According to Blender.com, Neil Peart is #2 on their list of "40 Worst Lyricists in Rock." Sting is #1. In my opinion, these are two of the best lyricists out there.
Here's what they had to say:
02 Neil Peart
An ace on the rototoms, a train wreck on the typewriter.
Drummers are good at many things: exploding, drowning in their own vomit, drumming. But the Rush skinsman proved they should never write lyrics--or read books. Peart opuses like "Cygnus X-1" are richly awful tapestries of fantasy and science fiction, steeped in an eighth-grade understanding of Western philosophy. 2112, Rush's 1976 concept album based on individualist thinker Ayn Rand's novella Anthem, remains an awe-inspiring low point in the sordid relationship between rock and ideas. Worst lyric: "I stand atop a spiral stair/An oracle confronts me there/He leads me on light years away/Through astral nights, galactic days" ("Oracle: The Dream")
OK, I wasn't even going to post this story -- as this pointless list is only meant to inflame fans of the artists who are listed and get Blender a few web hits. But let's be honest here. Who are Jon Dolan, Josh Eells, Tim Grierson, Andrew Harrison, Ben Mitchell, Tony Power and Mark Yarm, and why are they uniquely qualified to tell us who is and isn't a good lyricist? Come to think of it, after reading through the list, just about everyone is on it -- from Paul McCartney to Robert Plant. If someone's not on the list, does that mean these sophomoric sultans of taste (Jon Dolan et al.) think they're good lyricists?
And why are these writers against lyricists reading books and infusing ideas into songs? Perhaps they subscribe to the idea that a rock lyric should only be about meaningless debauchery, nihilism, drugs, and sex. Or perhaps they subscribe to the "drummers are stupid" stereotype that has been proven wrong again and again.
Finally, using Cygnus and 2112 are cheap shots at Neil. He would most likely agree that the lyrics for these songs are "doggerel" (as he once said about "The Trees"), but there's something obviously important about them. 2112 was the first Rush album to reach Gold status, and Cygnus X-1 was at the top of the list for songs fans wanted to hear live in an Internet poll. Neil was developing as a songwriter during this period, when he was 23 or 24 years old. If you're going to put the man down, at least do it with his most recent work.
I'm filing away this list into the same category as the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and many other Rolling Stone lists, along with People Magazine's "Most Beautiful People." Perhaps someone forgot to tell these journalists (Jon Dolan et al.) that Rush has proven itself to be relevant, and that they're still selling out arenas 33 years after they started. I wonder if Jon Dolan et al. will be writing articles 33 years from now?
PS - Neil has never played "rototoms," which proves these guys didn't even do their research. The correct term would have been "concert toms." But the sentence they constructed, "An ace on the rototoms, a trainwreck on the typewriter" doesn't even capture the hip alliteration these writers were going for. To me, it's just sloppy writing and poor editing.
It makes sense now, why Blender's editors wrote what they did: offend as many fans as posible who will then likely come to the website, increasing web traffic (and revenue).
ReplyDeleteWhy not leave Neil alone and just post photos of porn and car wrecks, THAT will bring the looky-loo's.
Pathetic marketing is what it is...
Since when did Blender become an authoritative critic of rock lyrics, anyway? How about I put Blender on a list of worst rock music critics? That makes just as much sense as it does to make a "top 10" list of guitarists, songs, lyricists, etc. Just plain silly.
ReplyDeleteOh yeah, and if you insist on critiquing something, at least do the research. 30+ years in the music business, and Rush lyrics are relegated to "sci-fi fantasy?" Rush fans must be laughing at that one.
Bah. Peart has come up with some of the most beautiful lyrics I've ever heard. And some "trite" ones, yes. But not many, and of those, Neil would likely be the first to list them. Many of the other names on this list (Bernie Taupin??? Paul McCartney???) just prove that these "critics" are sophomoric bloggers at best, and musical morons at worst.
ReplyDeleteNeil's lyrics have inspired me and for the past 20 years I have taken a lot of his lyrics to heart and lived my life accordingly. Blender can go F**k it's self and those that said those things.
ReplyDeleteI don't believe in critics. If I like something, I like it, If I don't like something, I don't. I don't give much thought to what a critic thinks. Also I think the sales of Rush music and Neils books would say that many people disagree with these "blender" guys anyway. Jim in Chicago
ReplyDeleteI suspect this would approximate Neil's thought on being #2:
ReplyDeleteWell, I know they've always told you
Selfishness was wrong
Yet it was for me, not you
I came to write this song.
I wrote this really long stream of thought that explored every aspect of how failed the original critique Neil Peart's writings is.
ReplyDeleteIt was to long to be posted here. That's okay though I was just exploring my thoughts on the matter.
Trimmed and restated with brevity in my mind, in recognizing the attempt of that "critic" (without bothering to ponder on a possible motive) to declare aloud and with a clarity of his stated position on the overall perceived complexity and depth of thought expressed in the Lyrics of Neil Peart it is obvious to any person that has fully read or listened and comprehended the concepts that Neil has shared over these many decades, that the critic, is a total and complete fraud, in that if he in fact has an intellect refined, experienced and honest enough to act as a public analyst of artistic literature (regardless of form) and all Neil has inspired in him is the ability to twist words in a manner that could sound intelligent and well devised when applied towards a lesser, more vulnerable artist than Neil, but all the critic accomplishes with his own negative devise, that is which is the best efforts, and application of his own thoughts, expressed in his own words, is draw the minds eye to the stark contrast of his ignorance, compared to the honest, thoughtful open expression that is the beauty of Neil Peart's literally works.
In the universe that is the power of the thoughts we share, Neil is the sun, and the critic is a spec of dust that most of the know universe, never even knows exists.
Faith is cold as ice
ReplyDeleteWhy are little ones born only to suffer
For the want of immunity
Or a bowl of rice?
Well, who would hold a price
On the heads of the innocent children
If there's some immortal power
To control the dice?
Enough said.