Neil Peart -- The Latest News

Updated 1/29/14

UrbannBoards posted info on their Facebook page about how to purchase these shoes:

HOW TO PURCHASE NEIL'S SIGANATURE SHOE!

The first 150 pairs will be sold through URBANNBOARDS facebook fan page ( facebook.com/ubshoes)
Share the post that will go on February 2nd, comment with your name, e-mail, shoe size, then we will send the charge of US$169,90 thru PayPal.
With the shoes you will also receive a metal tag with your name on it, the serial number and Neil Peart's Signature....
First come first serve, we will send you an e-mail and when the payment is completed, then your order will be confirmed. If the payment is not confirmed, the next person will take place, (But you still receive your shoes, just without the tag after shoe #150)
The shoes will be sent via UPS and the freight will be charged according to your location, it will be ready to be shipped within 45 days directly from the factory in Brazil.
For the very first shoe, there will be an auction, and the money donated to a Children Institute Charity, for that there will be a special post on February 2nd as well.

UrbannBoards Drummer Shoes introduced Neil Peart Signature shoes at NAMM this week.

I'm waiting to get information from UrbannBoards about how to order these shoes (you can contact them directly at ubshoes@gmail.com). You can also read some reviews here:

Music Radar

Verdict - 4 out of 5 stars

In today's drumming, the feet are just as important as the hands and Urban Boards may provide the ideal solution. There's an intimate connection with the pedal board and yet the shoe provides support while the thin rubber sole is enough for stress and shock protection.

MikeDolbear.com

So let's go back and answer the question "are these shoes a gimmick?"

The evolution of drumming has come a long way since our ancestors hit hollowed out tree trunks with branches. What would we have done without the invention of drum sticks? If the hi hat pedal hadn't been invented our cymbals would still be placed 12 inches off the floor. What about the double bass drum pedal? The boom stand? The list goes on and you get the idea. While I am not saying that these shoes are as important as these devices that we now take for granted, if something new comes along to help us play better or more comfortably then bring it on! These shoes are no gimmicks.

Labels: NAMM, UrbannBoards Drummer Shoes

At the NAMM 2014 show held this week, DW introduced three new Collector's Icon Series snares to honor Neil Peart (Time Machine), Roger Taylor (Queen's crest), and Nick Mason (Dark Side of the Moon). You can download the PDF brochure here.

You might be wondering how this version is different from previous Neil Peart Time Machine Collector's snares. According to the brochure, the Time Machine motif is "...is painstakingly laser-cut, then hand-inlayed from a variety of jaw-dropping exotic wood veneers."

This means the designs on the drum aren't painted -- they're laser cut from different exotic wood veneers and hand inlayed. The design and construction is illustrated in the DW video (at the 9:20 mark).

Here's a close-up of the snare:

Here's what the "gear" looks like before it's inlayed:

DW video:

Here's the text from the official brochure:

Created by DW Drum Designer, John Good, to pay tribute to some of the most iconic drummers in the history of Rock, the all-new line of Icon snare drums honors Neil Peart of Rush, Roger Taylor of Queen, and Nick Mason of Pink Floyd. The snare drums sizes and shell configurations are as played by each artist, with one dramatic new design element. The finish is painstakingly laser-cut, then hand-inlayed from a variety of jaw-dropping exotic wood veneers. For Neil Peart's drum, the Time Machine motif is realistically created in the wood, while Queen's ornate, Freddie Mercury-designed crest is depicted, as is Pink Floyd's famous Dark Side of the Moon prism and waveform image.

Each drum is protected with clear gloss lacquer and includes Collector's Series snare drum standard features such as our MAG throw-off system with 3P (3 position) butt-plate, True-Hoops, True Tone snare wires, True-Pitch tuning, and DW heads by Remo USA. Also included are a premium DW snare bag, certificate of authenticity, and a legend that describes the woods used for each specific drum. For more information on this iconic collection, visit: www.dwdrums.com.

There's no list price yet, but you can imagine with this level of craftsmanship, these snares are not going to be cheap.

Labels: Drum Workshop, drums, NAMM

I've posted some pictures of the "Time Machine" kit, which were taken by Dave Hermansen. Thanks for sending, Dave!

Neil's Time Machine Kit at NAMM 2011

Labels: Drum Workshop, drums, NAMM

Lorne Wheaton has posted that he will be taking Neil Peart's DW "Time Machine" kit to the NAMM 2011 show. The NAMM show (National Association of Music Merchants) takes place from January 13 - 16, 2011, at the Anaheim Convention Center in California.

From Lorne's MySpace:

I will have the full "Time Machine" tour kit on display at the DW booth at NAMM in January.

Note that NAMM is not open to the public -- only members of the music trade or people who have been invited.

Registration information

If you want to share any pictures that you take of the "Time Machine" kit, please send them to ac_olson@hotmail.com. 

Thanks to Rushisaband for the head's up.

Labels: Drum Workshop, drums, NAMM