Rush
Modern Drummer is the world’s most widely read drum magazine, is dedicated entirely to the art of drumming and caters to the needs of amateur, semi-pro, and professional drummers.
Rush, “The Spirit of Radio” from Permanent Waves, and “Subdivisions” from Signals Drummer Neil Peart
This month, we are focusing on Neil Peart—pronounced “Peert”—and diving into not one, but two classic Rush songs: “The Spirit of Radio” and “Subdivisions.” The two tracks are very close in tempo, yet they could not be more different. One,…
Anika Nilles: Putting in The Work and Finding the Feeling of Rush
Anika Nilles was first on the cover of Modern Drummer in June of 2017. At that point in her career, she was a popular YouTube drummer with a new record and a newly formed band. Her drumming was turning heads,…
Grace Under Pressure: Super Deluxe Edition
Rush’s 1984 Masterpiece Gets the Definitive Treatment It DeservesBy David FrangioniCEO, Modern Drummer Artist: Rush Album: Grace Under Pressure — Super Deluxe Edition (Anthem/Mercury/UMe, 2026)Format: 4CD + Blu-ray / 5LP + Blu-ray Super Deluxe Box Set Release Date: March 13,…
Neil Peart’s “Xanadu” - Transcription by Marc Atkinson
Neil Peart was known by many names and nicknames, The Professor, Lurch, Bubba, Pratt, John Ellwood Taylor, Milton Banana, and if you were fortunate enough to correspond with him via email, NEP. I was lucky to exchange emails with Neil…
Neil Peart's musical travelogue
A new DVD puts us right on stage with the Rush rhythmatist, for a detailed throne-side look at drumming masterpieces from his fruitful career.
Hugh Syme’s Four Decades of Rush Dreamscapes
Rockers, art directors, and artists have made great teams since the glory days of album art—even right up to the slightly less awesomeness of tiny, non-tactile images on Spotify and other streaming services. From Reid Miles’ iconic Blue Note album…
Critique
RECORDINGS Sweet Spirit Trinidad The latest release by one of Austin’s sharpest and most prolific musical troupes finds drummer Danny Blanchard focusing on the groove. Sweet Spirit is the dance floor–friendly pop inverse of fellow Austin band A Giant Dog.…
Neil Peart On Record
Through a series of classic records featuring brilliant, cerebral, and yes, busy drumming, Neil Peart ascended to the throne, inarguably becoming the most popular drummer on the planet. TO READ THE FULL STORY: SUBSCRIBE TO ACCESS LOG IN
Neil Peart on “Malignant Narcissism”
“The opening drum pattern of ‘Malignant Narcissism’ came about in some interesting ways,” said Peart during a 2009 video lesson for Drumchannel.com. TO READ THE FULL STORY: SUBSCRIBE TO ACCESS LOG IN
Neil Peart: The Deep Cuts
Neil Peart has left behind a gigantic body of work that ensures his legacy will live on in perpetuity. TO READ THE FULL STORY: SUBSCRIBE TO ACCESS LOG IN
April-May, 1980 — Neil Peart
I think of myself still as a student. I’m still learning. We’re all just beginners. TO READ THE FULL STORY: SUBSCRIBE TO ACCESS LOG IN
Stars Are Only Human
Perhaps some of the young drummers who took exception to Neil Peart’s comments on fame in the April issue misunderstood him. Sometimes we create an imaginary personality for people we admire. When the personality revealed seems different (as it always…
The Art of Soloing
I may as well admit the obvious: I am, indeed, a practitioner and partisan of that much maligned and oft-persecuted musical form, that thudding, plodding, torment of tedium, that dazzling display of passion and virtuosity—the drum solo. Much contempt has…
