Famous Drummers On Neil Peart

Drummers keep time with a metronome. Metronomes keep time with Neil Peart. Rest in Peace, Professor.

Listening to Chad Smith talk about how genuinely kind and humble Neil was made me tear up

Hearing of Neil's death hit me as if I lost a family member. I'm blown away by how many musicians love & were influenced by him.

When I heard of Neil's passing I was driving on 93 North in NH. I had to pull into the breakdown lane and just cry,( I didn't know he was sick). I walked around in a funk for weeks. Neil's words meant so much to me and gave me comfort through some tough times in my youth. The world is a darker place without him......miss you Professor.

John Rutsey played the drums on the song "Working Man" and every song on Rush's debut album. Neil was a drumming God. R.I.P. Neil.

I'm a classically trained trumpet player, not a drummer. I've had the privilege of performing with elite classical percussionists, many of whom were also talented jazz and rock drummers, so my ear grew attuned to great drumming. Two drummers I've seen live blew me away with their musicality, rhythmic integrity, and SOUND: Neil and Simon Phillips. I saw Neil on just about every tour since 1987, which I think was Hold Your Fire, and he always put on a show. But what I admired most about Neil was how he constructed the drum parts to fit the song. Unbelievably gifted drummer and drum composer. RIP, Neil. I know more than a few drummers now performing in symphony orchestras who were as inspired by Neil as there are rock drummers who cite his influence. Thanks for the music. Thanks for the memories.

Admired for his talent, respected for his intellect, loved for his humanity. RIP PROFESSOR.

Not only was he an amazing drummer,but amazing lyric writer 🥁🥁🥁.

I remember hearing about his death. I was at work, and I read a headline or tweet or something late in the day, but I couldn't believe it, thinking it was a rumor. On my way home, I called my brother, who is also a huge Rush fan, and his voice did not sound right. That's when I knew for sure. I walked into my home. My wife saw my face and said, "What's wrong?" "Neil Peart.... He passed away." And I started crying on her shoulder. So yes, I did lose a family member who was with me throughout my tween/teen years and adulthood.

I'm a Rush fan from Rush country. The first time I saw them was 1974 in a high school gym in Ottawa Ontario with John Rutsey. I remember thinking that these guys are trying a bit hard to sound like Zep, but thought they rocked pretty hard. It was mostly covers. The next was the 2112 tour with that "new guy". After that, I made a point of seeing every date of their's it was humanly possible to see. I drove through blizzards from remote work sites twice, and then back out after the show (hey, it's a Canuck story). One great Rush memory for me will always be their frequent touring partner Max Webster (which band spawned Kim Mitchell's solo career). There was no better double bill in those days than Rush/ Max Webster. And as for the professor, never met him, but he is my favourite drummer. Saw Rush at least a dozen times, and i have never asked for a refund. Rush On!

In 1982 I was twelve years old. my mom asked me if I wanted to take guitar lessons. I said no. I had been watching MTV and I found myself being drawn to the drummers. I told her I wanted to play drums. A week later I was taking drum lessons. In 1983 my teacher told my parents to buy me a drum set, that same year MTV starting showing live Rush concert footage from Exit stage left. I was hypnotized, he was doing the impossible. I went to my next lesson and told my teacher I wanted to play like Neil Peart. He sighed and handed me a jazz chart and said practice this, which i promptly ignored and went home to play along with Exit stage left for the millionth time. I grew up going to the yearly Rush concerts, buying all their albums and practicing for the call from Geddy to fill in for the night. I became aware of other drummers later and my influences fluctuated (I SHOULD HAVE PRACTICED THAT JAZZ CHART, SORRY JOE), but Neil was a huge influence and I am grateful to have been able to grow up watching him.

This man touched not only drummers but everyone who had experienced him....Truly missed.

Man I love Neil and Rush. He inspired me to play drums. He might be physically gone but his legacy will live on forever. RIP Neil.

"Your favorite drummer's favorite drummer is Neil Peart" has never been more true.

Lars Ulrich and Danny Carey were so moved that their voices changed

As a music teacher that I am for so many years already, I just have something to say, Neil Peart was is and will always be the best of the best drummers of all times period, RUSH FOREVER AND EVER Cabrones, Orale🎼🎼🎵🎵🥁🥁🥁‼️

Neil Peart is the greatest rock drummer ever. I was fortunate to see Rush in concert once. Watching him play the drums was nothing short of awesome. RIP Neil 😇

First drummer I know of to incorporate orchestral percussion on a rock record. And the complexity of his parts and most of all the lyrics he came up with. It's a different level a trendsetter.

I'm 54, and I have seen a lot of musicians go in my life. The first one that hit home, was John Lennon, my folks are from Liverpool, and when I got home for lunch that day, Grade 7, Christmas around the corner, my mum was in tears. When Peart died it hit me hard, but for some reason, when the CBC announced Gordon Downie's death, I had to pull my truck over to the side of the road. Some musicians like Bowie, George Michael, Prince, etc. are so famous that they are almost too big to really make you feel it. George Harrison dying was hard, but when a Canadian guy you grew up with goes, whose music you have known throughout certain stages of your life...the soundtrack of adolescence or your teens and twenties, it is hard. Those songs were the backdrop for so many things.

We have lost so many great musicians over the past few years but when I heard of Neil's passing I immediately started to cry. I was at work in an office so I went to deal with the news in the nearest bathroom. Rush was such a huge part of my teenage years and the lyrics that Neil wrote really helped me through some of my worst times in life. My life is better because of Rush. I miss you Neil.