Neil Peart clinic full video

[Pocketplayer]

Agreed Paul...LOVE this era from RUSH. My fav by far! This LP
was the one that impacted me most as a kid before they got huge
air play and took off with 'The Spirit of Radio'

[langmick]

Check out how many shows they played in 1977. That is a relentless pace. The last documentary nailed the pace they took then home for me. I was left asking why anyone would ever do that. I guess that if you see even a little glimmer of hope that you can catch a break, you keep at it and suffer silently. Easier done with three guys, for sure.

141 shows from Aug 1977 to Apr 1978 all over North America.

Bastille Day
Lakeside Park
By-Tor And The Snow Dog
Xanadu
A Farewell To Kings
Something For Nothing
Cygnus X-1
Anthem
Closer To The Heart
2112 (excludes “Oracle: The Dream”)
Working Man
Fly By Night
In The Mood
Drum Solo

https://www.rush.com/tour/a-farewell-to-kings/

[Paul Marangoni]

Check out how many shows they played in 1977. That is a relentless pace.

That was the first time I saw Rush live. They used to play almost every year in Toronto for a couple shows (at least) over the New Year's holiday weekend. I probably spent more New Year's eves with Rush than with friends and family.

[langmick]

Ah, to be a few years older...saw them first in April 83 in Pittsburgh. Crazy show, crowd was rowdy as hell, pushing up against the barricade. One of the roadies came out and gave people shit about it. The energy was really exciting.

I was 14, it was quite the eye opener! Lots of smoke, and frisbees flying around. The gong bass drums rattled my mind in my skull. They were so good, the whole show was. I wanted to be Neil.

[sjj123]

I saw them in Syracuse, NY 1979...Hemisphere's. Something happened with the advertisement and the War Memorial was about half full. I was able to walk right down and stand on a chair at eye level with Geddy at about 30 yards away for the show......Neil's Black smoke Slingerlands kit...shit man


It does make you squirm watching him play jazz...

[Steve Holmes]

Wow so cool you guys saw them on those early tours. My first was Power Windows
I wish there was more good video footage pre 1990.

[BennyAndTheSkins]

The Buddy Rich rehearsal video clip seems to be a sort of hit piece, where they pulled all the negative points (both his idiosyncratic personality, and his struggles with swing feel) out of the rehearsal to paint a negative picture. I feel bad for him there.

In the time since Neil's foray into big band, I think his skills as a rock drummer have been forgotten a bit (As shown by that 1992 clinic). He was/is still a fantastic rock drummer. I almost wish he kept his pre-Freddy setup/grip, but every person goes on their own musical journey.

Regarding the Buddy video, I echo the sentiments of how Peter was a great facilitator of things, gently providing suggestions to Neil on things. Would have been cool to hear Peter some on that... "Hey, Neil, here's how ya do it......"

That caused me to go back and look at the Burning for Buddy session videos, and how many amazing performance there were.
1. Time Check - Jeez, what a tour-de-force show of how to drive a band. Weckl just kicks ass, and doesn't even break a sweat. The consummate pro.
2. Dancing Men - SIMON!!!! brings a smile to my face every time I watch that..... it's amazing the fills he pulls off, with his cymbals so high up. That's alot of movement executed precisely, and in perfect time!
3. Love for Sale - I was struck by how much Gadd's quarter notes on the ride swung. Definitely a huge influence on my jazz ride playing, away from the traditional dind ding a ding pattern.

[langmick]

Neil brought in a lot of heavy guys, they all played great I thought. Billy and Smitty especially.

Neil joined Rush in late July, this is from the following October.