Drumeo Analyzes Neil Peart’s Drumming on Rush’s “Tom Sawyer”
Drumeo offers a detailed breakdown of Neil Peart’s iconic drumming in Rush’s “Tom Sawyer,” including complex time changes and the legendary drum solo. (Langdon Hickman for OriginalTickets)
Drumeo has broken down the late Neil Peart ‘s iconic drumming on the RUSH classic “Tom Sawyer,” including all the tricky time changes and the signature drum solo.
The video comes as part of Drumeo’s continuing series breaking down some of the most legendary drum parts in rock history.
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Host Brandon Toews divides the song into four primary sections covering the fundamental grooves the song is built from. These include the primary groove, the 7/8 instrumental section, the guitar solo which features a number of time changes, and of course the drum solo which has become a staple in drummer’s arsenals for over four decades now. The lesson lovingly goes into the details of Peart’s drumming that make his parts so compelling to drummers past and present and underscore why he is so dearly missed.
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Peart, who ranks in the Top 5 of Consequence ‘s 100 Best Drummers of All Time , passed away in 2020 at the age of 67 from an aggressive form of brain cancer. He played with RUSH alongside Alex Lifeson and Geddy Lee for 41 years, spanning from 1974 until his 2015 retirement following the “R40” tour.
On RUSH’s current “Fifty Something” reunion tour , drummer Anika Nilles is filling Peart’s shoes, and earning high praise for her performances, including nailing the “Tom Sawyer” solo. Get tickets here .
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Watch Brandon Toews’ full breakdown of RUSH’s “Tom Sawyer,” as well as Anika Nilles playing the song’s solo, below. Get a free 30-day trial to Drumeo for lessons like this and much more content here .
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_Originally reported by [Consequence](https://consequence.net/2026/06/drumeo-breaks-down-rush-tom-sawyer/)._
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