Perth wrote his first lyrics for the 1975 LP band “Fly By Night”, and from then until Rush’s last studio album “Clockwork Angels 2012”, he became known for his “philosophical reflections on street life and troubled souls; sharp criticism of power and greed; inventive vignettes and brief political and social comments wrapped in metaphors. When Canadian progressive rock innovator Rush was admitted to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2013, it was amazing and appropriate that drummer Neil Perth opened the trio’s opening speech. It was his “erudition” that gave Heart the nickname “Professor”. “He” had knowledge of various subjects thanks to his long journeys around the world – during his quick travels, he was known to travel by bike, and later ride his motorcycle between concerts – and an insatiable curiosity about the world around him. In fact, Perth noted the support of Rush’s loyal fans with his warm and humorous comments from Rock Hall. Perth didn’t play the studio version of The Working Man, but joined Rush in the same year, replacing the original drummer John Rutsy. Peart was an avid fan of such great wild and aggressive drummers as Keith Moon from The Who and John Bonham from Led Zeppelin, and absorbed the influence of different players as he showed in 2003 in an interview: Gene Krupa, “Yes” Bill Brewford, Michael Giles from King Crimson, an obscure English session drummer named Harold Fisher. The book describes how Perth rode a solo motorcycle, “to find out what kind of personhe’ will be and in what worldhe’ will live in” afterhis’ 19-year-old daughter Selena died in a car accident in 1997, andhis’ wife Jackie died of cancer the following year. Much of Rush’s career was also tormented by the praise of the writer Ain Rand, whose work influenced the song cycle in 1976 2112. Rush’s Neil Perth was photographed in Cleveland in December, but although Perth’s play is very technical, he has always been cheerful: as any Rush fan will attest, playing the drums in Rush’s 1981 Tom Sawyer can be one of the greatest joys of his life. In 1974, when she worked as a music director and DJ on the legendary Cleveland radio station WMMS, she “recorded” an imported copy of Rush’s first single, “The Working Man”, which soon appeared. Perth’s lyrical fragility also helped Rush’s music resonate from generation to generation.

Neil Peart Peart