Neil Ellwood Peart OC was a Canadian-American musician, best known as the drummer and primary lyricist of the rock band Rush. Peart earned numerous awards for his musical performances, including an induction into the Modern Drummer Readers Poll Hall of Fame in 1983 at the age of thirty, making him the youngest person ever so honoured. Known to fans by the nickname 'The Professor', his drumming was renowned for its technical proficiency and his live performances for their exacting nature and stamina.
Rush was a Canadian rock band that primarily comprised Geddy Lee, Alex Lifeson (guitar), and Neil Peart. The band formed in Toronto in 1968 with Lifeson, drummer John Rutsey, and bass guitarist/vocalist Jeff Jones, whom Lee immediately replaced. After Lee joined, the band went through several line-ups before arriving at its classic power trio line-up with the addition of Peart in July 1974, who replaced Rutsey four months after the release of their self-titled debut album; this line-up remained intact for the remainder of the band's career.
Fly by Night is the second studio album by the Canadian rock band, Rush, released on Feb. 15, 1975 on Mercury Records. It was the first Rush album to showcase elements of progressive rock for which the band has become known. It was also the first to feature lyricist and drummer Neil Peart, who replaced original drummer John Rutsey the previous summer just prior to the band's first North American tour. Peart took over as Rush's primary lyricist, and the abundance of fantastical and philosophical themes in his compositions contrasted greatly with the simpler hard rock of the band's debut album.
Roll the Bones is the fourteenth studio album by Canadian rock band Rush, released September 3, 1991, on Anthem Records. The band began working on Roll the Bones after a brief creative hiatus following the tour promoting their previous release, Presto.
Moving Pictures is the eighth studio album by Canadian rock band Rush, released on February 12, 1981 by Anthem Records. After touring to support their previous album, Permanent Waves (1980), the band started to write and record new material in August 1980 with longtime co-producer Terry Brown. They continued to write songs with a more radio-friendly sound, featuring tighter and shorter song structures compared with their earlier albums.
Power Windows is the eleventh studio album by Canadian rock band Rush, released on October 11, 1985 by Anthem Records. After touring in support of their previous album, Grace Under Pressure (1984), the band took a break and reconvened in early 1985 to begin work on a follow-up. The material continued to display the band's exploration of synthesizer-oriented music, this time with the addition of sampling, electronic drums, a string section, and choir, with power being a running lyrical theme. Power Windows was recorded in Montserrat and England with Peter Collins as co-producer and Andy Richards on additional keyboards.
"Tom Sawyer" is a song by Canadian rock band Rush, originally released on their 1981 album Moving Pictures as its opener. The band's lead singer, bassist, and keyboardist, Geddy Lee, has referred to the track as the band's "defining piece ... from the early '80s". It is one of Rush's best-known songs and a staple of both classic rock radio and Rush's live performances, having been played on every concert tour since its release.
"Closer to the Heart" is a song by Canadian rock band Rush. It was released in November 1977 as the lead single from their fifth studio album A Farewell to Kings. It was the first Rush song to feature a non-member as a songwriter in Peter Talbot, a friend of drummer and lyricist Neil Peart. It was Rush's first hit single in the United Kingdom, reaching number 36 in the UK Singles Chart in February 1978. It also peaked at number 45 in Canada and number 76 on the US Billboard Hot 100. It was inducted into the Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame on March 28, 2010.
"Limelight" is a song by the Canadian progressive rock band Rush. It first appeared on the 1981 album Moving Pictures. The song's lyrics were written by Neil Peart with music written by Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson. "Limelight" expresses Peart's discomfort with Rush's success and the resulting attention from the public. The song paraphrases the opening lines of the "All the world's a stage" speech from William Shakespeare's play As You Like It. The band had previously used the phrase for its 1976 live album. The lyrics also refer to "the camera eye", the title of the song that follows on the Moving Pictures album.
"Subdivisions" is a song by Canadian progressive rock group, Rush, released as the second single from their 1982 album Signals.
"The Analog Kid" is a song by the Canadian progressive rock band Rush. It was released as the second single from their 1982 album Signals and reached number 19 on the Mainstream Rock chart.
"A Passage to Bangkok" is a song by Canadian rock band Rush, released in April 1976 by Anthem Records. The song appears on the band's fourth studio album 2112 (1976). With the album's title track comprising the first half of the record, "A Passage to Bangkok" opens the second side of the album.
"Fly by Night" is the title track of Rush's second album. The music was written by bassist Geddy Lee and the lyrics were penned by drummer Neil Peart. Peart wrote this song about his first trip away from home. In 1971, at 18 years old, he left behind his small-town Canadian life and flew to England. Lee sings the lead vocals and on the song's middle eight, his voice is fed through a Leslie speaker.
"Test for Echo" is the title track and first single from Canadian rock band Rush's 16th studio album released in 1996. The song's lyrics were written by Neil Peart and Pye Dubois with music written by Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson. The song reached No. 1 on the Billboard Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks chart. It was the band's fourth consecutive album to yield a chart-topper on this chart, along with "Show Don't Tell" from Presto, "Dreamline" from Roll the Bones, and "Stick It Out" from Counterparts. The song also peaked at #6 on the Canadian Singles Chart, which is the band's highest position on that chart since New World Man peaked at #1 in 1982.
"Stick It Out" is a song and single by the band Rush from their 1993 album Counterparts. The song debuted at number one on the Billboard Album Rock Tracks chart, becoming the band's only number one debut of their five chart-toppers. The song also reached number one on the RPM Cancon chart.
"Show Don't Tell" is the first single on Canadian rock band Rush's 1989 album Presto. The song peaked at number one on the U.S. Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks Chart, the second of five songs by Rush to top the chart.
Clockwork Angels is the nineteenth and final studio album by Canadian rock band Rush, released on June 12, 2012, on Roadrunner Records. During the band's year-and-a-half break following its Snakes & Arrows Tour, the group decided to write a new studio album. The album was recorded in April 2010 at Blackbird Studio in Nashville, Tennessee, and from October to December 2011 at Revolution Recording in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
"Force Ten" is a song written, produced and performed by Canadian rock band Rush, released as a promotional single from their album Hold Your Fire. It was the last song written for the album. The song has been critically positively received, and peaked at number 3 on the Billboard Mainstream Rock Tracks chart.
"Animate" is a song by Canadian progressive rock band Rush from their 1993 album Counterparts. The song reached number 35 on the Billboard Mainstream Rock chart in 1994, staying on the charts for three weeks.
"YYZ" is an instrumental rock composition by the band Rush from their 1981 album Moving Pictures. It is one of the band's most popular pieces and was a staple of the band's live performances. The live album Exit... Stage Left (1981) and the concert video recording A Show of Hands (1989) both include versions in which Neil Peart incorporates a drum solo – as an interlude on the former, and as a segue out of the piece on the latter.
