Neil Peart, legendary drummer and lyricist for the Canadian progressive rock band Rush, passed away on January 7th, 2019. Neil fought glioblastoma, an aggressive form of brain cancer, for over three years.

The official statement from Rush’s website reads:

It is with broken hearts and the deepest sadness that we must share the terrible news that on Tuesday our friend, soul brother and band mate of over 45 years, Neil, has lost his incredibly brave three and a half year battle with brain cancer (Glioblastoma). We ask that friends, fans and media alike understandably respect the family’s need for privacy and peace at this extremely painful and difficult time. Those wishing to express their condolences can choose a cancer research group or charity of their choice and make a donation in Neil’s name. Rush.com

Neil Peart – The Legacy

His influence and impact on both rock and metal stretch back to even the early days of Rush. Neil’s first album with Rush, Fly by Night, had Peart writing lyrics and laying the foundation for the band’s progressive future.

We can’t think of a better way to honor Neil’s life and musical influence than by playing some of his greatest moments with Rush. We dug deep into Rush’s catalog to find moments to showcase. His technical skills are unmatched, but Neil is also more than capable of carrying a song without requiring bombastic or intense drums.

Featured Tracks

As stated in the episode, you could probably just pick any six Rush tracks at random and you’d find gold not only on Neil’s end. Rush is a dynamic, progressive, and extremely talented band as whole.

During the podcast, we each picked snippets from the tracks listed below. Press play above to listen to us dissect these tracks in greater detail.

La Villa Strangiato

By-Tor and the Snow Dog

Xanadu

Cygnus X-1 (Book One – The Voyage)

The Fountain of Lamneth

The Spirit of Radio