In a new interview with the Christian Science Monitor, Neil Peart lets us know what he's been reading, watching and listening to. Namely he's been reading Timothy; or, Notes of an Abject Reptile by Verlyn Klinkenborg, A Complicated Kindness by Miriam Toews and Graham Greene's Brighton Rock. He hasn't been watching much TV but movies he's seen are The Life and Death of Peter Sellers and Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby. He's been listening to Death Cab for Cutie's latest, called Plans and the new Keane, Under the Iron Sea.
Related to this, the interviewer for this article posted about the experience of interviewing Neil on a Marillion forum and had this to say:
One of the highlights of my career as a journalist was spending a half hour on the phone with Neil Peart two weeks ago. (My wife can't understand why I'm so elated about interviewing Peart – she only gets excited when I interview, say, George Clooney.)
I'm the editor of the Weekend Section of The Christian Science Monitor (for those of you outside the US, it's a 98-year-old, daily, nationwide newspaper) and we run a weekly feature in which we ask well-known people what they're reading, watching, and listening to. Neil rarely does interviews these days, but he nevertheless agreed to do a phoner. You can read Neil's answers in today's paper, here: http://www.csmonitor.com/2006/1006/p12s02-algn.html
We chatted about lots of things during the course of the interview, including Marillion. He said that he has friends who like Marillion but he had lost track and interest in the band when Fish left. In Peart's new book, "Roadshow," he talks about Donald Campbell and the Bluebird, so I told him how "Out of this World" inspired someone to go searching for the wreck of the craft. And then I mentioned that I rated H as a singer in the same league as Jeff Buckley. I offered to send him a few albums and he gladly took me up on the offer, so I'm sending him AOS and Marbles (and a few other CDs and books).
We also chatted a lot about literature and books, travel, Porcupine Tree, and the new Rush album. He says they have 8 or so songs that they like and that they've now started on two or three more. One of the themes of the new album, he says, will be examining religious fundamentalism. There's a line on one of the new songs that says "it doesn't matter whether it's the Middle East or the Midwest," it's a hugely powerful force. I told him that I loved "Vapor Trails" and he said that meant a lot because he's always hearing fans talk about the albums they made 25 years ago, whereas he prefers the more recent stuff! (If I'd had my druthers, I'd have asked him if they ever plan to remaster "Vapor Trails.")
cheers,
Stephen H
Looks like Neil had a lot to say besides what he's been reading. It's great to hear that the album songwriting process is proceeding well, and Neil reiterates once again that this album will deal with religious s themes - specifically religious fundamentalism. Many thanks to Ian for giving me the heads up on this.
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