“There oughta be a school”: The best advice Neil Peart ever received
Rush weren’t like any other band. Comprised of three pure individuals in Geddy Lee, Alex Lifeson, and Neil Peart, their music was exceptionally unique. Over their career, they continued to carve out an area that fused prog, hard rock, metal and other textures to stand out in the extensive annals of music and be celebrated.
Musically, each member is a master of their respective instruments. However, Neil Peart is the most lauded, given that genuinely great drummers are like gold dust. He channelled the spirit of rock masters John Bonham and Ginger Baker and fused them with the early pioneers of the jazz world, such as Gene Krupa and Buddy Rich, constructing an oeuvre filled with dynamism and artistic prowess.
Peart also stands out for another reason. Not only was he a rhythmic maestro, but he also made his name as the Canadian trio’s primary lyricist. A voracious reader, he instilled real substance into the band’s work by drawing upon fantasy, science fiction, mythology, philosophy and history. This was key to them establishing such a distinctive and influential sonic world.
Of course, this didn’t always have the desired results, as 1975’s misunderstood Caress of Steel showed, with its heavily fantastical essence pulling from the work of J. R. R. Tolkien and Roman myths, but no one can doubt that Peart wasn’t wholly unique in his approach.
Peart’s dedication to literature would also land him in hot water with the band’s fans and detractors. Famously, in the group’s masterpiece, ‘2112’, from the album of the same name, he wrote about an individual’s struggle against the collectivist nature of a totalitarian polity. He credited the inspiration for the track to divisive Objectivist Ayn Rand, a celebrated figure for Conservatives.
This drew the ire of many, but Peart would later deny any considerable dedication to the Russian-American author and philosopher. He said in a 1994 newsletter: “For a start. The extent of my influence by the writings of Ayn Rand should not be overestimated – I am no one’s disciple. Yes, I believe the individual is paramount in matters of justice and liberty, but in philosophy, as Aristotle said long ago, the paramount good is happiness. My self-determination as an individual is part of the pursuit of happiness, of course, but there’s more to it than that.”
While we might not agree with Peart employing the work of Rand, the way he looked to the canon of literature for inspiration is one of his greatest artistic feats, as it continued to provide Rush with a thematic ballast on which to build their mammoth sound on top of. It also makes sense that it was from this area that he also learned the best advice he ever received, which allowed him to keep pursuing his path, and never be swayed by negative reviews.
During a 2015 interview with Ari Gold, Peart revealed that influential Even Cowgirls Get the Blues author Tom Robbins gave him “the best advice” he ever received. This would prove to be vital in his life and career.
“The author, Tom Robbins, gave me the best advice.” He said, “I stopped reading reviews early on because if I believed the good ones, I’d have to believe the bad ones.” He explained, “There oughta be a school… to teach you these things. We’re collecting knowledge and collecting experience and passing it along. Kids, don’t ever read your reviews.”
Watch the interview below.
