Editing Neil Peart (section)

{{Short description|Canadian drummer (1952–2020)}}
{{For|the footballer|Neil Peart (footballer)}}
{{Good article}}
{{Use Canadian English|date=September 2024}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=September 2024}}
{{Infobox person
| name             = Neil Peart
| honorific_suffix = {{post-nominals|country=CAN|OC|size=100%}}
| image            = NeilPeart.JPG
| caption          = Peart performing in 2008
| landscape        = yes
| birth_name       = Neil Ellwood Peart
| birth_date       = {{birth date|1952|09|12}}
| birth_place      = [[Hamilton, Ontario]], Canada
| death_date       = {{death date and age|2020|01|07|1952|09|12}}
| death_place      = [[Santa Monica, California]], U.S.
| alias            = The Professor, Bubba, Pratt
| citizenship      = {{flatlist|
* Canada
* United States}}
| occupation       = {{flatlist|
* Musician
* songwriter
* author}}
| years_active     = 1968–2015
| module           = {{Infobox musical artist <!-- See Wikipedia:WikiProject Musicians -->
| embed            = yes
| background       = non_vocal_instrumentalist
| genre            = {{flatlist|
* [[Progressive rock]]
* [[hard rock]]
* [[jazz]]
* [[Swing music|swing]]
* [[heavy metal music|heavy metal]]}}
| instrument       = {{flatlist|
* Drums
* percussion}}
| label            = {{flatlist|
* [[Atlantic Records|Atlantic]]
* [[Mercury Records|Mercury]]
* [[Anthem Records|Anthem]]}}
| past_member_of  = {{flatlist|
* [[Rush (band)|Rush]]
* [[Buddy Rich|Buddy Rich Big Band]]}}
}}
| module2         = {{Listen |embed= yes |filename= Neil Peart Prior 40 years of Rush.ogg |title= Peart's voice|type= speech |description= On his time recording and performing for Rush}}
| website          = {{URL|neilpeart.net}}
| signature        = NeilPeartSignature.png
}}

'''Neil Ellwood Peart''' ({{IPAc-en|p|ɪər|t}} {{respell|PEERT}}; September 12, 1952 – January 7, 2020) was a Canadian and American musician, known as the drummer, percussionist, and primary lyricist of the rock band [[Rush (band)|Rush]]. He was known to fans by the nickname "the Professor",<ref>{{cite magazine |last1=Hiatt |first1=Brian |title=Neil Peart, Rush Drummer Who Set a New Standard for Rock Virtuosity, Dead at 67 |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/neil-peart-rush-obituary-936221/ |magazine=Rolling Stone |date=January 10, 2020 |access-date=November 27, 2020 |archive-date=January 15, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200115172322/https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/neil-peart-rush-obituary-936221/ |url-status=live }}</ref> derived from the ''[[Gilligan's Island]]'' [[The Professor (Gilligan's Island)|character of the same name]].<ref>{{Cite web |date=February 1, 2014 |title=Bubba and the Professor—Part 1 – Neil Peart |url=https://neilpeart.net/bubba-and-the-professor-part-1/ |access-date=December 30, 2023 |language=en-US |archive-date=December 30, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231230193249/https://neilpeart.net/bubba-and-the-professor-part-1/ |url-status=live }}</ref>  His drumming was renowned for its technical proficiency and his live performances for their exacting nature and stamina. Peart earned numerous awards for his musical performances, including an induction into the ''[[Modern Drummer]]'' [[Modern Drummer#Readers poll|Readers Poll Hall of Fame]] in 1983 at the age of thirty, making him the youngest person ever so honoured.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.moderndrummer.com/2020/01/rush-drummer-neil-peart-passes/|title=Rush Drummer Neil Peart Passes|date=January 10, 2020|website=Modern Drummer|access-date=January 11, 2020|archive-date=January 11, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200111213706/https://www.moderndrummer.com/2020/01/rush-drummer-neil-peart-passes/|url-status=live}}</ref>

Peart was born in [[Hamilton, Ontario]],<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/arts/music/article-cancer-claims-rush-drummer-and-lyricist-neil-peart-at-67/|title=Cancer claims Rush drummer and lyricist Neil Peart at 67|access-date=January 11, 2020}}</ref> and grew up in [[Port Dalhousie, Ontario|Port Dalhousie]] (now part of [[St. Catharines]]). During adolescence, he floated between regional bands in pursuit of a career as a full-time drummer. After a discouraging stint in England, Peart returned home to concentrate on music where he joined Rush, a [[Toronto]] band, in mid-1974, six years after its formation. Together they released 19 studio albums, with 10 exceeding a million copies sold in the United States. ''[[Billboard magazine|Billboard]]'' lists the band third in "most consecutive [[gold album|gold]] or [[platinum album]]s by a rock band".{{efn-ua|Below [[The Beatles]] and [[Rolling Stones]].<ref name="Petrusich"/>}}

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]], [[Ginger Baker]], and [[John Bonham]], players who at the time were at the forefront of the British hard rock scene.<ref>''Anatomy of a Drum Solo'' DVD, Neil Peart (2005); accompanying booklet. (Republished in ''[[Modern Drummer]]'' magazine, April 2006)</ref><ref name="Popoff">{{cite web |title=Neil Peart – Anatomy of a Drum Solo (Hudson Music) |date=May 1, 2006 |first1=Martin |last1=Popoff |url=http://bravewords.com/reviews/neil-peart-anatomy-of-a-drum-solo |access-date=January 11, 2020}}</ref> As time passed, he began to emulate [[jazz]] and [[big band]] musicians [[Gene Krupa]] and [[Buddy Rich]]. In 1994, Peart became a friend and pupil of jazz instructor [[Freddie Gruber]].<ref name=geocities>{{cite web|url=http://www.geocities.com/sunsetstrip/venue/9123/history.html+22:33:16|title=Neil Peart Biography|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091021045636/http://geocities.com/SunsetStrip/Venue/9123/history.html|archive-date=October 21, 2009|access-date=January 11, 2020}}</ref><ref name="A Work in Progress, Worldcat DVD" /> It was during this time that Peart revamped his playing style by incorporating jazz and swing components.<ref name="Popoff"/><ref>{{Cite web|last=BraveWords|title=Neil Peart − Anatomy Of A Drum Solo|url=https://bravewords.com/reviews/neil-peart-anatomy-of-a-drum-solo|access-date=February 24, 2021|website=bravewords.com|language=en|archive-date=April 14, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210414091608/https://bravewords.com/reviews/neil-peart-anatomy-of-a-drum-solo|url-status=live}}</ref>

In addition to serving as Rush's primary lyricist, Peart published several memoirs about his travels. His lyrics for Rush addressed universal themes and diverse subjects including science fiction, fantasy, and philosophy, as well as secular, humanitarian, and [[Libertarianism|libertarian]] themes. Peart wrote a total of seven non-fiction books focused on his travels and personal stories. He also co-authored with [[Kevin J. Anderson]] three [[steampunk]] fantasy novels based on Rush's final album, ''[[Clockwork Angels]]''. The two also wrote a dark fantasy novella, ''Drumbeats'', inspired by Peart's travels in Africa.

Peart announced his retirement from touring in an interview with ''Drumhead Magazine'' in December 2015.<ref name="drumhead2015">{{cite web|url=https://consequence.net/2015/12/rushs-neil-peart-says-hes-retired-from-music/|title=Rush's Neil Peart says he's retired from music|work=[[Consequence of Sound]]|date=December 7, 2015|access-date=December 7, 2015|archive-date=June 12, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210612204218/https://consequence.net/2015/12/rushs-neil-peart-says-hes-retired-from-music/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="blabbermouth.net">{{cite web |url=http://www.blabbermouth.net/news/rushs-geddy-lee-says-neil-peart-hasnt-retired/ |title=Rush's Geddy Lee Says Neil Peart Hasn't Retired |date=December 8, 2015 |access-date=December 8, 2015 |archive-date=December 10, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151210190346/http://www.blabbermouth.net/news/rushs-geddy-lee-says-neil-peart-hasnt-retired/ |url-status=live }}</ref> In January 2018, bandmate [[Alex Lifeson]] confirmed that Rush had disbanded also due to Peart's health issues.<ref name="Blabbermouth">{{cite web |url=https://www.blabbermouth.net/news/rush-guitarist-alex-lifeson-we-have-no-plans-to-tour-or-record-any-more-were-basically-done/ |title='Rush' Guitarist Alex Lifeson: 'We Have No Plans To Tour Or Record Any More. We're Basically Done' |date=January 19, 2018 |access-date=January 11, 2020 |archive-date=January 11, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200111022606/https://www.blabbermouth.net/news/rush-guitarist-alex-lifeson-we-have-no-plans-to-tour-or-record-any-more-were-basically-done/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="uproxx.com">{{cite web|last=Rossignol|first=Derrick|title=Rush Officially Breaks Up, Two Years After They Quit Touring|url=http://uproxx.com/music/rush-break-up-touring-alex-lifeson-geddy-lee-neil-peart/|website=Uproxx|access-date=January 23, 2018|date=January 22, 2018|archive-date=January 24, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180124005747/http://uproxx.com/music/rush-break-up-touring-alex-lifeson-geddy-lee-neil-peart/|url-status=live}}</ref> During his last years Peart lived in [[Santa Monica, California]], with his wife, Carrie Nuttall, and daughter. After a three-and-a-half-year illness,<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.rush.com/neil-peart-2/ |title=Neil Peart |publisher=Rush.com |language=en-CA |access-date=February 7, 2020 |archive-date=January 11, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200111001720/https://www.rush.com/neil-peart-2/ |url-status=live }}</ref> Peart died of [[glioblastoma]] on January 7, 2020, at age 67.<ref name="death">{{cite magazine|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/neil-peart-rush-obituary-936221/|title=Neil Peart, Rush Drummer Who Set a New Standard for Rock Virtuosity, Dead at 67|date=January 10, 2020|access-date=January 10, 2020|first=Brian|last=Hatt|magazine=[[Rolling Stone|RollingStone.com]]|archive-date=January 15, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200115172322/https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/neil-peart-rush-obituary-936221/|url-status=live}}</ref>