“YYZ” by Rush

Drum Gods Week begins with a tribute to Neal Peart.

Programming note: It’s Drum Gods Week! I'm spotlighting some of my favorite records that serve as showcases for some of my favorite drummers (and drum performances) of all time. From rock to prog to some experimental crossover hits, I cover a bit of everything. All killer, no filler, as they say.

Hope you enjoy it!

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Hello! 😊👋

Welcome to a new edition of the Daily Music Picks newsletter!

Drum Gods Week begins with a tribute to the late Neal Peart by way of an awe-inspiring technical performance.

Genre: Progressive Rock, Hard Rock

Label: Mercury

Release Date: February 12, 1981

Vibe: 🥹

How do you summarize Neil Peart’s greatness in a single music pick?

The prog rock legend, who passed away in 2020 at age 67, committed more legendary performances on record than most drummers go in a lifetime. Epics like “Xanadu” and “La Villa Strangiato” are jaw-dropping in their flair and intensity, while more mainstream cuts like “The Spirit of Radio” combine a high level of creativity with added accessibility. I wanted to end up somewhere in the middle of that dynamic and landed on “YYZ,” an extraordinary instrumental track from their seminal 1981 album, Moving Pictures.

“That song came from flying into Toronto one time and we heard the Morse code rhythm coming in from the cockpit,” Peart said. “We felt it would make a good introduction to a song. And then cinematically we decided it was a song about airports, so we have exotic moods shifting around and the gigantic crescendo of people being reunited.” The composition, which gets its name from Toronto’s Pearson Airport code, became a concert staple for the group in the ensuing decades, often punctuated by a beefy drum solo like the one embedded below.

What makes “YYZ” stand out as a Peart showcase for me is how wide-ranging it is as a highlight package. From the finesse on the hi-hat and ride cymbals to the insane tom fills he uses throughout, you get a magnificent balance of power and precision. It also demonstrates how Peart was the band’s focal point even when his playing isn’t as flashy. The interplay between Geddy Lee’s bass lines and Alex Lifeson’s brief but memorable guitar solo shows how outstanding a silent bandleader he was.

When Rush was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, Peart, known for being a mild-mannered public figure, delivered a great sound bite: “The highest purpose of art is to inspire, what else can you do for anyone but inspire them?” Peart’s drumming continues to fulfill that purpose in spades for so many professional and amateur stick wielders alike, including yours truly (in the amateur category, mind you).

👉 Don’t forget to click the album image to stream the album on your favorite platform 👈