This is a tough blog to type. On January 7th, the music world lost a true giant and the drumming world lost one of the very best to ever play the instrument. Neil Peart passed away after a quiet, 3 year battle with brain cancer. When this was first announced on Friday, January 10th, I just remember thinking how amazing it was that his friends and family were able to keep his illness a secret. Instant information is all around us, but somehow, those closest to Neil managed to keep his condition private. I think that is the ultimate show of respect to a man that cherished his privacy and more than anything, just wanted to be a regular guy. I will always admire his band mates, family, and friends for honoring this man by saying nothing about what he was going through. Neil was a huge influence on me as a drummer. I, like thousands of other drummers, sat in my room and tried to learn every cool lick from “Moving Pictures”. To be honest, I’m still trying to learn! He played with such power and precision and nothing ever felt overdone. In fact, I don’t think I’ve ever