Neil Peart, Stewart Copeland and John Bonham often sit atop the lists of the three greatest rock drummers of the ’70s and ’80s.
Few compare to Bonham’s powerful grooves, Copeland’s off-kilter beats, or Peart’s complex runs. But today isn’t about ranking them haphazardly. or trying to get a debate going.
Today is Neil’s birthday, the first we’ve had to experience without him, the heart of Rush’s unique sound. So let’s spotlight five great drumming moments he brought to the rich tapestry of rock.
“YYZ” – Exit Stage Left version (1981)
Back in the day live albums were beloved because they sometimes revealed slightly different versions, extended takes, longer guitar solos, or in the case of “YYZ,” a chance to see if Neil was really capable of performing all the witchcraft live that we were treated to on the original Moving Pictures studio version. Peart upped the ante and added to his legend on the live track, adding even more complexity to the already impossible-to-airdrum number.
read more at: Setlist.fm