The late Rush drummer Neil Peart was instrumental in pushing his instrument into the future. This was due to his undeniable natural talent and the fact that he possessed a larger drum kit than most, bringing a range of rhythmic textures to the trio’s oeuvre that was not entirely standard for the rock genre.
It’s no surprise that Peart was a legendary drummer. In addition to his technical abilities, Rush’s imaginative approach to his craft generated the distinct style that anchored everything he did. To accomplish this, he took his cues from a list of pioneers who jointly showed him the way. This journey ended with Peart rightfully sitting at the table alongside the greats.
Neil Peart identified American jazz drummer, bandleader, and composer Gene Krupa as his top hero. Krupa gained fame through Benny Goodman’s 1937 hit ‘Sing, Sing, Sing,’ which profoundly impacted drumming. Led Zeppelin’s John Bonham famously called him “God.”
Keith Moon, The Who’s drumming idol, “opened” Neil Peart to adventurous and less rigorous drumming styles. Keith Moon’s unique style left Peart so impressed that he likened him to the iconic Gene Krupa.
“In many respects, Gene Krupa was the first rock drummer. “There wouldn’t have been a Keith Moon without Gene Krupa,” he once claimed before expanding on this point in an interview with Rhythm Magazine in 1987. There, he claimed that Keith Moon was Gene Krupa’s successor, referring to him as the “heir” to the music industry.
“I believe (Gene Krupa’s) rock ‘n’ roll heir was probably Keith Moon.” I find a lot of direct similarities between their playing approaches. Although Keith Moon was more careless and sloppy. But he was a drummer who captivated my imagination because he was so free and fascinating because of his freedom. “It opened me up,” Peart stated.
Notably, while Moon’s influence may be found in any of Peart’s efforts, it is most noticeable in the early Rush songs. Peart was a rawer drummer back then, with a ferocious approach and a penchant for explosive dynamism influenced by Keith Moon. However, his image is also conjured in Peart’s more sophisticated, jazz-influenced moments, illustrating the British musician’s artistic range.
Watch Keith Moon in action in the video below.
