Album #7: Rush Moving Pictures 1981
Neil Peart was everyone’s favorite drummer, so he couldn’t be mine. But boy did I admire that guy. He could hit it as hard and fast as anyone. But what set him apart was how crisp his fills were. Here was a perfectionist who practiced endlessly to get it just right. He put so much emphasis on sound, from his set, to tuning, to mic’ing, to selecting which drum or cymbal he’d hit at a given moment. His set was so big, not to show off, but to accommodate all those sounds. He also made room for his band mates, only going off when there was space for it, or when the song called for it.
I tried to emulate him, and could even play along passably to all songs on his album. But I never had his rigor, his desire to improve his technique. Few did. Now that he’s passed, in January of this year, I’m so thankful for all the effort he put into his recordings, that are pure perfection for all time.
This is in response to a challenge from Alain Cournoyer of the Homebuddies to post 10 albums which marked my life in ten days.