Billy Corgan recently shared his admiration for Rush’s late drummer and lyricist, Neil Peart, during a conversation at the GRAMMY Museum. He talked about the influence Peart had on many musicians and recalled being refused to see the drummer.
Corgan pointed out that during the 1970s, Peart received criticism from rock critics for mentioning his influences. He noted:
“Neil Peart of Rush, in terms of a writer who took a ton of sh*t in the 70s from the rock critics because he dared mention Ayn Rand as an influence. They probably love him now, the Marxists in the crowd. That’s an inside joke as well.”
In spite of this, Peart’s ability to convey some of the concepts he used in Rush songs resonated with Corgan:
“The way he was able to articulate suburban malaise, the yearning of a young person, feeling that ‘Yeah, my life is fine, but there’s something more, but I don’t know what it is,’ and his articulation of that in song after song just blew my mind.”
Corgan then revealed that despite his admiration, he never had the chance to meet Peart:
“I’m sad I never got to meet him. He was notoriously private. So whenever I went to shows, it was like, you weren’t allowed to go see him. But his ability with words is shocking.”
Peart’s influence was not only felt in the music world but also sparked discussions about the broader themes of individualism, as reflected in Rand’s works. Alex Lifeson, Rush’s guitarist, once commented on how Rand’s writings on the importance of the individual inspired the band’s musical philosophy, as showcased in their eight-movement piece in the album ‘2112.’
However, over the years, Peart’s perspective shifted. In a 2012 interview with Rolling Stone, he reflected on his early passion for Ayn Rand’s works, describing himself as a ‘bleeding heart libertarian’ and highlighting the evolution of his ideals and understanding of libertarian principles.
Meanwhile, the Smashing Pumpkins released their twelfth studio album ‘ATUM: A Rock Opera in Three Acts‘ this year, featuring 33 tracks in 3 acts. The album was written and produced by Corgan.
