RIP, Neil Peart of Rush

[vanmyers86]

Neil Peart, one of my very favorite writers, died today of brain cancer. Peart was the drummer and lyricist for the Canadian band Rush, and also wrote a couple of books about his travels in Africa and North America via bicycle and motorcycle. "Ghost Rider" chronicles his yearlong motorcycle journey after losing his daughter and wife within a year of one another.

His writing influenced me greatly in terms of ideas and word choices. More than once, his lyrics put into words some nebulous feeling or hope that I had, giving me a new way to express myself or look at the world. He was also, of course, a stellar drummer, and I respected him enormously as a musician.

I know it's absurd, but I feel like I lost a friend. Maybe some of you have felt that way about writers who changed the way you saw the world.

 

[ElectricBlue]

I know it's absurd, but I feel like I lost a friend. Maybe some of you have felt that way about writers who changed the way you saw the world.

I felt something of that when Leonard Cohen died.

 

[CoffeeWithMonkeys]

I'm devastated. I've loved Rush and Neil especially since 1974. My first son is named after Neil. I loved his music, lyrics, and yes loved his books when he started writing.
I've been sobbing off and on since I heard.

 

[SimonDoom]

Rush was part of the soundtrack of my youth. They weren't in the top echelon of my favorite musical artists, but I liked some of their songs and always appreciated their musicianship and originality. "Spirit of Radio" was one of my favorite rock songs in high school. Peart was a great drummer, too -- utterly unique and highly creative. There have been few rock bands in which the drummer played a bigger and more creative role than Rush. Peart will be missed.

He was way too young to pass on, as well.

 

[LexxRuthless]

When I hear music with moving lyrics or read writing with rich emotional content, it isn't that it makes me feel emotional. Rather, the author has touched emotions within me and given me words to express how I feel. Neil made me feel like an emotional poet when I would quote him or sing his lyrics. Now I feel I am left without a voice. I wish I had at least had the chance to say, "Thank you, Neil. You meant a lot to me."

 

[ElectricBlue]

Rush was part of the soundtrack of my youth. They weren't in the top echelon of my favorite musical artists, but I liked some of their songs and always appreciated their musicianship and originality. "Spirit of Radio" was one of my favorite rock songs in high school. Peart was a great drummer, too -- utterly unique and highly creative. There have been few rock bands in which the drummer played a bigger and more creative role than Rush. Peart will be missed.

I missed out on them completely - I don't know any of their albums and couldn't name a single song. They just passed me completely by for some reason. Reading their Wikipedia article just now... no bells rang, not one. Odd, coz my musical taste is pretty wide, and covers many decades.

 

[UsuallyPresent]

Fuck cancer.

Play on, wherever you end up, Mr Peart - I look forward to your new tunes once I catch up.