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Donna Halper's latest blog, re: Neil


Laurabw
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Meh. Written like a non-musician describing a colleague retiring from an accounting firm.

 

You don't just quit playing music if you love it that much. You learn how to live within whatever limitations nature is imposing on you. We are allocated only so many days to create music. Sitting at home and staring out the window seems like such a waste.

 

Been playing in bands for 35 years now, and I imagine I'll do it for 35 more. Until they find me dead and someone has to pry my guitar out of my slowly rotting hands.

 

This is why Neil bagging on Charlie Watts in the R40 movie rubbed me the wrong way. Say what you want about the Stones....Charlie is out there doing what he loves. Not sitting on his front porch, carping about his arthritis.

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Meh. Written like a non-musician describing a colleague retiring from an accounting firm.

 

You don't just quit playing music if you love it that much. You learn how to live within whatever limitations nature is imposing on you. We are allocated only so many days to create music. Sitting at home and staring out the window seems like such a waste.

 

So the dichotomy is play music or sit at home and stare out the window, eh? I suspect there are more options available to Neil than just those two.

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Meh. Written like a non-musician describing a colleague retiring from an accounting firm.

 

You don't just quit playing music if you love it that much. You learn how to live within whatever limitations nature is imposing on you. We are allocated only so many days to create music. Sitting at home and staring out the window seems like such a waste.

 

Been playing in bands for 35 years now, and I imagine I'll do it for 35 more. Until they find me dead and someone has to pry my guitar out of my slowly rotting hands.

 

This is why Neil bagging on Charlie Watts in the R40 movie rubbed me the wrong way. Say what you want about the Stones....Charlie is out there doing what he loves. Not sitting on his front porch, carping about his arthritis.

 

How about... you do you, and Neil does Neil, and you don't judge him one way or the other?

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Meh. Written like a non-musician describing a colleague retiring from an accounting firm.

 

You don't just quit playing music if you love it that much. You learn how to live within whatever limitations nature is imposing on you. We are allocated only so many days to create music. Sitting at home and staring out the window seems like such a waste.

 

Been playing in bands for 35 years now, and I imagine I'll do it for 35 more. Until they find me dead and someone has to pry my guitar out of my slowly rotting hands.

 

This is why Neil bagging on Charlie Watts in the R40 movie rubbed me the wrong way. Say what you want about the Stones....Charlie is out there doing what he loves. Not sitting on his front porch, carping about his arthritis.

 

You've been playing in bands for 35 years now so let me ask you this. Have you been touring as extensively that entire time as Neil did during his years with Rush?

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This is just a rehash of old information. Nothing new in that blog. I guess the timing was due to his birthday? One thing they keep leaving out is the obvious regret at not spending the time with Selena before losing her. That has to be huge in his decision. I'm surprised he toured as long as he did. I wish there was a way they could record some new music and find a way to release that would make sense and cents.
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Was just coming here to post this! Pretty much says what we all know. As much as we hate it as fans, I get it. I just have a problem with the WAY he did it.

 

How exactly did he do it that was a problem? Genuinely curious, not meaning to be antagonistic.

 

Hem-hawing about it and then making a sort of off-hand "announcement" via his blog, in the form of a quote from his daughter telling someone he was a "retired drummer." And then leaving Ged and Al to explain that to everyone, without any formal announcement.

Edited by Wil1972
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Meh. Written like a non-musician describing a colleague retiring from an accounting firm.

 

You don't just quit playing music if you love it that much. You learn how to live within whatever limitations nature is imposing on you. We are allocated only so many days to create music. Sitting at home and staring out the window seems like such a waste.

 

Been playing in bands for 35 years now, and I imagine I'll do it for 35 more. Until they find me dead and someone has to pry my guitar out of my slowly rotting hands.

 

This is why Neil bagging on Charlie Watts in the R40 movie rubbed me the wrong way. Say what you want about the Stones....Charlie is out there doing what he loves. Not sitting on his front porch, carping about his arthritis.

if that's your passion and you want to die with 'your boots on', then great. But for many people, the last thing they want to be doing while they're retired is doing the same thing they did while working. As much as Neil has traveled I could totally see him not wanting to travel and to be a bit of a home-body. As uncomfortable as it is to say, some musicians are just too old to perform (charlie watts) and need to hang it up.

 

After 40 years...seriously...what musical challenges are left for any of the guys in Rush?

 

just because you're a good soldier doesn't mean you have to die a soldier.

Edited by HemiBeers
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I miss Rush already, I will never see my hero's ever :(

They were literally awesome live! Nothing better than about every two years getting together with the BFF and current bae to see :rush: live, it was totes da bomb!

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Meh. Written like a non-musician describing a colleague retiring from an accounting firm.

 

You don't just quit playing music if you love it that much. You learn how to live within whatever limitations nature is imposing on you. We are allocated only so many days to create music. Sitting at home and staring out the window seems like such a waste.

 

Been playing in bands for 35 years now, and I imagine I'll do it for 35 more. Until they find me dead and someone has to pry my guitar out of my slowly rotting hands.

 

This is why Neil bagging on Charlie Watts in the R40 movie rubbed me the wrong way. Say what you want about the Stones....Charlie is out there doing what he loves. Not sitting on his front porch, carping about his arthritis.

if that's your passion and you want to die with 'your boots on', then great. But for many people, the last thing they want to be doing while they're retired is doing the same thing they did while working. As much as Neil has traveled I could totally see him not wanting to travel and to be a bit of a home-body. As uncomfortable as it is to say, some musicians are just too old to perform (charlie watts) and need to hang it up.

 

After 40 years...seriously...what musical challenges are left for any of the guys in Rush?

 

just because you're a good soldier doesn't mean you have to die a soldier.

 

True, but there's another side of it for musicians that involves passion for music and loving what you do. Let's face it, Neil hasn't enjoyed the process of touring for quite a while and his love for drumming has probably lost out to how much pain he's in while doing it and how incredibly difficult it must be for him to perform at such a high level now.

 

Like others, I am shocked he continued as long as he did. I think it was partly doing it for Alex and Geddy and partly the financial part of it. I think Neil would have retired from touring much sooner if not for the fact that Rush's popularity really took off in the last decade. Prices have gone up more and more and they were selling out more and more arenas. It was probably tough for Neil to walk away from the million dollar + incomes that came with doing a tour.

Edited by LeaveMyThingAlone
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Meh. Written like a non-musician describing a colleague retiring from an accounting firm.

 

You don't just quit playing music if you love it that much. You learn how to live within whatever limitations nature is imposing on you. We are allocated only so many days to create music. Sitting at home and staring out the window seems like such a waste.

 

Been playing in bands for 35 years now, and I imagine I'll do it for 35 more. Until they find me dead and someone has to pry my guitar out of my slowly rotting hands.

 

This is why Neil bagging on Charlie Watts in the R40 movie rubbed me the wrong way. Say what you want about the Stones....Charlie is out there doing what he loves. Not sitting on his front porch, carping about his arthritis.

This is such a shite post. Why does how YOU feel about what YOU would do matter to anyone else? Do your own thing and stop criticizing those who do otherwise.
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Blah blah blah.... old boring news. I am surprised Donna wasted her time with this blog............

 

 

YYZzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

 

Probably to put to bed any lingering discussions (here on TRF) about the possibility that Neil might maybe think about possibly getting back with Ged and Al and maybe possibly writing a new album.

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Blah blah blah.... old boring news. I am surprised Donna wasted her time with this blog............

 

 

YYZzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

 

Probably to put to bed any lingering discussions (here on TRF) about the possibility that Neil might maybe think about possibly getting back with Ged and Al and maybe possibly writing a new album.

 

Exactly. I think music making has become drudgery for Neil in the last 20 years. He did it to make a living but I never got much of an impression he enjoyed it after TFE. He's much more involved in traveloguing and spending time with his family at this point in his life.

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I just don't get why some people are taking Peart's choices so personally . . . or it seems that way.

 

In spite of the wealth and adoration and perks of being a superstar, it must really suck sometimes. Dude makes a decision and suddenly every fan is on the spectrum between "he's a f***ing idiot" and "he's earned his retirement."

 

Maybe it really wasn't an easy decision to make?

 

Isn't this a "damned if you do, damned if you don't situation"? If he retires, people get pissed because he "didn't do it correctly." If he tries to keep going the best he can, he gets shit for leaving out drum fills and for exercising his rights to privacy like he has for the last thirty or so years.

 

There must be some perfect way he could have retired. Unfortunately, he's a fallible human being and could only come up with lame excuses like I'm in pain and I have a family I'd like to spend time with.

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I just don't get why some people are taking Peart's choices so personally . . . or it seems that way.

 

In spite of the wealth and adoration and perks of being a superstar, it must really suck sometimes. Dude makes a decision and suddenly every fan is on the spectrum between "he's a f***ing idiot" and "he's earned his retirement."

 

Maybe it really wasn't an easy decision to make?

 

Isn't this a "damned if you do, damned if you don't situation"? If he retires, people get pissed because he "didn't do it correctly." If he tries to keep going the best he can, he gets shit for leaving out drum fills and for exercising his rights to privacy like he has for the last thirty or so years.

 

There must be some perfect way he could have retired. Unfortunately, he's a fallible human being and could only come up with lame excuses like I'm in pain and I have a family I'd like to spend time with.

 

Yeah, some people are just greedy and/or short-sighted with their hobbies and other things they enjoy. And, for some Rush fans, this unfortunately includes the band.

 

Whatever way Neil was going to retire, it was going to bother some folks. "He could've kept going", "I wish he had done it another way", "True artists and musicians never stop", etc.

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