It’s irrelevant as to whether Neil could swing or play a shuffle. Plenty of wedding and bar-mitzvah drummers can do that. What Neil did he did with a grace and alacrity that few drummers could replicate, much less emulate. He was a true composer ON the drums and brought them to a new level as an instrument equal on level to any other. He wasn’t merely a time keeper ... he MADE the time, and Geddy and Alex followed along. As for his lyrics, terms such as "superlative" and "sublime" fail to describe adequately, if at all, the emotions and images evoked by them ... even after numerous listenings. They are thought provoking, lyrics for the ages.
Neil’s untimely passing has prompted me to think about grieving for those we don’t know. I never met Neil nor did I ever communicate with him directly. Yet his passing is a deep personal loss to me, both as a musician and as one whose life he touched in a meaningful way. Perhaps my feelings of loss are based on his musical influence on my playing and as part of the soundtrack of my life. Perhaps they are the result of feeling that some part of my youth has died. Perhaps they are the result of mourning a musical loss to society in general. Maybe it’s a combination of all of those reasons. I don’t know. Regardless, Neil was and remains a special, unique, and extraordinary force to be reckoned with as time marches on. He created a standard by which few could measure up, yet he did so in a humble, self-deprecating way, which inspires me to keep trying.
Rest easy, Ghost Rider.
Neil’s untimely passing has prompted me to think about grieving for those we don’t know. I never met Neil nor did I ever communicate with him directly. Yet his passing is a deep personal loss to me, both as a musician and as one whose life he touched in a meaningful way. Perhaps my feelings of loss are based on his musical influence on my playing and as part of the soundtrack of my life. Perhaps they are the result of feeling that some part of my youth has died. Perhaps they are the result of mourning a musical loss to society in general. Maybe it’s a combination of all of those reasons. I don’t know. Regardless, Neil was and remains a special, unique, and extraordinary force to be reckoned with as time marches on. He created a standard by which few could measure up, yet he did so in a humble, self-deprecating way, which inspires me to keep trying.
Rest easy, Ghost Rider.