Best Drum Album

[Blue J]

By the way, are you a drummer? I have a drummer question for drummers here.

 

Drummer, check!

 

What is your drummer question?

[Lorraine]

By the way, are you a drummer? I have a drummer question for drummers here.

 

Drummer, check!

 

What is your drummer question?

 

Oh, good! :) I was about to PM Earl with my question which still hasn't been answered.

 

Do you have any idea how Neil is able to concentrate so fully on his drumming that he is never distracted or side-tracked by what Alex and Geddy are playing as they are often playing something in a beat that doesn't come close to what he is doing.

 

I asked my husband last night (he's not a drummer, but he knows music) and he said: talent. :laughing guy:

[Lorraine]

ESLhttp://www.cygnus-x1.net/links/rush/images/tourbooks/signals/signals-8.jpg

 

P/G

http://media-cache-ec0.pinimg.com/736x/bf/90/14/bf9014b128c272f4ab1ee48fabf1000e.jpg

 

*Note the Flock of Seagulls hair

 

That is my favorite Alex time. He was so full of energy back then. Always bopping around and kicking up those legs.

[EagleMoon]

By the way, are you a drummer? I have a drummer question for drummers here.

 

Drummer, check!

 

What is your drummer question?

 

Oh, good! :) I was about to PM Earl with my question which still hasn't been answered.

 

Do you have any idea how Neil is able to concentrate so fully on his drumming that he is never distracted or side-tracked by what Alex and Geddy are playing as they are often playing something in a beat that doesn't come close to what he is doing.

 

I asked my husband last night (he's not a drummer, but he knows music) and he said: talent. :laughing guy:

 

It was answered but apparently you're not listening

[Lorraine]

I am listening Eagle, I don't think you are understanding.

 

If you have run out of patience with me and my questions, just ignore me.

[EagleMoon]

I am listening Eagle, I don't think you are understanding.

 

If you have run out of patience with me and my questions, just ignore me.

 

If you're asking why Neil can concentrate on what he's doing and not be distracted, it's because he's practiced and practiced and practiced. How's that for an answer?

[Blue J]

By the way, are you a drummer? I have a drummer question for drummers here.

 

Drummer, check!

 

What is your drummer question?

 

Oh, good! :) I was about to PM Earl with my question which still hasn't been answered.

 

Do you have any idea how Neil is able to concentrate so fully on his drumming that he is never distracted or side-tracked by what Alex and Geddy are playing as they are often playing something in a beat that doesn't come close to what he is doing.

 

I asked my husband last night (he's not a drummer, but he knows music) and he said: talent. :laughing guy:

 

Well, all of them are talented, to be sure. But I think the way to answer your question is it depends on your perception; it depends on how your ear is "trained", for lack of a better word.

 

Even though Alex and Geddy write the music and Neil takes care of the lyrics, that does not necessarily mean that the Al and Ged are at the helm, so to speak. There are some songs that Neil has contributed the music to, also. (For example, YYZ was a bass and drums jam between Geddy and Neil, and Alex's parts were contributed to it last).

 

In any full-band arrangement, the bass and drums together are called the rhythm section. And I think the reason why it may seem to a lot of ears like Alex and Geddy are in control, sort of figuratively flying over the top of it all, is because Geddy plays a lot of what I would call 'lead bass'- where the bass guitar is as much of a featured instrument as Alex's guitar is. But the bass and drums most typically work more closely together than any other instruments in a band.

 

Anyway...since Al and Ged write the music, the melodies...Neil's job, or function, within that, is to insert the beat, where there isn't one to start with. If Al and Ged play something for him, or give him a recording, or some sheet music- when he's exposed to it, he almost immediately has some idea of what the foundation of the rhythm track, or the drum part, is going to be.

 

(I'm not trying to be presumptuous about their creative process, but this is just how I see it- and it leads to the answer to your question).

 

And if he knows what that part, that foundation, is going to be...by the time we're witnessing the three of them performing a piece of music live on a stage, they've rehearsed it so much and so well that they can do anything with it. They know what works, and what doesn't. So Al and Ged can play whatever lead lines they want to, and Neil can hear his part right along with them, virtually no matter what.

 

That's part of honing your skills as an individual musician, or in a band. It is almost a form of telepathy. It's being able to hear what's coming next, before it happens.

 

In short- your husband was really right on the mark. :P

Edited October 15, 2015 by Blue J

[Lorraine]

By the way, are you a drummer? I have a drummer question for drummers here.

 

Drummer, check!

 

What is your drummer question?

 

Oh, good! :) I was about to PM Earl with my question which still hasn't been answered.

 

Do you have any idea how Neil is able to concentrate so fully on his drumming that he is never distracted or side-tracked by what Alex and Geddy are playing as they are often playing something in a beat that doesn't come close to what he is doing.

 

I asked my husband last night (he's not a drummer, but he knows music) and he said: talent. :laughing guy:

 

Well, all of them are talented, to be sure. But I think the way is answer your question is it depends on your perception; it depends on how your ear is "trained", for lack of a better word.

 

Even though Alex and Geddy write the music and Neil takes care of the lyrics, that does not necessarily mean that the Al and Ged are at the helm, so to speak. There are some songs that Neil has contributed the music to, also. (For example, YYZ was a bass and drums jam between Geddy and Neil, and Alex's parts were contributed to it last).

 

In any full-band arrangement, the bass and drums together are called the rhythm section. And I think the reason why it may seem to a lot of ears like Alex and Geddy are in control, sort of figuratively flying over the top of it all, is because Geddy plays a lot of what I would call 'lead bass'- where the bass guitar is as much of a featured instrument as Alex's guitar is. But the bass and drums most typically work more closely together than any other instruments in a band.

 

Anyway...since Al and Ged write the music, the melodies...Neil's job, or function, within that, is to insert the beat, where there isn't one to start with. If Al and Ged play something for him, or give him a recording, or some sheet music- when he's exposed to it, he almost immediately has some idea of what the foundation of the rhythm track, or the drum part, is going to be.

 

(I'm not trying to be presumptuous about their creative process, but this is just how I see it- and it leads to the answer to your question).

 

And if he knows what that part, that foundation, is going to be...by the time we're witnessing the three of them performing a piece of music live on a stage, they've rehearsed it so much and so well that they can do anything with it. They know what works, and what doesn't. So Al and Ged can play whatever lead lines they want to, and Neil can hear his part right along with them, virtually no matter what.

 

That's part of honing your skills an individual musician, or in a band. It is almost a form of telepathy. It's being able to hear what's coming next, before it happens.

 

In short- your husband was really right on the mark. :P

 

Thank you, Blue J. :)

[Blue J]

You're welcome...and thank you for not pointing out a couple of nonsensical syntax typos I had in there!

 

I've fixed those now.

[Lorraine]

i don't think I noticed them, but you are welcome just the same!

[Entre_Perpetuo]

*metaphorically rubs eyes*

Whoa, when did this thread pick up? Well, I see I'm not in the majority here, but I still stand by AFTK. Of course, I don't begin to dismiss any other Rush album in the drum department, but AFTK is Madri-cal (how has no one grown tired of me making this word pun yet?). Also, I'm going to have to go back and listen for the drums on Presto. They've never really stood out to me, but I suppose that's the point earlier folks were making, isn't it? I also love Neil's style and feel on T4E, which is of course the result of him drum lessons with Freddie Gruber, so thank you Mr. Gruber. But, I also appreciate him mainly returning to his old style after the hiatus, especially for CA. Would never have sounded right without Neil bringing back so much of his old insanity.

[JBsDWdrums]

Another very cool thing about Anagram.....while people comment on Far Cry echoing Hemispheres like Rush quoting themselves is new (later on Bastile Day in Headlong Flight....they actually did it on Anagram as well....the final bass drum riff is,........La Villa Strangiatos ending as well...check it out sometime.