Neil Peart and Rush mixer and engineer Stephen W. Tayler was recently interviewed by Innerviews to discuss various topics. Here, Tayler discusses his initial reaction to when he found out about the death of Peart, along with his opinion of how Peart was a ‘monster drummer’. A Rush employee recently revealed if Neil Peart ‘gave up’ before his death.
Tayler told the outlet: “On the positive side, what jumps out at me was how well-crafted the albums seem and how immaculate the performances are. These were made before computers and digital editing were introduced into the audio world. We had to capture and commit the performances to tape, usually under the pressure of expensive studio time and budgets.”
Tayler also said: “When I heard about Neil passing away at age 67, it was tragic. When such wonderful people I have known and worked with leave us, it makes me stop and take pause. It always leaves me feeling like I want to just make the most of everything I’m passionate about. It’s a wake-up call. All the members of Rush are about the same age as myself.”
Tayler concluded: Neil, despite being a monster drummer, was actually a quiet and private character when he wasn’t playing. His intellect and sense of humor were unique and adorable. It’s no wonder everybody will miss him.” A sad Neil Peart beach photo taken before his death was recently revealed.
In other news revolving Neil Peart and Rush, fans recently took to social media to reflect upon one of the group’s most popular albums – ‘2112.’ One fan exclaimed: “The album that defied the odds for Rush lives on … and this new vinyl master is a fair representation of the album many of us enjoyed when it was first released so many decades ago. Yes, the message of 2112 could not be more relevant today because the warnings in the story of the title track were like prophecy, and now thanks to the resurgence of vinyl, in general, this classic has been freed from digital tyranny so it can be heard the way it was intended to be heard.”
Howard Stern announces Rush drummer ‘replacement’. The user also stated: “The sound quality on this vinyl is deep and vibrant, this one a step above the Caress of Steel and Fly By Night vinyl reissues. Even though the double gatefold cardboard on these is not as thick as the originals, the overall presentation is solid, the hologram is a nice touch and for those of us who’ve destroyed our old versions of this from years of playing, moving, storage, etc. this is a very welcome edition/reissue. Can’t wait for the next in the series.”