One of the reasons Neil Peart is so popular with other drummers
is his creativity and how he approaches his fills. He never wastes an opportunity
to make a transition in a song with some style. Here are a few of my
favorites. Feel free to send me your favorites.
Click a link to hear a fill.
Tom Sawyer.
Who can forget this drum-solo-within a song? The first fill is trickier than
it seems (if you watch the Archives studio video, Neil actually skips a tom on the way
down). The second is the famous "quadruplet" with a triplet feel.
YYZ. The
first fill from the solo section is what I like to call "the fill to end all
fills." Even if you understand how to play it (a four-stroke ruff for
drummers), it's hard to get the right feel.
The last fill shows Neil's
creativity in landing on the "off" beat, and then he does one of his
roundhouse fills.
Limelight.
The fill that ends this song is what I'd call a masterpiece. It combines all
the best elements of Neil's fills to date.
The Enemy
Within. This fill is deceptive. It sounds like Neil is playing a lot
more notes than he actually is. It's actually the same rhythm as the second
fill on Time Stand Still.
