Neil Peart, drum-nerd messiah, underrated lyricist, and one third of the greatest Canadien rock band of all time, passed away a few days ago.

I don’t think I’ve mentioned this before, but Neil was the primary influence behind this newsletter. The dude’s written, what, eleven books? At least that many. And they’re good. Confident, nourishing prose, disconcertingly candid observations about life “in the guilded cage.” For a musician seeking to dip his toes into the waters of the written word, there’re few better examples.

And I connected with Neil in other ways. He was an avid reader and indulger in the arcane. He spoke like an anthropomorphized tweed jacket, coming across, unintentionally but not surprisingly, as aloof. He was nerdy and prickly and tricky to categorize, while being undeniably badass.

Rest in peace, Neil Peart. I’m glad you’re no longer in pain. You inspire me in so many ways. Thank you.