Regina drummer reflects on the inspiration of Neil Peart

Cyprian Henry was eating his lunch Friday afternoon when a co-worker at Long & McQuade in Regina burst through the door to announce the sad news.

Rush drummer Neil Peart had died.

“(My) heart kind of sunk a little bit. You’ve been hearing all these music icons going in the last little while and none really affected me as much as this one. It’s a big deal for Canadians. It’s a big deal for drummers,” said Henry.

The percussion specialist called Peart one of the biggest icons in the drumming community. Henry said Peart stood out from the rest because of his dedication to precision.

“He’s doing so much and it was all thought out. You could tell it was all pre-planned and all perfect and always the same over and over. He knew exactly what he was doing and developed the song the way he wanted to and always played it the way it was supposed to be played,” said Henry.

Before working at Long & McQuade, Henry used to teach drums and Peart’s songs were popular ones.

He said when people learn how to play percussion, Peart’s talent is what so many strive to achieve and it’s easy to get obsessed trying to perfect the complicated time signatures.

One of the most popular and challenging Rush songs to play is the instrumental YYZ off their 1981 album Moving Pictures.

“That’s what you want to teach and that’s what you want to learn. When you’re just getting into it, you go a little crazy. You try to find the most ridiculous stuff because it’s a lot more fun to play and Rush was part of that,” said Henry.

There’s a joke which plays off the idea that the drummer doesn’t add much to the band musically: What do you call a guy that hangs out with musicians? A drummer.

Henry quoted it when explaining how Peart helped break that stereotype and was instrumental in not only Rush’s sound but also the band’s message.

Peart was the lyricist of Rush, writing about a range of real life experiences including reflecting on time gone by (Time Stand Still), categorizing society and conforming to social norms (Subdivisions) and the demands of fame (Limelight).

“Hearing that Neil Peart was one of the biggest lyricists and how intricate and interesting and fantastical the lyrics were was awesome for a drummer to hear at any age. It’s inspiring,” said Henry.

The music store spent the rest of the day listening to Rush over the speakers, inviting customers to play their favourite song and bond over how the man who played the drums on YYZ inspired his fans in YQR.