Edit it to say Xanadu Live in Montreal 1981. This will get the remastered video and won't have the video boxes at the end blocking Geddy playing the guitar neck. It's a significant video improvement.
This song is just excellent!! The producer was recording Geddy during some down time on set! Geddy was noodling on his new Jaco Pastorius fret less bass remastered by Fender! The producer freaks out and says “that’s a cool riff you got going there” so the jammed it later! Alex was out of town, but Neil was there with a 5 peice kit so Neil and Geddy wrote this little piece! When Alex got back he had to sit with a few days to get his part in there but he took care of that! Great story behind the song! Be well and God bless.. from Texas!!
Read Geddy Lee's book. Took my kids to meet Geddy at a book signing. He and his wife spent 5 mins talking to my kids. They were so gracious and kind. When asked what advice he can give to my aspiring musician kids he said "Practice, practice, practice, stick to your guns, and play what you want."
Geddy has said on his book tour that months after the final Rush concert, Neil disconnected from the other guys to be a husband and dad but he was ticked off that no one told him how good his solo was. This is Neil Ellwood Peart, one of the three best drummers in the world STILL needed a pat on the back. If you have a chance, read Geddy's book if nothing else for the love story of his parents meeting and falling in love while in Auschwitz and backstage friendship of the three of them.
@@johncampbell756 His autobiography is called "My Effin Life" and recounts his youth, his parents story in the concentration camps, career with Rush (he was fired one time believe it or not), backstories of the albums and the sad tragic ending with Neil. It is a great read. I love the Big Book of Bass, and if I was a bass player, I would have enjoyed it even more.
I still just break out in tears sometimes when watching Neil. I was lucky enough to see them live 50 times and he’s just one of my musical heroes (all three are) but that man is truly one of the drumming GOATs. I miss him so much. ❤️😓
A big part of Geddy’s tone is just how slamming hard he hits the strings. Many bassists will buy the Geddy Lee signature Jazz bass and the same Geddy Lee Signature San Amp, the same round wound stings and still can’t get his sound because they don’t have the finger strength to kill those strings like Geddy does. He beats them like they owe him money. As far as I know, Geddy has always used round wound strings to get that bite. I think he is just so experienced on the bass, like an extension of his arm, that he has mastered the touch of sliding his hands up and down the neck without that screeching sound you’re talking about. I think that he just pushes down that hard on those strings while sliding. The screeching is from the round tips of the string causing the skin to skip up and down, but he is pushing down so hard on those strings that his fingertips don’t just lightly touch the string, so it can’t skip over the bumps of the round wound strings. There’s a reason he is considered the master of the bass. A true virtuoso. Even after years of playing and considered the best rock drummer in the world, Neil Peart still had the humility to go back to drum school under the tutelage of Jazz great Freddy Gruber. That was when he started changing up to traditional grip on certain songs and his solo. Neil noticed that Steve Smith from Journey had really I,proved his chops, so he asked Steve what he did and that’s when he told him about Gruber and Neil called Freddy and set up lessons. That’s when he began incorporated a lot Jazz into his playing. Neil is no doubt the best ever in rock music. He is another legend, as is Geddy and Alex. 2020 was a bad year, when it started off with the death of Neil, then all of the other crap that went around the globe, almost as if the entire earth mourned Neil’s passing. What a drummer, what a legend. He will be remembered a 1,000 years from now and I still doubt any other drummer will have stole his thunder. RIP to the professor. All Rush fans will know him by that title, the professor.
According to Neil, the drum lessons were not what you and I would consider drum lessons. It was more discussion and philosophy about drumming. In fact, they rarely touched the drum kit. Neil always felt his drumming was too robotic. Freddy in a nutshell stated drumming is like dancing, be able to glide freely and swing. It was around this time Neil would switch back and forth between match and traditional grips. From videos you also get the sense Neil seemed more loose and free on the drums. In regards to incorporating jazz as a result of Freddie's instruction, Neil always had jazz chops on the drums that you hear in many Rush song prior to Freddy Gruber, so I don't believe that's entirely true, however he does end his drum solos with a jazz ending. I don't know if Freddy had something to do with that.
I'm not a bass player but check out a pedal made by Tech 21, called the geddy lee pedal. Supposedly it's amazing. I think Tim Starce (amazing bassist) from the band YYNOT, who cover a bunch of Rush tunes rolls with that pedal
@@louofm1 Tim is one of my favorite bass players in all tribute bands. He captures Geddy’s sound better than any other bass player. Tim really hits the strings hard too. That’s what you have to do, even if you have the Geddy signature Jazz Bass and Geddy’s direct box made by Sans Amps. Those are great pieces of equipment because Geddy does use those instruments, but even all of that doesn’t help if the bassist doesn’t murder those strings like Geddy does. I’ve never seen YYNOT live, but Tim Starce sounds the most like Geddy I’ve ever heard on recording. When I watch the live videos, I can see that’s Tim really plucks those strings hard and that’s the key to getting that bite that Geddy is known and loved for. I hope I get a chance to see YYNot live once. I got to see Rush live 32 times. Even that wasn’t enough to satisfy my need for Rush. Seeing them live is an awesome experience. No matter how many times I seen them, it was always just as exciting as the first time seeing them.
@@RoarOfWolverine I've seen YYNOT 3 times live. They are a very good band, with their own material too. I too was fortunate enough to see Rush live on every tour, from grace under Pressure, through the final tour. Not as many times as you but enough to know that they are absolutely amazing. You are right, it's never enough
Neil was and always will be the GOAT. Your favorite drummers, drummer. The man was literally pure genius. This is WHY they call him the professor. So sad he had to leave us, but he left us some of the greatest music ever produced. Gone but NEVER forgotten REST in Peace Neil…..we miss you! ❤
Bro, I’m over here crying my eyes out. Ive been enjoying your journey into Rush and seeing the joy they bring to you makes me cry. I agree with the sentiment of doing Xanadu from 81 is a MUST!!
Great Reaction These guys never take themselves seriously, but take the music very seriously. They are such good friends with a great love for each other. Everyone playing in service to the song.
So cool thanks for that reaction. Keep going on man and please see this one: RUSH - The Weapon - Live In Toronto 1984 (2021 HD Remaster 60fps). Just 3 incredible masters!!!
Geddy came up with that riff while killing time between vocal takes while recording Snakes and Arrows. Neil had already had his drums packed up and Alex was out of town. Neil recorded the track on a 4-piece kit that was laying around the studio and Alex came back and added his parts and voila! This is one of my favorite instrumentals of theirs.
One thing that is true about Mr. Neil Peart, who sits on a throne on top of a pedestal is that the difficulty he had in accepting the adoration from so many people, not just fans. R.I.P. Neil Peart
Funny, I was just thinking about this song earlier today cause of the name, but I had completely forgotten what it sounded like! Now is a good opportunity to listen again, I haven't heard that full album in 5+ years
DAMN that was awesome didn't realize it was mostly a drum solo. Can't go wrong with a Peart solo. I was fortunate enough to see them 6 times and there was always a long drum solo
Xanadu live from the Exit Stage Left 1981 tour, and actually my personal favourite Neil Peart performance, was the 1994 Cottontail with Buddy Rich Big Band. He's wearing a black turtleneck sweater and no hat in this one, not to be confused with a few other similar titles years later, and is always wearing a head covering of some kind. I mean those are spectacular as well of course, but are different from the 1994 version.
He used fretless on the recording and I remember him saying for the tour Fender sent him a fretted model. You are right! He had both! Found a rig rundown video from that tour and the fretless was set up that he played and he said he wanted to start using the fretted model in the future. Good call.
@@peteturney2732 Geddy is indeed playing the fretless here, you can hear it in his slides. It is a lined fretless because that's what Jaco's bass was. Jaco's was originally fretted and he had the frets removed and filled leaving the lines. So as a tribute model it would be made the same way.
Hreat reaction Church boy. Usually it's the ddrummer that stays in the pocket but on this track it was Alex just sitting in his pocket. Fun fact, origionally Geddy was a guitar player til he joined Rush when they said we need a bass so Geddy went out and got a bass guitar. Now he is Jack Bruce, he is Leland Sklar, he is James Jamison, he is Jaco Pastorious..and what is there left to say about Neil...it don't mean a thing if it ain't got that swing...
As far as tone goes, these guys were always super clean and super accurate live. The concerts were truly next level. Everyone always had huge perma - grins after the show. Phenomenal live band! RUSH ARMY! 😄
I am not a musician, but I am a devout Rush fan. I have heard Rush described collectively as being "musicians' musicians" and I am enjoying hearing your musician's take on their music. I am glad you are enjoying your discovery of Rush. I think you may be on the verge of changing religions to the Church of Rush. Kirk Hammett of Metallica called them the High Priests of conceptual rock, and Geddy Lee wrote The Big Beautiful Book of Bass, which could be a bible of sorts for bassists. Keep listening and expanding your musical world. Thanks for sharing.
I'm a guitar player, and Neil is my favorite musician. He has been an inspiration to me for decades. His passing crushed my world, and I weep when I watch his drum solos. RIP Neil.
Geddy only uses RotoSound round wound strings on his basses. He's playing a Jaco tribute Fender Fretless for this song which is why it sounds smooth but there is still 'zing' to his tone.
Please do ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-YSToKcbWz1k.htmlsi=FopnqoojdhbcondT Rush “Best Intro Ever”! You’ll love it. It’s a medley of some of their early songs performed live and it rules
Great song and a great performance! Geddy has written two books Big book of bass( Geddy has collected a lot of basses) My Effin Life , his autobiography which I am reading now and it is a great read.
I LOVE swing jazz. When spring hits, the sun is shining, I get in the car, roll those windows down and that gets cranked. You can’t help but be energized.
Rush is/was and forever will remain the most versatile, talented, diverse and unpredictable musicians of the late 20th and early 21st centuries.🤘🖖✌️🎸🥁🎹🎤🥇🇨🇦🎼
Keep it coming with Rush. Really enjoying your reactions! Great job! That was an instrumental which led into one of many iconic Neil Peart drum solos. So many songs left…
I don't believe in "goats" or "Best ever" discussions because like bass, there are so many variables to what makes a great player. Neil is certainly one of them and one of my greatest influences. What he was also undeniably is one of the most influential. He makes my personal Mt. Rushmore of rock drummers, but again, it's only opinion and personal taste. But he isn't "the goat". There are things he can do that others can't and vice-versa. It all comes down to taste and what serves the music.
Yeah. It’s all about opinion. He may be someone’s favorite, but that doesn’t mean that he’s the greatest of all time because there is no greatest of all time. Neil is my personal favorite drummer (RIP), but he might not be for someone else.
Been waiting for you to give this one a listen...glad it's a live version! I forgot Neil had a drum solo in this on that tour. It's the only tour of theirs I missed since Grace Under Pressure...(sigh)
You'll get lots and lots of suggestions. One of the best bass moments comes in Driven from the Rush In Rio performance. I would also recommend (not for the bass, just for the overall awesome performance) of Secret Touch from the Snakes & Arrows Tour (live). Loving your reactions. At some point you should watch the documentary Beyond the Lighted Stage. There is a section from that called Dinner with Rush that other reactors have reacted to and that could be worth it, because you see just how unseriously they take most things (besides music, which they took very seriously). Geddy developed GAS very late in his career. He had a small handful of basses and usually had a primary one. It went from the Rickenbacker on early albums to the Fender Jazz and then an album/tour with a Steinberger, a couple albums with some Wal basses before returning to the jazz bass. Then he started collecting basses and played what looked like a different bass on every song for R40 (he didn't have quite that many). He wrote a coffee table book with incredible pictures called Geddy's Lee's Book of Big, Beautiful Bass.
Geddy's "tone" as you mention has a little bit to do with his setup (he uses a low action), but it's mostly from the way he plays. He plays very aggressively and really digs into the strings.
I'm not sure which would be more impressive: If Neil kind of ad-libbed his way through that solo each performance (he didn't) or that somehow, something so spontaneous sounding arose from hours and hours of rigorous practice first (it did).
Have you seen K.D.Lang's version of Halleluya yet, the live one? Just thought I would mention as she is another great Canadian artist, totally different genre though. Cheers!
The book to get: "Geddy Lee's Big Beautiful Book of Bass", available on Amazon or at Barnes & Noble or wherever you get books. From Amazon: “A treasure trove for any fan of the four-stringed (and occasionally more) instrument.” - Billboard "It's not surprising that sooner or later I'd dive down the proverbial rabbit hole into the world of vintage bass guitars."-Geddy Lee From Rush frontman Geddy Lee's personal collection of vintage electric bass guitars, dating from the 1950s to the 1980s, comes the definitive volume on the subject. Geddy's love of the bass has been nurtured over a lifetime spent in the limelight as one of the world's premier rock bassists. For the past seven years, he's dedicated himself to studying the history of the instrument that's been so essential to his career, collecting hundreds of basses from around the globe.
Neil got into jazz in the 90s. He's a total hard bop kinda guy. His tribute to Buddy Rich, _Burning for Buddy_ has the top drummers of the day (where's Vinnie!? 🤷♂️) on one album performing Buddy's material. Great reaction, my guy!
Geddy has always had his bass techs apply heaping amounts of Finger-Eaze to new strings before putting them on. Get as much on as possible, then take a towel and vigorously rub the strings, then put them on the instrument. Removes all squeaks. Skip Gildersleeve RIP.
Welcome home brother! Welcome to the Rush family! If you can find it, Geddy has a solo out called "My Favourite Headache". Some pretty unique tracks...
Love the channel as always!!! Geddy's tone has been attributed to a super aggressive right hand. Geddy will sound like Geddy on almost anything. Neil! Yeah man! lol. Although, he admittedly didn't get a good swing feel until later in life. Such a talented and creative band! Post some of YOUR playing!! I can tell you're badass! Much love!
If you see more of Neil solos, you will start to understand that he spent his career learning new influences patterns and techniques and each concert. He would repeat some of those and add nuance and other new material to build upon what he had done before. In the late stages of his career after his tribute to Buddy Rich, he would always finish on the jazz Note, which was a highlight for me. Drum solos were bathroom breaks for other bands, but never for Rush fans.
Mr Peart was incredibly well rounded to say the very least but yes in addition to rock drumming he loved and respected the jazz and big band but his true love was the roots of African rhythms. However, he has never been a "fan" of anything.. He was an extremely complex and deep individual who analyzed studied and internalized EVERYTHING drumming he endeavored to understand until it was a natural part of him. He would never deliver a product until he had it mastered, that's why we were never disappointed. He also cared about our experience as the audience as much as his own gratification to the point of retiring so not to disappoint his fans. He was extremely intelligent and could have chosen any career to pursue and been just as successful but as a pure gift to us he chose to devote his life to music. He was indeed the professor on the drum kit and so so much more..
Church Boy Malignant Narcissism is a phenomenal instrumental. Another incredible instrumental from this same tour Main Monkey Business Please check it out. ❤🔥❤🔥❤🔥
The bass Geddy is playing is a Jaco Pastorius replica and there's a story behind this song. This bass was sent to him and he was just playing around with it and the producer (Nick Raskulinecz) started recording him and convinced Geddy to make it into an instrumental.
I've been telling you since the beginning that Niel is a jazz drummer and if you want some jazz to look at his solo in Frankfurt. This was excellent also. Niel also plays Cottontail with Buddy Rich's band!!! He is the master - always and forever.
He is playing a Fender Jaco Pastorius Jazz Fretless bass here. He never played much fretless, and the Fender people sent him one, and he liked it so much, he wrote this tune with Neil pretty much on the spot.
Nice!! That swing bit at the end of the drum solo is so sweet. I just did a drum cover of this song. Great reaction as well. I’m still waiting on Vital Signs!! Come on my friend!
