Neil Peart doc | How to watch No One's Disciple

There is a new feature-length film about Neil Peart, and if you play drums you will want to see it.

Neil Peart: No One’s Disciple is the work of Sam Dunn and Scot McFadyen, the pair behind Rush: Beyond the Lighted Stage. This one is about the drummer rather than the band.

You may have seen it doing the rounds on YouTube this week. Before you hit play, though, there’s something worth knowing about those copies. Let’s get into it.

What is in the film?

It runs to about an hour and three quarters. It mixes previously unreleased footage and archive interviews with Peart, plus reflections from the people who knew him best, Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson among them.

The part drummers will go straight to is the playing.

Four of Peart’s friends each take his seat and attempt two Rush songs with Lee and Lifeson: Danny Carey of Tool, Stewart Copeland of The Police, Gavin Harrison of King Crimson and Porcupine Tree, and Chad Smith of the Red Hot Chili Peppers.

That is four very different drummers taking on a famously exact catalogue. Peart worked his parts out in detail and then played them the same way night after night, so they leave very little room to bluff. Seeing how each guest deals with that, and which bits they keep or make their own, is the real treat here.

Where can I watch it?

The film premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival on 16 September. It aired on CBC’s The Passionate Eye on 23 September, and it is streaming on CBC Gem, which is its official home.

That is the catch for everyone outside Canada. CBC Gem is a Canadian service, and there is no US broadcast. No release you can buy or rent elsewhere has been announced yet either.

The full-length copies on YouTube were uploaded by individual fans, not by CBC or the filmmakers. They are unofficial, they could disappear at any time, and none of the money goes to the people who made it. That is why we are not linking to them.

Here is the official trailer from CBC Docs:

If you are outside Canada and want to watch it properly, keep an eye on the filmmakers and on CBC. We will update this post as soon as a wider release is confirmed.

A good month for Peart fans

The film lands in the middle of a big few weeks for his legacy.

Lee and Lifeson have just closed the $1 million gap on the Neil Peart memorial in Lakeside Park, St. Catharines, which opens in late 2027. Rush are also back on the road, and Anika Nilles is doing him proud behind the kit.

Final thoughts

A proper film about Peart the drummer, with four of the best in the world trying to fill his seat, is a lovely thing to have. We just hope it gets a release that more of the world can watch legally, and soon.

In the meantime, look at Neil Peart’s kits era by era, or pick up the sticks and work through our 10 Neil Peart transcriptions. Tom Sawyer is a good place to start.

Sources: Drumming News Network, CBC, CBC Music, Rolling Stone, Ultimate Classic Rock and Live For Live Music. Related: DNN on the memorial reaching its goal.