Neil Peart is arguably one of the greatest drummers to ever pick up two pieces of wood….PERIOD! Whether you applaud the man for his achievements or despise him for lack of enthusiasm as he moves across the kit expressionless- executing movements with robot-like precision. Makes you wonder sometimes if the man is actually human!

      In his 30+ years with RUSH, Peart has written four non-fiction books, released two instructional DVD’s and acquired an iconic cult following amongst drummers that could only be described as “strangely unique”. The only comparison I find is the same emotions that “Trekkies” feel towards their beloved shows and movies. That kind of creepy, unwavering loyalty that almost makes you feel uncomfortable. The type of people who can recall that exact lick from that one drum solo at that one venue that one year when RUSH came to town…..and so on. Be careful or you could find yourself exchanging fisticuffs with an obsessed fan about who is the greatest drummer to ever pick up two pieces of wood. But as prominent Neil’s career has been ever since he dropped out of high school to become a professional drummer, he still remains somewhat of an enigma in the public eye.

I myself am a fan of Neil Peart, but I can also see why he’s not quite the “social butterfly” that most musicians tend to be. You won’t see him in the tabloids, or in rehab for that matter. You won’t hear the stories of overindulgence and womanizing tendencies that most celebrities are hailed for these days. Oddly enough, you don’t often hear of any appearances regarding signings, clinics, or meet-and-greets. I’ve never even heard of Neil being sited at certain music conferences or events such as NAMM or Modern Drummer Festival. These days, catching Neil Peart out and about are like trying to spot Bigfoot in the local forest... very few and far between. I have a respect for people who keep their private lives private, and Neil has definitely earned mine. In times when people, especially kids, need role models in the music industry, Neil is certainly one you can look up to.

But what about the fans who want to get closer to their hero? All the unanswered questions that people are dying to ask? How did someone come to find out all of these things about Neil Peart and why aren’t they asking the questions WE the fans want to know about? This June DRUM magazine is going to give its readers the chance to ask Neil whatever they want as part of their NEW Special:

 

 

 

 

 

“Neil Peart seemed like a great pick for this kind of story.” 

- Andy Doerschuk, Editor-in-Chief

Neil has agreed to answer DRUM! readers questions in our June 2009 issue. Instead of us asking he questions, it's you asking he questions. All you have to do is email your question to  NeilPeart@drumlink.com . Editor Andy Doerschuk will forward all the questions to Neil and then we'll sift through them and answer as many as possible in a marathon interview.If your qiestion is chosen, we'll include your name (and a photo if possible) in the issue. the deadline for questions is March 16th, so act today! just email your questions to NeilPeart@drumlink.com

Source: http://www.drummagazine.com 

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