Drum Teacher Reacts: RUSH | 'Tom Sawyer' | (Moving Pictures 1981 Track 1)

Most of you will know by now, Rush wasn't a popular band in NZ. No radio play, tours etc. They never made it here and no one I know listened to them. The only exception was my tutor at jazz school (He was Canadian!).
I really hope you enjoy Rush Week 2.0. Neil Peart is a legend! Enjoy :)
Be sure to check out my Neil Peart/Rush playlist and my Rush cover!
• NEIL PEART | Rush Reac...
SUBSCRIBE! ► www.youtube.co...
DRUMEO 30 - Day Trial ► www.drumeo.com...
DONATE | REQUEST a Reaction via PAYPAL ► www.paypal.com...
SUPPORT | BLOCKED VIDEOS | Join My Community and hit the PATREON ► / andrewrooneydrums
SWEETWATER Latest Drum and Percussion Deals ► imp.i114863.ne...
MERCH STORE ► andrew-rooney-...
BUSINESS INQUIRIES ► email | [e-mail]
REACTION PLAYLIST ► • Drum Teacher Reaction ...
Web ► andrewrooneydr...
NZ Drummer Podcast ► andrewrooneydr...
Get My ORIGINAL 'Drums & Coffee' COFFEE MUG! ► andrew-rooney-...
DRUM GEAR!
USA fans: Find the best deals on Drums and Percussion at SWEETWATER!
CURRENT DEALS! ► imp.i114863.ne...
SWEETWATER DRUMS ► imp.i114863.ne...
NEW ARRIVALS ► imp.i114863.ne...
Electronic Drums | Roland V-Drums TD-17KVX ► imp.i114863.ne...
My BUDGET THREE-MIC SETUP | • Affordable Drum Record...
SNARE | Shure SM57 | imp.i114863.ne...
KICK | Sennheiser E902 | imp.i114863.ne...
OVERHEAD | Audio Technica AT2035 | imp.i114863.ne...
Focusrite Scarlett 18i8 3rd Gen USB Audio INTERFACE | imp.i114863.ne...
HEADPHONES | Sony MDR-7506 | imp.i114863.ne...
Additional Highly Recommended MICS:
TOMS | Sennheiser e 904 Dynamic Drum Microphone | imp.i114863.ne...
OVERHEADS | Shure KSM32 Large-diaphragm Condenser Microphone - Champagne | imp.i114863.ne...
Extras Required To RECORD:
Tama Boom Mic Stand | imp.i114863.ne...
XLR Cables | imp.i114863.ne...
DRUMS / CYMBALS:
Snare 1 (Recording Custom Aluminum) | imp.i114863.ne...
Snare 2 (Ludwig Supraphonic) | imp.i114863.ne...
Snare 3 (Ludwig Acrolite) | imp.i114863.ne...
Yamaha Stage Custom Drum Kit | imp.i114863.ne...
Yamaha Recording Custom Drum Kit | imp.i114863.ne...
Zildjian 22 inch K Dark Medium Ride Cymbal | imp.i114863.ne...
Zildjian K 14 Hi Hats | imp.i114863.ne...
Zildjian 18 inch A Zildjian Thin Crash Cymbal | imp.i114863.ne...
DRUM HEADS:
SNARE: Remo Controlled Sound Coated Drumhead - 14 inch - with Black Dot | imp.i114863.ne...
TOMS: Remo Emperor Coated 4-piece Tom Pack - 10/12/14/16 inch | imp.i114863.ne...
KICK: Remo Powerstroke P3 Clear Bass Drumhead - 20 inch with 2.5 inch Impact Pad | imp.i114863.ne...
DRUM HARDWARE (Yamaha Lightweight) | imp.i114863.ne...
Vic Firth American Classic DRUMSTICKS - 5A - Wood Tip | imp.i114863.ne...
Podcast ► andrewrooneydr...
FREE Transcriptions ► andrewrooneydr...
FB ► / andrewrooneydrums
Instagram ► / andrewrooneydrums
Podcast Instagram ► / nzdrummerpodcast
Podcast FB ► / newzealanddrummerpodcast
#reaction #drumteacher #rush

[@AndrewRooneyDrums]

Hey what is up Rushtube! We are off and running into Rush week 2.0. It is a deep dive reaction/analysis series on the entire classic 'Moving Pictures' (1981) album. I hope you enjoy it. I have previously looked at a few of these songs but either live or isolated drums. Not the full studio takes. So this is my chance to hear them in their entirety, in the flow of the album. Be sure to check out my Neil Peart/Rush playlist and my Rush cover! kzbin.info/aero/PLqspKksRqaUVia4e736aSQdeyr_KIN-hI To help with the analysis aspect on this series of videos I will be using the Drumeo Running transcriptions. They are also available to YOU for free. DRUMEO 30 - Day Trial ► www.drumeo.com/andrewrooney/ SUBSCRIBE! ► kzbin.info Enjoy!

[@briantomczak21]

Neil's mom would ask him why don't you smile ,because it's hard mom. and he would always feel good when he played this song well. Alex said Neil would practice before they got together to rehearse, a dedicated musician if there ever was one. i am so glad that i was able to see them perform live as many times as i did, no other band was like this then or ever...RIP Neil, there will never be another like him. writing lyrics as well as he did to the drum parts he mastered, was really something to witness. to think this guy would play as hard as he did , then run off stage to get get on his motorcycle and ride as hard almost killing the security guy assigned to ride with him from show to show... one of a kind truly !

[@AndrewRooneyDrums]

Awesome Brian!

[@chonduu_]

I am so glad I got to see them play live once. I could never afford to go or get tickets when I was younger. I could have watched the R40 show every night for a year and never gotten tired of it.

[@rush2112pete]

Truth!

[@ernestogonzales9277]

Love your comment!

[@richardmckinnon8791]

Neil was a drumming God he is so missed. I can't stop checking out this recording of Tom Sawyer from different KZbin pages.❤😂

[@SylviusTheMad]

Neil was asked whether he ever got bored of playing Tom Sawyer, and he said no. He explained that the song never stopped being challenging to play, and he enjoyed the challenge of playing it correctly.

[@stevegee218]

He was also once asked why he dose not improvise more live? He said "Air Drummers". He understood that the fans want the song that way. It would be like a vocalist suddenly changing lyrics to your favorite song. The fans want that connection during the performance.

[@kd5you1]

I remember in an interview Neil was asked if this song was difficult to play live, and he replied that it was difficult to play correctly.

[@voodoochild1975az]

I'm primarily a guitarist. But before switching to guitar, I was a third generation drummer. My proudest moment on drums was getting this song down. Peart is a stone cold deity in my drumming world.

[@lisaharrison1031]

A drummer uses a metronome A metronome uses Neil Peart……. He was our heartbeat. He always will be…….🤘❤️🤘❤️

[@michaelallen2501]

I was never a big rush fan growing up (I'm 35) but my older brother is a huge fan. He took me to see them live and it blew me away. I've been to a few punk rock shows and it was rare to hear a band in that genre that actually sounded like the album. Rise Against and Billy Talent being the big outliers from the shows I've seen. But Rush just nails it. All 3 sounded as good or better than the album. Complete with one of Neil's signature 20 minute drum solos. They gained another fan after that show. Impressive performance.

[@AndrewRooneyDrums]

Excellent Michael!

[@pauljacobi340]

So I've been a big fan since around the time of Moving Pictures/Exit Stage Left. I'm 53 and I've been fortunate enough to see them around 15x starting with the Presto tour. My best friend for the last dozen years or so and I have been to over 100 concerts together and while she liked a few of Rush's hits, they never popped on her radar as must see. I told her the next time they came around she was going and I got her a ticket for the Greensboro show on what would be their final tour. 8th row on the floor, Geddy-side. Took all of about 20 - 30 minutes into the show for her to exclaim between songs, "I get it now!" The smile on my face had to be as bright as any of the stage lights. :)

[@michaelallen2501]

@@pauljacobi340 my brother is about your age and went to see them every year they toured at Pine Knob in Detroit for like 12-14 years straight!

[@malinwj1167]

Billy Talent is a great band

[@michaelallen2501]

@@malinwj1167 I went to see Rise Against and Billy Talent opened. They rocked hard. I was hooked after that first show. Haven't been back to see Rise Against again but been to Billy Talent 3 times now. Never disappoints.

[@Drewg351]

Do "Greatest Intro Ever". It's live, no singing, a mix of roughly 8 different songs, not in full, all played in a row. The timing is incredible. It's awesome !!!!! I find myself going back to watch this repeatedly because it's soooooo damm good.

[@AndrewRooneyDrums]

Cheers! I'll look into this

[@snakeinthegrass7443]

Its actually an intro to The Spirit Of Radio

[@Drewg351]

@@snakeinthegrass7443, right but the video is called: "Best Intro Ever", not "Spirit of Radio", and it's a mix of approximately 8 RUSH partial songs, that end, or lead into Spirit of Radio.

[@snakeinthegrass7443]

@@Drewg351 ok. But you said there's no singing. I know it's a medley intro...to the Spirit of Radio. An intro has to introduce something else. Unless I'm missing something here. And yes it is called BEST INTRO EVER. I agree with that.

[@joshuaboniface]

Technically (despite the *video*'s name), it's called "R30 Overture", where they play a part of each some from their first 6 albums - Rush (Finding My Way), Fly By Night (Anthem), Caress of Steel (Bastille Day), 2112 (A Passage To Bangkok), A Farewell To Kings (Cygnus X-1), Hemispheres (Hemispheres). It then segues into The Spirit of Radio from their 7th album Permanent Waves. Truly an epic intro.

[@rickhaddad7261]

I get it when people say that they play "note for note" live, but the fact that they'll actually spice it up live would blow me away. To hear Neil ADD to an already complicated section is mind blowing. I've seen them over 20+ times and I couldn't tell you the song, but I do remember thinking "holly sh*t! He added triplets on the kick bass"🤯 Enjoyed the breakdown! Take care ✌

[@AndrewRooneyDrums]

Thanks Rick!

[@Mike80528]

At their peak they tended to play a number of (many of?) their songs a bit up-tempo live just to up the challenge a bit...You might notice it on some of their live video's from the late 80's and early 90's

[@madbrad6282]

That’s why I love their old live recordings. Neil goes nuts.

[@robsveinson9454]

Congrats on 100k Andrew, and thank you for another Rush week!!

[@gregwasserman2635]

I will never forget the first time I heard of Rush and the song "Tom Sawyer". I was a freshman in high school, and I was going outside for gym class. A couple guys were talking about Rush and the song "Tom Sawyer". I hadn't heard of the band before then, but was eager to get the rock radio station on to here the band and, hopefully, the song. I didn't have to wait long, and I wasn't disappointed! The moment I heard "Tom Sawyer", I was hooked. I couldn't wait to hear it again and hear more from the band. I instantly bonded with other guys who listened to the band, guys who became some of my closest friends in high school.

[@randal_gibbons]

Moving Pictures came out during my senior year. I spent most of the summer at my friend's house and we never got tired of hearing listening to it.

[@springy-2112]

The Camera Eye will blow your socks off! It's got " Hey guys Neil's here!" fills strategically placed right in your face but done majestically. It's the most proggy song on the album. Although I've over heard everything on moving pictures I understand why it's their most successful work . I prefer to listen to exit stage left as it combines this work with older masterpieces. I would love to have a deep dive on Hemispheres or A farewell to King's or 2112 or Permanent waves but I can't argue with this. Peace and love brother ✌️ 💚

[@joeday4293]

That might be my favorite song on an album that contains most of my favorite Rush songs.

[@springy-2112]

@@joeday4293 It's a shame Le Studio fell into dis repair. So many fantastic sounds came from it with so many great artists. I was following it's possible revival. A chap was crowd funding the massive task of trying to rebuild the place. I need to catch up on the process. Camera Eye is definitely my favourite on this album. It's so Etherial ( I think that's the word?) It's cinematic . You know exactly what I mean . What a story told by my favourite story teller . Peace and love to you and keep on enjoying the music . ✌️❤️🤗

[@AndrewRooneyDrums]

Yup I will get to those albums! I felt my Rush listening so far was too scattered. So I'm doing a deep dive on Moving pictures to get a feel for the flow of this one. And I hadn't done any album cuts from the record yet

[@springy-2112]

@@AndrewRooneyDrums Bless you Andrew! Take it steady brother , some of us have had our whole lives to digest Rush, album by album . It's a massive and varied body of work and I honestly wouldn't like to advise on how to tackle it! Peace and love as always brother ✌️💚🤗

[@joeday4293]

@@springy-2112 The same way you eat an elephant one bite at a time. LOL

[@redjohndeble9862]

The groove of this classic is unbelievable, one of my favourites to play with my band

[@claudiodroguetttapia8663]

My friend, he reacts to Los Jaivas, a Chilean psychedelic band, specifically to the theme corre que te pillo. You will be pleasantly surprised, the drummer is at the level of Baoham or Neil.

[@mattscoggins]

100K finally and another Rush week! Let's go!

[@AndrewRooneyDrums]

It's on Matt!

[@joeday4293]

Among the many, many, MANY things I cribbed from Neil Peart, consciously or unconsciously, keeping the backbeat on the snare while hitting "stabs" with kick/crash is near the top of the list (and yes, those surgically clean hi-hat barks are #1, far and away). Listen to how powerful it sounds when the snare remains on 2 and 4 straight through the band hits. There are other drummers I have more consciously modeled my playing after than Neil Peart, but when he passed away, I took stock of how many licks I had stolen from him over the years, and I was shocked at how many it was. His playing seeped into my drumming DNA.

[@AndrewRooneyDrums]

Awesome feedback Joe. Thank you

[@krash66]

As a young drummer in my teens I tried (and failed repeatedly) to play along with my RUSH albums. Even the "easiest" of Rush songs was incredibly hard to play. "Closer to the Heart" from A Farewell to Kings, was probably the closest I could get to playing perfectly, but still never just right. Neil was an absolute Legend. RIP

[@donnelson6694]

Thank you for doing another Rush week. I always appreciate your reaction/analysis. Thanks Andrew!

[@AndrewRooneyDrums]

My pleasure!

[@gavinsmith9016]

As a non drummer it is always interesting watching your videos for songs that I know and love. It's fascininating that in this song the things you are calling out are things that have always caught my non drummers ear - just because I liked the sound of it.

[@shuntguy]

There is a new live version of Vital Signs recorded at MLG in '81 which is really good. It was recorded days before the Forum show which would become Exit Stage Left.

[@mightyV444]

Almost unbelievable that the actual studio version of Rush's 'signature' song pops up on this channel only _now_ ! 😄 And the only Rush songs I've ever heard on NZ Radio (The Sound) were from 'Moving Pictures, including this one, too! 🙂 Cheers from a sunny but still windy Wellington! 😊👍

[@AndrewRooneyDrums]

🙌

[@katskillz]

As musical as the drum part is, the main drum motif for Tom Sawyer is truly an excellent tool in drum instruction for beginners to intermediate. Reasons why? 1) All that 16th note high hat forces one to learn energy conservation while freezing into an uptempo constant stroke pattern (Using the Mueller technique if that's one's preference, or other strategies to keep wrist action, loudness and timing all under control). 2) The incessant 16th note high hat pattern also forces you learn to play in *time with yourself*, i.e. those bass drum and snare hits need to be right on the mark with the high hat hits and you don't want to hear any flamming between hands and feet. 3) The eventual *shifting* bass drum and snare hits among later measures teaches you to think about bringing in accents outside of the 4/4 backbeat without ever losing that 4/4 pulse. 4) A small introduction to 32nd notes on the foot here and there, without being some overwhelming athletic endeavor. The intent whether they're 8th notes, 16th note off beats, or the occasional 32nd note duh-duh... is to stay locked into that 16th note ticking on the traps ;) The production is thankfully so clean it makes it super easy to play along and compare. Great stuff.

[@AndrewRooneyDrums]

🥁🙌

[@mcnowski]

RUSH played my high school dance back in the 70s.

[@Power_Press711]

Lol no shit?

[@dard4642]

Also, the way Peart hits a cymbal IN THE MIDDLE of the first tom-roll in chorus is pure gold.

[@jhc2093]

This was 1981. This record. It’s sound. The songs. The musicianship. It was transcendent for a lot of rock and even pop fans. It was an anthem of sorts in that year. Tom Sawyer sounded like nothing that had been heard before. It was a unique sound at a very particular time, that despite how crazy it is, how all over the place it is rhythmically, or musically. It din’t matter. It captured imaginations. It was new and different, and to this day, despite incredible leaps in recoding technology, from mics, to digital, and every manner of gear and plugins, the album was recorded, mixed and mastered so well for its day that it easily holds up still. And that’s saying something. I’ll put that side one as a contender for the best side one of any record in that decade.

[@wc6975]

it still captures all who hear this played. one must stop to listen no matter what...

[@michealdemattia]

Aparently after the guitar solo on wards Neil said when he started the verse originally by accident as there was so much going on he picked it up on the off beat where he contiued playing this verse on the off beat ....the lag section i think he's relating to but he liked it some much it become the song it is now it stayed that way, just a bit of triva

[@61john2112]

Hi Andrew i live in Aus and have been a Rush fan since 16 i'm going on 61..you're right rush is not well known in our countries..an injustice.Rush have been at the core of my life,good and bad and have given me strength to move forward in my darkest moments..Neil Peart is an icon. Have a listen to a song called Didacts and Narpets of the album Caress of Steel. Keep up the good work..Regards John.😁

[@SG-le7lq]

Neil Peart said that Tom Sawyer was the hardest song he found to play live. he said if he played this song well he felt he'd had a good concert

[@killdozer3464]

this whole album is a master class in drumming, every technique, masterfully and more importantly, Tastefully done. Nothing is over done or out of place, it is hard to imagine how any fill could had been better. Same for Guitars, Bass, Synths, and vocals.

[@malawigw]

Moving pictures is easily one of the best albums ever made in any genre

[@dannyharris5310]

When you break it down and explain what Neil is doing makes it that much more amazing.. Thanks

[@garylagstrom3864]

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

[@scottzappa9314]

Being an old fart, I deeply regret having never seen Rush in concert. They are my fav. band and Neil is my fav. drummer. (Used to be Bonzo), at least for rock. But Neil was a very special human being. Multi-dimensional and complex. If you've checked his history, he did not have an easy life going through the Rush years. His daughter died in a car crash, then his wife died of cancer, then Rush went through a period of not doing anything, then resumed, after he rode his motorcycle all over North and South America. Then he died of cancer. I will never be as good or as brave as he was.

[@digibirder]

A song that doesn't get a lot of reactions, because maybe it's one of the few RUSH songs to be blocked, is "Loosing It" from Signals. The power of Neil's personality in that song is undeniable.

[@scottbaron121]

My forearms hurt just listening to an entire song of 32nd notes. I was 13 when this album came out (in the States). For the longest time, my friends and I thought Rush had 2 drummers.

[@alfredogonzalez3421]

I used to refer to ts as the "patty cake song". When I was a little boy my next youngest sibling was sister. And I used to play patty cake with her. And we would hit both hands on our knees twice then raise our hand and clap once. Repeat. Sounds like the beginning beat Tom sawyer. I explained that to her and she picked it up right away. Years later there was a much more popular song we could compare Queens we will rock you. We were both musicians and it's always something special we share on analyzing things in life that binds us like nothing else.

[@imacmanx8562]

Amazing to watch the music and hear Neil play every note perfectly. He often said that Tom Sawyer was the hardest song for him to play (what HE considered) perfectly, and he seem to nail it in their album take. Oh, and a request for you....can you do "Time Stands Still"....Live in Cleveland. Neil is awesome, as always, but Geddy's bass line is killer.

[@AndrewRooneyDrums]

I'm sure I'll get to that one. Thank you!

[@warnerbasement1628]

In the 80's the prog rock folks were putting out solid elevated rock/pop music and Rush was one of the best at it along with Peter Gabriel solo, Genesis with Collins and then Phil Collins solo. Yes also made some stellar pop songs. Solsbury Hill is masterwork of pop sensibilities merged with more complex time signatures with the verse vocals starting on the 5 count of 7/4 and ending with empasis on the 1 of the next measure. Very cool stuff. What makes Tom Sawyer so difficult to play beyond the tempo is that Neil is playing slightly behind the beat on the snare throughout the whole song and at times slightly ahead on the bass drum creating a very quick triplet flam that really fills out the space in that emphasis. He does a lot of playing behind on the back beat and snare on that album but it's subtle and very very effective at giving a very slight push pull feel. Songs like "Camera Eye" where he doesn't play behind the snare beat is just driving forward like a metronome dead precise and it fits that song perfectly because if the urgency of the cities he's talking about. Great stuff.

[@AndrewRooneyDrums]

Nice info!

[@protestantbeliever8124]

Saw them 4 times live. Just totally awesome is all I can say

[@Yyz1971]

Not sure if it was mentioned earlier, but Neil said he had achieved independence with his hands and feet. He stated in an interview that he would play in separate time signatures simultaneously and bring them together every few measures. Here I am just doing good keeping up using one at a time!

[@danreed5171]

Andy, I am 51 and been a drummer 4ever but, I never took notation seriously.......Now I like to follow along and learn a bit,....... thnx man. RED Barchetta is my fav RUSH tune so see u manana

[@AndrewRooneyDrums]

Rock on! See you tmrw Dan!

[@1960taylor]

Top drummers have recently played with Geddy and Alex.......now you know just how good Neil was. None of them were even close.

[@AndrewRooneyDrums]

Yeah I need to check those vids out!

[@shanewalsh4291]

Here in Canada Rush is 40% of our radio programming on rock stations 👍

[@iznone]

Like always for the great music people who are curious "how the real masters do these things".

[@dard4642]

The second measure of the first chorus ends with a variation where he doesn't hit the snare. If I remember correctly, that was actually a mistake that they kept and he played it like that ever after. Great video! This album came out when I was 10 and a 16-year-old down the street bought it on the first day, showed it to me, and I was blown away. Tom Sawyer was the first song and -- to this day -- every time I hear the intro, I can remember sitting in Steve Anderson's bedroom and being mesmerized by the sound that filled the room. Discovering Moving Pictures when I was 10 years-old protected me from ever going through a trash-rock phase because I expected so much more from bands. I've always said that one of the many things that makes Moving Pictures so interesting is that the snare drum is the lead instrument on the album.

[@christopherrobin6955]

Rush definitely gets alot of radio play here in 🇨🇦...especially in Neil's hometown of st. Catharines, Ontario where i live lol

[@AndrewRooneyDrums]

🙌

[@bryonshuttt436]

I'm from Ohio where they got there first shot on the radio!!! IT was WMMS 101 Clevelands Rock home of the buzzard!!! The logo was a cool looking buzzard with long hair and headphones on!!! Old memories.

[@DG-sf9ei]

Does anyone know for certain if Neil was using a single bass pedal or double configuration on this track. I believe it was a single pedal because he was that technical and fast to make the next drummer think it's double bass drums during the complex fills.😊

[@jasonl_]

My introduction to Rush was reading an article in Modern Drummer Neil wrote back in 1982/83 and he said by the time he finished recording the drums for Tom Sawyer, his hands and feet were red raw. I can believe it 😲❤

[@elusivegluejeff4980]

Neal always said that Tom Sawyer was the most difficult song to play as it's so fast.

[@AndrewRooneyDrums]

I bet!

[@gregxite]

Not even close IMO. Freewill is harder. Tracks like Cygnus too. I can play Tom Sawyer and Freewill but there a few I don’t know I could nail, like La Villa Strangiato.

[@elusivegluejeff4980]

@@gregxite I can only tell what Neal Peart himself said and if there's anyone who knows it's him.

[@gregxite]

@@elusivegluejeff4980 I know I've heard him say it...I just never understood. But it's hard to argue with the man himself!

[@lvgelfling72]

Congrats on the 100k!! Yay for Rush week!!!

[@jrg770]

You all see & hear it right ? How Neil adds a additional beat to each pass after the lyrics "Mean Mean Pride" ? First 2, then 3, 4, and then 5 notes, and how he fits them in ? When I first heard that I wondered how he came up with that idea, like some math professor or something lol. Did he plan it out before hand , hear it in his head and play it or what ? It just seems genius to me still after all these years.

[@AndrewRooneyDrums]

Great composing

[@Herby701]

nice indeed, but not that special, it's often done in classical and jazz music, it's just composing.

[@RideAcrossTheRiver]

You never heard that Peart drum riff? We used to call it 'The Boodley-Boodley' because most every drummer we knew would try to cop that riff and put it in every song! "Yeah but Neil Peart does it ..." they'd whine and we'd have to reply "but this is a Creedence song"

[@ginamarandino6451]

I think you'd appreciate this every time I went to a rush concert I always brought a pair of binoculars so I could watch Neil play

[@AndrewRooneyDrums]

That's a true fan right there Gina!

[@bryonshuttt436]

Andrew what an unbelievable concert you could have ever seen. Sounds like the album eveytime!!!! Amazing

[@sonicart1808]

Awesome analyses Andrew once again... you're right about how tricky some of these parts are to execute accurately, Ive tried and failed before....it would be great to see you play this for sure! Thanks for the great content!

[@geoffreyweeks1697]

Rush week! What a concept! We should just go for Rush Daily. woohoooo!!!

[@mightyV444]

And man, where are my manners?? Congratulations on reaching 100K Subscribers, Andrew! 🥳👍🍾🎉🎶🎈🥁😁

[@cairney0037]

incredible drummer can't wait to see your cover you did great on the last rush cover i can't keep this speed yet and last three bars gets faster im sure have a great day

[@AndrewRooneyDrums]

Yup this will be challenging!

[@cairney0037]

@@AndrewRooneyDrums its what kit Do you play on i wish i had your choice I miss acoustic drums 😢

[@michaelb.42112]

Great ! Thanks Andrew . Michael Balazki (changed my user name to just Michael B.) I've seen RUSH live so many times and they always play PERFECTLY. I guess we all took them for granted in that sense. Neil said playing Tom Sawyer was ALWAYS challenging to play, but at the end of the day it's FUN. Also, you were frustrated where they ended the song on the fade out. That's how we feel about Alex's solo at the end of "Different Strings" from Permanent Waves.

[@XViTNg]

During the verses I never noticed the awesome hi hat work opening and closing it.

[@AndrewRooneyDrums]

YUP

[@mightyV444]

I'd always played the 16ths on the hi-hat with _both_ hands, before seeing a clip of the song for the first time 😆

[@lmk001]

Watching him live is amazing. Then Meshugga and Periphery comes along but 100% played rush songs to get good enough to play their stuff. I forget to add that periphery's drummer is a drum teacher. You probably knew that but in case you didn't. Thought you might like to know that.

[@AndrewRooneyDrums]

It's all part of music evolving

[@ernestogonzales9277]

Tom Sawyer is the pinnacle of Rush.

[@markmilner842]

Good morning from Canada! Neil always said he never got tired of playing Tom Sawyer because it was so difficult to play it well. Looking forward to your cover! Also, as a bass player, I completely agree about the monster bass line in the guitar solo section. (That’s something Neil & Geddy often did, playing busier under the solo. Good examples of that in Free Will and Digital Man.) Enjoying your analysis as always, Andrew.

[@michelleferranti9468]

Hooray for Rush week!!!! Thanks! 😊

[@obiwanbenobi4943]

I've heard this song so many times, but it is great to hear it through new ears and from a different perspective. :) Thanks so much! :) While I am about as dyslexic in sight reading as a wooden block, I would enjoy sometime watching the Xanadu (studio album version) go by. Neil plays a bunch of different percussion instruments in that one...

[@santoslhalper6116]

Ironically, hearing something like this technically discussed makes me dig it even more, if that's possible

[@AndrewRooneyDrums]

LOVE IT

[@tayaradiomedecaires6730]

I had the opportunity to see Rush live in Brazil in 2010, and was unforgettable. Brazilians are passionate (Live in Rio is the proof), and still play in radios, maily Subdivisions.

[@AndrewRooneyDrums]

WOW! That looked like a crazy gig

[@jevs1964]

The time changes are just what this group does effortlessly

[@TheCocoaDaddy]

The "extended" version of Tom Sawyer is the live performance. :) Great video!

[@merbertancriwalli8622]

Hello Mr Rooney. What you have to realise with Rush is that they were always in the underground, but huge, I'm across the ditch (in Australia) and was introduced to them in the mid 80's (yes - I'm that old) by a friend. This album to start, but went backward and forward from there. Never on the radio - not any playlists but if you knew you knew. There was a meme about them not being your favourite band, but very likely being your favourite band's favourite band 🙂 Foo Fighters et al....

[@davecole2561]

Thanks for devoting more time to these three Canadian masters, Andrew. We appreciate your appreciation. Not much to add... 'musical perfection' should cover it! There are few bands who force you to listen to them as if for the first time. Rush is one of them.

[@killdozer3464]

"I wanted more at the end" Me after every song in this album. Man, I cant wait for side B!!!!

[@DirkGently04]

This was definitely a thing... Vital Signs fades just as it gets going. Go back to P/G and listen to Red Lenses and listen for Geddy going *OFF* in the fade... I was so mad at them for fading there

[@discostoo]

This was the the first drum track I ever learned. Nah j/k it was twinkle twinkle little star, this was years down the line. RIP Professor Neil Peart, the greatest.

[@AndrewRooneyDrums]

HA! Good on you

[@riesabass]

gz for 100k! i was sad, that i couldn't put another sub :D

[@AndrewRooneyDrums]

YO!!!

[@anthonywilson7681]

he always talked about not minding playing this song all the time, because it gave him a chance to finally get it right... EVERY NIGHT!

[@markwedderburn3147]

Just to say, these musicians made every note/song from scratch.... Unbelievable

[@ericdravenX00X]

As im sure other Subscribers couldn't believe that u Never heard Rush before starting your channel.. But yeah im from the States, and Rush has always been in rotation since i was a Teenage boy. I guess its funny how time zones work with radio play, in different parts of the world.. Im sure Most of the Rush fans that Subscribers of the channel are older than me. Only being 39 years old, i have definitely have Not gotten enough Rush in my life.. Lets Go Rush Week!

[@AndrewRooneyDrums]

Let's go!

[@ericdravenX00X]

@@AndrewRooneyDrums im ready!

[@richierich398]

Excellent analysis. Great video!

[@Silica_Packer]

Thanks for the week.

[@AndrewRooneyDrums]

You bet!

[@bonscotty67]

When asked, the professor would say this was his most difficult song to play since recording it. Mainly, he says, "....because I was hitting the drums as hard as I could from beginning to end." ☺️

[@ksnogas3797]

Referring to your comment about being in a country where Rush is still in the rotation - DJ Jim Ladd (Sirius XM and old real radio) - commented in the Beyond the Lighted Stage - We'll be playing Tom Sawyer as long as there is rock radio

[@AndrewRooneyDrums]

NICE!

[@chalfo]

They always extended/properly ended Tom Sawyer live. Recommend "Bravado" if you can get it, it's one Neil was very proud of. Check out the RIO live version (my preference of Alex solo in an extended versions - again album version fades out)

[@robgas7507]

Seen them live and still didn’t understand his stamina and precision. He was a other worldly musician. I could mange three Rush songs back to back without needing 10 mins. To watch him play entire albums then drum solo. Just how?

[@mightyV444]

Oh, by the way! _Here_ you can hear what they actually played after the fade-out! kzbin.info/www/bejne/g3uqmIOOnJJsopY 😀👍 And that cool fill with emphasis on the snare, at 8:36 , is the only fill Neil never played again like that in any of the live versions I've heard so far - and it's one of my favourite parts in 'Tom Sawyer'! 😭😊

[@WishForTheNight]

I cant wait to see and hear Andrews cover of this song!

[@irenesnyder1819]

Thanks for your technical breakdown of Tom Sawyer. There's a reason why Neil Peart is a favored rock drummer, and you just explained it to musicians and to the rest of us. I found this one really enjoyable: it's Neil working with Matt Scannell of Vertical Horizon, and the video makes you feel like you're in the studio with them: kzbin.info/www/bejne/Z5_cqIyfgMqLbMk

[@AndrewRooneyDrums]

Thank you Irene!

[@crazydale1000]

I saw Rush 5 times. An awesome live band.

[@AndrewRooneyDrums]

Awesome Dale!

[@webedgegav]

I'm English but live in NZ and I know what you mean about the lack of Rush in NZ. If I'm in the car I listen to "the sound". I have heard 2 rush tracks on that channel. They did do Spirit of Radio one morning and they do A-Z of their entire playlist every so often, Xanadu is the only X track on the playlist. Very frustrating when a "rock" channel hardly play Rush but continually play Elton John

[@whyitmatterstome]

Yeah, the fade out - live, there is a jam at the end that has a decisive end - I always wanted more at the end on the album too.

[@MissingMars]

so cool to see it broken in an academic way -been a fan of this tune & band since 2112 came out. I'm a musician but was a fan of this band before I could play anything.

[@mikedoverskog]

I'd be really interested in what you have to say about the drummer, Vladislav Ulasevich, from Jinjer. Check out their single Vortex. He was apparently not a drummer originally but switched from guitarrist/keyboard-erm-ist and learned drums because he found a band that needed a drummer.

[@johncalvo1743]

Nice breakdown Andy! There is a young girl, Nandi Bushnell, that covered this on the drums here on KZbin, and she pretty much nailed it. You might want to check out her effort.

[@compnnburns8831]

So glad you got to Rush week and get a feeling you admire Neil but wonder how he rates in Andrew Rooney world?

[@bayboat65]

"Freewill" should be on your short list. It's another lyrically deep song while being a virtuoso performance from all 3. The middle jam is Rush on full afterburners. I'd do the album version.

[@BattleHardenedGolfClashReplays]

Andy, Superb job with a snare and two (?) Toms! I can see that we need to raise the funds to get you concert Toms and floor Toms so you can more realistically recreate Neil Peart's drumming! Amy supporters of Andy who can help, respond here. Honestly, I have no clue how much the above Tom's would cost. Drummers educate me!

[@ronaldluning4010]

I never covered this in a band but used to play along with the recording.

[@jonathanspahn7308]

So, Andrew, Neil has said this has always been his most difficult song to play right. Try not to get frustrated attempting to learn this for your cover 😁 Good luck...you're gonna need it 🤣 (I really look forward to hear it, you did fairly well on Limelight 🤘)

[@Rufus6540]

Someone probably commented already but they do "finish" the song on their live album Exit Stage Left.

[@lucymacdonald7601]

Neil has said that Tom Sawyer is the most difficult song for him to play. He played it differently each time. RIP Professor Peart.

[@afbill4219]

I'm not a musician, by any stretch of the imagination, but I am a Rush fan. One thing Neil Peart does on this song, as he does on many songs, he'll add fills into the choruses as the song progresses. He adds intensity, no two choruses are the same.

[@toddashton9696]

Andrew, great analysis as usual, although I am a little disappointed you are coming back to Tom Sawyer for the third time. With Rush 19 Albums in the catalogue you still have so much more to choose from, and will likely miss out on. Would love to see you choose a track off Permanent Waves for an upcoming reaction. Thanks for getting to another Rush week on the channel and congrats on 100k subs.

[@AndrewRooneyDrums]

I understand. I feel this album is too important to NOT do a deep dive run through. And I have actually never done just the album cut. I previously did a live and isolated reaction. But thank you for the feedback. It helps me make improvements.