Cool!

Here’s Neil Peart’s isolated drum parts from “The Spirit of Radio”

Rush fans and drummers are still trying to come to terms with the death of Neil Peart. My Instagram feed is still filled with tributes and pictures.

Yesterday, I came across a story from FarOutMagazine.com featuring Peart’s isolated drum tracks from “Spirit of Radio,” side one, track one from Permanent Waves.

And let’s be very clear: Yes, the song was inspired by CFNY-FM in Toronto, the place where I’ve worked almost continuously since 1986. FarOut includes this clip from an interview Peart did with the CBC.

“I remember coming home very late and CFNY Radio was on the air, and as I was cresting the escarpment with all of the lights below of Hamilton and the Niagara Peninsula, where I lived at the time, with a fantastic combination of music that was on at the time.

“The song itself, musically, is switching between radio stations, with a reggae section at the end, the second verse is new waves, I’m playing like a punk drummer there, and that was all intentional.”

A new Permanent Waves 40th anniversary box set will be out later this month.

Alan Cross

is an internationally known broadcaster, interviewer, writer, consultant, blogger and speaker. In his 40+ years in the music business, Alan has interviewed the biggest names in rock, from David Bowie and U2 to Pearl Jam and the Foo Fighters. He’s also known as a musicologist and documentarian through programs like The Ongoing History of New Music.

Alan Cross has 39690 posts and counting. See all posts by Alan Cross

4 thoughts on “Here’s Neil Peart’s isolated drum parts from “The Spirit of Radio”

  • In this era of digital music wouldn’t it be awesome to have the option of buying a CD that still had distinct tracks from the recording studio.

    Reply
  • Thank you for finally changing the song name to it’s proper title.

    Reply
  • As a drummer and disciple of Neils since 1984. This is really helpful technology. Now if i could only Read music…….

    Reply

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