"Cygnus X-1: Part 1" by Rush

[MrPinonino]

gret cover bro a lot of people including me have trouble with odd time beats but you do very well

[KKun10]

Amazing job, just amazing. Great timing and grooving!

[duddy74]

4:42 hahaha i do the exact same air bass when i'm drumming along to this.

[georgesorosisgay1]

the snare has a good tone, sounds like perts

[hacksack1]

what an amazeing job!! just perfect!

[ihmotep11]

holy crap so this is what I'm going to play?!?!?!?! I found the drum score for this song and it's an epic mind rape watching this play and reading the score at the time. God Crap!!!! Wish me luck Youtube and amazing job btw!! ^O^

[jonas6minor6threat6]

timing perfect!!!! great job!

[kybo61]

Dude I saw Rush in concert like 20 years ago, you rock like Neil Peart!!! Keep it up, you are good.

[cmbishop21]

Really nice job! Keep that up!!

[natedoggrevolution]

I clicked here hoping to dissect some of the fills. Turns out this stuff is in the drumming deep end of the pool. Maybe I'll just stick with 80's Peart lol! Good show, Paulie. Cheers from Canada!

[tutoch]

Awesome job Man,, very nice

[BaCoNxBeAnS]

the drum fill at 1:17 you NAILED. ive watched so many people try to do that fill and your the best one ive seen, excluding peart himself playing. Solid cover man solid cover

[dinomaui]

Crazy time signatures in the later part... 6/8, 5/4, 6/8, 6/8, 6/8, 5/4, 6/8 etc. I guess I love that stuff because I can count it. :) That's why I'm such a fan of Rush.

[dinomaui]

Dooood! Way to clock that shiT!!! I play bass and drums and I can only imagine how many hours you practiced this... Good job!! One of my faves from RUSH!

[Pauliewanna]

@dinomaui The hardest -- and sometimes most disheartening thing about trying to play this song is that you have to count to 49 really fast at the very end of the song, and if you get that wrong, well 8 minutes pissed away!

[MrPinonino]

@dinomaui i agree i dont know how someone could dislike this

[augieguillermo]

thats a sweet beat laboratory

[badback22]

Smooooth :D

[realtorman2]

Wow I watched it four times! Amazing, Neil would be proud

[ThunderZ72]

Amazing. This is one of my favorite Neil drum performances...you do it really well. Fun to watch!

[maxbackspin]

Enjoyed that thanks...

[CrashmagnetMusic]

Excellent

[sdmf62]

Great job.  Love that song!!

[afrofag]

not to be nosy, but how much did this huge ass set cost?

[MrTeslasRevenge]

You never cease to amaze me you do Neil justice every time ! Rock on

[BuglemouthBass]

Phenomenal, A-1, right on it!

[icnonlylisen]

nailed it on top of Geddys bass. exellent.

[anckermann]

Well Done..!!! Cheers From Guatemala..!!

[ttownd]

Listen man...

I rarely leave comments on these things. However, I am a drummer and I know how much work went into this. That was as close to perfect as anyone (other than Neil) could have done!

All without a click-track???

Well done man!

Is that a Paragon Ride?

[MrLEGOApple]

O.o lots of drums...

[Spool77]

Like the air bass at the same time :)  Can't say I've ever seen that before.

[couch63]

been playing air drums to this for 30 years. you're much better than i am :) nice job. thanks

[tacosalad98]

awesome job

[guitargod5832]

fucking amazing... are you related to Neil or something? that would be creepy... next try through the fire and flames next or something difficult like that

[CrownOfGemfire]

Freakin' amazing dude!

[callis44077]

wow paulie, right on the money..nice, very nice

[acadianscorpio]

I really enjoyed watching this great video :)

[MrWilander88]

awsome..........the breaks are flawless dude

[deSadetheImpaler]

great shit man \m/

[SMstikx7]

Question - Do you hit the hi-hat on its side hitting kinda hitting both bottom and top or do u hit the top

[Pauliewanna]

It totally depends on what sound I'm going for. Sometimes, I hit the bow of the hats with the tip of my stick. Sometimes, I hit where the two hats meet with the shoulder of my stick... sometimes I hit the hi-hat with the portion of my stick from the tick to the shoulder tangential to the bow of the cymbal. Watch my "hi-hat techniques" series. I explain all the choices and what I hit when.

[acent2112]

you remind me of what I was doing for many years but you are doing the more exact thing w/ actual drums set up.

I rehearse w/covers through the mix board still & appreciate your expertise.

[misteraytch]

Dude, I hope you get your shot at fame, you are excellent!!

[xl1200]

cool!

[apollo112006]

Awesome, absolutely awesome.

[boxzila]

Dude you just Blew my Mind, I have playeed with some of the best drumers in the old BaY area Scene in the 1980s, I cut my teeth on Rush as a Bass player in the 70-early 80s.

You Kick major ass, I would give a left not to play some rush withyou on Bass!

Kudos dude, If your anywhere near ATL GA, PM me back, we can Play some stuff!

[mwells2683]

Pauliewanna....B/A MoFo

Wow. Nicely done man.

[Javdoc]

Wow, man, oustanding!

[NewFreeOh]

Your Sir, Are a BAMF. And I take my Hat off to you. That's the most amazing thing I've ever seen. You are incredibly gifted. I recently broke both my arms and am playing my drums without the use of my wrists XD. Keep up the amazing playing,and those who say idiotic things are just jealous

[sbrushfan]

I wonder if he (Paulie) even realizes how much of a badass he is. His drumming is absolutely sick.

[langer1972]

That kicks ass dude so tight!

[tvvsradio]

Bravo sir!

[dmso12]

outstanding

[clan720]

great take on this song aman well done

[menom7]

DAMN Paulie!!!!!!! My eyes got tired juz WATCHING you do this one!!!! This song takes some serious STAMINA to make it through till the end so my hat OFF to ya's!! PEACE................

[lennytroupis]

hey dude ur right fucking on.....im impressed...loved it.....necromancer next dude

[Bonkizz]

Ha, I love the air bass!

[menom7]

LOL. Agreed!!!!!!!

[harrybrandy]

I think you're a hero, nothing less.

great great stuff

[RushMikeYYZ]

how do you do it? That looks superhuman lol

[Pauliewanna]

Well, to be honest, this was probably the most difficult song I've ever learned on drums. I practised a LOT before I even attempted a full take. Incidentally, this IS one take, I just cut all the ethereal stuff out of the middle. When it comes together for me, it does. Once I make a mistake in a song, I kind of turf it.

[ddrma1]

damn man you are one of the most impressive people ive seen and ive been watching your videos for a few months with comments now and again this isnt even my username but damn dude you inspired the hell out of me and since then ive learned limelight, tom sawyer, red barchetta, most of the camera eye, and just recently, subdivisions by ear and by watching your vids. keep up the great work and hopefully someday i'll be able to play with the fluidity you do

[negtype13]

I don't care what Anybody says!!!

ALONG with Anthem, By-Tor, The Necromancer and Bastille Day....THIS IS the precursor to Thrash Metal.

(1973-1977 style!)

AMEN FOR FUCKIN' RUUUSSHH!!

[nobunagaspectre]

Geddy scared me the first time I heard this song, when he screams at the end. Freakin' sick! Better than all those bands that actually specialize in screaming.

[RCAvhstape]

Nice job, dude. I love the air bass, too ;) That's the problem with listening to Rush you want to play 3 to 5 air insturments and sing at the same time! BTW, this song has the most epic Geddy rock and roll scream ever.

[tigeraven2112]

dude, 5:29 - 5:56 made me laugh so hard beacuse that si some of the most awsome drum work, and you NAILED it LOL, freaking awsome! 10/5!

[guitarprof]

I'd play with you anytime!

[drumster626]

AMAAAAZIIIIIIIIIIIING!!!!

[Crzysex]

IS THAT A PARAGON RIDE?

[Pauliewanna]

Yes. And this was done a long time ago. The ride cymbal was my first acquisition from the paragon line. Since then, I have the hi-hats, 4 crash cymbals and two different chinese cymbals from that line and they all sound amazing.

[Crzysex]

No doubt!

I wish I had enough cash to get a paragon set...im just a poor student lol

[Pauliewanna]

I was a poor student for 8 years and I didn't play my drums the WHOLE time because apartment tenants don't likey drumming. I've been there. Do yourself a favour - graduate, buy a house and drum whenever you want!

[OracleOfSyrinx]

Fantastic! Very crisp!

[juankliss]

amazing dude! you n(e)ild it!

[constantine2112]

Outstanding job Paul. Great timing. Makes me want to get dust off my bass :)

[HubAndre]

awesome timing Paul !

[smithdsmit]

good job great song and great sound. besides the gret playing the sound came through very well

[pearlavalanche]

great cover! I've been trying to learn this tune myself, definately a challenge, you nailed it though! great job

[Ninjatte]

Amazing song and amazing work!

It would be great to jam with you.

[doten67]

craziest indeed, great job

[NeilCulbert]

Good cover man, I'm always happy seeing people playing good music especially Rush, I didn't think anyone would be able to play that song note for note except Peart himself. Good job man, keep on rockin.

[EduTender]

hey fat man each i see ur video it boresme cozz if neil pert see u he will say you don't have ear for music, what a shame

[Pauliewanna]

You say "each". If I'm so boring, why do you give it a second go? Why not just stay away?

[werewolfsrevenge]

You've got it all wrong. Neil Pert would really like to see someone who can play one of his most challenging pieces of material. Hes not a stuck-up snob. And how could he have a horrible taste if hes playing one of the songs that Neil Pert created. Your not making sense. :|

[losingitrush]

amazing  i hope you the next generation of rush

[tazzuk69]

tell you what my frend i play a lot of rush stuff but on guitar lol but thats the best i ever herd from any drummer i have jamed with keep up the good work buddy spot on

[1988TS185]

Fucking hell...You play it so gracefully like your not even trying...AMAZING COVER

[vuducat70]

This is the best Rush cover I've ever seen. Fuckin dead on. Pauliewanna take Neil's job?

[vanhalen021]

lol i like the guy bashing you. first of all he told you to go to kindergarten and his grammar is awful. Anyway ill just make this a general post thanks for all the help over the past year. Its coming up on a year since I got my set and any time I wasnt sure what to do on a song all I had to do was check out your videos. Keep up the great work and happy drumming.

[AerosmithTour2005]

One of my favorite Rush songs, great job!

[tigeraven2112]

wtf is up with all the negative comments on here?! this is friggin awsome! he nailed it pretty much perfectly, good work!

[mweiford]

Excellent Paulie-man!! I've been trying to play that song for 30 years and it's still a M-F'er to play. Any of these negative critics need to try to play this before commenting! I give you a 99.9%.

[crimn]

friggin awesome playing dude!! you nailed it perfectly!! drums sound great!!

[EclipseRush]

Dude that was perfect! Great song, and don't listen to any of the jerks posting about it

[cowbud]

Nice, Next Neil Peart :D

[EduTender]

pauliewanna you must to go to kindergarten to study the abc of music before critic about music

[Pauliewanna]

I am currently enrolled in kindergarten, but today was a snow day, so I could make it and dammit, I missed the abc of music, so it looks like I'll have to go back next year again.

[EduTender]

that fat guy don't play weell like neil peart ok?

[Pauliewanna]

Yeah, I know what you said. First you call me a fat ass and now you are telling me to go to hell? Are you really 14 years old? If so, I guess that explains it. One question: did I make you watch my video?

[littledoolander]

don't worry about it he probly can't half as good as this you are one crazy ass son of a bitch (i mean that in a good way)

[EduTender]

gordopanzon pupu

[Pauliewanna]

wonderful comment! Now go get another hobby.

[EduTender]

you must go hell pauliewanna you don't know musci

[ShinigamiXV]

Dont pay attention to this douche. You kick ass!

[wisker123]

Hey Paulie; you were right about Double Agent; just watched you do it and no Hi-Hat !!

Love this song; like you say a crazy 7 mins - well done matey. Seriously Someone should tell Neil about your collection - not an obsession with Neil as I see it; just admiration. Well done. Cheers Le Branletto

[Rendclaw]

You should do a narration for this one... not to do it over as I am sure it drove you crazy..

[shakahar1]

Outstanding! Hats off to you!

[peaceonearth777]

10 stars. want to make Rush vids? I can clone Alex' music easliy, Geddy? A bit tougher but possible.

[jonny7789]

Haha during Alex's solo part it looked like you were playing the bass! Awesome dude :-)

[ironman1055]

That looks like a weird position when you hit the 16 inch crash cymbal, around 5:45.

[Pauliewanna]

Backhanded it like I do to people who send me negative comments.

[ironman1055]

Lol, just wondering.

[ashcrotch]

amazing job man, keep up with the good work

[ihatebobsaget1989]

lol 2:46

[Pauliewanna]

what's so funny?

[VapidWithin]

The last 2 minutes were absolutely mesmerizing. 5*s!

[langer1972]

I know no other way to sum up the way you play othen then you JUST KICK ASS!!!!!

[langer1972]

All I have to say is that you have by far the best skils that I have ever seend ina drummer.I just wish I could meet you becuase you just blow me away!

My God keep it up!!!!!

[ePhilosopher]

i hate compliments. tell me to die ina fire or something. meh.

william faulkner's hause digs behind the old absinthe archeoligical flippant basillica in north america. eh?

[ashcrotch]

Good job man, you did the song justice.

[ToujoursLAmour]

Nicely done! I know it may be bad form to ask technical questions and not just enjoy the performance, but in that huge fill at 1:19 are those all single strokes? Thanks.

[Pauliewanna]

Not bad form to ask technical questions -- that's what it's all about. Yes, they are all single strokes with some accents when switching toms.

[ToujoursLAmour]

Thanks a lot man! Yeah I guess it is pretty fun to answer tech questions now that I think about it. It just seems to me like some people get annoyed. They just don't get it man. Peace.

[ihatebobsaget1989]

at 5:40 was that like an odd time?

[Pauliewanna]

very odd!

[chriscdt91]

11/8 I believe?

[AlSlark]

Hey Paulie, good job man, couldn't have done it better my self! This one is a tuff 1.

[KimonoSkunk]

Now upon seeing your vids, and watching you play, this is first rate. I did see a comment a fellow Rush fan that someone went through all your vids and 1 starred them all, driving your rating down.

Now there probably isnt anyway to see who did it, but I honestly went through your vids not knowing a LOT of the songs, and listened, and watcched, and rated accordingly.

You nailed them all, with VERY few mistakes I can see, if any. Hope all the 'HONEST' 5 stars gets ya back up.

bows

Kimono_skunk

[classicrockneverdies]

nailed it! your my hero! PS your hi hat sounds awesome.

[baldheadedjohn]

Wow! Now yer gonna hear the truth,! Yer alright. first of all you dont know me, so yer probably not gonna care what i have to say! i use to play this song in a cover band, guitar. Yer doing good for the first part, missing alot of hits, missing alot of rolls, the very beginning! And at the end you kind of lose it, struggling, and you know it, you can see it in yer face! any way comment me back! not to be an ass!...... good drummer though!!!

[Pauliewanna]

Hey guess what... it's a really difficult song and I'm an amateur drummer just having a few goes at Rush. I never claimed to be perfect and this song is not only a technical challenge, it's a real tax on my old memory. There are quite a few 'fluid' time things in this song. Some of them I nailed and some I didn't. Remember, it's all from one take. I could probably stitch together a more perfect video if I did a lot of editing, but that's not my bag. Anyway, thanks for the comments.

[thetenia]

Paulie, I watch your take all the time, it's fantastic. Pay NO attention to anyone like "baldheadjohn" The very language of english defeats him(yer alrite..yer like missin an junk). I HIGHLY doubt he can play the guitar part. If so, perhaps he should post it. Anyway, I'll say it again, I watch this video almost daily, it's fantastic.

[dropehe]

you are such a gentleman! from the heart response to a jafo! im in respect of you paulewanna! it is a hard song to craft but rush spent over 9 months on this album so who the fuck are those assholes to comment on one performance of adulation! fuck em bro your doing fine its aweinspiring!! oh by the way jafo means just another fucking observer! but in your case jafowly! just another fucking observer who loves ya !!

[Hoodlum42]

Shit, I thought you kikked ass on that..

[paulie0706]

like i've always been saying for your videos, u do the best covers.

[cinderellamannn]

very very good

[FloydNIN]

awesome dude

[theclax2007]

A+ all the way

[mosseous]

...the last bit (after the cut) was just amazing, so complex. It's just an excellent track and you did a great job.

Please, please do the necromancer!!

[Pauliewanna]

Yeah, I'll get right on that. LOL! Do you think I'm here for your enjoyment? Oh, yeah: I am... NEVERMIND!

[mosseous]

You certainly are dude! (you're doing a great job--by the way!!)

[jaminlikesdrums]

The main groove is 3/4, 7/8, 3/4, 4/4. Right?

[Pauliewanna]

that depends on what you mean by 'the main groove'... Honestly, I have no idea. I just play what I need to play. If it's odd time, it's odd time. I know when it's odd time, but I don't concern myself with what that time is.

[jaminlikesdrums]

Very nice! A Farewell to Kings is possibly my favorite Rush album!

[PhilCastro9851]

One of Peart's finest!! And you did amazing!

[AnubisXII]

I don't think you're supposed to be able to do that.

That is crazy, man. The accuracy and speed you have is friggen mind-blowing. And then, on top of that, you were able to capture and successfully display the emotions of human chaos and violence that I thought only Neil could purvey.

Man. Just as gripping as the original.

Another good job, sir.

[kopi3nnn]

Heh, that was pretty cool...thx for sharing.

[Zboots]

Ahhhh, the good ole days. Excellent sir!

[paulie0706]

are you using the sabian paragon hi-hats?

[Pauliewanna]

yes, paragon 13" on left side. My closed x-hat are 13" AA.

[mg4150]

One of my favorite Rush tunes. You play it flawlessly. When this came out in the 70s it was incredible and still is!

[Rendclaw]

That has to be your piece de resistance... I always knew that song had to be complex as all get out from a drumming perspective and you just proved that. And nice air bass!

How many takes did you do on that one?

[Pauliewanna]

Both parts of this video are from the same take, but I cut out the extraneous guitar (minute or so) at the 5:12 mark. I'd say I did about 6 or 7 takes before I was pleased.

But, before that, LOTS of practice. The memory work of all the fills, the timing for many things, counting to 49 really fast at the end of the song. It's all mental gymnastics. It's hard to be musical with this kind of detail until you become EXTREMELY comfortable with the song. That took a little while.

[Pauliewanna]

Initially, I thought the odd-time part at the end of jacob's ladder was probably going to be the hardest Rush song to learn. Then i did Xanadu and that became a high-water mark. Then La Villa and I was awed, but this is probably the most work I've EVER done on a Rush song.

[Rendclaw]

You should be proud, because that was awesome to behold, as a fellow Rush fan and as a guitar player for 20 years.

[Pauliewanna]

Well I think that's the last 'epic' that I'm going to learn for a while, although I may do "necromancer" in the next few months. I'm going to concentrate on easier stuff (post GUP LOL) not in a technical way, but just much less math/permutation oriented. Look for some more TFE and Presto tracks soon.

[Rendclaw]

I look forward to them. I was going to request a couple of Iron Maiden songs, but aside from some off of the Killers album, you would eat them for breakfast. ::chuckles::

[Pauliewanna]

It's funny you should mention IM because a buddy of mine keeps bugging me to do some of that. I might do some from Number of The Beast/Piece of Mind/Powerslave era. I LOVE Clive and Nicko's work.

[Rendclaw]

Then by all means, have at it! Clive's work is more jazzy while Nicko's is more straightforward. I look forward to seeing what you can do with the songs from that era.

[guitaroodude]

Felicidades! Tocas como los dioses!

I just subscribed to your account. You're way beyond awesome man, you're a fire-breathing monster of a drummer!

Have you got a band? You should be playing with top musicians! Do you play jazz and/or latin? Perhaps some Yellowjackets stuff?

BTW, I used to be a Rush fan in my teens and I have to say your playing stirred something deep inside... Whoops, I just took out my guitar and started playing along with your video-LOL

[mightyjoy]

Great job!

[laauuurrrr]

wow... neil peart is a genius! u too

[dustybones2112]

Very well done, you never fail to amaze me...

[seaoaks]

This is why I subscribe to Pauliewanna!!

[garsbaby]

Well Done!!!!