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Neil Peart



Neil Peart -- The Latest News

Friday, March 26, 2010

Interview: Peart talks about hall induction, new songs, and more

Here's a new interview with Neil Peart with the Canadian Press about Rush's upcoming induction into the Canadian Songwriter's Hall of Fame.

"Being in the Canadian Music Hall of Fame and the Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame, that's 10 times - 100 times - more (important) than being in some critics' list."

The Canadian Press: Rush say Canadian songwriters' hall induction means more than Rock hall snub

Via John at Cygnus-X1.net.

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posted by AndyO @ 12:00 AM   0 comments

Saturday, March 06, 2010

Article about Neil's drum tech Lorne Wheaton in "Performing Musician"

Here's an in-depth article about Neil's drum tech Lorne Wheaton, who has recently been working with Jimmy DeGrasso of Alice Cooper:

Lorne Wheaton: Drum Tech with Jimmy DeGrasso and Alice Cooper

Excerpt:

"With Neil, the upper three toms are cranked up quite a bit, because we have to bring the old concert toms into play with Rush and he has his sound. You take these eight-inch, 10-inch and 12-inch toms out of the box, and we crank them up quite a bit from what they're pitched to at the factory. But that's only because that's Neil's sound from when he used to have the smaller six-inch, eight-inch and 10-inch concert toms in the old days. He's just got that sound and we have to reproduce that for him, especially when we start playing the old stuff."

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posted by AndyO @ 10:45 PM   0 comments

Friday, October 30, 2009

Producer Paul Northfield talks about recording Neil Peart's drums

Paul Northfield has worked with Rush as a recording engineer, mixer, and producer on many albums, including Permanent Waves, Moving Pictures, Exit Stage Left, Signals, Grace Under Pressure, A Show of Hands, Different Stages, and Vapor Trails.

Recordinghacks.com has a fascinating (if somewhat technical) interview with Paul about recording Rush and in particular Neil Peart's drums. Also discussed is Paul's recording of Dream Theater and Porcupine Tree.

Read the article here.

Excerpt:

"It's hard to believe that, when you listen to Moving Pictures and Permanent Waves, that there's very rarely two songs that have the same mics on the drum kit. I mean, the tom mics might have stayed the same for most of the time, but the kick drum mic would be changed all the time, and yet you wouldn't necessarily know, because you always end up kind of re-EQing and fiddling. Which kind of gives you an idea that the thing that gives things consistency, with recording drums, has more to do with the nature of the room and the player, and the way his kit is tuned."

Thanks to Rushisaband for the head's up!

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posted by AndyO @ 3:45 PM   0 comments

Sunday, October 11, 2009

Neil Peart's favorite top 10 Atlantic Canada books

Stephen Clare and Trevor Adams of Halifax Magazine are holding a web poll to find the top 100 Atlantic Canadian books ever written. The results will be published in Spindrift: The 100 Greatest Atlantic Canadian Books Ever Written.

As they write on their website:

By way of methodology, we are polling over 1,500 writers, readers and literary people of all sorts across the country to submit their "Top 10" list of fiction/non-fiction works from the East Coast.

According to QuillandQuire.com, one of the writers polled was Neil Peart, who weighs in with his top 10:

Barometer Rising by Hugh MacLennan

The Colony of Unrequited Dreams: A Novel by Wayne Johnston

The Custodian of Paradise: A Novel by Wayne Johnston

Fall On Your Knees by Ann-Marie Macdonald

The Way the Crow Flies: A Novel by Ann-Marie Macdonald

The Republic of Nothing by Lesley Choyce

An Avalanche of Ocean: The Life and Times of a Nova Scotia Immigrant by Lesley Choyce

Shipping News: A Novel by E. Annie Proulx

Architects Are Here by Michael Winter

The Wreckage by Michael Crummey

Thanks to Kjmastaw for the head's up.

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posted by AndyO @ 10:11 AM   0 comments

Wednesday, September 09, 2009

NEP News: The Ballad of Larry and Suzy

In the September 2009 edition of News, Weather, and Sports, Neil recounts his growing fascination with a hummingbird nest in his backyard as his daughter's due date approaches. This is a great read.

The Ballad of Larry and Suzy

Thanks to Tony Stiles via Power Windows for the head's up!

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posted by AndyO @ 2:07 PM   0 comments

Wednesday, August 19, 2009

Neil Peart in American Motorcyclist cover story

Neil Peart was recently inducted into the American Motorcyclist Association. The September 2009 issue of American Motorcyclist, the official magazine of the association, includes a cover story on Neil with a great interview and photos. Ed, over at Rushisaband, has posted scans of the interview.

image

You can also read a digital copy on American Motorcyclist website.

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posted by AndyO @ 8:34 PM   0 comments

Friday, April 03, 2009

NEP News Update - "The Quest for the Phantom Tower"

Neil Peart has posted a new Latest News to his website. This time, he writes about a quest in the Laurentian Mountains to find "The Eye of Satan."

The Quest for the Phantom Tower - March 2009

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posted by AndyO @ 8:01 PM   0 comments

Thursday, February 26, 2009

Neil Peart Updates - News and Bubba's Book Club

Neil has updated both the Latest News and Bubba's Book Club. To read these updates, click the links:

A Winter's Tale of Summers Past - Feb 2009

Issue 12: February 2009

A Fine Balance - Rohinton Mistry

Late Nights On Air - Elizabeth Hay

Man Talking - Mike Heppner

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posted by AndyO @ 1:21 PM   0 comments

Thursday, November 06, 2008

Two new Neil Peart Updates - News and Bubba's Book Club

Neil has posted two new updates to his website:

News: The Drums of October - November 2008

Bubba's Book Club: Issue 11 - November 2008

Reviews include:

The Deptford Trilogy: Fifth Business, World of Wonders, The Manticore by Robertson Davies

Barney's Version by Mordecai Richler

Deer Hunting with Jesus by Joe Bageant

Greasy Rider by Greg Melville

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posted by AndyO @ 12:25 AM   0 comments

Thursday, July 31, 2008

NEP News Update - Independence Day - July 2008

Neil has posted a new update to his website. You can read it here:

Independence Day - July 2008

In this update, among other topics, Neil writes about how much he enjoys the crowds at Rush concerts and the importance of wearing a helmet while riding a motorcycle.

NEP enjoying his morning coffee.

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posted by AndyO @ 9:59 PM   0 comments

Friday, June 20, 2008

NEP News Update: When the Road Ends - June 2008

Neil has posted a new update on his website. You can read it here:

When the Road Ends - June 2008

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posted by AndyO @ 10:16 AM   0 comments

Tuesday, June 17, 2008

Chris Stankee fills as Neil's drum tech

Chris Stankee, Neil's artist rep for Sabian Cymbals, was asked to fill in for Lorne Wheaton (Gump), Neil's drum tech, for the Moline and St. Paul shows. Gump was having an emergency appendectomy.

Chris wrote an article about the experience on Sabian.com, including some great pictures.

Here are the two parts of the story.

Part 1

Part 2 

You can read more about this event (and what it's like to be sick on the road) on ThisGigSucks.com.

Thanks to Rushisaband and MonicaZ for the head's up about this story.

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posted by AndyO @ 1:35 PM   0 comments

Tuesday, February 05, 2008

New NEP article: The Heart and Soul of a Drumset

Neil Peart has penned a new article called "The Heart and Soul of a Drumset." The first chapter "Bass Drum Heartbeat" is available on the DW website.

In addition, there's a great video of Neil talking about the DW "X shell" and hybrid kit. In the video, there's a time-lapse sequence of Lorne Wheaton setting up the Snakes kit. Pay close attention to the song playing in the background.

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Thanks to Rushisaband for the head's up.

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posted by AndyO @ 7:15 PM   0 comments

Thursday, October 11, 2007

UK residents only - Sign a petition to encourage the study of the works of Neil Peart

There is an official e-petition in the UK to add Neil Peart's work to English literature courses. This petition is part of a beta program where British citizens can create electronic petitions for the Prime Minister to consider.

The details from the petition creator, Ian Coley:

"Neil Peart, one of the finest wordsmiths still alive to-day, would be one of the finest authors for young British students to study. His works makes such works as Ayn Rand, Shakespeare, Dickens and other great writers more accessible to a new generation."

If you're a UK citizen, you can sign the petition (link below). At this point, there's only one signature.

Petition to: to encourage the study of the works of Neil Peart within English literature courses.

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posted by AndyO @ 12:33 PM   0 comments

Saturday, July 14, 2007

New NEP News update (7/13/07)

After the first leg of the Snakes & Arrows Tour, Neil has updated his website with a news update. You can read it here:

"That's the Way We Roll!"

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posted by AndyO @ 3:02 PM   0 comments

Friday, July 13, 2007

NEP and Richard S. Foster go for a drive

Recently Neil Peart met up with Richard S. Foster, the author of the short story, "A Nice Morning Drive." As most Rush fans know, this story was the inspiration for the song "Red Barchetta." It turns out Richard is a BMW motorcycle enthusiast, and he, Neil, and Michael (Neil's security man) drove around the countryside in West Virginia -- a landscape not unlike the one in "Red Barchetta."

This is a must read with many great pictures.

The Drummer, the Private Eye, and Me (Rush Fans Take Note)

The one-lane bridge

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posted by AndyO @ 9:30 PM   0 comments

Thursday, July 12, 2007

Neil Peart article on Sabian.com

A new article about Neil Peart called Rollin' with Rush is available on Sabian.com. The article was written by Chris Stankee, who is Neil's artist rep at Sabian. There are lots of great pictures and information in this article, so be sure and check it out.

neil_smile_sabian

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posted by AndyO @ 5:31 PM   0 comments

Wednesday, June 27, 2007

Snakes & Arrows section updated

Now that the new tour has beein going for a few weeks, I've updated the Snakes & Arrows section of my site.

Here are some of the new or updated areas:

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posted by AndyO @ 11:13 PM   0 comments