Editing Neil Peart (section)

==Biography==
===Early childhood===
Peart was born on September 12, 1952, to Glen and Betty Peart and lived his early years on his family's farm in [[Hagersville, Ontario]],<ref name=Biography /> on the outskirts of [[Hamilton, Ontario|Hamilton]]. The first child of four,<ref>{{cite web|title=Neil Peart Biography, Videos & Pictures|url=http://www.drumlessons.com/drummers/neil-peart/|website=drumlessons.com|access-date=March 26, 2011|quote=Born Neil Ellwood Peart on the 12th&nbsp;of September 1952, Neil Peart would be the first of four kids his parents wound up raising.|archive-date=April 20, 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110420224720/http://www.drumlessons.com/drummers/neil-peart/|url-status=dead}}</ref> his brother Danny and sisters Judy and Nancy were born after the family moved to [[St. Catharines]] when Peart was two years old. At this time his father became parts manager for Dalziel Equipment, an [[International Harvester]] farm machinery dealer. In 1956 the family moved to the [[Port Dalhousie]] area of the town. Peart attended Gracefield School and later Lakeport Secondary School, and described his childhood as happy; he stated he experienced a warm family life. By early adolescence he became interested in music and acquired a [[transistor radio]], which he would use to tune into popular music stations broadcasting from Toronto, Hamilton, [[Welland]], and [[Buffalo, New York|Buffalo]].<ref name=Biography />

Peart's first exposure to musical training came in the form of piano lessons; he later said in his instructional video ''[[A Work in Progress (video album)|A Work in Progress]]'' that these lessons did not have much influence on him.<ref name="A Work in Progress, Worldcat DVD" /> He had a penchant for drumming on various objects around the house with a pair of chopsticks, so for his 13th birthday his parents bought him a pair of drum sticks, a practice drum, and some lessons, with the promise that if he stuck with it for a year they would buy him a kit.<ref name=Biography />

Peart fulfilled his promise and his parents bought him a drum kit for his 14th birthday; furthermore, he began taking lessons from Don George at the Peninsula Conservatory of Music.<ref name=Biography /> His stage debut took place that year at the school's Christmas pageant in St. John's Anglican Church Hall in Port Dalhousie. His next appearance was at Lakeport High School with his first group, The Eternal Triangle. This performance contained an original number titled "LSD Forever". At this show he performed his first solo.<ref name=Biography />

Peart got a job in Lakeside Park, in [[Port Dalhousie, Ontario|Port Dalhousie]] on the shores of [[Lake Ontario]], which later inspired a [[Lakeside Park (song)|song of the same name]] on the Rush album ''[[Caress of Steel]]''.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.songfacts.com/detail.php?id=3110|title=Lakeside Park by Rush|website=Songfacts|access-date=January 11, 2020}}</ref> He worked on the Bubble Game and Ball Toss, but his tendency to take it easy when business was slack resulted in his termination. By his late teens, Peart had played in local bands such as Mumblin' Sumpthin', and the Majority. These bands practiced in basement recreation rooms and garages and played church halls, high schools, and skating rinks in towns across [[Southern Ontario]] such as [[Mitchell, Ontario|Mitchell]], [[Seaforth, Ontario|Seaforth]], and [[Elmira, Ontario|Elmira]]. They also played in the [[Northern Ontario]] city of [[Timmins]]. Tuesday nights were filled with jam sessions at the Niagara Theatre Centre.<ref name=Biography>{{cite web|url=http://geocities.com/SunsetStrip/Venue/9123/portboy.html|title="A Port boy's story" parts 1 & 2|author-last=Peart|author-first=Neil|editor-last=Collins|editor-first=Brian|work=St. Catharines Standard|date=June 24–25, 1994|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090804153840/http://geocities.com/SunsetStrip/Venue/9123/portboy.html|archive-date=August 4, 2009|access-date=January 11, 2020|via=GeoCities}}</ref>

===Early career===
At 18 years old (and after struggling to achieve success as a drummer in Canada), Peart travelled to London, England, hoping to further his career as a professional musician.<ref name=geocities /> Despite playing in several bands and picking up occasional session work, he was forced to support himself by selling jewellery at a shop called The Great Frog on [[Carnaby Street]].<ref>Neil Peart in London [http://www.buckstar.com/index.php?pge=rush.pge Don Howe] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110708103128/http://www.buckstar.com/index.php?pge=rush.pge |date=July 8, 2011 }}. Retrieved February 19, 2008</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://white-barn.com/nms/html/nms_093.htm|title=Rush – Success Under Pressure|last=Gett|first=Steve|work=The National Midnight Star|number=93|date=November 6, 1990|access-date=January 11, 2020|via=White-Barn.com|archive-date=July 18, 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110718040656/http://white-barn.com/nms/html/nms_093.htm|url-status=usurped}}</ref>

While in London, he came across the writings of novelist and philosopher [[Ayn Rand]]. Rand's writings became a significant early philosophical influence on Peart, as he found many of her writings on [[individualism]] and [[Objectivism]] inspiring. References to Rand's philosophy can be found in his early lyrics, most notably "Anthem" from 1975's ''[[Fly by Night (album)|Fly by Night]]'' and "[[2112 (song)|2112]]" from 1976's ''[[2112 (album)|2112]]''.<ref>AllMusic Guide Review for 2112 [{{AllMusic|class=album|id=r17123|pure_url=yes}} AllMusic Guide]. Retrieved February 10</ref>

After 18 months, Peart became disillusioned by his lack of progress in the music business; he placed his aspiration of becoming a professional musician on hold and returned to Canada.<ref name=geocities /> Upon returning to St. Catharines, he worked for his father selling tractor parts at Dalziel Equipment.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.rushisaband.com/blog/2008/08/21/1594/Neil-Peart-parts-manager|title=Neil Peart, parts manager|date=August 21, 2008|website=rushisaband|access-date=January 10, 2020}}</ref>

===Joining Rush===
After returning to Canada, Peart was recruited to play drums for a St. Catharines band known as Hush<!-- the 2010 beyond the lighted stage documentary is incorrect with regards to his last band before Rush -->, who played on the Southern Ontario bar circuit.<ref name=geocities /> Soon after, a mutual acquaintance convinced Peart to audition for the Toronto-based band Rush, which needed a replacement for its original drummer [[John Rutsey]]. [[Geddy Lee]] and [[Alex Lifeson]] oversaw the audition. His future bandmates describe his arrival that day as somewhat humorous, as he arrived in shorts, driving a battered old [[Ford Pinto]] with his drums stored in trashbags. Peart felt the entire audition was a complete disaster.<ref name=geocities /> Lee later remarked that he was instantly mesmerized by the way Peart played triplets, also hitting it off on a personal level (with similar tastes in books and music); meanwhile, Lifeson had a less favourable impression of Peart and still wanted to tryout one last drummer.<ref name=geocities />

After some discussion between Lee and Lifeson, Peart officially joined the band on July 29, 1974, two weeks before the group's first US tour.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Reed|first=Ryan|date=July 29, 2015|title=Revisiting the Day Drummer Neil Peart Joined Rush|url=https://ultimateclassicrock.com/neil-peart-joins-rush/|access-date=June 24, 2020|website=Ultimate Classic Rock|archive-date=June 24, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200624194743/https://ultimateclassicrock.com/neil-peart-joins-rush/|url-status=live}}</ref> Peart procured a silver [[Slingerland]] kit which he played at his first gig with the band, opening for [[Uriah Heep (band)|Uriah Heep]] and [[Manfred Mann's Earth Band]] in front of over 11,000 people at the [[Civic Arena (Pittsburgh)|Civic Arena]] in [[Pittsburgh]] on August 14, 1974.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.chartattack.com/news/39903/neil-peart-speaks-about-new-rush-release|title=Neil Peart Speaks About New Rush Release|date=November 16, 2005|work=[[Chart (magazine)|Chart]]|access-date=August 9, 2009|url-status=usurped|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110607181538/http://www.chartattack.com/news/39903/neil-peart-speaks-about-new-rush-release|archive-date=June 7, 2011}}</ref>

Peart soon settled into his new position, also becoming the band's primary lyricist. Before joining Rush he had written a few songs, but, with the other members largely uninterested in writing lyrics, Peart's previously underutilised writing became as noticed as his musicianship.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://rush.robpagano.com/index.php?c=neil|title=Neil Peart Mini-Biography|website=rush.robpagano.com|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090108062047/http://rush.robpagano.com/index.php?c=neil|archive-date=January 8, 2009|access-date=January 11, 2020}}</ref> The band were working hard to establish themselves as a recording act, and Peart, along with the rest of the band, began to undertake extensive touring.

His first recording with the band, 1975's ''[[Fly by Night (album)|Fly by Night]]'', was fairly successful, winning the [[Juno Award]] for most promising new act,<ref name="Individual awards list">{{cite web|url=http://www.geocities.com/SunsetStrip/Amphitheatre/2740/rmem.html|title=Individual awards list|access-date=February 2, 2008|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080122140246/http://www.geocities.com/SunsetStrip/Amphitheatre/2740/rmem.html|archive-date=January 22, 2008}} Accessed July 16, 2007</ref> but the follow-up, ''[[Caress of Steel]]'', for which the band had high hopes, was greeted with hostility by both fans and critics.<ref>Caress of Steel Review [{{AllMusic|class=album|id=r17118|pure_url=yes}} Greg Prato, AllMusic Guide]. Retrieved September 20, 2007</ref> In response to this negative reception, most of which was aimed at the B-side-spanning epic "[[The Fountain of Lamneth]]", Peart responded by penning "[[2112 (song)|2112]]" on their next album of the same name in 1976. The album, despite record company indifference, became their breakthrough and gained a following in the United States.<ref>AllMusic Guide Review for 2112 [{{AllMusic|class=album|id=r17123|pure_url=yes}} AllMusic Guide]. Retrieved February 10, 2008</ref> The supporting tour culminated in a three-night stand at [[Massey Hall]] in Toronto, a venue Peart had dreamed of playing in his days on the Southern Ontario bar circuit and where he was introduced as "The Professor on the drum kit" by Lee.<ref>Geddy Lee Announces Neil Peart [http://nimitz.net/rush/faq2ans.html Rush Frequently Asked Questions]. Retrieved February 19, 2008</ref>

Peart returned to England for Rush's Northern European Tour and the band stayed in the United Kingdom to record the next album, 1977's ''[[A Farewell to Kings]]'', in [[Rockfield Studios]] in Wales. They returned to Rockfield to record the follow-up, ''[[Hemispheres (Rush album)|Hemispheres]]'', in 1978, which they wrote entirely in the studio. The recording of five studio albums in four years, coupled with as many as 300 gigs a year, convinced the band to take a different approach thereafter. Peart has described his time in the band up to this point as "a dark tunnel".<ref>Current Biography Magazine [http://www.2112.net/powerwindows/transcripts/currentbiographyfeb2001.htm Power Windows Website] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090911160511/http://www.2112.net/powerwindows/transcripts/currentbiographyfeb2001.htm|date=September 11, 2009}}. Retrieved February 19, 2008</ref>

===Playing style reinvention===
In 1991, Peart was invited by [[Buddy Rich]]'s daughter, Cathy Rich, to play at the Buddy Rich Memorial Scholarship Concert in New York City.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.andrewolson.com/Neil_Peart/drums/drumkits/buddy_rich_memorial_1991.htm|title=Neil Peart Buddy Rich 1991 drums|website=www.andrewolson.com|access-date=March 19, 2021|archive-date=April 13, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210413184311/http://www.andrewolson.com/Neil_Peart/drums/drumkits/buddy_rich_memorial_1991.htm|url-status=live}}</ref> Peart accepted and performed for the first time with the Buddy Rich Big Band. Peart remarked that he had little time to rehearse, and noted that he was embarrassed to find the band played a different arrangement of the song than the one he had learned.<ref name="neilpeart.net">{{cite web|url=http://www.neilpeart.net/news/november_08.html|title=Neil Peart's Official Website|publisher=Neilpeart.net|access-date=September 3, 2011|archive-date=January 3, 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110103031801/http://www.neilpeart.net/news/november_08.html|url-status=live}}</ref> Feeling that his performance left much to be desired, Peart produced and played on two Buddy Rich tribute albums titled ''[[Burning for Buddy: A Tribute to the Music of Buddy Rich]]'' in 1994 and 1997 in order to regain his aplomb.

While producing the first Buddy Rich tribute album, Peart was struck by the tremendous improvement in ex-[[Journey (band)|Journey]] drummer [[Steve Smith (musician)|Steve Smith]]'s playing, and asked him his "secret". Smith responded he had been studying with drum teacher [[Freddie Gruber]].<ref>{{cite magazine |last1=Peart |first1=Neil |title=Starting Over |magazine=Modern Drummer |date=November 1995 |volume=19 |issue=11 |page=130 |url=https://www.moderndrummer.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/md192cs.pdf |access-date=January 12, 2020 |archive-date=September 24, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200924000128/https://www.moderndrummer.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/md192cs.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref>

In early 2007, Peart and Cathy Rich discussed another Buddy tribute concert. At the recommendation of bassist [[Jeff Berlin]], Peart once again augmented his swing style with formal drum lessons, this time under the tutelage of another pupil of Freddie Gruber, [[Peter Erskine]], himself an instructor of Steve Smith.<ref name="neilpeart.net" /> On October 18, 2008, Peart once again performed at the Buddy Rich Memorial Concert at New York's [[Hammerstein Ballroom]].<ref>{{cite news |title=RUSH's NEIL PEART Performs 'YYZ' At Buddy Rich Memorial Concert; Video Available |url=https://search.blabbermouth.net/news/rush-s-neil-peart-performs-yyz-at-buddy-rich-memorial-concert-video-available/ |access-date=January 12, 2020 |work=Blabbermouth.net |date=October 20, 2008 |archive-date=April 13, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210413184312/https://search.blabbermouth.net/news/rush-s-neil-peart-performs-yyz-at-buddy-rich-memorial-concert-video-available/ |url-status=dead }}</ref> The concert has since been released on DVD.

===Family deaths and recovery===
On August 10, 1997, soon after Rush's [[Test for Echo Tour]], Peart's 19-year-old daughter (at the time his only child) Selena Taylor was killed in a single-car crash on [[Ontario Highway 401|Highway 401]] near the town of [[Brighton, Ontario]]. His [[common-law marriage|common-law wife]] of 23 years, Jacqueline Taylor, subsequently died of cancer on June 20, 1998. Peart attributed her death to the result of a "broken heart" and called it "a slow suicide by apathy. She just didn't care."<ref name=Peart-GhostRider>{{cite book|title=Ghost Rider: Travels on the Healing Road|url=https://archive.org/details/ghostrider00neil|url-access=registration|last=Peart|first=Neil|year=2002|publisher=[[ECW Press]]|isbn=1-55022-546-4}}</ref>

In his book ''[[Ghost Rider: Travels on the Healing Road]]'', Peart wrote that he told his bandmates at Jacqueline's funeral, "consider me retired".<ref name=Peart-GhostRider /> Peart took a long sabbatical to mourn and reflect, and travelled extensively throughout North and Central America on his motorcycle, covering {{convert|88,000|km|mi|abbr=on}}. After his journey, Peart returned to the band. Peart wrote the book as a chronicle of his geographical and emotional journey.

Peart was introduced to photographer Carrie Nuttall in Los Angeles by longtime Rush photographer Andrew MacNaughtan. They married on September 9, 2000. In early 2001, Peart announced to his bandmates that he was ready to return to recording and performing. The product of the band's return was the 2002 album ''[[Vapor Trails]]''. At the start of the ensuing tour in support of the album, the band members decided that Peart would not take part in the daily grind of press interviews and "meet and greet" sessions upon their arrival in a new city that typically monopolise a touring band's daily schedule. Peart always shied away from these types of in-person encounters, and it was decided that exposing him to a lengthy stream of questions about the tragic events of his life was not necessary.<ref>MacNaughtan, Andrew. Geddy Lee. and Alex Lifeson. ''"The Boys in Brazil"'', ''[[Rush in Rio (video)|Rush in Rio]]'' DVD Bonus Material. New York City: Atlantic Recording Corporation/Anthem/Msi Music Corp October 2003.</ref><ref>[[Daniel Catullo]] Rush. ''[[Rush in Rio (video)|Rush in Rio]]''. Cambridge, Massachusetts: Zoë Vision. 2003. {{OCLC|53877410}}</ref><ref>Jordan, Lawrence. Daniel E Catullo. Rush ''[[Rush in Rio (video)|Rush in Rio]]''. London: Sanctuary Visual Entertainment. 2003. {{OCLC|84678389}}</ref>

After the release of ''Vapor Trails'' and his reunion with bandmates, Peart returned to work as a full-time musician. In the June 2009 edition of Peart's website's ''News, Weather, and Sports'', titled "Under the Marine Layer", he announced that he and Nuttall were expecting their first child.<ref>{{cite web|last=Peart|first=Neil|url=http://www.neilpeart.net/news/index.html|title=Under the Marine Layer|work=News, Weather and Sports|date=June 2009|access-date=July 1, 2009|archive-date=March 8, 2007|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070308155034/http://www.neilpeart.net/news/index.html|url-status=live}}</ref> Olivia Louise Peart was born later that year.<ref name="Chronology Lemieux">{{cite book |last1=Lemieux |first1=Patrick |title=The Rush Chronology |date=2015 |publisher=Across the Board Books |location=Toronto |isbn=978-1926462035 |page=223 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=T_qaCgAAQBAJ&q=olivia |access-date=January 11, 2020}}</ref>

In 2014, Peart acquired U.S. citizenship.<ref name="rs">{{Cite magazine|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/from-rush-with-love-59586/|title=From Rush with Love|date=June 16, 2015|magazine=[[Rolling Stone]]|last=Hiatt|first=Brian|access-date=March 21, 2019|archive-date=March 21, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190321073828/https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/from-rush-with-love-59586/|url-status=live}}</ref>

===Retirement===
Peart described himself as a "retired drummer" in an interview in December 2015:
{{Blockquote|style=font-size: 100%|Lately Olivia has been introducing me to new friends at school as 'My dad—He's a retired drummer.' True to say—funny to hear. And it does not pain me to realize that, like all athletes, there comes a time to ... take yourself out of the game. I would rather set it aside than face the predicament described in our song "[[Signals (Rush album)|Losing It]]" ...<ref name="drumhead2015" />}} Peart had been suffering from chronic [[tendinitis]] and shoulder problems.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.cbc.ca/news/entertainment/rush-neil-peart-retirement-1.3354504|title=Rush drummer Neil Peart tells magazine he's retired|last=Wong|first=Jessica|publisher=[[CBC News]]|date=December 7, 2015|access-date=December 8, 2015|archive-date=February 27, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180227043604/http://www.cbc.ca/news/entertainment/rush-neil-peart-retirement-1.3354504|url-status=live}}</ref>

Geddy Lee clarified his bandmate was quoted out of context, and suggested Peart was simply taking a break, "explaining his reasons for not wanting to tour, with the toll that it's taking on his body."<ref name="blabbermouth.net" /> However, in January 2018, Alex Lifeson confirmed that Rush is "basically done".<ref name="uproxx.com" /> Peart remained friends with his former bandmates.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2018/dec/24/geddy-lee-on-rush-greatest-songs|title=Geddy Lee on Rush's greatest songs: 'Even I can barely make sense of our concept albums'|work=[[The Guardian]]|first=Michael|last=Hann|date=December 24, 2018|access-date=December 24, 2018}}</ref>

===Death===
Peart died from [[glioblastoma]], an aggressive form of brain cancer, on January 7, 2020, in Santa Monica, California.<ref name="Sweeny">{{cite news|url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/entertainment/neil-peart-obit-1.5422806|title=Rush Drummer Neil Peart dead at 67|last=Sweeny|first=Owen|publisher=[[CBC News]]|date=January 10, 2020|access-date=January 10, 2020|archive-date=January 10, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200110213102/https://www.cbc.ca/news/entertainment/neil-peart-obit-1.5422806|url-status=live}}</ref> He had been diagnosed three and a half years earlier, and the illness was a closely guarded secret in Peart's inner circle until his death. His family made the announcement on January 10.<ref name="Sweeny"/>

From the official Rush website:
{{Blockquote|style=font-size: 100%|It is with broken hearts and the deepest sadness that we must share the terrible news that on Tuesday our friend, soul brother and band mate of over 45 years, Neil, has lost his incredibly brave three and a half year battle with brain cancer (Glioblastoma). We ask that friends, fans and media alike understandably respect the family's need for privacy and peace at this extremely painful and difficult time. Those wishing to express their condolences can choose a cancer research group or charity of their choice and make a donation in Neil's name.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.rush.com/neil-peart-2/|title=Neil Peart|website=Rush.com|access-date=January 11, 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's death was widely lamented by fans and fellow musicians alike, who considered it a substantial loss for popular music.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://loudwire.com/rockers-react-rush-neil-peart-death/|title=Rockers React to Death of Rush's Neil Peart|website=Loudwire.com|date=January 10, 2020|access-date=January 12, 2020|archive-date=September 20, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220920171335/https://loudwire.com/rockers-react-rush-neil-peart-death/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.esquire.com/entertainment/music/a30478882/neil-peart-rush-celebrity-reactions/|title=Celebrities and Rock Stars Memorialized Rush Drummer Neil Peart On Social Media|author=Bruney, Gabrielle|website=Esquire.com|date=January 11, 2020|access-date=January 13, 2020|archive-date=September 20, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220920163338/https://www.esquire.com/entertainment/music/a30478882/neil-peart-rush-celebrity-reactions/|url-status=live}}</ref>

Peart's father Glen died of cancer on June 12, 2021.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://loudwire.com/glen-peart-father-rush-neil-peart-death/|title=Glen Peart, Father of Rush Legend Neil Peart, Has Died|website=Loudwire.com|date=June 14, 2021 |access-date=August 1, 2021}}</ref>  Peart's brother Danny died of glioblastoma on March 17, 2025.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://blabbermouth.net/news/neil-pearts-brother-danny-peart-dies-of-same-type-of-cancer-that-killed-rush-drummer/|title=NEIL PEART's Brother DANNY PEART Dies Of Same Type Of Cancer That Killed RUSH Drummer|website=blabbermouth.net|date=March 17, 2025|access-date=March 20, 2025|archive-date=March 21, 2025|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250321184229/https://blabbermouth.net/news/neil-pearts-brother-danny-peart-dies-of-same-type-of-cancer-that-killed-rush-drummer|url-status=live}}</ref>