The full title of the September 2015 release by Bradley J. Birzer is 'Neil
Peart: Cultural Repercussions: An in-depth examination of the words, ideas, and
professional life of Neil Peart, man of letters' is ironically wordy for an
investigation into the words of the highly acclaimed drummer and lyricist of
the Canadian progressive rock band Rush. Birzer, himself a Rush fan since
the 1983 release of 'Grace Under Pressure', is Professor of History at Hillsdale
College in Michigan.
In most cases I am skeptical to read books by fans because they tend to lack
objectivity. All too often the pages are filled with anecdotes of 'here's
why I am a fan' and 'Rush is the best band in the world'. If anyone
remembers Rush - Visions by Bill Banasiewicz you know where I am coming
from. In the pre-Internet era it was the Holy Grail for Rush fans. I
had my copy and it was well worn. An insider providing stories and images
no one else had access to at the time - how great is THAT?!?! Then the
group black-balled him for playing pre-release cuts from 'A Show of Hands' on
his Philadelphia-based radio show. Oops. Now you're an outsider
B-Man. What I am looking for is for someone to convince me that 'Caress
of Steel' is really better than it seems because its a necessary stepping stone
for '2112' and why 'Test For Echo' is worse than I think because it hasn't even
warranted any playtime on recent tours. Feed me knowledge, make a case,
and then let me decide for myself.
As a musician who has read numerous books and articles and watched
instructional videos, concert videos, and documentaries - all of which confirm Peart's prowess as one of the best rock drummers of all time - this 178 page review is a refreshing departure as it focuses on his influences as a lyricist and wordsmith. I will admit the inclusion of song lyrics, quotes from Peart's other writings, and snippets of interviews/articles from which I am familiar did cause me to do some skimming. However I was pleased overall with the direction and breakdown of each album from 'Rush' to 'Clockwork Angels' into different writing periods. An interesting concept which makes sense as you follow the albums through the band's 40+ year history and realize the different influences and writing styles of each period. I won't divulge too much information here as I encourage you to read it for yourself and make your own determination on the content. One of the most poignant portions of the book for me, as a parent, was Birzer's decision to include a very personal letter sent to Peart via his management group. In it he reflects on the loss of his own child and how reading 'Ghost Rider:
Travels On the Healing Road' helped him overcome the loss. Obviously
sharing this type of story with the readers was meaningful to Birzer as part of
the coping process and only reinforces how moving Peart's own story of love,
loss, and love again has influenced his admirers.
Overall I'll give 'Neil Peart: Cultural Repercussions: An in-depth
examination of the words, ideas, and professional life of Neil Peart, man of
letters' 3.5 stars out of 5. I find the book as a good addition to
anyone's shelf if you are a fan of the band through their music, themes,
lyrics, or all of the above. Published by WordFire Press it is available
in paperback from either your local bookseller (yes there are still some around!)
or online from Amazon.
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