his since I first heard Yes at my cousin's house as a wee lad at 12 years old. He also had a big poster of Rush on his apartment wall, lol. I'd go over to his crib and listen to all his records all the time. He knew a lot of musicians that were his age that went to college with him, and I would bring my drums over and jam. I met and hung out with a lot of college age chicks at the time that would come over and party. Needless to say, playing drums back then was a good time, lol.
Here is part 1 of a series of interviews with Bruford. This is worth checking out if you are a fan of he and of prog music and drums in general. The whole series is worth the small price of admission:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MfG6h8YTRj8
The following link is a must have album for prog rock fans. It's a super group of Bruford, Allan Holdsworth, Eddie Jobson, and John Wetton (yeah that guy from Asia). This album knocked me out when I first heard it at my cousin's crib, probably because I sneaked a hit out of his bong while listening to it. Bruford and Holdsworth later paired up for Bruford's solo album, which in the interview series he talks about, and has footage of them live. Hope you enjoy.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oHJrOg79kQU
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Gr00vus
Footballguy
So good. If I could play like anyone it'd be him. I believe he can express any thought he has through his playing with no conscious effort between thought and application to a greater extent than any other drummer I've ever heard.
drummer
Footballguy
Yeah I'm with you there. D-Flat Waltz is a track I always listen to for inspiration. Time flows through Hakim like a river, strong, elegant and with effortless motion. You really hear that in the rock tracks he has with David Bowie:Gr00vus said:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VrERLeFseDA
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=klGIfXJJotc
He really knows how to move a track forward. Just great stuff.
drummer
Footballguy
I just checked out some vids of him. Yeah, he's good. "Live" drummers are finally adapting to hip hop and electronic music, which is great. Here is Deitch at a Modern Drummer fest:Soulfly3 said:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V7QRj9Em4II
Jojo Mayer maybe the King of doing that right now:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gKve3TyC0Sk
Truly "modern" drumming with both of them.
Ghost Rider
Footballguy
drummer, you should check out Gavin Harrison. He is a beast of a player.
bicycle_seat_sniffer
Smells like chicken
think that dude is trying to learn foreinger songs, should be easy.joey said:
drummer
Footballguy
Yeah, I became aware of him years ago via Drummerworld. That site is great for finding new drummers, especially from the UK and Europe. I first saw this vid and it knocked me out:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JTUl-AMoJpU
This is a fave of mine that I always crank:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BEbAlC9F9fw
Big fan of Gavin.
drummer
Footballguy
Ghost Rider
Footballguy
Sweet. Familiar with Porcupine Tree, his full-time band (although they are on a sabbatical at the moment)? Songs like Anesthetize, The Sound of Muzak and Bonnie the Cat have some sick playing.
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Leroy Hoard
Footballguy
Used to have this on vinyl, great album.drummer said:
ffldrew
Footballguy
Saw them in a bar when this came out and I was right in the very front of Holdsworth - still amazed by the fingerings he pulled off - a special night that even to this day a couple of buddies bring up as one of the best shows we've seen.
drummer
Footballguy
I became a HUGE fan of Holdsworth during the time this came out, and then went out and found anything I could that had him on it. His Road Games EP (that was supposed to have Eddie Van Halen on it, who helped him get on the Warner Bros. label, but Allan hated the 'corporate' experience dealing with the label, thus moved on) I used to play in high school all the time. My stoner metal buddies would laugh at me for listening to it, but I didn't care. Most of them are dead now anyway. *chuckles*
I bought one of his chord books, borrowed a buddy's spare electric guitar, amp, and a few effects pedals, and tried to play songs of his like "The Un-Merry Go Round" with just the chords. Bear in mind, I don't play much guitar at all (even though I have one in the house), and Allan's chords are insane. The fingerings and the changes are real hand stretchers, there were small chord taps, just all kinds of crazy stuff. It's insane for very accomplished guitarists. But I was determined to get this one section down:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=5DtvLxrL9VA#t=498
ETA: in case the URL doesn't forward to the spot on the track, it starts at 8:20
Just the chords until the beautiful solo (no way I would try that solo). After a week or so, I called up another guitar buddy of mine who could play Al DiMeola and this type of stuff, grabbed the guitar, and played it for him over the phone.
He was like "Dude, WTF? You almost have this down. This stuff is hard for me. You can't even play any Rolling Stones on guitar, and you're pulling off these chords. You're insane".
I wound up giving him the book after two months of learning most of those songs in the book, because a real guitar player could use it. I did what I set out to do though, and rarely pick up a guitar now. That's how much I love Holdsworth.
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Grace Under Pressure
Footballguy
Neil Peart is a great drummer and a very interesting man who has been through a lot in life. Perhaps he's the "best" rock drummer, who knows.
I realize Rush and Peart can be polarizing, which is kind of ironic really. Peart himself would never claim to be the best at anything. He idolized Gruber and paid him a nice tribute after his passing in the song Headlong Flight from Clockwork Angels.
Bill Bruford and John Wetton are tremendous. Bonham, Moon, Copeland as well. I'll defer to experts for rankings, but I've always enjoyed Peart's work and that's enough for me.
I realize Rush and Peart can be polarizing, which is kind of ironic really. Peart himself would never claim to be the best at anything. He idolized Gruber and paid him a nice tribute after his passing in the song Headlong Flight from Clockwork Angels.
Bill Bruford and John Wetton are tremendous. Bonham, Moon, Copeland as well. I'll defer to experts for rankings, but I've always enjoyed Peart's work and that's enough for me.
drummer
Footballguy
Now that this has been re-booted:
To consider Peart as the "best" rock drummer, you then would have to call Lifeson the "best" rock guitarist, and Lee as the "best" rock bassist. Then you take it further, and call Rush the "best" rock band ever. Yet if you took away Peart and still had John Rutsey, then maybe Rush would be just another Triumph.
What happens is that you open up a whole can of worms just like this thread did with Peart. Like Grace pointed out, they probably don't think they are the best at their respective instruments, just play their best at the kind of music they present.
Lifeson was influenced by Holdsworth during the "Moving Pictures" sessions, which is an example that can of worms here.
Like I said before, I got into other music and drummers because there was something out there 'better' IMO than Rush and Peart. Peart wasn't even the "best" drummer I heard before I ever listened to Rush. The first Rush album I heard (and still have) was "All the World's A Stage". It's still a great live album. I pretty much have all the Rush collection up until the album with "Subdivisions". I have only once seen them in concert. To be honest, that show isn't high on my list of shows I have seen. Peter Gabriel with Manu Katche ranks way higher than the Rush show I saw. But that's just me.
What makes Rush and Peart polarizing is the fans themselves. They kind of remind me of Dead and Phish fans, who follow them rabidly, buy all the recordings, the merchandise, the literature, and talk about past and upcoming shows. I get that, that's cool. Rush music is Rush music. I just stopped listening to it because I find it boring. I got buddies of mine who listen to them and buy the DVD's and stuff, but they know even though I play drums, that I'm just not into them. They will still torture me at the bar by playing Rush on the jukebox lol, but hey, I give them their due as long as they are buying. But Rush fans think everything they do is the best at what they do. In writing, instrumentation, the lyrics, their lifestyle, just flat out Rush geeks.
So to call Peart the "best" rock drummer ever would be calling Rush the "best" rock band ever. Because is he better than Lifeson and Lee in the whole spectrum of rock?
To consider Peart as the "best" rock drummer, you then would have to call Lifeson the "best" rock guitarist, and Lee as the "best" rock bassist. Then you take it further, and call Rush the "best" rock band ever. Yet if you took away Peart and still had John Rutsey, then maybe Rush would be just another Triumph.
What happens is that you open up a whole can of worms just like this thread did with Peart. Like Grace pointed out, they probably don't think they are the best at their respective instruments, just play their best at the kind of music they present.
Lifeson was influenced by Holdsworth during the "Moving Pictures" sessions, which is an example that can of worms here.
Like I said before, I got into other music and drummers because there was something out there 'better' IMO than Rush and Peart. Peart wasn't even the "best" drummer I heard before I ever listened to Rush. The first Rush album I heard (and still have) was "All the World's A Stage". It's still a great live album. I pretty much have all the Rush collection up until the album with "Subdivisions". I have only once seen them in concert. To be honest, that show isn't high on my list of shows I have seen. Peter Gabriel with Manu Katche ranks way higher than the Rush show I saw. But that's just me.
What makes Rush and Peart polarizing is the fans themselves. They kind of remind me of Dead and Phish fans, who follow them rabidly, buy all the recordings, the merchandise, the literature, and talk about past and upcoming shows. I get that, that's cool. Rush music is Rush music. I just stopped listening to it because I find it boring. I got buddies of mine who listen to them and buy the DVD's and stuff, but they know even though I play drums, that I'm just not into them. They will still torture me at the bar by playing Rush on the jukebox lol, but hey, I give them their due as long as they are buying. But Rush fans think everything they do is the best at what they do. In writing, instrumentation, the lyrics, their lifestyle, just flat out Rush geeks.
So to call Peart the "best" rock drummer ever would be calling Rush the "best" rock band ever. Because is he better than Lifeson and Lee in the whole spectrum of rock?
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Grace Under Pressure
Footballguy
That's a good point about Rush fans, especially the ones who vehemently claim that Rush is the "best" or who defend the band at every turn. I think some of that comes from Rush fans feeling the need to defend Geddy Lee's vocals, and compensate by touting the prowess of each band member's individual instrument playing.
I try to stick with the notion that Rush is a terrific rock band, has been around a long time, and is not everyone's cup of tea. It's the hyperbole that starts the polarizing effect, as drummer points out.
I try to stick with the notion that Rush is a terrific rock band, has been around a long time, and is not everyone's cup of tea. It's the hyperbole that starts the polarizing effect, as drummer points out.
Amused to Death
Footballguy
For all the music I listen to, I still consider Rush my favorite - maybe just for nostalgia at this point. I still buy every new cd and see them at least once each tour. Although I don't think I ever reached the level of "Rush geek" you describe
For my money I still consider Peart the best rock drummer with several others mentioned in this thread worthy of consideration. Even though their my favorite, I don't think I ever thought of them as the "best" rock band ever. Too many other factors.They are no longer my "most listened to" band tho. I run in phases through all genres of music - I can go from Johnny Cash to Opeth to Return to Forever in 1 afternoon at work! I can talk about Bowie or Reed with a coworker, and put on some P-Funk while doing it.
Kumerica
Footballguy
My personal favorites in the upper echelon are Copeland, Peart, Bonham, Katché, Moon, Colaiuta, Watts, and Cobham. Throw in a few others (Chambers, Freese, Rich, Porcaro, Bozzio, etc.) and you can put together a very solid Top 20, if you bothered to rank.
For the person asking about Vinnie Colaiuta a bit ago, here's guitarist Steve Vai talking about Vinnie from their days with Zappa. I love this story.
Steve Vai discussing Vinnie Colaiuta
For the person asking about Vinnie Colaiuta a bit ago, here's guitarist Steve Vai talking about Vinnie from their days with Zappa. I love this story.
Steve Vai discussing Vinnie Colaiuta
drummer
Footballguy
Peart fans aren't as bad as Gene Krupa fans. I used to go this bar that was open in the mornings at 6 am when I was around 21. I worked and gigged mostly at night, so a 6 am cocktail was my nightcap so to speak. There was the usual cast of old-timers and retirees starting their morning there as well. It was kind of a dive bar that sadly no longer exists.For all the music I listen to, I still consider Rush my favorite - maybe just for nostalgia at this point. I still buy every new cd and see them at least once each tour. Although I don't think I ever reached the level of "Rush geek" you describe
They are no longer my "most listened to" band tho. I run in phases through all genres of music - I can go from Johnny Cash to Opeth to Return to Forever in 1 afternoon at work! I can talk about Bowie or Reed with a coworker, and put on some P-Funk while doing it.
One guy there knew I played drums, and started talking about Krupa. We and the others started chatting about him, and then someone asked me if I thought he was the best drummer. I told them I would pick about 10 others drummers, such as Chick Webb, Dave Tough, Max Roach, Buddy Rich, Louie Bellson etc., over Krupa. They asked me why. Now, I liked these guys so I showed them some respect, but I basically said that Krupa was all flash and that's it.
That's when the crap hit the fan lol.
Just think if you went into an old timers bar in Jersey and said Dino Danelli sucked. Then have bartender Silvio Dante look at you and say, "What did you just say?". Danelli from what I know is like Jersey royalty, and I think Van Zandt recorded with him.
So now I have the whole bar mad at me, some guys wanting to get out of their chairs and take swings, lol, and the bartender telling me I have to apologize to them. I did, and bought them all a couple of rounds of drinks. But from then on, every time I walked in there, it was "HEY! THAT'S THE GUY WHO HATES GENE KRUPA!".
Loan Sharks
Not a Wolf
Amused to Death
Footballguy
If you've never seen it, google "Steve Vai's audition with Zappa". Vai is a great story teller.
drummer
Footballguy
Yeah, that story is classic. Vinnie is a madman. Here is a clip from his Zappa days:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZKpERTw8DsE
Kumerica
Footballguy
Thanks for leading me to that—hilarious.
drummer
Footballguy
If someone started this thread:
Is Alex Lifeson the best guitarist in rock?
I think the general consensus would be: Keith Richards above Lifeson somewhere. Of course the guitar nuts will bring up all the other prog-jazz-blues-metal-shredders-Otisboi-
-John Mayer etc. etc. players to compare Lifeson to, like drum nuts like me did here in this thread with Peart.The thing is IMO Lifeson is the most evolved out of that trio, who has played a lot of different guitar styles in that band, from the simple rock of the first album, to the anthem rock of later ones, to the textural tones and chords, playing in the same meters as Peart (that staple 7 which is easily subdivided: 1-2-1-2-1-2-3 1-2-1-2-1-2-3 or late-for-u-ni-ver-si-ty late-for-u-ni-ver-si-ty).
I think Lifeson is very underrated. Alas, he only has a guitar around his waist, instead of a huge double kick drumset with cowbells, concert toms, gong drums, tubular bells, which Peart had during the Moving Pictures era.
I found a solo record of the great bass player Jeff Berlin in the record store years ago, and behold! It had both Steve Smith and Neil Peart on it. This had to be something! Get home, slap it on the turntable, and find out Peart is only on two tracks, one which he doubled with Smith playing only the double bass drum boogie section. Get to the last track that has Peart alone as the drummer:
It sounded similar to New World Man. Great. Jeff Berlin and Neil Peart, and all I still get is just another Rush song.
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-fish-
Footballguy
lifeson wouldn't be top 100 for most people (Rolling Stone put him at 98 2 years ago).If someone started this thread:
Is Alex Lifeson the best guitarist in rock?
I think the general consensus would be: Keith Richards above Lifeson somewhere. Of course the guitar nuts will bring up all the other prog-jazz-blues-metal-shredders-Otisboi-
The thing is IMO Lifeson is the most evolved out of that trio, who has played a lot of different guitar styles in that band, from the simple rock of the first album, to the anthem rock of later ones, to the textural tones and chords, playing in the same meters as Peart (that staple 7 which is easily subdivided: 1-2-1-2-1-2-3 1-2-1-2-1-2-3 or late-for-u-ni-ver-si-ty late-for-u-ni-ver-si-ty).
I think Lifeson is very underrated. Alas, he only has a guitar around his waist, instead of a huge double kick drumset with cowbells, concert toms, gong drums, tubular bells, which Peart had during the Moving Pictures era.
I found a solo record of the great bass player Jeff Berlin in the record store years ago, and behold! It had both Steve Smith and Neil Peart on it. This had to be something! Get home, slap it on the turntable, and find out Peart is only on two tracks, one which he doubled with Smith playing only the double bass drum boogie section. Get to the last track that has Peart alone as the drummer:
It sounded similar to New World Man. Great. Jeff Berlin and Neil Peart, and all I still get is just another Rush song.
drummer
Footballguy
Yeah, and that's a shame. He is much more stylistically diverse than the other two members, is really the biggest part of the evolution of their sound (more than Peart, and Lee's keys), yet he can barely crack another one of Rolling Stone's horrid lists.lifeson wouldn't be top 100 for most people (Rolling Stone put him at 98 2 years ago).If someone started this thread:
Is Alex Lifeson the best guitarist in rock?
I think the general consensus would be: Keith Richards above Lifeson somewhere. Of course the guitar nuts will bring up all the other prog-jazz-blues-metal-shredders-Otisboi-
The thing is IMO Lifeson is the most evolved out of that trio, who has played a lot of different guitar styles in that band, from the simple rock of the first album, to the anthem rock of later ones, to the textural tones and chords, playing in the same meters as Peart (that staple 7 which is easily subdivided: 1-2-1-2-1-2-3 1-2-1-2-1-2-3 or late-for-u-ni-ver-si-ty late-for-u-ni-ver-si-ty).
I think Lifeson is very underrated. Alas, he only has a guitar around his waist, instead of a huge double kick drumset with cowbells, concert toms, gong drums, tubular bells, which Peart had during the Moving Pictures era.
I found a solo record of the great bass player Jeff Berlin in the record store years ago, and behold! It had both Steve Smith and Neil Peart on it. This had to be something! Get home, slap it on the turntable, and find out Peart is only on two tracks, one which he doubled with Smith playing only the double bass drum boogie section. Get to the last track that has Peart alone as the drummer:
It sounded similar to New World Man. Great. Jeff Berlin and Neil Peart, and all I still get is just another Rush song.
-fish-
Footballguy
or maybe Rush really does suck.Yeah, and that's a shame. He is much more stylistically diverse than the other two members, is really the biggest part of the evolution of their sound (more than Peart, and Lee's keys), yet he can barely crack another one of Rolling Stone's horrid lists.lifeson wouldn't be top 100 for most people (Rolling Stone put him at 98 2 years ago).If someone started this thread:
Is Alex Lifeson the best guitarist in rock?
I think the general consensus would be: Keith Richards above Lifeson somewhere. Of course the guitar nuts will bring up all the other prog-jazz-blues-metal-shredders-Otisboi-
The thing is IMO Lifeson is the most evolved out of that trio, who has played a lot of different guitar styles in that band, from the simple rock of the first album, to the anthem rock of later ones, to the textural tones and chords, playing in the same meters as Peart (that staple 7 which is easily subdivided: 1-2-1-2-1-2-3 1-2-1-2-1-2-3 or late-for-u-ni-ver-si-ty late-for-u-ni-ver-si-ty).
I think Lifeson is very underrated. Alas, he only has a guitar around his waist, instead of a huge double kick drumset with cowbells, concert toms, gong drums, tubular bells, which Peart had during the Moving Pictures era.
I found a solo record of the great bass player Jeff Berlin in the record store years ago, and behold! It had both Steve Smith and Neil Peart on it. This had to be something! Get home, slap it on the turntable, and find out Peart is only on two tracks, one which he doubled with Smith playing only the double bass drum boogie section. Get to the last track that has Peart alone as the drummer:
It sounded similar to New World Man. Great. Jeff Berlin and Neil Peart, and all I still get is just another Rush song.
drummer
Footballguy
or maybe Rush really does suck.Yeah, and that's a shame. He is much more stylistically diverse than the other two members, is really the biggest part of the evolution of their sound (more than Peart, and Lee's keys), yet he can barely crack another one of Rolling Stone's horrid lists.lifeson wouldn't be top 100 for most people (Rolling Stone put him at 98 2 years ago).If someone started this thread:
Is Alex Lifeson the best guitarist in rock?
I think the general consensus would be: Keith Richards above Lifeson somewhere. Of course the guitar nuts will bring up all the other prog-jazz-blues-metal-shredders-Otisboi-
The thing is IMO Lifeson is the most evolved out of that trio, who has played a lot of different guitar styles in that band, from the simple rock of the first album, to the anthem rock of later ones, to the textural tones and chords, playing in the same meters as Peart (that staple 7 which is easily subdivided: 1-2-1-2-1-2-3 1-2-1-2-1-2-3 or late-for-u-ni-ver-si-ty late-for-u-ni-ver-si-ty).
I think Lifeson is very underrated. Alas, he only has a guitar around his waist, instead of a huge double kick drumset with cowbells, concert toms, gong drums, tubular bells, which Peart had during the Moving Pictures era.
I found a solo record of the great bass player Jeff Berlin in the record store years ago, and behold! It had both Steve Smith and Neil Peart on it. This had to be something! Get home, slap it on the turntable, and find out Peart is only on two tracks, one which he doubled with Smith playing only the double bass drum boogie section. Get to the last track that has Peart alone as the drummer:
It sounded similar to New World Man. Great. Jeff Berlin and Neil Peart, and all I still get is just another Rush song.
In fairness to Lifeson, he is kind of like bassist Rick Laird with the Mahavishnu Orchestra now with Rush, like there but never getting in the way of the music. John McLaughlin, Billy Cobham, and Jan Hammer were the 'dominant' players in that band. Lee and Peart are the more 'dominant' players now in Rush since they got into synths and electronics.
Back in the early days of Rush, at least you had distortion with the guitar tone, power chords, Geddy Lee's vocals with testosterone before it turned into estrogen, powering through Peart's silly lyrics of "By-Tor and the Snow Dog" as well as the Ayn Rand inspired "2112". I mean, you could smoke a joint to it and then put on some Black Sabbath after.
-fish-
Footballguy
This is just about the best review of Rush I've read.or maybe Rush really does suck.Yeah, and that's a shame. He is much more stylistically diverse than the other two members, is really the biggest part of the evolution of their sound (more than Peart, and Lee's keys), yet he can barely crack another one of Rolling Stone's horrid lists.lifeson wouldn't be top 100 for most people (Rolling Stone put him at 98 2 years ago).If someone started this thread:
Is Alex Lifeson the best guitarist in rock?
I think the general consensus would be: Keith Richards above Lifeson somewhere. Of course the guitar nuts will bring up all the other prog-jazz-blues-metal-shredders-Otisboi-
The thing is IMO Lifeson is the most evolved out of that trio, who has played a lot of different guitar styles in that band, from the simple rock of the first album, to the anthem rock of later ones, to the textural tones and chords, playing in the same meters as Peart (that staple 7 which is easily subdivided: 1-2-1-2-1-2-3 1-2-1-2-1-2-3 or late-for-u-ni-ver-si-ty late-for-u-ni-ver-si-ty).
I think Lifeson is very underrated. Alas, he only has a guitar around his waist, instead of a huge double kick drumset with cowbells, concert toms, gong drums, tubular bells, which Peart had during the Moving Pictures era.
I found a solo record of the great bass player Jeff Berlin in the record store years ago, and behold! It had both Steve Smith and Neil Peart on it. This had to be something! Get home, slap it on the turntable, and find out Peart is only on two tracks, one which he doubled with Smith playing only the double bass drum boogie section. Get to the last track that has Peart alone as the drummer:
It sounded similar to New World Man. Great. Jeff Berlin and Neil Peart, and all I still get is just another Rush song.
In fairness to Lifeson, he is kind of like bassist Rick Laird with the Mahavishnu Orchestra now with Rush, like there but never getting in the way of the music. John McLaughlin, Billy Cobham, and Jan Hammer were the 'dominant' players in that band. Lee and Peart are the more 'dominant' players now in Rush since they got into synths and electronics.
Back in the early days of Rush, at least you had distortion with the guitar tone, power chords, Geddy Lee's vocals with testosterone before it turned into estrogen, powering through Peart's silly lyrics of "By-Tor and the Snow Dog" as well as the Ayn Rand inspired "2112". I mean, you could smoke a joint to it and then put on some Black Sabbath after.
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