Neil Peart, Drummer and Lyricist for Rush, Dies at 67

“I’d come home every day from school and play along with the radio.”After playing in rock bands during his teens, he moved to England at 18.

He became the band’s lyricist, he said in 1980, “just because the other two guys didn’t want to write lyrics.” He added that he considered the band’s lyrics “secondary” to the music.

Mr. Peart grew up as a fan of loud, flashy drummers like Keith Moon, Gene Krupa, John Bonham and Ginger Baker, and he was known for hitting his drum kit hard.

His recording career with Rush began with the band’s second album, “Fly by Night,” in 1975.

His approach immediately transformed the music from blues-based hard rock to compositions that were more demanding, ambitious and changeable.