Neil Peart on Music & Writing - Pt 2

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When I posted the first part of this interview I had forgotten this interview was the basis for Neil Peart's April 1984 Modern Drummer cover story. I thank the listeners who refreshed my memory.
This is the other side of the cassette used to tape this interview. Much more of the conversation here, unlike Part 1, is about drums and drumming. But our discussion also includes writers and writing.
The conversation on both sides of this cassette starts mid-sentence. "Adam," who I mention at the start of this interview, is the name of the drummer who won a Peart drumset giveaways.
My question to Neil concerned some drummers' belief that drum gear makes the drummer. That is, owning Neil's drumset meant Adam should sound like Neil Peart.
In 1983 or 1984, pre-digital media, these tapes served only as the basis for the written interview. During interviews, the click of the tape ending was my cue to turn over the tape and start recording on the other side, or to start recording with a new tape.
Sometimes I wouldn't hear the click. Sometimes there was no click. But, I never wanted to stop the conversation while changing tapes. Within a day or two of an interview I would transcribe tapes; my memory of the conversation fresh enough to fill in a few seconds of blank tape.
Again, this 45-minutes conversation with Neil Peart is one of my favorites. It is a conversation with two guys who love music, drumming, and writing.
Scott K Fish - SKF Blog - Life Beyond the Cymbals - scotkfish.com

[@cccmangus]

"Why are we here?" "Because we're here!" I think you planted the idea there, Scott. Thanks for posting these.

[@scottkfish4292]

Thank you.

[@PhilipPedro2112]

Roll the Bones!

[@2-Soups]

Incredible . I’m. Huge fan for about 40 yrs and have read Most everything Neil has written. What a true gem ! Thank you so much !

[@scottkfish4292]

Thank you for writing. It's nice to here. / Scott

[@gabrieledwards1066]

Thank you for sharing. Neil had a special talent of phrasing things that provided me with clarity on many things about life.

[@ricardomendez681]

Thank you very much Mr. Fish, for providing us with the opportunity to listen to this great interview. So full of timeless wisdom and inspiration.

[@scottkfish4292]

Hi Ricardo. You are most welcome. / skf

[@alexleghan8406]

What an incredible person and one of a kind. Love him and will miss him but mostly I enjoy his music.

[@barbarathesecretary]

Bumming smokes off the Professor. 🚬 Then right at the end there, talking about how living in Los Angeles was a heroic, far-off impossible idea, one of "several possible worlds." Foreshadowing Clockwork Angels and his own future living in LA. 👼

[@garylagstrom3864]

This is something I wrote to a friend a long time ago to describe RUSH, time signatures, and as a drummer, Neil Peart’s role in RUSH. Enjoy! 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

[@sethcashman1011]

I recall numerous readers (myself excluded) finding Neil’s commentary upsetting and your letter (published in Readers Platform) in his defense, stating that someone reading his words in black and white doesn’t have the benefit of seeing the mannerisms and facial expressions or hearing the tone and inflections. So very true. On that note, it’s pretty incredible to actually be able to hear this interview after so many years of enjoying it in print.

[@malcolmlarri8236]

Amazing .....just amazing. So great !

[@ZIG4ZAG20]

Neil is so cool, and Thank you Scott, again for the content. Your pretty cool too,😎🤘🖖✌️🥁🎸🎹🎤

[@scottkfish4292]

Aw, shucks.

[@stevewiebe722]

Thanks for posting! Neil must’ve been taking notes in his lyric book when asked about “Why are we here?”

[@DaGretschguy]

Another great chat with Neil! Thanks Scott!

[@Vigilant_Guardian]

so nice to hear his voice speaking to me once in a while... thanks again for posting/ three fingers of the Macallen for you my friend / part 2

[@scottkfish4292]

Thank you.

[@JeffWald]

Thanx Scott, you da man!!

[@paulgeorgia8013]

I wish that I had realized the true genius of Neil earlier in life. But I’m happy to say that I still learn from him in many ways

[@TimBatkin]

I very much enjoyed this Scott. Thank you. I was lucky to receive one of Neil’s post cards years ago and later worked with some of the team close to Rush on our studio album, recorded where Hemispheres and AFWTK was recorded. Also was a moderator on Neil’s Bar ‘n’ Grill. Never met the man, but lovely to hear this interview. So relaxed and interesting.

[@danieldetrick1230]

Awesome Scott. 👌 Thank you for sharing this. I had never read the article in Modern Drummer? back in '83, but nonetheless it still blows me away how amazing a person Neil was. Not just a drummer, professional musician, and finally writer, but also a regular human being like everyone else with anxiety and anger issues, in his case, like so many of us. Excellent interview on your part as well.

[@scottkfish4292]

Thank you for listening, Daniel. And for your kind words.

[@danieldetrick1230]

@@scottkfish4292 Scott, I have a question 🤔. I shared your interview on a Rush fan page on Facebook. Quite a few seem to be getting up in arms about Neil's photo you used as the thumbnail. I could give 2 shits, but I want to shut these "trekkies" up who keep saying "we shouldn't post these because of Neil's private life ". I just wanted to know on the background of it that Neil did give permission to share it? Anyways, again it is an excellent interview and I wish we could hear the rest. Thanks.

[@gadymarcus2362]

Magnifico.😭

[@joerectifier]

I love learning about the Simmons drums….this is a wonderful conversation…great work

[@scottkfish4292]

Thank you. / Sincerely, Scott

[@alicethroughthelookingglass]

How many cigarettes did you steal? I find it funny that you called them "cigarettes". I always have and when I was a teenager, other kids would tease me because I didn't call them "smokes" like everyone else did. On the East Coast and in Eastern Provinces of Canada they were slang termed "darts" and that name gradually made it's way across the country as far as I recall. I'd bet you ten bucks your question of why are you here made Neil think and this is the interview with the question that stayed with Neil and led to the lyrics and the title for Roll The Bones. Those are my thoughts. This old souls, young souls, the soul being progressive, to prove something, my Mom thought like that. She would say that people had to learn all they needed to learn, this was her reasoning for a possibility that reincarnation was real, until you didn't need it anymore. So interesting. Thanks for Uploading, to hear in Neil's voice, really I can't thank you enough, Scott.

[@scottkfish4292]

Maybe two cigarettes. Definitely one. Whether in person, by phone, or through letters, Neil was a very unique, interesting guy to talk with. A first-class conversationalist.

[@remnantsofasoundblast]

Ironically just a few days ago I posted a vid of my review of Grace Under Pressure and one things I mention is the use of Electronic drums. He used them wisely and sparingly not to over complicate or compensate. After listening to this intervjew I think he definitely approached them that way. Makes me feel good that I picked up on that.

[@matthewferguson7084]

In this one of many possible worlds.. This interview ends how their final song ends I think thats pretty cool

[@gabriellalilliehook7979]

thanks for posting

[@scottkfish4292]

You are very welcome. Thank you for checking in.

[@scottkfish4292]

You are very welcome. Thank you for checking in on both segments of this interview.

[@haloeffect44]

Fills in a lot of blanks. Would love to hear more if you have it.

[@Cleme21]

Rush is the type of band that was so great that when they weren't they were good.

[@joerectifier]

Wait just a sec, there…..I am a guitar player and I love talking about tools and where they originate and if they are good or not,,,,Snap On rules 🤣😂

[@Giovani25x]

So nice to hear Neil Peart again. I wonder what year this interview was?

[@Tranquillado]

1983.

[@Musician_Robert]

@@Tranquilladomost definately because he’s speaking about the Simmons electronic kit Tom’s. The red ones he had. He later switched to the Roland TD30 I believe. My fav kit too!

[@naamanpratt]

🥁💞🥁

[@rogertayloRRR]

This is nice

[@gregcampwriter]

The origin of "Roll the Bones" at 37:00.

[@1wordevidence]

I wonder if this interview was where he got the idea for Roll the Bones. (The "why are we here?" discussion.)

[@scottkfish4292]

Well that would be interesting. Thank you for the thought.

[@blakebieker]

is there a part three by any chance? It cut off at the end during a great moment of dialogue

[@scottkfish4292]

No, there is no Pt 3 to this interview. I do have other Neil interviews recorded. I'll see if I can make them available at some point.

[@blakebieker]

@@scottkfish4292 yes please do

[@jamesweldon9726]

Is the female voice we hear occasionally his wife Jackie?

[@scottkfish4292]

No.