A Tribute to Neil Peart, the “Professor.”
Earlier today, I watched some Rush and Neil Peart videos. Then I dozed off on the couch for an afternoon nap. I heard my phone text notification ding… and then ding again… and again. Someone was blowing up my phone. It was a combination of several text messages and Facebook messages. Several friends were telling me the news: Neil Peart died. My friends know how much of a fan I am. He was 67 years old.
Here’s the weird part… Just a couple of hours prior, before I dozed off, I was indulging in some Neil Peart videos, which I had not done in a while.
I’ve liked plenty of other bands over my life. But, Rush is the one that truly resonated with me. The music. The lyrics. The members’ personalities. I felt connected to them on a philosophical, if not spiritual, level. I did not know Neil was sick. It turns out he had been battling glioblastoma (an aggressive and incurable brain cancer) for three years. But, some “cosmic connection” must have compelled me to listen to Neil’s percussive magic earlier today.
I first learned about Rush in college from a friend, with the album, “Moving Pictures.”
If I could pick a soundtrack for my life, it would be Rush. I’ve often described Rush as “rock for intellectuals.” If you’ve attended a Rush concert, you’d agree it’s a “nerd-fest.”
The depth of the talent of all three members of Rush is stunning. If you’ve seen the documentary, “Beyond the Lighted Stage,” you’ll remember all the OTHER musicians interviewed… looked up to Rush as the “gods.” They are the musicians’ musicians. What are the chances of THREE virtuosos coming together in ONE band?
Neil was a poet, who wrote most of the lyrics for Rush. A voracious reader, he was also a prolific author of many books. Of the three band members, he was the most private, who rarely gave interviews or attended fan events. Alex and Geddy were the “PR” guys. Neil kept to himself.
Neil incorporated a lot of different styles in his performances, but Jazz was a major inspiration for him. He was a big fan of Buddy Rich and Gene Krupa. He performed at a Buddy Rich tribute with Buddy Rich’s band. Watch the video and be blown away at his talent that went beyond the world of Progressive Rock. There is a reason he was nicknamed, “The Professor.” His solo starts at about 3:50. Watch the reactions of the band members behind him at about 5:40.
His concert drum solos were legendary and considered by many to be the highlight of the event. Here is a solo performance in Frankfurt. If’ you’ve never seen him before, prepare to pick your jaw up off the floor. Continue reading
Copyright protected by Digiprove © 2020 The Dental Warrior® 
I wrote about DIY orthodontics not long ago
My friends deal with the vagaries of deeply discounted fees, rejected claims, lost claims, delayed payments, denied payments, down-coding, and demanding patients who expect them to know the intricacies of dozens or hundreds of plans, and so on.
But, times have been tough. I have a lot of empty chair time. While my goal has never been to simply “be busy,” it’s natural to get worried when things are slow. And, as time has gone on, it seems people (patients) care less and less about quality of service and more about low cost and “does my insurance cover this?” There have been times where I doubt myself and think, “maybe I’m an idiot and should join some plans?”
