wisdom from the professor
A few days ago I had ordered a Guitar World tribute issue about Eddie Van Halen, and I realized that I had failed to do so for Neil Peart. My loss because it appears the Modern Drummer issue is sold out and it’s a scalper’s market at present. I did find a cover story compendium by MD, including the story from the tribue issue, so I’ve bought that but I assume the tribute issue is a more broad coverage of Neil’s career, so I’ll remain on the lookout for a more reasonably priced option. Right now, the cheapest is running around $150, which is a bit rich for a magazine that probably sold for under $20 at release. All that said, by chance a collection of Neil quotes popped into my news feed today, and there are some really good ones, a few I don’t remember hearing before.
The 11 best Neil Peart quotes about life
1 - ”The important thing is: if you fail once, or if your luck is bad this time, the dream is still there. A dream is only over if you give it up-or if it comes true.”
2 – “I can worship Nature, and that fulfills my need for miracles and beauty. Art gives a spiritual depth to existence — I can find worlds bigger and deeper than my own in music, paintings, and books. And from my friends and family I receive the highest benediction, emotional contact, and personal affirmation.”
“I can bow before the works of Man, from buildings to babies, and that fulfills my need for wonder. I can believe in the sanctity of Life, and that becomes the Revealed Word, to live my life as I believe it should be, not as I’m told to by self-appointed guides.”
3 – “It is impossible to follow the teachings of Jesus Christ and be a Republican. It’s philosophically absolutely opposed – if they could only think about what they were saying for a minute. That’s when you get caught up in the webs of what people call themselves and how they behave.”
4 – “I read recently that all of us can be defined in adult life by the way others perceived us in high school. I know [people] who had the popular, good-looking path in high school; they tend not to do so well. It was a little bit too easy for them, where for those of us who struggled in every sense, perhaps our determination and self-reliance and discipline were reinforced by that.”
5 – “You just become adaptable and try to lead a good life in ways that make sense, regardless. Because I know at the end of it, if I’m going to meet Jesus or Allah or Buddha, I’m going to be all right.”
6 – “I remain the optimist: you just do your best and hope for the best. But it’s an evolving state of mind.”
7 – “When I’m riding my motorcycle, I’m glad to be alive. When I stop riding my motorcycle, I’m glad to be alive.”
8 – “There’s a new reality born every minute. Unless one is a believer in predestination (in which case I’ll call the prestidigitator). Or other puppet-like restraints on our powers, one is free to imagine and effect changes on the world.”
“And if enough people do it, there are big changes. These things happen. Anything can.”
9 – “Adventures suck when you’re having them.”
10 – “If you want something done right, just forget it.”
11 – “With people too, you constantly think, “If I’m nice to people and treat them well, they’ll appreciate it and behave better.” They won’t. But it’s still not a bad way to live.”