GOAT? Has a pretty good claim to it.I think it's fair to say that Mr. Peart stands in the annals of drummers much like Eddie Van Halen stands with guitarists. That is, there will never be a Jimi Hendrix ever again, but Eddie Van Halen's influence is arguably greater than that of Hendrix, even though Hendrix may be the GOAT.
Similarly, just like there will never be a Keith Moon or John Bonham in the world of drumming ever again, Neil Peart's influence is arguably greater than that of either Messrs. Moon or Bonham.
Please note I'm not saying Peart was BETTER than Moonie or Bonzo. That's a matter of opinion, though lots of drummers consider either of these legends to be the GOAT. And, to be sure, lots of people cop Bonham's triplet play or Moonie's manic style of playing (btw, Peart's fav for a long time was Moonie).
But contemporary drummers, for the most part, must be able to play in odd time signatures and with incredible dexterity and technical proficiency...and a lot of that has to do with Peart and Rush. To wit: nobody was writing or playing things like La Villa Strangiato or By-Tor and the Snow Dog or The Trees or Xanadu before Rush/Peart (with the possible exception of Billy Cobham and Mahavishnu Orchestra).
All that said, now is not a time for fighting, but for remembering. Thank you Neil - I hope you found God at the end.
GOAT?
As in "Greatest of All Time"
Well, I'll go out on a limb and assume that none of Mr. Pearts immediate family are mourning by reading Free Republic threads because I am going to "go there".
I've spent several days listening to various Rush songs, especially those that contain his solos and I certainly don't see him as one of the greatest rock drummers of all time, no matter who else and how many of them insist he was.
I feel like this is just another giant con job being pulled off by Rush's fanatic fans, like getting them into the Rock and Roll hall of fame.
I base my feelings on this: When you look at the greatest rock drummers what jumps out at one is how closely they are tied to the greatest rock bands. Topping the lists invariably is John Bonham, drummer for Led Zepplin, surely a candidate for the greatest rock band ever, and nearly always the winner of the greatest rock song ever (Stairway to Heaven), etc. Maybe the Zep aren't your number one, but objectively they are certainly in everyone's top 10.
So, the list of other "greatest rock drummers" tracks really closely with the list of Greatest Rock Bands: It frequently includes Keith Moon (The Who being another "everyone's Top 10 rock bands list), Charlie Watts (the Rolling Stones), Ginger Baker (Cream and Blind Faith) and even Ringo (the Beatles).
What unites all these bands in their greatness is their many awesome rock songs. Song, after song you can easily name off the top of your head: Zepplin: aside from Stairway, you have "Communication Breakdown", "Whole Lotta Love", "Black Dog", "Rock and Roll" "When the Levee Breaks". etc, etc. All these were legitimate charting hits, and Zepplin was a band that many a 1970s AOR station was built around.
I'm sure everyone can name Beatles songs. I don't particularly like the Beatles, and I don't own any of their records, but I was resently introduced to this game of "Name 20 Beatles Songs" by my daughter. She's 30 - and her friends were playing this game and she lost horribly, because she didn't grow up with her mom and dad playing old Beatles CDs. But, a kid in the 1960s it wasn't hard for me.
Now, look at Rush? Other than their fanatic fans can anyone name more than one or two Rush songs. I know "Tom Sawyer", is there another one that got played on the radio?
Can anyone honestly claim the Rush are one of the Ten Greatest rock bands, up there with the Beatles, the Stones, Led Zepplin, Pink Floyd and the other true legends at the apex of rock?
I think not.
Now the counter-argument is that even though Rush wasn't that popular or influential, and didn't have many memorable hit songs, that Neal Peart was still supremely talented. OK, that's plausible. After all Steve Vai, arguably the greatest technical rock guitarist ever, played in White Snake.
But then, again you go to the songs. The role of the rock drummer, is to make the song rock. That's the essence of rock and roll, and there are a lot of ways to do it. You have the bombastic in-the-pocket groves of Bohnmam, the relentless four-on-the-floor snare work of Charlie Watts. The drummer for the Ramones, Tommy Ramone, puts out a beat that infectiously makes people start bopping around.
Neal Peart? His drumming seems flat to me, which Rush song makes you want to get up and dance, or bounce your heard to while driving?
So you are left with his greatness claim resting on these long ponderous drum solos, played on the "Biggest Kit Ever Used By A Touring Band (tm)". And if greatness is defined as doing a drum roll across more tom-tom drums than anyone else, they Neal Pert may win.
I'll close with this thought: ask your friends promoting the Neal Peart is the greatest drummer ever in rock who the greatest guitar player is? Or the greatest bass player? Alex Lifeson? Geddy Lee?
Uh huh, sure.
The promotion of Rush may be the most successful Canadian propaganda campaign in history!
None of this is to say anything bad about Neil Peart. I'm happy that Rush achieved the success that they did, and saddened at the passing of Mr. Peart, he spent his life playing music and making people happy and that's a nice way to spend your life.
But greatest Rock Drummer of All time, no way.
May he rest in peace.