Neil Peart

Neil Ellwood Peart, OC (/ˈpɪərt/; born September 12, 1952), is a Canadian-American musician and author, best known as the drummer and primary lyricist for the rock band Rush. Peart has received numerous awards for his musical performances, including an induction into the Modern Drummer Hall of Fame in 1983, making him the youngest person ever so honored. He is known for his technical proficiency and stamina.

Peart grew up in Port Dalhousie, Ontario (now part of St. Catharines). During adolescence, he floated between regional bands in pursuit of a career as a full-time drummer. After a discouraging stint in England to concentrate on his music, Peart returned home, where he joined a local Toronto band, Rush, in the summer of 1974.

Early in his career, Peart's performance style was deeply rooted in hard rock. He drew most of his inspiration from drummers such as Keith Moon and John Bonham, players who were at the forefront of the British hard rock scene. As time passed, he began to emulate jazz and big band musicians Gene Krupa and Buddy Rich. In 1994, Peart became a friend and pupil of jazz instructor Freddie Gruber. It was during this time that Peart decided to revamp his playing style by incorporating jazz and swing components. Gruber was also responsible for introducing him to the products of Drum Workshop, the company whose products Peart currently endorses.

Neil Peart (footballer)

Neil Peart (born 5 October 1958) is a former Australian rules footballer who played with Collingwood, Richmond and Footscray in the Victorian Football League (VFL) during the 1980s.

Initially a VFA player at Northcote, Peart was a key defender; while at Northcote, Peart finished second for the Field Medal (best and fairest in VFA Division 2) in 1981. He spent the 1982 VFL season playing for Collingwood before being traded to Richmond the following season. In 1984 he was twice voted best on ground at the Brownlow Medal count, for his efforts against North Melbourne and Hawthorn.

In 1985 he was at Footscray, where he would play nine VFL games, including a qualifying final and preliminary final.

When Peart returned to Richmond in 1986, this meant he had switched clubs four times in five seasons. He could only add another nine games to his career tally in his second stint at Richmond.

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