I think it’s fair to say from the early 80’s more attention was put into making Neil’s drums and cymbals than any player on the planet - as the most “important” drummer - I’m sure his manufacturers spent inordinate amounts of time and effort on his custom drums. There’s a video I’ll try to link about the development of his later DW drums. And he writes about his work with DW and Sabian Cymbals in his books - he was highly involved in the process. Fair to say, at this moment, these are the greatest drums and cymbals n the 🌏
@@bobespirit2112 I really enjoyed the video of the drums he made from an ancient tree that'd been underwater ... don't remember all the details, but I DO remember that it was very engrossing
Yes! There is an interview where he describes how and how many cymbals were made to find the exact sound he wanted. Amazing musician and artist and professional… period. 🙏❤️🥰
Yep, Geddy takes center stage on this one, like in The Big Money, The Enemy Within and Vital Signs. There are more, but those are the ones that come to mind where Geddy carries the main groove and Alex just comes in with chord accents. These are the songs that boggle the mind that Geddy can shred the main groove while also singing lead vocals? I have a theory that he has two extra brains hidden in his nose. That’s my theory and I’m sticking to it since there’s no other explanation how he sings and plays the bass when their beat structures are completely different.
Nothing will ever diminish the sheer joy of watching this man doing what he was meant to do. Being robbed of the further writing he would surely have produced will be something I will never get over but I will be forever grateful to have been witness to the words and skill and gentle intelligence of one of the greatest artists we've ever produced. His work and words will be heard as long as there are people around to hear.
I'm so glad you pointed out what Neil was doing with his left foot on the hi hats during the quiet break down section of the song. One of the things I developed as a performing drummer was the use of my left foot to "play" the hats without having to use the drum sticks on them. I loved adding down beat half and quarter notes with the hat via my left foot while my right hand was playing up beat quarters on the ride cymbal. I have Neil to thank for that. Great thing to point out Sir, what Neil was doing was so subtle, most people would have missed it, but Rush fans didn't..! 😎
@@AndrewRooneyDrums I don't know all the technical terms. I was a self taught, meat and potatoes style drummer. But, I learned to play by playing along with Steely Dan and other groups like that and I learned when music feels good it sounds good. Neil's left foot work on that part feels as comfy as an old pair of jeans... 😎
My dad's favorite of theirs, too. I like Mystic Rhythms okay, but not a lot of that late 80's era grabs me personally. I love the older stuff, love Presto on. I was never a big fan of the stuff where Alex seemed left out to the keyboards.
This is a great cam to give you an idea of Niel's power. His kit looks like it's going to shake apart. He was a pretty big dude at 6'4" though. Rest In the Pocket professor.
After nearly 45 years of concerts, Marathon stands out for me. Presto Tour. An unbelievable concert experience. This is why we are talking about RUSH 10 years and beyond after their retirement.
I have watched this before, I have watched the actual footage....I don't even care to guess how many times, each and EVERY time the hairs on my arms stand on end. Neil Peart, there may be some really great drummers in the world, but there is / was ONLY one Neil. The Professor will never be matched.
The cymbals Neil is playing are his signature Sabian’s. I love how Neil is able to introduce so many different dynamics into the music while still keeping such great time.
I’m a guitar player and been a Rush fan for 40 years. I’ve heard this song thousands of times, but I never picked up on some of the aspects of this song that you do. And it’s only your first listen! Lol! Thanks Rooney, it’s great to see a reaction that can teach this old salt something. 😎
Guitar player also. Loved Alex Neil and Geddy for years. I already regarded Neil as one of if not the greatest drummer of all time, but this video elevates my respect and love for Neil even more.
Just so much fun watching anyone that good at what they do and even better when it’s one of your personal favorites. Rush was something special with 3 elite musicians
Hola fellow Rush fans and good day Andrew. Considering this was released in 1985 I’m still amazed at Neil’s imagination back then and how over the concert scene it’s been tastefully added to. Thanks again Andrew for a great break down and pointing out even more things about his great playing.
what blows me away is how Neil added in so much more in these older songs than what was on the original track. So much more textured and so much more difficult to play.
So do I. If anyone deserved another twenty years, it was him. He entertained, inspired and astonished hundreds of millions of people with his super human performances and stunning composition. RIP Big guy. He and Buddy Rich are now playing a battling snares gig. That would be something to see.
It has no sense at all, but I get emotional too everytime watch him play, just like it was my uncle or something. I guess the endless hours listening to RUSH and dreaming about one day play a drumkit to give it my own attempts do their job hahaha. Cheers mate!
The Professor gone but not forgotten.. it just leaves me in awe of him when I think about him still playing the way he did and with all the technical prowess and fire he played with knowing he had brain cancer. Fu$k Cancer.
One of the most majestic songs in the rock/prog canon, an absolute classic. Watching Neil and his technically perfect approach to playing this tune only justifies the nearly universal belief that he was a musician, lyricist and percussionist nonpareil.
One of my favourite Rush songs. RIP Neil Peart "The Professor" "The Master", simply the best ever!!! You Sir will go down in history as the greatest drummer of all time.... Great reaction Andrew.
I watched an interview with Neil Peart some time ago and part the purpose of the interview was to ask simply "where did his direction come from when he played"? His response was something that made a hell of a lot of sense when you thought about it. He said that he never wanted to play the same riff more than once in any of Rushes songs. He didn't want his playing to be predictable because predictability could soon become boring and you lost your audience. He related that you still had to keep the beat in time to the composition but you could vary any and all of those extra "splashes, cadences, and time signatures" as he played. The amazing thing was he could keep all of this in his head for each and every song in the Rush library and play them flawlessly night after night for their audiences and fans. I don't think there is another drummer out their who could manage to do what he did should there ever be another Rush composition written.
What I love about Neil's playing on this song; he doesn't go for his usual tom fills during the solo. It's mostly the snare and the crash cymbals. It's not busy, but it's no less energetic.
I really consider myself a huge Rush fan, but watching your videos makes me appreciate Neil Peart's drumming even more. Thank you for doing this (and all the other awesome videos) - cheers!
Thank you Andrew. For me Neil's talents are beyond technical skills, his compositional approach to each song is the real thing. Very creative. You should check out the Subdivisions isolated drum cam version.
@@timothysmith160 I’m not set up for it. I’m still gearing up at the moment.. But weed is expensive. 😁 I just bought a new 16” china I’m waiting on. Can’t wait to hear what it sounds like. 🤘🏻
The keyboard era was interesting and different. They explored a lot territory and annoyed more than a few fans, but I gotta say, these songs sounded huge in the arenas. Geddy had a lot of fun with those sounds, textures, and it pushed both Neil and Alex in their creativity. Hard to believe, but it made them all better musicians and composers and performers. I think.
I've listened to the entire studio discography of several bands I particularly like, and between Scorpions, Rush, Chicago, Queen, and Kansas, Rush was the only band that always were always original and innovative throughout their entire career, never becoming stale, bland, or trite. They also always sounded as if even their most complicated works were easily done. Watching these reaction videos has made me appreciate even more how tight and proficient they are as musicians.
First seeing Rush back in 76, i became a lifelong fan since. Seeing 2 maybe 3 shows each consecutive tour was a long never ending dream. The memories i have are priceless. Seen many other bands and such, but Rush was always the pinnacle of performance. Very few other bands have attained that. My only other priceless memories were from seeing Stevie Ray Vaughan ( i’m a guitar player 🎸 ) many many times. So fortunate to have been born when i was.
My 15-year-old Son is a keyboarder, and 'Marathon' is his favourite song by Rush 🙂 Me, I find it impossible to have only *one* Rush favourite! 😄 I'm also a bassist and actually love the bass parts even better than the drumming in that song 😀
Studio version is a hella uplifting composition...you feel the pace of running a marathon (I imagine) with slow start...then takes you on the journey...struggle and then glorious finish. Like sun on your face, sweat in your eyes...euphoric strings (real) as you cross the line. Whole album Power Windows...a drummer/composer's delight I'm sure.
And just think this was only 1 song out of the 27-30 songs plus a 10-minute drum solo he played that evening and all played with the same level of intensity.
He's always been comfortable switching hands but even more fluid after studying with Freddy Gruber. He said in interviews he always wanted more facility in playing open handed and riding with his left, but for us mortal drummers he was already light years ahead. I was always blown away after seeing him play at several RUSH shows from the 80s on. He was the real deal!
4:05 Neil did occasionally play open-handed although he was right handed. Way back in I think 1982 on the Signals album, he stated that he had to learn to play openhanded for the song “The Weapon”. Those cymbals are Sabian Neil Peart Paragon signature series. I have the 22” ride, but I don’t play it. I bought it years ago as a collectable, although it’s a quite common cymbal. It’s very dry, with a lot of ping, not too much ring.
There are NO simple Rush songs meaing Neil was doing this level of complexity for 3 hours most nights, as of course were Ged and Lerxst but Jeez, the physicallity of kicking this for so long. Saw them a few times in UK and ot was always full om from start to finish but I always loved how Ged and Alex just seemed to be having a laugh thruout no matter how complicated the song. They were all great mates and brothers.
It's fun to watch your reaction vids. It reminds me of when I heard some of these songs for the first time. Watching the birth of a Rush fan - welcome to the family.
"The whole kit is shaking" 🤓. Neil was a big, strong guy. Famous not only for being the undisputed GOAT of percussion, also for wrecking drum heads like they were paper.
@@AndrewRooneyDrums Not always, yet he could really hammer them when he wanted. There's a documentary that shows him nonchalantly punching through a kick drum. Perhaps the kit was trembling in fear 😳
Thanks for getting into Rush it been lots of fun watching you discover them and good for you because you will enjoy this band for a lifetime. Maybe sometime you can check out something from test for echo because you can find all those tracks isolated from his A WORK IN PROGRESS. Great dvd where he talks about taking time to take lessons and sort of reinvented himself. Ive been a hardcore fan for 40 years and seen em 43 times met Ged 6 times Alex 5 times and got super lucky on the Counterparts tour and met Neil. My daughter's middle name is Rush. This band means the world to me!!!
Have most of (as I,A Neil Peart Fan) ever noticed how Neil always moves his head,to the right,"every time he hits on the main beat?!?" Neil Peart,(aka)The Professor,truly earned this name,for lots of reasons!! But the main reason to me,is because his mind and brain alone,alone, in itself a Metrodome as well!!!!! R.I.P NEIL,YOU ARE VERY MISSED!
Back in the day he released a VHS of an album play through (Test for Echo, maybe). In the video he described his kit. The cymbal stands don’t have tripod bases. The poles go straight into the drum platform. That explains the wobble of them while he’s playing.
Hi Andrew . Ive been a RUSH fan for many moons . He did an instructional video called A a work in Progress . It was a very insightful DVD from him on his drum theory and eveolving as a drummer . Songs on it were from the bands album Test for echo . As a bass player i found it very interesting. One of my longtime buddies who is a drummer bought it and learned a lot . If yiu can find it yiu should check it out .
I used to think about the beating his poor snare drum used to take, but this time, as Marathon drew to a close, I started thinking how the whole kit must be exhausted by the time he was done with it on any given night.
