Last week I heard the news about the passing of Neil Peart after a three years battle with glioblastoma, an aggressive form of brain cancer. We’ve lost a few great musicians over the past years, but this one hits hard, not only for me but all the musicians on my personal Facebook, needless to say, the news spread quickly.
How I discovered Rush and Neil Peart
It was in 1989, I was 14 years old, I spent my summer land mowing and working at a farm to make money. I just applied for a subscription to the Columbia House, you would get 11 albums on tape for one cent. In return, you had to buy a certain amount of albums at full price for the next few years.
I got my first 11 cassette tapes. At this time I lived in a small village, I had no musician friends or older brothers to guide my musical tastes. I listened to top 40 radio, I was really into Samantha Fox, INXS, Debbie Gibson and the heaviest band I knew was Europe.
One thing the Columbia House had was the monthly selection, a new album in a specific style that you would get unless you returned a paper in the mail saying you refused the selection. Of course, as lunatic as I was, I forgot to return the paper, and a few days after I received that album, A show of hands by Rush.
What tell hell is that strange music by this band called Rush?
I must admit, I didn’t really like it at first, especially Geddy Lee’s voice, it’s an acquired taste for a lot of people. But I was intrigued enough not to throw it away, although within a few months I was discovering Guns n’ Roses and Metallica (pre-Black album). These are two bands that would be influential to me, leading me to hard rock and metal.
Eventually, the album grew on me although it’s a blur from 89 to 91. So much was happening in my life, I started playing guitar, my parents got separated and I finished high school. But I have two distinct memories about Rush during that time that proves to me that I was enjoying that album.
I think I like Rush
When my parents got separated, my mother got a boyfriend quickly. I remember going to his place one day for the first time. My mother and he went out for the night but they let me rent VHS videos to watch while they were out.
I don’t remember how many VHS I rent but one was ‘A show of hands’ on video, it was the first time I saw the band play their instruments. I was really impressed, at that time I was already a musician and I could feel they were in a league of their own.
The other memory is around 91 or 92, it’s the first time I jammed with another musician. He was a friend from school who just started playing drums. We were probably really bad, the first song we tried was Leper Messiah by Metallica, it turns out we both bought tablature books of Master of Puppets.
After the jam, I remember clearly playing him the drum solo from A show of hands of the cassette player. The funny thing is that he wasn’t impressed at all, God we were innocent…
How Rush became part of my life
After A show of hands, I didn’t own a Rush album for almost a decade. I’m pretty sure I heard 2112 and Moving Pictures a few times with some friends, and maybe some songs on the radio because I started listening to more rock-oriented stations. The first CD I bought from Rush is ‘Exit… stage left’, another live album.
With this one, I discovered the older 70’s style of Rush, more progressive rock, and I was really into that style at that time. Although I still prefer the 80’s era, the one I first knew, sorry for all the purists. Ironically the same thing happened with Genesis, I was introduced to the Invisible Touch era, long before I realized they were a prog band fronted by Peter Gabriel before.
In my young adult life, I used to go out to a small local bar. The DJ was the father of a good friend of mine. He used to play Subdivisions every time he saw me there, probably enjoying the sight of me, air-drumming the hell of that song.
The legacy of Neil Peart
There’s no doubt that one of the most influential musicians in my life has passed away. His legacy is undeniable and all the tributes from the greatest musicians everywhere just confirm how he was special.
As I mentioned earlier, I was air-drumming listening to Rush, but I’m a guitar and bass player way more than a drummer. But his playing is so recognizable, so musical, I can’t help hearing him upfront.
A true legend is gone, thanks to Rush and Neil Peart for the joy and the inspiration in my life as a fellow Canadian musician. Rest in peace The Professor.
