Customer Reviews

Neil Peart - A Work in Progress

5 star:		(33)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I was captivated and completely enthralled when I first bought and watched this masterpiece. It is well over 2 and 1/2 hours of pure amazement and wonder. Neil as I expected is an excellent teacher and does a wonderful job explaining each song in beautiful detail and example. Every song from Test For Echo is played by Neil and afterwards he explains the major parts of the song and explains the what and whys of why he did what he was trying to accomplish through his drum parts. Neil plays the drums to backing tracks sans drums and he is just such a master at the art of drumming. The majority of the video takes place inside a studio, but he is shown out in nature, rowing a boat, walking through snow in snowshoes and is even shown on a back porch demonstrating how he warms up on a practice pad. Nature is used to explain his new techinique by speaking in terms of roundness. His drum study with drum guru Fred Gruber is gone over in great detail and Neil talks of how a new approach of drumming was taken on. A definite must have!

First, I am not a drummer--just a big Rush Fan for the past 20 years. When I bought this I was worried it would be too technical (i.e. just for drummers). But, there is much more on the DVD. First, even if you are not interested in the technical stuff, there is a "performance only" track on the DVD, so it is basically watching a video of all of the TFE songs, with great close-ups and angles on Neil.

The other option is to watch all of the videos and after each one Neil explains the drum parts, etc. I am kind of lost with this stuff, but it is nice to hear Neil speak, as he is not accesbile very much in other forums (i.e. interviews, etc.).

There is also stuff in the beginning of the DVD about how Neil became interested in drumming, how he met Rush, etc.

The only thing I was dissapointed about is that it would be cool to see this same thing with albums I like more (i.e. A Farewell to Kings, Moving Pictures, Presto, Signals, Vapor Trails, etc.)

What can I say? Three hours of Neil Peart playing drums and lecturing on the fine art of percussion. Shows Neil playing every song on the Test for Echo Album. Detailed explainations of various drumming methods and concepts are also included, along with a poster and a music book for all songs. You need to buy this now!

This video is EVERYTHING you're hoping it will be. Neil describes in minute detail the philosophy underlying his style of playing- he communicates verbally with the same rapid fire clarity and sincerity that is so evident in his playing. This is a priceless instructional video not just for drummers, but for any professional engaged in perfecting his/her own work in progress. Inspiring, affirming, exhilirating.. spectacular sequences of him in the studio- just what you'd imagine, but clearer, steadier- the camera is as curious as you are. This video is the medium you've been waiting for to communicate to others why you've loved Rush for so long, and why you admired Neil as a musician, philosopher, and Zen master.

This is a must have for drummers or fans. This DVD is like getting a private lesson from the professor. Neil starts with his style & how he changed after 30 years with the fine tutelage of Professor Freddy Gruber. Neil changed his style from match to traditional grip & found he had more control & fluidity. Neil plays each song then breaks it down by part & gives explanation of technique. There is also slow motion to help with the understanding of the parts. The accompanying book with the DVD lays out the key parts of the song.

I've been a Rush fan ever since I snuck into my older brother's room back in '81 and heard 'Tom Sawyer' for the first time... and the thing that impressed me the most was the drum playing. Since then, outside of buying the albums (funny how we still call them "albums") and getting the tour books at the concerts, info on Rush was hard to come by. 'A Work in Progress' is such a valuable treasure to a fan like me I can't put it in words. There have been two things in my life I have purchased - both $60 bucks - that have been the best investments I have ever made: a radio-flyer wagon I bought for my son and this 2-tape set. Thank you, Neil, for sharing a little piece of your world with us. This actually made me appreciate 'Test for Echo' a whole lot more.

Prehaps one of the best drummers in the world today and all you have to do to learn some of his licks is pop in the DVD.

I've played drums for 14 years now and I would attribute probably 70% of my licks and style to this man so as you can see I had to have this when it came out.

This DVD not only contains the songs from the Test For Echo album and how to play it but how Neil came to be the drummer he is today. He talks about the mechanics behind the new style that he has implamented into his playing that he learned from Freddy Gruber and explanes why they work for him and how they could work for you. Neil also disects the songs and goes over the hard fills.

The only draw back to this video is that he dose not play the fills slower him self but slows down the film. This is not anything to be concerned about though. The DVD also contains a preformance only feature that lets you view his playing the whole Test For Echo album.

So if you are a drummer buy this.

This video turned out to be better than I could have imagined. Neil Peart's discussion of percussion techniques, including his transition from match style to traditional style drumming, is awe inspiring. This video is a must have for any drummer or fan of Neil Peart.

Outstanding! While I am a musician, I am not a percussionist. Regardless, Neil's presentation here is worthy of the price it takes to find it. He is extremely informative, clear, direct, and leads the viewer on a line which is easy to follow. I am impressed with his abilities as philosopher and perpetual student of the world as much as I am with his musical talent. Neil, fine job!

I have been a Neil Peart fan since I discovered Rush!
It has been awhile since I've listened to any rock and when I learned of the latest album, I quickly began to surf the web. Long and behold, I found "A Work In Progress".
This DVD was exciting! To see and hear Neil discuss drumming was great and it really shows his intelligence in how he described the various phases of his contributions to the band. Neil speaks well and has a good vocabulary. Not common for some rock drummers. I have played every Rush song on the the drums except for the latest album. I now feel closer to this amazing counterpart of music. Having Neil in my home to watch at random is a good honor to my collection of DVD's. If you enjoy or enjoyed Rush, you will enjoy this.