Planning My Next Speech – Neil Peart and Rush




The inspiration for a speech can come from many places. Neil Peart was the drummer for the rock band Rush.  He passed on January 7th at age 67.  I wasn’t a fan of the band, but I had seen them in concert twice. His death and the news coverage made me think about my experiences as a possible speech topic.

I saw Rush a few years ago on their final tour. As it was their final tour, I got a ticket for their show in Montreal at the Bell Centre. The crowd was adoring. They recognized even the obscure songs after just a few notes, or after an introductory drum roll. I recognized very few of the songs. I’ve always admired the three musicians. They displayed immense talent, but over the years I never really enjoyed the intricate songs like Bytor and the Snow Dog, to name just one. That said, I am glad that I had two opportunities to see them live.

The first time I saw Rush was in the 1970’s as a kid growing up in Sydney, Nova Scotia. The headliner was April Wine, the opening band was Bond, and the second band was the young group Rush. I watched each of the bands all although I was there mainly to see April Wine.

I thought the band Bond was great, and that they had a long career ahead of them with their catchy songs. Wrong! And I thought the young Rush had a great sound, but man, with that singer and that voice, I didn’t think they’d have much of a chance. Wrong again.

So, in preparing a speech I have a couple of stories, and people love stories. But now I need to reflect on what’s my point, what is the purpose of a speech. It could be about first impressions.  Maybe about getting it wrong. Maybe about varying personal tastes.   Most importantly, I have what I believe are two pretty good stories to mine. 

If you have suggestions about a lesson or learning that fits the stories I’ve told, let me know.



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