Neil Peart -- The Latest News

Neil has updated his website with a new story (three months in a row now!). You can read it here:

April 2014: "Telescope Peak Revisited"

This story centers on the Professor's return to Death Valley National Park (where much of his Taking Center Stage DVD was filmed) -- as well as Telescope Peak. Here's an excerpt where Peart describes his previous summit and attempt of Telescope Peak:

I had last stood on that summit almost fifteen years before, in October, 1999. All unexpectedly, that place and time had marked a major turning point in my life--a hinge of fate, as it were. In writing my story of that time, in Ghost Rider, I came to realize that the hike up Telescope Peak was an important "plot point." Dramatic. Symbolic. 

Five-and-a-half years later, in April 2005, I planned a second attempt on Telescope Peak, but was warned by the park rangers that the higher elevations had too much snow and ice to climb without winter mountaineering gear--crampons and ice axes and such. I didn't have any of those on my motorcycle. (Note to self: a man of your age and station ought to possess an ice axe.) So that day I hiked up nearby Wildrose Peak instead, at only 9,064 feet, and still had to work around or through a fair amount of snow.

Oh, and there's a big bonus in this story -- especially for those interested in the creative process:  Neil has included lyrics for a song that didn't make it onto Vapor Trails: "Telescope Peak." He's also added some songwriter's commentary. For me, I enjoyed how it was a kind of companion piece to both "Ghost Rider" and "Workin' Them Angels." You have to wonder how many of these gems Neil has hidden away in his "scrapyard"?

Labels: neilpeart.net, written by NEP

The second volume of the 6-part Clockwork Angels comic adaptation is expected to release on April 30, 2014. You can now order a Limited Edition cover from Rushbackstage.com:

 

You can see the normal cover version (not available yet for pre-order) on the BOOM! Comics website:

If you wanted to get your hands on the special Emerald City Comic Con version of Volume 1, it's still available at BOOM!

If you're curious about Volume 3, here's a link on BOOM!'s website (not available yet for pre-order):

Labels: Clockwork Angels Comic Adaptation

Update 4/2/14 - If it wasn't clear, this was post an April Fools' Day joke. Thanks for playing along!

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Today, via his website, Neil Peart announced that he's embarking on a 12-city drum solo tour starting on May 6, 2014.

"After touring consistently over the past two years," Peart wrote, "I thought I needed to take some time off. But after a few months, I realized I needed to get back to work."

Peart credits Terry Bozzio for giving him the idea of taking on a drum solo tour.

"Terry Bozzio, who's the 'artist-in-residence' at Drum Channel Studios--where I also practice and rehearse for Rush tours--told me about his North American drum solo tour to celebrate the 50th Anniversary of his first drum lesson. I started thinking this would be a perfect way to get back out on the road."

Evidently, Bozzio wasn't thrilled with the idea.

"Neil told me he liked my drum solo tour idea so much, he was going to do it, too," Bozzio wrote on his Facebook page. "In fact, he even talked about joining my tour. But even if I wanted to, with all the drums we both have it would probably be next to impossible."

One big change for this tour, which will take him across parts of the U.S. and Canada, is that for the first time Peart will be taking his family on the road with him.

"Recently, my four-and-a-half-year-old daughter Olivia and her mother joined me at our Quebec home to enjoy the Canadian winter for a week. I was so impressed with how Olivia handled it--sledding, snowshoeing, cross-country skiing, feeding the birds. That was when I realized she was ready for the road."

Peart will be traveling with his family on a luxury tour bus for part of the time and exploring other destinations on his motorcycle on days off.

"I'll be joined by the West Side Beamer Boyz during different parts of the trip. I realized it wouldn't be a proper tour without them."

Perhaps sensing that some fans might wonder how he could entertain all fans with only drum solos for an hour or two, Peart wrote:

"I typically solo for three to eight minutes at a Rush show, and doing this for an hour-and-half to two hours is going to be physically and mentally demanding. It occurred to me that it might be equally demanding for an audience, too--especially non-drummers. So, I have a few tricks up my sleeve. Let's just say that it involves my first Slingerland kit, my candy apple red Tama kit, one of my Ludwig kits, and a new DW kit that John Good is building for me just for this tour. With all these drums to set up, I've called on Lorne 'Gump' Wheaton to be my drum tech. But, honestly, three or four drum kits might be too much--even for him. We might have to call in more help."

Although there are only 12 dates so far, Peart says there might be more coming soon. "We might expand the number to 21 from the current 12; but that depends on how it goes."

See below for official tour dates.