Rush - Neil Peart Interview with Jim Ladd (25 May 1980) 

I listened to this interview on my Radio Shack clock radio back in 1980!

What Neil said about science and people's fear of it even though it's something we created - those words ring so true now. Neil Peart - THE philosopher of Rock.

What I really enjoy about this interview is the fact everything, especially the music, sounds so *clean* & pops so well. Everything sounds fantastic.

I remember recording this off the radio back in the day and listening to it as a kid over and over again. I still remember Neil talking about Natural Science and the "arcs of the spiral"... LOL.

Thank you for this upload. This is a gem. In 1980 Rush we’re still about a year away from superstar status. A year later with the blockbuster album “ Moving Pictures “ did they finally emerge in mainstream popularity. But in 1980 they were still a bit under the radar but as Jim Ladd implied they had a loyal cult following. Neil was only 27 years old but wise in his years at this time. These vintage interviews are gems because you get to hear the meaning of Neil’s lyrics. Enter Nous is such a beautiful song that I was able to see live on their ‘ Snakes and Arrows” tour. I always felt the song’s beautifully described the male- female relationships but after this interview I see how it describes relationships in general. Neil mentioned it’s about the loneliness of the human condition. I always felt Neil had a spiritual side to him. He eloquently spoke about his spiritual beliefs in this interview. Neil also was respectful of the Bible in his words on “ Jacob’s Ladder”. In 1976’s 2112 he used “ And the meek shall inherit the earth” a biblical quote in that epic song. What a wonderful interview during a time where were not in the mainstream so much. I became a fan in 1982 right after “ Exit stage left” was released and by that time they were hugely popular.

Jim Ladd on KMET 94.7 a little bit of heaven. There is a two hour interview Jim Ladd has with Neil Peart that I recommend for Rush fans.

Permanent Waves will never be a bad listen. Natural Science is close to perfection. A perfectly realized work of sonic art with a deeply-relevant theme and lyrics, in a mini-epic package. My favorite Rush track, alongside The Camera Eye, another mini-epic but with an urban theme of humanity's impact. Neil's own impact (along with his bandmates') will be felt for a long time!

Can imagine Neil's eyes blinking, so enthuastic..thinking, so loose. Tnx for this memoir, me as a foreign radio entusiast those times 83>, found Rush around 1979. Hello all Rushians!

Thank you for doing this interview, with Neil Peart... I'm from MN, and I loved the snow, and I hoped that Neil did, too! R.I.P., Neil Peart.

Amazing interview so much insight and detail from 33 years ago?! I’ll probably have to listen to this again.

One of my favorite interviews with Neil. Funny that Jim mispronounces Neil's last name and Neil doesn't correct him. The band was just starting to break through to the mainstream, though, and Neil probably would have thought it rude to contradict the interviewer. Overall, though, this is the interview and album (Permanent Waves) that really cemented my fandom and respect for the band. I had only discovered them about a year earlier, but I've been a die-hard ever since. Neil's passing in 2020 was a tremendous loss. Rest easy, Professor.

RIP Mr. Ladd.

❤❤❤ I STILL HAVE MANY JIM LADD INTERVIEWS ON REEL TO REEL 10 1/2 INCH REELS

Jim Ladd is such a great interviewer 👍

RUSH is THE PERFECT EXAMPLE of the fluidity of MASTERING TIME SIGNATURES! I play drums and there are a few things that you need to know about Neil Peart’s ( pronounced PEER-T) character: First he writes the lyrics so he knows in advance what TYPE of song it’s meant to be ie ballad, driver, etc. Second he COMPOSES on the drums… like a carpenter who looks at a set of blueprints before building the object. Neil lays out a SKETCH in his mind of the VOICES of the drumset and builds the song from there. He is also a great LISTENER knowing when NOT to step over Geddy’s singing or Alex’s solos! Finally, he had perfect timing and fluidity of time changes. He said himself that it’s not about COUNTING the time signatures as much as fluid motion to change the tempo without counting: in other words it should FLOW! He hates repeating the same drum patterns in the same song meaning if he plays a fill one way the first time around he will play it differently the second time around. IE. Rolls down the toms the first time around and triplets or quads (all four limbs) the second time around. In short there will NEVER be another like him on planet earth 🌍 🌏 🌎! REST IN PEACE PROFESSOR! With heart felt admiration and sincerity! Gary

wow music editor on this interview made that amazing 'natural science' loop during neil's last segment; its perfect and goes on for like 2 minutes

I just thought of something in examining the Professor’s last name: the first that caught my eye 👁 was ART- artist, artistic expression in both music and lyrical content. Second: PE as in physical education as in the Stamina it takes to play drums and in particular at a EXCEEDINGLY HIGH LEVEL!!! So we can deduce through his last name that we have an ARTIST in every sense of the word and Physical Education in terms of stamina and physicality to play at level that boggles the mind and soothes the Heart! Rest In Peace Professor there will never be another like you! Sincerely, Gary

I just found this video (and subscribed to the channel) and upon hearing Neil talk about his thoughts behind the song "Natural Science" I find it ironic that he exited stage left just at the start of the Covid pandemic and the politics of that which made science neither natural or based in reality. I'm not trying to start anything; I just wish Neil was still around and Rush could have made a song or two to reflect these times.

Pert. Ouch. Thank you for posting this though!

"Little bit of heaven 94.7 KMET...Twiddle dee" miss the mighty met!

superb ! thanks.

So cool

Neil said "subdivisions that divide us" back in 1980.

I remember reading an article by Neil's assistant from the Roll the Bones days, that Neil would ask him to call him about 5 minutes into interviews, in case the interviewer was boring or rude, so that Neil could get out of it. If it was going okay, Neil would not use the call to get out of it. I'm wondering if that's what happened at 6:49.

Can barely hear Peart over the background.

Guys you need to turn down the background music, can't hear hardly anything they are saying

Time is a spiral.... Time stand still... Time is a gypsy caravan....

Neil wasn't the songwriter.He wrote lyrics and Drum parts.Geddy and Alex wrote the music.

Spinning Whirling still descending like a spiral sea unending. Sound and fury drown my heart, every nerve is torn apart

So bad with music mixed in.. what were they thinking…

what song is playing in the background at @4:00 ??

You have to be fucking kidding a phone phone call in the middle of an interview and you keep it in?!!!!!! Screw up is not a big enough phrase this is why neil hated interviews and those doing them!

10:23 Long before a certain Christopher Nolan movie....

Who the hell is engineering these interviews you can’t hear him the music is all over the place play’s over the interview so you can’t hear what he is saying just an aweful piece ! I love rush but it sounds like a five year old put it together!!

Who dose an interview and dose not take the time to find out how to pronounce you interviewees name! That’s interview 101 ! What a screw up this is just bad!

Alex rules