Neil Peart

Neil Ellwood Peart (pronounced /ˈpɪərt/) OC, (born September 12, 1952) is a Canadian musician and author. He is best-known as the drummer and lyricist for the rock band Rush. Peart grew up in Port Dalhousie, Ontario, Canada (now part of St. Catharines) working the occasional odd job. However, his true ambition was to become a professional musician. During adolescence, he floated from regional band to regional band and dropped out of high school t... more

Neil Ellwood Peart (pronounced /ˈpɪərt/) OC, (born September 12, 1952) is a Canadian musician and author. He is best-known as the drummer and lyricist for the rock band Rush. Peart grew up in Port Dalhousie, Ontario, Canada (now part of St. Catharines) working the occasional odd job. However, his true ambition was to become a professional musician. During adolescence, he floated from regional band to regional band and dropped out of high school to pursue a career as a full-time drummer. After a discouraging stint in England to concentrate on his music, Peart returned home, where he joined a local Toronto band, Rush, in the summer of 1974. Early in his career, Peart's performance style was deeply rooted in hard rock. He drew most of his inspiration from drummers such as Keith Moon and John Bonham, players who were at the forefront of the British hard rock scene. As time progressed, however, he began to emulate jazz and big band musicians Gene Krupa and Buddy Rich. In 1994, Peart became... less