Liverpool Sound and Vision Rating 9/10
It is undemanding to look upon musicians simply as entertainers, the sense of tradition of the minstrel joyfully earning a sovereign after keeping the court amused and distracted from the matters of state playing out behind velvet curtains, and whilst tradition suggests this is the tribute displayed, the musician, as with all artists, are so much more than just simple distraction, a diversion to be charmed by, they are the keepers and reminders of what makes us human, the teller of tales, the enlighteners to whom all Tributes are encased in gold.
How though is the tribute and the memory to be upheld when one of such authority leaves a huge void with their passing. Grief plays a powerful part, but so does thanks and honour, the understanding of being inspired by one who held the court in thrall and who perhaps had the ear, the heart, of one who could change the world.
No matter what you think of Progressive Rock, the influence it has had on the world since its inception is akin to art movements such as Surrealism and Post-Expressionism, likened in part to the expanse of writing and insight offered by the American Beat movement, and in the beauty of the kitchen sink drama, all have played their part in shaping the world, all of whom can be seen in the spirit of Rush’s drummer, lyric writer and all-round polymath, Neil Peart.
It is to Neil Peart that the signal of admiration has been lit, and in the year since he has passed on his way, the reflection that he is a hero to more than he perhaps ever believed, is gratifying, rewarding for all who ever knew him, listened to the music he created, the stories he told, and it is only right that an album of Tributes should come forth, performed by all those that see the majesty of The Professor in every song he, Geddy and Alex made available for the world.
It has to be noted that in all that has happened to the world since Neil Peart’s untimely passing, it is a touching reminder of the community, no matter what sphere of influence or love, that held him and the band in high esteem, one to whom tracks such as Subdivisions, Afterimage, Vital Signs and Time Stands Still are performed with exactness, precise pulse and perhaps a feeling of sadness shaped by adoration, and across the board acts and musicians that have come together to explore the work of the man, be it, Jacob Moon, Moving Pictures, Clockwork Angels, David King or New World Men, all have come to do one thing in front of the court, to praise, to give tribute to a man who exemplified beauty in percussion and magnificence in lyrical dimension.
Heroes come and go, but the never-ending appeal of Rush, of Neil Peart, is surely one that live long into history’s wake, and all because of the Tributes paid to him with respect.
Ian D. Hall