Discuss this...

[conversationpc]

Yes - he is the absolute King of Drums.

I saw Rush a couple of years ago and boy...he's still got it. Unbelievable performance.

He's unbelievable and probably a better drummer today than he's ever been. He's more versatile now (not that he wasn't before). The economy of movement he has while playing is unbelievable. Most other drummers have their arms flailing all over the place. Peart is very compact and precise. He's the ONLY drummer from which I want to hear a drum solo.

[Matthew]

I totally agree....Peart was better than ever on that 30th Anniversary Tour...

[conversationpc]

I totally agree....Peart was better than ever on that 30th Anniversary Tour...

It's amazing when you think that he took almost two years or so off from playing drums at all while he was on his bike tour of North America. Sad to think what tragedy that guy had in his life, losing his daughter and his wife within a year of each other.

[Liam]

It's funny. I find Neil Peart to be the best drummer in the world...OVER Smitty...but Peart has said numerous times that he'd humbled BY Smitty. Strange world.

[Matthew]

Have you read his book about that bike trip?

[Eric]

I've heard Perry's voice be cloned but never heard the overall sound be cloned.....

[conversationpc]

It's funny. I find Neil Peart to be the best drummer in the world...OVER Smitty...but Peart has said numerous times that he'd humbled BY Smitty. Strange world.

Interesting. I hadn't heard that one before.

[Matthew]

It's funny. I find Neil Peart to be the best drummer in the world...OVER Smitty...but Peart has said numerous times that he'd humbled BY Smitty. Strange world.

Wow...did Peart say that? What an accolade.

[conversationpc]

Have you read his book about that bike trip?

Yeah, it's called "Ghost Rider: Travels on the Healing Road". I bought that at the "Vapor Trails" show I saw in Indianapolis. I read about 2/3 of it and got tired of his constant attacking of fat people, Americans in particular (I'm not a small guy myself), so I never finished it. He's a very good writer, no doubt about that, and it shows in his lyrics. He's my favorite drummer AND in my top 5 favorite lyricists.

[Matthew]

Have you read his book about that bike trip?

Yeah, it's called "Ghost Rider: Travels on the Healing Road". I bought that at the "Vapor Trails" show I saw in Indianapolis. I read about 2/3 of it and got tired of his constant attacking of fat people, Americans in particular (I'm not a small guy myself), so I never finished it. He's a very good writer, no doubt about that, and it shows in his lyrics. He's my favorite drummer AND in my top 5 favorite lyricists.

Well, I guess it was inevitable that a tone of bitterness crept in at times - but I'm still surprised to hear that.

My favourite Peart lyric is probably "Losing It."

[conversationpc]

My favourite Peart lyric is probably "Losing It."

That's a good song. Not my favorite Rush tune but good. That's the one from "Signals" with the violin, right? A very melancholy song.

[jrnyman28]

Steve Smith was too good for Journey in 1985. Simple as that.

Can you name me one AOR/mainstream rock act who were successful in 1985 who would have allowed Smith freedom to express himself?

Toto

[jrnyman28]

It's funny. I find Neil Peart to be the best drummer in the world...OVER Smitty...but Peart has said numerous times that he'd humbled BY Smitty. Strange world.

I would love to read that!!

[Matthew]

My favourite Peart lyric is probably "Losing It."

That's a good song. Not my favorite Rush tune but good. That's the one from "Signals" with the violin, right? A very melancholy song.

Yes - that's the one. Great drums during the violin solo - and yes - it's very melancholy isn't it?

[Matthew]

Steve Smith was too good for Journey in 1985. Simple as that.

Can you name me one AOR/mainstream rock act who were successful in 1985 who would have allowed Smith freedom to express himself?

Toto

Even on Fahrenheit?

[Blueskies]

Peart is the greatest drummer of all time! Great lyricist too, dude's deep, takes a few plays sometime's to get the meaning in the lyric.

[fred_journeyman]

I think we've had a misunderstanding. I meant that ROR had a basic, drum-machine sort of sound and approach...that's what I meant by "simple drumming"....and I also said that Journey wanted this...and Smith didn't....

Well, then yes, I did misunderstand you. I thought you meant that the simple drumming needed to go, implying that Smith's drumming was simple. I'm sure there was a lot that went on behind the scenes during that CD. Plus, with Perry as the producer, he would have much more say than the others.

I distinctly remember Perry saying something about the band needing to go more for an "angular" style of music, shortly after the release of ROR, as the reason why Smith and Valory were fired from the band. If this actually WAS the case (angular music), then that was NOT what ROR turned out to be. ROR is anything BUT angular. Angular is what Smith did on the few cuts he worked on.

On a related note, I was not at all impressed with Beard as a drummer - sorry. He was an excellent studio musician, but that is a totally different ballgame than live performance. To me, he was technically accurate, but very boring to listen to. His drums didn't even sound "live" during the live performances. They sounded as if he was playing them facing the "dead" end of the recording studio, as opposed to the "live" end. Some of that obviously had to do with the sound mix, but compare his sound to Smith's sound and the difference is obvious. Even Deen's drums sound muted compared to Smith's "BIG" sound. Beard did absolutely nothing for me and I've been playing drums for years.

[chad]

Peart is an unbelievable drummer, but the reason he gave SS such a complement is because of Smith's 'swing' style of playing. Peart is more of a technical style drummer with awesome ability, whereas SS is more multifaceted, combining many styles, timing and techniques with total control.

Both are awesome, and very different drummers.

[fred_journeyman]

Peart is an unbelievable drummer, but the reason he gave SS such a complement is because of Smith's 'swing' style of playing. Peart is more of a technical style drummer with awesome ability, whereas SS is more multifaceted, combining many styles, timing and techniques with total control.

Both are awesome, and very different drummers.

Agreed, but Peart falls down when he ventures into pure jazz territory. He excels when he stays in his own realm. It's very obvious on the jazz tribute that he, Smith and others did a few years back. Don't get me wrong please, I LOVE Peart's ability and style and I've picked up quite a few things from him that I use. His strength is in the particular style that he helped create with Geddy and Lifeson.

[conversationpc]

Peart is an unbelievable drummer, but the reason he gave SS such a complement is because of Smith's 'swing' style of playing. Peart is more of a technical style drummer with awesome ability, whereas SS is more multifaceted, combining many styles, timing and techniques with total control.

Both are awesome, and very different drummers.

Agreed, but Peart falls down when he ventures into pure jazz territory. He excels when he stays in his own realm. It's very obvious on the jazz tribute that he, Smith and others did a few years back. Don't get me wrong please, I LOVE Peart's ability and style and I've picked up quite a few things from him that I use. His strength is in the particular style that he helped create with Geddy and Lifeson.

I don't think that's so much the case anymore. He did some studying in the Jazz genre not long ago and incorporated a lot of that into his playing.

[MartyMoffatt]

Have you read his book about that bike trip?

Yeah, it's called "Ghost Rider: Travels on the Healing Road". I bought that at the "Vapor Trails" show I saw in Indianapolis. I read about 2/3 of it and got tired of his constant attacking of fat people, Americans in particular (I'm not a small guy myself), so I never finished it. He's a very good writer, no doubt about that, and it shows in his lyrics. He's my favorite drummer AND in my top 5 favorite lyricists.

His latest book's good too. Called 'Travelling Music', its about another trip he took, this time by car through California to New Mexico. He just loaded his car up with CDs of all the music that influenced him or meant something and then listened. The book alternates between his thoughts about the music he's listening to, everything from Frank Sinatra, through Jazz, Blues, Rock'n'Roll to modern Heavy Rock (eg Linkin Park), and reminiscing back to key moments in his life with Rush. In between you learn who his heroes were/are and how much more he feels he has to learn about drumming. Really inciteful. This guy was streets ahead of virtually all his contemporaries 20 years ago and yet he feels he's still on a steep learning curve. Makes you wonder what he might be capable of in the future.

Marty

[Liam]

Have you read his book about that bike trip?

Yup. Don't have "Masked Rider" yet...but "Ghost Rider" is probably my favorite book of all time. Lot of soul and emotion in that book. Read it while I was breaking up with an ex...helped me get over THAT PETTY shit REAL quick.
"Traveling Music" was pretty good. Can't wait to read "Roadshow" though. Should be a fun read.

Try the news section on www.neilpeart.net I THINK that's where I read a recent compliment to Smitty!?
It's better to have a high-speed connection for the flashes.

[knox]

Any thread that has Neal Peart in it automatically gets an A+ - if he is referred to positively.

He is without a doubt "The Professor", the king, the end all of drummers. Smitty is a great Jazz / Rock drummer, but Peart is the BEST Percussionist on the planet. His drumming is like Perry's singing in 1979 - unreal.

Oh, and I love "Losing It" as well. And "Countdown" - when you crank it up, you can feel the excitement the guys had when they saw the shuttle launch.


Reading all the replies, I have to agree with most everyone in one way or another. Journey's music is great without Perry, but not "Journey" to me. Perry's music is great without Journey, but not as great as with Journey.

The whole really is the sum of its parts, huh?

[cudaclan]

Neil Peart incorporated “enhanced” drumming techniques through electronics (i.e. drum pads). He is a philosopher with technical details in percussion. I remember a conversation I had with Smitty. He is always inquisitive if you are a drummer. If percussions are not your forte, don’t say yes. He is equally technical in his conversations. He (as Neil) eats, breathes, and sleeps percussion. Many of his achievements are for the proverbial “Labor of Love”. Steve is an “organic” percussionist. He ventures past conventional drum sets and experiments with other ethnic percussions. Steve still was active with Jazz/Fusion while touring with Journey. VH1’s Behind the Music (Directors Cut) was more informative on Steve’s career post-Journey. Steve felt that the prior version left a gap in his career following. His interview was 2.5 –3.0 hours long.

Good read: http://www.journey-zone.com/Features/In ... _06-03.htm

[Jeremey fan forever]

...That guitarist Perry had on FLOSM was fucking awful. I like a couple songs on there, and Perry is great, but that guitarist (was it Brewster?) killed that album IMHO.

Well, in defense of Lincoln Brewster (who happens to be the worship leader at a very large church not more than two blocks from my house), I remember talking with him very briefly about the sessions for Perry's FTLOSM. It was pretty intensive. Lincoln would spend hours recording his solos for each song into a recording machine. He would take it to Perry. Perry would listen, make adjustments, then send Lincoln back to do more recording. This went on for hours or days until he had solos that Perry approved. By the way, this is NOT a bash against Perry at all. Lincoln simply explained it (and I believe he explained it like this in an interview somewhere as well). There was no grudge; it's just the way it was working for Perry.

I guess my point is, is that ultimately Perry got the solos he wanted. I'm not sure if you're saying that the solos sucked or his playing sucked. However, Perry thought he was extremely versatile as a guitarist, or he never would have hand picked him.

Thanks for the Bio on Brewster, I didn't know! I guess I will revise my remarks and only say that the results on that album are bad. If perry was responsible for the syrupy over produced guitar tones that make me cringe, then my apologies to Brewster. Just goes to show that Perry shouldn't tell someone how to play the guitar, which is where someone as prodigious as Neal comes in handy. I doubt Perry ever told Neal how to play.

The point is, that album would have been way better if Neal played those songs. Brewster's sound (for whatever reason) is way over done, but Neal always does it just right. That's the difference between a good and a great player.

Perry's music has never been as good without Neal. The guitar on Street Talk was also horrible, but I guess that wasn't Brewster. Whoever it was, should be embarrassed. But there is just one Neal!

[r@y]

Steve Smith was too good for Journey in 1985. Simple as that.

Can you name me one AOR/mainstream rock act who were successful in 1985 who would have allowed Smith freedom to express himself?

Toto

Even on Fahrenheit?

??? Fahrenheit..?? And what is your point...?

Except for the beginning part of the track 'Fahrenheit' and a rare song not included on the album ( Modern Eyes ), it was all Jeff...

And to someone who posted here earlier ( cant remember who, sorry ) it's Jeff PORCARO and not paccaro or whatever....

Ray

[Matthew]

Steve Smith was too good for Journey in 1985. Simple as that.

Can you name me one AOR/mainstream rock act who were successful in 1985 who would have allowed Smith freedom to express himself?

Toto

Even on Fahrenheit?

??? Fahrenheit..?? And what is your point...?

Except for the beginning part of the track 'Fahrenheit' and a rare song not included on the album ( Modern Eyes ), it was all Jeff...

And to someone who posted here earlier ( cant remember who, sorry ) it's Jeff PORCARO and not paccaro or whatever....

Ray

Well, the drum machine comes in and out throughout that song - but I take your point about the album overall. I was just using desperate measures to defend my shaky argument.

[r@y]

Steve Smith was too good for Journey in 1985. Simple as that.

Can you name me one AOR/mainstream rock act who were successful in 1985 who would have allowed Smith freedom to express himself?

Toto

Even on Fahrenheit?

??? Fahrenheit..?? And what is your point...?

Except for the beginning part of the track 'Fahrenheit' and a rare song not included on the album ( Modern Eyes ), it was all Jeff...

And to someone who posted here earlier ( cant remember who, sorry ) it's Jeff PORCARO and not paccaro or whatever....

Ray

Well, the drum machine comes in and out throughout that song - but I take your point about the album overall. I was just using desperate measures to defend my shaky argument.

Ray