Neil Peart -- The Latest News

Neil is on the cover of Drum! magazine for June. He's also in a Modern Drummer special issue called Drum Gods. I'll post more info when I get these.

 

Also in the Drum! issue, check out the interview with Michael DF Lowe of NeilPeartDrumsticks.com. You can also read it here:

Labels: magazine article

Michael DF Lowe, who runs Neil Peart drumsticks, has put together a contest with some great prizes. To find out more information, go to this page: Neil Peart Drumsticks 2007 contest.

If you've never been to Michael's website and you're a Neil Peart fan, you're in for a real treat! Michael has the entire history of Neil's sticks, including many never-before-seen models.

Michael is also on MySpace if you want to stop in and say hello.

Rushisaband has posted the first pictures of Neil's new kit. These were taken by Michael Yarberry on a DW factory tour on April 20, 2007.

Update - 4/25 - DW asked Ed at Rushisaband to take down the pictures on his site.

Labels: Rush SnakesArrows

I've mapped out the North American leg of the upcoming Snakes & Arrows tour on Live.com.

You can look at maps of the amphitheater locations...

...and you can look at most of the amphitheaters using the "bird's eye" view. Check it out.

Labels: Rush SnakesArrows

Neil has a new "Quality Reading" book review on his site. This time, he reviews What Is the What by Dave Eggers.

Neil uses this review as a way to discuss some of his favorite books, as well as what makes art great.

"The definition of art as a combination of Truth and Beauty traces back to Plato, and still holds. Truth may also be the province of journalism, history, science, and biography (ideally), and beauty can be created by designers--industrial visionaries, architects, and decorative artists--but the combination of the two is the sublime, transcendent province of genuine art. I remember feeling enlightened when I learned that the term "fine art" comes from the French fin--the end. Art as the end, art for art's sake."

Here are some of the other books discussed in this review:

 

 

Labels: neilpeart.net

The interview with Vertical Horizon lead singer Matt Scannell where he discusses working with Neil Peart is now online.

Drumhead magazine interview with Matt Scannell

Thanks to Rushisaband for the head's up.

Labels: magazine article

Rush's photographer Andrew MacNaughtan has a new Rush "Snakes & Arrows" series available for purchase. The sales of this series will go to charity.

There are two prints available:

• Geddy, Neil, and Alex (US $725.00)
• Neil Peart (US $325.00)

 

 

 

 

 

 

Here is Andrew's intro from his website. The intro also includes some information about the documentary he directed, which will be included on the DVD version of "Snakes & Arrows."

Hello Everyone!

For years, I've wanted to make a documentary of Rush in the recording studio, and tell the story of the process of making an album.  So, it was the opportunity of a lifetime to be a "fly on the wall" and capture rare footage of the guys at work on their upcoming release, Snakes & Arrows.  The documentary, entitled The Game of Snakes & Arrows, was filmed over the course of 20 days at a beautiful studio in New York's Catskill Mountains.

The band gave me unprecedented access into their creative process and I had the privilege to witness first hand the writing and recording of their songs.  In fact, I was able to capture on film a rare moment of Geddy jamming on his bass as he created a new song for the album.

To complement the documentary and to celebrate the release of the new CD, Rush have agreed to sign a very limited edition of prints to raise money for several of my favorite charities.  These photos were shot exclusively at the studio sessions, during the filming of the documentary.  This is a rare opportunity to own a little piece of Rush history, and it's all for a good cause!

Cheers,

Andrew MacNaughtan

Labels: Andrew MacNaughtan, auctions, Site updates

A sample of "Spindrift" from the forthcoming "Snakes & Arrows" is available on Rush.com.

Spindrift sample

Labels: Rush SnakesArrows

Neil was interviewed in the Toronto Star about his involvement in the "Aqua Teen Force Movie." In the interview, he talks about why he was interested in doing this film.

Rush's Peart shows off comedic chops as drum-playing watermelon seed in Aqua Teen

Labels: Rush SnakesArrows

I wanted to report a few changes to this website that will (hopefully) help you find information faster.

New right-side navigation

After not being able to find a few things on my own website(!), I decided to create new right-side navigation. This navigation allows you to explore the site by categories. Click a section to expand or collapse it. It's located on the Neil Peart home page.

"Snakes & Arrows" section

I've continued to add information to the "Snakes & Arrows" section of the site. It will continue to expand as the new CD/DVD releases, tour starts, etc. Stop in and check it out periodically.

Rush auction page

As I state on the auction page, my friend has one of the best Rush collections in the world. They are selling a lot of their duplicate items -- some of them very rare and unique. There are new items every week. The auction page is located here.

Labels: auctions, Site updates

On Neil's website, he has posted links to "The Republic of Nothing" by Lesley Choyce for which he wrote the afterward, and a recommendation for "Pike's Folly" by Mike Heppner.

From Neil's website:

"Pike's Folly is clever, funny, endearing, and well written, with special praise for how skillfully Heppner takes the reader inside the mind of a character who is gradually losing her grip, discarding her sanity with her clothes as she walks naked into the streets of her Rhode Island town. It takes a Faulknerian tour-de-force of writing skill to pull that off, and he does it.

Highly recommended -- and especially appreciated as a more-or-less 'impulse purchase.'"

Labels: neilpeart.net, written by NEP

Neil Peart appears as an animated character in this Aqua Teen Force music video.

Neil also plays himself in the Aqua Teen Force movie due out on April 13, 2007. I think they captured his likeness pretty well.