Neil Peart’s Original RUSH Drum Set “Chromey” Sells for $500,000

The first nice drum kit that Neil Peart purchased after joining the band Rush was a 1974 Slingerland 7-piece drum set. Neil later recalled, “I don’t remember being particularly fixed on getting Slingerlands. I think I just saw them on the music-store floor and fell in love with them.” And loved them he did. Someone else obviously loved them because they paid a half million dollars for these old tubs!

One of favorite Neil’s favorite drummers was big bag jazz legend Gene Krupa who played Slingerland drums. Neil had earlier wrapped his old drum set with a chrome finish to try to be more like another idol, Keith Moon. Neil’s stars were aligned to play “Chromey”.

Neil played the “Chromey” drum set live on tour and for his first four albums with Rush. You can hear his first love on the Rush albums Fly By Night, Caress of Steel, 2112, and their first live album All the World’s A Stage.

Modern Drummer Magazine held several reader contests to give away Neil Peart’s drum sets. The first giveaway was won by Mark Feldman and he acquired the Slingerland “Chromey” kit. He later sold it with the help of a Brooklyn music store to Dean Bobisud from Chicago. Dean toured the kit across the country to RushCon conventions, PASIC conventions, Rush movie premieres, and even Lakeside Park in Canada. Dean loved letting Rush fans play Neil’s first kit, but he also raised money for the American Cancer Society as Neil’s first wife passed away from cancer. It’s believed that with Neil’s passing, and changes in Dean’s life due to the pandemic, that it was finally time to let go of “Chromey”.

It will be interesting to learn, if we ever do, who purchased Neil Peart’s drum set at auction for $500,000. Maybe Jim Irsay? Regardless, congratulations to Dean for turning an initial $25,000 investment into $400,000 (after fees). “Chromey” even has it’s own Facebook group to if you would like to learn more about the history of Neil Peart’s first Rush drum set.