Does anyone else think Neil Peart has Asperger's?

This occurred to me, as well. But lately, Asperger's seems to be the "disorder du jour." Anytime someone is a little bit quirky and/or quiet, you think, "Hey...does he have Asperger's?"

But yeah, like I said, I was thinking it, too.

I doubt it. I think he's just a little shy about interacting with strangers the way an very famous person would be expected to.

I've known some famous people over the years and some of them have an easier time dealing with it than others.

It is an acquired skill like anything else and Neil doesn't seem to either have acquired it or even show much interest in doing so.

Fair play to him is what I say.


-
Fox News: We lie, you panic!

A mild form of autism would definitely help to explain his inhumanly accurate sense of timing and rhythm.

Funny you should say that, rph3664, because my husband said that when we watched the DVD tonight. Peart's own mother said that he learned how to knit because he "wanted to know how that worked". My son has Asperger's and was always curious of straight lines as a toddler and is immersed in something he wants to know about. Asperger's Syndrome is not a new thing, it's just for the fact parents(like myself and my husband)have to do the foot work on how this whole thing works and relates to people. Pearts' ability to drum like no one else seems to stem from Asperger's and just the pure love of drumming. Rarely do you see people with a deep passion for something that we are so curious to dissect and understand ourselves.

Boring they are, but deeply interesting to us. Rush is the best band ever.

The New York Rangers suck. And Sidney Crosby is a cry baby!

[deleted]

Drummers are good at many things: exploding, drowning in their own vomit, drumming. But the Rush skinsman proved they should never write lyrics—or read books. Peart opuses like “Cygnus X-1” are richly awful tapestries of fantasy and science fiction, steeped in an eighth-grade understanding of Western philosophy. 2112, Rush’s 1976 concept album based on individualist thinker Ayn Rand’s novella Anthem, remains an awe-inspiring low point in the sordid relationship between rock and ideas.

Neil Peart: #2 on Blender's list of Worst Rock Lyricist Ever (Nov. 2007)

I'd say definitely. He's a textbook case. The fact that after 40 years of playing concerts that he still has issues dealing with fans says a lot. It can't just be explained away as being "a little shy". I mean he's considered one of the most influential drummers of all time now. You would think he'd be able to try to live up to some of that responsibility now and reach back out to his fans who vote him Best Drummer every year even though they haven't had hit songs or albums in a couple decades. He won't even participate in the meet & greets they do backstage with fans. Watching the special and listening to Alex and Geddy describe him as still the strangest cat they've ever known 35 years later is a big indication that there's something wrong.

No I just think the needle is really moving on just what defines that. Same with autism that "suddenly is occurring" like way more than in the past.