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 does) from our mental picture, we tend to be disillusioned. We expect so much from our stars that it is virtually impossible for any human being to satisfy all that is expected by so many. For example, I was working in New Orleans with Lionel Hampton’s band some years ago. We worked until 2:00 A.M. I had some breakfast and finally got to bed around 4:00 A.M.—not an unusual schedule for a traveling musician. At 7:15 A.M. the phone rang. When I was finally able to pick up the receiver a voice said, “You’ve got to show me how you get so much speed with your left hand.” I replied, […]

November 1984 Issue