Triumph's Gil Moore on Fellow Toronto Native Neil Peart: 'A Private, Gentle Soul'

Rush was not the only heavy rock trio coming from Toronto during the early 1970s.

"There were constant comparisons," Triumph drummer Gil Moore tells Billboard -- and confusion. "I had people call me Neil (Peart)," Moore recalls. "They'd call Mike (Levine) Geddy (Lee). In some cases, people didn't know either band but were like, 'Oh, this three-piece hard rock sort of group from Toronto, you must be Rush.' It was quite humorous at times. Sometimes we would just play along with it." And despite any notions of rivalry, Moore contends that Triumph felt kinship and camaraderie with its northern neighbors.

In the wake of Peart's death on Tuesday he speaks about that relationship and his regard for his iconic counterpart.

I met (Peart) really through Metalworks recording studios (in nearby Mississauga), Rush being in the studio at the same time as us on a few different occasions. It's no secret Neil was a very private guy, so we weren't buds or anything like that. But I have to say that never mind the fact he was such a great drummer -- I mean, such a great drummer -- but he was such a great gentleman. That's really what impresses you, I think. He was a big guy, too -- you got him behind those drums, and you didn't see how physically imposing he was when you met him in person. He was a big guy, but he was such a gentle soul.

I chatted with him when he was at Metalworks various times. Like I said, he was such a quiet guy, but he was also very conversational. We could talk about drums or we could talk about almost anything. Neil was quite intellectual, and that's the way he was when you conversed with him. His face would light up in a conversation; he had one of those faces that was very expressive, and when he started to engage with you, you could see this kind of warmth that came out of him, and it wasn't fake. He would talk to you about music, he'd talk to you about politics, he'd talk to you about drums. He was very fond of reading, and often times when he was at Metalworks, you'd see him reading a book.

The thing I felt about Neil was he was a rock star/non-rock star, if you know what I mean. He was a rock star, but he had no pretensions. He was like your next-door neighbor, but just happened to be the drummer for Rush.

When we were touring, we would cross paths with Rush all the time. We worked for the same promoters. We played the same buildings; we'd be playing some place in America, St. Louis or Cincinnati or wherever, and they'd be coming in a month or were there a month ago. The bands that were out at the time, like Ted Nugent and Blue Oyster Cult and Kiss and Journey and so on, you'd get a certain camaraderie with all those guys. But Rush was different because they were from our hometown.

When I think about Neil's playing style, the first guys I think of are Ginger Baker, Keith Moon. I think of Mitch Mitchell, probably those three rock drummers. Neil's style was very drummer-take-all. He played the heck out of everything on his drums, right? So as opposed to the guys that evolved from the Levon Helm/John Bonham school, where you kind of lay back, the Keith Moons and Neil Pearts and the Ginger Bakers and the Mitch Mitchells went the reverse route and they filled all over the place and kind of drove the rhythm from in front instead of behind it. Neil would play a lot of what I would call "lead parts," and I always felt Rush's music was driven [by] the drums more so than other bands. You couldn't take your eyes off Neil, and you couldn't take your ears off of him, either. His rhythm just kind of permeated the band's musical signature.

He was just an incredible talent and, in our era, certainly, one of the greatest players that's ever sat behind a kit of drums, no doubt about it. We all started as young guys, and I was absolutely amazed watching Neil's improvement as he kept playing, and the fact he never stopped improving. He would improve since I saw him a year earlier or two years earlier and I'd just go "Wow..." That's the essence of a phenomenal musician, the dedication to keep improving. He outdid himself. When it comes to dedication and hard work and underlying talent, nobody ever got the better of Neil out the drums, that's for sure.

I knew what was going on with Neil and I just kept it to myself. I guess perhaps because I didn't hear it from Alex (Lifeson), who's a good friend, there was always this thing in the back of my head where I was like, "Well, even though I got it from a credible source, hopefully it's not true." I was just holding out hope that maybe it was a misconstrued story or something, but it was the truth... He was such a great guy, and everybody's going to miss him in the industry as a real gentleman. What more can you say, really?

Billboard – Gary Graff

Ozzy Osbourne Recruits Elton John, Post Malone For New Album

Ozzy Osbourne will release his new album, Ordinary Man, on February 21st via Epic Records.

The album includes collaborations with Elton John, Post Malone, Slash and Tom Morello, and was recorded in Los Angeles with producer Andrew Watt on guitars, Duff McKagan on bass and Chad Smith on drums.

“It all just came together,” Osbourne said in a statement. “Slash is a dear friend of mine, as is Elton. When I was writing ‘Ordinary Man,’ it reminded me of an old Elton song and I said to Sharon, ‘I wonder if he would sing on it?’ We asked and lo and behold, he agreed and sings and play piano on the song.”

He added, “It was a lot of fun to do though it’s a lot different from my other albums. We recorded it quickly, which I haven’t done since the first Black Sabbath album. This made it a different process, which I actually enjoyed.”

So far, the musician has released two songs from the album, “Under the Graveyard” and “Straight to Hell,” which features Slash. Along with the news of the upcoming release, Osbourne has also shared “Ordinary Man,” a soaring ballad with John on piano.

The album is available for pre-order now and includes an instant download of “Ordinary Man” with each pre-order. Ordinary Man will be available in a standard CD, deluxe CD, black vinyl, deluxe gatefold swirl color vinyl, picture disc and digital album.

In addition, all physical copies of the album will include a unique code that will allow the purchaser to enter a sweepstakes for a chance to win one of over 300 Ozzy prizes, which include a meet and greet with Osbourne.

Osbourne’s last solo album, Scream, dropped in 2010.

Credits: Rolling Stone Magazine - Emily Zemler

Nathaniel Rateliff Announces New Solo Album ‘And It’s Still Alright’

The backdrop to the album’s ten new songs was the death of Richard Swift, producer of the two hugely acclaimed albums by Nathaniel Rateliff & the Night Sweats.

Americana-soul notable Nathaniel Rateliff will release his first solo album in almost seven years, And It’s Still Alright, on 14 February via Stax Records. He has shared the title track and first single today (8).

The feel of the new record, for which Rateliff had been focusing on an unraveling relationship, took a different turn in July 2018 with the death of Richard Swift. His longtime friend and producer of the two hugely acclaimed albums by Nathaniel Rateliff & the Night Sweats thus gave poignant inspiration to these ten new songs, on which, now in his solo voice, Rateliff wears his grief and doubt on his sleeve, but always retains a sense of optimism.

The tracks on And It’s Still Alright are quieter and more reflective than the exuberant soul with which the Night Sweats made their name, but have the same urgency and indelible appeal, exploring themes of love, loss and perseverance. The title track, written by Rateliff specifically about Swift, exudes a haunting grace and acceptance, and features a Rett Rogers-directed video which you can watch. Tonight, Wednesday, the artist makes his fifth appearance on The Tonight Show starring Jimmy Fallon to perform the song.

“I think I always want to see hope in the darkness, and I like to try to share that,” says Rateliff. “I always try to write from a perspective of trying to approach everything very honestly, even if it leaves me vulnerable. But overall, it’s almost like I’m a different character when I’m writing for myself.

“I think this album is a reminder that we all go through hardship, but regardless of the hardship everything ends up where it’s supposed to. I still continue to live, and I still continue to find joy. I think that’s the theme of the record.”

Rateliff returned to Swift’s National Freedom studio in Cottage Grove, Oregon to make the album, joined by co-producers Patrick Meese (a longtime collaborator and the Night Sweats’ drummer) and James Barone (drummer with Beach House. They both also engineered and mixed the record.

And It’s Still Alright has additional contributions from Tom Hagerman (DeVotchKa violinist), Luke Mossman (Night Sweats guitarist), Elijah Thomson (Everest bassist), Daniel Creamer (keyboardist with the Texas Gentlemen) and Eric Swanson on steel guitar.

Rateliff has also confirmed details of his And It’s Still Alright tour, which will be a combination of solo, vocal-and-acoustic-guitar performances and full band shows with a four-piece string section. After his appearances at the Ann Arbor Folk Festival on 1 February, the tour itself begins in Minneapolis on 3 March and will include multiple shows at New York’s Town Hall and Los Angeles’ Theatre at Ace Hotel. Other dates will include Nashville’s Ryman Auditorium, D.C.’s the Anthem and the Red Rocks Amphitheatre in Colorado. nathanielrateliff.com

And It’s Still Alright is released on 14 February.

Credits: udiscovermusic.com – Paul Sexton

Bob Seger Launches Official YouTube Channel With ‘Night Moves’ Lyric Video

One of the Detroit rocker’s most popular tracks, ‘Night Moves’ was named by the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as one of The 500 Songs That Shaped Rock and Roll.

Capitol Records/UMe have announced the debut of Bob Seger’s official artist channel on YouTube with the premiere of the brand new lyric video for his legendary hit ‘Night Moves.’

The video is the first of a series of lyric videos Capitol is producing to highlight Seger’s classic hits. One of the Detroit rocker’s most popular tracks, ‘Night Moves’ was named by the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as one of The 500 Songs That Shaped Rock and Roll.

‘Night Moves’ The video is the first of a series of lyric videos Capitol is producing to highlight Seger’s classic hits. One of the Detroit rocker’s most popular tracks, ‘Night Moves’ was named by the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as one of The 500 Songs That Shaped Rock and Roll.

‘Night Moves’ was originally the lead single and titular song from Seger’s ninth studio album which was released on Capitol Records in 1976. Seger wrote the song as a coming of age tale about adolescent love and adult memory of it. It was based on Seger’s own teenage love affair he experienced in the early 1960s. It took him six months to write and was recorded quickly at Nimbus Nine Studios in Toronto, Ontario, with producer Jack Richardson. As much of Seger’s Silver Bullet Band had returned home by this point, the song was recorded with several local session musicians.

Released as a single in December 1976, ‘Night Moves’ reached number four on the Billboard Hot 100, becoming Seger’s first hit single since ‘Ramblin’ Gamblin’ Man’ from 1969. It also charted at number five in Canada and was a top 25 hit in Australia. The song was responsible for transforming Seger from being a popular regional favorite into a national star.

The Bob Seger Official Artist Channel will also premiere rare and classic Seger music videos restored for the first time in HD and feature custom playlists of Seger’s catalogue in HD quality audio, fan generated videos, as well as rare and unreleased content. Fans around the world can share their favorite Seger stories on the channel’s Community page.

Seger is an inductee of both the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame and the Songwriters Hall of Fame. The 2015 Billboard Legend of Live honoree’s catalogue has sold over 53 million albums and has earned 13 platinum and 8 multi-platinum RIAA Certified sales awards. Seger’s 72 date ‘Roll Me Away’ tour wrapped up in Philadelphia on 1 November, with the star having performed for nearly one million fans along the way. Listen to the Best of Bob Seger on Apple Music and Spotify.

From Seger’s ninth studio album which was released on Capitol Records in 1976. Seger wrote the song as a coming of age tale about adolescent love and adult memory of it. It was based on Seger’s own teenage love affair he experienced in the early 1960s. It took him six months to write and was recorded quickly at Nimbus Nine Studios in Toronto, Ontario, with producer Jack Richardson. As much of Seger’s Silver Bullet Band had returned home by this point, the song was recorded with several local session musicians.

Released as a single in December 1976, ‘Night Moves’ reached number four on the Billboard Hot 100, becoming Seger’s first hit single since ‘Ramblin’ Gamblin’ Man’ from 1969. It also charted at number five in Canada and was a top 25 hit in Australia. The song was responsible for transforming Seger from being a popular regional favorite into a national star.

The Bob Seger Official Artist Channel will also premiere rare and classic Seger music videos restored for the first time in HD and feature custom playlists of Seger’s catalogue in HD quality audio, fan generated videos, as well as rare and unreleased content. Fans around the world can share their favorite Seger stories on the channel’s Community page.

Seger is an inductee of both the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame and the Songwriters Hall of Fame. The 2015 Billboard Legend of Live honoree’s catalogue has sold over 53 million albums and has earned 13 platinum and 8 multi-platinum RIAA Certified sales awards. Seger’s 72 date ‘Roll Me Away’ tour wrapped up in Philadelphia on 1 November, with the star having performed for nearly one million fans along the way.

Credits: Udiscovermusic.com – By Tim Peacock